ESSIE SPEAKS OF LOVE

I noticed something rather shocking this week.

I have never had a week dedicated to love stories. This is so not on. I mean I even missed Valentine's Day this year (film-wise). So unromantic of me. And of course, it will not do AT ALL.

So randomly, in the middle of November I have decided to remedy that. Because it is good to act on your emotions (mostly). And besides, if I actually wait until next Valentine's Day, chances are I will forget again. Because the boyfriend, like most gents, is not a massive fan of romantic films. Then I mean, come on, there's that epic film "Sweet November". It's kind of justified. Actually have I reviewed Sweet November? I have, right? I'll just quickly post this and check...

Happy viewing people!
Essie

A MODERN FAIRY TALE : "LETTERS TO JULIET"

I have to admit, I don’t, as a general rule, have the girliest of tastes when it comes to films. In fact, as you may have noticed, some of the stuff I really “root” for is positively boyish. However, this does not mean that I do not appreciate a really good romantic film about true love when it comes my way. Well, a good friend of mine and I have been meaning to sit down and have a girly evening watching this for a long time. In the end, it simply did not happen and I watched it on my own anyway. But I see her point. This is seriously “girly evening” material. And well, the weekend is nigh, if you have no other plans… I say go for it! (Sorry boys, you may have to sit this one out).

Sophie (Amanda Seyfried – her name meant nothing to me although I recognised her face, she has been in quite a few things lately, think Mama Mia! (another Sophie ironically) God that was a long parenthesis). Ok from the top. Sophie is a fact checker for the New Yorker. She is engaged to passionate chef Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal – one word. Yum) and they are getting ready to get married. They will, however, take one last “pre-honeymoon” to Verona. It’s the city of love and Victor needs to have a series of meetings with his suppliers. But more than that, it is the couple’s last chance to spend some down time together before hectic stuff such as wedding planning kicks in. At least that is what Sophie hopes. In reality however, Victor is completely in his element setting up deals for his restaurant and Sophie is well… Bored. So she takes to exploring the city and ends up in Juliet’s house. There she meets the “secretaries of Juliet” – well you know how that one works, right? Ok maybe not. So this is an actual thing, there is, as you probably know a “Juliet’s House” in Verona, supposedly the house the real Juliet lived in. At said house, women (mostly – though presumably men can too) can write letters to Juliet and attach it to the wall of the house, asking for advice about broken hearts, love and other such problems. Then the “secretaries of Juliet” collect these letters and write answers. Assuming you included an address that is. Anyway, so, Sophie who is already passionate about writing chips in and while helping discovers a letter that has been lodged in the wall, forgotten for 50 years. Touched by the story told in the letter, Sophie writes an answer, hoping against hope Clare (Vanessa Redgrave) will somehow receive her long overdue answer. Clare does receive the letter. And this is the beginning of a series of life changing events for everyone. But especially Sophie.

Ok so this is basically a story about true love. And about the timeless quality of love. But most of all, I reckon, it is about time. The film gently criticises our American (read modern) life style, where we are all attached to our smartphones, multitasking, doing five things at once and not allowing anything the time it is properly due in its own right. On the surface (rather unfortunately some might say) it makes a rather banal comparison of that lifestyle and the one in Italy. Oh you know. It’s different in the Med, rolling hills, sipping wine “they do it differently there, none of that rushing about” all that jazz. I mean it is true up to a point but honestly, I doubt Rome or Milan are any less busy then New York, seing as they are among the big business capitals of the world and all. But I mean it is a cute way to think about it I suppose – especially if you don’t think about it for too long or too deeply. Besides, I do agree that one has to stop and breathe every now and again, and it is so easy to forget to do that in the modern business world. But then, of course, there is love. True love. And the fact that it is timeless. A gentle reminder, perhaps, that things like love, friendship, life are all timeless. It is pointless trying to squeeze them into the little slots that we have broken our days into. One has to allow them their own time to grow and develop. And sometimes, we have to make a choice between “work life” (as we call it in Turkish) and life. I mean, one has to admit that one doesn’t usually have the luxury of going for one or the other, but you know. You can lean towards one or the other, certainly. And you should be very careful about which direction you lean in… If you get what I mean. 

