ESSIE SPEAKS OF THE PAST

I was actually going to call this week's theme something totally different. I then reread my reviews. It is late, I am sleep deprived and have a very early start tomorrow, but even I can see that really, we are mulling over the past today.

It is not so much the content of the past that we are mulling over though. It is the fact that we can never really escape it. Or can we? Yes we can run far away, change our geographical location and cut our ties with people. But our past has left its footprints on our very souls. It is part of who we are. By the time we are adults, sadly, it is too late, and we will never totally be free. The only way of actually being free, bizarrely, is to embrace your past. Accept it as it is. Come to terms with yourself and with what happened, no matter what it may be. With time you will make more memories that mould you into a completely new person once again and the things that bother you now will be lost in the sea of the new. I guess the point I want to make though is that they will never drop out of you though. They will still be part of you. Smaller parts maybe, but parts all the same.

The films I review this week cast this as a rather bad thing I'm afraid. I don't know that it is always true though, but anyway, that's the topic of a different week and theme. I do hope you enjoy this week's films. I especially loved Brideshead Revisited. It's actually one of my top ten movies now. Hence the plug in the intro :)

Oh and I will make a point of reviewing something jollier for next week. I have grown positively maudlin and that will never do!

happy viewing,
Essie

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY STOP REVISITING THE PAST... "BRIDESHEAD REVISITED"

" If you asked me now who I am, the only answer I could give with any certainty would be my name: Charles Ryder. For the rest: my loves, my hates, down even to my deepest desires, I can no longer say whether these emotions are my own, or stolen from those I once so desperately wished to be." Put your hand on your heart and tell me that is not one of the hardest hitting opening lines you have ever heard in your life. I expected this film to be good. I also expected it to be a typical “Merchant Ivory” type period piece. You know, good quality stuff you can depend on and guess the outcome of. Well the outcome in this case is pretty clear as the story is told in flashback, but you pretty much bank on being able to guess how you got there. I was wrong. Oh God I was so wrong…

The above-mentioned Charles Ryder is an aspiring artist. When he utters these words he is approaching middle age, the country is in the throes of the Second World War and much of what Charles Ryder had before, in the way of prestige and happiness, he has lost. He is embittered and hardened now and this is the story of how it came about. Ever since his first year at Oxford, leaving a rather sad home where his widowed and disillusioned father makes not the slightest effort to make him feel wanted or loved, Charles’ fate is inexorably tied up with the aristocratic Flyte family. A chance (very chance) meeting with Sebastian Flyte, the youngest son of the family leads to a friendship Ryder is not likely to forget for the rest of his life. Now, as we all know, families are complicated things. When they work, they work very well, but if not, it can be hell on earth. And the odd thing is, society is such a thing that, the deepest, darkest holes can remain perfectly masked by social conventions, especially if you’re as high up the social ladder as the Flytes. Charles may dream of being like them, but really he has absolutely no idea what he is getting himself into…

This film taught me without a shadow of a doubt what the fuss is about love triangles. No, it is not the love triangle you think. It is a LOT more complicated than that. In fact, the last sentence pretty much sums up the entire film. I love this film because it does not offer any simplistic solutions. Nor does it offer up simplistic problems, as is typical with tragedies and dramas generally. If the film is over two hours long, it’s because, much like life, the problems the family has are so complex. And, even though the film is set mainly in the 1920’s, at the end of the day, they are so similar to the problems we have today. But that is the mark of a brilliant story is it not? Universal themes in local setting as it were. The Flytes may be aristocracy but they battle with matters like family rifts, upbringing, the concept of duty and the dark, dark fingers of the past reaching out to grip the three Flyte children, never giving them a hope to breathe freely. Religion comes into it, as does sexuality. So does social background. And the result? Not a grand tragedy, as a lot of mainstream films would have it, but a quiet pathos as the pain and darkness are, for another generation, safely tucked away behind social convention. And again, much like real life, the real pain comes from the fact that in the end, try as one might, there is very little one can do, if anything at all. Charles Ryder is about to come face to face with the true face of Brideshead, the home of the Flytes. And sometimes, all the love in the world cannot help a person break free from their past…

Apart from the realistic tragedy Brideshed revisited superbly portrays, a word simply must be said for the acting. Emma Thompson stars as one of the most memorably horrible characters I have seen. And yet, as tempted as one is to passionately hate Lady Marchmain, Thompson gets her just right, so we can’t fail to understand her either – even though we don’t really want to… And then there is Matthew Goode – Charles Ryder – who I had a niggling feeling I had seen before. I had. In A Single Man (as Jim, the partner who dies), along with Match Point and Watchmen among other things. Oh and then there is Ben Winshaw who plays Sebastian. I can confirm, yes that IS the guy who plays the new Q in Skyfall. Do your really need any more convincing folks? Just go watch the film already. This one is in my top 10 any day of the week. 

