Vera Farmiga’s THE BOY IN STRIPED PYJAMAS

 

THE BOY IN STRIPED PYJAMAS – Talking about films with unexpected twists and turns, I think I have a new personal favourite. It’s been out for quite some time but I never really had a chance to see it until last week. The Boy in Striped Pyjamas is, perhaps, one of the most poignant and incredible films I’ve seen in my life. The conglomeration of drama, history, light comedy and a touch of suspense makes it an amazing masterpiece that will hook you right from the first 5 seconds of the movie.

 

A lot of cinematic gems have tackled the historic Hitler era. Prior to this, my favourite ‘Hitler-inspired’ picture is Tom Cruise’s Valkyrie. I think the best part of all these films is its ability to convey the real message behind the scene that we see during that unforgettable period. That’s what The Boy in Striped Pyjamas did – real emotions, real drama behind the action… it’s all about the simplicity of their lives and how complex it is when you dig down to the details. It’s about friendship and family. It’s about the love of a mother to her children. It’s about loyalty and fidelity to your words as a public servant. It’s all about the magic of innocence and the joys of being a child – free from worries, adventurous and carefree.

 

The rawness of the emotions exhibited in this film equates to the genuine performances of the lead stars especially the two boys who played the roles of Bruno and Schmole (did I spell that right?!). Vera Farmiga was exceptional as always. I love how her character evolved from a sophisticated, glamorous mother/soldier’s wife to an emotional and intense woman fighting for her children’s welfare. I cannot fault the performances and even Rupert Friend gave an outstanding shot making this a perfect venue for his intense talent. The production was equally stunning too. I particularly love the cinematography – classic but powerful.

 

I will definitely recommend this to anyone – full of values and not a single dull moment in it. This is the type of film that should reap recognitions from different award-giving bodies. Quality production, brilliant acting, spectacular screenplay, what else could you ask for?!

 

10/10

Asa Butterfield’s HUGO

 

HUGO – Perhaps next to Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo is the  most awarded film of 2011. Whilst I’m a huge fan of the Jean Dujardin starrer, I can’t help but feel anxious and worried for The Artist when Hugo started reaping most of the technical awards in this year’s Oscars – I wanted The Artist to win but you cannot argue with Hugo’s cinematic excellence. Scorsese definitely gave us something different here. It’s like an epic that will live for years to come. It’s not your ordinary fantasy movie – believe me, it’s more than that!

 

Hugo is considered by critics as the best 3D visual event of the decade – it’s not just about the 3D effects and the visual appeal, Hugo boasts an incredible story and an emotional/inspiring journey for Asa Butterfield’s character, Hugo Cabret. The story ran a bit slow at first – I think the initial part of the film was dedicated to its special effects and the emphasis on its stunning art direction (including production design, costume, make-up) – which is simply the best I’ve seen so far. As soon as the plot developed, the flow was good, the editing was brilliant and the screenplay was spot on. I personally cannot relate too much with the story – not a huge fan of this kind of genre but for some, it is captivating enough. The brilliant performance of Asa as Hugo and the rest of the cast helped in giving this artistically executed masterpiece more life and more depth. Sacha Baron Cohen was, as always, exceptional – he is such a talented but underrated performer. As the irritating train inspector, Cohen delivered fantastically!

 

There’s really not a lot to say about Hugo. It’s on another level and at par from its contemporaries. The language and the message it conveyed is so universal hence the whole world adored its magic and drama. I really hope producers and directors 3D films or fantasy pictures will start spending more time digging and drilling down their storylines – it’s not all about the tricks and the glitz – at the end of the day, a film is remembered because of its depth and closeness to reality.

 

7.5/10

Viola Davis’ THE HELP

 

THE HELP – One of the biggest and most celebrated films of 2011, The Help tackled a very sensitive societal issue but has given it a very refreshing and clever approach. In terms of the actual genre, it sits between drama and comedy but either way, this film is full of heart. It is brave and powerful. And just like one of the lines used in this film, it is full of courage – courage to tell what is right. I like how this motion picture gave me a chance to see the real drama behind this ‘black vs white’ subject.