A TRUE STORY ABOUT TRUE LOVE : "COCO AVANT CHANEL"

This is yet another film I have been meaning to watch for ages. It’s all about tidying up and tying up loose ends these days for me, don’t ask me why. Coco would be proud of me. Well, possibly not of the state my living quarters are in at the moment but of the intention. I think. Hmm. Anyway, so the film. The film that was nominated for an Oscar®, won awards and is one of the most touching love stories I have heard for a long time. Not least because it’s a true story… This is the true story of the extraordinary life and love of an extraordinary woman.

Gabrielle Chanel and her sister Adrienne were dumped at an orphanage to be taken care of by nuns at a very young age. The two sisters rely only on each other and take care of themselves as best they can, mainly by singing and performing in rather dodgy dives, live modest lives but dream of fortune. Adrienne is more feminine, outgoing, “charming” if you will. Gabrielle is serious, the more sensible of the two but has her own way of going about things. She is strong and independent and she is afraid to neither follow her heart nor speak her mind openly. These are not qualities that are appreciated in a woman of the early 20^th Century. Still, the fates conspire that Gabrielle meets Etienne Balsan, a rich businessman a bit older than her through her sister (who unlike Gabrielle, has many suitors, one of them a Baron no less). Etienne is not particularly good looking or deep intellectually and emotionally, but he has a certain charm. Gabrielle does not believe in happy endings or love, but she has nowhere to go after her sister moves in with her Baron and Gabrielle loses their singing job. Thus, much to her own disgust, she finds herself in the position of a “hanger on” with Balsan. Balsan’s group of giddy Parisien friends awaken nothing but disdain in the heart of Gabrielle. But to be fair, there are a few that are quite alright. The actress Emilenne d’Alençon, for example proves a good friend to Gabrielle for all her terrible taste in clothes. And then there’s the handsome, cultured, enigmatic British businessman Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel…  

You probably can guess the rest. Well, the most important bit anyway. It is a truly great love story, it is a great story about true love. The film itself is utterly spectacular. Audrey Tatou is brilliant as the slightly taciturn Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel . I mean, to be honest I pretty much like anything Tatou acts in but in my opinion, this film deserves a separate place on its own. Coco Chanel was not, by all accounts, the easiest person to get on with. The film makes it quite clear how this came about though, I mean of course, part of it is nature but the greatest part comes from having had a difficult life. Yet as the film continues we slowly get to know her, we understand her point of view. I mean, this is mostly the aim of biographical films, it is not always achieved however and this is, for me, what makes or breaks a biographical film. This film definitely “makes it”. So when, towards the middle of the film, Gabrielle meets Boy Capel, the great love of her life, you are positively rooting for her and praying things work out. If you know the least thing about Coco Chanel, you probably know she never married. But well, I’ll let you watch the film and discover how that came about.

This film is beautiful and emotional. It is a love story, biography AND period piece. So guess what, I’m the tiniest bit in love with it. So give it a go. Come on, surely you trust me by now?

ESSIE SPEAKS OF UPS AND DOWNS

Ups and downs and running all arounds. That is basically a good analysis of my week. This is why I feel my choice of films should also reflect this. In the best possible taste of course. Choosing films is not something you should rush. Seriously.
So  for those who want something a little meatier and thought provoking we have Steven Sodebergh. Definitely the "down" part of the above equation but in the best possible way.
For those who want to go "up", we have a glorious animation that both gives truly valuable lessons and uplifts. In many different senses of the word.