A STORY OF A RISE THAT COMES BEFORE... "THE DAMNED UNITED"

Yet another pleasant surprise of the cinematic variety dear readers! I had seen this film before, on DVD shelves and the like multiple times. I never, ever thought I would like it. The main reason for that is the fact that I know pretty much nothing about football. I mean I know, I should know by now that sports films “dumb down” the sports element considerably (with some notable exceptions like Moneyball for example , half of which I did not get at all due to a lack of baseball knowledge.  I enjoyed the film a lot mind you – but that’s another story). I only ended up picking it up because (as you know) I have a bit of a soft spot for true stories. I’m glad I did. I really, really am.

Brian Clough (portrayed here rather superbly by Michael Sheen)  is the manager of Derby at the beginning of our story. He and his long-suffering assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall) have had a track record of being a bit of a “wonder treatment” for teams. Taking seemingly ailing teams, they seem to think nothing of boosting them all the way up to the top of the first division. However, successful they may be, a picture of harmony, they most certainly are not. Brian Clough was a brilliant footballer in his day, one of the top scorers Britain has ever seen, however he is a very difficult man to work with. Headstrong, extremely outspoken and at times almost completely consumed by ambition, it is all the long suffering Peter Taylor can do to rein him in. And then there is, of course, the matter of his deeply personal vendetta, bordering on obsession, with Dom Revie, the legendary manager of Leeds United. It is partly this obsession that pushed Clough to unceremoniously drop all other engagements when he is offered Revie’s job. There is, however, one problem. Peter Taylor is refusing to go with him. I will not attempt to hide the historical fact that Brian Clough’s appointment to the position lasted a mere 44 days, one of the shortest of its kind. But how did this come about? Hold onto your hats guys and dolls, this is going to be a very bumpy ride indeed…

I really admire Michael Sheen in this role. He very successfully manages to put across two very contradictory emotions. On the one hand, you want to openly strangle Clough for his lack of manners alone, much less the way he treads on Peter Taylor’s toes and treats his players. But yet again, as we get to know him a bit better, alongside this will to strangle, as it were, you also desperately want him to succeed. Even though you know in your heart of hearts, he is well and truly doing it ALL wrong. It is rather sad that despite the upbeat end to the film, the two men ended up having another massive fight and not talking again until Taylor’s sudden death in the 1980’s. The film itself is, however, a rather wonderful reminder that although ambition , grand gestures and headstrongly following your own fate are all admirable things, they cannot get you as far as you may have hoped without the hand of temperance to guide you.

The film itself does not follow a linear storyline as such, but then again it is very easy to follow. There is not much lingering on the football side of the film so even the complete football novice (me for example) can follow the action with joy and ease. I also found it quite endearing that the film was often mixed with actual archive footage of the matches – and of course the characters.

The Damned United will frustrate you. It will have you yelling at the screen and tearing out your hair. But, in a rather perverse sort of way, I can almost guarantee that you will love it. And if that doesn’t make sense, well, you’re just going to have to watch the darn thing and see what I mean. 

ESSIE SPEAKS OF DESPERATION

Not the most fun topic in the world you might say. Then again, where would the cinema sector be today if it had to focus only on things that were "fun"? Desperation is one of the most human emotions, we all feel it at some point in our lives and it's good to talk about it. Especially when there are films that speak so eloquently and beautifully.
Desperation may come in many different forms. We may be struck down by a major catastrophe, a natural disaster or a mishap in our family perhaps. Or we may just happen to take a couple of wrong turns and end up in a dark place where the only way out is taking a deep breath and charging through somewhere even darker... At that moment we raise our heads to the sky and search for the strength to keep us going. Luckily, the human spirit is an extraordinary thing so usually we do carry on, for better or for worse. Because, again perhaps luckilly, one thing and one thing only is guaranteed in this life. Change. And the odds are things will change for the better some time soon.
The films this week are by no means easy watching guys and dolls, but then again, not everything in life does come easy. And I can promise you that you will feel emotional after watching these two. But you will not regret it.

happy viewing,
Essie

SOMETIMES IT HITS YOU LIKE A WAVE : "THE IMPOSSIBLE"

Before anyone says anything, the title wasn't meant as a pun or a joke. I, for one, personally know what it feels like to be hit by waves of desperation and despair. I assure you it's nothing to laugh about. 

Well this is a rather historical moment, wouldn’t you say, folks? Because, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first big-budget film about the tsunami in Thailand.  Following the true story of a very real family who was only one of many to be hit by this devastating calamity, the film gives us a very real, very emotional taster of what it feels like to be caught up in something so terrible and of such a magnitude…

This is the story of Henry (Ewan McGregor), Maria (Naomi Watts) and their three children Lucas, Thomas and Simon. They are a normal family, with normal worries and concerns who has come to Thailand for a well-deserved Christmas break. However, daily concerns about setting the burglar alarm and their careers are very quickly swept to one side when the tsumani hits. Henry and the two younger boys, Simon and Thomas are swept in one direction, Lucas, the eldest and their mother in another… What will become of them? Even if they manage to survive this calamity, with the ensuing chaos, how will they ever find each other again?

