Flashbacks of a Fool: Movie Review

Flashbacks of a Fool: Movie Review

Rating: 4/10
Cast: Daniel Craig, Felicity Jones, Harry Eden, Eve, Emilia Fox, Jodhi May, Miriam Karlin
Director: Baillie Walsh
Daniel Craig stars in this film about a fading actor who's squandered every chance he's ever had while living in America - and while trying to live the rock star lifestyle he's become accustomed to.
Craig is Joe Scott, who in the opening act of the film hears of his best friend's death and the death of his own career within just moments.
Pushed over the edge by this turn of events, he heads down to the beach and simply floats off - as he does this, he flashes back to his life in a British seaside town, where he was seduced by his mother's friend.
However, the tragedy of what happens there in his earlier life comes to explain why he became what he did - and also facilitates a return home to the UK.
Flashbacks of A Fool is a bit of a serious mis-fire - Craig's performance is pretty damn good though as he channels the reasons for his rockstar lifestyle and regret over his earlier behaviour when he was growing up.
The problem with this film is it's extremely slow to get started and it's hard to really care too much about Joe Scott, who doesn't really care too much about himself - although, that's part of the reason he is who he is - and the general pacing of the film early on doesn't lend itself to enticing viewing.
The flashback itself is far too extended as well (overall the film clocks in at just under 2 hours) and with a tighter reigning in of the script, it could have been a much more effective story.
While the sexual awakening and recollection of Scott's earlier life are done adequately, the shock of why he left the UK when he did is perhaps the best part of the film - although it's a little incredulous, it's quite an explosive jolt to the senses.
The young actors do well to convey the awkwardness of youth growing up in small UK seaside towns with nothing to do is except experiment with their sex lives - and Craig does well as he wallows in a sea of regret and unhappiness.

Ultimately Flashbacks of A Fool needed to exercise a bit more control at the earlier stages of development - instead of appearing like a bit of a hangover after a good night's partying.

District 9: Movie Review

District 9: Movie Review

Rating 9/10
Cast: Sharlto Copley, an entire cast of relative unknowns
Director: Neill Blomkamp

It's very rare in this game for a film to slip under the radar without masses of pre-publicity and end up surprising those who watch it.
District 9 is one of those films.
Basically aliens came to Earth one day 20 years ago - and instead of landing in Manhattan or New York, they landed in the skies atop Johannesburg in South Africa.
The huge alien craft sat in the skies - and it was only when the powers that be broke into the ship that they found millions of aliens alive and malnourished within.
So while the equivalent of the United Nations discussed what to do with these refugee creatures (affectionately given the racist term "prawns" because of their appearance), they were brought down to earth and put in slum areas, segregated away from the rest of humanity.
As private company MNU (Multi National United) investigates the alien technology to no avail, it's decided to rehome the Prawns from their settlements (it's in their best interests apparently) which have now become riddled with crime and Nigerian gangs.
District 9 follows the unraveling of events as a doco crew follows MNU worker Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) who's given the job of overseeing the evictions - and who inadvertently sets in motion a series of events which change the equilibrium of the last 20 years.
It's very difficult to discuss this astonishing film from Blomkamp without spoiling it too much - so consider this your warning - read on at your own peril.
District 9 was "produced by Peter Jackson" and is a Wingnut films production - and quite frankly, it's one of the smartest pieces of sci fi based film I've seen for a while.
It's hard to pigeonhole is as one particular genre - it's sci-fi, it's guns and explosions, it's unexpected humour, it's geek overload in places, it's Predator, it's reminiscent of Black Hawk Down, Aliens, Robocop - and amazingly, it's buddy cop movie a la Fly - but none of it is derivative
What Blomkamp's come up with is a real mash up of genres - and with a lead who's pretty damn impressive for a first time actor and with rumours most of the dialogue was improvised, it's even more impressive.
The film's initial doco style as a crew follows the start of the MNU led evictions soon passes - and the film abandons its cinema verite ways to follow what exactly happens to Wikus.
There's a sense of foreboding and dread at the start of the film as it becomes clear Wikus has played a major part in what's about to unfold - and there's a real dread as the convoys roll into District 9 where the "Prawns" are and the evictions are put in place.
It's only a matter of time before the touch paper's been lit and soon tempers boil over - and yes, many will draw the parallels with Apartheid and South Africa (as well as what happened in District 6 there) - but District 9 is about more than that.
There's satire as Wikus finds himself hunted thanks to the intervention of the 24 hour ever present media which follows every single event on the day of the eviction.
But at its heart, District 9 is about humanity - what it is to be human, how far you will go to fight for that when you're ethically and morally compromised.
Eventually Wikus finds his rights crushed and threatened in the same manner in which he treats the Prawns (after an encounter with some alien biotechnology) - and as his father in law sells him out for greed, it's downright black and further proof of how depressing the human race can sometimes be.
The only (very minor) disappointment is the last few minutes - which screams "sequel" over all it (even though it's alluded to earlier on) and is a reminder really of why sometimes one, no matter how big it is, is enough.

