The Last Station

Written & Directed by: Michael Hoffman

Starring: Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, James McAvoy, Kerry Condon, Paul Giamatti.

Rating: 8/10

Director Michael Hoffman has given me some beloved guilty pleasure movies in the past, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Soapdish, but there’s nothing to be guilty about for loving The Last Station. The film examines the complex relationship between Leo Tolstoy’s avid followers and his family in the final days of his life. Both sides despise each other, for understandable reasons and a devastating power struggle ensues between his loving, but somewhat status-obsessed wife Lady Sofya (Mirren) and the leader of the Tolstoyan movement, Chertkov (Giamatti) who despite having a truly villainous demeanour, seems only to have the best in mind for his idol, Tolstoy.

The story itself, mediated by James McAvoy’s Valentin Bulgakov, a young Tolstoyan who finds himself caught in the middle, is admirably believable. Both parties involved are flawed yet both are genuine. Chertkov believes that Tolstoy’s work belongs in the public domain and should belong to the people of Russia, whereas Sofya believes the works should be kept in the family so that the next generations may be looked after. Both parties are trying to convince him of what to put in his will during the final days of his life, leading to blazing rows and skulduggery.

As I am truly a sucker for romance between elderly people, I found the scenes between Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer particularly moving. In between highly theatrical arguments, they share scenes of intimacy that are truly touching. Forty-year marriages are a complex business. Love is a messy affair and not always as cut-and-dry as most stories would have you believe. That is the heart of this film. Both lead actors give life and energy to their characters, along with a sense of understanding that they are reaching the end of their days.

Visually, this is a masterpiece. Hoffman has always been a man for lush colour palettes and luxurious, rich landscape but he outdoes himself here as every frame is delicately lit and sumptuously designed, but not so gaudy as to take away from the performances. Accompanied by a lovely score by Sergei Yevtushenko, the film takes on a dream-like quality, which allows the viewer to bask in its beauty, despite the melodrama on show.

This film is a joy to behold. A fantastically complex study of the unromantic side of marriage, the trials and tribulations that befall true love, The Last Station boasts brilliant performances by Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer and also by the strong supporting cast. Perhaps serious Tolstoy fans might find factual errors in the film, but otherwise let this film sweep you away on a romantic, political, morally chequered journey through the final days of Leo Tolstoy.

- Charlene Lydon

The Ballad of Mary Pearl

This is our most recent cinematic effort. Written by yours truly, directed by Bren Murphy and starring the very wonderful Aenne Barr, Brian McHale Boyle and Barry McGettigan.

A nasty little thriller set in contemporary rural Ireland. A down-on-his-luck tiler, Connolly, drowns his sorrows in his local pub and meets the legendary Mary Pearl, a drifter whose song of woe is rumoured to bring luck to those who hear it.

Enjoy, and please feel free to leave a comment!
http://www.vimeo.com/8896594


- Charlene Lydon

Lady in a Cage (1963)

Directed by: Walter Grauman

Written by: Luther Davis

Starring: Olivia De Havilland, James Caan, Ann Sothern

10/10

This is a one of those films where the set-up says it all. It caught my eye on Amazon and I thought it sounded like the greatest film ever. I have never heard anything about it but I figure if it attracted Ms. De Havilland, it have some merit, right? I was so titallated by the set-up that I had no doubt in my mind that this was going to be the best film ever. I was right!

The film begins with a darling little setup of a 30 year old man, Malcolm, living with his kind but overbearing mother. He is going away for the 4th of July weekend, leaving behind a suicide note for her to find when he is already gone. It is clear that they have a strange relationship as he jarringly refers to her as "darling" (shudder!!). Soon after he leaves, due to a power cut, Mrs. Hillyard find herself trapped in an elevator they had installed since she broke her hip the year before. Hot and panicked, Mrs. Hillyard tries to free herself but soon finds she may be safer where she is when a string of nogoodniks break into her house with trouble in mind.

I don't want to give away too much about the plot but the reason I found this film to be so charming is the role of the villian. It starts out as a harmless, crazy homeless man accompanied by a down-on-her-luck ageing prostitute stealing silver to pawn but they soon become victims themselves when they are joined but three dangerous teenage delinquents. Later in the film, Mrs. Hillyard's own conscience places her as the villain, at least in her own mind. She sees herself as a monster, which in some ways she is, bringing the circle of villainry to almost a perfect circle.

The people around her are so busy getting away for 4th of July weekend that they fail to notice her strife despite her use of a fairly effective alarm a number of times. A shot, during the opening credits of a dead dog lying by the road, ignored by passers-by is gory and distressing and foreshadows a later scene in which Mrs. Hillyard tries to get help out on the busy road outside her house.

The relationship that is built between Mrs. Hillyard and the ringleader of the delinquents (a very young, very intense James Caan) is interesting, particularly an exchange between the two in which she begs him to show mercy on her as she is a living breathing human being, to which he replies that he is an animal. This is how the film ensues. He is an animal. He is a frightening, menacing character and the moral and physical content is quite shocking for a film from the 1960s.

