Iron Man 3 (2013)

With the success of Marvel cranking out superhero after superhero movie it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remember the chronology of all these films.  Though after a brief search on the interwebz I did find this nice infographic.  This just leads up to The Avengers, and it is in the aftermath of the events in New York that Iron Man 3 begins, and we find Tony having recurrent nightmares and panic attacks following his fall from the wormhole.

To be sure, it’s a vast improvement on Iron Man 2, which had an hour of meandering before Fury finds a bored Tony; this is despite the fact that there isn’t as much Iron Man action as I might have expected.  Not a problem though as the story works well within itself and there is certainly never a dull moment.  We see a Tony who is as resourceful out of his suit as he is in it.

Guy Pearce is reassuringly brilliant as Aldrich Killian, as is Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery aka The Mandarin.  Both bring their A-game and lead Tony Stark a merry chase.  Of course RDJ continues to prove that there is no-one else who could embody Tony Stark and is still the ideal mix of cocky, suave and action hero.  Pepper Potts also has quite a major role in this outing, Gwyneth Paltrow has made this character her own; and she has seriously worked out for this film.

I’ve only seen Iron Man 3 the once and as I was concentrating on the plot I didn’t notice the direction too much, which tells me that it was capable without being spectacular.  Shane Black has only directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (which I’ve not seen) before this, so maybe it’s too soon to know what kind of director he’ll be.  DOP John Toll has been fairly active and has helped bring the likes of Braveheart, The Last Samurai and Cloud Atlas to our screens; so I guess Iron Man 3 was in safe hands as far as lighting/camera goes.

Another solid entrant to the Marvel Movie Universe; fun, funny and very entertaining.  But, well, you know, that’s just, like, er, my opinion, man.

Animal Kingdom (2010)

Nothing like the Lion King, Animal Kingdom is a melancholy Australian crime film with some very unwholesome characters doing some very nasty things.  There is something slightly Goodfellas about it; the film is narrated through the main character “J” (James Frecheville) who becomes involved with his family’s criminal activities, and when he starts interacting with Sergeant Leckie (Guy Pearce) you start to think it end the same way as Henry’s story did.  However, J hasn’t wanted to be a gangster as far back as he can remember, he just gets involved because it’s his family, and the final acts of the film are surprising and shocking.

All the members of the Cody family, each with their own personalities, are portrayed by a very accomplished cast, though none of them are very familiar to me.  Joel Edgerton, Luke Ford, Sullivan Stapleton, Ben Mendelsohn, and Jackie Weaver are all really great and really breathe life into the Codys.

OK, so I started writing this review 2 weeks ago and I really can’t remember anything else I was going to say.  I will therefore conclude quickly by saying that Animal Kingdom isn’t your usual gangster movie, but with a great script, cast and a very accomplished debut performance from James Frecheville, director David Michôd has made a very smart film that may well get overlooked by many because of its name.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

War is a Drug

On the face of it The Hurt Locker is about a group of bomb disposal marines posted to Baghdad, about the difficulties working there and the heroic deeds that this group of men do on a daily basis. Under the surface the film shows how dangerous clashes of personality can be under these stressful situations, how difficult it is for soldiers to disengage from the army when they return to their families, and that to people of a compulsive nature war really is like a drug.

Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) is the new appointment to take charge of a three-man bomb squad which also consists of Sanbourne (Anthony Mackie) and Elridge (Brian Geraghty). Whereas Sanbourne had a great rapport with his previous team leader, James is very much a loose cannon. There is instant conflict between the reckless James and the serious Sanbourne as James puts everyone at risk by doing his own thing, disregarding normal protocol.

By concentrating on just a few characters, the film is able to really develop their relationship. The thing is that you don’t know what Renner’s character is likely to do next because he is so reckless; this leads to some very tense moments. Adding to the tension is the steady cam work; most of the film is shot alongside the soldiers, putting the viewer right in the action. By being in with the troops, combined with lots of quick zooms and edits, the film manages to convey the confusion of the squad as they desperately try to quickly read every situation; because anyone could be a bomber. There are also many shots of the marines from behind buildings, railings etc all adding to the claustrophobic feeling that the troops must have in the city centre.

