John Lee Hancock's adaptation of Michael Lewis's book (itself based on a true story) is that rare beast, a film with clear Oscar ambitions that manages to remain entertaining and feelgood without being buried under its good intentions. Looking at the story, white middle class family adopts a homeless poor but talented boy with ambitions of playing professional football, is one riddles with potholes. From navigating the touchy issues of race and class in America, not to mention centring a fiery matriarchal figure that could embody right-wing Christian Americana, on the surface the film could have been insufferable. It is a relief and a pleasure then to find this isn't the case, wisely many of these issues are absent as the focus of the story turns to the characters, and the compassion people can show to each other, rather than delving too deeply into the underlying social issues.
Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her role as Leigh-Anne Tuohy who is the driving force behind the whole movie and it's easy to see why. It is a remarkable performance, for all the reasons already mentioned and for the enthusiasm and persona she projects so completely throughout. A tiny powerhouse of determination and ambition she commands the screen, and playing against newcomer Quinton Aaron, who plays Michael Ohr (all 6ft 5 of him) that is no small achievement. As impressive as Bullock is it is Aaron that grounds the emotion of the film, he plays Michael as a bruised shell of a boy, a gentle giant right down to the core, and his protracted and soulful behaviour is less showy, but just as affecting. The rest of the Tuohy family make up most of the remaining characters in the film, it cleverly keeps the cast small and the story focused on the impact events have on the family and Michael himself.
As a well-known story (especially in the US) there are few surprises along the way, but the lightness of touch and winning characters make the journey more than worth it. On the down side the film is clearly more comfortable in the middle-class surroundings, it's few forays into Michael's old neighbourhood come across rather after-school special, but aside from that Daniels shows well honed control behind the camera, never pushing the story into the overly sentimental territory it could so easy fall into.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film, it is unashamedly designed to put a smile on your face and a fuzzy feeling in your heart, but when it's done this well, what's the harm in that?
Vicenzo Natali's latest film continues to mark him out as an interesting, and unique voice is the world of relatively low budget but high concept film making. I remembering enjoying elements of Cube when it came out, more from the novelty than anything else, but I have a real fondness for Cypher, his little seen techno thriller (which you should definitely check out if you haven't seen it, the less you know the better) but it is clear from the start that Splice is a distinct step up in terms of ambition.
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Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley play a couple of rock star scientists, pushing the cutting edge of gene splicing technology. When they are cut loose from their current funding they begin a series of dangerous and illegal experiments, the result of which is a human / animal hybrid called Dren. What makes the film so interesting is the way it plays with conventions and ideas, it is not afraid to delve into areas others might shy away from. The focus on sexuality that is hinted at throughout feels truly transgressive in a way that is always uncomfortable and yet never cheap. The film straddles a few of these contrasting areas, in terms of tone it can veer from drama, to horror to dark dark comedy whilst retaining its own twisted identity throughout. It was a shame then that the ending fell victim to reverting to genre conventions, it is an inevitable conclusion but feels a little too rote for a film of this ambition.
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Key to the film's success though is the realisation of Dren as a character. Played (as an adult) by French actress Delphine Chanéac she is subtly enhanced through CG to create a truly original and unearthly looking creation. The presence of a real actor on set is vital here and Dren never suffers from being an obvious CGI creation in the way that often takes away from other films. Truly she creates a memorable persona out of this creature, and the way her relationship develops with both Brody and Polley is the heart of the film and what makes it work, through situations that could have been laughable in less capable hands.
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Overall Splice is the sort of film I am glad exists and would like to see more of, it is clearly the vision of someone with something to say and a unique vision and its execution credits this. It also manages to be a solidly entertaining and disturbing horror film of sorts, whilst chewing over some serious subject matter, no mean feat and one that should be applauded.
Before I start the review a quick note that I have been a bit busier lately and so these reviews have started to become weekly, which at the rate I'm watching films isn't going to be enough to clear the backlog that is developing so I will try and do a bit of a catchup this week, which might mean slightly quicker reviews but I'd like to remain as current as possible!