Now, it should be noted that this is exploitation cinema. It is not your typical Olivia De Havilland affair. It is low-brow, it is visceral and it is full of (effective) shock tactics. Admirably gory for such an early film, Lady in a Cage delivers a string of unexpected twists and turns and never fails to deliver horror and melodrama in equal measure. Olivia De Havilland is a class act as usual, and the chemistry between her and James Caan illustrates the enormous generation gap that existed in the early sixties and highlights the running theme throughout the film which was integral in most of these fear-mongering, moral high ground films about juvenile delinquents; fear of the future.

This is a film that (at least for me) has everything. It has a classy leading lady, a truly frightening villain, a high-concept setup and a charmingly exploitative accusatory tone, rampant on the early sixties, regarding young juvenile deinquency. Highly recommended and you can pick it up here for the stupidly cheap price of £1.50. Enjoy!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Cage-DVD-Olivia-Havilland/dp/B0007URSL2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1265589403&sr=8-1

...or watch a good quality upload in 9 parts on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGgeGy4xmKg&feature=related

The Lovely Bones

"I wasn't lost, or frozen, or gone... I was alive; I was alive in my own perfect world. "


Written by:
Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson

Directed by:
Peter Jackson

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Stanley Tucci, Mark Wahlberg

Rating: 7/10

It’s not that The Lovely Bones doesn’t have its moments of mind-blowing cinematic incredibleness, it’s just that such moments are all too fleeting. The first thirty minutes of this film was really impressive. It is beautiful, moving, tense, terrifying, involving and it instils a sadness into the audience because we know what is soon to become of the charming, fresh-faced Susie Salmon. The first act explains how Susie died and runs through her last moments. Knowing what is about to happen to her, I found the murder scene to be one of the most horrible things I’ve seen all year… and I’ve seen Antichrist! Gore-free, this sequence is horrifying because of Stanley Tucci’s menacing Ned Flanders-esque child killer. He is certainly the creepiest villain of the year and up there with the best of ‘em for inspiring nightmares later that night.

However, soon after Susie enters the “in-between”, a heavenly world that she inhabits with some random girl for no good reason (no spoilers here but the reason we learn later is very silly) the film begins to slow, sweeping itself up in the crazy visuals of a world created by a young girl’s imagination. Mostly, this world sucked! It was a little bit cheesy, which is something to be avoided when you’re telling a story with such big cheese potential to begin with. Running through meadows, dressed in silly hats just got annoying very quickly. The major problem with these not-quite heavenly interludes however is the fact that it distracts from the story, which is put on hold for the frolicking. To me, this was the fatal flaw of The Lovely Bones. Once we got back to the Salmon family, things started to look up. The story got back on track and the film was, once again, masterful. Peter Jackson proves why he is a household name. He is a beautiful filmmaker that can command exactly the right tone from his actors. Mark Wahlberg as the obsessed father and Rachel Weisz as the mourning mother were perfect in their roles. Susan Sarandon had a bit too much fun hamming it up in her role as frivolous, glamorous Grandma Lynn, but nevertheless she was charming to watch as always.

Undoubtedly, the stars of this film are young Saoirse Ronan, the best young actress working today in my opinion (and not just because she hails from my hometown), and Stanley Tucci. Saoirse’s performance was a lovely balance of melancholy, wide-eyed innocence and wisdom. She conveyed the character of Susie beautifully and by the midpoint of the film you really get a sense of individuality from this character. You know her like a friend, which seriously ups the tragedy factor. Because not only do you know her, you really like her. Stanley Tucci, on the other hand, is stone cold evil personified. He delivers an Oscar-worthy performance dripping with menace. He is frightening because he calls to mind the creepy man who lives on your street that you label as “harmless, but weird”. But this one is by no means harmless. This actor is a pro and horribly underused in Hollywood. If wishes were movies, mine would be filled with Stanley Tucci.

And speaking of wishes, couldn’t Peter Jackson have just streamlined his movie a little more, left the CGI on the cutting room floor and given us a story about a young girl trying to move on and the family she can’t leave behind? If he had done that, I think this would have been an incredible film.

This is a gripping thriller, a truly emotional drama, a supernatural teen movie and an arthouse film. While it would have been much better if Jackson had managed to balance these factors more gracefully, there is much to enjoy here. And certainly worth watching if only for the two great lead performances.

- Charlene Lydon 20/1/10

Daybreakers

"Living in a world where vampires are the dominate species is about as safe as bare backing a 5 dollar whore. "

Directed by: Michael & Peter Spiering

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Willem Dafoe, Claudia Karvan, Isabel Lucas

Rating: 4/5

This surprisingly high quality Australian vampire-apocalypse film is certainly a tenner well spent in the local multiplex. Aside from it's subtle but adorable allegory for our own over-reliance on oil, this is also a very entertaining, very nicely made film. It is set in "the future" where vampires have very nearly wiped out the human race. Stupidly, they forgot to make provisions for their own need for blood and have found themselves in a sticky predicament whereby they must come up with a synthetic blood replacement. This proves more difficult than anticipated as vampire haematologist Edward (the only name for any respectable vamp these days) soon discovers. A side effect of blood deprivation is that the pale-faced ones find themselves turning into ugly, desperate, scavenging monsters. Edward goes off with some of the last remaining humans in search of a promised "cure" for vampirism. This, of course, viewed as the ultimate treason, Edward must outrun his own kind in his quest to save them.

