Well, I’m finally back. Since I last wrote a blog post, we’ve had a change in monarch, Prime Minister, chancellor, chancellor and chancellor. However, with the South West London Film Blog Awards back in 6 months, I have to start writing well now to be in contention to finally win (or at least re-gain my place in the top three). Anyhow, this week I wanted to go straight into variety, so am sharing my thoughts around a romantic period piece biopic and a German war epic. Let’s go.
Maybe in the smallest way, it is poetic that my return to writing this blog is focussing on a biopic on one of the most famous authors of all time. The film Emily tells of Emily Bronte’s life leading up to her writing of Wuthering Heights. This involves her growing up with a sense of isolation as an outcast. Unloved by her father and belittled by her sister, she has absolutely nothing beautiful in her life, until she finds herself in a damned relationship with the local vicar.
I am not a literary person, therefore knew very little of Wuthering Heights, nor much of Bronte’s story going into the film. Therefore, it goes without saying that a fan of the Bronte sisters will see more in this film and how it parallels her book than I ever will and may also get upset at any dramatization. Any biopic will never be fully accurate, whether it’s due to the ambiguity caused by time or purely to entertain an audience, and as an audience member I was entertained.
The film’s lead is portrayed wonderfully as devilish. A mask used for a Ouija-esque activity early on shows her as going very much against the will of God. The rebellious character who could be a villain of the time, yet today is looked at as someone to be liberated. She is vividly offset against Charlotte who is a disciplined teacher and lives how girls should live at the time. We see her as stuffy, while we connect with Emily. Her long lingering looks towards the camera feel as though you stare into her soul as she desires the most basic things humans can desire, to love and be loved. When she goes off the rails, it’s a feeling of sad isolation that makes you empathise with her. This is of course achieved by a fantastic actress.
Emma Mackey (Or Maeve from Sex Education) really steps up to the plate in this role, able to show emotions in what is almost a second language with the time appropriate cadence. She really acts with her eyes and her motion, whether dancing or running, or looking straight forward it’s not the words she says, but also the words she doesn’t which are powerful. Against the brilliantly frustrating Alexandra Dowling who plays Charlotte, she works with her heart compared to Charlotte’s head leading to a much more emotional looking performance.
When the final credits role for the film, they only show six acting names, with such a small on screen ensemble reflecting the loneliness Emily feels. She only ever sees her dad, siblings and vicar. Everyone is on form here, making the 130 minute run time not feel over-bearing.
Tonally, the film strikes a dark realism, interjected with hope and romance. With the film regularly taking place in the rolling British hills, the lighting is realistic and grey at the best of times with a classic regular smattering of rain. While in no way a film to horrify, it certainly isn’t your easy Saturday 7PM Channel 4 family film either. Each darker scene reflects the intensity of a stellar cast and soundtrack, remaining very much focussed on the moment while in comparison, the happier scenes are handcam, spinning moments of delight and respite with joyous violins following Emily around in a dreamlike manner. This contrast allows for some smart mirroring between her high and low points throughout the film in a subtle way. No moment in such a long film feels wasted as each leads to both this beautiful novel and inevitable tragedy.
The realistic atmosphere is of course helped by a stellar production team. Each costume is divine as is every setting whether inside the period mansion which feels prison like in the mind of Bronte or out on the rolling hills where you feel the freedom. This alongside the beautiful score by Abel Korzeniowski just work wonders, albeit in maybe a heavy handed way. Frances O’Conner’s directorial debut feels occasionally experimental with a lot of ideas thrown at the wall in terms of techniques she wants to try which are exciting for the future. Yet thanks to a well ran film for the most part which is beautifully acted this never feels problematic.
Emily is a wonderfully acted tragedy, with Mackey and co all on top form to tell an engaging story about one of the all time great authors. Everything feels beautiful and refined, yet with an imperfect character looking to break free to great effect. [A]
Emily is available in cinemas now
It’s very rare that I watch a film and my main emotion is frustration. All Quiet on the Western Front is that movie for me. Technically well made, it just misses so much. For what could have been one of the year’s best films, it’s really frustrating. The picture is about a group of young German men who go to fight in the Great War, expecting a good time and to come back heroes. However, when they end up in the trenches, they realise it’s not the reality they have come to expect.
Based on the 1929 novel of the same name (and the 1930 film), we follow Paul (Felix Kammerer) through the span of eighteen months (except that 17 months and three weeks are a time jump). I was really excited about this film having watched the original earlier this year. I liked the ideas of the original, but it seemed rather cute and non-genuine, especially as it was all in American, unlike this German film. A grittier re-telling by those whose grandparents would’ve been the lead characters was an appealing idea. However, while this film was able to be a great war epic, it was clear the director hadn’t even opened the source material.
The point of the book is that it focuses on Paul. We see his mental strain as he grows from a naive child to an eventually indifferent adult. The toils of this great period of war affect him slowly and drastically. Sure you have the macro setting of a war, which is where this film excels, but the micro setting of a young vulnerable person used and spit out by a war machine is where the story really should go, but the film fails to do so. I think there are four key reasons for this. Firstly, the introduction of this film shows someone else dying on the trenches. Okay, we immediately know it’s rubbish out there so can’t get into Paul’s head of naïve optimism. When we first meet him, everything is immediately rushed with him and his friends. Before any story happens and we get to see this character in equilibrium, he’s in the trenches. There is no growing realisation, just a jolt which doesn’t have an impact. Another failing was the time jump. We move from the beginning to the end. Therefore, we don’t see the immediate impacts of what happens to him and his friends. We’re then at the end and he hasn’t really changed. He hasn’t had moments like in the original when he’s gone home. We lose the quiet moments to reflect. The pacing here is all over the place and so is the script.
The last issue that stops this being a great psychological film is the movie’s incessant need to go to the diplomats who are trying to end the war. They’re not important in Paul’s story. Sure their decisions make an impact on his life, but not in a way he is conscientious of. Instead, we see dithering and this whole war is pointless idea spread over a very long 2.5 hours. This means when we have our eventual butterfly scene it doesn’t have an impact. In fact, it’s not even a butterfly scene. There is another 30 minutes of random rubbish that ends the film which just goes against the book in a bad way.
However, the film wasn’t all bad. As a war epic, it doesn’t hit Apocalypse Now, but is still good. The production design and use of props are fantastic. The battles feel tense and deadly, with some of the most shocking film war footage you’ll ever see. As the film goes on and we see the brutal reality of the war, this seems to be what the film wants to show and it does so well. Krammerer as Paul is also decent in his leading role, even though he looks very very similar to George Mackay in 1917, but that’s not his fault. On a technical side, the only real disappointment was the music, which was an over-bearing modern deep electric loud noise which came in now and then. It felt over the top and not fitting with 1918 front line.
While All Quiet thrives in its strong battle sequences which certainly have had care put into them, the clumsy writing and directing have absolutely failed to show what the film is all about, ultimately leading to an underwhelming and drawn out film. [C-]
All Quiet on the Western Front is in cinemas now and on Netflix on
I was walking home from the latest big multi-verse film and I was wondering “How many multi-verses would I need to find one where I am Rebel Wilson Surbiton Fan Club?” This lead to further questions “Would I be happier as a Rebel Wilson fan, or in Surbiton?” “What is stopping me being SRWFC?” “Am I SRWFC?” “Is SRWFC real?” Yes of course it is, otherwise these introductions would be non-sensical and a waste of your and my time. Anyway, with Dr Strange out last week, I decided not to watch it as it looked boring and instead go and see this mid-budget movie about multi-verse hopping: Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn, an incredibly busy, yet incredibly unremarkable woman who between running her failing laundrette, dealing with tax fraud, her husband wanting a divorce and looking after her daughter is stretched and the first ten minutes of the film show the incredibly busy life she is leading and rather predictably the things the film will need to resolve. However, things take a turn when Evelyn’s husband changes and says that he is “A Waymond from another universe” and Evelyn is introduced to a multi-verse and must save the day from the evil power who is threatening to destroy all Evelyn’s and multi-verses.
The use of these multi-verses allows for two things: Firstly, Evelyn can see how her life would’ve been if she had made different decisions. Secondly, she can tune into the other Evelyns and use the skills they have gained (For example, one Evelyn in a different universe knows martial arts, so Evelyn knows it).
The film is absolutely mad. It goes on at a frantic non-stop pace. I went in with somewhat subdued expectations, however I was blown away. The plot was held together well, the action and editing were well made on a relatively low budget and the humour, while occasionally juvenile, mostly landed. However, where the film really thrives is its heart. In all of the madness of our worlds, where we have so many decisions and choose what to focus on, so many regrets and such a deluge of information which can make our existence seem scary and meaningless, EEAAO reminds us that its the small things that are worth living for. The love of those around you is so strong and everyone has an inner strength they have or something simple they need which you can give. The film somehow despite its chaos makes sure to spend times on these nice themes and is all the better for it. The multi-verses have a point. They’re there for a reason and allow our character to grow instead of being a plot convenience. The film has a message, not just a good person saving the day, but characters who can develop in a film which theoretically they have little right to.
This is helped by Michelle Yeoh’s brilliant performance. How refreshing is it to see an action movie with a protagonist being a 59 year old Chinese woman? Her range is brilliant here, with a mix of cold and caring almost interchangeably. She makes Evelyn a character you want to win and you want to improve. She’s flawed and unremarkable and that’s what makes a hero you can truly root for.
She has so much fun and so do others such as tax woman Jamie Lee Curtis. This project is a labour of love. You can feel the finesse behind the film with such brilliant effects and top level editing making things seem to move with lots of cuts. It really is some of the best editing I’ve seen this year and will be in contention for an ASBO award come April. Daniels who made the movie are clearly fans of this and movies in general with brilliant homages to other films including a subtle Wong Kar Wai nod and not so subtle Pixar nod which will have you in stitches.
At 2 hours and 20 minutes the film was longer than I thought it would be. While it slows in the last 20 minutes, I felt the first 2 hours justified this slower ending. The pacing of the film is interesting. It hops into certain universes to allow our protagonist and antagonist to talk slowly and calmly without the need for any combat as they take the forms of certain inanimate objects. The directors remember that while this is an action film, it also has a story and dialogue which raise it above others in the same genre.
Summary: Everything Everywhere All At Once is an absolutely barmy Universe hopping adventure which never quite takes a breath. Despite this, it has a nice humour and a big heart linking all the story together to make a sweet narrative that Michelle Yeoh leads with fantastically. [A]
Yes, it’s been ANOTHER break. That’s the way life goes. Maybe we accept that I just write this on a monthly basis if that. Despite having COVID and whatever and having seen a few really good films, I just haven’t stopped, sat down and typed for a while, so here goes…
One of my darkest memories growing up was when I was just minding my own business, then another kid came up behind me and started bullying me. They were saying hurtful things making me cry so much. How could I ever recover from the mental scarring? They said the unforgivable words which to this day I struggle to type…
“Paddington 2 is overrated”
I was never the same afterwards, thus the sworn vengeance towards Surbiton Rebel Wilson Fan Club.
Playground (Un Monde) (15)
To those with an interest in European politics, the Wallonians are only famous for one thing, single handily veto-ing an EU-Canada trade deal. However, with this new film maybe they’ll be known for something else…
…playground bullying.
