The Blacklist: Review of Trumbo

Trumbo

Director: Jay Roach

By Alex Watson

Although it doesn't quite grasp its subject quite like we hoped, Jay Roach's Trumbo still brings a fine and ambitious turn from Bryan Cranston. Dalton Trumbo's blacklist during the McCarthy trials was a notable event in Hollywood because it led to one of its true greats being shunned. Roach effectively nails the man well but although this a slick and polished piece, it never thrills us like it should.

Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo has just become Hollywood's high paid writer, he is also a long-time campaigner for more pay for studio workers. During the McCarthy trials, his communist beliefs see him blacklisted and jailed along with nine other writers including Arlen Hird (Louis CK). Desperate to make a living, Trumbo will be forced to write scripts under false names in order to make a living.

Trumbo is a movie where Jay Roach wants to combine both fun and serious together. Dalton Trumbo is a man of great eccentricities such as his long cigarette holder and writing whilst in the bathtub, His biggest vice though is his big mouth and despite the fact he is happily married to Cleo (an underused Diane Lane) he still believe his perfect US could be better. "You talk like a radical, but you live like a rich guy!" mentions Arlen at one stage to his friend. Trumbo lives off the Hollywood dime and has some big name friends such as Edward G Robinson (Michael Stuhlberg) but is quickly making enemies in the wrong places. Anti-commie columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) is one who wants him sent down the river. Early we see a clash of ideas between Trumbo and John Wayne where he respond to Duke's challenge about World War II "If you're going to talk about World War II as if you personally won it, let me be clear where you were stationed- on a film set!"

His subsequent trial for his communist beliefs sees him risking everything to protect his beliefs. Being called out before the committee sees Dalton simply playing a game and daring his nine other friends to do the same. Friendships are tested, particularly when his friend Robinson crumbles and names people. John McNamara's script calls out Hollywood on one of its darkest periods, but we never really feel the full effect. Forced to churn out B-movie scripts for lousy pay, rather feeling down the man gets creative. During his long banning from the Hollywood scene, he will write such Oscar winners as Roman Holiday which friend Ian McKellen-Hunter (Alan Tudyk) is credited for. Linking up with shady executive Frank King (John Goodman) is where the movie does have its funny moments. King mass produces forgettable pictures, which coincidentally have lots of writing jobs available for banned writers.

There is a great sense of injustice throughout Trumbo that his banning went on for so long (Trumbo wasn't credited with his Oscar win until 2011). Despite some neat direction from Roach, this picture cannot grab our attention like it should. It's the uneven mix of comedy and drama are one are which makes it fall down. His relationship with his suffering family is one area that feels underdeveloped along with his friendships with his nine other comrades. Trumbo's later revival under such important stars such as Kirk Douglas (Dean O'Gorman) and the hilarious Otto Preminger (Christian Barkel) do warm the heart because he was finally credited for the movie Spartacus. Though impressively we feel the sacrifice that the man makes, especially during his final scene when accepting an award. In one speech his denounces the blacklist and powerfully denounces those who compromised their beliefs.

Bryan Cranston at long last makes the transition across to big screen star and as Dalton Trumbo, he exemplifies the brave stand that this man took. Demonstrating a keen wit along with a heavily plagued conscience, Cranston is the glue that holds the picture together. Truly now, he is the who knocks. Helen Mirren is memorably nasty as the glamorous columnist, Heddy Hopper and is able to turn from charmingly cute to the wicked witch in an instant. John Goodman is also scene-stealing in a brief role as Frank King and watching him respond to Hollywood intimidation with a baseball bat is pure funny "You wanna call me a pinko in the papers? Do it, none of the people go to my fucking movies can read!"

Trumbo was left off the majority of the big Oscar nominations because even though this is well produced film, its lack of depth is obvious. Cranston alone is one reason to see this picture, but this is also a heavy reminder of just how Hollywood got it wrong.

The Look of Love: Review of 45 Years

45 Years

Director: Andrew Haigh

By Alex Watson

45 Years is a powerful and moving story of a rock solid marriage facing the ultimate test. Director Andrew Haigh delivers a very subtle but effective touch and is supported by two stunning lead performances. The calm and serenity of the flat Norfolk broads help to elevate the mystique that surrounds Haigh's picture. Hard questions begin to get asked when an event from the past emerges and the very idea of how we loved someone is scrutinized.

Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and Geoff (Tom Courtenay) are approaching their 45th wedding anniversary. Their 40th had to be abandoned due to Geoff needing bypass surgery so they are keen to make up for lost time. However, a letter arrives informing Geoff that the body of his former lover has been found in the Swiss Alps after 50 years. Unsure of how to take the news Kate attempts to comfort and understand her husband's grief. What follows will put a hard strain on what was supposed to be a glorious occasion.

