Levelling Scores: Review of The Equalizer

The Equalizer

Director: Antoine Fuqua

By Alex Watson

The late 80's TV series The Equalizer provided audiences with a premise that was truly excellent.  Edward Woodward featured as former government ops man Robert McCall who atoned for past sins by helping people solve problems. After years of speculation, this series finally gets a big screen outing from director Antoine Fuqua. With Denzel Washington stepping into McCall's shoes, this promises to be a hard hitting bout! But just how will this sit with die hard fans?

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is former Government ops who now lives a normal life in Boston at a hardware depot. One night, a young prostitute Teri (Chloe Grace Moretz) who he has befriended is badly beaten by her pimp. In revenge, Robert kills the man and his associates but in doing so he triggers a war with the Russian mob! Soon notorious henchman Teddy (Martin Csokas) is on his tail and Robert is forced to delve back into the life he had hoped to forget!

Although overly long and suffering from some slightly wayward direction from Fuqua, The Equalizer delivers as a solid and often thrilling big screen movie. The action takes its time to kick in as we begin to learn the solitary life that McCall leads. Between work shifts and quietly influencing his overweight friend to become a security guard, his nights see him sitting alone in a diner reading classic literature. But when he sees a grievous crime committed, McCall kicks into a cold and calculating mode and becomes the hero that the movie desires. What draws us to him, is not his desire to see wrongs rewritten, but the calm and measured pace in which he achieves them.

Nothing is particularly new or different about the story, we have seen this type of vigilante with grudge movie a thousand times before. But on pure thrills alone, the movie succeeds admirably and the race against the clock feel serves it well. McCall as a character is one for even the most organized criminal to fear because he is a man with a set of deadly skills that are never ending. Even clever monster Teddy begins to break a minor swear as the bodies of Russian mobsters and bent coppers begin to pile up! Although there is slightly preposterous feel about the later events of the movie, we are willing to overlook this fact and let the story play itself out.

The noted OTT violence in The Equalizer does leave a somewhat nasty taste in the mouth, but you have to give Fuqua credit for the unorthodox ways in which he has people die! One sequence sees Denzel get creative with a corkscrew and another with a power drill. Action sequences in this movie are ones that truly excite us, even if there is an air of ludicrousness about them. Particularly as we view McCall wandering away at a casual pace from a massive gas explosion.

Robert McCall is a character that isn't particularly testing for Denzel Washington, but as always the man himself is very watchable and he firmly puts his own stamp on Fuqua's movie! Playing all the cool intensity you would expect, Washington ably demonstrates his ability to effectively carry blockbusters and to elevate a humdrum story to an acceptable level. In the supporting ranks, Chloe Moretz is underused in the standard hooker with a golden heart role while talented Kiwi actor Martin Csokas is once again stranded in another one note foreign baddie role!

While it not be one of this years most memorable blockbusters, The Equalizer still provides solid thrills for a good nights entertainment! By the end of this, it will make you wish that such a problem solver actually existed in your neighbourhood!

Three October Movies To Get Excited About

As we move closer to award season, the films that will be in contention are slowly rearing their heads. TIFF brought us a taste for what is to come, but now we are back to regularly scheduled multiplex showings. Here are my three picks for October!

Nightcrawler 

Dan Gilroy's suspenseful and pulsating Los Angeles set crime thriller has been a smash hit with critics so far. Telling the story of ambitious freelance crime journalist Lou (Jake Gyllenhaal) who becomes gradually more obsessed with the dark underbelly of his occupation which leads to him crosses a dangerous line! Gyllenhaal has been proven to do intense acting well and it appears that this could be one of his career best!

Fury 

War movies have always been a staple of award season nominations and it appears that director David Ayer could have a contender on his hands with Fury. Set against the backdrop of WW2, Sergeant Dan 'War Daddy' Collier (Brad Pitt) commands a fatigued Sherman tank crew who soon find themselves involved in one hell of a battle where the odds are firmly stacked against them! From the clips on display this could prove to be an exciting underdog stories with a firm heart to support it! With a solid cast including Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal, Logan Lerman and well... Shia LaBeouf this is one to watch.

Birdman 

Mexican maverick, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu returns next month with his comedy-drama Birdman. The revolves around fading star Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) who is synonymous for playing superhero 'Birdman' and his attempting to get his career back on track by staging a bizzare broadway show- only for his mind to slowly unravel! From the looks of things this could well be a memorable and dark comedy drama from Inarritu and most likely, a revaletory turn from Keaton that cleverly mocks his former turn as 'The Dark Knight' aka Batman!

Life at the Limit: Review of Metro Manila

Metro Manila

Director: Sean Ellis

By Alex Watson

When pushed into a desperate situation, any number of outcomes are likely to happen. Every person has their breaking point and in an instant our personalities can flip over to something far more sinister. This week British director Sean Ellis bring us a heart stopping tale set in the Philippines of a man giving his all to provide for his family, but learning some hard truths along the way in his film, Metro Manila. 

Oscar (Jake Macapagal) who after suffering from the low and impoverished life of rice farming, moves his wife Mai (Althea Vega) and their children to Manila in the hope of making better money. Soon after they arrive, the family falls prey to the cities tricksters but Oscar manages to get a job working for an armored courier company. His assigned to partner veteran officer Ong (John Arcilla) who becomes his mentor and friend. But soon, Oscar find himself caught up in a problematic situation where he will be force to choose between his morals and his instinct to survive!