Enjoy folks - Happy viewing! And oh incidentally, happy thanksgiving!
Essie

AN EERILY REALISTIC STORY OF "CONTAGION"

Oh Steven Sodebergh. Oh how I love you. Ok, I am continuing my catch-up session of recent(ish) films and this one was definitely high on my “to watch” list. Why? Because I really, really enjoy the work of Steven Sodebergh. I know, he isn’t easy watching. He has a penchant for all things slightly dark and disturbing and is more than capable of putting that feeling across, through the screen, right into your bones. Contagion is no different. In fact it is definitely one of his spookiest yet.

Beth Emhoff (Gweneth Paltrow) dies suddenly after a business trip to Hong Kong, her young son dies the very next day. This may be considered a small event in the scheme of things; however, there is a problem. Not only are the doctors completely unable to figure out what Beth and her son exactly died of, the disease is spreading. And by that I mean spreading all over the world, killing every man, woman and child in its wake. The CDC and the WHO desperately try to analyse the disease and figure out a cure. In the meanwhile, panic on a global scale sets in and everyone, even bloggers like Alan Krumwiede start to chime in with conspiracy theories and home remedies. The war for law and order in the world has begun. It is being fought in a laboratory.

Now seriously, this is what separates a “good” director from a “great” one: The ability to take an almost mundane story but tell it in such a way that you are glued to your seat, terrified. I mean come on, mystery diseases that threaten the whole of humanity – how many times have we seen that one before? This is seriously different though. Sodebergh primarily focuses on the “silent killer” angle. You can be sure that every time the screen goes particularly quiet, something bad is going on. And you know this in the pit of your stomach as well, you know that sinking feeling. Quietly and slowly, the action unfurls on screen, and you can’t even find it in yourself to yell “no” or something. It’s weird.

Oh the cast definitely helps. I haven’t named everyone – which is unfair because the cast is so brilliant – but other names I haven’t mentioned include Lawrence Fishbourne, Matt Damon (who has put on a bit of weight I am sad to observe. Maybe it’s for the film or something but it doesn’t suit him methinks), Kate Winslet and Marion Cotillard. To be honest, you’d have to be a very special kind of fool to make a bad film with a cast like that. But Sodebergh is ANYTHING but a fool.

The other brilliant thing the film does is play on the “six degrees” thing. You know, how we are interconnected with the entire rest of the planet and everything. It’s a particularly brilliant way to do it if you think about it. Because the disease spreads through, you guessed it, touch. Your smallest action, brushing against someone or handing someone something may suddenly make you responsible for carrying the disease to your part of the world, killing thousands if not millions. If there were ever a film to remind us that yes, a tiny event all the way on the other side of the ocean could affect our entire lives, this is it. You will see what I mean at the end of the film when the origin of the disease is revealed. I mean, it actually made me stop and think.

And if this all seems a bit like a bunch of old clichés think about it: this has happened. Think about SARS, think about Bird Flu. I mean, ok, thankfully the disease was stopped before it actually killed half the population of the world but you know… The fact that the film is so realistic doesn’t “help” either. So definitely go for it. It will make you think. It will make you shudder and curl up under the covers a little more tightly than usual…

"HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON" AND OTHER CAUTIONARY TALES

Ok, wow. I appear to have stumbled on a modern classic in the making. Not only did this one make the IMDB Top 250, it was nominated for 2 Oscars® and a plethora of other awards besides. I really, truly can see why. I mean yes, it is an animation, it is definitely a film suited for children but on the level of artistic work and on the level of the message it gives, it is one of the most surprising films I have seen in a while.

So, meet Hiccup (voice of Jay Baruchel). Hiccup is a viking. As such, he is expected to be a fearless warrior, loud, athletic and good at killing things. These are all necessary qualities to have where Hiccup lives as his village is on a small island in the middle of the sea. And said small island is plagued with… Dragons.  Dragon killing is now quite a prestigious job, and Hiccup is the son of the village chief so technically he should be going straight for it only… Hiccup is puny. He cannot take orders. And is much better at inventing, fixing machinery and the like. He isn’t completely “off topic” as it were though, as he also invents a machine for catching dragons. No one believes him at first. And even when the machine works and a dragon is caught, no one but Hiccup is there to witness it. But then something strange happens. Hiccup fully intends to kill the dragon and bring its head back to the village to prove he isn’t a complete waste of time. The thing is… He can’t bring himself to. The dragon is injured and cannot fly and these two outcasts begin making friends. As Hiccup learns more and more about his dragon, he begins to suspect that there is another way to cope with the island’s “dragon problem”. The thing is, can he convince his entire village to try his method?