 

More than the amazing and poignant storyline that this film has to offer, The Help boasts a fantastic ensemble – all equally brilliant and fascinating in their respective roles. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer lead a spectacular line-up of award-winning performances. I can see now why Viola, despite her stunning portrayal of Aibileen, did not win the Oscars Best Actress as this is a film of various stories – not just hers. Whilst Davis’ performance is worth of every nomination she got, it wasn’t as strong as Meryl Streep’s solid acting in The Iron Lady. Still kudos to Davis for giving what could be classified as one of the bests last year. Viola may not have won the Academy Award for the lead actress category but her good friend Octavia Spencer definitely raised the roof and swept all the Best Supporting Actress awards – well deserved by the way. Spencer’s acting was so natural, it’ll hit you like a bullet – intense but relaxed. It’s strong and emotional – I actually thought that if she competed for Best Actress, she’d have greater chances. What I couldn’t understand is the fact that most award-giving bodies have ignored Emma Stone’s performance which, in my opinion, was one of the core points of this film. She was like the light of the movie and the force that held it together. Same with Jessica Chastain who was very good, you’d hate her (at least her character) so much. I believe that’s The Help’s strongest element – the acting. Whilst you cannot fault the screenplay and the production value, the acting was exemplary and brings the film to a lot more excellent level. If I am to choose one best scene it was the revelation as to what happened with Constantine. It was a very precious moment and I think that scene alone, easily, deserves the SAG Best Picture award they’ve won.

 

We need more films like The Help – not only that it is brave and bold in terms of telling the real story behind the issues we didn’t believe to be that bad but also a fantastic venue to showcase amazing talents like the actors and actresses in this film. Very few masterpieces stands out nowadays because of pure genius acting and this is what Hollywood cinema should be all about. No thrills, no frills, no exaggerations, no effects – amazing!

 

8.5/10

Tom Hanks’ LARRY CROWNE

 

LARRY CROWNE – What happens when you put two movie icons in a rom-com?! I’d say, it’ll be a big flop. We expect them to appear in massive cinematic epics and not on what would you normally classify as a ‘Jennifer Aniston’ film. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, two of Hollywood’s biggest names joined forces once again in a light comedy-drama picture, Larry Crowne. Notable for their remarkable performances in Forrest Gump, Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan (for Hanks) and Erin Brokovich, Pretty Woman and My Best Friend’s Wedding (for Roberts), I can’t help but question why they’ve said ‘yes’ to top-bill this movie – as I’ve said, a rom-com but having seen the entire piece, it was’t that bad at all.

 

The story is very light – not an Oscar material or something you’d expect from these actors. I think the movie’s main aim was to showcase the other side of these Hollywood stars just like what ‘It’s Complicated’ did to Meryl Streep. Since this is a rom-com, my expectations of their performances weren’t too high. Although having said that, Tom and Julia were still incredible and acted as if it was for real. I’m not sure if it was because the story was too light for them or because they’re so good, they’ve given a straightforward (boring) storyline some spice and brought it to life. The role perfectly suits Julia and I can’t think of any other actress to play that strict and yet likeable college professor. The same goes for Tom Hanks although personally, I think it would have worked better if George Clooney played that character – George’s cheeky side would have given Larry Crowne’s character a much more depth and justice – though Hanks portrayal was a success in a way. I’ll rather pass on criticizing the film’s technical and production value as there’s really nothing to comment on. It’s what you expect from these type of pictures. Not that I am underestimating the quality of rom-coms but we have to be realistic here that such movies focus on  exhibiting the actors’ screen charisma/commercial viability rather than their talent or the story itself.

 

Watch this if you want some cosy evening with your partner. It is a feel-good film but don’t be fooled by the gravity of stars leading the cast. Will I watch it again? Ermmm, maybe.