Today's review is for Darren Aronofsky's latest Black Swan, a tortured and surreal character-study set in the highly pressurised and competitive world of ballet dancing. Those familiar with Aronofsky's work so far (I was surprised to realise it was only 4 films strong at this point) will know that the film plays fast and loose with the typical conventions, in fact it comes across as a heady mix of the low-fi naturalistic look of The Wrestler, coupled with the nastier, divergent instincts of Requiem for a Dream. Natalie Portman plays the main character, Nina, who wins the role of the White and Black Swan in her companies newest production. Initially thrilled the appointment starts to take its toll on her physically and emotionally as the worlds of the ballet and reality converge. Portman is front and centre for the entire film and the whole thing rests on her shoulders, as proven by her deserved Best Actress Oscar she more than steps up to the challenge, she gives a wonderfully naturalistic and layered performance that sells the film even when events around her start to seriously go off the rails. Her Nina is a quiet and repressed girl, a vulnerable side that Portman has not often shown and her transformation through the film is wonderfully nuanced.
She is given good support all round, both Barbara Hershey (as Ninas controlling mother) and Mila Kunis (as a newcomer to the troop who may or may not have it in for Nina's role) impress with Kunis again showing what a likeable and engaging presence she can be on screen. Vincent Cassell is wonderfully slimy as the productions director, as he tries to get Nina to fulfil her potential in the duel roles she is tasked with, and this concept of duality and mirrors runs throughout the film. The central dilemma to the film, Nina's struggling with the role of the Black Swan (as opposed to the pure White Swan to which she is naturally suited) echoes throughout the film in all aspects, making it as much a psychological thriller as anything else.
As the film escalates there is the distinct possibility it could descend into silliness but it is to Aronofsky's credit that the tone never falters, right from the start this is an unsettling film, it's rhythm is atypical and it constantly plays with your expectations and perceptions. The film builds slowly, but remains a very intense and personal focus throughout. The early scenes shun wide establishing shots for claustrophobic over-the-shoulder tracking, the sense of Nina's enclosure within her own little world is writ large to the audience very effectively.
Black Swan is a difficult film to discuss and categorise, and it is all the better for that. I liked the film a lot and it's final images are some that will remain with you long after the film ends. Once again Aronofsky and frequent collaborator Clint Mansell (here sampling and using Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to magnificent effect with his score) create a combination of sounds and images that linger in the mind and leave themselves open to interpretation and debate, in the way that only the best of cinema can do.
Dustin Hoffman has long been one of my favourite actors, and the more I have dipped into his back catalogue of performances the more impressed I've been. From his earnest reformation in Kramer vs. Kramer, to his youthful earnestness in The Graduate he has always been an absorbing presence, and in Tootise he again takes a role and a concept that could easily fall at the first hurdle and sells it completely. Here he plays Michael Dorsey, a talented but notoriously difficult (and principled) actor, who dresses up a as a woman to get an acting job, and who becomes an overnight sensation. Like I said it's a gimmicky premise, that in the wrong hands could have felt contrived, but through Murray Schisgal and Larry Gilbert's wonderfully astute script and Hoffman's performance it becomes a funny and absorbing tale.
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I really can't give enough credit to the screenplay here, it is a classic example of a bold premise fully fleshed out with a seemingly endlessly supply of witty one liners. It makes great use of the setup as well, so often films struggle to live up to their first act but here you get a clear sense of direction throughout. The film is helped by having a great cast, Hoffman as mentioned is revelatory, not only as the hapless Dorsey but as Dorothy Michaels as well, in her Hoffman creates a complete character and you completely buy the reality of this person in the world, and everyone's acceptance of her. He is ably supported by Bill Murray, who is as funny as he's ever been as Michael's struggling writer roommate. Jessica Lange is warm and appealing as Julie, the woman Dorothy befriends but who Michael habours a secret love for; another device lifted straight from a farce but that is woven naturally into the film's many layers.