District 9 is a real jolt to the senses; packs a surprise in virtually every frame - there's so much to engulf yourself in - and most of the major questions are left unanswered (where did the Prawns come from is just one of them) - but in a day and age when movies sometimes often fail to dazzle and be inventive, this original flick is head and shoulders above anything else I've seen on the big screen this year.

Sunshine Cleaning: Movie Review

Sunshine Cleaning: Movie Review

Rating: 6/10
Cast: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn, Alan Arkin
Director: Christine Jeffs
A film about cracking into the world of crime scene cleaning sounds like an interesting premise - and one which is currently not flooding the silver screen.
Sunshine Cleaning from New Zealand director Christine Jeffs is certainly fresh in places - and irritating in others.
The ever wonderful Amy Adams is Rose Lorkowski, a single mother whose son is forever getting into trouble at school.
Her unreliable sister Norah (Blunt) is flaking from one job to the next - the pair basically want a get rich quick scheme to pull their life out of the mundanity which has befallen them after high school promised so much.
Rose is having an affair with Steve Zahn's cop and he suggests one day there's good money in the forensic clean up business.
Throw in an oddball father (Alan Arkin) and you have pretty much a recipe for some quality screen time.
And to a point you do.
But the central characters Rose and Norah (and to an extent Alan Arkin's character) are quite irritating after prolonged exposure - riddled with neuroses and character quirks, which had they been underplayed would have been endearing.
Unfortunately after about 20 minutes, they're simply annoying.
Sunshine Cleaning feels in parts a lot like Little Miss Sunshine - which is no bad thing - and it has a lot of humour throughout - Blunt and Adams are good in their respective roles but their characters feel a little too stereotyped at times - Adams' Rose is having a lazy affair with a cop; Blunt's Norah is too kooky (witness her following a daughter whose wallet was found at a crime scene).
And the pair's secretly troubled parental relationship is a story thread which could have been seen coming a mile off.
Overall, Sunshine Cleaning feels a little bit too forced at times - whether that's the fault of the screenplay or the director I'm not 100% sure.

It's not a bad film - it's just with such an original premise, it could have been so much more.