Metro Manila is a thriller to savor from Sean Ellis and he bring us a wonderfully intense but also a beautifully conveyed tale of morality. Oscar is a man who is continually being pushed into a difficult corner and his problems mount throughout Ellis' picture to almost unbearable levels. We all know he is an honest man who wants nothing more than to provide a living for his suffering family. However, before long he is forced to shed his inner set of values and makes the choices that everyone is afraid to make. Oscar's beginning monologue sets the tone for things to come as he recants an old saying “No matter how long the procession, it always ends at the church door.”
 
The families move from the poor yet stable life of the countryside to the bustling hub of Manila is a real eye opener from the moment the film starts. Upon arrival, Oscar and Mai at first are enamored by the bright lights of the city. Soon they find themselves in squalid living conditions and the sparkle begins to fade away, underneath Manila reveals its shady colours to devastating effect. One moving sequence shows Mai forced to degrade herself by dancing in a strip bar while Oscar drinks shots with his new colleagues and gradually starts to cry! Both have been stripped of the dignity they once held and under the buzzing neon city lights, their lives are beginning to become strained.

A big shake up arrives when our hero is paired with jolly yet profound Ong who immediately jokes about the cities high crime rate and low life expectancy "This is the Wild West!" he laughs at one stage. But underneath the facade, Ong is a man with a great conflict on his hands due to the death of a partner (the flashback sequence brutally shows how deep his mental scars lie) and it becomes apparent that Oscar is a man he has been longing for on the job. This marks Metro Manila's transition to being a moving drama to becoming a blood pumping thrill ride.

Beginning slowly, the movies final act goes into overdrive, the real beauty about the pay off is that Ellis has involved his audience so personally that it is impossible for us to turn away! Oscar despite his intentions is soon involved is one hell of storm and although every inch of us wants him to give in and save himself, we secretly know that this is the point of no return and from here nothing will be the same again! The result is heart breaking but at the same point almost poetic in its resolution, particularly as Oscar recounts the fate of a man he once knew that was brought to boiling point!

Jake Macapagal emerges a real star in a brilliant central turn that hits all the correct notes. This man perfectly demonstrates Oscar's strife and this adds to his underdog appeal. Noted Filipino actor John Arcilla (who appeared last in The Bourne Legacy) is similarly impressive as the haunted Ong and he brings a slippery sense of trickery to the role which make it impossible for us to decipher exactly which side his friend/potential foe will fall down on?

Winner of three British Independent Film awards in 2013 (Including Best Film) Metro Manila is a thriller that we seldom see because it expertly portrayals the greed, corruption and exploitation that can occur within big city living and how sometimes, even the most innocent can be sunk by it!

Dark Side of Fame: Review of Maps to the Stars

Maps to the Stars

Director: David Cronenberg

By Alex Watson

The more recent career of David Cronenberg has been a real departure from his old 1980's insanity and of late, he has focused more towards the focusing on the problems of real people. But the results have not wavered in quality and films such as Eastern Promises and A History of Violence have shown a more honest yet brutally violence side of Toronto's finest. After a mixed reception at the Cannes Film Festival, he brings us his vision of a dark Hollywood in Maps to the Stars.

Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore) is a fading Hollywood starlet who is currently clinging to one final chance of fame by hoping to be cast in a remake of the famous 1960's movie that starred her mother. In the process of reclaiming herself, she hires the mysterious and burn scarred Agatha (Mia Wasikowska) a girl recently arrived in LA with a dark past as her PA. Agatha happens to be the daughter of noted psychotherapist Stafford Weiss (John Cusack) whose family is fighting the drug addiction problems of their 13 year old child star son Benjie (Evan Bird).

Maps to the Stars is an intriguing look by Cronenberg at the shallowness and greed of the Hollywood dream, but sadly it is a dense and rather incomplete one. The original script by Bruce Gadon seems slightly uncertain about where it really wishes to go and we are left with a rather messy criss-cross of story lines. Through the hauntingly shot cinematography of Peter Suschitzky, the movie is given a disturbing aura that makes this dream look like a nightmare vision, but luckily the movie has enough black humour and savage quips about the industry to be an enjoyable enough ride.

Central to the story is fame-obsessed Havana, who is plagued by belittling visions of her famous but sexually abusive actress mother. Here we have a woman who is still clinging her every aging beauty and is convinced that her ticket to fame is a vehicle that once carried her mother. Her age is a constant worry throughout Cronenberg's movie as she knows the roles will soon dry up as the clock ticks over. Havana is a creation that is a great example of tragic self obsession that is very real and painfully honest. Her furious reaction to one piece of casting news is truly frightening as we feel the bitterness flowing out of her like a hose on full blast!

It could be argued that the movie's true shake up is one that arrives in the first frame in Agatha. Arriving from Florida with her arms covered in long black gloves, this lady quickly attaches herself into the main characters lives, including wannabe actor/ limo driver Jerome (Robert Pattinson). She at first relishes the prospect of being Havana's PA but soon begins to learn that this one job that comes with a heavy weight. Throughout Maps to the Stars, Agatha is verbally bashed by the acid tongued actress to almost nasty extremes. Her relationship to her family though, is one that isn't fully explored and the movie loses some needed tension from this.

