One Giant Leap: Review of First Man

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First Man

Director: Damien Chazelle

By Alex Watson

In just four movies, Damien Chazelle has emerged as one of the most innovative directors in Hollywood. His Neil Armstrong biopic First Man now pushes him into the stratosphere. Capturing the sheer danger involved with the 1960's 'Space Race', Chazelle brings us an astonishing take on one of the most important historical events. Rather than get bogged down in patriotism, he gives us an authentic look at ordinary engineers trying to pull off a monumental task.

Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is a civilian pilot who is considered to be something of a wildcard. Eager to push the boundaries, Armstrong joins the NASA Space Program which quickly sees him set against other experienced pilots such as Ed White (Jason Clarke) and Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll). While his reputation will slow skyrocket, there are also several tragedies that emphasize the hard mission that lies ahead. What follows will cement his name in history. 

First Man immediately hooks its audience from the first frame as we see a young Armstrong as a test pilot. Bringing his vessel up on the edge of space, he soon gets caught in a nightmarish scenario as he continually rises towards the great unknown. The sheer tension and exhilaration is but a taste of what is to follow. Armstrong is a quiet and slightly introverted man who is reeling from a personal tragedy. Preferring numbers to people, this picture perfectly channels his dislike of the public eye but shows the sheer tenacity he brought to the job. Considered a liability in the air due to several 'mishaps' he faces some stigma from his superiors. Shot in an almost subdued colour ratio by DP Linus Sandgren, Chazelle lets the pace roll along slowly and gives his audience time to understand its protagonist. His wife Janet (Claire Foy) is wary of the task her husband is trying accomplish, but her fears and concern are loudly voiced.

The 1960's Space Mission was one of great tragedy and Chazelle never lets the audience forget the good men who lost their lives. The Apollo I disaster is the most horrific of them all and NASA at this point is literally playing with fire. As the deaths stack up, so do the fears of both the men and wives involved with the project. The director refuses to go easy on his audience when it comes to technical details and the mathematics and jargon come thick and fast throughout to give us a glimpse of how thorough and precise each person would need to be to prevent even the smallest error. The moon landing is highlighted as the main goal, but the movie's most unbearably tense scene comes from when Armstrong's Gemini 8 attempts a test docking sequence. Those how are claustrophobic may want to look away because never once does Chazelle take the action out of the crowded cockpit and rarely leaves the face of Armstrong and as the spacecraft spins faster out of control, so do the nerves all audience members. Set to regular composer Justin Hurtwitz's screeching score, any hope we have a relaxed and peaceful film vanish into the depths of space. During the sequence, there was no green screen involved and the reactions on the cast members are very much real!

As First Man nears its final mission, there is a sense of strain building as Neil is forced more into the path of the press. Unlike the more jovial and charismatic Aldrin, Neil loathes the attention and public scrutiny that the space race is considered costly and wasteful. The potential threat to their lives is made overwhelming clear.  One scene even sees Chief Deke Slayton (Kyle Chandler) is forced to listen to a death announcement pre-written for the Apollo 11 crew. When we finally reach the moon, the audience is finally allowed to exhale. This picture, however, always keeps Armstrong in its sights and it is a very fascinating portrayal of a man considered an All-American Hero. His bravery in the face of adversity is utterly enthralling, but few of us understood the personal cost it involved.

Ryan Gosling in his second outing with Chazelle perfectly channels Neil Armstrong. A fiercely private man with no time for silly questions or intrusions, Gosling shows us a man fighting an internal battle and having to keep himself in check when good men are dying all around. At times a surly and far too literal human, Gosling shows us a lighter side to his character around his family combined with an intense fear of disappearing into the great unknown. This could well be Gosling's year for Oscar glory. Claire Foy however, emerges as the one who wins the audience sympathy and as Janet Armstrong she captures the audiences growing concerns as her husband prepares to embark on a possible suicide mission. So frequently this type of character is underwritten, but in this piece, Janet is given room to grow and we see firsthand the toil it creates on her family life.

First Man is a remarkable piece of work about an event that was so well documented. At only 33, Damien Chazelle has already earn a place among the elite.

All That Glitters: Review of Gold

Gold

Director: Stephan Gaghan

By Alex Watson

Although it yearns to be this year's The Wolf of Wall Street, Stephen Gaghan cannot make Gold shine brightly. Matthew McConaughey's performance is very much what makes the film tick. Unfortunately, the movies relies a little too heavily on him for support. Years ago this might have been a thought provoking piece of cinema, nowadays it just feels like a run of the mill money drama.

Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey) is a prospector who is currently down to his last dime. Desperate to get rich, he flies to Indonesia on a whim where he meets mining legend Michael Acosta (Edgar Ramirez). Despite a tough start in the harsh jungle environment they miraculously strike Gold. As his name and wealth grows, Kenny soon becomes the focal point in a power struggle. With the feds also taking an interest will his luck hold out?

