The Danish Girl: Film Review

The Danish Girl: Film Review

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Matthias Schoenaerts, Amber Heard
Director: Tom Hooper

If there is any justice in the world, The Danish Girl will be up for Oscar glory later this year - but not for the reasons you'd expect.

From the director of The King's Speech and Les Miserables, this tale of transgender artist Einar Wegender (Redmayne) and his wife Gerde (Vikander) is as much a study of a marriage and of love, as a story of one man's discovery of his true nature.

Set in Copehagen in the 1920s, Einar is a successful artist and his wife lives in his shadow. Despite the two talents in the relationship, only one has the spotlight - and while Gerde does her best to nurture this talent, it's clear she is frustrated. When a model doesn't come in for a sitting one day, Gerde asks Einar to throw on her costume and sit for the portrait; but what she doesn't bargain on is that Einar re-discovers a long dormant penchant for the clothes and struggle within.

Initially thinking Einar's dressing up is to reinject some spice into a marriage under strain due to lack of children, Gerde supports it - and even benefits from painting his picture. But it soon becomes clear that Einar, who is now masquerading as Lili, has other plans, which could signal the end of their marriage.

Undoubtedly a prestige picture which ticks all the boxes and sensitively handles the subject matter, The Danish Girl is a curiously emotion-free film, lacking any of the beats of anything other than pure Oscar-bait material.

Redmayne impresses as Einar / Lili and there will be many who are transfixed by his androgynous transformation but with trembling lips and lingering cameras, his performance is a more showy one than you'd perhaps expect - or in many ways, hope for. That's not to detract from the subject matter, but its portrayal is more about providing a platform for Redmayne, rather than letting his work on the story and character stand out. Shots of Lili studying affectations within crowds seem shoe-horned in rather than naturally given room to breathe.

In contrast, Vikander deserves some Oscar love for her role as Gerde; hers is a turn of remarkable complexity, of a love so deep and supportive that its final destination is nothing short of magnificence. She impresses with a performance which is steeped in subtlety and whose complex reactions and inner conflict is more suitably portrayed as her muse reveals herself and her talent begins to soar. The conflict is here in the film as she struggles to find her own inspiration at the cost of the loss of her marriage, and Vikander conveys it wonderfully.

The problem with The Danish Girl is while it's beautifully shot, wonderfully framed and perfectly acted, it's all a little stiff, and consequently lacking some of the power it should inevitably wield in its final frames. Preferring to go through the tropes and trials, the film emerges as some what of a muted piece that does what it's supposed to but lacks the vision to accompany and deliver its journey.

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Brooklyn: Film Review

Brooklyn: Film Review

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters
Director: John Crowley

Saoirse Ronan's star is most definitely in the ascent with Boy A director's John Crowley's Brooklyn.

It's not an original story by any stretch of the imagination as Ronan's young Irish immigrant Eilis heads to Brooklyn for a new life at the behest of her sister who believes she has more going for her life than she has in Ireland.

Inevitably Eilis suffers from crippling home-sickness as she adjusts to a new country, filled with her own ex-pats but still feeling alienated by those around her. Stuck in a boarding house ran by Julie Walters' Mammy, Eilis worries she has made the right decision, but finds her life is turned around when she meets Italian nice guy Tony (Cohen) who woos her, and ultimately wins her heart.

But when tragedy hits at home, Eilis feels the familial bond stretched as far as it will go...

That Brooklyn follows a predictable route is no surprise, (the film cruises along with a genial vibe before a bad thing happens) but what emerges is that Saoirse Ronan makes the journey of Eilis' coming of age so damn approachable.

From the subtle clothing choices - Eilis wears dowdy dull colours in Ireland before donning more luminous and bright garb as she begins to blossom in Brooklyn - to the social history made real, this old fashioned feel good film is likely to hit as many in its audience as it intends to.