I have heard mixed reviews of this film oddly enough. The greater part, it seems, found the film deeply emotional. I watched it with a group of friends and some were categorically in floods of tears almost throughout. And I must say, even though I am – sadly perhaps – turning into a bit of a cynic when it comes to these things – the film is emotionally charged to say the least. It did rather feel as if you had a rhinoceros – or something heavy to that effect – sitting on your chest for quite a while after the film ended.

But then again, I have heard people sneering at the film slightly. They point out, for example, that it is, at the end of the day your common or garden disaster movie + tear jerker. Family gets torn apart, is then dramatically brought back together again. There is one token serious injury, the rest don’t have a scratch on them. In fact, like a lot of films of its kind, the film is not about the disaster itself at all, it is about, if anything, the tenacity of the human spirit. Which is admirable. But mayhaps slightly disrespectful of the actual people who suffered and died?

Now, sad to say,  I do agree with a lot of these arguments. I completely agree with one viewer (a review on imdb if I'm not much mistaken) who makes the point that the moment we see that all five have survived it is very clear they get back together again, safe and sound. I personally watched the whole film unable to suspend my disbelief as to not knowing what would happen next. I knew quite well what would happen in the end: The tearful reunion. That is because the film DOES follow the pattern of your common or garden tearjerker. It uses all the usual tropes to play on your emotions and I do see how you would be slightly disillusioned. I mean, apart from anything else, we see a picture of the real family at the end, and I hate to disappoint you, but they are very normal people. Very unlike the dashing Ewan and Naomi. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean this disrespectfully – at five feet tall and a size 11 (ehm), I am about as unlike Naomi Watts as they come. But my point is, yes, on one level this IS Hollywood basically going “Oh good. Another emotional story we can make movies about dashing couples about and rake in the cash.” You’d have to be very naïve to deny it.

However, don’t write this film off completely either. I have read “good” things about the production of this film too. For example, it would appear that almost all the Thai and foreign extras were actual survivors of the Tsunami. And I distinctly remember reading that the film had to change its trailer quite a bit, simply because it focused on the family too much and not on the tsunami and devastation – and hence considered disrespectful. And even though you do “know” what will happen in the end to the main characters, there are enough sub-plots and secondary characters around to remind you very starkly of the devastation and the lives that were utterly destroyed in this tragedy. From the moment the tsunami strikes, the story takes place in settings that are seemingly all more chaotic than the next one, crowded hospitals, devastated streets and it is this visual chaos that gives one the sense of constant fatigue and slowly being strangled in the multiplicity of data and sadness. It seems to me, anyway, that the film has done a good job of providing the emotion of the event too. And if you don’t believe me, do a short search online. There are multiple survivors who confirm that the film is indeed accurate in its portrayal.  Besides, if you just want to watch the film and have a good cry, you know what, that’s ok too. I love a good tearjerker, even though I do moan about them…

AND SOMETIMES IT JUST CREEPS UP ON YOU... : "FROZEN RIVER"

From one kind of desperation to a very different kind. Sometimes fear and desperation come with big fanfare, like in the case of the tsunami. You see it coming a mile away, you know your options – live or die – and brace yourself for its impact. Sometimes though, it creeps up on you like a mist. It first slowly closes one alleyway, then the other, until you have nowhere left to turn. Once you realise it has crept up on you it is far too  late, you are left with only one real  option. Do something desperate, one way or another, to live… Or die…

This is pretty much the situation Ray Eddie (Melissa Leo) finds herself one morning, a week before Christmas. Her husband Troy, a gambling addict who had been clean for 32 months has vanished along with the cash that was meant as a down payment on their new house. She has two children to take care of, the 15 year old, headstrong TJ and little Ricky who’s only preoccupation is what he will get for Christmas. His odds aren’t looking good to be honest; Ray can barely provide them with three square meals, much less Christmas presents. It is precisely at this rather desperate point in her life that she crosses paths with Lila Littlewolf. Lila lives on the Mohawk reservation not far from their home. The two women are not exactly on amicable terms at first but soon they realise that they have more in common than was first apparent. Lila seemingly has something Ray desperately needs – an easy way of making money… At first, all Ray really wants is to get enough money to secure the new house they have just lost. But as is often the case with these things, once you get mixed up, there really is no easy way out again…

Ok, I LOVE the way this film describes how desperation pushes people to crime. I love the slow creeping of the desperation and the hunger for things to go right. A lot of this kind of film tends to contain some kind of big, dramatic event – sickness, someone dying, you know the sort I mean, fireworks. True to life, Ray’s demons are mostly bills. The fact that she has to give her sons popcorn and fruit juice for breakfast as there is nothing else left in the house to eat. The fact that her husband has just vanished with all their life savings and that the pretty young thing at work gets promoted over her. Then there is Lila, also in a state of silent desperation. She has demons of her own that I will let you discover. I have never actually descended into a world of crime, but I suspect, if one slips off the rails, this is pretty much how it goes.