Through Haigh's picture, 45 Years its audiences are always second guessing precisely what occurred on that Alpine trail 50 years prior? Geoff and Kate are an ordinary and childless couple who have settled into old age well. When the fated letter arrives, it opens up a can of worms that give Kate cause to doubt her husband. Geoff is honest with her in his opinions that he would have likely married his old girlfriend. Through one segment when he voices his suspicions that his girlfriend seemed a little over friendly their tour guide, an element of mystique washes over. Within the space of days, this marriage that was so contented has a heavy fracture from which it will be hard to recover.

Haigh (who co-wrote the script) gives the dialogue a wonderfully natural feel and this pair are like any couple you would have grown up knowing. There is also a wonderful sense of humour to be found such as the pairs fruitless attempt to make love. Love is still there but Haigh lets the spark gradually fizzle down as the doubt sets in. Kate wants to believe her husband, but looking through an old set of slides from the fated trips gives a more horrifying idea of what potentially went down. The hopes and fears that they share together become more one-sided as time ticks on. Smartly, Haigh gives events a more sinister feel from the simplest of thing. Just why is Geoff rushing to the attic to look at mementos in the middle of the night? And just why does he want to go all the way the Switzerland?

The anniversary dinner has emotions charged highest in 45 Years because although the pair plays happy couple, below the surface it is likely a different tale. Haigh's final shot will stay long in the memory as in a long unedited take (one of many) we see a tidal wave of emotions wash over the face of Kate. Their dancing has become distant, their moves do not flow with the passion of yester years. Soundtracked to 'The Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' it is a hypnotic ending with a side of love gradually sinking.  What does this scene symbolize? The meaning of this will go on debated, but it is such an effortless yet poignant moment for a couple facing an uncertain future.

After deserved Oscar nomination this week, Charlotte Rampling is electrifying as Kate. Throughout she draws her audience into gradual disillusion and her performance is a masterclass in restraint. As her husband becomes more obsessed with his lost love, her smiles become forced and she begins to question how genuine their love has been. Courtenay also rings in a strong performance as Geoff and his buttoned-up approach gives a wonderful secrecy. Together the pair makes one of the strongest offerings you will see this year.

45 Years is a movie that any couple should view as compulsory because aside from being a brilliantly acted and directed drama, it will serve as a warning about the effect secrets can have on a marriage!

Any Human Heart: Review of Anomalisa

Anomalisa

Director: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

By Alex Watson

What is it to be human and to feel? That is the big question that Charlie Kaufman asks in his quirky yet heartfelt stop-motion piece Anomalisa. Ordinary life is put under the microscope and we ask ourselves about the emotions we experience, the feeling we have about those love supposedly love and finally standing out in a mundane world. Kaufman effortless puts together possibly the most human feeling movie of 2016 and through a limit budget, this piece shines brightly.

Michael Stone (David Thewlis) is a bored writer of a series of customer service books who is unhappy with the mundane feel of his life. On a business trip to Cincinnati, he checks into the fancy Fregoli hotel where he prepares for a conference he is due to speak at. During his time at the hotel, Michael finds himself meeting Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is different from other ordinary and similar characters (all voiced by Tom Noonan). Though unconfident and nervous, Lisa could just be the love of his life.

Anomalisa is a movie that changes the face of stop-motion in ways we could never imagine. Cinematographer Joe Passarelli's work deserves big credit onscreen. Love has a whole new look and Kaufman and Johnson use a unique human touch to bring forward to more emotional content. Meeting Michael Stone is an interesting experience because he is a conflicted man seemingly unable to interact with people. His early and strained conversations with a cab driver and a bell hop will ring painfully familiar to many. Early on his attempts to reconnect with an old flame end disastrously due to his inability to express his past regrets in any logical sense. His books that are adored by many professionals bring him no joy because he cannot bring himself down to a level where he comprehends things.

Meeting Cyndi Lauper loving Lisa is like a comet striking his earth because unlike the others she displays a more vulnerable yet sweet personality. Surrounded by the same similar looking individuals with calm, emotionless voices Lisa paints his world with a splash of color. The relationship between the two is beautifully tragic one because although the pair is maybe what each has been looking for, how does it progress after? These hard questions lead to some wonderfully funny and hard hitting scenes, such as Michael's excruciating later meltdown during a key time. A sense of solitude while living in a hard world comes forward and your heart is never quite the same.