A world without humans is clean, sterile and mostly painted in shades of grey. With its noir style and steely palette, Daybreakers ticks all the boxes in depicting "the future". Overdone stylistics aside however, this is an enjoyable lark, full of imagination, excitement and passion. Despite being a seemingly run-of-the-mill (especially this year) story, it proves to be a gripping one, full of twists and turns and it actually manages to create a sense of nostalgia about the human race. It isn't a film that is full of scares but it doesnt shy away from gore either. Part of its likeability is its maturity. The Spiering Brothers don't try to BE anything, they just tell their story and produce the best performances as possible out of it's fantastic Aussie cast (except Hawke and Dafoe). Some recognisable Aussie soap opera faces make a welcome appearance, most notably Home & Away's lovely Isabel Lucas who proves she's more than just a very, very pretty face and star of The Secret Life of Us Michael Dorman (who also did a great job in this year's Triangle) and Claudia Karvan. Ethan Hawke is his usual dependable self, playing the conflicted Edward with a nice level of emo and humanity (insofar as a vamp can possess this)

This is a great cinema movie, as it is a visual treat and is clearly made for big-screen consumption. Not the deepest or most intelligent film this year but certainly quality. Your tolerence for over-stylised "Matrix-looking" fare will be a factor in your enjoyment of Daybreakers but if you give it a chance, there more to it than gloss.

Charlene Lydon

It's Complicated

Directed by: Nancy Meyers

Starring: Meryl Steep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin

Rating 5/10

Although this is by no means the best film I sat through this year so far, (or even that day) this is not actually as bad as I had imagined. The trailer and the audience I watched it with were considerably more vomit-inducing than the film itself which, if taken as a text of some merit and not just a silly rom-com actually has a lot to say. I thought this about Meyers' last effort, Something's Gotta Give too, which also dealt with the trials of growing old alone. However, when placed side by side these films have an inexcusable amount in common. Both feature a bubbly, attractive older lady falling for a divilish older man with whom they should by no means be involved with. Both women are trying to find humanity in men who have proven themselves to be shallow cads. Originality aside, the story is simple and involving. Meryl Streep begins an illicit affair with her ex-husband (Baldwin) who is now remarried to a young woman in her twenties. However, Streep also finds herself falling for nice but nerdy Steve Martin. Y'see...it's complicated!

The performances are what makes this film special. Meryl Streep glows as the infinitely loveable if horribly misguided Jane and Alec Baldwin brings his familiar Jock Donaghy schtick with him from 30 Rock, playing her ex-husband Jake, a clueless idiot who only thinks with his pants and Steve Martin is spot-on as usual but is truly terrifying-looking as his eyes slowly seem to be disappearing into his brain due to some OTT botox work. Where the film lets the audience down is its dependence on comedy to mask some kind of disturbing and traumatic events. Dodgy comedy, at that. Also, Jane and Jake's now grown up children are as unlikeable a bunch of people that you'd ever find. They are selfish, spoiled and ridiculously touchy-feely with each other, not to mention way too sensitive about their parents divorce. If these things don't bother you, then maybe the over-indulgence in bad comedy might. It's hard to spot bad comedy when its being played by such gifted actors but if you look really closely you'll find that the script is made up of almost completely lame jokes!

That being said, this is a decent, good ol' fashioned Saturday night movie,with some laughs, an involving plot and plenty of movie stars. And watch out for a fantastically awkward John Krasinski, lighting up our screen as usual.

- Charlene Lydon 12/01/10

Precious

Written by: Geoffrey Fletcher

Starring: Gaby Sidibe, Mo'nique, Paula Patton

My Rating: 2/10

While watching Precious, I was entertained. I felt that the plot was involving and that, although it was a bit cheesy, it was a decent enough flick that felt somewhat like a TV movie. However, after mulling it over in the coming hours I began to feel angry at its audacity and its nastiness.

The plot revolves around a 16 year old, overweight, black girl, Precious, who is abused by her stepmother, raped by her father and marginalised by society. Her rape resulted in a down-syndrome daughter and now, another pregnancy. To top things off, she's just been diagnosed as HIV positive.

The story is almost unbearably sad. What bothered me about it is the way in which the filmmakers revel in the abject horror of Precious' life. Particularly, the way they portray food, Precious' body and the almost comically OTT abuse from her stepmother. It struck me that they are not respectfully telling this story, they are making this as difficult to sit through as a Saw movie. This is not a true story, it is a work of fiction. So, basically, a writer sat down and wrote a list of the most awful, horrible things a person can endure then made a film about it. There is no emotional resonance to that. There is no tragedy in that. It is torture porn in the guise of social comment. Most insulting is the "happy ending. No spoilers here but I hate to break it to y'all but there's no happy endings with HIV! A HIV positive teenager with two children, one with special needs, the other presumably HIV positive. No job, no prospects. Where's the "happy" in that?? Oh, she learned to read. Congratulations!

The film does boast some great central performances by Gaby Sidibe and Mo'nique and the climactic showdown between mother, daughter and therapist is disturbing and powerful. However, something tells me the hysteria in the US won't fly this side of the water. Don't bother, unless you're desperate for a weepie.