Then of course, it has to be said, it makes a MASSIVE difference to have a woman at the helm as director. I am very, very happy to report that the women in this film do not fit the “frilly” stereotypes they are usually put in at all. Ray is, you will soon discover as tough as old boots. Lila is as well in her own way. They are both put in situations where they are active parties in their own destinies, very much captains of their own souls – as the poem goes. Thing is though, like all of us, they make mistakes – which is kinda what it’s all about, both life and the film. In fact, the more I think about it, the clearer it is to me how much of a matriarchy this film is, as all the main, active characters are women, the men (with the notable exception of the police officer – but I do see it wouldn’t be realistic to have a female police officer at a tough spot like that) are either very much minor characters or acted upon by the women. It is very subtly done,  so much so I didn’t even notice it until I stopped to think about it as I write this review but when I did, it made me smile.

But all that is once you’ve watched the film and the initial shock is over. This is the kind of film that is going to have you engulfed in that all familiar sinking feeling from the first five minutes onwards. It really does feel as if you’re being slowly strangled in the darkness of the film from time to time… But oh boy… What a ride. Totally worth it. 

ESSİE SPEAKS OF RACISM

Ok. Thank you for bearing with me.

You know how these things go, life happens. Sometimes it happens in big masses, all at once. What can I say, I'm sorry for the delay. I have worked out my organisational kinks and it will not happen again. You just see if it does. All you need to do is just keep coming back every week as you always do. I will be here. Waiting as always.

Now the two films I have got lined up for you today were almost meant to be together. Chronologically, they fit like a glove. We are in America boys and girls and our topic is segregation and how it was gotten rid of (yes Mom, I know that isn't grammar. I'm having a Toad of Toad Hall moment.). Our first film speaks of the civil rights movement and how hard it was to get people to even move towards change and integration. The second tells us that how, once societal pressure had been overcome, most people - if not everyone - was quick to realize this was not such a dumb idea after all... Hate of all kinds is, after all, something we learn. It stands to reason therefore, that we can also "unlearn" it.

Thanks for bearing with me folks. I will be back next thursday with more stories to tell!

happy viewing,
Essie

A LOOK INTO THE DARK PAST : "MISSISSIPPI BURNING"

Ok. You know how a lot of movie genres work right? There are a few “ancestral” films – as it were – that come with a convention, a “something”. And they do it so well that tons of other films try to copy it, and succeed to a greater or larger extent, creating a “movie convention”. I have discovered one of these ancestral movies ladies and gents. It is not much of a momentous discovery as such, as the film is quite well known generally speaking. It’s just that I had never watched it before.

So, if you watch a lot of crime drama and thrillers (ehm), you will be aware of one convention: the older versus younger cop. They are put together as a team to solve a momentous crime. The young cop has passion, the older, more cynical cop has the wisdom of years on his side. They clash at first, but then find a common path and use their respective strengths to put baddies behind bars. Yeah. I have a sneaking suspicion this is the film that others copied. If not the ultimate original, it definitely “does it” so well that it sure deserves to be counted among the great forefathers. I mean, to the point that, writing the review a day later I am still “hot under the collar” about it. And the best part? It was based on real life…

Our story starts in a small town in Mississippi, in the year 1964. Segregation is still very much a lifestyle in America, but the winds of change have finally begun to blow. African-Americans have finally got the right to vote but unfortunately, the battle does not end there. There is the whole matter of actually getting people registered and voting, and if the bigots of the country have anything to do with it, that won’t be happening any time soon… Luckily there are those more than willing to stand up to these bullies and three civil rights workers, one black and two white, are trying to work with the black community to get voter registration complete.                Until, that is, they go missing. A team from the FBI is sent to investigate as the area is known to be volatile, showing a strong presence of the KKK. The two agents are the young and passionate Agent Alan Ward (a Willem Dafoe so young I barely recognised him) and the older, more experienced Agent Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) who used to be the sheriff of a small town just like this one.  The personality clash between them kicks off as early as on the drive down, but the moment they arrive it is very clear indeed that all is not well in the town. Agent Ward, the lead investigator on this case, is full of passion and is ready to move Heaven and earth to bring the killers to justice. However, Agent Anderson knows that in this close-knit and complex community, the strong-arm approach is simply not going to work. As Agent Ward’s approach seems to be doing more harm than good, it is up to Agent Anderson to rein him in, the question is can he? And more importantly, will their powers combined be enough to uncover the dark secrets of this town?

Ok, first of all, if you watch this film, keep an eye on Gene Hackman for what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest “raaah” moments on television. To those of you familiar with the movie I mean the scene where he goes to the social club on his own. It’s like all the Clint Eastwood movies you can think of rolled together and made ten times better. I’m not even a particular fan of Clint Eastwood movies. But there you are. Powerful stuff.      