 

6/10

Daniel Radcliffe’s THE WOMAN IN BLACK

 

THE WOMAN IN BLACK – To be honest, I wasn’t too keen to see this film. I felt the promotion and publicity team behind this movie failed to do what they’re supposed to do hence there is not much of a buzz around its release. I have a sneaky feeling too that this film is more of a ‘Daniel Radcliffe’ experiment to see whether he can break box-office records outside the Harry Potter association. This is the bridge that will help him to cross from the world of witchcraft and wizardry to the reality of the entertainment industry – for one to survive, you have to be versatile, adaptable and multi-talented… and if that is really the purpose of this film, then Daniel should start sending JK Rowling flowers and ask her to create more HP stories!

 

I am going to start this painful yet objective review by highlighting the film’s only asset (not the lead actor) – cinematography. It was visually entertaining, you’d enjoy watching the sceneries – the not-so-scary scenes became a little bit edgier with its liquid and precise cinematography. The art direction and production design were also commendable although if you are doing a period film like this, you would expect them to nail these areas down so technically, that isn’t a big deal. The acting was so-so. I am not entirely convinced that Daniel Radcliffe is the perfect choice for the role of Arthur. I personally believe it would have been more realistic if it was given to Zac Efron, Robert Pattinson or even Joseph Gordon Levitt. Daniel lacks the maturity and the charisma of a serious dramatic actor. I like how they try to give him a completely different look (away from the Potter image he had for years) but for some reasons it didn’t work. I think what we need from Daniel is a film that will show his real persona, not a very-fictional-based-on-a-character piece but something that is more appropriate for his age, for his ‘cheeky’ side so that his natural acting can come out – more like a strip-back performance that will give him a chance to show the real Daniel. This film tried too hard to put him on a different ‘world’ but it didn’t suit him and the character he portrayed. As for the actual storyline, I think it is bit unclear and could have improved with more emphasis in the flashback and perhaps attack it with a narration – this usually works for movies like this. It is not as scary as the Paranormal series – some scenes were scary because it’s like in-your-face scary not something unexpected or unpredictable as what most horror films are like nowadays. The ending is good though. Not something you would expect but again, because Daniel is unfit for the character, it lacks the drama and the emotion that could have made that particular moment more magical and emotional.

 

I think it will take years and a lot of convincing before I can actually watch the film again. It is not something I would recommend either unless you are a massive fan of Daniel Radcliffe and you just want to see him more than the film. I hope they give him more challenging roles and perhaps, as I’ve said, something closer to his real character.

 

5.5/10

Kate Winslet’s TITANIC

 

TITANIC – There’s no doubt and I’m sure a lot will agree with me if I say Titanic is the biggest, the grandest and the best movie of all time. Yesterday, I had a chance to watch the film again in the big screen, this time in 3D. If I am going to be  honest, the 3D side of it was slightly disappointing – it was far from the other films released in that format, however, Titanic wasn’t originally created for a 3D feature so there’s really no point of comparing it with the likes of Avatar, Hugo, and the other blockbuster 3D films. But mind you, despite the movie’s failed attempt in reproducing the film in a 3D format, almost everyone who went out of the cinema, including myself and my family, are still very happy and, once more, captivated by the magic of this masterpiece.

 

Titanic’s story is timeless, epic and the perfect motion picture material – it has drama, action, comedy, romance, a touch of suspense – everything you can ask for from a standard Oscar Best Picture film. The love story of Jack and Rose is perhaps the most celebrated love story in Hollywood cinema. Everyone can relate to it – the characters of Jack and Rose mirror the reality then and now. It is a modern fairy tale that breathes emotion, passion, sincerity and trust. That’s the biggest asset of Titanic – the main storyline is so powerful that no matter how many times you watch it, you’ll feel the same magic, it’ll have the same impact. Another secret weapon of this movie is the musical scoring and sound – the themesong, as we all know, is one of the bests in the history, but the simple music that’s been inserted in key scenes makes it more grandiose and spectacular. You cannot fault the other technical aspects of Titanic – the editing is magnificent, cinematography is very contemporary and yet sticks to the 1912 setting, production value, visual effects and art direction were all splendid. Truly, a majestic piece of work. As for the performances, I still don’t understand why the Academy has not given Leonardo Di Caprio a Best Actor nomination considering that this is probably one of his best portrayals ever. He suits the role perfectly and he delivered the lines effortlessly. His eyes were very expressive – full of emotions – one great talent. Kate Winslet was equally stunning in her performance as Rose. Her very beautiful face complements well with her natural acting and incredible emotion. Not her best performance of all time but definitely one of the most notable and remarkable – not to mention it kicked off her career too. The supporting cast was brilliant as expected – special mention to Katy Bates’ flawless performance.