Nora is on her first day of school. Nervous about absolutely everything, she looks to spend time with her brother Abel, who seems to want to keep her away to protect her from bullies. However, Nora becomes more conflicted when it becomes apparent Abel is being bullied. He says basic playground law which is don’t tell, while she wants to help him. There is a quote in this film about not being able to help those who don’t want it, and much like the bullies, the film is really striking. In this wasteland of lawlessness, where the lunch ladies are more worried about not switching seats at meal time than actual bullying (A fantastic representation of all lunch ladies out there), this world is a daunting place for these children in their formulative years and are the one time they feel really alone.
The politics are difficult to get through, and the words are blunt as children would say them, and my goodness they cut through the screen. The kids are at an age of no filter, able to say the words, but unable to consider the impact of them. We see these children turn on each other in a blink of an eye, solid friendships reduced to rubble over the course of a second. Even the unbreakable brother sister bond becomes stretched in this fearful, apocalyptic place where one just has to survive. This comes as a result of fantastic writing as everything has a sensible cause and effect as all things seem to slowly come, with explosive results.
The script of debut director Laura Wandel couldn’t be anywhere near as effective without the fantastic performance of Maya Vanderbeque, the young actress already putting herself in ASBO contention for next year. As well as saying her words well, there are long times where this timid character says very little, with facial expressions and clever camera work doing the talking. It’s all shot from her perspective. It’s not the story of someone being bullied, but someone’s brother being bullied. All that is said to her, the camera rigidly sticks to her, and at the low angle much like Charlie Brown or the Florida Project, therefore it is so vital that her acting is great, and yes it certainly is.
As well as those low angles, the film represents a minimalist tone. There is no fancy lighting and there is no music whatsoever. This adds to the integrity of this not being some fantasy story, but a real look at life at school for young children. Any romanticism is replaced by realism, and you believe in what is happening all the more for it.
Playground had me fully engrossed in this drama about children which certainly isn’t an easy kids movie. A tough watch as times, this brilliantly written film with a top central performance is surely one of the best films of the year. [A]
Happening (L’événement) (15)
Let’s add another review. If Playground is saddening, Happening is outright traumatic. In 1950’s France, Anne is a promising literature student who is going far. All seems well in her life until she becomes pregnant. Not wanting a baby and scared of the consequences, she looks to have an abortion in a state where it is illegal to have one, or to even help someone to have one.
As you can tell, this film isn’t for the light hearted. It really is uncomfortable to watch at times, as we see some of the lengths Anne is willing to go to, putting her own safety at risk to make sure to not have this baby. I was struggling to watch in parts, and it’s the reaction which the director Audrey Diwan wants you to have. It shows that abortions being legal doesn’t stop them, but puts people in danger as they look to find their own way to have them.
For Playground, I suggested we may have an ASBO nominee already and for happening, there is certainly a second one on the cards in Anamaria Vartolomei. Her fear is palpable in this film as her panic grows and her life starts to fall apart. The whole film is brilliantly written and she leads with a fear and dignity that never feels melodramatic.
While the film is easy to feel traumatised by, the camerawork is exquisite. The long shots, the continuous takes, the capturing of emotion and framing. They all work in a nuanced way which I saw a couple of times, although I certainly don’t feel like watching this back anytime soon to confirm these and write in more detail.
Happening is a brilliant understated drama, which is so incredibly made by BAFTA nominated Audrey Diwan. The acting is great, and the story is well written to provide a direct, harrowing film. [A-]
Casablanca Beats (Haut Et Fort) (12A)
After these two rather sad films, I was going to discuss how great The Northman was (Seriously, go and watch it, it’s brilliant), but I really didn’t feel like writing about village burning and incestuous kissing at this point, so lets end on a slightly lighter film about rapping Moroccans.
Abbas is a former rapper who has moved into a new area. Living out of his car he now teaches rap in a hip-hop centre to a group of Moroccan teenagers in some form of Dead Poet Society way. The use of a hand cam and amateur non-actors give the film a feeling of a documentary as we use rap to explore the issues in these teenagers lives, from poverty to religion to discrimination as they will all come together to develop their rap and hold a concert.
While the overall narrative is a bit fluffy at times, this film works best when seen as a set of vingnettes, short stories which are linked by this common theme. The best moments of the movie are the ones where the young people get to express their thoughts and feelings with the raw emotions of the music. One of the raps is up there with my favourite moments of cinema this year. It all comes together as a thought piece with plenty to say, if you’re ready to listen.
Its a film which revels in a bit of cheesiness. It could’ve taken itself a bit more seriously and darkly, but its fine that it doesn’t. It wouldn’t have matched the tone of the comedic characters who at times almost become caricatures. While there may be a desire for something gritty, we can enjoy something which is clearly more a piece of art than a film. You know what, I did enjoy it. [B-]
2 Sentence Reviews of the rest of the films I’ve watched recently
Ali & Ava – The British odd couple romance which your mum might like. 7/10
Benedetta – Provocative lesbian nun drama which showed that provocative doesn’t necessarily equate to interesting. 5/10
Compartment No 6 – An odd couple romance where there is no romance, and the lead character’s only trait is that they’re boring. 5/10
Fantastic Beasts Secrets of Dumbledore – The film which may have driven Mads Mikkelsen to alcoholism. At this point, I’ve forgotten all the characters, but it’s at least better than the last one. 4/10
Great Freedom – Gay 20th century German prison drama gives Shawshank vibes. Fantastically acted deeply human drama. 9/10
The Northman – A fantasy Viking retelling of Hamlet (the lead character is literally called Amleth) which was uncompromising, yet amazing to look at. 9/10
The Novice – Whiplash for rowing, but without JK Simmons, and also without it being easy to tell if someone is rowing well. Tense, but lacking something. 7/10
Phantom of the Open – Really fun Paddington meets Cool Runnings meets golf. I laughed more than I thought I would. 8/10
Prayers for the Stolen – A dark look at the dangers of being a teenage girl in Mexico. Brilliant show don’t tell film making. 9/10
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – The answer to which film would I watch if the only options on were Morbius and Sonic 2. 4/10
Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – An unbearable wait for massive talent. Just really awkward to watch as nobody in my screening laughed and neither did I. 3/10
Ladies and gentlemen, welcoming your host for the 2021 ASBOs Will Smith
Thank you for coming along to the ASBO Awards. Having been banned by the Academy, I would like to apologise to them. Being violent is wrong, but sometimes you have to be violent for what is right…
Okay, so for real. I always like to start these off with a bit of flair. A petty attempt to outdo the Oscars, and if it were the main normal show that would be easy. However, I can’t top what we watched. So with minimal effort, ladies and gents, here are the winners of the 2022
The first award for tonight is Best Adapted Screenplay. Each of these films were incredibly well written.
3rd) The Green Knight: To translate an old poem to screen is an absolute beast of a task, but no line in the film feels wasted. Each serves a purpose and the script knows when to be silent. A phenomenal effort.
2nd) Passing: A really thought provoking movie. The script is fast paced, clearly defining each character, their views and their insecurities. Bravo.
The winner of the first award this evening is The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao. This 2.5 hour long melodrama felt barely more than 5 minutes with the script fleshing out the characters, pacing itself brilliantly and giving across its themes in a clear and nuanced way.
3) Paris 13th District is an engaging and interesting piece. Each character is different and so well written that you fully believe in these quirky digital age relationships and the drama that’s happening.
2) After Love gives an interesting subject area you won’t expect a lot of honesty. With it being so easy to fall into a trap, this movie keeps realistic and looks into grief stunningly.
The second award winner is Mass. A film about four people sat around a table talking had me fully invested all evening. The acting was superb, but each line felt raw and powerful and said so much. The film is about two sets of parents following a school shooting, and the script reveals more in every passing line. It’s an essential watch.
3) Boiling Point: It’s a great thing that people are starting to discover this film now its on Netflix. The tension caused by the one-shot format as well as the crispness of it all is incredibly well done.
2) Titane: The lighting and the camera work in those dance scenes is electric, unlike the car which is fuel based. The film, despite its barminess, looks amazing and is made with such care.
The ASBO for best cinematography goes to Limbo. The use of the camera to portray space, or lack of it, as long as the symmetrical shots really allowed for a quirkiness which gave Limbo the look of a Wes Anderson film.
And the winner is… Summer of Soul, a documentary about the Harlem cultural festival. The way it flicked between the music, interviews with people for context, then wider societal issues so fluently to creative such a good narrative deserves to be recognised.
Best Original Song
So I didn’t really put any nominees up for this, however I do want to give the award out to the song which stuck in my head for a long time. It set the tone for a film with its screenwriters, director (his daughter) and actors all joining in the first five minutes of a madcap film. Sorry Bruno, but the ASBO goes to So May We Start from Annette.
And the ASBO goes to Summit of the Gods. This French Netflix animation got next to no recognition, but the mountain climbing story is as good as any Oscar nominee, with tense scenes which engrossed me so much I forgot it was animated.
The ASBO Award for best documentary goes to Stray. The film about a dog’s life in Istanbul was so simple and poetic. It followed her around in a non-intrusive way and the soundtrack was beautiful. What Stray did really impressively was not just in showing the dog’s life, but the wider city as well.
What a horrible category to pick for. Third place goes to Invisible Life, a fantastic melodrama which reflects a patriarchal Brazilian society in the most honest and frank way. Second place is the thematically similar Photocopier, which is an Indonesian story showing how girls are mistreated in a MeToo era.
However, the winner has to be Titane, the French film where the woman gets impregnated by a car. It’s a bat-shit crazy body horror, but it’s an essential sweet drama about cars and family which you have to see to believe it.
3) Deerskin: It’s a film about a man talking to a coat which convinces him to become a serial killer so he owns the only coat in the world, and it’s a darn cool coat, and eventual outfit. Killer Style.
2) Pig: The quiet Nicholas Cage film uses costumes brilliantly to show Cage’s life as a hermit, contrasting him with others in the big city while he looks for his pig. There were some strange films this year.
The ASBO goes to… Spencer. The outfits in this film are great for two reasons. One is they look similar to Lady Diana’s in real life. The other reason is that each was specifically crafted to show her battle for independence over the controlling royal family and her relationship with Charles. Is there a more important set of pearls in a film?
3) Nowhere Special uses make up in quite a subtle way. Slowly throughout the film, the lead character looks more ill in nuanced ways, and that is down to brilliant make up work.
2) Passing has make up as a key part. The greyscale really shows the difference in make up work by Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga’s mixed race characters as the latter attempts to pass off as white to live a wealthier life.
The ASBO goes to… Titane. Yes, seriously. Another award for that film. The make up scars on the lead character’s face from the titanium plate. The before and after haircuts. The scars on both of their bodies showing their traumas. The whole department bring out these characters and make them feel even more vivid and extreme.
3) The Reason I Jump uses sound nicely to give part of a perspective of how autistic children view the world in a non-stereotypical, respectful way
2) A Quiet Place Part II is all about sound. It doesn’t use it as well as the original, but it’s cool.
The ASBO for best sound goes to Shiva Baby. This film is about a young woman at a shiva. She ends up in more awkward situations with the guests making it a stressful claustrophobic experience. The use of sounds such as crashes and babies crying and loud chatter make one feel less able to breathe and within the shoes of the lead character. It is such a smart film.
3) Stray brought us into the world of a dog and the beautiful simple score made it seem so magic.
