This Netflix Original did a flip on the usual spoilt rich boy meets a girl next door and becomes more humble. In Christmas Inheritance, it is the girl, Ellen who is sent on a mission by her father, a CEO millionaire, to hand deliver a letter to his ex-business partner in their mid-west hometown. She is only given $100 and has to travel by bus and not private plane as she is used to. At Snow Falls, she meets Jake who immediately doesn’t like her as he thinks she is spoilt and entitled. As the weather means she must stay at her inn and earn her keep, she gradually starts to learn the true meaning of Christmas and that a little kindness and generosity goes a long way.
There are some well known stars in this film: Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy and Andie MacDowell but most actors are not people I know from other films or television. I thought the acting was good, there’s only so much you can do with this sort of plot and predictable Christmas mush but it was heartwarming and had a positive message. It was also the first time I had seen Eliza Taylor playing anyone other than Clarke Griffin in the 100 so it was interesting seeing her take on a different sort of role. It is surprising to think of Eliza as Australian as her American accent sounds native.
Overall I think this film is a gooey Christmas romance as many of the Netflix originals are but worth a watch if you’re a fan of riches to rags story or the actors. 3/5.
Another Netflix Original for today’s film and this time it’s a trip to Zambia. A new film for this year, Holiday in the Wild has a lot of heart and important messages about wild animal conservation. The film is about a woman whose husband leaves her just before they are meant to go on a safari. She ends up going alone and on the way to the luxury hotel, her pilot makes a stop to save a baby elephant. Kate decides instead of living in luxury for two weeks that she will help out at the elephant sanctuary. Back in New York, Kate used to be a vet but gave it up to raise her son while her husband worked.
This all happens in September and when Kate is due to leave, she decides to stay. She also starts bonding with Derek who has lived at the sanctuary since he was sixteen. They bond over their single lives (Derek’s wife died 15 years previously) and start breaking down the barriers they have each held around their hearts. When Christmas rolls around, Kate can’t face going back to her empty apartment for the holidays so stays in Africa. Her son, who is now in college comes to visit her for Christmas Day. I won’t reveal too much more of the story but the plot is predictable enough.
What separated this film from other Christmas love stories is that not all the film is set at Christmas time and the love story is not the main focus. It centres around Kate rediscovering her passion for animals and learning to love elephants. At the end of the film, just before the credits, there is a really important message about elephant conservation and links to some charities.
I enjoyed this film and even though it was cheesy in some parts, it had real heart and the acting felt very natural. A fun fact is that Kate’s son is played by Rob Lowe’s son in real life. I would watch this again but probably next Christmas. It is also suitable for younger audiences. Overall 4/5.
A fun family film with a nice warm ending. Deck the Halls is a film I re-watched in preparation for the Countdown to Christmas and I had forgotten how funny and entertaining the film is. It centres around two rival neighbours and their families. Steve Finch lives a quiet life until his new neighbours arrive in town. Buddy Hall is a car salesman and moves his family around a lot when he gets bored of a town. After his daughters show him My Earth (A fictional version of Google Earth) and point out that there house isn’t visible, Buddy decides to make his house a massive light display that can be seen from space.
This causes conflicts with Steve who then tries to sabotage the light display in order to get a good night’s sleep. Meanwhile, Steve who is normally king of Christmas, has a run of bad luck. The film is led by Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick with Kristin Davis and Kristin Chenoweth supporting. There are some great scenes with plenty of physical comedy. A sweet ending that puts you right in the Christmas mood and thankful that you aren’t Steve Finch. Wholesome family fun, 3/5.
As the poster says, The Man Who Invented Christmas is about how Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol and had it published in only six weeks. After a few flops in a row, Dickens’ publishers need a new story. It is after the success of Oliver Twist but he still hasn’t written many of his famous novels. A more adult film with less frills but an entertaining watch nonetheless. If you’ve ever wondered how the story was created, then this is the film for you.
The sets and costumes really made Victorian England come alive. Before watching, I had no idea about Dickens’ background and his tricky relationship with his father and the pressure he was under to write bestsellers. Starring some acting greats like Christopher Plummer and Jonathan Pryce and Dan Stevens as Dickens. I must admit I didn’t thoroughly love this film but different audiences might find the magic in it more than me. 3/5.