We are made aware of a tragic incident involving a fire when Agatha was younger that resulted in Stafford ensuring that she was put away. A brooding sense of hate and conflict is conspicuously absent from the story and gives this tale a rather dimensionless feel to it. The side story of mega star son Benjie who is a recovering drug addict has legs, especially as the spoiled punk's multi million grossing film allows him to throw insults at his suffering agent such as 'Jew Faggot' but feels more like a filler than a meaty chunk for the story to devour. The finale doesn't deliver a conclusion that satisfies all tastes and to many, this will most likely leave you feeling slightly baffled at its meaning.

Winner of the Best Actress at Cannes, Julianne Moore gives a tour de force performance as Havana and this could well prove to be the best of her career. Far from being more graceful with age, Moore magnificently portrays and wild and unpredictable monster whose engrossed yet self aware persona is gradually chipping away her chances for success. Mia Wasikowska is also equally impressive as the chatty yet enigmatic Agatha and effortlessly she holds our attention and at times sympathies as she becomes increasingly put upon by her new employer.

The males of the film are treated less fairly as John Cusack and Robert Pattinson are wasted in one note roles that are given little to draw us to them. Evan Bird scores highly though and his excellent portrayal the archetypical hollywood brat marks him out as a real talent to watch in future.

Maps to the Stars may not have been the accomplished picture that many had hoped for, but it does continue Cronenberg's fine run of modern day form.  This further demonstrates what a proficient film maker the Canadian has become in his 45 year career. Hollywood has never looked so horrifying!

Top 5 Benedict Cumberbatch Performances

After his movie, The Imitation Game won both mass critical acclaim and the Viewers Choice award at the Toronto International Film Festival, it now appears that the career of Benedict Cumberbatch has gone big time. Winner of Closer to the Edge's 2013 Male Star of the Year, the path to fame hasn't been a straight forward one. After solid appearances in movie such as Starter for 10 and TV's Small Island, he was very much a supporting player. But after some careful choices, B.C has now stepped into the limelight and as a result we now have one of the hottest British talents for some time! Here's a reminder of the roles that pushed him towards success.

Sherlock 

For the last three seasons, we have been glued to our TV screen for this version of Sherlock Holmes. Impressively bordering between brilliance and utter insanity as the famed 'consulting detective', Cumberbatch gives a great portrayal of a man who among his constantly ticking mind is barely keeping a lid on a dark and convoluted persona. But its the suaveness that he brings to the role that makes him so memorable and with it he brings a sense of humor that is truly unique and in places, makes him seem human! This would pave the way to B.C's path to glory.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy 

In one of his more recent supporting roles, Cumberbatch shone brightly as Peter Guillam in Tomas Alfredsson's adaptation of John Le Carre's book. A less showy role than he is accustom to, but his impact was still felt greatly and Guillam proves to be key to operation. But its his secrecy about himself that provides some of the real tension and he comes across a man whose fear is ever increasing in the spy world, but he is willing to stand by his word to make the breakthrough needed.
 

Star Trek: Into Darkness 

As fallen Star Fleet officer John Harrison, Benedict was one of last years most memorable villains. Conjuring up a great sense of lurking menace, this man is a force to be reckoned with and one of the most slippery captives you ever wish to keep locked up! Constantly throughout JJ Abrams movie he foils Kirk and friends. But it was Cumberbatch's brilliant and emotionally powerful acting during the movies well known reveal that cemented his place among the rising elite.

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug 

Here is proof that Cumberbatch doesn't need to be presence for his force to be felt! His voice alone brings to life the mythical Smaug the Dragon. Through his rasping and deep tones, he creates a magnificent unease and this contributes to Smaug having a more rounded yet greedy personality that is seldom seen in Blockbusters and has been one of the highlights of Peter Jackson' return to Middle Earth.

Atonement 

In a earlier and smaller role, Cumberbatch demonstrated his potential ability as the charmingand creepy Chocolate entrepreneur Paul Marshall. Restricted to just one key scene, Cumberbatch takes the opportunity with both hands and delivers a charismatic yet ominous appearance that gives a key indicator of the role he will play in the life changing events later on.

The Young & The Restless: Review of While We're Young

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

While We're Young

Director: Noah Baumbach

By Alex Watson

American director, Noah Baumbach is a different breed of film maker. In his movies such as The Squid and the Whale, Greenberg and more recently, Francis Ha, he has proven himself to be a film maker who never gives us characters we completely sympathize with but we are always drawn closer to. At the Toronto International Film Festival, he has brought us his new effort While We're Young which establishes the struggles an older married couple in the face of something new and exciting.

Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts) are a forty-something married yet childless couple living in New York. Their lives are soon altered though by the emergence of young and hip duo Jamie (Adam Driver) and his wife Darby (Amanda Seyfried) whose world they becoming increasingly drawn towards. But along the way, the couple begin to lose sight of who they really are and seem to strive to become new people. But amidst their awe and fascination, cracks begin to appear.

While We're Young is another funny and ultimately real offering from Noah Baumback and it efficiently tackles the issue of growing old. The movie begins with a cleverly placed series of lines from Ibsen's 'The Master Builder' where the character Solness expresses concern to his wife about letting a young couple through the front door. This foreshadows the story that follows it and Baumbach succeeds in giving the movie the off-the-wall but depressingly crushing feel of real life and relationships.