- Charlene Lydon

A Prophet

Written by: Thomas Bidegain, Jacques Audiard

Directed by: Jacques Audiard

Starring: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup

Rating: 9/10

A Prophet is a gruelling parable of a young no-hoper's rise from nobody to kindpin during a six year prison sentence. This film is an accomplishment in storytelling as well as a gripping thriller.

Giving my adoration of last year's Mesrine films, I think French gangster prison flicks are now officially my new favourite genre. This is just as enjoyable, despite being devoid of any humour. Where Mesrine painted a hero and a lovable rogue, A Prophet is more of a "sink or swim" scenario. The protagonist Malik (Rahim) is a muslim with no friends or family on the outside. He is sentenced to a six year stretch in prison and is soon chosen as a patsy for the Corsican prison mafia to kill a fellow Muslim that they need rid of. In a brutally affecting scene he pulls this off and soon becomes slave to the Corsicans, slave with benefits. He is soon coordinating jobs on the outside for the Corsicans and beginning his own criminal endeavours.

At almost three hours, this is a long film and often difficult to endure. It is brutal, it is nasty, it is full of unlikeable characters and frustrating situations. However, it never stalls, not for one second. This is a beautifully constructed look at prison life and an interesting plot in which a man who has no loyalties and no education is bold enough to learn to take for himself after years of being used.

The central performances are flawless and newcomer Tahar Rahim is a revelation in an extremely difficult role. Introduced as an uneducated, naiive, somewhat ignorant and socially inept loser, Malik slowly proves that his wits are perfectly intact as he uses his job as "slave" to Cesar for form his own connections with big crime bosses on the outside. Rahim, in a role of few words, believably and gradually tranforms from slack-jawed yokel to steely-eyed man of the world right before our disbelieving eyes.

Jacques Audiard proves his skill as a director with a stylish and beautifully-paced drama. Unrelentingly powerful and skilfully woven, this film is a treat to any cinema fan. Not to mention one of the most chilling an brilliantly shot death scenes in recent memory. Highly, highly recommended!

- Charlene Lydon 09/01/10

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svRYjm8sr-c

Sherlock Holmes

"Holmes, does your depravity know no bounds?"

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Mark Strong

Rating: 6/10

Guy Ritchie’s butch reworking of Arthur Conan Doyle’s hero is not to everybody’s taste but it is certainly not as bad as it could have been. Downey Jr. makes a charismatic Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law is a suitably frustrated Watson. The core relationships are great. Downey Jr. And Law are fantastic comic actors and both very likeable and when they share screen time it is a joy to watch them play together.

Watson has just announced that he is to be married and will no longer be Holmes’ partner. Holmes takes this rather badly. Meanwhile, evil Satanist serial killer, Lord Blackwood, whom Holmes has recently foiled, has seemingly risen from the dead and seemingly plans to take over England and then the world. With the police at a loss, Holmes must figure out how to stop the dark Lord Blackwood.

Holmes’ relationship with the police is a highly entertaining strand. Police Inspector Lestrade, a grumpy, begrudging man played to perfection by Eddie Marsan brings a lot of the humour and one can’t help but take immense pleasure in Holmes’ one-upmanship.

However, a huge problem overrides the positive aspects. This problem is the frankly stupid plot. It is a ridiculously over-the-top story with a Harry Potter-style villain. Here is where the film strays most wildly from Conan Doyle’s famed storytelling. The Sherlock Holmes stories I’m used to feature a simple story that is eventually revealed to be more than meets the eye. This story is completely convoluted and is wrapped up by some of the most indelicate exposition I’ve ever seen. And Lord Blackwood is just too evil! He belongs in a fairytale, not a detective movie. Actor Mark Strong must have been owed a huge favour by Guy Ritchie because I can’t think of any other reason he would have cast him. If I had to guess I would say the role was originally written with another of Ritchie’s affiliates, Jason Statham , in mind. The role reeks of him and Mark Strong certainly feels like he was slotted in there to replace somebody.

This is a film that will certainly entertain. It has its moments of fun and the portrayals of Holmes and Watson are enjoyable. This feels like the perfect antidote to the other Christmas blockbuster, the long and heavy Avatar. Check your brain at the door and sit back and bask in the violence (cos there’s a surprising amount of it), the humour and the performances. Just don’t expect to throw out your Basil Rathbone collection quite yet.

The Road

Written by: Joe Penhall

Directed by: John Hillcoat

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smith-McPhee, Charlize Theron

Rating: 10/10

Having loved Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road for its contradiction of hopelessness and overwhelming sense of hope, I was awestruck to hear that Hollywood had chosen the perfect actor and perfect director to pull off the adaptation. The story follows The Man(Mortensen) and The Boy (McPhee) as they venture through America in the aftermath of some unnamed disaster which has wiped out all vegetation, all animals and most of humanity. They wander towards the coast and the film rambles with them keeping with the episodic structure of the book. This is not a film with a plot, but rather a film that tells the simplest of stories packed full of meaning and humanity.