 

Perfection is probably the best word that can be associated with this film. It shouts excellence and brilliance in contemporary cinema. When I’ve watched it again yesterday, the same scenes hit and touched my heart (the band playing during the commotion, the mother and her children ‘waiting’ to die inside their cabin, the second time Rose had a chance to get on a boat, Jack’s death scene, the finale). These film also boast a number of iconic cinematic moments that will live in years to come; Jack’s I’m the king of the world scene, Jack & Rose’ flying scene, the love scene inside the vintage car and Rose’ rescue moment. Whether you like it or not, Titanic will forever be a legend, an unbeatable masterpiece that’ll (kind of) represent what a film should be. James Cameron is a genius! Will I watch it again, HELL YEAH!!!

 

10/10

Jean Dujardin’s THE ARTIST

 

THE ARTIST – When I first heard about the The Artist, I wasn’t too interested about it. Ever since, I was never a fan of the silent movies era as I personally find films under this genre a complete waste of time. I am a very loud person and sitting down watching a film ran and driven by musical scoring isn’t my thing. I’ll either get uber-stressed at the end or simply fall asleep. That’s why I am flabbergasted to find myself up and awake (and liking every single bit of it) up to the very last screen shot of this masterpiece from Michel Hazanavicius. The Artist is a classic and powerful gem that’ll certainly shape the trend we’re seeing in modern cinema.

 

For silent films, musical scoring, sound editing and sound engineering are vital. These elements must be 110% better than a standard film as these will help the viewers to connect and digest the message of the film. These serve as the bridge between the movie and the audience. And I felt The Artist succeed on this part and effortlessly communicated the message of the film despite the absence of dialogues. The storyline can also make or break a silent film. It’s got to be a dynamic plot and the subject needs to be very interesting to make it work. It must also jive well with music and therefore The Artist’s central storyline is picture-perfect as it tackles the glitz and the glamour of show business. One last factor that is imperative in the success of a silent film is the actors in it. They have to step up their performances and ensure that they connect with the viewers even without uttering a single word. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo were correspondingly spectacular, exquisite, stunning and magnificent in this film. Dujardin in particular was extraordinary and deserves every recognition he is getting at the moment. His eyes were very expressive which can naturally speak a thousand words. He has the charisma and magnetism required from a silent movie actor. Bejo has also managed to exude and emanate a strong screen presence and was also outstanding. I wouldn’t classify her performance as a Best Actress material but a Supporting nod should be fine.

 

Can it win this year’s Academy Awards Best Picture? DEFINITELY! Without a shadow of a doubt. Its strongest contender would have to be The Descendants but apart from that, no other film has reached the same level of excellence as The Artist. It is on a league of its own and truly world-class.

 

9/10

Henry Cavill’s IMMORTALS

 

IMMORTALS – I am not usually a fan of war-themed movies. Apart from Gladiator, I cannot think of anything else that I actually like within that genre. 300, I think, is a bit overrated so when I first saw this movie (in Youtube), I felt like they were just repeating the whole 300 film and giving it a slightly up-to-date twist in attempt to launch Henry Cavill as the next big screen superhero ahead of the Superman film in two years time. But the trailer grew on me. I found it quite exciting and interesting. I’ve always been a massive follower of Henry and Frieda Pinto so I believe that added to my overall anticipation of this motion picture. Few hours before I enter the cinema, I still wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing. I was with Dave, he’s so keen. I am not. I am looking forward to it but it wasn’t one of those I AM SOOOO EXCITED moments. We went in and the rest is history.