In typical fashion, the characters are not easy to warm to as Josh is a once promising documentarian who has wasted over 10 years making his think piece on America and its wars. Cornelia has suffered several miscarriages and is having trouble adapting to her friends all having babies when she feels her opportunity has now disappeared. Josh is a man who takes himself far too seriously, but yet he has a compelling desire to piece his bright future back together. Things are not helped by his strained relationship with acclaimed film maker father in law Leslie (Charles Grodin) whose style he has forever wanted to emulate but has become lost along the way.

The moment that Jamie and Darby enter their world, a bombshell hits as they are loving couple that likes all things retro such as VHS players, typewriters and quirky adventures on old subway lines. In spite of the fact that Josh and Cornelia are dazzled at how full of life they are, they cannot escape the fact that they are acting above their own years. In one scene, Josh attempts at riding a bicycle in a cool fashion, only for his back to give out and him later being informed he has arthritis! Although they begin to live again, the elder couple soon begins to question the world they live in and whether it is something they truly believe in.

Unfortunately although this is a raw and hilarious ride, things begin to go wayward in the movies second half and are not helped by some painful misguided comical moments such as bizarre religious ceremony where people barf out their demons into a bucket. Also Josh's increasing jealousy of Jamie's success making his new film and his desire to prove he is a fraud alienates him from the audience later on. But let's not forget everyone, Baumbach is never one to go easy on his characters in the movie's he makes.

Ben Stiller in his second effort alongside Baumbach does well as Josh. His usual sarcastic wit is very much present and it does prosper the characterization and gives a decent protrayal of a man who is chronically disappointed with wasting his gift. As Cornelia Naomi Watts is solid as usual as a woman almost drowning in her own childless world when all around her seems to be popping out kids! She also thrives on the movies more funny elements which showcase that this girl can be comedic when she needs to be.

Adam Driver firmly stamps his talent as one of Hollywood's new wave, fans of TV show Girls will be familiar with his ability to play hip yet mysterious characters and Jamie has been written just perfectly for him. His upcoming appearance in JJ Abrams' Star Wars movie will be one to look out for.

While We're Young is yet more proof that a Noah Baumbach film is a very different type of experience and will leaving coming out with a ticking brain and a belly full of laughs. In the long run this maybe won't be once of his more memorable efforts, but it will certainly rank as one that is more original.

Moment of Surrender: Review of A Second Chance

TIFF EXCLUSIVE 

A Second Chance

Director: Susanne Bier

By Alex Watson

Danish director Susanne Bier is quite simply, one of the best talents in World Cinema right now. Her Oscar nominated 'After The Wedding', the original version of 'Brothers' and more recently her Oscar winning 'In A Better World' have showcased what an original and observant director this woman truly is. This Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to attend the World Premiere of her new movie A Second Chance at the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre, which was proceeding by a stunning Q & A with Bier and star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau! Once again, this promises to be an engaging and heart stopping affair.

Copenhagen police officer Andreas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is a man whose life is complete with his loving wife Anne (Maria Bonnevie) and his new-born son Alexander. But in a moment, his whole happy existence is torn apart by tragedy. In a moment of desperation, he seeks a drastic measure that will not only alter the course of his life, but that of drug abusing thug Tristan (Nikolaj Lie Trass) and his suffering partner, Sanne (Lykke May Andersen).

Susanne Bier once again delivers well and her movie A Second Chance is a thriller that engages its audience throughout. My advice to all viewers, would be to not read any plot information before viewing its content because the less you know, the more shock to the system! From the moment we meet Andreas, he is kicking down the door of psycho Tristan to discover a hideously neglected baby lying cold and alone in its own filth! His honest mentality is pushed to the limit early on and his increasing inner conflict gives the movie a superb cold sense of dread.

When the key moment occurs, audiences will no doubt be wide mouthed in shock as Andreas makes his life altering decision. Although we scorn him inside for his ill thinking, secretly we empathize with it as well because with a delirious wife making some pretty severe threats and his hatred for losing what he has held so dear gives him a panicking desperation. Impressively Bier never once seeks for us to forgive Andreas for the action he has taken and as we watching him struggle to keep things under wraps we are forced to decide for ourselves whether he is worthy enough?

From there a gritty edge comes over A Second Chance and Andreas along with Tristan and Sanne are forced to keep one step ahead of the authorities to prevent a major storm from hitting. Each time either are in the room with one another, secretly we wince at each lie that is spun and each crack that begins to appear to the facade. Simon (Ulrich Thomson), another fellow officer who is an alcholic starts to join the dots and although we hope that his sobriety will wear off and he will lose himself once more in a haze, we suspect that he may be forced to bring his own friend to justice!

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau delivers well outside his well known Game of Thrones roots as Andreas and he smartly never once plays to the audiences sympathies. Throughout Bier's drama Coster-Waldau possesses a marvelous guilty conscience that draw us to Andreas and his frozen face is forever in doubt of his choices. But it is Nikolaj Lie Trass and Lykke May Anderson who unexpected steal the movie as the horrendous yet atonement seeking parents. Tristan is a bully of a man, but his steadfast refusal to go back inside brings out brains he never knew he possessed. Sanne is a woman who has become stuck in a bad situation, and her refusal to merely to be beaten into submission makes her the strongest female lead in Bier's picture.