One of the strongest points of The Road is the complexity of its central character The Man, played with ferocious grace by the outrageously talented Viggo Mortenson. His desperation is hidden under his resourcefulness and is only truly shown through his fear of other people and his harsh lack of mercy on whomever they meet along the way. However, our sympathy is won by his tenderness and genuine love for his son. He is so desperate to keep his son safe that there is nothing that he does not deem a threat. He is probably right, but at times it is difficult to stay on his side. Since the death of The Woman (Charlize Theron) which is briefly outlined through flashbacks, both Man and Boy truly feel her absence in every way. There is the sense from The Man’s gruff manner that there is something about a woman’s tenderness that cannot be replaced. Despite all attempts to keep his son safe, the maternal nurturing hands of The Woman is needed profoundly by both Man and Boy. The casting of Mortensen, an actor whose endless masculinity has long been exploited by David Cronenberg, and the glowingly beautiful Charlize Theron highlights the primal differences between the two genders and states quite beautifully the function of both in humanity.

The cinematography by Javier Aguirresrobe merges beauty with ugliness seamlessly. The palette of grey and beige never becomes anything less than riveting. He paints a world covered in a mix of ash and snow with black skies and manages to take our breath away. Aguirresrobe’s eye for desolate beauty is clearly well partnered with John Hillcoat, director of The Propostion, a masterclass in that very thing. Between them, this pair create a world so nightmarish that the determination of Man and Boy to survive seems all the more poignant. We can only ask ourselves if we would be so keen.

The character of The Boy is a fascinating one as he was born after the cataclysmic event so he has never lived in a world where anything existed but fear and suffering. His wide-eyed wonder at the slightest thing is touching to behold. A scene near the start where he innocently stamps through a pile of money and jewels on the ground, unaware that such things ever held any worth effectively bangs this idea home. He stares, amazed, at a mounted deer head, as he has probably never seen an animal in his life. In one scene his father asks: “You think I come from another world don’t ya?” And he really does.

Despite my ranting and raving and hysteric joy at what I deem to be the perfect adaptation of a perfect book, this film will not be for everyone. Perhaps some might feel it lays the sentimentality on a bit thick. Others may feel that it is aimless and slow. That is up to the audience themselves. What cannot be denied however, is the fragile blend of tenderness and stark horror that this film accomplishes. All I can say is, well done to all concerned for a job well done!

The Box

"Your house is a box which you live in. The car that you drove to work is a box, on wheels. When you return home from work you sit in front of a box with moving images. You watch until the mind and soul rots and the box that is your body deteriorates, when finally you are placed into the ultimate box... to rest under the soil and earth."

Written & Directed by: Richard Kelly

Starring: James Marsden, Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella

Rating: 9/10

The Box has a very simple premise. A young, financially challenged couple (Marsden and Diaz) are given a box. Inside the box there is a button. They are informed that if they push the button they will receive a payment of one million dollars and somebody, somewhere whom they don’t know will die. Would you push the button? That’s the question asked in the film and from the moment they do (not a spoiler, this happens early on) Kelly creates a world in which they pay for their moral slip in the most hellish way imaginable.

Despite the simple premise, this is by no means a simple film. The story begins to take a bizarre turn as soon as the button is pushed. The couple begin to encounter zombie-like “employees” of Frank Langella’s infinitely cool proposition-maker Arlington Steward and they become embroiled in a huge conspiracy which reaches beyond NASA and the NSA, encompassing the supernatural, the philosophical and the spiritual.

This film contains about as much science fiction as Kelly debut effort Donnie Darko. It gives us just enough explanation to satisfy that they know what they’re talking about, but never gets bogged down in explaining every detail. This is one of the best, or worst aspects of the film depending on your own personal taste. Kelly’s script is airtight. It is clear that a lot of thought and hard work went into it. Packed with philosophical and moral weight, the script gives clues aplenty to the point of the film. I suppose the easiest reading of the film is to say that the couple’s moral failure led them straight to hell. A hell that looked and felt like reality.

Another thing to admire about The Box is the attention to production design. It is easy to forget that you’re watching a modern film. The colours, the costume, the set design, the texture, it all makes you feel like you’re watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers or The China Syndrome. As the film progresses and the situation becomes more dire, the palette of autumnal reds and greens fade to stark silver and blues. This attention to detail is admirable and really makes an argument for Richard Kelly’s competence as a director.

The Box might not be everyone’s cup of tea, often taking the audience to a level of discomfort usually reserved for when Lost starts to get so crazy even the most avid followers are unsure of how they feel anymore. However, apart from the plot, there is plenty to like about the film. James Marsden, the most underappreciated actor in Hollywood, gives a brilliant performance as the super-smart, sympathetic, Arthur. Cameron Diaz excels in a rare role where she actually acts. However, Frank Langella’s creepy Arlington Steward who arrives on the couple’s doorstep with only half a face, is an intriguing, frightening villain and steals the show from every other character. The other scene-stealer is the incredible score which adds infinite depth to the film written and performed by Canadian indie band Arcade Fire.

One of my favourites of the year and although it is sure to divide audiences with its complex, often insane plot, there is plenty more to admire than its trippy storytelling. Check it out, but take my advice; don’t get bogged down in figuring it all out, just roll with it and allow yourself to enjoy everything it has to offer.

- Charlene Lydon

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Written by: Peter Straughan

Directed by: Grant Heslov

Starring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges.