 

Immortals is more than the unnecessary exhibition of blood and violence. What I like the most about this film is the clarity in terms of its storyline. The way the plot was presented and mutilated in details was very impressive which has made every single scene relevant and worth watching for. As expected, the production value was outstanding. Flawless and beautiful – the costume design and art direction were commendable. It is really taking us back to years and years ago where the real event (if it is real) happened.

 

The acting were average though. It would have been a top Oscar contender if the lead cast were more popular than the ones who appeared in this film. I guess this is really a taster of Henry Cavill and what we should expect from him since he is now one of the biggest leading men in Hollywood. His performance and his acting skills is quite limited though. I cannot see him appearing in rom-coms or non-fictional movies. I find his overall aura, physique and delivery only suitable for period films like this and he’ll probably struggle should he come out of that zone and enter a completely different genre. Frieda Pinto was also a disappointment in terms of acting. I was expecting more from her but then again, the role didn’t suit her anyway. Luke Evans, on the other hand, was brilliant! His war scene in the end, I think, is the highlight of the film. He is very effective and convincing. The rest were okay. There were moments where Henry was amazing and there were times that he’s just your average joe.

 

All in all, it was a fantastic film. Putting aside the acting credits, I think this is one of the best films of 2011. In fact, this is 2nd or 3rd in my list. I would definitely buy the DVD when it comes out. Entertaining, engaging, interesting and visually appealing. Well done!

 

9.5/10

John Lloyd Cruz’ UNOFFICIALLY YOURS

 

UNOFFICIALLY YOURS – Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake’s ‘Friends with Benefits’ is one of the bravest films of 2011 – it’s fun, bold, entertaining and raw. We love films that mirror the real drama and the real facts of life – we all like fairy-tale love stories but in this modern day and age, not all romance are based on what we read in the book – whether we admit or not, sex plays a vital role in every relationship nowadays and, more often than not, it becomes the key factor to make a relationship work. Without a shadow of a doubt, this film was Cathy Garcia-Molina’s inspiration when she created Unofficially Yours. And because Philippine cinema is not used to these type of movies, the audience were too curious about it, the steamy scenes spread like a virus and next thing we know, everyone’s hooked in this John Lloyd Cruz – Angel Locsin starrer.

 

Unofficially Yours is ‘Friends with Benefits’ or ‘No Strings Attached’ given a Filipino flavour. It’s definitely an adult material but not overly obscene.  Apart from the unique concept (at least for the Filipino viewing public), the core strength of this film lies in its lead casts. We all love Angel Locsin – beauty and talent in one – in this movie, Angel showed us her different side, the wilder ‘Angel’ that is far from what we see in her TV series. Angel’s acting in this picture wasn’t her best but she managed to gave justice to the role that was entrusted to her. The attitude is there but you wouldn’t really think Angel would be like that in real life (the likes of Anne Curtis or Angelica Panganiban would have been better choices) – she has a very innocent face which makes it a bit awkward to watch her doing ‘it’ with John Lloyd Cruz. And speaking of JLC, it is very refreshing to see him in a whole new different set-up – far from his boy-next-door or hopeless romantic image (although you could still see touches of those characterization). There were not a lot of opportunities for him to showcase his best asset – his acting prowess. The approach was very light and I think Garcia-Molina’s aim was to reinvent JLC and show his ‘cheeky’ side – it did work but the latter part of the film kind of brought him back to the JLC we used to see in his previous films with Bea Alonzo. The supporting cast are okay – not sure why they’ve actually given Yayo Aguila’s daughters those roles (as JLC’s sisters) – they need A LOT of acting lessons and it made JLC scenes (where they’re in it) uninteresting and dragging. Not a lot of to talk about in terms of the technical side of the film. The editing is good – cinematography, production design and make-up – average (nothing stand out IMO).