A Second Chance is another fine offering from Susanne Bier and is living proof that she is one director who can give us a story that not only steals our attention, but can lead to our moral compasses being heavily twisted as a result. I recommend this highly, catch it at TIFF 2014 while you still can everyone.

Coast to Coast: Review of Wild

TIFF EXCLUSIVE 

Wild

Director: Jean-Marc Vallee

By Alex Watson

Numerous times in film we have seen people walking to get somewhere, and there are forever obstacles along the way. Just look at movies such Walkabout, Into The Wild and more recently the Mia Wasikowska starring Tracks. But the individual behind is always seeking a higher purpose and this route they are taking, can often be determining their course in life. French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee has this year brought us a stirring adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild which documents her 1000 mile trek along the Pacific Coast Trail. With Reese Witherspoon on board, this could be a journey of a life time.

After years of reckless behaviour, including a divorce from her husband, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) decides to walk along the 1000 mile trek of the Pacific Coast. Through this she attempts to heal the wounds of her old life and begin to find herself and become the person she had always wanted to be. But she must put up with several difficult obstacles among the desert and mountain terrain before completing her journey.

After his Oscar winning effort, The Dallas Buyers Club, Jean-Marc Vallee scores highly again and Wild proves to be a very prominent and beautiful filmed movie. From the Mojave Desert to the Forests of Oregon, this tale makes use of the immense space that it has to distinguish it from the more recent efforts. Combined with the stunning cinematography of Yves Belanguer, it effortlessly sums up the loneliness and isolation that comes with such a journey and what nerves and suspicions can come from such wide open spaces.

Refreshingly Cheryl isn't a woman who is running away from her problems, she is walking to change them. Vallee and screenwriter Nick Hornby decide against playing out her troubled back story in its entirety and only drip feed us moments of her drug fueled and promiscuous past. These images are presented to us as being like a horrific dream that she is only waking up from. But it's the tragic and premature death of her mother Bobbi (an excellent Laura Dern) that lingers heavily over this movie. Through her anguish and pain, Cheryl lost her way and she is now striving to get back on track to become the woman her mother would have been proud of. This may seem formulaic and awards tailored to some viewers, but Vallee finds a way to make this work and it gives his movie an air of lift towards it, particularly as we view the free spirited yet strong woman that Bobbi once was.

The perils of danger along her journey though are forever hanging on the air, and there are any number of stomach churning encounters such as rattle snakes, snow covered hills, raging rivers and in one frightening sequence, some drunken and frisky hunters in the midst of a large, lonely forest. A slightly nauseating opening sequence sees Cheryl have to remove a septic toe-nail onto top of a high ravine, only to have one of her trusty boots fall helplessly below! Experiencing these problems though only strengthen her resolve and for maybe the first time in life, she begins to come into her own.

Reese Witherspoon, despite being alone for the majority of this film gives a performance that is one of her best in some time. After some missteps following her Oscar win for Walk The Line, Witherspoon demonstrates that she has truly earned her critical praise with a determined yet sensitive turn. She doesn't seek to play Cheryl as an out and out victim of life, more a woman who looking to get back on the rails and begin living again. Whether she will be nominated for the big prizes will remain to be seen, but after this she hasn't certainly earn another shot at glory.

Wild is an adventure movie worth experiencing and gives more light to the talents of both Vallee and his star Witherspoon. This journey, like many before it is not a straight forward one, but it will certainly grab at your heart and refuses to let go.

Canvas of Life: Review of Mr Turner

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

Mr Turner

Director: Mike Leigh

By Alex Watson

When a Mike Leigh picture rolls into view, it is time for critics to sit and take notice. One of the great visionaries of British cinema from years gone by, Leigh has an uncanny knack for being able to convincingly portray the problems of every day people to stunning effect. This year, after a glorious reception at the Cannes Film Festival, his picture Mr Turner, based on the final years of painter JMW Turner has arrived at the Toronto Film Festival as part of the Special Presentations. Leigh has only once before ventured into a period drama with his Gilbert & Sullivan picture, Topsy Turvy, so will this picture be as memorable as his earlier ones?

Looking at the last years of great but unconventional British painter, JMW Turner (Timothy Spall) it explores such events as the tragic death of his beloved father William (Paul Jesson), his travels around the country for inspiration and his love/hate relationship with the public and the art world over his particular style of painting. But in the midst of his work, he will meet widower who Sophia Booth (Marion Bailey) will go on to be one of the changing factors of Turner's life.

Mike Leigh's Mr Turner is a movie that has thoroughly earned the plaudits bestowed upon it and gives us one of the strongest offerings of British cinema this year. This may prove to be a slow journey for some and the almost Dickensian dialogue will no doubt prove difficult for some to grasp, but those who stick with this are richly rewarded. Dick Pope's Special Jury Prize winning photography brings the film alive and give us a visual feast to gaze our eyes and convince us on numerous occasions that they are like works of art themselves.