That is not the only thing powerful about the film however. I would go as far as claiming you had a heart of stone if you didn’t become rather emotional and angry upon watching this film. There are many famous reviews and articles about the film and one of the main objections seems to be that  the events were very much distorted and exaggerated for dramatic effect. A criticism to which the director responded by saying it was a work of fiction not a documentary. And I must say, when you are able to (heck, if you are able to) distance yourself from the emotions stirred up by this film you will find that yes, some of the things that happened do seem a little OTT. There is that and the second criticism that the black population is shown as mere passive victims – which is also a fair comment in my view.

However another thing to remember about this film is, I think, that it is more about emotions than the exact representations of facts. It is about the terror the KKK spread in certain areas and the hopelessness felt by the people fighting for their civil rights  and with the prejudices  -  that were much more deeply set – even after the legal changes have been achieved. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone should have ever thought segregation was a good idea (and thankfully most of the world’s population now agrees with me) but it is good to remember how bad things once were, especially since we live in a world where prejudices of all sorts are still strong. Think gay rights for example, and all the people around the world fighting for marriage equality to name but one. Yes the world still has a good distance to go as far as peace and harmony goes. But it is good to remember that we have come a good distance already. And if we can do this while enjoying a good thriller of the armchair-gripping variety, well… What more could one want, really?

AND WHEN YOU LOSE HOPE IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU : "REMEMBER THE TITANS"

I’m going to be a little bit partial here. I’m going to go out on a limb. There really is nothing like a Disney film, is there? I reckon this goes not only for the cartoons we all – well, almost all – know and love so well. They’re good at selecting pick me up, feel good movies of a more grown up kind too. Now, it may seem to the untrained eye that a feel-good movie is a easy thing to knock together. If you think about it, the biggest criticism these films get is that they are a little too simplistic in their approaches and solutions. This is precisely the trap inherent in making a film like this. Sure, you want a solution, you want things to be alright in the end, but hey, you want it to be realistic too if you want people to “actually” get a kick out of the film. So what better thing to do than to base yourself in real life? Oh don’t shake your head at me like that. I’m as much a “realist” as the next person. And true, life is never just “black or white”. But occasionally you know, things work out spectacularly well. As it did in the case of the Titans.

Of course for our generation this seems both antiquated and foolish, but back in the day racial segregation was a part of life. And people, as you may well know, are not that partial to their day to day lives just “changed” like that. This is what happened when a small town in suburban Virginia  in 1971 when the local highschool is forced by law to racially integrate. Mayhem rules supreme at the very thought, but nowhere as much as in the highschool football team. Not only must the team now be “mixed race”, but the team has a new coach. And Coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is not only replacing the beloved former coach, coach Yoast (Will Patton) but he is also, well, black. Coach Boone is determined to show everyone he is more than capable of being a good coach to his team but even if he somehow manages to get his players to integrate and become a true team, will they be able to resist peer pressure and sustain that team spirit throughout the year? Will Coach Boone be able to withstand the constant pressure on him personally and make his fledgling Titans truly great?

It is truly bizarre to think that people as recent as in 1971 were thrown into an uproar at the very idea of a racially integrated school. It is even more incomprehensible that people who actually still think the same thing exist today. But it is a comfort to know that for the most part, most of us have left this kind of shallow prejudice well and truly behind us. I mean, of course this is basically a sports movie and a buddy movie combined. It is a well-made “mainstream” film and some might add “and nothing more”. But I would disagree. The film has done well to borrow from real life as unlike a lot of films of its genre the finale is far from being a glowing, all round positive. But then again, not everything in life glows – or is positive. On the other hand this doesn’t stop the good overcoming “generally” either.

The other good thing about it is that the characters are also presented warts and all. Coach Boone is far from “the perfect coach”, and there are times even a child can (and vociferously does) point out his mistakes and shortcomings. The film, at this point, does what we all should strictly speaking do. Concentrates on the good and not the bad. Moves forward to create something good and new. Cue fuzzy warm feelings inside – no wonder this is so many people’s favourite film… 

ESSİE SPEAKS OF SCARY THINGS

Ok. I'll have to give you this one, technically I'm late again. It may be Friday, here and in most parts of the world so I do owe you an appology. However I have some quite good stuff lined up for you. That and a few personal historical moments of my own...

I have a brilliant modern classic I have wanted to watch for ages that I finally discovered, I have a beautiful yet scary old classic unearthed, a new (to me) director "discovered"... All the while I have somehow managed to fit in two film reviews - of two films most scary in their own distinct ways -  AND my weekly chores. 