Now, I love this film. I love it because of the messages it gives children. The message here is twofold. One, the most obvious, is not (as classical videogames would have it) to automatically go about killing something that is different from you but to try and learn more about it. Observe, understand, “make friends”. It encourages children to look for the peaceful way out even in the most unpromising looking situations. I mean come on, with the recent exception of Shrek, how many stories has the dragon been the good guy in? Ok, there was Narnia – but that was a while ago, what else? Exactly. So moral? Even the bad guys with the worst reputation can be understood and maybe even turned around from their evil ways. Don’t assume. Think first.

Secondly, ok, Hiccup is the typical “outcast” character. You know, bookish, not physically fit, bad at fighting, all that. It isn’t exactly uncommon for films to encourage the young to follow their hearts against societal pressure but they rarely encourage them to actually stand up to the order of society and change it if they feel something is wrong. I mean, not only is that basic message brilliant in itself, in this story a single person CAN make a difference. With nothing less than scientific observation to actually back him up – as opposed to magic or some other deus ex machine. Isn’t that something? I think you should get your little ones sat down in front of this asap. They will both enjoy and learn. 

ESSIE SPEAKS OF INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS

Incredible journeys indeed. Only, of course, out of the comfort of our living rooms. Or bedrooms even. It really depends on where you watch movies - I'm a lodger so I don't really have much choice :)

What I like about this week's updates is that they combine the old and the new - and they do it really well. Because one of them is a classic fantasy film from our past and the second a now classic fantasy film of our present - and probably our future. Ok, so the second one I mentioned is technically sci-fi. Let's not split hairs.

Oh and by the way my life suddenly contains waay more free time than it used to. So who knows, I may be able to go back up to three films a week. But nothing is certain yet. Watch this space for more info.

In the meanwhile, happy viewing!
Essie

"PROMETHEUS" - A TRIP TO OUR FUTURE AND PAST

I bet you had begun to wonder where this one had got to. After reviewing the entire “alien” series with semi-religious fervour, it would be downright odd of me to have skipped Prometheus. Well, I hadn’t. I just hadn’t got round to it yet. Well, that and a million other things in my life, but that’s the topic of another blog post all together. I seriously need lessons or something in planning my life but anyway. The point of this particular post is that I have got round to Prometheus. I have watched it. I desperately need to talk about it.

Ok, so as you know this is the “prequel” to the whole series we have all ranted on about all these years. This is the story of “how it all began” in more senses than one. Allow me to explain.

“How did it all begin” is the precise two archaeologists in 2093 claim to be able to answer. The answer lies in a planet system far, far away from Earth, and this connection seems to go back thousands and thousands of years. The only way of finding out the rest of the story is, however, to check out this planet system. Of course, the mission, founded by “the company” takes off and at the far end of the universe, mysteries and secrets begin to get uncovered? So who are the “alien”s? How did they become what they are? What started that entire story anyway? And possibly,  the origins of life on earth… Our friends – and indeed, we ourselves-   will discover the answer to all these questions and more. But the thing is, in discovering these, they will inadvertently unleash unthinkable terror on the planet… Think Pandora’s box, only bigger… Much bigger…

Ok, so there’s no surprises about the storyline and the way it all goes, right? And as you can guess, yup, aliens, chases scenes, some horrendous and messy deaths (that caught me completely by surprise as far as timing goes by the way) all the classics, all there. The only thing I will “tut tut” a bit about is the slight reliance on jump-scares. It’s a cheap scare to be honest; I much prefer a steady build-up of terror. But then again, if they are particularly well-done, I can forgive them. And they were particularly well-done, especially since I was watching it in the middle of the night. I nearly jumped out of my skin. And it isn’t like the film is completely devoid of atmosphere, quite the reverse, but Scott chooses to use the tool in a completely different way.