Kaufman and Johnson are able to assemble a unique wit in Anomalisa and such absurd items as 'the meeting pit' and an animatronic Japenese sex doll are just a couple of rib ticklers. The pair play on the real life human difficulties and irritations, Michael's manic swearing while negotiating shower temperatures is one example. More than anything it perfectly exemplifies the questions we all ask in life. Through every hard goodbye or greeting and every failed relationship, we face some bitter truths. Michael is a man trying to make sense of it all and understand what precisely has brought him to this uninspiring existence? Lisa is a way out from it all, but will he be brave enough to take the steps needed?

David Thewlis gives what is perhaps his finest career performance. Retaining his distinctive Blackpool accent, Thewlis is the very voice Kaufman has been looking for to express Michael's bewilderment. A capable character actor in Harry Potter, Legend and Mike Leigh's Naked, Thewlis' voice alone brings things to life. Jennifer Jason Leigh continues her recent purple patch with an emotionally charged performance as Lisa. Downtrodden and unconfident, Leigh finds a spark of hope for the character to hold on and the audience's prays go with her. Tom Noonan playing each supporting character has a hard task in front of him, but he manages it with ease. Using the same mellow voice, he personifies the bland and beige people of Michael's world.

Anomalisa is one movie in 2016 that will really steal your heart. Things may end abruptly at the film's conclusion, but the questions involved will keep your mind ticking for some time.

RIP Alan Rickman

The film world today mourns the passing of Alan Rickman who passed away at age 69 following a battle with cancer. A true presence on screen, the British actor was a tricky adversary for Bruce Willis in the first Die Hard movie. Beloved by Harry Potter fans everywhere, Rickman brought to life the acid tongue Severus Snape with a marvellous unease. A capable actor in whatever role he was placed, his career saw him work with Ang Lee, Tim Burton, Kevin Smith, Richard Curtis and Anthony Minghella. Noted for an ability to effortless play both hero and villain, Rickman will truly missed by film fans everywhere.

Here are some of his finest moments

Love Actually

The stand out moment of Richard Curtis' Christmas piece sees Rickman's Harry attempt to discreetly buy a necklace for certain someone. What begins as a simple task of having it gift wrapped turns into something worse altogether. The frustration and anxiety on Rickman's face as Rowan Atkinson's Rufus's annoyingly precise attention to detail threatens to derail everything.

Harry Potter

As the forever bitter and self-loathing potions teacher Severus Snape, Rickman's casting was a spot of genius. A ferocious presence throughout the 8 movies of this series, Snape was both a cunning nemesis yet always seemed to come down on the right side. Many celebrated actors appeared, but none was quite as effective as Rickman.

Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy

In Garth Jenning's adaptation of Douglas Adam's cherished novel, Rickman's voice alone made this a great ride. As the forever depressed robot Marvin who sports 'an exceptionally large mind' Rickman's sour and downtrodden voice ensured hilarity. Coming across as that depressive co-worker you try so hard to avoid, Rickman was the strong link of Jenning's universe.

Dogma

An unlikely role for this man saw him appear as sarcastic angel Metatron who serves as the voice of God. Sporting one of the most different entrances in cinema, he lands the killer line "I'm as anatomically impaired as a Ken Doll!" Within the View Askewniverse Metatron is one of the most memorable characters due to his quick wit and foul temper. Never has God sounded so great!

Grizzly Man: Review of The Revenant

The Revenant

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu

By Alex Watson

Branded 'The Shoot From Hell', Alejandro G Iñárritu's tough slog has produced one of the films of 2016. The Revenant is a cold blooded but thrilling story of vengeance and survival which surrounded by Emmanuel Lubezki's gorgeous picture postcard photography will stay with us. The story of Hugh Glass is not easy viewing by any means but his determination shows the essence of humanity will to beat the odds and see another day. Sweeping the Golden Globes last night, this is shaping up to be an awards season favorite.

A fur expedition led by Captain Andrew Henry (Domnhall Gleason) runs into trouble when it is attacked by a band of Arikara Indians. Losing almost a third of the men, the survivors head down river and hope for survival. Their chances are compromised when expert tracker Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a savagely mauled by a bear. Left for dead by his heartless colleague Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), Glass has the odds stacked against him. What follows is an incredible story of survival.

The Revenant is an odds-on favorite for having two of the most breathtaking sequences of this year. Surrounded by a beautiful natural light, the camps opening attack is a rare breed of horrifying wonder. The moment the Indians arrive, chaos and disorder swiftly follow. Arrow whistle through the air like angels of death and men run for survival only to be mowed down. Lubezki shows he has earned his back to back Oscar wins during this moment and it sure gets the blood pumping. Glass' attack, however, is the real eye opener and never before has an animal attack looked so beautiful. Bones crack, skin tears and the man left to contend with a far worse beast- nature itself.