During the first act of Gold, you really get the impression that Kenny is the ultimate chancer. A boozed up and balding failure, Kenny attempts to keep his father company afloat selling speculative mining ventures using his outdated sales pitches. When he arrives in Indonesia the whole thing just feels like an exercise in futility. Although this sequence is key to setting up later events, Gaghan seems in a big rush to the important stuff. As the rain falls and Kenny struggles we never really get a good sense of precisely what is happening? When the big moment hits we merely shrug and say 'OK' to whatever is happening.

On the surface, Gaghan was the perfect choice to helm this project after directing Syriana and winning an Oscar for writing Traffic. Sadly he seems more interested in basking in McConaughey's glow that giving an insight into a intriguing industry. The later events feel like more like a formulaic rise and fall than a commentary on today's American market. While Kenny is raking in the dough and satisfying his nagging girlfriend (a thankless role for Bryce Dallas Howard), he also shows signs of greed (shock horror!). Big investors like Corey Stoll's Brian Woolf and Bruce Greenwood's Gold King Mark Hancock circle his fortune like a gull. His pride and refusal to allow his name to lose credibility are what will orchestrate his downfall.

The relationship between Kenny and Michael is integral to the success of Gold but yet Gaghan invests so little in it. Coming across as the wise and hard-working friends you would kill for, Michaels intentions are always a mystery.  Dipping in and out of proceedings his presences is missed whenever he is absent. Part of the issues of the story is that Gaghan seems to assume his audience is clued up on movies such as The Big Short. As a result, he dives headfirst into this story without giving us a chance to catch up. Although this tale of riches does have its moments, its lack of real drama and dilemma gives it a rather hollow feel. It feels like a movie made as a hail mary Oscar effort by its studio.

As mentioned Matthew McConaughey once more does his star credibility no harm and his efforts are sorely wasted. Injecting life into what is essentially a dull drama, McConaughey's Kenny Wells feels like a distant relation to Dallas Buyers Club's Ron Woodruff. Permanently sweaty and sauced up, Kenny Wells is the type of business man you move away from at parties. Edgar Ramirez also matches MM with a smartly downplayed turn. Michael Acosta is most definitely the smartest man in the room and knows it, he has nothing to prove and mend the fences Kenny breaks. Sadly Ramirez's performance hasn't nearly been the credit it deserves. One of the better supporting actors one day Oscar will take notice.

It feels surprising that Gold has been such a misfire when the hands making it were so skilled. It just proves that movies about wealth are not always a sure fire hit.

Hollywood Romance: Review of Cafe Society

Cafe Society

Director: Woody Allen

By Alex Watson

Cafe Society is an enjoyable but not particularly spectacular Woody Allen outing, he gets to grips with the golden age movies easily but although charming doesn't go deep enough. Boast a set of fine performances from consistent Jesse Eisenberg and the always improving Kristen Stewart, Allen sets up this doomed romance nicely. Vittorio Storaro's photography is likely a gorgeous and welcoming postcard through but aside from the glamour, there just isn't the hook in the story that should draw us in.

Bobby (Jesse Eisenberg) has recently relocated from his native New York where he was tired of working for his father's jewelry business to Los Angeles. Hoping to work for famous Hollywood producer uncle Phil Stern (Steve Carrell), Bobby is introduced to his attractive secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart). When his life turns into turmoil on the West Coast, the young returns to the Big Apple where he begins to run a nightclub, though the past keeps catching up.

It is easy to be seduced by the beauty of Cafe Society and when Bobby arrives in the City of Angels it is a breathtaking world away from his dreary Bronx life. Desperate to be involved in the Hollywood dream, Bobby is grudgingly given an errand boy position by Phil. While his attraction to Vonnie blossoms quickly there is a certain shock going on behind the scenes that quickly turns things south. Bobby is a sweet and honest young man and having his heart ripped out early makes him grow up very fast indeed. It is under the sunshine of LA where Allen's picture feels at its strongest and we learn lessons of love, relationships, and their eventual consequences. It makes us want to quit our lives and be transported back an era where stardom wasn't born on Youtube.

Moving the story back to New York both pushes forwards and stunts the grow the movie. Bobby enters into the nightclub business with his ruthless gangster brother Ben (Corey Stoll). Quickly his brother's violent exploits such burying enemies in a shallow concrete graves have them being closely watched by the law, though business thrives immediately as Bobby learns the to get over his broken heart through learning the ropes of ownership. There is a sweet, but not particularly fulfilling side romance between him and future wife Veronica (Blake Lively) who catches his eye and his heart. Our hearts glow while this pair gets acquainted but Allen loses his footing with the reintroduction of Vonnie. While they still have attraction, we're still not completely sure why Bobby is even still listening to her when she trampled all over his feelings years prior?

