Little Women

After hearing the announcement of the cast featuring Saoirse Ronan, Timotheé Chalamet, Laura Dern, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Meryl Streep I became very excited. The director Greta Gerwig is one of the only female directors to be nominated for an Oscar for Lady Bird. That was a film I also absolutely loved and it also starred Saoirse and Timotheé. As Laurie and Jo, the pair were just stunning. Every little movement and look heightened the possibility of a love story between the two.

This film really means a lot to me for a number of reasons so this review was always going to be a love letter to Little Women but after seeing the film yesterday, I was truly moved and surprised by the version I saw. This will contain spoilers as it has been out for a while so turn back now if you want to watch in the future although the story has been around for 150 years.

Years ago I tried to read the book of Little Women but gave up due to the complex language. However, after seeing the BBC adaptation at Christmas, a couple of years ago starring Maya Hawke, Kathryn Newton and Michael Gambon, I fell in love with the story. The strength in all of the sisters living in the times they did but managing to be such strong characters was something I really cherished. The fact that it was published in the 1860s in a time when women were not particularly valued as authors really shows the power of the little women.

After hearing the announcement of the cast featuring Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Meryl Streep I became very excited. The director Greta Gerwig is one of only a few female directors to be nominated for an Oscar for Lady Bird. That was a film I also absolutely loved and it also starred Saoirse and Timothée. As Laurie and Jo, the pair were just stunning. Every little movement and look heightened the possibility of a love story between the two.

The story of Little Women follows four sisters: Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth March in 1850s America. The Civil War is raging during their childhood with their father away fighting. They live in a modest house in Concord, Massachusetts with their mother, Marmee (Dern) and their maid, Hannah (Jayne Houdyshell). They are restricted by society at the time of how a woman should present herself and do with her life i.e. get married and have children. They often lament at being poor compared to their friends and others but are soon put in their place after helping out a local family with 5 young children living in one room.

Each sister has their own story, Jo is boyish and doesn’t want to marry. She loves writing and is constantly writing plays for her sisters to act in. Jo is also the main character of the story as it is mainly told from her perspective. Jo’s dream is to live in New York and become a novelist.

The next sister is Amy. She is younger than Jo and Meg and is annoyed at being treated as a baby all the time. For example, she is not allowed to go with Meg and Jo to a dance. She has aspirations of becoming an artist as she loves to paint. She is also cultured and is in ways the smartest sister. She is picked to go to Paris with Aunt March as she knows French and is a good companion.

The sister with perhaps more humble aspirations is Meg (Watson). We hear from Jo of her dreams to be an actress and Jo even suggests running away together but Meg corrects her that she wants to be a wife and live a quiet, happy life. Meg is the oldest sister and often goes to balls or dances which is required to hopefully meet an eligible rich man to marry.

The youngest and most fragile of the sisters is Beth (Eliza Scanlen). She is not interested in finding anyone and her biggest dream is for all of them to be together. She has skills at the piano and Mr Laurence (Chris Cooper) is taken to Beth and even gives her his grand piano. Beth is the kindest and least selfish sister. She even gets scarlet fever visiting the poor family when her sisters keep forgetting.

Laurie played by Timothée Chalamet is a character that interacts with every sister in a way. He lives next door to the March Family with his grandfather. From meeting Jo and Meg at a dance he is enamoured with Jo. She is bold and fierce and cares deeply. They become best friends but Jo never sees him that way. He becomes more relaxed and even angry when he meets Amy in Paris after being rejected by Jo. His nature is a caring one but has a temper that can match Amy’s. Not having any women in his life draws him to the March family and their business. There are many scenes where the sisters are all talking at once but understanding each other. Timothée and Saoirse have great chemistry from playing love interests in Lady Bird so it is not hard to imagine them together as Jo and Laurie which is needed as the audience need to believe in the potential of Jo and Laurie ending up together.

Marmee is a a character that encompasses all the sisters. Greta Gerwig said in an interview that a part of Marmee’s character went to each sister. Her anger at life to Jo, her caring nature to Beth, her desire to be a wife and mother to Meg and her boldness to Amy. Laura Dern is a very dynamic actress and I loved her portrayal of Marmee.

Meryl Streep was brilliant as Aunt March, her comic timing and straight talking brought an authority to Aunt March who acted as a role model to the girls especially Amy and Jo who often sat with their aunt. She never held back any thoughts which was unusual for a woman of the time and she also never married which was even more unusual. There’s a great part where Jo is trying to sell her novel to her publisher and he insists that if the main character is a woman she must be married or dead by the end. That was how society saw a woman’s place in that part of the world.