On the expedition, the men vary in terms of character as Henry is a stiff and uptight leader, Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) is a newbie to this game and his fear shines brightly. Fitzgerald is the real antagonistic force of the picture, a menacing, and self-serving presence the man will lying, cheat, steal and even resort to murder to get ahead. When Glass sees his Native American son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck) murdered before his eyes, it plants a seed of fury as he lies immobilized. After he is left in a poorly dug grave, the man is forced to literally drag himself out. His journey from there is one test after another in the wild and sees him having to fend for himself by catching raw fish and defying death by escaping down a surging river.

Iñárritu emerges as the real star of The Revenant because the little touches he makes elevate this about the ordinary man v nature picture. His use of natural light only and Steadicam along with his bold actions such as jumping into water to follow his heroes attempt to escape death are electrifying. We never truly learn Hugh Glass' backstory, but his spirit draw us to him in a big way. Continuously he defies the odds and his journey is one that is a tough watch but worth every second. Out in the wilderness and heavily injured, Glass is forced to go beyond human limits. We see him sleeping in an animal carcass, riding off a cliff to escape another attack all the while he never loses sight of the people who wronged him. It's the kind of intensity that makes the stuff of legends.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives a performance of such raw bravado that it makes the picture tick around him. With only limited dialogue, this is by far DiCaprio's most physically demanding role, but he is not afraid to play around in the dirt. What follows is one of the fieriest and committed performances you are likely to see. If this man doesn't take home an Oscar, I don't know what to think. The supporting performances are likewise excellent with Tom Hardy leading the way as half scalped bully Fitzgerald. A worthy villain for Glass to target, Hardy's malice hovers on screen even when he is absent.

Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu made his crew go through hell during their shoots in Canada and Argentina, but whatever risks were taken have given the desired result. The Revenant is one of the most hypnotic pieces of cinema you will see in 2016. Just proof that Iñárritu is playing at the top of his game.

Joy To The World: Review of Joy

Joy

Director: David O Russell

By Alex Watson

We are unlikely to see a more dysfunctional family than the Mangano's in 2016. Outside of Jennifer Lawrence's awards assured performance, Joy cannot find the spark it needs to ignite. This type of drama by David O Russell has an all too familiar feel to it and unlike his more recent acclaimed efforts, it fails to break new ground. The story of Joy Mangano is an uplifting one but has an undercooked taste and we never truly feel the pain and sacrifice of her journey.

Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) grew up wanting to be an inventor, but years later she is a divorced mother of two stuck in an unforgiving job and living in her crowded family home. Realizing that she needs to make her own life soon, Joy comes up with an invention that will revolutionize housework- a self-wringing mop.  With the market being difficult to crack into, Joy soon finds an unlikely ally in QVC channel executive Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper).

Joy is a movie that is about the determination of spirit and we see her as an imaginative child turned into a cuckolded young woman. Her family is the very description of problematic with her mother Terri (Virginia Madsen) glued to her soap opera's, her ex-husband Tony (Edgar Ramirez) still living in the basement and now her father Rudy (Robert De Niro) has been thrown out by his third wife. Her browbeating and squabbles with this lot feels too drawn out and after a point, it slows the story. Thankfully Russell shows some restraint and keeps the feud from boiling over. There are ventures into a rather bizarre and surreal avenue when Joy imagines her life being like one of her mother's tv shows. All this does, however, is diverted the movie from the path.

From the outset, Joy is a woman struggling to make her own way despite her obvious intelligence and business sense. There is a great story to be found about one of the really smarter innovators, shame is Russell doesn't know how to tell it. Her venture into the world of the home shopping channel is easily the picture's most entertaining. Neil Walker is a charming and encouraging presence and it is during this sequence that he helps inject some hope into affairs. Joy's natural charisma and likability are brought forward effortless during her infomercials. Though things are cringingly awkward and she looks unimpressive compared the better-dressed hosts, the against the clock feel works wonders. Desperate to sell over 50,000 units will her idea prevail?

Unlike the crucial middle segment, Joy is unable to recreate this feel as the movie's latter half deals with the struggles and threat of financial liquidation. Although the movie reaches its desired conclusion or interest has waned by this point. David O Russell has emerged as one of the finer directing talents of recent years, but this picture just doesn't feel like one that tests his ability. This man has a keen eye for the conflict within people and their families. The Mangano's have a love/hate relationship but it takes up too much of the movies prime focus which should be Joy's ascent to business glory.