2) Annette’s movie musical rock-opera by Sparks was mad. Its literal songs and simple repetition really added to the odd tone of an odd movie, with excellent opening and closing numbers for good measure.
The ASBO goes to Spencer. Spencer is all about fear and paranoia, a feeling of being trapped. Nowhere is this more hammered home than in the jazz score which is constantly rushing and playing with a dissonance to make the viewer feel very uncomfortable.
3) Limbo uses small spaces to show a person trapped and also uses big spaces to show that a character is in the middle of nowhere. The scenes are all set in perfect places, with the house being a character itself.
2) The Nest is set in this big empty mansion. It almost feels haunted with a map that doesn’t quite make sense and constant doors you wonder if they were empty or closed. It’s a big echo filled place which leaves you with unease.
The ASBO goes to… Gagarine. Gagarine was basically The Martian but on Earth. It’s fantastic as these old worn down flats are transformed throughout the film by their last resident into a sustainable space station-esque ecosystem. It’s a little watched film, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
The ASBO goes to The Green Knight. This film looked devine with effects which while out of this world seemed to tonally match everything else, from the tree man in the beginning to the giant stone people to the talking fox. I didn’t stop and think these were computer generated, they just worked brilliantly.
I’ll discuss most of these films later, so I’ll go straight for a winner now. The best director goes to Denis Villneuve, Dune. To put together all the brilliant elements in such a polished way and tell an untellable story, I didn’t think the Oscars would let me have him as a pick. I was incredibly lucky they did.
5) Nathalie Richard maybe isn’t higher on this list as she wasn’t the stand out role, but as a woman wondering where her husband is and dealing with the stress, she acts with an aloofness which is fine. However, when she realises what has happened to her husband she brings in much more heart.
4) Cate Blanchett was the best thing about Nightmare Alley and it’s a suprise she didn’t get an Oscar nomination. Her calculating, almost seductive therapist character was cunning and intriguing contrast to a more rough around the edges Bradley Cooper, and their interactions were fantastic because of her. She was let down by a poor script not giving her a deserved climax, but she did the best with what she had.
3) Martine Chevallier played an elderly lady who had a stroke but was in a relationship with her neighbour, despite her family not knowing. She remained mostly silent in the film, but her body language and facial expressions were absolutely incredible. Two of Us was a film that not enough people saw and it’s a lovely piece with a big heart.
2) This was a really close two horse race and Ruth Negga was phenomenal in Passing. Playing a mixed race woman who was passing as white in her life, she portrayed her insecurities and fears in a very human way, while trying to hide them as well.
And the ASBO goes to… Ann Dowd in Mass was phenomenal. A deserved BAFTA nomination was some reward, but nowhere near enough. She played the guilty mourning mother of a school shooter who came face to face with the parents of a victim. Each line was said with such believable passion and emotion and she really carried what was a phenomenal movie to great heights.
5) Vikash Bhai played the lead character’s housemate in Limbo. Between his more comedic moments, stealing a chicken he named Freddie Mercury, and his more heartfelt quiet moments, he offered a real ally to the protagonist and showed a great scale of acting.
4) It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen First Cow and Orion Lee is still fantastic. The sidekick cheeky heist leader has so much charisma and is so likable you’ll follow his schemes to the end, even though there is no way they will end well.
3) Remember that conductor scene in Annette? The one with Simon Helberg monologuing while conducting a live orchestra. Well, that was the moment he’d grown up. No longer the actor from that sitcom, he showed himself as a serious actor. His emotions, his musical talent, his physical acting contrasting with Adam Driver. It was all fantastic. There was a time I was convinced he would win an ASBO, but only for two better performances to turn up.
2) What is wrong with the Oscars not voting for Mike Faist, the best part of West Side Story. You hear the whistling and the shadows. Then bam, out comes Riff leading the gang with such energy. His acting, singing, dancing all on point, which is a relief as you can ignore Ansel Elgort and his lack of musical ability.
And the ASBO goes to Vincent Lindon in Titane. I know, I need to stop awarding this film. For the first half of Titane, I was not enjoying it. This rather brutal piece wasn’t my cup of tea. However, when Vincent came along as a father of a missing boy who the protagonist pretends to be, the film becomes incredible. That’s right, he brings heart to the car sex movie. He plays a deeply flawed man, who is clearly lying to himself and needs this relationship. We see him develop, before a truly beautiful ending for his character which left a tear in my eye.
5) Martha Plimpton was great in Mass. They all were. As the mother of a school shooting victim, she is angry with the parents of the shooter, and her arc is an important one as the one who at first is the angriest and least likely to forgive the shooter’s parents. Yet, she seems to find the humanity and is most receptive to what the others are saying.
4)Carole Duarte was part of a double act in the Invisible Life. If I had space, both sisters could have been nominated. They were seperated and their life long longing to be reunited was heart breaking and it lead to a conclusion in which Duarte had me in tears. It’s a brutal but incredibly rewarding watch.
3) Carrie Coon plays a woman who’s relationship with her husband is breaking down. She has no control of her life and it feels like everything is caving. Is she imagining it, how much is real? While I didn’t love The Nest, it was a film with two great lead performances and hers was simply incredible. I totally bought into her story and without such a performance I would’ve been lost much earlier.
2) Remember when Maria Bakalova gave a brave debut film performance in Borat Subsequent Movie Film (A genuinely fantastic performance, upstaging Borat)? Agathe Rouselle takes it to the next level. Scars, haircuts, body transformations, adult dancing, affairs with cars, constant panic, giving birth, pretending to be someone else. For a first ever feature film, simply wow.
And the ASBO goes to Joanna Scanlan for After Love (Obviously). How great was it when she won the BAFTA last week. I didn’t think she had a chance against all these big names, like Lady Gaga. Nobody would watch the small depressing British film, but when she won it made my day, as it was such a deserved win. She plays Mary, a white woman who’s muslim husband has recently died. She then finds he has a secret French family and accidentally becomes their cleaner. She learns why her husband acted that way, which preys on her insecurities. She is also mourning and coming to terms with his actions, while lying to the French family. You don’t agree with some of her decisions, but you empaphise with her, and that is such an incredible skill. She gave the performance of the year and is now an ASBO/OSCAR double winner.
5) Jason Isaacs is the quietest character at the beginning of Mass. He seems reflective, yet after a while you realise this may not be the case. The internaliser of his anger, when he releases it, it provides some of the most powerful scenes of the movie. So much so, I’d forget his not brilliant American accent.
4) Dev Patel in The Green Knight is a soldier who is going to his own death. He is good throughout the film, however his silent last 20 minutes are some of the best moments of acting of the past year. He’s grown significantly since Slumdog and Lion and seems to have matured well as an actor now.
3) The last scene featuring Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car is a masterful one. It’s his character’s moment after three hours. He isn’t a big loud dramatic character. Instead, he is more human. Mourning while listening to tapes of his wife in his car while also directing a play. The way he interacts with other characters is well judged as well. It leads to a brilliantly real performance in a quiet film which keeps you happily watching along for three hours.
2) Adam Driver in Annette isn’t like most actors. While most look for characters with redeeming features for their own image, Driver goes for the most despicable people around. An abusive murderer, a psychotic comedian and all around bad egg, Driver makes you hate this character so much more. Yet he keeps him interesting. You are intrigued to see what happens to the villain of the piece. His physical acting is brilliant as well, especially in the more murderous moments.
And the ASBO goes to James Norton for Nowhere Special. I was surprised I picked this film, but it was the most effective performance. Playing a dying single father, Norton’s character is looking for new parents for his son, while also having to start to talk to him about death. It’s quiet, human and emotional. The Happy Valley star is truly phenomenal and if you fancy a good cry this is the film you need to watch.
No way are we even going to try and rank these? Which film will join Burning, Monos and His House as the fourth ASBO Best Picture Winner?
10) The Green Knightwas a very well made film. It looked and sounded brilliant and was polished. The film about a soldier coming to terms with his eventual took its time to it’s benefit allowing it to immerse you into a medieval fantasy land.
9) tick, tick… BOOM!is that awkward film which felt like it would be nominated for an oscar and was in a few places, such as actor. It was a really polished musical, made in a fun way. The performances were brilliant and the songs were catchy (30/90 anyone?). It was a solid effort about dedication and working for your dream and showed what a musical should be.
8)Photocopieris fantastic. No way am I seriously only putting this film eighth, and with no ASBO awards either? The film is about a girl who is trying to solve what happened to her after her drink was spiked. A detective like film, with the many twists and turns of a Bong Joon Ho film it was engaging to watch. A couple of missteps towards the end maybe took the shine off, but it’s still a very powerful, well made piece.
7) The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmaowas such a polished piece. The critique of a 60’s Brazilian patriarchy which kept two sisters apart for their whole lives was raw, well acted and emotional. Maybe the overly forced emotion stopped it from being higher on this list, but every single film here is phenomenal. It’s baffling that the Oscars chose any of their picks over these.
6) Paris 13th District just came out and I adored it. A French, more adult, version of When Harry Met Sally with genders swapped and set up for the digital age, it had such an impact, although didn’t stick with me as much as some of these other films. It looked incredible, the story was incredible and so interesting. This is a beautiful piece of cinema which shouldn’t be slept on.
5) Mass was simply mesmerizing. A basic concept, four people sat in a room, two sets of parents after a school shooting. One set is the victim’s, the other is the shooter’s. Yet in some ways, the latter are just as much victims. The film is about peace and forgiveness, talking through what upsets you (Will) and coming to terms with a tragedy while listening to each other. The script was top-notch as was the acting which is some of the best this year.
4)Annette was almost the maddest film I watched this year. It had strange singing scenes, huge crowds, a barmy soundtrack and if that wasn’t enough there was a wooden puppet baby which you were just supposed to accept. It embraced its weird side and thats why it worked. The film about a comedian who falls into the abyss and goes mad with dire consequences is performed with such intensity at a breakneck speed that you don’t really get to think about it until the end, as you get your breath back.
3) Fleewas simply delightful. How this film didn’t win best doc or animated (it certainly should’ve beaten Encanto) at the Oscars I’ll never know. The animated documentary looks fantastic and is a deeply moving personal piece. I’ve reviewed it and talked about it in the Oscars piece, so I have little else to say except go and watch it.
2) Titane… You thought I was going to award best picture to Titane for a minute didn’t you? If I had, it would have deserved it and there’s nothing you could have done. The car sex movie won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but my goodness it was incredible. Starting off as a fairly uncomfortable serial killer body horror film, morphing into that scene, before becoming the sweetest film about the value of a loving family (Yes seriously), I was exhausted by the end of this film because I was so damn invested in the characters at the end of the second half. We see their growth and how they make each other better. The light, the sound, the acting, it’s all phenomenal, but it’s not one I’ll watch with my family.
And the ASBO for Best Picture Goes To
When films like Green Book and CODA win best picture at the oscars, it starts a mental conversation within. Is the point of a film to make you happy? Look at the marvel ones, look at the young adult fiction slew of our current century, and it’s hard to argue that’s what sells. While there is nothing fundamentally bad about a film making you feel good, we at times forget the most important thing in film is to feel and to be able to empathise with a character, whether they are the same as yourself or totally different. This is when cinema is at its best.