Greta’s interpretation of the story surprised me as it was not told traditionally. We started with the girls in their adulthood, Jo in New York, Meg married with children, Beth sick and Amy in Paris. The film then went back and forth between the glow of their childhood and the coldness of their adulthood. A few moments that really moved me were Beth’s death, Jo rejecting Laurie, Jo seeing her book ‘Little Women’ being printed, Meg getting married, Laurie finally choosing Amy and the ending where the sisters are all together at Aunt March’s house now turned into a school.

All of the actors were very good at their roles and two have been nominated for Oscars – Florence Pugh for her fierce and bold portrayal of Amy and Saoirse Ronan for her feisty and tempestuous role as Jo.

I think this film will become a classic in the days to come and a masterclass in how to take a well-known, well-portrayed tale and weave it into an emotional, dramatic performance that leaves you feeling like you have lived as a March sister in their house in Concord. Overall I give this film 5/5.

Golden Globes 2020 – What’s Worth Watching

I am going to review the nominations for this year’s Golden Globes that I have seen at least one film in that category. It is fair to only review the films that I have seen, to give an honest opinion. I am going to focus on the film nominations as I have not seen many of the television shows due to them only being available on US TV or streaming services that I am not subscribed to. The films that are highlighted are the winners.

I am going to review the nominations for this year’s Golden Globes that I have seen at least one film in that category. It is fair to only review the films that I have seen, to give an honest opinion. I am going to focus on the film nominations as I have not seen many of the television shows due to them only being available on US TV or streaming services that I am not subscribed to. The films that are highlighted are the winners.

Best Film – Drama

The Irishman – This film reminded me of the Godfather and Goodfellas, classic gangster films. This is not my sort of film but I did enjoy it despite the 3.5 hour run time. The world of the film was created very well and the ageing and de-ageing of the actors was interesting to see.

Marriage Story – A powerful story about an amicable couple dealing with separation and managing parenting whilst living on opposite coasts of the US. I enjoyed this film despite the brushing aside of the husband’s adultery.

The Two Popes – This film depicted a world I have experienced yet seeing it from the point of view of the Popes showed a different side to the religion. Delving into the back stories and seeing them as actual people added amazing depth to the story. Archival footage enhanced the reality of the film.

Best Actress in a Film – Drama

Renée Zellweger – Judy – I saw this film for my birthday last year and Renée’s performance as Judy Garland was outstanding. I loved the Wizard of Oz as a child and seeing what happened to her was emotional. A deserved win.

Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story – A role that Scarlett hasn’t played for a while, I have recently seen her as Black Widow or in comedies but she was a standout in the film.

Charlize Theron – Bombshell – I recently saw this film and will be doing a separate review on my blog. I thought Charlize’s performance as Megyn Kelly was brilliant. She captured the essence of the character very well.

Best Actor in a Film – Drama

Christian Bale – Ford vs Ferrari (Le Mans ’66) – I loved this film and Christian’s performance as racing legend Ken Miles was captivating and his accent was accurate. He doesn’t normally do this sort of role but I think he should do more like it.

Adam Driver – Marriage Story – Having recently seen Adam in Star Wars, his performance in Marriage Story was a complete 180 degree turn. I thought he was great and opposite Scarlett made a convincing self-centred theatre director.

Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes – His performance as Pope Francis was inspired and I think his mannerisms and accent were accurate and he made Pope Francis into a 3D character rather than simply the figurehead of the Church.

Best Film – Musical or Comedy

Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood – I don’t think of this film as a musical or comedy and I’m not a big fan of Tarantino. I liked the setting of the film but I thought the ending was too violent in true Tarantino style and Margot Robbie wasn’t utilised enough.

Knives Out – An amazing, detailed murder mystery with top quality acting. This film was one of my top of 2019 and hopefully I will be seeing it again soon. I think this film deserved to win although I don’t think I would call it a comedy either.

Rocketman – Another amazing film depicting the life of Elton John. The songs were amazing as well as the acting. I had no idea of the pain and hardship that Elton went through and I would now call myself an Elton John fan. Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton’s mother was a standout.

Dolemite is My Name – An unusual choice for best film. I saw this recently and after initially dismissing it, I stuck with it and actually really enjoyed it. When Dolemite started to make a film with his friends and some UCLA students is when I started to get into it. I loved that it told Rudy Ray Moore’s true story.

Best Actress in a Film – Musical or Comedy

Ana De Armas – Knives Out – Her role as Harlan Thrombey’s nurse was some of the best acting in the film and I think Ana De Armas is going to be a really big name. I look forward to seeing her win big in the future.

Best Actor in a Film – Musical or Comedy

Taron Egerton – Rocketman – The best performance of his career. Taron and Elton have a very special bond which shines through in Taron’s portrayal of Elton. Their appearance is more similar than I realised when they acted together in the second Kingsman film. I am very glad that Taron won.

Daniel Craig – Knives Out – A role we don’t usually see Daniel play but he brought a real authority and prowess to the detective. It was jolting at first to hear his Southern drawl but I have seen him with this accent in Logan Lucky.

Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood – I would say this was a comeback role for Leo and he did very well. These days he appears to lend his name to only projects he feels passionate about, choosing to focus most of his energies on his environmental work.

Eddie Murphy – Dolemite is My Name – One of the best of his career, Eddie’s performance was dramatic, funny, easy to empathise with and echoes something of his own personality. He portrayed the characters emotional highs and lows very well.

Best Supporting Actor in a Film

Brad Pitt – Once Upon A Time … in Hollywood – Brad’s perfromance was the best of the film in my opinion. His relaxed and jaded character reminded me of Brad at his best. Another comeback role in this film.

Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes – I have not seen many films where Hopkins plays the lead character. At this stage in his career, he is usually a side character. Seeing him in this role was a change for me and I thought he did well.

Al Pacino – The Irishman – Another comeback role for Al and one that echoes the great roles he has acted in. The ferocity and ruthlessness he brought to Jimmy Hoffa made the gangster come to life.

Joe Pesci – The Irishman – I haven’t seen Joe in many films due to him only having 6 roles in the last 20 years. The films I recognise him from are Home Alone 1 & 2. I thought he was very good as he has not done much acting in over two decades.

Best Score – Film

Marriage Story – I must admit I didn’t take note of the score while watching this film but as the film as a whole was exciting and emotional, the score probably enhanced this.

Best Director

Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood – I am not a big fan of Tarantino as a director but I think he has done well with this film. The world he created in the film echoed the spirit of 60s Hollywood.

Martin Scorsese – The Irishman – Scorsese always directs big spectacles and isn’t afraid of a long run time. His handling of the film was very good and I am not surprised he was nominated.

Best Song – Film

I’m Gonna Love Me Again – Rocketman – This song was sung by Elton John and Taron Egerton. I think it sums up the tone of the film, learning to love yourself and I think it is one of my favourite songs from the film.

Beautiful Ghosts – Cats – Possibly the only good thing about this confusing, mind-altering film, this song written by Taylor Swift and Andrew Lloyd Webber is hauntingly lovely. I don’t think it was featured in the film enough as a character sang perhaps one or two verses.

Into the Unknown – Frozen II – I quite enjoyed this film, a worthy sequel and there were some funny adult innuendos. This song was very powerful and was featured in a key moment of the film.

Spirit – The Lion King – I was not enamoured with this CGI remake of the children’s classic and nodded off a little during the part of the film that Spirit was in. Listening to it again now, I am glad it wasn’t a winner. I am not a big fan of Beyoncé anyway but I don’t think the song was as powerful as the others nominated.

Best Supporting Actress in a Film

Laura Dern – Marriage Story – Laura Dern’s role as Nicole’s lawyer, Nora Fanshaw was one of the best of her career. It is not a role I have seen Laura typically play but I thought she was one of the best characters in the film. Her win was well deserved.

Margot Robbie – Bombshell – In interviews, Margot has said that she is only playing roles that are empowering to women so when I saw her as Kayla, a fictional victim in the Roger Ailes Fox News Scandal, I was perplexed. I then considered how important it is to show this story and that only by showing the scandal, that the story can get out. Her role was very good and her character became more complex as the film progressed.

Best Film – Animated

Frozen II – I saw this with some friends as part of a society I am involved in at university. I wasn’t expecting too much from it as a children’s film but it was actually a fun watch with Kristoff’s boy band song as a personal highlight. The songs from the first film are more catchy but I liked the plot of this one better.

The Lion King – I prefer the original 1994 animation but the CGI in this film was amazing. Very life-like. The director, Jon Favreau included a real shot at the beginning of the sun rise to see if anyone would notice. I think if I watched this film when I am more awake and there isn’t a small child in the same row talking the whole way through, I might enjoy it more.

Toy Story 4 – It is unusual that a third sequel of a film still holds the magic but in this instance it does. The story was perfect for those who have grown up with the franchise and the toys were all still the same. I even shed a tear or two at the end. A worthy nominee.

Best Screenplay – Film

Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood – I didn’t find the screenplay particularly inspiring. The set decoration and costumes to me were the best part of the film and not the script. Margot didn’t really have any lines and nothing has stuck with me. I would say that the other nominees deserved to win more.

The Irishman – A well-written script that provided a good base for the actors. I liked the way it was told as a flashback, cutting to an elderly Robert De Niro telling his life history. Explanations were well told and the language was rich and detailed.

The Two Popes – Wonderfully colourful, revisiting Pope Francis’ past was a clever way to help the audience sympathise with him and I enjoyed the story.

Marriage Story – An emotional roller coaster of a film, showing how divorce can change a family. Arguments were particularly vicious and the way everyone spoke to each other showed the tone of their character. I would say the script was one of the best parts of the film.