A delightful film about a group of primary school kids putting on the biggest and best nativity there ever was. Mr Maddens has lost his pep and sparkle since his girlfriend left Coventry to go to Hollywood and make it big. He decides to put on the best Nativity ever with the help of teaching assistant Mr Poppy, who is more big kid than teacher. In a fit of jealousy, Mr Maddens tells an old friend, Mr Shakespeare, that Hollywood are coming to see the Nativity and make it into a film. The word gets around and the pressure is on to have to the best show Coventry has seen and to find his girlfriend and get her to see the show.
The children are the best part of the film and come up with brilliant lines and actions. Martin Freeman stars as Mr Maddens along with Jason Watkins, Marc Wootton, Pam Ferris and Alan Carr. There are now three sequels to this film and I will be reviewing Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger on 13th December. 3.5/5.
I saw this film on opening weekend to get in the festive mood and it did not disappoint. A bit of a different story with some really deep themes of immigration, homelessness and illness. A quick synopsis, Kate works at a Christmas shop in Covent Garden. Ever since her hospital trip last year, she’s not had her life together. Determined not to stay at home with her needy mother and deflated father, she sleeps on friend’s sofas or with strange men she meets in the pub. She is trying to get her singing career off the ground with various West End auditions. She meets Tom and a love story starts between them. Kate learns to be less selfish and embrace her heritage (former Yugoslavia) and help others including her sister, Marta and boss Santa.
A lovely film featuring songs by Wham! and George Michael, this film hit emotions that I did not expect it to. Brilliant writing as always by Emma Thompson who also plays Kate’s mother. The film features a few recognisable British actors and had a great racial diversity that reflected London. A sad twist near the end but an overall uplifting ending. A new classic that I will be seeking out next year. 4/5.
One element that ties all of these shows together is that they include characters of many genders, races, sexualities and abilities. As the world has moved forward with growing acceptance of people that are different to the norm, The Politician has made “a liberal, very social, somewhat Utopian world” to quote Ben Platt on the Today Show. No one is rigidly one sexuality or another; gender is not an explicit storyline and no one is bullied for what they are.
Hello readers,
Something that I have never done before, this post is an analysis of just one show but discussing many different elements in more depth than I normally do. I have chosen The Politician as my show to explore as I love all the aspects and I have been watching many cast interviews about how the show was made. I will be including spoilers in this analysis so if you have not seen the Politician turn back now.
The Politician debuted on Netflix on 27th September 2019 and was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. This threesome have made other successful shows together and apart such as Glee (2009-2015); American Horror Story (2011-) Scream Queens (2015-2017); American Crime Story (2016-); Feud (2017-); 9-1-1 (2018-) and Pose (2018-).
One element that ties all of these shows together is that they include characters of many genders, races, sexualities and abilities. As the world has moved forward with growing acceptance of people that are different to the norm, The Politician has made “a liberal, very social, somewhat Utopian world” to quote Ben Platt on the Today Show. No one is rigidly one sexuality or another; gender is not an explicit storyline and no one is bullied for what they are. It’s how most people wish the world could be but the creators show that it’s not perfect. People who are lesser abled are ‘used’ for their disability and the school where the action takes place does not have as much variety in race, for example there is just one Asian student. Deceit and cruelty is still very much around and is perhaps even more alive than in your average American high school.
Synopsis
The show focuses around Payton and his mission to become the Class President of his senior year. He believes that this position will help him to become the President of the United States. He has been carefully tailoring his life with choice of activities and classes and friends to get to this level. He is the Politician. We meet him when he’s at a bit of crossroads. He wants to get into Harvard but only has a conditional offer. He is told he can bribe the university as his family are very wealthy but he wants to get in on merit. In the first episode we see River go against Payton in a debate and reveal a suicide attempt from a year before. River and Payton are friendly and despite dating Astrid, River kisses Payton and gets him to be vulnerable. There is also a threesome mentioned between Payton, Astrid and River but their relationship isn’t really explored.