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Sydney Pollack himself is a delight as Michael's long suffering agent and the snappy tone and feel he brings as director make it a constantly entertaining and amusing film. That being said the film also does a good job of fleshing out these characters and making them sympathetic, it is again to the writers and Hoffman's credit that we never turn on Michael for the choices he makes.
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Despite the film being nearly 30 years old the film still holds up remarkably well, the gender politics it is able to explore are a little dated but still relevant and the dialogue continues to sparkle. Fully of great performances and with a winning desire to entertain Tootsie is that rare beast, a feel good film that will leave you with a genuine smile long after the credits have rolled.
Since it's resurgence in the early 90's Disney Feature Animation has been suffering a bit of an identity crisis. Seemingly overtaken by the young upstart Pixar, the studio has been slowly figuring out how it fits into this new digital world, whilst attempting to maintain those Disney traits that made so many of the studio's films enduring classics. After a recent foray back into the world of traditional animation with the Princess and the Frog, they are back on the CG bandwagon with Tangled, an updated telling of the Rapunzel tale, a fairytale I was honestly surprised that Disney had not tackled before.
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Despite being a variant on the Rapunzel tale a lot of the familiar elements remain; taken as a child the titular characters is locked in a tall tower by a witch, in this case due to the healing properties of her hair with which she was imbued as a child. The prince has been replaced by Flynn, a thief and a rogue in the traditional sense who seeks Rapunzel's tower as a refuge whilst on the run from the law. By being flexible with the familiar elements of the tale writer Dan Fogelman managed to craft something that both feels modern and fresh, without falling into glibness or sly knowingness. There is a earnestness and sweetness to the film that feels refreshing in the wake of many overly zany and self-aware animated films of recent years, this is certainly no Shrek like parody and it's all the better for that. As well as a clever and engaging story the film is further bolstered by some wonderful performances, both Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi impress in the two main roles and help sell the characters burgeoning relationship through it's various stages. The narrative is familiar, couple who don't like each other forced together on a journey, but it feels fresh and real enough for this to never be a problem. The film does a good job of fleshing out the world with a varied and interesting cast of characters, stand out amongst them is Donna Murphy's Mother Gothel, she is a pitch perfect villain, manipulative yet sympathetic and the film is smart enough to shade in what could be stock character types. Special mention must also go to Maximus the royal palace Horse who single handedly attempts to track down Flynn, frequently the funniest thing on screen he seems destined to fit in alongside the classic Disney supporting characters.
It would be remiss to get any further into this review without taking a moment to mentioned the gorgeous animation on show. Fluid, colourful and effortless it is some of the best I have ever seen and an obvious labour of love and care. The character and world designs are classic Disney and this is the first of their films that can truly claim to have reached Pixar levels of not only fidelity, but emotion and character. Some of the most impressive elements are found in the films quieter moments, a claustrophobic scene in a cave springs to mind. It is here that the 3D impresses as well, for the most part it is subtle but effective, drawing you into the world, but for one scene in particular it comes into it's own. This feels like the centrepiece of the film and it is a truly wondrous sight, a perfect blend of visuals and music that is almost worth the price of entry alone.
Speaking of the music a credit must be given to Disney regular Alan Menken for again augmenting the film with a pitch perfect soundtrack, in a bold move the film is also a musical, though only with a handful of songs, and whilst they may not have the immediate impact of Disney films past they are mostly catchy, clever and wonderfully staged providing a neat link between the studio's past and it's digital future.
As if you couldn't already tell, I really enjoyed Tangled, to a degree that surprised me. I have always enjoyed Disney but would not have called myself a huge fan, especially lately, so it is refreshing to come out of a film with a big grin on my face, and that feeling of watching a film that feels like a perfect throw back to my childhood and that sense of childhood wonder, and sometimes that's exactly what the cinema is for.