As a man Turner is not completely loveable, but Leigh never intends this to be picture that glorifies him. He is a puffy, grunting individual who enjoys the freedom that his success has brought him. Through this he is able to venture from place to place and to bluntly speak his mind to any number of men at the Royal Academy of Art. His large belly is always full from the rich tables he eats from, but yet he has a confidence that never crosses over into arrogant territory and in some ways he is kind towards his rivals, such as debt ridden failure Haydon (Martin Savage), with whom he refuses to recall a loan!

But in many ways he is a man who is continuously seeking company and there is a strong sense of loneliness that accompanies him. In one scene he engages a prostitute, but upon seeing her semi naked, he bursts into a unique crying moan. Cleverly, we are not sure whether this over the beauty of art, or his horror at her young age? There are former wives such as the neglected Sarah Danby (Ruth Sheen) whose children he refuses to acknowledge as his own. He occasionally sexually exploits his faithful housekeeper Hannah (Dorothy Atkinson) but later falls for Margate based landlady Sophia Booth, with whom he strikes up a peculair but everlasting romance.

Mr Turner's strongest element, is showing just how dedicated the artist was to his craft, one memorable sequence show him strapped to ships mast in the height of a storm to be able to accurately paint one! His picture are spat upon for him to achieve the cloudy canvases that are tolerated by his contemporaries but sometimes mocked in unison by the general public. Even in his ailing later days, Turner strives to be creative and being denied of this sends his older self into a depressing spiral.

Winner of the Best Actor Award at Cannes, Timothy Spall turns in a mesmerizing and career best performance as JMW Turner. His zest at finally get this meaty role shows throughout Leigh's picture and Spall splendidly gives the famed artist a sense of sympathy among his harrumphing figure. A regular of his directors work, Spall at last makes the transition from solid professional to potential winner of major prizes! There are also solid turns from Dorothy Atkinson as his loving, yet continually overlooked housekeeper and Marion Bailey who puts in a just and believable performance as life love, Mrs Booth!

Mr Turner is an experience to remember to all lovers of Mike Leigh and artistically this a high for this man and we can hope to see it reap a deserved reward come the awards season. JMW Turner is one of Britain's great painters and he is given a rightful picture tribute.

A Dangerous Woman: Review of Miss Julie

TIFF EXCLUSIVE 

Miss Julie

Director: Liv Ullmann

By Alex Watson

Liv Ullmann is a true icon of both Swedish and World Cinema in so many ways. As an actress, the Norweigan was the centerpiece of a great number of Ingmar Bergman's masterpieces such as Persona, Autumn Sonata and Cries and Whispers. She had a presence that was unmistakable and she proven to be an influence to many actress after. She has also turned her talents behind the screen by directing Sofie, Private Confessions and Faithless. For the last 15 years though, Ullmann has been absent from our screens, but this year she returns behind the camera adapting August Strindberg's play, Miss Julie. Today I was fortunate enough to attend the TIFF premiere at the Winter Garden Theatre, complete with introduction by Ullmann herself!

Set in Fermanagh, Ireland in 1890, midsummer's eve is upon the region and all are out celebrating. That is all except the troubled and mysterious Miss Julie (Jessica Chastain), the daughter of an Anglo- Irish baron who has chosen to stay behind with only the valet Jean (Colin Farrell) and the cook Christine (Samatha Morton). As the night approaches, Miss Julie attempts to seduce Jean, leading them down a dangerous path and differences classes will come into play.

Ullmann's return to the screen is by far one of the most glorious and affecting of 2014 and Miss Julie is a work of immense power. Changing the setting from Sweden to Ireland, from the very outset, there is a gloomy shadow cast upon the house where the Baron's power unquestionable. Miss Julie is a person who people continuously wonder about and her recent erratic behaviour is starting to trouble people. Jean however, has no interest at first but as the night unfolds lives are gradually changed forever.

There is a highly charged sexuality to the feel of this movie and through Ullmann's skillful direction, the smallest gestures such as Julie silkily requesting Jean kiss her hand makes gigantic waves. Set largely amongst the mansion kitchen and bedrooms, lust and unrequited desire fill each room to unbearable levels. Jean and Julie are two people feeling trapped in life and this feeling of desperation adds a fantastic simmering tension as the pair are both fighting playing their cards right. But this also leads to trickery on both sides as each uses their sexuality as a weapon for different means and often to devastating effects. 

Class position plays a important role and this causes friction throughout Miss Julie. Our heroine is sneered upon by the other servants for being a snobby rich girl. But in one brilliant monologue, we learn that power is not what she desires and she in fact the cruel creation of the differing emotions of her parents and truly, doesn't not know love or happiness. Miss Julie comes across as a caged animal inside a large, empty house who is slowly succumbing to madness. Jean is the definition of the working man and all his life he has looked upon Julie's life with a sense of wonder and scorn and although drawn to his mistresses advances he also feels insulted by them.

Jessica Chastain once again proves that she is one the finest actress around today with an eclectic performance as the forementioned Miss Julie. Her presence on the screen is one of ethereal beauty and sheer fragility and she succeeds in wonderfully bringing to life what is a high complex role. Chastain steals our hearts throughly, particularly during the closing act when Miss Julie is literally brought to her knees in panic and anguish. Expect to see this name again come awards season!