And the origins? Well, you get an answer as far as that is concerned. But, ok, there are two different ways of looking at this. My boyfriend complains that the explanation is too vague, and that basically, a film that claims to “explain” something should have a bit more meat on its bones as far as explanations go, which is a fair point. Another fair point is that the explanation, well, it’s nothing we couldn’t actually piece together ourselves. And the details of the explanation have very much been substituted by an impending sense of doom – understandable as we know what’s coming next. I agree with these points but I reckon it’s just a different way of doing it. I mean, it’s a typical horror trope, some things are much better left to the imagination as far as being terrifying is concerned – not least because everyone will imagine what is more terrible for them and be EVEN MORE scared if you get what I mean.  So yes, this is very much a showcase of amazing special effects and slick camera-work. And, incidentally a prequel to the Alien franchise. I mean, I have got to add one point, the film very obviously has religion as its center-piece (oh come on, you knew that. I mean, they are looking for how life on earth began for God's sake, the connection is staring you in the face waiting to be made). And as we all know, religion is one of those topics that... You know. It's a sensitive issue. However, the question to ask is, does it entertain? Does it go down well when you kick back of an evening with that extra helping of ice-cream you really shouldn’t be eating? YES. So go ahead, watch it. You know you want to. 

A TRIP TO YOUR PAST AND YOUR IMAGINATION : "WILLOW"

Now, was this a major childhood film where you grew up? I had never heard of it to be honest. My boyfriend, however, grew up on this apparently. As in he actually knows most of the film word for word. When I disclosed that the closest I could think of to “Willow” was the iconic “Wind in the Willows”, that would never do. I was promptly sat down to watch the film then and there, because frankly, how did I survive to 29 without having seen the film in the first place? If there is one thing I love, it’s a good fantasy film with a good dollop of ‘80s nostalgia as you guys know by now, and so we settled down. But then the credits started… Hang on, Lucasfilm? Ron Howard as director? (director of Angels & Demons, Frost / Nixon, The Da Vinci Code, Cinderella Man and A Beautiful Mind among other things). George Lucas himself as executive producer? Er, OK hang on, this is not some lost children’s flick from the ‘80s. This is serious stuff with potential to be a classic.

So, what is the story here? In a land far, far away, where magic still rules the earth, there is an evil queen called Bavmorda (I LOVE all the names in this film by the way. They would give Dickens a run for his money). She is an unjust tyrant that rules the land with much cruelty; however, all hope is not lost. There is a prophecy. A prophecy that tells of a very special baby girl whose destiny it is to topple Bavmorda and put an end to her tyranny. (I know, it’s not the most original storyline in the world, but hey… Ok, what was the basic storyline for Lord of the Rings? Thank you. Moving on).  Our queen Bavmorda however, is not one to leave things to chance. She gathers all the pregnant women in the kingdom in the hope of finding this special baby and perform a ritual that will “exile her soul to oblivion”. The baby is indeed found; however, the midwife-  being a brave and clever soul - smuggles her out of the castle. Hereby starts our adventure. It falls to Willow Ufgood, a dward, Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) a rather hot-headed swordsman of dubious intent, two brownies (having stopped reading Enid Blyton a while back I had clean forgotten about the existence of brownies. Shame on me!) and an unfortunate sorceress who herself has been changed into a muskrat to get the baby to the safety of a good kingdom where she can grow to fulfil her destiny. Willow has magic, the power of good and justice on his side. But will it be enough to conquer the evil magic and barbarian hoards of Bavmorda?