Ronan lifts the film from its mediocre roots with a rounded performance that feels like a credible arc; from naive homesick Irish girl to woman of the world, she sells the journey with an earnestness that is deeply watchable and transcends the material as well as getting you to believe the immigrant experience and the blossoming of a young woman. Eilis may appear to dither at times, and certainly in the second half of the film when she heads back to Ireland, the reasons for her actions are more obtuse than you'd expect due to a passive turn that's perfectly crafted and wonderfully understated.

However, sensitively executed with a troupe of solid performers (Jim Broadbent's turn as the benevolent and benefactor priest is a highlight) Brooklyn's timeless and universal story of coming of age and starting anew seems destined for awards - and marks a real turning point in Ronan's career.

Sometimes labelling a film as lovely and pleasant seems like a back-handed compliment, but Brooklyn manages the fine line between both as it juggles the emotive with the dramatic; richly resonant and likely to hit the majority of the audience - even if cynics will dismiss its naivete and intentions - it deserves to be a talking point during awards season.

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Fantastic Four : DVD Review

Fantastic Four : DVD Review 

It's back to the origins tale for the new reboot of the Fantastic Four series, with the director of the wonderful Chronicle at the helm.But it's sad to say that based on the early evidence of the reboot of the franchise (last seen in 2005), it may be less of a Fantastic start than perhaps 20th Century Fox were hoping for.

For those unaware of the Stan Lee comic and the series, it's the story of child prodigy Reed Richards (Whiplash star Miles Teller) who has spent his childhood dreaming of teleporting to another world. One day at a science fair, with his lifelong pal Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell), their science project catches the eye of Dr Franklin Storm.

Recruiting them into his scientific world, Richards helps Sue Storm (Kate Mara), and Victor von Doom (Toby Kebbell) achieve their goal of teleportation to another world. Also along for the ride is hot-headed Johnny Storm (Jordan) who's been co-opted into the project by his dad.

But when the four of them discover that NASA will be taking over their project, they decide to eject protocol and teleport themselves to another world...which doesn't quite go according to plan, leaving one of their party dead and the others dealing with super-powers.

The latest re-imagining of the Fantastic Four is a pretty dour, gloomy and science- exposition heavy set up for a series that never really feels like it lifts off.

Parts of the film feel like large chunks of the narrative was sliced and diced out, leaving the first act to feel as elongated as one of Richards' extended limbs and the final act too conveniently wrapped up without the hint of any kind of real conflict. Equally the underdeveloped story sees an occasional lack of chemistry between the leads and the tantalising tension between two former best friends, which is initially mined for potential dramatic effect and potential tragedy, is ditched neatly in favour of a third act resolution.

It's a shame because there are some touches which work quite nicely for the film; Doom's rampage when he returns is up there with horror's finest moments as is the discovery of a stretch limbed Richards strapped down to a gurney. And there are moments when the characters cut through the gloom and throw a light on each other that work particularly well - like in the film's final moments as they discuss their name.

In parts the CGI works nicely too - Reed's limb-stretching as mentioned looks impressive, a mix of both painful and cartoonish; and the Thing's rocky foundations are nicely laid, giving Bell a modicum of face-work to go on; but Storm's flame on falls down a little on the facials, and Sue's floating blue ball has a few wobbles at times.

The biggest problem with Fantastic Four though is the story-telling beats, the overload of exposition and the lack of stand-out character moments in among dark and grim settings.

A sequel may already be planned and given the origins are all explored, it's to be hoped the second film can give this fantastic quartet of actors a little more to chew on, rather than looking dourly around as events unfold around them.

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Hitman: Agent 47 - DVD Review

Hitman: Agent 47 - DVD Review

The pantheon of video games transplanted to the big screen is littered with varying degrees of success.

For every Resident Evil, there is a Super Mario Bros. But there's certainly enough of them- and even more coming with the likes of Assassin's Creed and Warcraft being the big hitters of the future.

In this latest update of the Hitman series (a first came out in 2007 starring Justified's Timothy Olyphant), Rupert Friend stars as the titular shaven headed assassin, identifiable only via a bar code on the back of his head.