The winner of this year’s ASBO certainly does that. A white woman who converted to Islam for her husband in mourning finds he has a secret family in France. She goes to their house, pretends to be a cleaner and makes a bunch of irrational decisions, such as texting his son using his phone. Yet in these moments, we empathise with her while not agreeing. We see what her culture and her husbands culture mean to her and her step-son. We see how her insecurities affect her everyday, and how her husband let her down. We see a whole human that for 90 minutes we care about an excruciating amound, warts and all. This year’s ASBO award for best picture goes to After Love.
Top Winners
3- Titane
2- After Love/ Mass/ Spencer
1- Annette/ Dune/ Gagarine/ The Green Knight/ The Invisible Life/ Limbo/ Nowhere Special/ Spencer/ Stray/ Summer of Soul/ Summit of the Gods
I know what you’re thinking, release the ASBO cut. Soon, I promise. I’ve just been busy.
Award shows mean nothing. It’s true. I know every year I sit down and bemoan bad decisions of the Oscars, but really they do mean nothing, and yet that it’s not fully true. Would such an audience have found Parasite without it making the headlines? Would the resultant Squid Game have had the impact if Western viewers hadn’t being more open to Korean media. Heck, last years selection were such small films that anybody watching them as a result of hearing about them was a huge bonus. Yet, award shows mean nothing. This is especially true, not when popular films are chosen, but mediocre ones are given the spotlight, thus my mental requirement to tediously put together the ASBOs. Still, I’ll look at the nominations (Having actually seen most of the films before the ceremony this year) and say where I think the awards should go, before they are given out incorrectly this weekend.
Due to a lack of films seen in the categories, I won’t be picking any best short film. I’m also refusing to pick a best original song, because who cares.
Anyway, here are my picks based on the Oscar nominations, with it being more Spiderman: Nowhere To Be Seen
Best Visual Effects
This has basically become best popular film, because big loud bang make film good. This years plethora is no different. Free Guy had so much big glitzy things going on, I fell asleep while watching the movie and woke up the next morning (genuinely). No Time To Die was a decent effort, but the effects weren’t the most memorable part, just a couple of things blowing up. Then let’s pick a marvel, Shang Chi or Spiderman, two films with very competent supporting actors. Arguably, Spiderman was the best marvel, leaving it 50/50 with Dune. While Spidey is big and crashy with its weird wavy Doctor Strange world, Dune made a whole world and made me believe in it, feeling fear in the chaos.
Winner: Dune
Best Film Editing
I’m starting to understand what editing is. It’s how shots are sown together, so King Richard makes a girl look like she can play tennis. Don’t Look Up mish-mashes random scenes together so not that. Power of the dog put together scenes showing control well, with a wonderfully constructed last 10 minutes, so credit to that film, which is great. Dune felt well made, I didn’t feel man-handled along which you can during a sci-fi. However, Tick Tick… Boom!’s seamless transitions between stage and flashback was regularly a highlight and realty showed off Garfield in the best way possible, but we’ll talk about him later.
Winner: Tick, Tick… Boom!
Best Costume Design
In all of these films, people wear clothes. Cyrano wears generic old fashioned clothes which look nice. Again, this isn’t my speciality. In Dune, they’re believable. They also wear clothes in West Side Story, and do the swishy dress thing in America I guess. Nightmare Alley also has period piece clothes. However, the most comically creative and character showing clothes are in Cruella, a film about fashion which is so much better than it should be. The dresses are bad-ass and cool. So that one can win.
Winner: Cruella
Best Make Up and Hairstyling
Hey, let’s give Jared Leto a bald cap and fat suit, that’s movie, he puts on big Italian accent, acting. I haven’t seen Coming 2 America so can’t comment. Cruella yet again appears, and the use of hair to show Estella’s character is fun. In Dune, they have hair, it has lots of technical noms, but I’m not sure why on this. The Eyes of Tammy Faye gives Jessica Chastain such out there make up, making it representative of almost a mask. It’s a key part of her, and so well done.
Winner: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best Cinematography
This is basically which film looks pretty. Dune looks great and is immersive in its world. I also love West Side Story’s grittier feel and the atmosphere from the way it was shot is fantastic. Nightmare Alley used lighting to create a dark and mysterious noir story, while Tragedy of MacBeth’s plainer style allowed its actors to thrive. The Power of the Dog looked phenomenal, with its slow shots showing a beautiful landscape, and almost a trap. This is such a difficult category to decide, as all five deserve it. I think it’s between Power of the Dog and West Side Story and will slightly surprise myself.
Winner: West Side Story
Best Production Design
This is basically which set looks the nicest. Dune brought us a whole world, while West Side and Nightmare Alley took us to unique interesting places and set ups. Power of the Dog and Tragedy of MacBeth were much plainer in their approach, to their benefit. I think the top two are MacBeth and Nightmare Alley as both were captivating. However, while when I watched MacBeth, I was sure that would be the best, I have to give it to Del Toro’s dark fantasy.
Winner: Nightmare Alley
Best Sound
This is a tough one unless there is a stand out. Last year, Sound of Metal was brilliant, but this year, all are good. Power of the Dog uses volume in its big moments feeling claustrophobic thanks to Benedict’s banjo, while WSS uses its sound to create a fun atmosphere. No Time To Die and Belfast show sounds of conflict to good effect, however watching Dune in the cinema and feeling the vibration to my bones was such a brilliant experience it has to win.
Winner: Dune
Best Original Score
So I haven’t seen Encanto yet (That’s right, I haven’t talked about Bruno.) and Don’t Look Up is just okay, which leaves us with a varied and interesting three horse race. Dune privides the big epic Hans Zimmer score. I absolutely loved Parallel Mothers’ almost old fashioned heavier score playing during the big scenes. The Power of the Dog’s guitar songs were great and really stuck with the movie. It’s a really tight call, but I think I’ll give it to Dune again.
Best International Film
Unfortunately, Lunana Yak in the classroom hasn’t had a UK wide release, so I haven’t seen the Bhutanese film. The Worst Person In the World was a well made film about a woman who seems to screw her life up with bad choices. It was engaging. Italy’s The Hand of God was a beautiful calm film about finding yourself in a chaotic world, and a belief in hope and miracles. I really can’t remember much, but enjoyed the calm feeling. Denmark’s Flee was phenomenal. An animated documentary about a refugee’s journey from Afghanistan to Denmark as a child, it’s a phenomenal intimate piece. However, Drive My Car is on another level from these films. The slow burning three hour long film in which people mostly talk in a car is just incredible in its script and acting. I was totally entranced, and its Best Picture nomination was well deserved.
Winner: Drive My Car
Best Animated Film
I feel like I’m the only person who hasn’t seen Encanto. I don’t really care as it looks a fairly by the numbers Disney, but I’m glad it’s found an audience who are passionate. It must be better than the annoying mediocre Raya and the Last Dragon. Mitchells vs the Machines was fun in the first half as this tech-apocalypse had a fun style, much like Spiderverse. The second half fell into bang bang crash territory, which I didn’t care for as much. Luca was a Disney I adored. Its simple low stakes fun and bright charming colour scheme was a delight. However, flee’s beautiful 2d style allowing its subject to remain anonymous, while portraying his emotion and allowing us to see trauma in a way where we don’t block it means it has to win.
Winner: Flee
Best Adapted Screenplay
This is a really solid category this year. CODA is a really fun sweet film, written with good heart yet never patronising. Sure, The Lost Daughter is uneven at times, but Olivia Coleman is given a fantastic character to work with, and the tension and mystery are sublime. Power of the Dog is great, but did I love the script as much as Benedict loved Bronco Henry, probably not. It was the quieter parts which made it so good. Dune had a great effort at a challenging material, although its ending was abrupt and in my review I mention I felt that things could’ve been structured better for pay offs. There is only one winner in this category and it’s Drive My Car. Every line is packed with such meaning, whether spoken or in the background. It really is the best screenplay I’ve watched possibly ever. Seriously, watch this film.
Winner: Drive My Car
Best Original Screenplay
If Adapted was solid, this is appalling. Licorice Pizza was a bunch of boring scenes put together to look like a film with very few endearing moments. Don’t Look Up is short for don’t look up from what you’re doing because this script is dull. King Richard was the most cringeworthy Oscar bait formulaic nonsense providing no justification for the actions of Richard Williams. Belfast was sweet, but incredibly fluffy. The one saving grace in this category is Norwegian film The Worst Person In The World, which follows a woman in her early thirties as she makes wrong decision after wrong decision with eventual devastating consequence.
Winner: The Worst Person In The World
Best Documentary
I’ve only seen 3 of these, so sorry to Ascension and Attica. Writing With Fire is an empowering piece about female journalists in India. It’s a decent watch but didn’t grab me like the other two. Summer of Soul is a great movie. As a music documentary it shows a time, a place and a theme integrated within it and is a brilliant watch. However, my pick will have to be Flee, an animated documentary which allowed its subject anonymity, yet was an emotional personal movie.
Best Supporting Actress
Most of the acting categories are odd this year, with their decisions to skip lots of the big films. The Lost Daughter was generally forgotten other than acting and Jessie Buckley is fine, although I found her bits the weaker parts of the film as they dragged. I had to google Aunjanue Ellis to work out who she played. She’s the King Richard wife. She’s fine, but nothing to write home about. Judi Dench was a case of right film, wrong actor for Belfast. Catriona Balfe was much better in the film, but Dench a big name. She did make me chuckle, but is an odd choice. If Ariana DeBose and Nicole Kidman win Oscars (a real possibility), I will feel some vindication for saying that I enjoyed The Prom as two actresses from that will have been academy award winners, but I don’t feel she stole the show.
Kirsten Dunst was great as Rose, the victim of Phil Burbank’s psychological torture. I felt her fear, it was palpable, and actually Power of the Dog had some of the strongest acting performances of the year, including her.
Winner: Kirsten Dunst, Power of the Dog
Best Supporting Actor
Lets get the fact that JK Simmons was nominated out of the way. It’s a case of popular Oscar voter actor from Whiplash keeping the momentum, undeservedly. Riccardos wasn’t quite my tempo. Ciaran Hinds was fine as Pop in Belfast, the grandfather. He was sweet, but Jamie Dornan was much better as his son. Two Power of the Dog nominees were nominated, former ASBO nominee Jesse Plemons downgrading to a second rate award this year, while Kodi Smit-McPhee as his step son Peter was phenomenal in his quiet role.
It’s between him and Troy Kotsur, who plays Frank Rossi in CODA. He brings the heart and so much comedy, as everyone in the film is wonderful. Comparing these two is so difficult, as their performances are so different, and one not being chosen means its worse than the other. Who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind before I press publish. No, I changed my mind. It’s POTD.
Winner: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Power of the Dog
Best Actress
With zero best picture nominees, this category really is an odd one this year, with lots of great performances in good movies. That certainly applies for Penelope Cruz, who plays a mother who has her child swapped at birth. She is great, and I totally buy her performance, the sub story seeming weird but that’s not down to her. Olivia Coleman was brilliant in The Lost Daughter. He scenes were elevated much more than those without her in, as a mother who didn’t like motherhood. Nicole Kidman was fine as Lucille Ball, but nowhere near anyone else on this list. I adored Jessica Chastain in Tammy Faye, playing the titular televangelist who looked to love everyone and just wanted to be accepted. It was a shame the script was just fine, but to her credit she was above it. However, Kristen Stewart in Spencer was brilliant. The whole film was really good and Stewarts performance as Lady Diana was top notch.