Ok, I know. There is a lot in this film we have seen before. And then again, it is because of instances like this, when they are done so well, that we want to see this type of thing again and again and again. Willow does it well. All of it. The requisite bouts of comedy are well done and still hilarious. The atmosphere and the magical world constructed are superb. I mean, yes of course if they had the technical possibilities we have today it would be a whole different story. But shall I tell you something? It is no substitute for imagination. I honestly think that special effects are well and good but it’s making us lazy. I mean, when I was a child we had entire imaginary worlds – built out of thin air! We used very little in the way of props, we often “pretended” everything existed and we were fine. We loved it! Think the classic scene in “Hook” where they sit down to dinner and seemingly there is no food there at all. Only when the characters start using their imaginations they see that there is food on the table and you know what? It is as filling as you please. This is the strength of imagination. And this is that makes this film an absolute joy to watch. It is not that the film is “lacking” in comparison to modern films where all the (visual) gaps are filled in for you. You just have to use a different skillset. A skillset we don’t use as often as we should in the modern world by my reckoning. I guess this is why some of us really enjoy ‘80s fantasy movies while others find them pointless. If you are of the latter group I strongly encourage you to give this a whirl. Exercise your imagination a bit. Go on… You’ll enjoy it once you get into it you know…

ESSIE SPEAKS OF WHAT IS ON HER MIND

And this week, it's all about the mind.

First of all, what is on my mind. The answer is simple: Game of Thrones. My commute to and from work is filled with it and the size of the books means that I have actually started carrying a backpack just for the purpose. I had to write about it, you simply have to bear with me.

The other film this week is the adaptation of a classic, and about a classic topic. All about the mind once again as the main topic here is the family. And what they do to us - both good and bad.

Both really struck me. In very different ways of course, but they struck me. They will provide you with a lot of food for thought. Very different kinds of food of course but hey. Variety is the spice of life :)

happy viewing,
Essie

FINALLY, AN ARTISTIC FILM FOR MY CONSCIENCE : "THE SISTERS"

Ok so my new internship has virtually nothing to do with films actually. Which feels weird. Not bad, don’t get me wrong. But still strange. So I’m kind of glad I actually have part time work with films. Oh the time may well come where I give those up but at least I’m letting go of the film work slowly. You know, no withdrawal symptoms. The Sisters initially appeared in front of me in the guise of work. But I enjoyed it a little too much for it to be just work. Plus, as films go, it’s a pretty serious film. So see, I’m making a slow return to “grown up” films. Very, very slowly that is.

The Sisters is loosely based on the story of the same name by great Russian writer Chekhov. It was first a play –you can feel this very clearly in some places – and it is now a film. I mean, it has been for a while. But we’re actually getting round to it now.

So, The Sisters is basically about families. There’s a minefield for you if there ever was one. There is usually one patriarch / matriarch etc that holds the family together in one form or another. Appearances are kept up and everyone knows / and keeps to their own places. This may be good, this may be bad, the point is it keeps things going somehow. But then, the “glue” dies. As does the father of the Prior family. Their mother had died some time ago, hence the four siblings are left alone in the world to come up with their own coping mechanisms. These mechanisms will work for a time but then it happens. One dreaded family occasion brings a particularly old strain of feelings and emotions boiling to the surface. And once it is tapped into, it is absolutely unstoppable. Old hurts, ancient grudges and dark secrets all come bubbling to the surface at once. How and where will the night end? Will family ties – not to mention the individual family members - survive this battering built up from the angst of so many years of problems being swept under the carpet?

Well, I reckon you can pretty much imagine the structure of this film. Like I said in the beginning its roots as a theatre play show themselves very clearly. There is a lot of talking. And when I say a lot... Yeah. However, what we are talking about right here is really intelligent quick-fire stuff. Psychology comes into play quite a lot and you have to make a dual effort – not only to follow what is said but the reasons behind it. I kid you not gentle reader, this is not one to watch on a Friday night when you are tired and want to unwind.

But don’t let that dishearten you. The overall group performance here is so good that I honestly defy you to not get involved in the storyline, take sides with and sympathise with the characters and generally get very hot under the collar about the whole affair. The story is not a new one, perhaps. But at the same time, it is a story that resonates very true. If not the exact secrets being kept, the dynamic, the emotions on various different scales. I have a feeling you will find a lot of yourself and your family in this story. Do check it out. 