After River announces his running mate as Skye, who is probably the most diverse student at San Sebastian being black and gay; Payton’s team, McAfee and James tell Payton to get someone more diverse as his running mate. He asks one guy with cerebral palsy but he sees through Payton’s intentions. Infinity Jackson, a naive girl with cancer who acts childish, agrees after Payton promises her grandma to buy them tickets for a Disney cruise. Politics ensue and after River’s tragic suicide that is off-screen but Payton witnessed; Astrid takes over the campaign.
Many secrets come out including Infinity’s fake illness; Georgina’s affair with a female stable handler; James’ affair with Alice; McAfee’s relationship with Skye, Martin and Luther Hobart attempting to murder their father and brother and other attempts on Payton’s life.
Cast
Ben Platt as Payton Hobart, wannabee Class President and the protagonist of the show. Payton often has trouble connecting with his feelings and can be very demanding of those around him. He strives for perfection in everything he does and when things don’t go his way, he cannot deal with it.
Gwyneth Paltrow as Georgina Hobart, Payton’s mother and unhappily married yet rich.
Zoey Deutch as Infinity Jackson, an ill classmate of Payton’s that he recruits to win the election.
Jessica Lange as Dusty Jackson, Infinity’s grandma who raises her alone but exploits Infinity’s illness for monetary gain.
Laura Dreyfuss and Theo Germaine as McAfee Westbrook and James Sullivan, Payton’s friends and campaign managers. They are Payton’s right-hand guy and girl yet have lives all of their own.
Julia Schlaepfer as Alice Charles, Payton’s girlfriend who dumps him online to get a pity vote on his campaign.
Rahne Jones as Skye, Payton’s enemy. She is River’s running mate for Class President and is keen on making San Sebastian High more equal for minorities. After River’s death, she becomes Astrid’s number two.
David Corenswet as River, Payton’s friend who runs against him for class president. They meet as River tutors Payton in Mandarin and they share a kiss.
Lucy Boynton as Astrid, River’s girlfriend who takes over his campaign after his suicide. She is rich yet feels trapped in her privileged life.
Trevor and Trey Eason as Martin and Luther Hobart, Payton’s older brothers that set against destroying his life and his father. They resent him as even though he is adopted, their mother loves him more.
Benjamin Barrett as Ricardo, Infinity’s boyfriend who becomes jealous of Payton giving her attention and schemes with Dusty to bring him down.
Bob Balaban as Mr Hobart, Payton’s father. Early in the series as Georgina reveals that she is in an affair and no longer loves him, he jumps out of a window. His sons then try and kill him for the inheritance.
Judith Light and Bette Midler guest star in the last episode as Dede Standish and her Chief of Staff, Hadassah Gold. They will become important rivals for Payton and his group in the next series.
Art Direction:
The first thing that jumped out to me were the colours and lighting of the show. The feel is almost like a Wes Anderson film with lots of symmetry and bright bold colour choices for sets and outfits. The world appears much cleaner and brighter than it is in reality and apart from the various scenes in New York City, there is no mess or dirt anywhere. This is because most of the characters are rich apart from Infinity and Dusty yet their house still looks spotless. I think it was done to show the separation from the real world. It isn’t real life, it’s something more heightened; A 4k version of the world. The locations were also amazing. Payton’s home really showed his family dynamic and the disconnect he feels to his father and brothers. Astrid’s house is also so big that she doesn’t have to interact with her parents that much and she can just be herself in her bedroom. The school setting looked rich enough but also had a homely vibe. Kids felt safe there and people less well off were not seen as different by the school. Everyone was seen as worthy of a place there, at least by the on screen characters.
Costume:
Every outfit was so amazing and spoke volumes about the character wearing them. Not just the bright colours but the nature in which they were worn. Some characters used their wardrobes to show who they are. Payton for example, always dressed sensibly and appropriately as a leader should look. James and McAfee were a little more expressive, particularly McAfee with her block colour pant suits and tinted glasses but still in the realms of smart and business like. Alice is more preppy like she has just come from a country club or afternoon tea. Infinity didn’t really care about style and just wore things that gave her comfort or had nice pictures on. The clothes were another element that raised the show to a heightened reality as most high school students would not put as much effort into their appearance every day.