I’ve only ever seen Renner before in The Town. He was good in that film, but he was only ever playing second fiddle to Ben Affleck. In The Hurt Locker Renner is very much centre stage, and he’s very good. For the most part he is an arrogant adrenaline junkie, but he does have his more heartfelt moments; and having experienced his character out in the field the viewer can really relate to how he feels at the end of the film when back home with his wife and son. Especially when faced with a bewildering choice of food in the supermarket. Mackie and Gerahty are also very good supporting actors, and the dynamic between the three is consistently believable.

A very enjoyable film, concentrating on what is presumably a largely forgotten aspect of war. Emotionally acted, dynamically shot, and a very engaging story. Well worth a look.

Memento (2000)

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) suffers from Anterograde Amnesia; a condition which means that he can’t form new memories. His condition started one night at home when he was hit on the head by an assailant who was strangling his wife to death. Leonard spends the duration of the film trying to find his wife’s killer. Being a tricky thing to do with short-term memory loss, Leonard comes up with unique ways to carry out his investigation.

Christopher Nolan’s second major film as director is very cleverly told, and is really an indication that as a director he is not afraid to challenge audiences, believing us to actually be quite intelligent. Based on the short story “Memento Mori” written by Chris’ brother Jonathan, Memento is really a very linear story; however, the film is not so straightforward. One section of the film is in black & white and plays forward, being concerned with Leonard’s background; the first part of the film essentially. The “second” part of the film, shot in colour, is interspersed with the “first” part, but the narrative is backwards. So the film starts at the end, and the two sections meet in the middle, at the end of the film.

This may initially sound like quite a pretentious thing to do, but it is very clever and actually makes complete sense with respect to the story. Running chapters of the story backwards (in reverse order of course, not actually backwards, that would be nuts) means that for any given scene, how Leonard arrives at that situation is unknown. This is exactly how Leonard feels because he can’t form new memories. This goes beyond empathising with the character, because of this narrative technique we are afflicted with the same condition as Leonard. Fantastic.

Guy Pearce is excellent as Leonard, being helpless yet determined, and often the voice of his thoughts as he tries to figure out what is going on. The two main support actors are also great. Joe Pantoliano is perfect as Teddy, the cop that is helping Leonard in his investigation. His exuberance balances Leonard’s quiet and calculated approach; he plays the fine line between help and hindrance very well, so that we are never quite sure of his motives. Carrie-Ann Moss, is also very good as the girl stuck in a bad relationship, who sees Leonard as a means to an end. I should also mention some lovely cinematography by long-term Chris Nolan favourite Wally Pfister; particularly some of the moody “colour” interiors, and the high-contrast shots for the black & white sequences, which perhaps all add to the confusion felt by Leonard.

It is certainly a film that demands a re-watch, I think one of the DVD extras allows you to watch the film in chronological order, but that of course lessens the impact of it all.

The Road

The road is a post-apocalyptic film following the lives of a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Based on the book of the same name (written by Cormac McCarthy), It tells the story of how the man provides for and looks after his son, until he becomes very ill and the son then has to look after his father. We never learn what the event was that led to the the destroyed world in which the film is set, but through flashback we do see why the mother (Charlize Theron) is no longer around. When the man finally dies (tuberculosis? I don’t think we actually find out), the boy is found by a “veteran” (Guy Pearce), his wife and two kids, and so he finds some stability in this world (presumably...).

The shattered world in which the film is set is very 28 Days Later/Survivors/I am Legend-ish, but what sets is apart is the colour: there isn’t any! Everything is so subdued and mute that the film is essentially black and white, except for fire. Sometimes warming, sometimes sinister when it appears that the sky is burning; the fire brings a stark contrast to everything else in the world. Perhaps this is a reflection that fire is the only thing that is man-made now. The only other colour is a rainbow in a waterfall; all animals are dead, the trees are dying and falling down, there is really nothing colourful.

Adding to the sombre feel of the film is another haunting soundtrack by Warren Ellis and Nick Cave. Perhaps not as stunning as the soundtrack from The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; but still, that looking out of the window on a rainy day/sense of loss ambiance is very apparent. The chord progressions these two come up with get me every time; the track “Memory” is very “Song for Bob” (which actually really choked me up the first time I listened to it outwith the film).