MY NEW OBSESSION: GAME OF THRONES (all of it)

Ok, I know. I generally do not “do” series. I have been chastising myself about being not “artistic” enough. But I have to do this, I really do. I got into Game of Thrones pretty early. First season. I watched a single episode and I was hooked. Completely hooked. Not only did I watch all the episodes with semi-religious fervour, I failed to withstand the withdrawal and started on the books as well – something I never do. My boyfriend is still sticking to “doing one or the other” and therefore is starting on the books but is steering clear of the series – for now. For now.

I know that anyone who hasn’t categorically been living under a stone has dipped their toe in this and made their judgement but then again, there are quite a few who have not. And I want to get those stragglers. Because seriously, you have no idea what you are missing.

Now, the story of Game of Thrones is a little hard to qualify and explain. Honestly. It is convoluted, complicated and nail biting. It takes place in an alternative universe, in a world where knights and chivalry still exist, as do magic and dragons. But men are still, fundamentally men. And that means things like politics, intrigue all still exist. The story starts with Eddard Stark, a man of honour and justice, becoming “hand of the king” – his Prime Minister if you will. Eddard does not want this rise to power but the king is a childhood friend he cannot refuse. And just as he suspects it will, his new position means the discovery of many secrets, secrets Eddard simply cannot ignore. Here the story begins but wither it goes, discover for yourself. I might add at this point, in the spirit of a tagline, that so many thousands of people simply cannot be wrong.

I mean they can. But not in this particular instance. The good thing about this series that it casts its net really wide. I mean, there is just about enough chivalry and magic to assuage the fantasy fans but at the same time these are, in a sense, incidental. The main bulk of the story reads like a political intrigue basically. It’s just that the political backstabbing takes place in more Medieval times. Oh and the stabbing can sometimes take quite a literal sense. I have watched this series with bated breath, the cliff-hangers are absolutely first class and the acting, the general artistic performance, well... Suffice to say the whole thing carried me away so much that I had to invest in the books and then read them to find out what happens next. Now that, is saying something. 

ESSIE SPEAKS OF HOLIDAYS

Essie speaks of holidays, basically because she needs one.

I think it literally isn't a coincidence that the films this week involve journeys to far off locations, namely Venice and Rio. I've never been to either by the way. Anyone want to sponsor me? No ? Oh well... Yes, winter is closing in, I am getting INCREDIBLY busy in my internship and my other two jobs aren't really letting up either. But I am happy. There is light at the end of the tunnel. That or a train. Either way, my troubles will soon be over - although to be fair I would rather not the train...

But while we wait, I continue my forays into cinemaland to keep me sane. So here we are. As November closes in, some nice virtual hollidays to occupy your mind for a while.

happy viewing,
Essie

"THE TOURIST" THAT GOT A BIT LOST

Now I’m really confused about this one. My boyfriend has some part in this – I’m sorry baby but it has to be said. It was yet another of the more recent films I had been unable to keep in touch with you see. My boyfriend having enjoyed it a lot was telling me about it, all emotion and excitement and he ran all the way through. Right to the end. Including the plot twist. I didn’t see it coming, I don’t know why I didn’t stop him but it happened. We then watched the film anyway, which is fine but there was something missing... I mean, I’m honestly not sure whether it was the fact that I already knew the plot twist or that the film was lacking something. But the reviews I have of the film are mixed – very mixed. Hence my sneaking suspicion that the film is not entirely up to scratch. Mr Depp, you disappoint me.

The story is that of spies and deceit. Elise (Angelina Jolie) is wanted by the police. The thing is, her lover is wanted even more. The problem is, no one knows what he looks like because he has had extensive plastic surgery changing his face completely. One tends to do that when one is wanted by half a dozen international security agencies AND a dangerous mobster whose money one has stolen. Of course Elise is not about to give her lover up that easily so she hatches a plan. A decoy in the shape of the unsuspecting Frank (Johnny Depp), an American tourist that happened to be passing by is chosen and interacted with. This suits Elise because now everyone thinks Frank is her lover. Frank, however, is now one of the most wanted men in Venice.