Colin Farrell proves to be a just sparing partner for Miss Chastain and his performance could well be in contention for the big prizes as well. Jean is tricky fox to predict and oozes sexual prowess from every corner. But it is his inner conflict with himself that makes Farrell so memorable as he brings to light Jeans urgency to attain a better life, but fearing stepping outside the servants world because there is nothing else he knows! One of the more underrated big name actors, Farrell hits pay dirt with this part and deserves a large reward.

It may have taken 15 years for her return, but Liv Ullmann's adaptation of Miss Julie is not only destined to be one of TIFF's finest films, but of 2014 as well! This is one piece of work that is incredibly touching but also unbearably heart breaking, it may just be one of the finest bits of work of Ullmann's career! As a man who is practicing to learn Swedish, may I end by saying, Välkommen tillbaka Fröken Ullmann , är det bra att se er igen !

Under a Blazing Sun: Review of The Reach

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

The Reach

Director: Jean-Baptiste Leonetti

by Alex Watson


Imagine if you will, being stuck in the most unforgiving terrain on earth! You have no shelter and literally you are having to run and survive. Movies such as The Grey, Walkabout and Life of Pi showed us both the hardship and the psychological trauma that comes with such a journey. Yesterday (through some fortunate coincidences) I managed I secure a ticket for the World Premier of Jean-Baptiste Leonetti' film The Reach at the Princess of Wales Theatre! Set in the Mojave desert, this thriller has temperatures that are set to rise.

Ben (Jeremy Irvine) is hired to accompany rich and arrogant business man John Madec (Michael Douglas) on a hunting trip in the Mojave Desert.  Whilst they are there, John accidentally kills a local man while blindsided by the sun. Although horrified, Ben is forced to assist in deposing of the body when Madec blackmails him. But when he reneges on the deal, Madec becomes enraged and sets out to murder him by making Ben wander the unforgiven terrain exposed to the burning heat!

Despite a few neat moments, The Reach is a dull and pretty predictable thriller by Leonetti. Beautifully shot by Russell Carpenter against the scorching landscape of the Mojave Desert, this one element does succeed in making the unforgiving terrain as the ultimate enemy of the picture. Leonetti's thriller starts out interestingly enough, as we open on a scared and burned Irvine running frantically through the desert. When Madec is introduced, instantly he gives off a negative vibe with his expensive looking jeep which a variety of quirky bells and whistles. But although he looks the part, Madec is essentially just a gun touting version of Gordon Gekko!

When the cat and mouse game begins, the picture begins to develop a flat and uninviting taste. There is no real hint or menace or plausible threat in the interactions between the two men. When the big incident happens, Ben barely puts up a fight and then seems to willingly wander into the desert. After a while, Madec foiling Ben at every turn with his super vehicle becomes frustrating! Leonetti tries his hardest to raise this thriller to a competent level, but his direction in this one just feels very wayward and not helped by some painful comical dialogue by Stephen Susco, "Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, I KILL YOU!!!!"

Also the logic gets confused very early on in The Reach and viewers may find themselves sniggering in disbelief at any number of incomprehensible scenarios. For example, at point Ben whilst navigating a hidden cave, just so happens to stumble into the living quarter of a man he used to know! These moments would seem more plausible if the movie had more going for it, but in this case they just come over as very poor story planning. Also things are not helped by a terminally silly ending which even the most open minded person will have trouble swallowing.

Michael Douglas tries to finds his joy where he can as John Madec, but even he cannot find a rhythm to succeed in this moment. His character is one with a variety of tricks (including a loud speaker) but he is not able to command any real intimidation and instead comes off as a smug rich man getting his kicks. Jeremy Irvine is equally stranded in a thankless role as Ben. His character is not giving a quality that endears him to the audience and although a talented young man, Irvine spends majority of his time just running around revealing his torso!

The Reach is a movie that may have a name attached, but it is unlikely to get a wide distribution outside of festival screenings. Leonetti shows some visual flair but his weak direction cannot take the film where it needs to be. Though this may come in handy as a survival guide for those wanting to trek through the desert.

In The Name of the Father: Review of The Judge

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

The Judge

Director: David Dobkin

By Alex Watson

Returning home to your old surroundings is always a hard thing, because it always stirs up emotions and memories (sometimes even regrets) that you thought you had once left behind. We are never sure of the reactions that will have when we see our loved ones, but we hope they are pleasant. For my first Toronto International Film Festival, I was lucky enough to catch a gala screening today of the Robert Downey Jr starring The Judge (complete with an introduction by director David Dobkin) at Roy Thomson Hall. This has opened to some mixed yet positive acclaim, but will this be a TIFF 14 darling?

Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr) is a successful Chicago attorney who is forced to abandon an important case to attend his mothers funeral in Carlinville, Indiana. For Hank, this means having to re-establish contact with his father Judge Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall) whom he loathes. But when he arrives in town, a major bombshell is dropped when his father is charged with first degree murder! Forced to defend his fathers honor and reputation, slowly a variety of bombshells will hit Hank and he soon learns the man he hates could well be a very different man than he imagined.

The Judge is a movie that while very heart rendering and emotionally prominent, isn't quite the sturdy drama that we were hoping for. At the centre of the film, the father and son relationship is one that is very strained from years of disconnection. Hank is a character that has to fight to win our respect because when we first meet him, he is an arrogant hot-shot attorney who defends the guilty and is preparing to face a bitter divorce with his cheating wife. Joseph, a man of honest integrity openly scorns the man his son has become and rejects his help at every turn. Both men are equally as stubborn and bitter as each other, but now they are forced to work together and they resent it!