Script
This show is a satire with comedy elements but the lines are not laugh out loud funny. Sometimes something is funny because it is so spot on to the current political/social climate or that is so outrageous that you cannot help but laugh in almost disbelief. There were also some very sweet and loving moments that really make you think. One of my favourite lines is “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a good person or not, as long as you do good things”. River says this to Payton in a dream sequence when Payton is questioning his own morals. Another line that has stuck in my brain is during a scene where on the day of the election, Georgina tries to help a student who has forgotten her ID so cannot vote. She begs the students on the door to give her a ballot and when they eventually do, the student admits that she is not voting for Georgina’s son. She says something like it doesn’t matter who you vote for as long as you do. I thought that was a really strong line about the importance of voting.
Tone
The tone of this show is one that changes as the episodes progress but it is certainly not light and airy. The first episode, for example contains River describing his suicide attempt and then he actually kills himself off screen. This is a heavy plot point to start on but the tone of the show is set in realism and not optimism. If you’re looking to watch something for light relief, the Politician is definitely not going to tick that box. The political satire combined with heightened drama is what makes this show so hard to resist. You start to care for these characters despite their many and varied flaws. By the last episode of the series, after the time jump, the tone has changed to a more hopeful one. Ben Platt himself said in an interview with Queerty “I think it has a hopeful ending and an exciting ending”.
Music
The soundtrack has a mixture of old and new songs with songs by Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield, The Cure, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel and Donna Summer along with Chvrches, Otis Redding, Tame Impala and Ben Platt. A stand out song to me was ‘River’ a Joni Mitchell cover that Payton sang at River’s funeral. Ben Platt has been in several Broadway shows and the Pitch Perfect films so I’m glad they made good use of his voice and his own original music. In the last episode, Payton ends up at a piano bar after discovering his love of singing in the series. He sings a great cover of the Billy Joel song, Vienna.
Politics and Real World Issues: Gun Control, Munchhausen by Proxy, Voter Bias, Election Fraud
While this show is fictional and has fictional characters is is definitely set amongst real world issues. One of Payton’s first policies is to limit gun control in his area and suggests that they hold a campaign to get everyone to donate their guns. This is an issue that is very prevalent in America especially in recent years with the March for Our Lives campaign following the Parkland school shooting. Infinity’s grandmother pretends to everyone including her granddaughter that Infinity is sick with cancer. It is proved by Payton and his friends that she does not have the disease and Dusty Jackson was faking it. Munchhausen by proxy is when someone pretends that someone else is ill. Often it is done for financial gain. Dusty and Infinity go on lots of trips that are paid for because of Infinity’s illness. This condition came into the media with the story of Gypsy Rose whose mother was doing the same to her and Gypsy killed her. Zoey Deutch has said in an interview that Infinity was not based on Gypsy Rose but there are of course, similarities.
In the fifth episode, the Voter, we are shown the work that both sides of the campaign go into to get votes. Elliot is polled by all the candidates and their teams to try and get his view. Another scene shows Georgina complaining to the student election team that a student is not allowed to vote because she forgot her ID. The student reveals that she was not going to vote for Payton, to which Georgina replies that isn’t the point. This shows a flipped point of view as you would think Georgina would fight for someone on her team. Election fraud is also a concept in the show. Astrid drops of the election and so every vote is null and void but Payton is always big on winning fair and square. For example, he wants to get into Harvard on merit and not because of bribery.
Reception
The Politician is a show that was created for audiences rather than critics. Rotten Tomatoes, a popular reviewing platform that declares a whether a film is rotten or not with a percentage out of 100 has given the Politician 57% from 86 reviews. However, many fan favourites have recieved rotten ratings on the site in the past. The Guardian’s film critic, Lucy Mangan has said “Ryan Murphy’s student politics is a born winner” So clearly not all reviewers agree.
Final thoughts on The Politician are that it is a vital and entertaining show that has a deep and powerful message for our times. Everyone I know that has watched the series loved it from my generation to the older one. Such a different take on the teen comedy genre but still has flavours you will recognise.
Stay tuned for my countdown to Christmas with the Netflix and cinema releases that are worth watching this holiday season.
I had been looking forward to this film for a while due to the starry cast and the trailer. It did not disappoint. Every aspect of the film was done really well and the film definitely lived up to expectations. I won’t give too much away but the film begins at the end of the events with the main character, Theo as an adult in a hotel room in Amsterdam. Something has clearly happened to him and the film tells the story of how he got there.