And now, as I have a (sort of) justification for being late, I will plunge forth with my historical moments, both personal and cinematic and hope you enjoy your week!

happy viewing,

Essie

THE SCARIEST JOURNEY IS SOMETIMES THE ONE INTO YOUR OWN MIND : "FELICIA’S JOURNEY"

Oooh guys and dolls – this is all very exciting! We may have spotted my first ever sense of déjà vu! People who know me in real life may know this little quirk I have – at the age of 30 I can honestly say I have NEVER had déjà vu in my life. I strongly suspect it may be something completely made up by script writers and novelists but then again, the rest of the planet seems to disagree with me so I’m not entirely sure where that leaves us… Anyway, about this film. Well, for the entire first half of it, I could have sworn blind I had seen it before. I just couldn’t for the life of me figure out when and where. It was just a continual sense of familiarity, coupled almost – almost mind – with a sense of what the next picture would be. This sense sort of petered out towards the middle and vanished at the end. I may have become self-conscious. Then again, there is a much higher possibility I watched it when I was far too young to have a clue what it was about and got bored towards the middle. Well, either that or I got caught by my mother who put a stop to the whole thing. Good thing too really – if I was so young I can’t even remember it now, there was no way on earth I would have truly grasped what was happening. Oh. See what I did there, destroyed my own theory. *Sigh*. Oh well no déjà vu again. I guess I shall have to swallow my disappointment and get to my review…

Joe Hildich (supremely portrayed by Bob Hoskins) is an elderly catering manager. Living alone but seemingly content, he fills his time left free from work with experiments in the kitchen and re-watching tapes of Gala,  television chef with which he is seemingly a tiny bit obsessed  but hey,  we all need a hobby. His path crosses with Felicia. Felicia is a young girl from rural Ireland and seems a tad bit on the naïve side. She is looking for her boyfriend. She neither knows her boyfriend’s address or his place of work but it’s somewhere in the city. Making parts for lawnmowers. Possibly. As you can imagine her search isn’t going that well, so Mr Hildich takes her under his wing. This is a good thing, right? Not necessarily. This is not yet another cutesy film about a naïve pure heart giving a lease of life to a lonely old man. Well what is it then? I hear you cry. Dear reader, you will have to just watch, and see.

Ok, I need to do a bit more research but I may have found a new director to be crazily obsessed with. Atom Egoyan. I had heard a lot about him, and yet he was one of those many greats I simply hadn’t got round to yet. I now kick myself for the delay. As you can imagine, the whole “set-up” of the story is an entry point. An entry point to something sinister that you will not receive any clues about. I don’t want you to have clues because that is precisely the point of the film. There is seemingly nothing wrong with the picture to start with. But that weird aftertaste, that “something you can’t put your finger on” persists. It grows. It grows before you even quite know yourself what you’re so tense or nervous about. Then it hits you. And for the rest of the film you are left a juddering mass of “well what comes next??” It is rare that I am completely clueless about a storyline. I absolutely love it when it happens. Especially in film this good. This kind of film is also a dying breed, if you will. These days, psychology seems to have fallen by the wayside, being taken over in popularity by monsters and such like in horror, and action heroes or romances in general. In fact, and I say this often, there is nothing as scary as the human mind if you look at it up close. I don’t know, maybe that’s why we’ve stopped looking up close. Then again, if you’re like me, you ‘ll be all over the really scary stuff, even if it gives you terrible nightmares later (since I don’t remember most of my dreams either that’s a bit of a cop-out for me too. Yes, I do rather suspect there may be something odd going on what with the déjà vu thing and this, but that’s a different story. I think). Suffice it to say my dears; I haven’t watched anything this creepy in a very, VERY long time. This is old school quality of the highest degree – perfect for old-school peeps like yours truly…  

AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE... WELCOME TO "SIN CITY"

Ooh, ooh ooh! Look, another historic moment. I HAVE FINALLY WATCHED SIN CITY. I have been banging on about this for years. How I  didn’t get round to it before is virtually incomprehensible – even to me, and I’m usually quite good at figuring out why I haven’t done things. This was the last film remaining that Quentin Tarantino (yes him again, if you’re not a fan, deal with it) is vaguely associated with from a directoral (is this a word? Mom?) stance that I hadn’t seen yet. Now I have. The world can rest in peace – as it were. The film is of course technically a film by Robert Rodriguez who is apparently a great friend of Quentin Tarantino’s. Quentin Tarantino is a guest director here along with Frank Miller (the writer of the comics the film was adapted from) who is cited as director. Now, fair warning. You know Rodriguez. You know Tarantino. Yes there is violence. Yes there are classic “old school” movie genres running through a very, very strange terrain. Yes, the films are very much “boys toys” as it were, what with the imagery and that. Now, as you also know, I lap this stuff up by the bucketful and ask for seconds. Incomprehensibly to me, some people do not. If you are one of those people I fail to comprehend, you can easily pass on Sin City. I won’t blame you. I’ll just be sad you’re missing a brilliant film.

Welcome to Sin City. The name alone holds a clue. I said to look out for “old school” ladies and gents, and the “school” we’re in this round is film noir. A world where the dames are beautiful and deadly, the guys are either hardened good guys with one foot in the underworld or dastardly villains. It is night time, it is cold and we roam the even colder streets, trying to get to know the inhabitants of the city. We have a scary giant who is looking to avenge the only woman who ever showed him affection. We have a cop who puts his entire reputation on the line to save a little girl from a paedophile. We have a hit man after his next buck. And of course, we have a vigilante cop. All these characters come together in the “sewage pit” known as Sin City in a tale as dark as the night itself…

Before you say anything, trust me, there are more reasons than one for this film to have become so popular. I am at a tiny bit of a loss as to interpreting them in conjunction with their original “manuscripts” i.e. the comics. Of course I won’t even get started on the actual images themselves as Sin City’s images have become pretty iconic in their own right. Suffice it to say that the mood of the film very much matches the style of the images. It is very, very much like a comic book “come to life” as it were. So there you go. If you like comic books, that alone should spur you on. That and the rather marvellous way all the seemingly disparate stories come together. I promise you, you will NOT see that one coming.