Jennifer Lawrence is the movie's ace in the pack and through a controlled performance, she brings to life a woman clinging to a scrap of hope. Constantly put down but never beaten, Lawrence is the gutsy heart and soul of the character that continues to surprise. Likely to be a name among many awards lists, this woman is an actress who has already reached A-List status without breaking a sweat. Robert De Niro also deserves credit for a fine supporting turn as Joy's volatile father Rudy. Constantly sporting a look of disbelief, the man is a thorn in her side that can never be removed.

Joy is unlikely to gain much traction at awards shows but is worth seeing simply for the power of Jennifer Lawrence. Russell and co will be back before we know it and probably stronger for the experience.

Eight Misbehaving: Review of The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight

Director: Quentin Tarantino

By Alex Watson

Shot in glorious 70MM Cinerama, Quentin Tarantino's eighth movie is his strongest showing yet. The Hateful Eight is a lengthy task at over three hours, but the ride never once feels long. A blood splattered but hilarious outing, his Wyoming set mystery both charms and shocks at any given time. Confined the action largely to one room, Ennio Morricone's catchy score helps let the tension build gradually. Over eight separate chapters, this story shows the firm divide over Union and Confederacy and how violence is sometimes the ultimate authority.

John 'The Hangman' Ruth (Kurt Russell) is escorting wanted criminal Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to be hanged at the town of red rock. Fleeing from a looming blizzard he comes across former war veteran Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson) who is in the midst of the claiming his own bounty. As the storm worsens, the pair is forced to take on board the problematic Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins) who claims to be Red Rock's new sheriff. Taking shelter in Minnie's Haberdashery, the foursome becomes acquainted with four other mysterious souls. Among these include English hangman Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), Mexican Bob (Damien Bachir), quiet cowboy Joe Gage (Michael Madsen) and former Confederate General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern).

The violence on display in The Hateful Eight is a rare breed of thrilling, all the figures inside the room are each armed. With insults being traded, the N-Bomb dropped frequently and lines being crossed- one outcome is certain. What this picture does remind us of is what a great writer Tarantino can be and his script on display conjures a different surprise each line. Each scene or chapter stands out in its own way and each time we find ourselves second guessing events. The acid-tongued and unrepentant Daisy is the catalyst from the first frame. Destined to hang, she seeks to create us much of a nuisance as she can muster. Meeting each other in the snow, the mistrustful Warren and Ruth bond over a chance meeting years prior. Warren is a veteran with a questionable record but also has in his possession an alleged letter from Abraham Lincoln.

While stuck in the midst of the blizzard, the room becomes heated quickly and with no clear leader figure present, each man looks exert authority. The smallest details become the biggest as time goes on such as where precisely is Minnie and why would she leave Bob in charge? Gaps begin to appear in stories and alliances break as quickly as they form. Some stories told completely paralyze us, Warren's 'Black Dingus' story will linger in the memory for long after. Mannix is responsible for much of the core action. Swooping into the story with the energy and cockiness of an excited child, Mannix thrives on the chaos. In awe of General Smithers, his mutual hatred and secret admiration of Warren leads to an unforgettable climax before the stories intermission.

With some clever twists and back stories, Tarantino keeps the thrill factor constant in The Hateful Eight.  The words carry the most power in this tale and the verbal duals make this picture crackle. The thick animosity and mistrust that lurks between these eight souls are reminiscent of Tarantino's debut Reservoir Dogs. With no escape from the blowing winds and falling snow, each character is still threatening and cold even with bleeding from a gunshot wound.  Every man is for himself or are they gunning for Daisy? Constantly the suspicion is on each man for being in cahoots with the murderess. As the shots fly and the blood sprays (it wouldn't be Tarantino without it), our presumptions are left dumbfounded.

Of the series of fine performances on display, it is Jennifer Jason Leigh who makes the most impression. Like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, she controls each scene with a slippery malice. Odds on for a supporting nomination, Leigh makes the stories tick and is possibly the closest thing this piece as to having the main villain. Samuel L Jackson once again makes for fine casting by Tarantino and his trademark swagger electrifies events. Warren is a man stripped of his honor, but still is a man you wouldn't cross. Walton Goggins for the first time emerges as a major star and those who know his work from The Shield know his ability to antagonize. Coming across initially as a troublesome and hyperactive monkey, Goggins skillfully becomes an unlikely antihero by the film's close. Though his motives are always closely examined.

The Hateful Eight is the most enjoyable Tarantino effort in some time and thrills us like no other. Fine writing, unique wit and an array of capable stars, it will be hard to have a better experience in 2016!