Winner: Kristen Stewart, Spencer, Runner Up: Jessica Chastain, Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best Actor
There are only two best picture nominees in this list which is really odd. However, that doesn’t make the list weak. Bardem, being the Riccardos, pass. My controversial opinion of the year is that Will Smith wasn’t anything special. I felt he played a stereotypical Smith character which didn’t stretch him and was a shallow awardsy caricature without challenging his source material. Denzel Washington is good in Tragedy of Macbeth as the titular character. However, other than a set of monologues, he doesn’t do too much more.
The two best contenders for this award are vastly different. Benedict Cumberbatch as a psychotic cowboy in a psychological thriller/love story is so strong using his expression to create fear in others, so much so you feel nervous when he’s not there. Andrew Garfield plays Jonathan Larson, a struggling musical writer who sees his passion lead to deteriorations in his relationships with others. All singing and all dancing, is there anything he can’t do (apart from save Lois Lane). Cumberbatch character created fear which permeates through the film and as more layers of his character are revealed, he navigates these with seamless fluidity. This is such a tight decision, but I think I’ll give it to Garfield, only just.
Winner: Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick… BOOM!, Runner up Benedict Cumerbatch
Best Director
So who was best at getting everything together. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza was a good effort, but a bit of a mess. Keneth Branagh gives it a go with Belfast, and while managing his actors and shots well, his script stopped him from being able to master his craft. Stephen Spielberg uses his experience to great effect to create an immersive experience in West Side Story.
Two people who bring their films beautifully together are Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Jane Campion for Drive My Car and Power Of The Dog respectively. DMC is a near perfect masterpiece which could’ve been meandering but Hamaguchi keeps it tight. POTD while being slow in the middle looks and feels beautiful. Each element of the film is perfectly crafted and Jane Campion was brilliant at bringing it all together.
Winner: Jane Campion, Power of the Dog
Best Picture
This years 10 is interesting. While three of the films are phenomenal, another five are all okay. There is just an awful lot of fluff. Compared to last year’s interesting, diverse set of movies, this set feel much dryer. Despite this, there certainly are gems to be found.
I mean, is this even an okay film? Adam McKay’s attempt at an apocalyptic film may have come out at the wrong time to show how we would respond to a panic-based event The film sees two scientist try and get the world to deal with an asteroid heading to earth, yet the world won’t comply. The humour of this film is limp, the acting is non-committal and the writing is generally poor. (Available on Netflix)
It’s a template sports biopic. The film about Serena and Venus’ dad (not them, their Dad) is totally okay for an easy Channel 4 Sunday Afternoon film. However, a far too cliched script, a hollow character and an overbearing soundtrack made the film incredibly difficult to like and much easier not to like. (Available to purchase)
8) Liquorice Pizza
The film that Tik Tok hates, Liquorice Pizza is a 70’s teenage version of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Some rough back seat plot linking a bunch of random scenes which are atmospheric if nothing else. The problem is that while the film looked nice, its message became far too diluted and there isn’t much for those who aren’t fans of the era/director. I just didn’t feel any warmth towards this film.
Arguably the biggest crowd pleaser from a UK perspective, Belfast is a British (check) autobiography (check) in black and white (check) with a lot of humour (check) with Judi Dench (check). Was it a bad film? No. However, it’s overly soft and sentimental perspective was a tad annoying at times and the film felt a bit too fluffy while refusing to go properly into its subject area. (Available to Purchase)
6) Nightmare Alley
Just happy to be nominated, Nightmare Alley kind of came out of nowhere and it’s a good effort. Bradley Cooper plays a hustler who learns his trade in the circus before trying to con some of the biggest people in town. Cooper is good, Cate Blanchett is great and the look of the film is wonderful. The second half is definitely the best part, and apart from a rushed ending I enjoyed this when it got going. (Available on Disney+)
Technically, Dune was a fantastic film. It’s look, sound and feel was incredible. There is an awful lot it did well and it’s a worthy BP nominee. What I felt let it down was some of the story telling decisions which felt hap-hazard at the worst times, as well as the incredibly abrupt ending. Maybe when the sequel comes out, we can judge this film fully. Just now it feels incomplete. (Available to purchase)
4) CODA
A sweet indie family comedy, CODA has a lot going for it in its chances of winning best picture. The film about a girl with a passion for singing in a deaf family is a charming film. It made me laugh a few times and it hit the right tone with some great supporting acting from the two parents. Is it the darkest, most serious film of the year? No, however it did what it set out to do well. (Available on Apple TV+)
3) West Side Story
I really didn’t like the original WSS 60 years ago. However, this remake is so much better. The tone and production design were all spot on in a film made with a lot of love. Ariana Debose and Mike Faist were both fantastic and if we ignore Ansel Elgort and his inability to sing or dance we have an absolutely fantastic and polished musical which would be worthy of winning BP.
2) Power of the Dog
The film that is most likely to win tonight is one I don’t really want to. As a streaming film, it doesn’t work. The overly slow second act would lose me if watching at home. However this psychological Western which sees Benedict Cumberbatch bully his sister in law (more happens, but I’m not spoiling it) is brilliant. It stuck in my head for days after. The acting, cinematography, score, design and everything are perfectly crafted.
1) Drive My Car
I was getting ready to give Best Film ASBO to Drive My Car, but then those selfish jerks at the Oscars nominated it. The one top tier film to be nominated for BP this year, DMC is a Japanese slow burner about a man directing a play while mourning his wife by listening to tapes of her when being driven back and forth. Yet it’s so much more. Slow and deliberate, DMC is a film where no scene feels wasted. Each line says something. The acting is understated with a script not telling you how they feel but very clearly showing how they fill. At three hours, this film was a significant endeavour, but my goodness it flew by, and that last scene is simply breath-taking. There is no chance this film wins tonight, but we can always hope as it would be well deserved.
So, my split is
3 – Drive My Car/ Dune/ Power Of The Dog
2 – Flee/ Tick, Tick… BOOM!
1 – Cruella/ The Eyes of Tammy Faye/ Nightmare Alley/ Spencer / West Side Story/ The Worst Person In The World
When I went to watch this film, I looked across the cinema and my face fell. It was Surbiton Rebel Wilson Fan Club’s writer, with their massive box of popcorn. I was polite and said “Hello” They replied with a G’day and said they were looking forward to this film. Upon me asking why, they said they were looking forward to seeing Rebel in it. My heart sank, was I in the wrong film? Short answer is no. They were confused because when they heard it had Cat Woman in it, they thought it meant the woman from Tom Hooper’s 2019 disaster Cats. It doesn’t have Rebel and when they realised, they promptly left.
Sometimes a great film seems impossible to make, whether down to the subject matter, or previous history. Even thinking about the “Last Train to New York” remake of Korean zombie masterpiece Train to Busan leave one feeling physically queasy. Following the origin story Joker’s failure to live up to The Dark Knight, I went into The Batman with very low expectations. This film wouldn’t be able to live up to the Bale/Ledger benchmark, surely? And does it hit those heights? No it doesn’t. However, it certainly gets close.
Here’s the important thing to remember before watching batman. He’s not really a super hero. Much like in The Dark Knight his agenda isn’t going around beating up bad guys. Instead, it relies more on being a detective. If you expect a marvel, you won’t get it. Instead you find yourself watching a gothic noir mystery film. When a mayoral candidate is murdered by the self-titled “Riddler”, Batman and officer Gordon are given a string of clues by him about the next victim they have to work out in time. The whole movie works in a similar way to those early Cumberbatch Sherlock episodes with Moriarty, where Sherlock attempts to solve these puzzles and work out the endgame.
Much like Moriarty, The Riddler works from within the shadows, rather appropriately like Batman. This provides an interesting look at the film. The Riddler is against corruption and wants justice, but from a hidden place. It’s almost a form of vigilantism which parallels Batman, creating this unnerving foe who is on evil footing. While The Joker is big and performative and unpredictably mad, it’s almost what you don’t see which allows the Riddler to provide the tension.
Interestingly, and some may say limiting this film, we never really get to know Batman. He is always behind a mask (whether physically or metaphorically) and doesn’t really show any form of emotion. In some ways this is frustrating, but in other ways, it allows us to reflect. He fundamentally isn’t our window into the film. We don’t see things from his perspective, as much as the warmer Officer Gordon, Alfred the Butler or Cat Woman. It’s through each of these upstanding characters in a corrupt Gotham that we learn to trust Bruce Wayne, as well as our prior knowledge of the hero. It shifts our interests more to the mystery than the human characters, much like The Third Man.
Alongside Robert Pattinson’s well acted emo bat, we also meet Cat Woman, this time portrayed by Zoe Kravitz. She and Pattinson have a brilliant chemistry. Both want justice, but for Batman’s cold headedness, Cat Woman provides a shorter temper and a willingness to do whatever it takes to perform a more righteous form of justice, leaving the hero in the shadows feeling exposed and with another thing to worry about.
As well as the plot, the film is of arthouse brilliance. The use of light throughout is such a key element. Batman is regularly in the dark, but when placed in sunsets, the light around him contrasting his back suit in an almost silhouette manner just works wonders. Matt Reeves, the director, knows exactly what he’s doing and how he’s framing everything and it makes the film so visually pleasing with some truly epic moments, the best of which is Bat Man walking with flames behind him and the camera being at a strange angle.
As well as the look the soundtrack is equally delightful. A large part of it seems to be somewhat derivative from the classical piece Ave Maria. However, away from that you have this creeping growing somewhat intimidating orchestral score which both suits the film and sounds absolutely fantastic. This is the sort of theme which in years to come should be seen as up there with Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
As much as the film gets right, its not without its flaws. There is a bit too much narrative exposition for my liking, as especially at the beginning the film feels the need to tell you a lot. The big flaw however is the last 30 minutes. It feels like they felt the need for an epic conclusion. For the sake of spoilers, I won’t go too much into it. It just felt there was an unnatural twist which hadn’t been lead up to. If the film had ended 20 minutes earlier, it would’ve been much more satisfying, instead it went down the whole “Gotham is bad” route and that’s frustrating as we’ve already seen that in films such as Joker.
Despite this, there is still a good two and a half hours of constant creeping tension which only the best films manage to sustain, even with the deliberate more plodding pace than the constantly frantic Dark Knight. The film gives you time to breathe and is all the better for it.
Summary
The Batman achieves the almost impossible by creating a film worthy of almost standing shoulder to shoulder with The Dark Knight. While you don’t have the manical Heath Ledger, The Batman provides a much more deliberate gothic almost noir detective drama which remains tense and engaging throughout, while also looking and sounding incredible. [Grade: A-]
See. I can like popular films as well. Who’s the snob now
CW: Jared, why are you speaking like that? House of Gucci ended ages ago
JL: THIS IS-A ME A-NOW CHRIS. I EAT THE PIZZA AND TALK-A-LIKE, HOW YOU WOULD SAY, THIS
CW: Joe, can we have a side bar?
Yes, what’s up Chris?
CW: Seriously, can we cancel Jared? This award show is such a big deal, even saying who the nominees are for the winner to be announced in two weeks time. This is a big opportunity to highlight awards worthy contenders who the Oscars ignored, do we really want this guy announcing them?