Coco Avant Chanel: Movie Review

Coco Avant Chanel: Movie Review

Rating: 6/10
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Alessandro Nivola, Benoit Poelvoorde
Director: Anne Fontaine
READ AN EXCLUSIVE Q & A WITH COCO AVANT CHANEL STAR AUDREY TAUTOU HERE!
Having conquered the New Zealand International Film Festival - and the hearts of TVNZ fashionistas Michiko Hughes & Clifton Piper , this biopic about the early life of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel now finally opens nationwide (although the South Island has to wait until August 20th for its release).
Audrey Tautou stars in this tale of how Chanel overcame the adversities in the early stages of her life to become the icon we all now know.
It's quite a somber take as we first meet Chanel as she's abandoned at an orphanage in 1893 in France with her sister - and she desperately waits for her father to return.
However, when that doesn't happen, Chanel resigns herself to a life of hardship in France - and quickly discovers she's going to have to assert herself in a man's world.
Coco Avant Chanel is an interesting look at the designer and the hurdles she had to overcome - and at times, maybe it's because of viewing it with 20th Century eyes, she doesn't always come across as sympathetic - she's fairly ruthless and could be viewed by some as manipulative as she tries to claw her way into society and to be taken seriously.
However, on reflection, this was the only way open to Chanel - and she's quite right to use it to her advantage - because based on the man who serves as her patron, Etienne Balsan, is nothing more than a boor and a beast who demeans Chanel at every turn.
And while Tautou conveys the steeliness well, she also manages to portray subtle peeks into Chanel's frailties and grief at key moments during the film.

None of this is more evident than when she begins her relationship with the Englishman affectionately known as Boy Capel (Alessandro Nivola) - it is here that we get more of an insight into the human behind the tragedy - and an understanding of what shaped the woman who would define fashion for so many.

Even though there are some slow parts, it's Tautou's film though once again - but overall, Coco Avant Chanel is an intriguing look at what made the icon - and while the fashions are ever present in her early life, there's an emotionally satisfying pay off at the end as we see her creations take to the catwalk.

Coraline: Movie Review

Coraline: Movie Review

Rating 7/10
Vocal Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David
Director: Henry Selick
From the director of James and The Giant Peach, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and MonkeyBone comes Coraline, based on a book by renowned fantasy writer Neil Gaiman.
Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) has moved to a new apartment with her mother and father (Teri Hatcher from TV2's Desperate Housewives and John Hodgman) - but she finds that her parents are too busy to get her settled in.
To her amazement during her exploration of the new drab home, she finds a locked door - which, when opened takes her through to an alternative version of her current life.
The trouble is, in this alternative world, her Other Mother and Other Father are much more attentive and she starts to feel maybe she should stay with this family (even though everyone in this world has buttons for eyes).
But she gradually begins to discover that not everything is as it seems in the new world&.can she escape back to her old life before it's too late?
There's much to love in this latest animated outing.
Coraline is a beautiful piece of Gothic tinged work - full of dark greys to start off with, its colour schemes are resplendent on the big screen.(Even more so in digital 3D)
They're vibrant and vivid to show the contrasts in Coraline's world and life - Coraline herself wears a bright yellow coat in her humdrum world - and when she goes through to the Other World, the garden comes to life with plush colours (blues, purples, reds) which really light up the screen.
It's a dark, cleverly animated fable which will scare some smaller children and is a cautionary tale (in some ways) of Mother Knows Best.
Coupled with its ethereal soundtrack (which is wonderfully evocative) and beautiful surroundings, it's quite the treat to behold - and with the added subtleties of the 3D, it really brings the worlds to life.
The stars of the show - outside of the score and animation - are Teri Hatcher and Dakota Fanning; Hatcher in particular is both motherly and sinister and works hard to bring the Other Mother to life.

Coraline is a gothic horror film for children and adults alike - and it should be cherished and enjoyed - even if it does scare the little horrors senseless in places.