 

I admire the bravery of Star Cinema to bring the Filipino audience something ‘out of the box’ and far from the typical rom-coms that we’ve seen but I personally don’t think the finished product conveyed the ‘real message’ they wanted to get across. Much that they’ve tried to come up with a sexy-comedy-romance film, the typical Filipino ingredients were still there and it wasn’t as contemporary as I thought it would be. I was slightly disappointed as I think the film lost the plot right in the middle and because it was struggling to revive the ‘new’ formula they’ve been bragging about, they ended up biting on the traditional Pinoy drama – overused and boring. It is a good film overall but do not expect too much when you see it – not as quality and as liquid as ‘Friends with Benefits’ – it tried hard though.

 

7/10

Robert Pattinson’s WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

 

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS – I am not a huge fan of romantic-drama flicks but I think I have to break my own rule this time and make an unimportant fine-tuning because Water for Elephants is unquestionably an outstanding cinematic gem one must see. I’m going to start this review by commending the ensemble who were marvellously brilliant in their individual roles. The whole film revolved around 3 characters and I love how each one of them are idiosyncratic, interesting and relevant. The choices in terms of the celebrities who played these 3 vital elements are just what the doctor ordered. It’s like the characters were created exclusively for them. The casting director must be proud and blissful for making such an intelligent decision.

 

Robert Pattinson proved that he is more than a ‘Twilight’ sensation. It wasn’t the best performance I’ve seen but I think I can forgive him because, in a way, his portrayal was very convincing and I was very impressed how he managed to take me out of the Twilight association and smoothly transformed himself to a different character (Daniel Radcliffe needs to get some pointers from Robert). It is excellent for a starter; I just hope he gets more serious roles like this in the future because this guy has so much potential in him. Was it an Oscar-worthy performance? Let’s put it this way, if Jesse Eisenberg’s lame acting in ‘The Social Network’ earned him a nomination early this year, it’ll be a disaster not to recognize Pattinson’s performance in this film. However, the Academy ignored Leonardo Di Caprio (twice – Inception and Titanic) previously and, in comparison, Robert and Leo share the same acting style so it is very uncertain at the moment. Nonetheless, it was a good boost for his acting career.

 

As for the film’s lead actress, Reese Witherspoon, it was, without a doubt, one of her best on-screen performances. Even though it was palpably a Robert Pattinson starrer, Reese gave a notable performance and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this movie will give her another Best Actress award. She has a good screen presence and she, as you would expect, played her role on a different league. Her eyes were very communicative and even without dialogue; you can feel the intensity, the power and the sincerity in her portrayal. Easily, one of the most remarkable performances of the year. Same goes with Christopher Waltz. As the film’s baddie, he actually owned most of the scenes especially the climax (no spoilers I’m afraid!). Very powerful performance and, same with Reese, I am hoping the Academy will be sensible this time (after ignoring Geoffrey Rush last year) and give the Best Supporting Actor award to a deserving performer. Effortless and solid acting – AMAZING!

 

The acting is definitely the film’s best asset although the other aspects were also commendable. The production design is brilliant. Very detailed and flawless. The musical scoring is far-fetched. It was clean, smooth, well-orchestrated and genius. The beginning and the end reminded me of Titanic and, if given the appropriate and enough lobbying, this could be an award-winning masterpiece.

 

So what did I learn from this film? Two things really… One is about animal cruelty. Very straightforward – – be kind to animals. They are living creatures and they do share the same emotions as us, the human beings.  They feel pain, they can feel suffering. They know who treats them well and they know who doesn’t. They can be your most loyal friend but they can also be your worst enemy. Pretty much like humans for short. And secondly, love. Love is perpetual. Love is all about fighting for that right person. Love is about looking for that other half that’ll complete you. Love is not measured by money or material possessions, it’s about that instant connection you built between you two and how can this burgeon into something that can make each one of you a better person. I’ve learned that love knows no rules. Once it hits you, you create your own rule and fight till the end. Very heart-warming ending and my favourite line from the movie : “When two people are meant to be together, they will be together. It’s fate.”

 

9/10