Raised by a secret government group as part of a super soldier programme, 47 is an emotionless killer, a remnant of the past. But when someone seeks out the scientist who set up the programme via his daughter Katia (Hannah Ware), it all comes back to life - and it's a race against time as Katia finds herself involved and forced to choose a side - either the Agent or John Smith (Zachary Quinto)

For a film that's based on a video game, Hitman: Agent 47 acquits itself reasonably well.

Despite a ludicrous premise, and a paper thin plot (including a final section that hints frustratingly at a sequel that may never come), it's fair to say that Hitman: Agent 47 follows its video game origins to a tee.

From the nod to the iconic packshot art in the pre-credits sequence to the video-game episodic style trappings within, this is a film that bathes in its origins and apes the game-play from within. That doesn't necessarily make it a great film though - and while the kills fall into the stylish rather than substance led, there are some quieter character-driven moments that really fall with a thud. Equally, the introduction of a new menace half-way through the film that's not glimpsed again until the very last moment is a real damp squib - a thread that's supposed to provide menace but is about as threatening as a cute bunny rabbit.

Friend is ok as the cypher assassin, but he works better when he's a soulless Terminator style killing machine, rather than an emoting, cracks-in-the-armour style human he becomes later on. Ware acquits herself reasonably well as the kickass Katia and even Quinto does questionable well (even if his stunt double looks glaringly nothing like him in the action sequences).

Overall, Hitman: Agent 47 isn't going to win any awards or new followers; its insistence in following to the tee its computer game counterpart is more of a stylish hindrance than an expansion to the big screen and despite some rote action sequences that are designed to showcase the sponsors, there are some moments that offer some enticing hints of what could have been.

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Minions: DVD Review

Minions: DVD Review

Rating: G
Released by Universal Home Ent

Some would argue the best moments of Despicable Me were the gibberish spouting yellow bundles of joy and idiocy known as the Minions.

Punctuating Gru's shenanigans with zany non-sequitur and frequently slapstick interludes, they were always likely to be the bigger draw. But a push to give them their own film would always be fraught with a feeling that what followed would be in danger of feeling drawn out.

So, Minions arrives with a certain weight of expectation with it, thanks to a great trailer that hinted at life BG (before Gru)

In this prequel, The Minions are on a quest to find a master as it's their lot in life. But a lack of a super villain to lead them leads them collectively into depression (ironically for a yellow race, they spend an awful amount of time being blue) so three of their kind, Kevin, Stuart and Bob, complete with teddy bear, set out to find them a new master and save their race.

That search bears some fruit and after a trip to Villain Con sees them taken on by the villainous Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), who's determined to swipe the Crown from the Queen of England (voiced by Jennifer Saunders) because she always wanted to be a princess. So, Kevin, Stuart and Bob set out to make their mistress' dream come true.

Minions is more like Meh-nions.

To be honest, it doesn't quite feel like there's enough plot or story to sustain the goodwill from the mischievous little tykes from the  Despicable Me films (a feeling which becomes all too obvious as the final credits roll for reasons which would spoil), but more than enough to span a 30 minute cartoon. 

While transplanting them to 1960s Britain works in parts, keeping the trio front and centre of the action and keeping them straight rather than the Three Stooges yields mixed results. Nowhere is this more evident than when the film-makers keep heading back to the Antarctic-bound rest of the gang who are on hand to provide the brief, zany interludes we've come to know and love of the dungaree-clad minions. 

In fact, where Minions works best is in its out there gags and visual jokes which pepper the piece - from its French view of all the Brits being suited and booted gentry who spend their time swilling tea and looking down their snooty noses, to a great Abbey Road gag, there are some deft moments throughout. 

But it's not quite enough to keep the older end of the audience as engaged as perhaps they should be - despite a retro British 1960s OST that packs the likes of The Who, The Doors and The Kinks to help conjure up the age of free love and hippy laissez-faire. Scarlett Overkill hardly appears and works only to serve the narrative rather than drive it along, much to her character's detriment.