Hello readers,
Just a quick review today as I have had lots of deadlines recently and I’m working on a bigger post that will hopefully be out soon.
I saw the Goldfinch last Sunday and it had such an impact on me that I thought I would write a review. I had hoped to finish this review by the end of October but I wanted to do it justice.
The Goldfinch
I had been looking forward to this film for a while due to the starry cast and the trailer. It did not disappoint. Every aspect of the film was done really well and the film definitely lived up to expectations. I won’t give too much away but the film begins at the end of the events with the main character, Theo as an adult in a hotel room in Amsterdam. Something has clearly happened to him and the film tells the story of how he got there.
As a young teen in New York City, Theo suffers a traumatic event that leaves him with no where to go. The synopsis reveals that his mother is killed in a bombing at the Met. He goes to a friend Andy’s house where the Barbour family takes Theo in. Theo is very cultured as he liked to attend art galleries with his mother. Mrs Barbour bonds with him over this. When Theo’s estranged father comes back into the picture, he takes him back to Las Vegas with bartender girlfriend, Xandra. He makes a new friend Boris who leads him to a path of drugs and alcohol.
The storyline switches from Theo as an adult, working in antiques and dating Andy’s sister back to Theo in Las Vegas, struggling with loneliness and his father trying to scam him. Boris is also lonely living with his abusive father and the two bond quickly. We slowly piece together what happened between Theo’s childhood and his life as an adult.
At the centre of the film is the Goldfinch. A piece of art that Theo was looking at before the explosion in the Met. He finds it in the wreckage and decides to keep it. It is a expensive painting but Theo can’t find it in himself to give it back.
There are many things I have left out as I don’t want to reveal too much but I think the chemistry between the actors and the art direction of the film really sold it. The emotions explored were so intricate and deep that I really empathised with Theo’s life and everything he goes through.
The star-studded cast includes:
Oakes Fegley from Pete’s Dragon (2016) plays the protagonist young Theo. He had such a great manner and expression that I really believed in his character. I think he will become a household name in the future.
Ansel Elgort from The Fault in Our Stars (2014) is adult Theo. The likeness to Fegley is outstanding. Whether Elgort observed Fegley’s character and adapted it for his own character or vice versa but I never questioned that he was the older version of Fegley. It was a different role for Elgort from his usual teen films and Theo’s spiral into drugs and crime has continued into his adulthood.
Aneurin Barnard known for Dunkirk (2017) is older Boris who Theo reconnects with in New York years after the events in Vegas. His likeness to younger Boris is also uncanny but not as great as the two Theos. I have seen Barnard in another film this year Dead in a Week or Your Money Back and his character was so completely different to Boris that I was not comparing in this film.
Finn Wolfhard known for playing Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things (2016) takes a different turn as young Boris. He is from Ukraine so has a strong accent that I thought was very good. His bad boy character was so unlike Mike but Wolfhard played it really well. I think he is going to continue to be a successful young actor.
Sarah Paulson from American Horror Story (2011-2018) as Xandra, Theo’s dad’s girlfriend is transformed into a blonde bartender with highlights and false nails. I haven’t seen her in a role like this before and I think she really pulled it off.
Luke Wilson known for The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) is Theo’s dad. A washed up actor who has got into gambling, Larry turns up in New York and takes Theo away from his new life to Las Vegas where the desert is encroaching on the road. Larry doesn’t treat Theo very well and is trying to get his money. I wouldn’t reveal the ending but it was certainly a twist.
Jeffrey Wright known for Shaft (2000) as Hobie. He runs an antiques shop and his business partner, Welty dies in the explosion. Theo works with him as an adult and the two have a strong bond. Hobie also looks after Pippa, Welty’s niece until she goes to live with her aunt. We see Pippa again in the future when she comes back to the shop.
Nicole Kidman known for Moulin Rouge! (2001) is Mrs Barbour, the first mother figure Theo finds after his mother’s death. Her character was a total revelation as I feel that Kidman does loving yet poised very well but she was certainly a central player in the film.
That will be all for my review today and I hope to do a few more posts this month.