But then of course there is the film noir side of things. Now, I’m not quite sure what the general opinion is of film noir. I have a sneaking suspicion it is regarded as rather passé. And it is true that simple binaries of black and white, good and bad are rather outdated these days. Understandably so, we have come to terms with the fact that the world is more of a “grey” place then black and white and this is reflected in everything, be it our entertainment or our politics. But I don’t know. There is – go on, admit it – a part in all of us which, when left unchecked, paints the world in those two colours. Really “evil” baddies that can be destroyed by the “good guy”. A good guy with some token “black” in him – this is Sin City after all, you can never completely escape the evil in the air – but whose heart is basically set on doing the right thing. Go on. You like it. Admit it to yourself if not to me. And go and watch the darned movie already. You have half a hundred reasons at least by now… 

ESSIE SPEAKS OF HAVING A LAUGH

Ok... *Pant, pant* I made it! *Pant, pant* I MADE IT!!!!! 

Oh my goodness gracious me. I am so sorry you guys. Never in the history of this blog have I been so late in updating. It will not happen again. Honest to goodness. 

To take your minds off the long wait you had and hopefully transform those frowns into smiles, I bring you shed loads of comedy. I have, true to style, gone to the extremes, from the absurd to the though provoking - it's always good to have some variety in life. 

And the first post, just right down here, may well have turned into one of my most personal updates yet. As you know I don't shy away from bearing my heart and soul on this blog but still. I don't know. It's about growing old and things. And as you know from real life I'm  little preoccupied with it at this point so my personal stuff has also come flowing out. Let's see what you make of it... Don't hesitate to give me feedback!

happy viewing, 

Essie

GROWING OLD DISGRACEFULLY - AND "SIDEWAYS"

There are a few facts I need accept. I turned 30 last month – I am officially “no longer a young person”. Oh sure, 30 is the new 20, you are as old as you feel, it’s just a number and all that jazz, but let’s face it – to partially quote this very film – all things being equal, around about a third of my life is over. I think this is why at “benchmark” years in your life and at events you have a tendency to look back, take stock and in some cases make a desperate attempt to change the way things are headed. Or not. I can sympathize enormously with this feeling – although I am a tad bit too young for a midlife crisis as such yet – there has been a certain amount of looking back and taking stock going on. Which is why I HAD to tell you about this film. It speaks so eloquently of these feelings and their consequences, I felt we simply HAD to take some time out and talk about it. It comes to us all you know. Some may hide it better than others but it does come to us all…

Ok, so, like we said, it is these landmark events and turning points that make you stop and look back at your life and take stock. For Miles (Paul Giamatti), it is his best friend Jack’s (Thomas Haden Church) wedding. This is especially poignant for Miles because following the break-up of his marriage a few years back, he has been for all intents and purposes, an emotional wreck. The fact that his dreams of getting his novel finally published – the realisation of which seems constantly just on the horizon but out of reach – do not help either. In short, he has hit middle age and feels he has failed. Jack is in a similar predicament with Miles in many ways, an aspiring actor (though he is currently waiting for the right project and getting by with voiceovers) he has achieved less than he would have hoped. However their characters could not be more different; Jack is confident, outgoing and very much a ladies man. Still, this odd couple have been friends since university, and it is only natural that Miles is the best man at the wedding. As a wedding gift, Miles decides to treat Jack to a trip to wine country in California. Wine is Miles’ hobby and specialty. Jack is naturally very happy to be there, but he knows little and less about wine. And he has decidedly different plans about what their priorities should be on the trip…

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that what Jack wants more than anything out of this trip is “one last fling” before he ties the knot. And in so many ways this film is a gentle, loving comedy about reaching middle age, turning back and asking oneself “how has it gone so far?” Above all, it is about the very different ways we can react to the answer we get.