Now. The so-called plot twist is so obvious, I don’t even feel the need to slip in a disclaimer. I’m not entirely sure why this is the case though. I did know the twist before I watched the film, this much is true. However, the thing is it seemed... A little too obvious.  Just a tad. And when you have that wrong you see, settings, acting, direction... It’s all very nice but that’s the thing with spoilers. They spoil things. And I think it is the fact that the film tries to conceal something so obvious that means that it has not been nearly as popular as one would have initially thought it would be. I mean, that is the point with stories. The anticipation. Without that, seriously, what do you have? So honestly, my boyfriend is not to blame. He may have had a bit of an effect on my experience but seriously. Hiding things in plain sight is a tricky business. And The Tourist gets it wrong. Oh it’s funny. It’s amusing to watch of an evening. Then again though, if you want a touch more from your cinema, you can give it a miss. Seriously. 

FUN AND SONGS IN THE SUN AS AUTUMN COMES - GO TO : "RIO"

Now to be fair to my boyfriend though, he doesn’t always provide me film advice complete with spoilers. In fact, more than once and open mouthed at my ignorance on the matter, he has sat me down in front of a film and insists I watch it. Rio was one of these films. And credit where it’s due, this film more than hit the spot on many different levels. It’s an animation for starters and I ALWAYS have room in my heart for those fellas, as you will have noticed. Secondly, this is definitely one of the better examples of the afore-mentioned genre, complete with songs, dance numbers (well, sort of) and LOADS of fun. Plus quite a worthy message hidden in there too.

Now, as you can guess Rio and Brazil feature a lot in this story. Not surprising as our story begins in the rainforests of Brazil. Blue (as he will later be known) is a baby blue macaw whose peaceful existence is interrupted by poachers who seize him and take him away to far off lands, far from his family. It’s terribly sad of course but it sort of works out. Chance means that Blue finds a very loving owner who takes care of him well and with whom he grows up. And he has a very peaceful life, that involves hot chocolate, marshmallows a peaceful life in a book shop and no flying. At all. Not that Blue really needs to fly, but anyway. But then, quite suddenly, into this peaceful existence erupts a scientist who explains to his owner that Blue’s breed has been hunted and exported almost to extinction and he is the last remaining male blue macaw of his kind. And the thing is, the last remaining female, Jewel, lives in Brazil. As you can imagine, the scientist is pretty eager they should meet. Now Blue’s owner is quite attached to her routine (as is Blue) but in the face of this great duty, off they go to Brazil. Here Blue will come back together with his roots. Find love. And spread his wings a bit – literally and metaphorically.

Well, topic wise, as you can see, it is pretty much a typical Hollywood animation film. Obstacles overcome, love discovered, family unit restored, and personal growth achieved. But we have said it often enough here. It is not, what you say in cases like these. It’s the way you say them. And this film says all of that with a lot of gusto. And a LOT of talent.  I mean, seriously, films don’t just randomly get nominated for Oscars for best song you know.  Besides, we have Ann Hathaway lending her voice to Jewel – and she does such a spectacular job. There’s a reason she’s one of my favourite actresses, seriously. And Blue has the voice of the equally talented Jesse Eisenberg of whom I have written on these pages more than once. In short, this is one of those really, really fun animations that you can watch with the smaller members of the family with the greatest of ease, and yet really enjoy yourself as well… And as the little ones (and some of the big ones) watch, hopefully messages on animal smuggling and illegal trafficking will be picked up too. Oh don’t worry, it’s all very subtly done. Not in your face or anything. You can’t really avoid it either though, and it is, you have to admit, a rather worthy lesson to be learnt by us all.  And what more you could want from a film, I honestly cannot imagine.