Films I have enjoyed recently are Judy; Zombieland: Double Tap; Ad Astra; Oceans’s Eleven & Twelve and In Bruges.
A few shows I can recommend are Daybreak; Living With Yourself; The Good Place and Looking for Alaska.
There’s lots of great things coming out in the cinema: The Aeronauts; Midway; Ford v Ferrari; Last Christmas; 21 Bridges; Knives Out and Charlie’s Angels.
This was initially going to just be a review of Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood but I decided to include a couple of others I saw in the cinema. A Rainy Day in New York was one I went to for the actors and even though the performances were good, Woody Allen’s direction and writing did not work. Animals, directed by Sophie Hyde, was a screening I attended on my shift at the small cinema I volunteer at. Bizarrely, no one turned up. Below, I’m going to examine why these films have not done so well. Plus what I think of the latest Tarantino.
Hello readers,
This was initially going to just be a review of Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood but I decided to include a couple of others I saw in the cinema this month. A Rainy Day in New York was one I went to for the actors and even though the performances were good, Woody Allen’s direction and writing did not work. Animals, directed by Sophie Hyde, was a screening I attended on my shift at the small cinema where I volunteer. Bizarrely, no-one turned up. Below, I’m going to examine why these films have not done so well. Plus what I think of the latest Tarantino.
Now on to the film. The basic premise involves college couple Gatsby (Chalamet) and Ashleigh (Elle Fanning) going to New York City for an interview Ashleigh has landed with a director. Gatsby wants to turn the weekend into showing her his favourite spots as a New York Native and meeting his family. They quickly get separated as Ashleigh gets involved in the dramas of the director (Liev Schreiber), his screenwriter (Jude Law)and hotshot actor Francisco Vega (Diego Luna). Gatsby connects with his ex-girlfriend’s younger sister, Chan (Selena Gomez) and ends up taking her to the activities.
The synopsis doesn’t sound so bad but the writing and many plot points turned this film into a sexist, unbelievable film. For starters, all the characters speak to each other as though they are doing a PhD in linguistics. The language is filled with metaphors and references that the target audience, 16-24, would not understand. I certainly did not understand it neither did the person I went with. As for the sexism, Ashleigh goes to do a one hour interview with a director and ends up having emotional and physical affairs with three different older men in one day. She is a smart young woman and seeing all these older men taking advantage of her is so remnant of the #MeToo movement that Allen is involved in its almost funny. Most people would not just abandon their boyfriends to go off with older men despite how clever or sexy they are. Ashleigh was also playing the part of the dumb blond. She could never remember which hotel she was staying in. She may never have been to New York except for once in her childhood but anyone can remember one name.
Ashleigh’s naivety and Gatsby’s pursuit of Chan despite once dating her sister and being in a relationship are some of the points of the film that really did not work for me. Also, the coincidences of people just happening to run into each other was too unbelievable. Once or twice for the rom com effect maybe but New York is not as small as it appeared to be in this film. The ending where Chan and Gatsby just know to meet in the same place was cute but too far-fetched. Another scene where Gatsby’s mother confesses to being an escort before she met his father didn’t add anything to the plot. This is practically the only scene we see them interact.
One other issue I had was that despite having smartphones, the film could have been set in the 80s/90s. The characters never went on social media which is an every day necessity of Generation Z or took any photos. They only used their phones for the occasional text or call. I think if you’re going to write a film in modern day New York you have to use the technology and environment of the present day. You could tell that it was written by someone who is not familiar with what the younger generation actually do or talk about.
Overall the actors did the best with what they had but it just felt like any other Woody Allen film from days gone by. I half expected Diane Keaton to pop up in a baggy suit. 2/5.
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood Poster
I finally got around to seeing the new Quentin Tarantino film. It was definitely not what I expected but after reflecting for a few weeks was typical of Tarantino’s personal style, elevated by the talented cast. I am not a huge fan of Tarantino having seen about half of his filmography which is not hard as he has only made nine films. My favourite is Inglorious Basterds but Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood is definitely up there. I really enjoyed the setting and aesthetic of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The film revolves around several characters, many stars from the time. Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), an action star is becoming edged out of the business and feels like his glory days are over. His friend and stunt man, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) is struggling with his own life being over and how he’s going to survive in his trailer.