One set piece which sees the trio chasing the Queen as they race after the Crown packs in a visual inventiveness which is punchy and exciting, but there's far too little of this on show as Minions progresses.

Ultimately, the kids among us will adore this - its gibberish core, bright colours and occasionally wacky sensibilities will keep them engaged throughout - but for my money, it's just not quite Despicable enough to have delivered on the promise the trailers gave.

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The Big Short: Film Review

The Big Short: Film Review

Cast: Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell
Director: Adam McKay

It seems like the housing crisis and crash is Hollywood's topic du jour.

With the searing 99 Homes not far behind in the cinematic window, the director of Anchorman brings us the true story of what happened when four outsiders predicted the housing bubble bursting in the mid-2000s and used it to their advantage and to expose the banks' stupidity.

The first to see the flaw is Dr Michael Burry (Christian Bale), a Mastodon loving, bare-footed analyst who works for Scion Capital; but his plan to bet against the banks provides a few ripples thanks to a wrong number call to Steve Carell's Mark Baum. His group begin to make some enquiries and start to see Burry's idea has some legs and decide to buy in as well.

Based on The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis, Adam McKay's film isn't afraid to engross you in the technical babble and the small print of the credit default swaps that precipitated the downfall.

It's also not afraid to realise that it's quite a dry and serious subject and so has its director use various conventions to shatter through the tedium. Chief among these is Ryan Gosling's character Jared Vennett whose breaking of the fourth wall invites an audience in and plays to the film's cocking a snook MO at the stuffiness of its material. Equally, when the story's about to get to some crucially excruciating techno-babble, McKay isn't afraid to cut away to the likes of Selena Gomez and Margot Robbie in a bubble-bath to provide the necessary explanations. It's a clever narrative touch that veers on being a little too smart early on and borders on treating its subject with irreverence, but McKay is fully aware that these moves ensure an audience pays attention to an ongoing issue that's still a problem.

Of the main cast, it's really only Carell as Mark Baum (who's based on Steve Eisman) who feels like they have an emotional connection for you to latch on to. Troubled by the suicide of his brother, and wrapped tighter than a coil in his anger and arrogance, Baum is the only one who feels like a real character and the only one to express an unease at the implications of their benefiting from the banks.

It's a fascinating edge that could have done with a little more exploration, given that the others are essentially anti-heroes who are truly more one dimensional cut-outs populating the picture.

There's an irony in the ever-so-slightly-overlong The Big Short over the way these guys rorted the system that was up for exposure and there are lessons to be learned, but perhaps the biggest message from this almost flashy stylish docu-drama is how much Adam McKay's underplayed his directorial hand. His execution of this film and its ensemble cast will ensure the message of concern over the banks and the housing bubble will get through to the masses - even if it occasionally teeters into didactic but well-needed territory.

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Quentin Tarantino to get Hateful in NZ

Quentin Tarantino to get Hateful in NZ

The director of The Hateful Eight is to hit New Zealand in 12 days time.

It's been announced this morning that Quentin Tarantino will attend the premiere of The Hateful Eight in Auckland on January 20th at Event Cinemas Newmarket.

Here's the full release:

Roadshow Films is pleased to announce that Academy Award® winning writer/director Quentin Tarantino will be taking flight to Auckland to attend the New Zealand premiere of his upcoming feature film THE
HATEFUL EIGHT.

Tarantino will walk the red carpet in Auckland on Wednesday, January 20 at Event Cinemas Broadway,Newmarket for the New Zealand premiere of the film.
He will be accompanied by Waiheke Island-raised stuntwoman and actress Zoë Bell who stars in THE HATEFUL EIGHT and has featured in Tarantino’s past films including Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Death Proof and Inglorious Basterds. The cinematic legend will also conduct a press junket on Thursday, January 21.

In THE HATEFUL EIGHT, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his
fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice.

Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Demian Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

THE HATEFUL EIGHT will release in New Zealand on January 21, 2016 in a wide digital release format.