David Dobkin is a surprise choice for this type of film given his more comedic roots, and in places his lack of confidence handling this type of drama shows through. Our characters are never given the space they need to flourish and while tempers are frayed and tears are wept, it cannot help escaping the fact that Dobkin hopes we will look past this and be swayed by the heart melting content such as Hanks reconnection with old flame Sam (Vera Farmiga). I admire Dobkin for his efforts, and he his showing signs of moving forward and perhaps being a solid director. But this effort just feels too drawn out  to really be a contender for the big prizes.

Family matters play an important part of this movie and each member of the Palmer household is suffering individually. Older brother Glen (Vincent D'Onofrio) was robbed of a baseball career by a rash act by Hank, and quietly has suffered in silence ever since. Joseph however, is a man who mind and body are starting to betray him and his claim of having no memory of the night of incident, only fuels Hank's belief that the recovering alcoholic has fallen off the wagon. But as we frequently learn, things are not so straight forward and secrets will come to light that threaten to make Joseph's defense sink or swim.

While The Judge has its moments of great laughs and humor, such as Hank's excellent put downs on three hard drinking locals, it is the courtroom scenes that provide the real fireworks. The relationship between the two men is literally being put on trial and this is the ground they will use to make or break things. The introduction of vengeful prosecutor Dwight Dickham (Billy Bob Thornton), who drinks from his own retractable silver cup gives the proceedings the gripping feel it requires. The finale though, will melt even the toughest of hearts as Hank grills Joseph on the stand. What comes next is truly earth shattering! Prepare your bottom lip for severe shaking.

The element that keeps this film alive however, is the electric chemistry between Downey Jr and Duvall. Currently stepping out of his Iron Man suit, Downey Jr shows just what a versatile actor he can be as Hank. Thankfully, it is his underplaying of any number of emotionally charged moments that make his performance so memorable and he succeeds in winning over a once skeptical audience that Hank is worthy of our love and attention. Duvall, in his strongest and most featured performance in some time is a revelation. Joseph is a sour and miserable old coot, but the 83 year old finds the ground the work with to raise him up to a level that we can appreciate. A once proud man, Joseph has now been reduced to a decaying wreck that is on his last legs. Through Duvall, we feel this pain thoroughly.

While we had hoped that The Judge would be an affair to remember, it slightly misses the mark needed. The performances of Downey Jr and Duvall are most certainly award worthy. But it is let down by a rather formulaic direction and script. But on the affecting scale, this scores very highly and gives us hope for Dobkin's future in film. 

TIFF Schedule Update

So today it is finally here, the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival is underway!

On this fine day before I tread the boards of the magnificent Scotiabank Theatre, I am pleased to inform everyone that I have secured a place for Friday's Gala Screening of The Judge starring Robert Downey Jr and Robert Duvall at Roy Thomson Hall! This movie has been getting some great press in the last few months including some glowing praise for former Wedding Crashers director, David Dobkin so it could well prove to be one of the hits of the festival. So it appears that the first ever TIFF review on this blog will be coming to your screens sooner than anticipated!

Also on Tuesday 9th, along with seeing A Second Chance by Susanne Bier, I have also been able to attend a screening of Jean-Marc Vallee's highly anticipated film Wild starring Reese Witherspoon at the Visa Elgin Screening Room (where three out my five viewings will take place). Canadian director, Vallee is a talent on the rise so I am very excited about this chance.


Welcome to Ontario Film Lovers- enjoy your stay at the friendly film festival

5 Great Job Quitting Scenes

American Beauty 

As Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) boredly stats to his boss "For 22 years, I have been a whore for the advertising industry." But his exit is a masterclass is skillful blackmail and his ever increasing glee at the fantastic upper hand he holds over his smug boss, makes our hearts sing. This should serve as a prime example for anyone who has dreamed of going out will all guns blazing!

Wanted 

We have all had a boss like super bitch Janice, the kind who exploits the limited power she has over you to a level that borders on bullying! So when Wesley (James McAvoy) finally releases his pent up anger, he unleashes a speech that all of us have rehearsed in our minds over and over again! Also, he teaches us how a keyboard is a useful tool when dealing with any asshole 'best friend'

Fight Club 

 The Narrator (Edward Norton) sits down to what he hopes will be an formal job chat/extortion with his boss- but things don't go to plan he decides to get creative! What follows next is both a shocking yet awe-inspiring as his boss can only watch in horror as Ed beats himself to a pulp! Truly 'Jack's Smirking Revenge!'

Reality Bites

Out of all the job exits, Winona Ryder's one has to be the most original! Routinely belittled and insulted by self serving morning TV host Grant Grubler (John Mahoney), she decides to get revenge on him in the coldest way possible. Presenters take note, never mess with the intern who organizes your cards. You never know what they might decide to write down!

Jerry Maguire 

Sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) has recently had a crisis of conscience and it has resulted in him losing his clients and his job that he once held so dear. But as he departs, he makes sure that goes out in a desperate yet utterly rousing fashion (along with a Goldfish in a bag). He may make us squirm, but when that one person reaches out to him, our hearts soar!