Rick lives next door to Hollywood director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) and his wife, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). They are rarely seen together as Roman is always away filming. Sharon is often seen with her ex, Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch). Rick is trying to get more roles as the leading man but ends up doing many guest TV episodes as the one off villain. His agent, Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) suggests he find more leading man roles otherwise the public will start to see him as the villain.
Meanwhile, Cliff has his own plot going on as he meets Pussycat (Margaret Qualley) from a nearby cult run by ‘Charlie’ who is actually Charles Manson. I was aware that the story evolved around Sharon Tate and Charles Manson and thought it would show the famous murder but it had a more spectacular, fictonal ending. Anyway, Cliff visits the ranch where the cult live to check on an old friend, George Spahn (Bruce Dern).
Other highlights include Sharon going to the cinema to see her new film and not being recognised; Rick being told by his young co-star ‘that was some of the best acting I’ve ever seen’; a fight between Cliff and Bruce Lee and Brad Pitt shirtless on a roof. The ending was in true Tarantino style, violent and over the top. It involved members of the cult breaking into Rick’s house and ends with mauling, stabbing and one of the intruders being torched by Rick’s flame gun. Although the violence was over the top for the film, it was true to Tarantino’s style.
Overall I really enjoyed the film and the Hollywood setting really made it for me. The calibre of acting was amazing and it was great to see Leo and Brad vibing off each other. The script was great and all the shop fronts, cars, costumes and props really helped you believe it was 1969. 4/5.
Animals
Animals Poster
I had not heard much about this film other than seeing in it on the programme but I think it was a shame that no one turned up to see it. It had a quality that really drew you to the characters and I certainly became invested in their story. It centres on two women, Laura and Tyler, roommates and best friends living in Ireland. They party most nights but when Laura finds a connection with musician Jim, she tries to pull away from her life with Tyler.
The raw honesty in this film, based on a book by Emma Jane Unsworth, was one of the best parts about it. Female friendships are often shown as rock solid and always loving and supportive but the rockiness and co-dependency of Laura (Holliday Grainger) and Tyler’s (Alia Shawkat) friendship was really refreshing to see. We can see the world through both of their eyes. Laura is fed up of being told how great she is by Tyler despite not doing any work. She claims to be a writer but has only done 10 pages in the last decade. Tyler constantly tells her how talented she is but when it comes to actually writing Laura draws a blank and goes back to drinking and partying with Tyler.
Tyler meanwhile doesn’t seem to have many ambitions other than having a brilliant night every night. Her outfits are outrageous and cool. Clothes we all wish we could pull off before throwing on jeans and a nice top. She is very insecure about Laura’s whirlwind relationship with Jim and their engagement seems to be the catalyst to set off the divide between them. Tyler turns 30 but doesn’t feel like she should clean up her act until Laura moves out.
Laura seeing her wild little sister have a baby and settled into family life drives her to want to marry Jim but the pair don’t actually have that much in common. The hopelessness and pressure to write something good was greatly shown by Laura. She had a fear of never being brilliant so didn’t really try.
I think that no one turned up as it had not been greatly advertised and most of the cast and crew aren’t widely known. Marketing is so important in today’s era when there is so much choice.
Overall I enjoyed the film and was an honest portrait of women with no male gaze thanks to the female director, Sophie Hyde. An enjoyable watch that will make you feel better about your own failures. 3/5.
This concludes my three films for this post. No 5/5s for this week but not every film you see is going to be amazing. They all had their own qualities though.
Other films I have enjoyed recently are Dead in a Week… Or Your Money Back; The Back-Up Plan and Tall Girl. Now that I am back at university, I hope to start going to the cinema more often.
I know I haven’t been very active recently but holidays and such things have kept me busy and I haven’t been going to the cinema as much. Anyway, I have had this post in the works for a month now and thought I would finally write it while Lion King is still relevant.
If you’re a Lion King fan you probably will have seen the new version by now but I thought I would compare it to the original and the musical which I was lucky enough to see at the West End last winter.
