The Wiseau One: Review of The Disaster Artist

The Disaster Artist

Director: James Franco

By Alex Watson

Tommy Wiseau's 'The Room' is a movie that was truly awful. Savaged by critics, it opened on one screen and was expected to disappear into obscurity. Since 2003, a cult following has ensued and the movie holds a special place in the 'So Bad its Actually Good' category. The making of his picture was another story entirely and James Franco has come up with one of the funniest pictures of 2016. The Disaster Artist feels like the Ed Wood of the 21st century and Franco gives us the most offbeat character in Wiseau.

Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) is a semi-talented actor living in San Francisco. One day during acting class he witnesses the bizarre yet utterly fearless Tommy Wiseau (James Franco). From this, an unlikely friendship is born. Both attempt fame and fortune by moving to Los Angeles, but their severe lack of talent and contacts extremely hinders them. Frustrated by the Hollywood machine, Wiseau decides to create his own movie titled 'The Room'. His lack of experience behind the camera and his strange script will ruffle more than a few feathers though.

The Disaster Artist faithfully adapts Sestero's memoir. The story of the worst movie ever made is one that is a lot of love and respect. When we first meet Wiseau, he's a character with instant magnetism yet you feel a great sense of unease. Sporting an obvious Eastern European accent and looking like he's half asleep, question marks hover over him throughout. Where precisely does he get his seemingly endless supply of money? How old is he? Wiseau can give us laughs from the strangest of places "Don't look at robot crab, he shy!" Franco beautifully sums up his lack of talent and presence acting-wise. Frequently quoting and overacting Shakespeare, at one stage a famous producer (Judd Apatow) angrily tells him "You because you want it, doesn't mean it's going to happen!" suggests he become a villain. He may lack any kind of acting gift, but Franco respects his determination and his desire to become a star really draws us to him.

Sestero is a man with his own issues- although totally faithful to his friend this putting a strain on his relationship with girlfriend Amber (Alison Brie). Wiseau emerges as an insane genius during filming and Franco brilliantly recreates some The Room's most infamous scenes. Making full use of his heavily accented voice- the dreadful dialogue has never sounded better "URR TARRING ME APART LEESA!" From day one its apparent that this movie is a real stinker. Script supervisor Sandy (Seth Rogan) is the weary and frustrated voice of the crew as he picks apart some of the movie's many glaring errors. Fans of The Room will no doubt delight at this aspect. From Wiseau weirdly laughing during a supposedly serious scene to his awkward love scene where his 'position' makes everyone squirm. Although everyone tells Tommy to stop and to give up- he refuses to give in. The cast and crew are suspicious of this picture throughout and question and are confused what the movie is even about? Acting pro Carolyn (Jacki Weaver) is quick to point out that the infamous breast cancer reveal "Never comes back!"

Seemingly realizing his production is doomed- Wiseau soon becomes a tyrant on-set. Showing up late, refusing to provide air conditioning or water and now extremely jealous and petty with Greg. Tommy soon alienates everyone. Although he acts like a jerk we do hold a small amount of pity for him because he knows this is his one shot and it's going up in flames. The comedy aspect of The Disaster Artist is put on the backburner during the third act as Franco shows us the pain of art being misunderstood and the bewilderment of failure. He does provide us with an ending which is glorious in its failure. Showing us the disastrous premiere and the hilarious reaction of the audience members to this awful film. Franco also captures the spirit and the affection that filmgoers hold for this movie. A financial and critical failure upon its release- but despite this Tommy Wiseau has achieved his dream!

You couldn't have chosen a better Tommy Wiseau than James Franco. Superbly capturing his bizarre voice and his weird persona, this role fits Franco so well it hurts. Effectively channeling his softer side along with his more toxic one- this character comes across as a man with no quit in him. Coming up with moments of comedic gold, Franco is able to get laughs from audiences wherever possible and this might just be the funniest character of 2017. Brother Dave Franco also impresses as the more rational but equally talentless Greg Sestero. Against the unpredictable and often volatile Wiseau, Greg is the calm voice of reason whom his friend slowly grows to resent.

A love letter to the worst movie ever made The Disaster Artist is a picture that shows that sometimes even failures can make an impression. Remember to bring your spoons though!

Food For Thought: Review of Sausage Party

Sausage Party

Director: Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan

By Alex Watson

While this does have the odd chuckle thrown in for good measure, Sausage Party isn't quite the laugh a minute affair many would expect. At first, this rowdy and raunchy supermarket comedy is amusing but before long the innuendo jokes begin to reach their expiry date. In the later stages, directors Conrad and Tiernan do show some great maturity and restraint on the level of humour, but its poor taste of food stereotypes makes it lose points.

Frank (Seth Rogan) is a hot dog who along with his friend Carl (Jonah Hill) and stumpy friend Barry (Michael Cera) live inside a package within a supermarket. On the Fourth of July, he is delighted when he and his bun girlfriend Brenda (Kristen Wiig) are chosen by a shopper are destined for the mythical 'Great Beyond'. When the encounter a traumatized jar of Honey Mustard (Danny McBride) the group finds themselves separated. Soon some bitter and traumatic truths come forward when the discover precisely what happens to them in the real world.

Sausage Party is the first ever R-rated animated movie and for those who like rude jokes and unashamed potty humor, this is right up your street.  Opening with a song and dance number that ranges from funny to downright bizarre, this sets the tone. When Honey Mustard shatters Frank and Brenda's delightful hopes and jumps to his death, things turn into a battle scene replica which does tickle the ribs when you see Peanut Butter crying to a jar of jam "I'm nothing without you!" From there, things dissolve into a variety of food-related puns as we meet Salma Hayek's Taco character who has an especially close eye on Brenda, David Krumholz's grumpy Middle Eastern bread Vash and Edward Norton's Sammy Bagel Jr.