Viggo is superb as the everyman character who is thrust into this situation by the fate of the world, and who just wants to take care of his son. He manages to bring a humility and realism to the character, who is completely committed to his son:

“All I know is that the boy was my charge. And if he was not the word of God. Then God never spoke.”

But at the same time he is able to show a real desperation, and demonstrate that he is prepared to do anything to protect the boy. I really think Viggo is perfect for this role; don’t get me wrong he is great as Aragorn, Weps (apart from the flat-top), and in G.I. Jane; but his “guy next door” demeanour is far more suited to this film than as the King of Gondor. There is also a very brief appearance by Robert Duvall, though you can hardly tell it’s him; and despite what the extras on the DVD say, it really probably wasn’t worth getting him for the 5 min he’s on screen.

Overall The Road is a very good film, not a very cheery film, but a good one. The dynamic between the Man and his Son works really well, and you really feel the emotions the characters are going through as they try to find food, avoid cannibals, and not lose the food that they have found. Viggo is great, and the whole film has an atmosphere that is far more bleak than other films in this genre, and is difficult to shake.

 

The King's Speech

On the face of it, a film about a guy with a stammer and his struggle to overcome said speech defect so that he can speak in public, doesn't sound like it would particularly get bums on seats. But make the guy Prince Albert of York (soon to be King George VI), get Colin Firth to play him, and fill the role of the elocution teacher with the excellent Geoffrey Rush; then play the film against the backdrop of George V's death, the abdication of Edward VIII and imminent war with Germany in 1939 and the result is a great film full of many dramatic and funny moments.

Essentially; Prince Albert has suffered from a stammer from a young age, but now that he is expected to make public appearances and speeches, his difficulty in speaking is quite a hindrance. Having seen many speech therapists his wife Elizabeth (played by Helena Bonham Carter, who is also excellent) finds a therapist with some unorthodox methods. This therapist Lionel Logue (Rush), finds it hard to get to know "Bertie", but following the death of his father George V, he starts to open up to Lionel.

With the Death of George V, Bertie's brother Edward (Guy Pearce) becomes King, but his desire to marry a twice-divorced woman (not favourable in the eyes of The Establishment) results in his abdication of the throne. Bertie is therefore crowned King, not as Albert (considered to Germanic to be appropriate in 1936) but as George VI.

The new King struggles to find confidence to speak at his coronation, but doesn't have to say very much anyway. His big moment comes when he is to be broadcast live to the country and all the colonies following the outbreak of World War 2. This is the climax of the film, and of course he gets through the speech without stammering, but also not without dramatic pauses as he struggles for control.

I really did enjoy this film. The cast is superb. Colin Firth does deserve his Golden Globe, but I think Geoffrey Rush is at least as good as Firth. Helena Bonham Carter is also great (quite a departure for her, not being in a Tim Burton film!). She really seems to wear the trousers in the first part of the film where Bertie comes across as being a bit self pitying. Derek Jacobi puts in a solid performance as Archbishop Cosmo Lang, but is only ever a minor character. And I must not forget Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill, with surely an award-winning scowl if ever there was one!

I feel the cinematography is worth a comment. The overall palette of the film was very mute, even in some of the very opulent rooms inevitable in a film about Royals. I'm not sure if this was to reflect Bertie's overall mood as he is constantly struggling against his speech impediment; or rather to reflect the mood of the time leading up to war with Hitler. Or maybe neither and I haven't a clue what I'm talking about.

There were also a noticeable number of scenes (particularly if characters were sitting down) which were framed so that their heads mostly occupied the lower middle and left part of the screen. This left a lot of wall in the background which was made far more obvious. And I really can't think of a reason why some scenes would be shot like this. Maybe this is just me being weird, or perhaps I need my eyes corrected! But did anyone else notice this? Danny Cohen does have a BAFTA nomination for this work, so maybe no-one else did notice it!

Despite my potential weirdness I thought the film was excellent. Fantastic that us Brits can make a film about something so quintessentially British, and do it bloody well! What ho!