Old vs. New
Lion King 1994 Poster
Lion King 2019 Poster
For many people the original 1994 Lion King is a classic and well-loved childhood film. I have seen this film a handful of times as both child and adult and I agree that it is one of Disney’s best from that era. The Elton John soundtrack; the voice acting; the classic animation style and the fact that it’s set in the plains of Africa with no human characters, not something that was common in Disney or any animation at the time. To anthropomorphise a pride of lions, hyenas and a warthog and give them very real human emotions and relationships could be considered a risky move but one that Disney pulled off.
It ended up grossing $968m at the box office and won two Academy Awards, another rarity for a children’s animation.
After the success of the first film, the new CGI version of 2019 had a lot to live up to. For me, the original will always be number one as that’s the one I grew up with along with many others and the animation style is dated enough to remind me of days gone by and how far cinema has come. Needless to say I did enjoy the new one. I thought the CGI was great and it made it all much more real. You could really believe that these animals could talk and interact with each other whereas the cartoon was relying more on imagination and artistic license.
I also loved the new twists such as the new song Spirit and elaboration on some scenes. To most people who perhaps saw the original film 20 years ago, the films will appear almost identical but having recently watched the older version I can see the subtle changes. Obviously nothing was changed too much as the original plot, characters and songs are what make the film enjoyable and popular but an identical replica would not draw the crowds. I must admit I did find myself dropping off asleep for a couple of minutes but whether I was just tired or the film didn’t keep me as enraptured as it should have is by the by. I saw the film a week or so after it was released and the screening was pretty full so clearly it was popular.
One small fact that I learned from the internet is there is one real shot in the film that is not CGI created. It is the sun rising over the trees at the very beginning just as Circle of Life is starting. Jon Favreau, the director, said he wanted to put it in to see if anyone would notice. I knew it was coming but couldn’t distinguish real from computer generated. To date, the film has grossed $1.5bn and is now the seventh biggest grossing of all time. If you compare the totals to the original Lion King which when adjusted for inflation grossed $1.6bn it’s about on par and is still in cinemas so could surpass.
Award ceremonies are yet to happen for 2019 Lion King but I’m sure there will be some nominations in there somewhere.
New vs. Musical
Simba in Lion King 2019
The Lion King Musical Poster
Last November, I went to the West End to see the production of The Lion King. It was set up by a Disney film society I am part of at university and I must admit I had not desires previously to see it but when the trip was mentioned I thought it would make for a fun evening.
All my expectations were thrown out the door as soon as the musical began. I wasn’t sure how people were going to portray the animals, maybe just suggested with face paint or masks, but the Africa headdresses and elaborate puppets brought a creative and imaginative spark to the story. The songs and dances were performed using stage mechanics along with talented dancers and singers. It was definitely not your typical musical but it needed to be to show the story.
Some highlights for me included Circle of Life where Pride Rock rose from the stage and Hakuna Matata, a song I always enjoy. Our seats were quite far back but I could still see everything and get the full effect of the show. It was so different from the film that I was not comparing them in my head at all. I loved this interpretation and can now see why so many people flock to see it.
Now comparing the musical with the new film is tricky as they are different mediums with different budgets and boundaries but I think I liked the power and emotion of the songs on stage more than the film’s versions. Seeing an actual person singing and pouring their heart into the scene is different from seeing a CGI lion do the same. However, I think the setting and plot flowed better in the film as the musical left some things open to interpretation. One hilarious moment that you can only do on stage was when Zazu is singing ‘Let it Go’ and Scar tells him to be quiet. Zazu from the film would have no idea about Frozen or any film for that matter. There were a few fourth wall breaks which added an unexpected comedy element to the dark and dramatic tale.
I couldn’t pick one above the other as they are both amazing in different ways so if you are a fan of musicals or Lion King, I recommend seeing for yourself.
Hopefully I will be getting to the cinema more this summer so will have more films to write about.
Films I have enjoyed in the last month or so: Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw; Apollo 13; The Gambler; Fun with Dick and Jane; Death at a Funeral (2007); The Adjustment Bureau; As Good as It Gets; American Made and All the Money in the World.
TV shows I would recommend: Forever (only one series but worth it); 13 Reasons Why Series 3 (up to episode 10 and gripped); Good Omens (Dad loved the book, amazing show and I am now reading the book); This Way Up (Aisling Bea is amazing); GameFace Series 2 (Roisin Conaty, likewise); GLOW Series 3 (amazing).