The final act of Cafe Society neatly ties things up in a bundle, though it does give some potent lessons about listening to our hearts. Although we find our interest in Bobby's new world going up and down, especially since Allen's engaging narration resorts to talking about the famous figures that enter the nightclub, we still hope that Bobby will find a way to reunite with his lost love. Allen smartly shows us how time is both a healer and also a destroyer, Vonnie knows she has made her bed in life and though she claims to love the choices she made there is also a big 'what if' hanging over her head. Happily married, Bobby has it all in the life, but underneath the successful facade, he is more like his continually stressed and unsatisfied Uncle Phil every day. Life is a cruel mistress, but through Allen's eyes, it can be beguiling as well.

Jesse Eisenberg gives what could be his strongest turn yet as the impressionable Bobby. Having lost points for his frankly embarrassing turn as Lex Luthor in Batman vs Superman, Eisenberg shows how engaging he can be with the right material. He doesn't play Bobby as a wounded puppy but as a young who has to learn life's lessons the hard way. During the first act, he gives this character a sweetness that goes all the way to the audience heart but gradually he gives Bobby a wiseness that carries him well in the later stages. Kristen Stewart is also alluring as the well-meaning but bad choice making Vonnie. Her time on screen with Eisenberg does sweep us off our feet but makes away from a near-devastating blow. A seductive yet soulful mistress, Stewart once more earns credibility post-Twilight.

Cafe Society is a good middle of the road Woody Allen production which make not blow you away but certain warms you inside.

The Littlest Rebel: Review of Ant-Man

Ant-Man

Director: Peyton Reed

By Alex Watson

Once more the Marvel universe reminds us just how entertaining and original their creations can be and Peyton Reed's adaptation of Ant-Man is another slum dunk. After spending time in development hell since 2006 (which saw original director Edgar Wright depart), the wait has been a worthwhile one and this year we have this summer's finest blockbuster so far. After the big and slightly overblown spectacle that has become Marvel's trademark, Reed cleverly mixes through formula's and delivers something delightfully new.

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a former technician turned thief who has recently been released from jail. Hoping to turn over a new leaf, he finds his chances limited as an ex-con. Out of the blue, things take a drastic turn when he is recruited by inventor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). Through this meeting, Pym convinces him to take on his old persona, Ant-Man. A superhero who can shrink to miniscule size and communicate with Ants. Seizing his chance to go straight, Scott faces competition from Hank's protege turned nemesis, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll).

Ant-Man is a gleeful throw back to old days when Marvel movies were just pure fun. An unlikely choice for director, Reed makes this movie part comedy, part action thriller and part heist movie. Together combined with a great leading turn makes for an engaging new hero. Scott Lang isn't the most original character this universe has created, but he is certainly one of the most likeable. At the centre he holds the movie together well as the shrinking hero alongside the world weary Pym and his dismissive yet intrigued daughter. Scott is a man whom life turned sour upon him simply doing the right thing (albeit overblown) and he was forced to turn to cat burgling to get by. In short, he is a man simply trying to get back to who he was and provide for his daughter. Over the course of two hours he is both a sincere straight man and wonderful comic relief that makes us pray for a sequel to come soon.

Story wise there is nothing really ground breaking, Hank and Hope's relationship is on a continual knife edge due her mother's unexplained death. Overlooked in her father's eyes, Hope both resents yet admires Scott for having her father's trust. Villain Darren Cross is a former student who is close to replicating Hank's precious formula for devious means which could have devastating effect. Hank knows the only way to stop things is to steal back his own technology. This section produces a new fresh look at how heists can be thrilling and watching Scott command his ant arm through water mains, cracks in the wall and all in between makes for excellent viewing. Reed here shows great vision and awareness that one may not have guessed from his previous comedic work Yes Man or Bring It On.

Thankfully Ant-Man goes against the Marvel default ending set in the air and instead delivers something all together more memorable. Together we see miniature sized Cross and Scott do battle in a briefcase (hilarious set to Plainsong by The Cure), a backyard during a barbeque and most memorable on the train tracks of a model train set. An unusually comic feel is brought over when you see a giant Thomas The Tank Engine come rushing forward, which looks big and imposing to our heroes. Moments later we see it gently drop to the side with a quiet flop. One of this summers more memorable and original finale's, this tiny hero is the everyman with powers we can all do with. If anyone was fearing the universe becoming boring and predictable, then one is a movie that changes the game.

Paul Rudd was a surprise choice for many, but he is more than up to the task. Bring across his great ordinary guy charm, Rudd convinces well as Scott Lang. Fans of his former work will known he has always been a capable leading man, but it now also seems he is comfortable anchoring a new franchise all together. In a underused but memorable supporting turn, Michael Douglas does well as the troubled Hank Pym. Used to his work being sought after for evil means, Hank is both worried father figure and fierce protector of his work and subjects. Also look out for the standard Avengers cameo, this one might surprise you a little.

Ant-Man proves that there is indeed room in the Avengers empire for the little guys (literally in Scott's case) and we now have one hero that could well breathe fresh life into this franchise. For summer's most fun and silly experience, look right here.