Rating: 6/10

“More of this is true than you would believe”...
This is how the film starts and as it progresses one can’t help but become fascinated by what the true parts are because every facet of this film is quite simply insane! The film revolves around journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) who becomes involved with former “psychic spy” Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney) while trying to get across the Iraq border. As he uncovers Lyn’s story through a series of very entertaining flashbacks he finds out more than he wants to about the lengths his government is willing to go to out-think the Russians and, later, the Iraqis.
The film stays somewhat on the fence about whether Cassidy is an eccentric super-soldier or a crazed hippie madman but the heart of the film lies in the tragedy of the corruption of something you believe in. Whether or not these people are insane doesn’t matter when you see the evil Hooper (Kevin Spacey) abusing what he has learned from the shaman-like Bill Django (Jeff Bridges). A genuinely likeable film, it pained me to see it go so downhill. But it nevertheless did just that. The plot began to ramble, losing all credibility along the way. It became obvious that Ewan McGregor wasn’t working in this role and was having way too much fun to even try. In fact, it began to feel a little bit like everybody was having way too fun and cared little about professionalism. By the time they put LSD in everybody’s drinking water, they had totally lost me.
It seems to me that an outlandish story, very importantly must keep its feet on the ground in every other sense. That is why a film like Terry Gilliam’s Brazil or David Lynch’s Eraserhead can work, they make little sense logically, but they act as if they do. The Men Who Stare at Goats doesn’t really care about being coherent, clearly more focussed on having a laugh, and letting the actors go nuts.
Director Grant Heslov shows his inexperience and proves that he should stick to writing, a role in which he is clearly more disciplined. This film for all its insanity is very entertaining, extremely funny and George Clooney and Jeff Bridges turn in some hilarious performances. Also, for an Iraq movie, it nicely avoids waxing lyrical on the subject and keeps quiet to a large extent, remaining within its own world, only coming in contact with the war when it suits the plot.
This is a very unusual, very funny and very clever film, made all the more interesting because of its unlikely basis on fact. However, it does lose the run of itself midway and becomes a mess of epic proportions.

The Lost Lovely Ladies of Hollywood

Marilyn, Audrey, Katherine, Lana, Judy, Greta, Marlene...
We are on first name terms with so many beautiful women from Hollywood's heyday. But what of the one's that got lost along the way? The women who had enormously successful careers and who shine just as radiently as the aforementioned stars but somehow got lost from the radar over the years. I would like to briefly mention some of my own personal godesses who have fallen from the public consciousness for some reason of another.

In my research I realised that their stories are more fascinating than I had imagined. Mental illness, scandals and feuds tearing them from the arms of the studios and therefore the public. Please feel free to share your own lovely ladies...there are many, many starlets who need saving from the depths of obscurity.

GLORIA GRAHAME:

Known for her strong presence and vast variety of roles, this lady could do "dark" like nobody's business. She played the disgraced Violet in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, a ganster's moll in The Big Heat and a bit too fun-loving Ado Annie in Oklahoma. Such was the variety of her range as an actress. She smouldered onscreen in her darker roles, vicious and complex, but in her lighter roles she could sparkle as frothily as you like! Despite working with acclaimed directors such as Frank Capra, Robert Wise, Vincente Minnelli and Nicholas Ray, her career flagged somewhat after the 1950's. Obsessed in real life with her looks, she never saw herself as beautiful. I beg to differ, Miss Grahame. Perhaps not a typical beauty, she had a wonderful face, and one hell of a body, not to mention that sex appeal that jumped right off the screen. Add to that a tumultuous personal life (caught in bed with Nicholas Ray's teenage son, while still married to Nicholas Ray!! She later married his son) and you've got a screen siren to match any of the rest of them.


GENE TIERNEY:

Peering out of the enormous painting as the titular character Laura in Otto Preminger's classic film noir, it is easy to see why these men couldn't help obsessing over this woman. A glint of danger in those otherwise innocent eyes, the dramatic cheekbones, the Snow White complexion, Gene Tierney was certainly one of the most beautiful women who ever graced the silver screen. Her ice-cold portrayal as the evil Ellen in Leave Her To Heaven is one of the most chillindg female performances I have ever seen. Not many women could balance nasty and sexy in this fashion. And I ain't talkin' heartbreaker. Ellen murders handicapped young boys! Despite her success and doubtless skills, Gene suffered from bi-polar diorder which meant a series of career disasters as she was in her prime. Attempted suicides and stints in mental hospitals plagued her in her latter years, perhaps accounting for her obscurity nowadays.


PATRICIA NEAL:

First coming to the attention of the movie-going public as the beautiful, masochist Dominique Francon in the big screen adaptation of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, Patricia Neal immediately grabbed the attention of the media with a highly publicised affair with the married and much-older Gary Cooper (she was 21, he was 49). Needless to say, this notoriety followed her and she was treated like a jezebel, thus never getting any of the glamorous studio roles she richly deserved. This did not deter her from becoming a fascinating actress who used her sad elegance to bring a touch of class to a variety of roles. Her most memorable role was probably in The Day the Earth Stood Still but she also won an Oscar for her role in Hud. Married for 20 years to children's writer Roald Dahl, Patricia Neal led a somewhat unglamorous life, herself and her children plagued with health problems.