Hmm, that’s a good point Chris, but I’m not sure I can
CW: Seriously? Well, enjoy switching between caps lock every other line and wasting your time typing this Italian fluff…
Good point. Jared, you’re out
JL: OH-A-N…
[Jared was kicked out the blog post]
Who can we get in at such short notice? Andrew Garfield is too famous, and even Rebel is busy with the BAFTAs? Hold on, I know who can save the day
[Paddington was added to the blog post]
P: Hello Joe, Hello Chris Whitty. Is everything okay?
Yes, we just need some help hyping up the ASBO nominees. Can you help? We’ll buy you the book in Mr Gruber’s antique shop.
P: Why of course Joe. As my Aunt Lucy says, if we’re kind and polite, the world will be right.
Perfect. Now we may start
CW: Thank you Joe. So many important stories have found their ways to the screen this year, some original and others transformed into the wonderful world of film from other mediums
P: The nominees for best screenplay have brought us to tears, made us laugh and made us cry with their words.
CW: Next slide please
CW: Next slide please
Hi Chris, me again. Could you do me a favour and stop asking for the nest slide. It’s funny the first time, but writing it out 20 times will become burdensome and have a significant diminishing return.
CW: But without the next slide what am I? I’m like a film without cinematography.
P: You’re much more than one line Chris. My Aunt Lucy taught me to find the best in everybody.
CW: Thanks Paddington, but I was trying to smoothly transition into the next categories which are truly arts, best cinematography and best editing…
P: While acting is truly a pure medium. The use of animation allows a person’s mind to thrive. The only limits of animate films are our imaginations. Although, I don’t know anybody animated myself, I’ve heard they are a little bit different and childish
CW:…
CW: As well as wonderful pieces of fiction, film makers push the boundaries to capture the real world. These four movies are all brilliant examples of this.
P: Back in Peru, me, Aunt Lucy and Uncle Gazpacho would watch lots of Peruvian films in the cinema.
CW: Oh that sounds lovely.
P: Yes seeing our homeland on the big screen while eating quiet non-crunchy marmalade sandwiches was a delight as it would have been for those from these countries:
CW: Actors don’t just roll out of bed ready to shoot as a character. They are helped by some brilliant hairstyling and make up. My stylist worked on my hair for 4 hours to get my hair right for this
P: Oh I can tell Mr Whitty.
CW: Thank you Paddington. Here are the nominees for best costumes and best make-up and hairstyling
P: The way a film sounds is incredibly important. Being back in cinema, it was wonderful to hear all of these loud movies with my friend ‘Nuckles
CW: As well as how a film sounds, its look is important as well. When I make my slides, I make them informative and understandable. It’s an art these next nominees understand well.
P: Oh Mr Whitty. This is a lot of elements. The directors who put them together must be really talented.
CW: Yes, especially these six who weren’t recognised by the academy
P: Oh Mr Whitty, I’m very excited that we’re about to share the actors.
CW: Me to Paddington. From a mourning, guilt ridden mother of a school shooter, to an elderly woman in a secret romance with her neighbour, to a woman hiding her own race for marriage and affluence, these eight actresses all played important roles in their movies, shaping them without leading them.
P: From an Afghan refugee on a remote Scottish island to an immortal super villain, to a finger snapping gangster, is there anything these supporting actors can’t do?
CW: Whether driving cars, or doing other things with them, these eight actresses all stole their respective shows
P: Stressed out chefs, broken comedians and romantic poets, our eight actors all provided us with immersive human performances. I should know, I’m a bear.
P: Oh how exhausting Mr Whitty. I could do with a nap
CW: Only one more award left Paddington, and it’s the big one.
P: Is that best picture Mr Whitty? I noticed we had understated dramas and animated documentaries in this category
CW: And don’t forget rock operas and body horrors
P: Oh Mr Whitty, I don’t think I’d enjoy that.
CW: Okay Paddington. And here are our nominees for the ASBO award for best picture:
Top Nominees
8- Annette/Green Knight/Titane
7- Mass
5- After Love/The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao
4- Limbo/Paris 13th District/Spencer/The Nest
3- Drive My Car/Gagarine/Passing/Photocopier/Shive Baby/Stray
Film award season is upon us, and I know you are all waiting for the important awardannouncement, no not the Brits or the BAFTAs or the Oscars. Heck, you’re not even focussed on the ASBO awards yet. No, you’re busy worring over the South West London Film Blog Awards, and I have some mixed news on that. The good news is that we were nominated for the big awards, the bad news is that having previously being third, we were relegated to fourth after a new film blog swept in and took the award,
Thankfully, after it was discovered that Wordle isn’t a film blog, nor is it a part of SW London, it was disqualified. However DSFoJLiHoG.com is just about in a SW postcode so is elegible and somehow won despite the odds being against them. Needless to say, both ourselves and third place Surbiton Rebel Wilson fan club have complained. The SW Film Award leader has announced that they will be investigating the result, and I shall not comment until I have read their report.
Ahem, as I was saying, awards season is upon us, and I should have an opinion and will do the usual spiel further down the line. After last years scaled back set of fantastically diverse and creative films, this years contenders are certainly more of a mixed bag with some nice surprises in there amongst some mire. It is a relief that Jared Leto didn’t get nominated for House of Gucci, which was an absolute mess. However, with that, one controversial film had to be nominated, and that was Don’t Look Up, which I finally finished having previously being unable to stomach the first 10 minutes.
From the director of The Big Short and Vice, Don’t Look Up is a film about how the US government and media responds to a meteor hurtling towards earth. It’s meant to be a comedy, but I didn’t laugh. I think the most damming thing about the movie was how little I cared by the end. I’d heard the ending was shocking, but no it was entirely predictable. There is an asteroid going towards Earth, what do you think will happen? None of the characters were especially endearing, and the big names were just so grating. It really was a case of the industry voting for their best mates, something my alternative award show won’t do (Sorry Riz).
The main problem for this film was its timing. We’ve seen people respond to crises over the past couple of years, we know how it works. I know this is meant to be a climate change metaphor, but it isn’t a particularly apt one, as the outcome of a meteor is significantly easier to envisage. It was also so long. At 2.5 hours, you don’t need a random pop-song and the constant repetition of so many ideas. Also, Jonah Hill murdered any scene he was in, and I don’t mean that in a good way. He made me want to turn the film off, heck Rebel Wilson would’ve done a better job than him. At first, I didn’t hate this film, mainly because I was texting during it, but the more you think about it, the worse it is. [D]
So which film could’ve been an Oscar nominee instead? Surely, fans of Mass (both of the people who watched it) would be upset their film didn’t get in. A simple film, 90% of which takes place with four characters in one room, much like 12 Angry Men does, our characters are two sets of parents who sit down to discuss the aftermath of an incident which left both of their sons dead, both confused and angry, yet also looking for something, whether that be answers, apologies or forgiveness.
With minimal music, action, or exciting camera angles, Mass needs to be something special to hold up, and my goodness it is. The script is absolutely top notch. It flows between different discussion points, getting loud at the right points, before braking in a very natural way. It creates four very deep and thorough characters, each of whom is unique, yet incredibly similar and remain consistent throughout. As a debut screenwriter, Fran Kranz is superb.
The four actors who lead this film are superb. Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton have chemistry together, united by their hurt and mourning. Ann Dowd and Reed Birney almost seem divided. Each one of them brings their A-game and would’ve been worthy of any award. Not a single person is unique as they wear their hearts on their sleeves to get this film alive. It’s available on Sky Cinema, and if you can watch it, then please do as it will be one of the best of the year. [A]
One film I enjoyed more than I thought I would was The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The film focuses on the true story of fraudulent televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Baker as they start up their “Praise The Lord” channel to spread the word of god, before it all comes crumbling down. Televangelists are a common idea in America, but not so much in the UK, so I went into this film not knowing the story, and somewhat feel like I don’t as the script felt rather liberal with the truth.
The writing wasn’t perfect, it felt a bit repetitive and about 30 minutes long, for a film which was just over 2 hours. It could’ve been much tighter, and looked at Jim’s inner troubles before everything came to light as well. The fact that we see Tammy act with her traumas implied is smart. The opening scene of her childhood attempts to explain so much. As a child of divorce, she wasn’t openly welcomed into the church, but her faith was unwavering and her feelings around Christianity were influenced by this.
Despite the imperfections in this film, two things were brilliant. Firstly, the hair and make up used for Tammy were sublime. She kept looking older, and the make up was such a vital part, almost hiding the vulnerabilities while keeping Tammy’s illusions alive. The thing which made this very okay film into a good, enjoyable watch was Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye. I totally bought into this fleshed out character and forgot I was watching a movie at times. She owned the camera, oozing with charisma being both quietly vulnerable and loud and proud, often at the same time. While I didn’t feel Andrew Garfield was right for his role, I can’t think of anyone who could’ve played this role as well as Chastain. On the whole, the film is a fairly by the numbers biopic, but the lead is at least brilliant. [C+]
One film which will go under the mainstream radar is the brilliant new animated documentary Flee. The Danish film tells of the life of Amir, a gay Afghan refugee who fled to Denmark as a boy and is soon to be married. His actual name is changed for his anonymity, we learn why as the film progresses.
What director Jonas Poher Rasmussen does really well in this film is talk very intimately with his friend. They really have to trust each other. Rasmussen never pushes Amin to say more than he wants to at a given time, using his silence to allow our protagonist to reflect. What this leads to is an incredibly personal film, some seemingly small details are big and important to Amin, while treated as so and you get a very honest telling of what life is like for Afghan refugees, something which is still sadly important today.
The animation here is beautiful. The film was nominated for animation at the Oscars, and the beautiful 2D style synchs with what Amin says, showing his expression and that of those around him clearly and in an unfiltered way. It is also used smartly, allowing Amin to be honest without consequence, while allowing the audience to visualise his life in their minds.
Everything about this film is on point. The score is wonderful, the use of the dialogue is fantastic and each location and moment feels alive. Your knowledge that what is happening is true allows for a quiet reflection not allowed in more fictional melo-drama. It is also more than a refugee story, it’s about coming of age. Amin is reflecting on his story, which he has kept secret for the first time. It’s one where he hasn’t been able to settle down and have a home or trust anyone for most of his life, and has consequences with what is happening in the present with his fiance Kasper. It all ties up nicely and this element of showing the present while telling the story humanises our narrator even more. Flee is a phenomenal film, and is a must watch. [A]
That’s all from your third, sorry fourth best SW London film blog. Goodnight.
It’s that time of year. Time for new years resolutions. Not only is this relevant in the matrix world you’re all living in, it’s also relevant in the film blog world, and ahead of the annual South West London Film Blog Awards (SWLFBA) all of us are trying to up our games. For example, Surbiton Rebel Wilson Fan Club have made a resolution to sing all their reviews, in a way that is Pitch Perfect. However, there is the fear that the Cats got their tongue. EastWemyssFansOfMarvelFilms.com have decided to branch out into Marvel TV series as well, in a low-key attempt to garner support. This blog however won’t change, unless you want it to in which case you can find a suggestion box at http://www.nobodycares.com
2022, and your fifth favourite film blog is back baby. The weather has been freezing and miserable and nobody quite knows what to do as they recover from a post Christmas slump. Me, I’ve been watching films, whether they’ve been great (Tragedy of Macbeth/Ailey/A Hero), okay (Licorice Pizza/The Humans) or awful (The Kings Man/Memoria). I’ve chosen to write about the three films below for a mixture of reasons. All are decent and some are *ahem* fairly different. The ones I don’t write about aren’t bad, it’s just that I really don’t have the time to write about everything I see and I have less to write about them. Besides everything worth seeing is summarised in my top 20 of the year, which is only about 350 days away.