It is tempting to write off Thomas Haden Church’s Oscar® nominated performance as a rather typical take on a midlife crises  / pre-wedding nerves syndrome but the beauty of it is, you can never quite write him off as a slime ball. You kinda end  up feeling sorry for him too. You know, he’s the “goofy villain” in the film almost and yet you really want him to do alright. As for Miles, I defy anyone who has had some sort of brush with depression in their lifetimes (and that would be more of us than you would think I imagine) not to sympathise with him. Literally the only criticism I’d have of the film is that it felt the tiniest bit too long for me. But then again, there’s the difficulty of adapting a book – I guess especially if you’re the director you would be extremely hard pressed to cut out one section or another that you particularly liked…

I saw this film being referred to as a “surprise hit” somewhere. I can’t quite understand how people failed to see this one coming a mile away. True, it’s a road trip movie and lately these films have been more associated with young people and narratives about taking a step into adulthood. But that’s the thing about being a child or a teenager, right? I mean, how many of us weren’t sure that once we had “grown up” “everything” would come clear? Yeah, newsflash. Adulthood is not happily ever after. Luckily however, as Sideways lovingly reminds us, nor is it the end. There have been many films that remind us that reaching a certain milestone age (say 40 or 50) is not the end of it all. Sideways shows us an uncompromisingly realistic view of failure. And how it can potentially be turned around even if you think you are now, in Miles’s words not mine; “So old you aren’t even in the game anymore – a pasture animal waiting for the abattoir”.  And one thing we all do, no matter what, is grow old. I think this is why it’s important to step back from our sometimes overly competitive lives and remind ourselves that it really is never too late. That it is ok to fail – even fail big time – sometimes. You may occasionally “laugh outloud” at this film – I know I did - but you’ll more probably smile at it lovingly from beginning to end. Because these are things we all really worry about – even though we may talk about them little and less.

A colleague at work was mentioning a wedding she worked at ( I work in events these days, much like Jack I’m waiting for the right project to come along. Hah.) the other day. This particular colleague is a deal younger than me so I smiled when she said “The bride was old. Like, maybe 40.” How surprised do you reckon she will be when 40 creeps up on her and appears at her door? My 40^th is a mere 10 years away and knowing my life it’s going to rush up on me when my back’s turned. Not that I’m saying this is a bad thing… J

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR... "SEVEN PSYCOPATHS"

Now, the name of this film does not give much away. I mean, it does and it doesn’t. As you probably guessed, from the trailer and from the name, yes, it is basically about seven psychopaths. Basically.  There is quite a hefty dose of violence mixed up in all of this. Come on, we are dealing with psychos here. But it is also about something you might not actually expect. Creativity. We all know that any sort of creativity – writing more than most perhaps as it is such a solitary occupation when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it – is a bit of a battle. But of course no man is an island. And if you have not chosen your friends as wisely as you could have done, they might well leak into your creative endeavours to create what we might call an “explosive” mix… Especially in Hollywood the land of dreams…

Marty  ( Colin Farrell) is a struggling screenwriter trying to place together his “next hit” – a screenplay called “ Seven Psychopaths”. Now, the title may be catchy but sadly it is about as far as Marty has got. Billy (Sam Rockwell), an actor who is not all together very stable himself, is Marty’s best friend and as such is dying to use his own rather original approach to get Marty out of his predicament. There is, however, a very slight problem. It involves actual psychopaths. And the head of a gang (Woody Harrelsson) who is out to basically kill them all. There’s a Shih Tzu in the mix. And of course, an almighty shootout at the end, worthy of the name “Seven Psychopaths” – or so Billy hopes anyway. Well, one thing is for sure. If he makes it out of this mess alive, Marty really is going to have one heck of a story to tell.

As you will be able to tell from the get go, there is not one iota of material that is “serious” about Seven Psychopaths. True enough, there are some moments of “genuine” emotion, but only to serve as a breather for the onslaught of absurd comedy that reigns supreme throughout the show.

Now, the onslaught of absurd comedy is not a bad thing. Nor is the profusion of violence – as long as you don’t mind that sort of thing. The film is a bizarre one. I suspect that a lot of people will see a lot in it that they like. But almost definitely some things they don’t like. Stylistically the film is quite “modern”. Multiple characters and merging storylines (the name of the script should be a hint here), each slightly larger than life and the previous hero come together to form the film. This means very slick and quick editing and a lot of laughs / emotion based exclusively on violence. In fact, I have just found the word I was looking for, it’s cartoonish. I’m specifically thinking of Road Runner and Wiley E. Coyote, where more and more elaborate weapons come out as the two immortal cartoon heroes “duke it out”. While this is all well and good as entertainment and for some, you may well want a tad bit less pointless bloodshed (by pointless I mean for comedic value only – or close enough for it not to matter), fewer characters and slightly fewer “branches” on the storyline. Or at least branches that are tied together a little more “tidily”. I feel you. I kind of feel the same way. But on the other hand, I honestly doubt this film was ever made for serious dissecting. It is loud, bawdy fun and you should take it as such. Or not take it at all if you don’t have a stomach for violence – but that’s another story all together…

RUNNING A BIT LATE - WITH MY APPOLOGIES

My dearests, I am so sorry. I'm having a bit of a busy couple of days. It has been, to put it mildly, slightly mad over here in my world.

I just wanted to drop you a couple of lines to let you know I have neither forgotten nor abandonned you. I will not, however, be able to update the blog today. However fret not, I should be able to sort things out by tomorrow and we will enter the weekend fully "filmed up" as it were.

In the meanwhile, please accept my sincerest appologies and enjoy your thursday!

much love,
Essie