ELEANOR POWELL:

"She 'put 'em down like a man', no ricky-ticky-sissy stuff with Ellie. She really knocked out a tap dance in a class by herself." - Fred Astaire
I discovered Eleanor Powell like so many others through the wonderful That's Entertainment movie and its sequels. She was celebrated by her peers for her fantastic dance skills, was titled "The Best Tap Dancer in the World" and is considered the only person who could ever out-dance Fred Astaire. But, boy, did she make it look easy! Her long toned legs seemingly taking on a life of their own while her lovely face never forgot that the audience was here to see a star, not just dance moves. Studio battles caused this lady to fade away young, but she left behind a legacy in the MGM musicals she had already starred in, most notably the Broadway Melody films and Born To Dance, alongside Jimmy Stewart.



ANN MILLER:

Another legend of dance, Ann Miller is a lady who starred in many opulent musicals and was a true superstar in her day who came and went without any scandal, but still rarely gets mentioned today. Considered a child dance prodigy, MGM bragged that she could tap 500 taps per minute. As it turns out, these taps were looped afterwards, but the lady sure could dance! Often said to have polularised the now-typical Hollywood dark bouffant hairdo and scarlet lips, Ann Miller was an icon in her day. Also, she was the first person to wear tights, instead of stockings. They were espacially made for her because she had problems with ripping stockings mid-show. Despite being a legend in her field and stealing the show from both Fred Astaire AND Judy Garland in Easter Parade as the wily temptress Nadine Hale, Ann finished up with Hollywood in the 1950s and apart from wowing audiences in a Broadway stint in Mame, she was rarely seen again until David Lynch cast her in a non-dancing and very creepy role as Coco in his 2001 film Mulholland Drive.


JANE WYMAN:

Most famous for her roles opposite Rock Hudson in Douglas Sirk's All That Heaven Allows and Magnificent Obsession, Jane Wyman was never your typical sexy siren. She was an icon of good sense, temperament and classy beauty. Previously married to Ronald Reagan, she never spoke of him publicly after thier divorce, despite having three children for him. She is the only ex-wife of an American president.
Jane's career was consistent and stable and she was a remarkable actress, a beautiful woman and a class act. She started off as a chorus girl but as resilient and supportive Helen St. James in Billy Wilder's harrowing The Lost Weekend, she proved her acting chops. Later in her career she became the muse of Douglas Sirk and found a perfect outlet for her special brand of melancholy sweetness. She lived a simple life and despite resurrecting her career in Falcon Crest in the 1980s, she died alone, a recluse in 2007.


BARBARA STANWYCK:
Ok, so by no stretch of the imagination is Barbara Stanwyck to be considered "obscure" but seriously folks, this woman has to be one of the greatest actresses that ever lived, tearing up the screen in such gems as Double Indemnity, Lady of Burlesque, Stella Dallas and my own personal favourite All I Desire (yeah, yeah I know it's another Sirk, what can I say??). Again, not a conventional beauty but she still managed sultry, vulnerable and earthy all at the same time. She had the face of a girl next door but the sparkle of a vixen. Her strength lay in melodrama but as she proved in her ridiculously classy role in Double Indemnity, she could do noir just as well. She lived a long life onscreen and when she retired she slunk away into the night and working inconspicuously for various charities for the rest of her life. So, why isn't she more famous?? Any film buff worth their salt knows exactly who she is but she's certainly no household name. I have no idea! Makes no sense to me.


JOAN FONTAINE:
The child-like innocence, the porcelein skin, the image of a woman constantly on the brink of womanhood, Joan Fontaine made a career out of looking like a deer caught in headlights. The only Hitchcock leading lady to win an Oscar for her role (for Suspicion actually, not Rebecca), Joan Fontaine famously had an extremely bitter lifelong feud with her sister, fellow siren Olivia De Havilland. Both were nominated for Oscars in 1942, leading to a rumoured awkwardness between the two. Later, after having won the prize, Joan commented that she "felt guilty about winning; given her lack of obsessive career drive..." saucer of milk, table Fontaine! This feud led to Joan cutting off contact with her own daughters because they were maintaining a relationship with their aunt. Crazy lady, not the innocent beauty we came to know and love in such gems as Letter From an Unknown Woman, The Women and Jane Eyre.


ANNE BAXTER:

The best bad girl in town! The soulless girl with the wholesome face, who would suspect the mousy Eve Harrington was simply trying to steal the life of her idol Margo Channing in her triumphant turn in All About Eve? She narrowly missed out on the lead in Hitchcock's Rebecca at the tender age of 16 and at 21 she was cast in Orson Welles' doomed The Magnificent Ambersons in which she shone as the beautiful Lucy. She won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role opposite Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power in W. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge, this time in a tragic role. She also starred in the very extravagant The Ten Commandments as the spoiled but heavenly Nefretiri, again cementing her star status. Her career flourished throughout her life, although her star faded somewhat over the years. Anne Baxter is one of those actresses that consistenly outshone everyone in any film she acted in, which is no mean feat considering the wealth of stars she appeared with (definitive example, All About Eve), but somehow still seems like a stranger to our screens.