Belfast
Last year, we saw an end to awards season bait. It was a wonderful time where great unique films were being credited over okay feel good ones (hello Green Book). This year signifies a return to normality with the charming Belfast. Buddy is a young boy in 1969 civil-war Belfast. His priorities are watching movies and sitting next to the catholic girl he likes in his class. However, his family, aware of the conflict around them, are worried about keeping him safe and whether they should move away from Belfast. It’s a semi-autobiographical film by Kenneth Brannagh.
As you can tell from the trailer, it’s quite a sweet feel good movie, the sort that will be on BBC2 at 9pm in a couple of years you can watch with your family fairly inoffensively and you’ll all enjoy it. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, it goes for a more innocent balance by using the perspective of young Buddy. The issues around him are ones of a child and not of an adult, although there are some scenes where this is forced and he’s just in the room where there is a conversation.
Secondly, the film looks devine. It didn’t need to be black and white and I don’t think that helps or hinders, but the framing of the shots is spectacular and there were moments where it felt like a piece of art. There is one ambitious early shot, but the camera doesn’t move much otherwise, allowing you to immerse yourself in the simple atmosphere you see, with a wonderfully slow jazz soundtrack taking us through this nervy time.
The films greatest strength is its brilliant supporting cast. Young Jude Hill struggles to hit the high notes of acting, but that’s fine as he’s more of an observer. His on screen parents of Jamie Dornan and Catriona Balfe both play wonderfully conflicted characters, who find this situation is starting to strain their relationship and you totally buy their problems. They’re offset by the more comedic grandparent duo of Ciaran Hinds and Judi Dench, who did make me chuckle multiple times.
This tonal inconsistency between the couples did have a cost though. I never quite felt that I knew what the movie wanted to be. Did it want to be a more mature drama about the family? Did it want to be a comedy with these things in the background? In the end, it decided to try and do both and I felt that it took away from both that it couldn’t find a single tone. I also felt the writing didn’t really allow the characters to develop at all. It was simply one says one thing, the other says the other and everything is sorted out for them. Such a tense situation should see the characters go through something, but it felt a bit fluffy and stagnant, especially when compared to the thematically similar and heart-wrenching Roma.
Summary: Belfast will hit the right buttons for a lot of people with good reason. A strong supporting cast and a beautiful film which remains light enough in a dark conflict, it’s a real crowd pleaser despite it having some flaws in the writing. [Grade: B]
Belfast is in cinemas on 21st January 2021
Photocopier
Following a party with the drama club, computer geek Sur wakes up the next day only to find drunk selfies she didn’t take online. Thanks to Indonesia’s strict anti-drinking morals, she loses her scholarship. However, when thinking back to the party, Sur realises that something isn’t right and the amount she drank wasn’t consistent with what happens as well as her shirt being the wrong the way round. This leads her to try and work out whether her drink was spiked.
This film did get dark at times and worked with that tone well. It was truly captivating in its many twists and turns. The drama club referred to themselves as family, which means standing up for one-another, but menacingly seeming to keep each other safe from accountability. Nobody could be trusted or could ever feel safe in this cult-ish scenario.
Thematically and tonally, this film reminded me of a Bong Joon-Ho piece, albeit without the black humour (which in my opinion is the weakest part of his work anyway). Much like Mother (an essential film if you haven’t seen it), the film looks at the dark world of a crime which obsesses a protagonist. However, it also shows how unfair a society is. Sur isn’t taken as seriously and punished harshly due to being a woman. Furthermore, as a member of a poor family, those with more than her can step over her, leading to everything folding in. The fact she has no money means those in power are easily able to punish her, maintain a status quo and get things their own way.
A well shot and well acted film, I really liked it until the final 20 minutes. I don’t want to spoil the film, but it gets a bit artsy and ridiculous, going for a performative pivotal crescendo instead of something more grounded as we’ve seen so far. The very last scene of the film goes for an interesting tone, which I think is fine, however it may feel jarring against what we’ve seen so far.
Summary: An engaging mystery film with lots of twists and turns, Photocopier is a dark film with noir traits. Barring some missteps towards the end, this at times disturbing film gets a lot right and uses very few clichés to hold up a mirror to a society in denial. [A-]
Photocopier is on Netflix now
Titane (18)
Honestly, most of you probably don’t want to read any further…
So you probably remember the film The Shape Of Water a few years back, the one that won the best picture award. Unfortunately, it’s mainly famous for being the film in which Sally Hawkins did it with the fish dude, right. Well, that’s nothing compared to Titane, where the lead character (final chance to stop reading) has sex with and becomes impregnated by… a car.
The film starts with a young Alexia and her dad in the car. Alexia is being a general nuisance and distracting him while he drives. Bam, car crash and she has a metal plate inserted into her skull. After this she seems a bit too obsessed with cars. Now an adult dancer, one evening she finds a car staring at her, then becomes pregnant with its car baby. Oh yeah, meanwhile, she’s also a serial killer.
This is the part of the film I really didn’t enjoy, revelling in a form of body horror which isn’t my cup of tea. It was like watching A Clockwork Orange in that it was horrible to watch the opening 40 minutes. It was horrifically gory and the sort of thing that probably only Jeremy Clarkson would enjoy watching. The murders were graphically visceral and I was not entertained. The body horror was unapologetic, as the lead character’s stomach starts to split open with the metallic embryo within, while she lactates oil. However, much like the remainder of A Clockwork Orange, I was then sucked in to the direction it took.
After a murder goes wrong, Alexia, now pregnant with baby car, needs to find a way to escape those surrounding her. She cuts her hair, and claims to be a boy called Adrien who was lost ten years ago. The father of Adrien then takes Alexia in, believing her to be Adrien. This facade will then only become more difficult as time goes on, and she rapidly becomes more pregnant with young Mercedes (Ba Dum Tsh).
This second half of the movie was absolutely brilliant. Energetic, tense and crazy, the film really thrives due to the amount of heart in it. It allows us to see characters develop as Alexia has to learn to trust her new father figure, while he has to grow his relationship with this stranger and get the son that he’s been grieving. You’re sat there throughout wondering how much longer Alexia can keep up this facade, however the more intriguing question is whether the father, Vincent, is already aware that this person isn’t his son and whether he is lying for his own benefit. This is where you find the heart of the film.
The movie looks wonderfully at the ideas of masculinity and femininity, subverting common ideas to create hyper-realistic scenes. Alexia’s character hardly fits the stereotypical definitions of the words, either as herself or as Adrien, switching between stereotypical behaviours for both. These ideas are explored in the many beautiful dance scenes this film has, such as this one. Each of these scenes use music, lighting and sound, or lack thereof, to beautiful effect to create a brilliant atmosphere or move the plot on in a wonderfully show-don’t-tell way. If only there was more tell-don’t-show in some of the other moments in this film…
The two leads were absolutely brilliant. Vicnent Lindon as a troubled father brings the soul back into the film, while debut actor (wow) Agathe Rouselle is electric. The cinematography is great, but the writing is what keeps you on the edge. As I say, 30 minutes in, I wasn’t happy, but by the end I was so invested in this father son(/daughter) relationship as I’d watched them grow, I was all in, especially as the story was so unpredictable. Heck, I may have even shed a tear at the end.
Summary: If you can get through the sickeningly visceral body horror that Titane presents, you end up with a fantastically unique beautiful story about two people who find and need one another, even though they are not what each other look for. Full of style, gore, but most importantly heart, this divisive film will make you feel something, if you have a strong enough stomach. [A-]
Hello, I am the Chief Filmific Advisor, Joe Witty, not to be confused with Whitty. Christmas is an incredibly difficult time of year for the NHS and there are things you can do to help yourself.
Next Slide Please
The graph here shows that people who have been vaccinated and unvaccinated are generally unhappy at the moment. The blue sad faces represent a lack of happiness.
Next Slide Please
The good news we have found is that a dose of Paddington 2 has significantly increased people’s happiness regardless of their vaccination status. The graph above shows the amount of people who have described themselves as significantly happier and the early results are promising. Those who haven’t watched Paddington 2 aren’t happy and those who have are. Therefore our advice this year is Watch Paddington 2, Stay Happy, Save Your Soul. I will now take questions
[Journalist]: Yes, I have heard that our film minister watched Cats last Christmas despite your restrictions against it. Why do you think anyone will listen to you and watch Paddington 2?
That’s a good question Laura. Based on the evidence, I would urge people to limit their Cats watching to a minimum to protect themselves. It’s incredibly vital that everyone watched Paddington 2.
[Journalist]: Well, I’m convinced Joe Witty. You seem to know a lot about films, therefore I wonder what are your top 20 films of 2021?
Thank you for your kind words Laura. Now I’ve found a convenient way out of that introduction,I will share with you my top 20 films of the year. As always, by year I mean films released in the UK between Boxing Day 2020-Xmas Day 2021. Films released at film festivals don’t count and I’ll tell you where you can watch them if they are available. This year had so many good films and there were at least 50 which I really enjoyed. Therefore, please check out my full list of 2021 films ranked here and do consider some of the honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut. In previous years, my top films were a Colombian film about teen soldiers and a Korean drama about a family deceiving another for their own gain. This years films are just as exciting.
As usual, I will show which streaming services you can find these films on. [N] – Netflix, [P] – Prime Video, [BBC] – BBC IPlayer, [BFI] – BFI Player, [M] – Mubi, [S] – Sky Cinema on Now TV, [A] – Apple TV+, [D] – Disney+ [£] – available to rent online
20) The Green Knight
I had about seven films to pick from for my 20th pick, so shout outs to Luca, The Father, Rose Plays Julie and The Reason I Jump amongst others. The Green Knight however is one of the most visually stunning films of the year. Dev Patel plays a knight who loses a bet to a magical creature and must go and face his death a year later. Hardly a happy affair, the whole thing is so nice to look at with a scene featuring giant people in a foggy canyon being a particular highlight. The final act in which Patel’s character is almost silent living through many years is one of the best parts of cinema to have been out this year. The film takes its time, so be prepared to be patient. However, sit back and enjoy the beautiful film. I wrote a review once upon a time which you can read here. [P]
19) Better Days
If I’m honest with you, it feels like years since I watched the Hong Kong film Better Days, so the whole plot isn’t quite as fresh in my mind. The film which was nominated for Best International Film at this year’s Oscars was a solid teen melodrama, which acutely studied bullying and pressure placed on students before their big tests. Our protagonist was a girl who hires a boy to protect her from bullying. I thought there were some solid lead performances and interesting twists. [£]
18) West Side Story
This isn’t the last musical on this list. The original 1960’s WSS never quite did it for me. It all felt slow and unrewarding which is why I went into the 2021 remake with fairly low expectations. However, this was a joy to behold. The set design was great, the costumes were beautiful and the dance numbers all impressive, even if the lead character was one second out of time. If you don’t know, WSS is a musical about the Jets and the Sharks, a white and Puerto Rican gang who hate one another. When one member of each gang fall in love and it becomes a bit of a Romeo & Juliet thing. If you can see this in the cinema you should as it’s a nice big finger clicking, twirling theatrical song and dance, featuring a star performance from new-comer Mike Faist as Riff.