Vernon and Tiernan seem of the opinion that if they drop the F-Bomb as frequently as possible it will guarantee laughs. Here, it often falls flat and after a time just becomes tedious and its lack of subtly hinders what could have been something great. There are some glimmers of hope like the hilarious character Douche (Nick Kroll) , who is an actually a Douche. A funny and relevant Italian-American stereotype, watching him get juiced up on juice is very hilarious. His quest for vengeance against Frank for ruining his chance at the great beyond is endlessly watchable. The moment where Barry and friends are at the same shoppers home are smartly played. Watching an Irish potatoes horror as the human rips down the peaceful facade by peeling him makes way to some horror film like moments as we see Nachos being made and carrots wailing in pain at being shredded. Moments like these are rare and it is during these sequences where the most comedy is found.

Sausage Party tries to engage with the idea of people believing in something higher and what it really means to be human? Meeting Firewater (Bill Hader) an old bottle of spirits breaks ground on the real truths of the supermarket, but doesn't raise any sufficient laughs. Also stranded is a wad of gum that looks and sounds like Stephen Hawking. In the right hands and deft comic touch this movie really could have been far stronger, here were stuck with German mustard resembling the Nazi's and such flat lines as "Ketchup, catch up!" When the movie morphs into an extended food orgy scene, those weary of the constant sex references will be sighing internally. It's not to say that this film will be one of the worse that will be reviewed this year, just it could have been toned down rather than just go for all out explicitness.

Seth Rogan is able to bring his usual lazy charm to the role of Frank but neither he or Kristen Wiig are stretching themselves by doing this type of role. You can see the appeal for a whole range of Hollywood stars to get paid handsomely by talking dirty all day. Edward Norton's voice is nearly unrecognizable as he sounds closer to Eugene Levy or Woody Allen. Nick Kroll steals the show as the mad and bad Douche, who now has a thirst for revenge. Michael Cera's naive charm as Barry does make us smile, particularly when he meets James Franco's junkie whose high on bath salts.

Sausage Party will satisfy some tastes, but others will probably spit this food right out. Overall this could have been given a little more flavor.

The Innovator: Review of Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

Director: Danny Boyle

By Alex Watson

Although it lacks the needed back story about the rise of one of this centuries greatest innovators, Steve Jobs is still a fine picture by Danny Boyle. Aided by a typical talkative Aaron Sorkin script, events play out like more of a three act play than a cinematic piece. Jobs is not made out as likable by any means but his dedication and ambition to his craft is always admirable. His relationship with those around him however, gives his life a more strained feel.

Examining three very significant events in the life of Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) such as the release of the ill-fated first Apple Macintosh which would lead to his dismissal. Through these moments we witness the fiery determination and the towering ego which although brought him worldwide admiration, also alienated him from those closest to him. 

Steve Jobs gives us a breathless opening inning where the clock counts down to the first launch of the Apple Mac in 1984. Jobs is fiercely determined to make his beloved machine speak 'Hello' to its audience. On display in this sequence is a complex array of emotions as Jobs berates, charms and threatens his 'Work Wife' Joanna Hoffman (A terrific Kate Winslet) and engineer Andy Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlbarg). In this sequence we also gain a window into his human side and more importantly, his stubbornness. Jobs refuses to accept that his daughter Lisa is his child even though it has been proven. Her mother Chrisann (Katherine Waterston) cannot fathom the reason for this rejection and Jobs clings to the same algorithm that 28% of population could be the father. 

Danny Boyle doesn't set out to make Jobs any kind of Martyr figure and in truth he is both hero and villain combined. Despite warnings from Joanna such as “If you keep on alienating people for no reason, there will be no one left to say ‘Hello!’Jobs' ego makes him pay the greatest price. After he irreparably strains his relationship with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogan) and CEO John Sculley (Jeff Daniels) due the failure of the Mac and his refusal to acknowledge the success of the Apple II- he is inevitably forced out. Rather painting this as a revenge or redemption piece, Boyle instead focus on the man himself. Through this he lifts the lid and reveals the self-doubt that Jobs feels within himself, perhaps brought on by his adoption as a child. 

For all its merits, it does feel disappointing that Steve Jobs only focuses on the early years and not the breakthrough products such as the iPad. We are only briefly given windows into the early life of Jobs which although provided momentary glimpses of a far different man is not nearly enough. Boyle focuses on the technical innovation that made this man an almost god like figure to the people who brought products. Jobs believed that computers should almost be as a friendly as people themselves and his perfectionism that angered colleagues was because he believed something . There are subtle hints towards the future products that would cement the Apple name, such as his preference for all rectangle corners be rounded. In the end, Boyle does a great job of making a difficult persona into something fascinating. 

As the man himself, Michael Fassbender proves the perfect jobs as the Apple impresario. Effectively channeling his insecurities with himself along with his sophistry, Fassbender holds the movies centre with such force that eclipses all others. By far one of the best leading men this year, this could be movie another Oscar nod coming right up. Kate Winslet refuses to get upstaged by Fassbender and rings in her own fine turn as the dry humoured Hoffman. In a dowdy and more low key performance, Katherine Waterston wins the most sympathy as Chrisann Brennan, a woman struggling to raise the very daughter that Jobs frequently rejects. 

Steve Jobs might not be a movie for everyone to appreciate, but the sheer power of its central performance lights up the picture. David Fincher may have rejected the chance to bring Jobs to the screen, but Danny Boyle has proven to the perfect man to do so.