Please feel free to comment and add some suggestions for your own lost lovely ladies of Hollywood.

** Disclaimer - most of my info came from Wikipedia...

- Charlene Lydon

Taking Woodstock

Written by: James Schamus

Directed by: Ang Lee

Starring: Demetri Martin, Henry Goodman, Imelda Staunton, Eugene Levy, Liev Schreiber

Rating: 6/10

Director Ang Lee is certainly in no fear of being pigeon-holed. Just file him under “Miscellaneous”. His films have ranged from gay cowboys to period drama to super-heroes. His latest piece of work Taking Woodstock bears many of his signatures but is, yet again, vastly different from his previous work. This film tells the story of the notorious Woodstock festival from the point of view of young, desperate, motel-owner’s son, Eliot (Martin) who initially suggests his tiny town of White River as a possible site for the concert. As chaos descends upon the town it brings new leases of life in spades upon the town, but also brings its fair share of contempt from the locals.
The beauty of this film is the microcosm from which the story grows. The audience doesn’t get to see every little detail of the organisation of the festival, but only sees what Eliot sees. Eliot is smart as a whip, confident and sensible and he is cleverly introduced as a likeable, competent and resourceful guy but as the story progresses it is interesting to see how quickly he is pulled under the current of hippies and suits and farmers and family, barely keeping his head above water.
Lee, as always, creates a beautiful world. A world that shows as many sides of the story as possible; the lunacy of hippies, the beauty of hippies, the close-mindedness of small towns, the open-mindedness of small towns, the muck, the sunshine, the pain, the freedom, it’s all here in a mix of stories and characters.
What drags this film down is its pacing. Throughout the whole film, although it moves along constantly, it feels like it is dragging its heels. As it approaches the end of the film there is an ill-advised LSD sequence that not only takes the attention away from the story but also fails miserably in its effort to depict the trip as beautiful, but comes across as rather creepy instead. The script is poorly constructed at times with a wealth of superfluous characters creeping in and out.
Despite its flaws, this is a pleasant film to watch with some strong performances from comedian Demetri Martin in a very demanding but successful lead role and from two Brits (Staunton and Goodman) playing his wonderfully over-the-top Jewish parents.
This is probably not a very memorable film, but it is quite beautiful to look at and certainly invokes the spirit of a musical festival in all its glory, but be warned there is no actual Woodstock footage, so don’t expect a documentary. This film is staunchly centred on our lead character and his remarkable true story.

- Charlene Lydon

Fantastic Mr. Fox

"I don't have a bandit mask, but I did modify this tube sock."





Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwarzman, Willem Dafoe, Michael Gambon

Rating: 8/10

How does one bring to life Roald Dahl’s woodland tale of the irrepressible but fantastic Mr. Fox? Director of The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore Wes Anderson brings his signature droll characterisation and rich, autumnal colour palette to the story and treats his audience to a beautifully realised and highly enjoyable adventure through the world of wild animals.
The plot follows Mr Fox (Clooney), a former chicken thief who gave up his wild ways in favour of settling down with his wife (Streep) and new cub (Schwartzman). As his son grows older, Mr. Fox sneaks back into his former lifestyle which sets in motion a disastrous pursuit by local angry farmers, putting the lives of his animal friends in danger.
The film has its share of ups and downs. It is clear by about twenty minutes in that there has been some necessary but not always successful stretching of the plot. At 87 minutes this is a rather short film but it still feels spread a little thin. However, if you are as enthralled by the film as I was, you will probably find you can forgive this.
The voice casting is immaculate and gives life to the simplistic characters. The script is quirky and hilarious, basking in its own playfulness while also showing a confidently mature sense of humour. Particularly enjoyable is the conflict between Ash, Mr Fox’s less-than-adequate son and Kristofferson, Mr. Fox’s very adequate nephew.
Perhaps this is too eclectic a mix for all tastes. It will delight some and irritate others but it will certainly charm audiences with its beautiful visuals and its sense of innocence and fun. Anderson instils in the film a knowing self-awareness of its own childishness, but manages this without the slightest air of pomposity. Definitely a bit of fun for both children and adults alike, and when compared with what’s been done with other beloved children’s stories (Dr. Seuss, I’m looking at you) this film proves to be refreshingly sophisticated.

- Charlene Lydon

Thirst

Directed by: Park Chan Wook

Starring: Kang-ho Song, Ok-Vin Kim

Rating: 7/10

Touted as an antidote for the Twilight-weary vampire fan, this Korean vampire love story is certainly original. It tells the story of kind-hearted priest Sang-hyeon who puts himself forth for Ebola Virus tests. When these tests go wrong and turn him into a vampire (they never really get into the science here) the virginal, innocent priest slowly and to his horror begins to lust, not just for blood, but also for his friend’s wife, Tae-joo. From here the plot erupts into a volcano of madness with sex, gore, murder, ghosts and of course, vampire high-jinks. What starts as a tragic, fascinating examination of Sang-hyeon’s struggle with his bloodlust, ultimately turns into a madcap horror-comedy. It’s all very fun but there are too many changes in tone to allow this to compete with the director’s Vengeance Trilogy. Twilight it ain’t, but it’s no masterpiece either.