17) The Power of the Dog
One film which will undoubtedly get plenty of awards gossip is Jane Campion’s Power of the Dog. A slow burning western sees Benedict Cumberbatch’s rough cowboy Phil psychologically abuse his sister in law and her son. It’s a film which takes its time and has a laborious middle act, but as things are revealed and all come together, they all do so magically to lead to a brilliant climax. The cinematography, score and acting are all top draw here. As I alluded to, it’s a film which requires a bit of patience, but if you can make it through it, it’s richly rewarding. I’ve talked about it more previously. [N]
16) Tick, Tick… Boom!
Andrew Garfield is the best Spiderman actor, we can all agree on that, and if there is any lingering doubt then watch Tick, Tick… Boom!. The film is based on the autobiographical play by Jonathan Larson, about his writing of Superbia. The whole film is great. It takes time to get into as Garfield’s Larson is telling the story on a stage then there’s flashbacks. It’s full of energy, and the messages about devotion to what you love are empowering, yet also shown as dangerous as Larson describes his decisions and consequences without self-judgement. Lin Manuel Miranda is solid in his directorial debut, although is helped by a great script, a great lead performance and some songs which will stick in your head for days. Really good (as are all films on this list) and I wrote a whole review here didn’t I. [N]
15) Stray
It’s a documentary about a dog. What isn’t to love? The dog doesn’t talk, nor is it big or red. It’s just a standard dog. The film maker follows a dog around the streets of Istanbul (where it’s illegal to capture or kill strays) and watches her interact with other dogs as well as humans. At its most interesting, the film sees the dog hang out with a group of young syrian migrants as we draw some comparisons between the way they’re treated and how the dogs are. It’s a really magical almost fantasy film with a lot of shots at dog height and a wonderful soundtrack. I’ve written about it before and you can read that here. [BFI]
14) Limbo
One of the best British films of the year, Limbo is also one of the quirkiest. Set on the Shetland Islands, the story follows four syrian refugees as they are waiting to hear about their asylum processes while trapped away from society and having little communication with their families. The lead character seems to have lost his spark as well as he carries around but refuses to play his oud (a string instrument). Full of dead pan humour and wonderfully symmetrical shots which make the island both seem huge and deserted and claustrophobic, the film has a great heart and is an incredible debut effort from director Ben Sharrock. Not a single scene or line feels wasted in this tight script. This is must-watch innovative independent film making. [M]
13) Nowhere Special
Get your tissues out. It’s time to cry. Nowhere Special is the sad film of the year as this low budget Irish film hits perfectly. John is a single father to Michael and with months left to live he has to find his young son a new family. The film sees him go to meet potential parents, while coming to terms with his own mortality and the inevitable conversation he must have with his son. The film is beautifully written with a great score to boot, however it’s James Norton (Happy Valley) who elevates this to brilliant heights with a stellar performance and some great chemistry with the child actor. I wrote a review once upon a time.[S]
12) Judas & The Black Messiah
Now onto best picture nominees from last years Oscars, Judas is a biopic of Black Panther Party member Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) and a recent recruit William O’Neil (Lakeith Stanfield). Based on a true story, the latter is threatened with prison after a car robbery goes wrong and is working undercover for the FBI against Hampton. We see his struggles between self-interest and interest in the cause. The film is an absolute blast and the two hours go through at a really good pace. The two lead actors Kaluuya and Stanfield are both on top form and this film deserved all the awards it won. I wrote a review way back which you can read here. [S]
11) Deerskin
This is probably the weirdest film on this list. From the guy who wrote the film about the rubber tyre, comes a film about a recently divorced man who spends his whole income on a deerskin jacket. He then starts hearing this jacket say it wants to be the only coat in the world. He then starts making a documentary in which he takes coats from others, before going for more extreme methods to be the wearer of the only coat in the world. It’s an obscure, dead-pan humour but my goodness it was one of the barmiest funniest films of the year. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s not a long film and if you want something off-kilter, there aren’t many better out there. [M]
10) Two of Us
This years romantic drama of choice comes from France. Two elderly ladies who live in adjacent apartments have had a secret relationship for years. When Madeline is about to reveal her secret to her children she suffers a stroke. Nina has to fight to be able to be with and care for her now non-verbal partner in a sweet story of love against adversity. The film is written wonderfully with two wonderful leads. They make you care about the characters and the whole thing is a wonderful time. [BFI]
9) Promising Young Woman
Out of all of the films on this list, Promising Young Woman was probably the one that stuck most with me. The rape revenge story was told in such an interesting way. It would have been so simple and easy to stick with a formula, however it felt like a story written by women for women with some notable decisions which made it more universally accessible, with even the name of the crime not explicitly mentioned, but suggested heavily in other ways instead. Cassie is working in a coffee shop when she meets Ryan who was in her year in medical school before she dropped out. When she hears about a person from the past doing well, she goes out for revenge against those who let down her friend Nina who has since committed suicide. The revenge is much more thought out than you’d see in Joker and it allows you to back Cassie all the way. The film works best due to an incredible screen play criticising all of those, both men and women, who enable such a culture to go on accountably. If the ending wasn’t as botched, it probably would’ve been higher on the list. I had an issue as the resolution while realistic seemed to go against the message of the rest of the story. However, it was really smart and I wrote my thoughts here. [S]
8) Nomadland
The Best Picture at the 94th Oscars, as well as best director (Chloe Zhao) and best actress (Frances McDormand), Nomadland certainly was a big deserving winner. In a world of marvels and big CGI, sometimes its easy to forget the essence of beautiful cinema. The slow, atmospheric worlds which can bring out an emotion by saying very little are almost a form of hypnosis. The silence of a reflective, sombre character can be easily connected with much more than one who shouts and screams their feelings. This is who we are and is probably why Nomadland is so effective. The film follows Fern, a widow who following her town becoming empty and her husband dying lives day to day in the gig economy while living in the back of a van. It’s an existence which is full of community yet loneliness and is so beautiful yet cold. It’s a slow burner and takes time to get into, yet when you’re immersed you watch this character and understand her. What she’s doing may or may not be the best thing, but it seems the only thing. We don’t judge her or her world. It’s not glorified, neither is it condemned sympathetically. It just remains wonderfully human. You can see more of my thoughts here. [D]
7) The Summit of the Gods
The best animated film of the year wasn’t any of the monotonous slew of Disney films, but one which was released to very little fanfare, the French film “The Summit of the Gods”. A Japanese photographer tracks down an experienced mountain climber to follow him on a climb. During the tracking down, we see flashbacks of what has made the climber the way he is. What I really loved about this film was the tense climbing moments. During these, I was so on edge that I forgot what I was watching was animated. The visual choices and the score really added to these scenes and despite them being drawings, you felt real stakes in these characters. It’s an absolutely gorgeous and different animation and is an essential viewing. [N]
6) The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao
I totally cried at this one. The Invisible Life follows two sisters in Rio de Janeiro. When Euridice goes off to marry a man in Greece but returns with a baby in her belly and no husband, her father disowns her. He tells Euridice that her sister is in Europe, while her sister is non the wiser of Euridice’s return. From this point, they live their lives hoping to be reunited with each other, their love for each other unwavering. However, the men in their lives do what they can to make sure this doesn’t happen. The film is a critique of a patriarchy in 20th Century Brazil and is at times really brutal and difficult to watch. However, if you do watch it, you will get a fascinating, dramatic story with two incredible lead performances which will leave you an emotional mess. I wrote a review which you can read. [£]
5) Drive My Car
A three hour long Japanese film about people talking and listening to recordings of themselves talking in a car has the potential to be incredibly boring. However, it is to the credit of the screenwriter and director Ryusuke Hamagachi that this film totally engaged me throughout its very long run time. A play director whose wife died when he came home late one day is directing a play which parallels his life. One of the actors had an affair with the directors wife, while the director builds a friendship with his driver. Himself and the driver both feel guilt over losing loved ones and build the trust to help each other make piece. Obviously much more happens over the three hours and the tight script and high quality performances make the time fly by. The whole film is understated and the characters deeply complex and relatable. It’s essential film making and you can see my full review here. [£]
4) Annette
I take back my comment about Deerskin. This is the maddest film of the year. A comedian, Henry, falls in love with opera singer Anne. They then have a baby, which is a puppet. Henry then exploits her when she is cursed with a beautiful singing voice. The whole thing is a rock opera which goes in weird and unexpected directions and is filled with incredible scenes whether the opening song “So May We Start”, Annettes first song and a mad superbowl half time show. When I went to this film with Liam, he absolutely hated it. However, I loved it and if you don’t buy into it, it won’t be enjoyable. The music is great as is Adam Driver’s performance. Even if you don’t watch the film, at least check out the absolutely incredible scene where Simon Helberg’s conductor monologues while conducting an orchestra. Excuse me a moment while I point out that I reviewed this film before. [M]
3) After Love
My top British film of this year is up there purely due to the brilliance of Joanna Scanlan. Following the death of Mary’s muslim husband, she discovers he has a secret other family. She then goes out to France to find this family and claims to be their cleaner to understand them and the truth behind her husbands lies. It’s a sombre occasion at times, however it’s absolutely incredible. The subtle score, the brilliant script and incredible acting make this piece natural and human. Even when you didn’t agree with Mary’s decisions, you still sympathised with her which shows how great a character she was. I totally cried at this film as well, and when I wiped my tears I also wrote a review of it. [BFI]
2) Minari
The highest ranked Best Picture Nominee on this list, Minari has so much going for it. The film sees a family of Korean immigrants in America move to Arkansas to set up a farm. Things get a bit more chaotic when the family grandmother comes to live with them. The whole film looks at identity and chasing the American Dream. The film looks beautiful in the sunny fields and has an incredible score. However, the thing which propels it to being great is the grandmother played by Youn Yuh-Jung. She’s not a traditional grandmother as she enjoys swearing, gambling and watching the wrestling. Her relationship with her grandson (played by Alan Kim) shows a clash of cultures, which they overcome with a loving family bond. As with most films in the top 10 of this list, I was laughing at times and in tears in others. It’s an essential film for the whole family which everyone should try and catch. Read my review here. [S]
The film of the year is…
In almost two years of social castration, the frustration of living a mundane life every day gets to you. Your locked in your house, unable to live your best life and the life that you want to and feel it slipping away further every day. You dream of your youth and freedom. The careless days of old are romanticised. Were these perfect, maybe not. But you felt alive. The disconnect from the rest of the world is something palpable as you feel disconnect within yourself. It therefore feels appropriate that the film of the year touches on these themes, and that film is Another Round.
The Danish film which won best international film at the Oscars focuses on four middle-aged teachers all of whom are slightly unsatisfied with their lives. Based on a Norwegian philosophers theory, they attempt to live life with 0.5% blood alcohol content. This leads to interesting consequences both good and bad.
The films strength lies in its non-judgemental tone. It can be read as both a celebration and a condemnation of drinking and letting yourself go. You either want to drink after it or never again. However, on a second watch I found it to primarily be a celebration of life, especially poignant as director Thomas Vinterberg’s daughter died during the shooting of the film. The script is well made and the actors are all fantastic, especially leading man Mads Mikkelsen. The whole thing is absolutely incredible before ending with one of the best ending scenes to have ever been in a movie (Link here) which can be read in so many ways. It’s funny, tragic and full of heart and really is deserving of being film of the year.
The Film Ramble 