Separation City: Movie Review

Separation City: Movie Review

Rating 7/10
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Rhona Mitra, Danielle Cormack, Les Hill, Thomas Kretschmann, Jodie Rimmer, Alan Lovell
Director: Paul Middleditch
"A film about falling out of love for the first time."
In this Kiwi film from renowned writer Tom Scott, all aspects of relationships are pored over - good and bad.
Political speech writer Simon (Joel Edgerton) and Pam (Danielle Cormack) are in suburban hell - their marriage is suffering because of their stifling lifestyles.
Elsewhere Berliner Katrien (Rhona Mitra) has followed her husband Klaus (Thomas Kretschmann) to New Zealand but has quickly discovered he has a wondering eye.
When Katrien's introduced into Pam's social circle, she soon takes Simon's eye - and the sexual tension in the room could cause an explosion...
But will Simon turn his back on his marriage for, what he believes, is his last chance at happiness?
It's of note that despite being a Kiwi venture, Separation City has a rather international cast - its male lead is Australian, its lead actress is English - in fact Tom Scott has made no secret of the fact they cast the net far and wide for people to be involved. And it's great to see.
Mind you the whole film has a distinctive Wellington feel - as it's shot around parts of the capital and in Parliament - it's a real ode to the beauty of the city.
There's a lot to admire in Separation City - it has some genuinely funny laugh out loud lines - most of them courtesy of Les Hill's journalist Harry whose sardonic - and realistic - approach to life is the perfect tonic for Joel Edgerton's dreaming would be stray Simon.
There's also much mockery of the touchy feely approach to life - a men's group consisting of a core group of dysfunctional guys provides a lot of the humour as they bemoan the fact that staying monogamous makes life so difficult (again Les Hill has the lion's share of the best moments during the groups)
But there's also a deeper analysis of the sometimes difficult nature of enduring relationships- Scott's perfected a frank and funny look at how long term lives together sometimes don't always work out and always need working on - it's this rare reflection of the truth of love which makes Separation City so recognisable - and not just on a New Zealand canvas; this truly has an international story.
It's great to see a New Zealand production which has a global approach with universal themes woven into a promotion of the best of Wellington.

Separation City is a fresh, breezy comedy - which some of us may find is a bit close to the mark on the relationship front - be careful though, if you do see it with a loved one - you may see a little more of yourself on the screen than you'd like.

Public Enemies: Movie Review

Public Enemies: Movie Review

Rating: 6/10
Cast: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff
Director: Michael Mann
Guns, girls and gangsters.
You can't really go wrong with a mix like that - and yet somehow, this latest outing from director Michael Mann, ever so-slightly wrong foots itself.
The year is 1933, and John Dillinger (a suave self assured Johnny Depp) is taking on the mantle as the people's Robin Hood, robbing banks and generally raising hell as Public Enemy No 1.
Idolised by the people, and revered among the criminal fraternity, things start to change for Dillinger with the formation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under J Edgar Hoover.
Hoover gives the job of catching Dillinger to FBI Agent Melvin Purvis (a slightly muted Christian Bale) but as Dillinger's popularity soars and the net gets tighter, the stakes are raised in this game of cat and mouse.
Public Enemies looks stunning - the recreation of 1930s Depression era America is superb; right down to the suits, stylish hats and crackle-popping of the Tommy Guns, there's much to admire in the scenery.
But it's just in the execution of this film that it feels ever so slightly hollow - Depp is fantastic as Dillinger and has the right swagger, charisma and charm to pull off the character of someone who modeled themselves on Clark Gable and was loved by those who were suffering in America's Depression.
Depp is the perfect Dillinger - his relationship with Billie Frechette (the ever illuminating Marion Cotillard) is raw and real - based on truth and honesty, their brief affair shows a different side to Dillinger as he tried to protect her and her honour at all times.
Bale however, is a little underused - and as a result, I didn't feel Purvis' torment over his role in the FBI - which is a real shame.
I think in many ways, Public Enemies is the antidote to a winter of blockbusters which has been in your face action - be it the robots of Transformers or the general bubble gum of Ice Age 3 and Hannah Montana.
It's a slow burner in many places and appears to have other plots bubbling away in the background - be it the politics of the formation of the FBI or the continuing misogynist ways of the American public - but the trouble is they're too subtle and too fleeting to pick up on.
However, it's great to see Michael Mann directing - no-one does characters meeting for the first time like this director (remember the scene in Heat?)- perhaps the greatest scene of the film is when Purvis and Dillinger meet, separated by jail bars. The only action comes from the piercing glares of the eyes as when they talk, their mouths are obscured by the prison cell.
It's these moments - along with the swirling gliding camera work which ducks and moves around during the prison breaks and gun fights - that I really wanted more of during Public Enemies.

Instead I'm left slightly wanting and underwhelmed.