Tag: Tom Hanks

2023: Summer of Cinema: Asteroid City

I think the colours, costumes, props and deadpan delivery are what make a Wes Anderson film so unique and distinctive and while it does not always pay off in my eyes, I think Asteroid City was a great addition to his filmography. The over saturation of characters does not always work but it did for this film, where a whole community is created.

Hello readers,

Today I will be talking through the new Wes Anderson film, Asteroid City. I saw this in a new cinema, closer to the edge than I normally sit but this did not take away from the experience.

Wes Anderson has been back in conversation because of this film but also because of AI. Many creators have been using AI software to create Wes Anderson style photos such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Avengers and Batman. The director has said that he does not enjoy people using his unique filmmaking methods in this way but it has certainly created a hype for his colourful and symmetric settings.

Asteroid City (2023)

The film starts with a narrative device not revealed in the trailers, a play within a play. While the events at Asteroid City play out in a rich toned desert with picture perfect 50s amenities (gas station, motel, diner); the writer (Edward Norton) and cast are seen on sets while Bryan Cranston narrates their thoughts.

In the desert we are quickly introduced to a cast of characters: Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) with son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and three ‘witchy’ celestial-named daughters; Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) famous actress and her daughter Dinah; Montana (Rupert Friend) and his band of cowboys along with school teacher June (Maya Hawke) and her class.

The characters have all gathered at Asteroid City to attend the Junior Stargazer’s event in which Woodrow, Dinah and others including Shelley (Sophia Lillis) are participants. In the town, there is a wide and deep crater made by an asteroid after which the town was named.

There are many interesting citizens of the town including the motel owner (Steve Carell); scientist Dr Hickenlooper (Tilda Swinton); General Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) and the mechanic (Matt Dillon). We also get a few cameos by the likes of Margot Robbie, Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe.

The story focuses mostly on Augie and his family along with Midge. They stay opposite each other in the motel and start up a scintillating friendship. Their children, Woodrow and Dinah also become close along with the other smart kids.

I won’t reveal the catalyst of the film but let’s say that they all end up getting to know each other well. I enjoyed the comedic tone of the film with some real heartbreak in there, tied in with the asides in black and white from the ‘real’ people. Wes Anderson has his favourites that have appeared in many of his films but he always makes room for new faces.

I think the colours, costumes, props and deadpan delivery are what make a Wes Anderson film so unique and distinctive and while it does not always pay off in my eyes, I think Asteroid City was a great addition to his filmography. The over saturation of characters does not always work but it did for this film, where a whole community is created.

The Royal Tenenbaums may still be my favourite but Asteroid City is certainly up there and one of the best films I have seen this year.

If you live in London there is also an exhibition on with the sets from Asteroid City running until 8th July. I will be going there tomorrow myself.

Overall, I think this film had a great structure, didn’t feel too long and kept me engaged from start to finish. I give it 5/5.

Happy Watching,
Robyn

Review: The Post and Oscar Nominations

Hello readers,

I recently saw The Post starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep so I am going to write my review and talk a bit about the context of the film and what it means in today’s climate in the USA. Also I am going to share my opinions on some of the Oscar nominations.

The Post (2017)

The Post is set in 1971 and tells the story of the Washington Post trying to print the Pentagon Papers – around 7,000 pages of government secrets about the relations between the United States and Vietnam for over 20 years. The information was kept quiet by the government to protect themselves until Dan Ellsberg, who worked for the Department of Defence, leaked the papers to the New York Times. The paper was told not to print any more of the secret documents unless they wanted to be taken to court by the US government. The Washington Post who wanted to be taken seriously as a national newspaper, found the source and decided to also print the Pentagon Papers. They all have to face decisions between obeying federal law and avoiding jail or fighting for the freedom of information and letting the public know what their government had been doing.

The Vietnam War had many casualties including over 50,000 American soldiers. 100,000 men were sent to fight by President Kennedy. Four US Presidents from Eisenhower to Nixon were involved in the Vietnam War and authorised thousands of troops being sent to fight in a war they knew they could not win.

Apart from Government secrets being kept from the people and freedom of the press, another issue addressed in The Post was sexism. Although Katharine Graham was the publisher of the Post, she still had to prove herself worthy enough of being on the board of the paper. She was the only woman on the Post’s board. For example, at an important meeting for the Post, when she was trying to get investors to back selling stocks for The Washington Post, Ms Graham had prepared her speech and another man next to her took over her speech. She did eventually manage to command the room and the decision to print the Pentagon Papers came down to her and not a man.

Overall I think the Post was a great film and very relevant to today’s US Government and the ideas of ‘fake news’ and the rigging of elections. I give the Post 5/5.

Also in other film news this week is the release of the Oscar nominations for this year’s awards. Many great films, actors, directors and other crew members were nominated.

Image result for oscars 2018

The biggest award of the night, Best Picture has many great contenders. I have only seen Call Me By Your Name (which I wrote about in November) and The Post but I hope to see a few more before the awards are handed out on March 4th. Personally, I think Call Me By Your Name was one of the best films of the year in terms of storyline, the actors, the setting, the director and the score. It has been nominated for 4 Oscars in total including Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet, Best Adapted Screenplay, James Ivory and Best Original Song – ‘Mystery of Love’ by Sufjan Stevens.

Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Other great films in the Best Picture category are Darkest Hour, about Winston Churchill and how he helped to win WWII; Dunkirk, about the famous battle of Dunkirk in WWII and the rescuing of over 300,000 troops from France; The Shape of Water which has a staggering 13 nominations and is about a woman connecting with an alien in the 1950s; and Get Out, a horror film about an interracial couple visiting the woman’s white parents for the weekend.

All of these films have received high praise so far, and have done well in other award shows. Darkest Hour directed by Joe Wright has a total of 6 Oscar nominations including Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Make Up and Hairstyling. Gary Oldman has already won the Golden Globe and SAG Award for his role as Churchill. This year was the first time he has won any awards.

Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Lily James in Darkest Hour (2017)

The war film Dunkirk directed by Christopher Nolan has 8 Oscar nominations including Best Sound Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Director, Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Score.  Starring in the film is Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, James D’Arcy, Harry Styles and Mark Rylance. Christopher Nolan has also been nominated for the David Lean Award for Direction at the BAFTAs this year.

Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk (2017)

The Shape of Water has nominations in many categories including Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score and Screenplay, Best Sound Editing and Mixing and Best Cinematography. This comeback from Guillermo Del Toro, is set in the Cold War and stars women as the important characters.

Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins in The Shape of Water (2017)

Get Out has 4 Oscar nominations in total including Best Director and Best Actor for Daniel Kaluuya. Kaluuya has also been nominated for an EE Rising Star BAFTA Award for his breakthrough role.

Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out (2017)

The other Best Picture nominations are Lady Bird, Phantom Thread and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

I hope that Timothée Chalamet wins Best Actor, but I predict that Gary Oldman will win as he has already won a Golden Globe and SAG Award for his outstanding portrayal of Winston Churchill.

I would like Margot Robbie or Meryl Streep to win Best Actress for their roles in I, Tonya and The Post. I think any of the nominees, also including Sally Hawkins, Saoirse Ronan and Frances McDormand could win.

For Best Director, I would like to see Greta Gerwig win as she is the only female nominee and her work is outstanding or Jordan Peele, for Get Out, his amazing debut. I feel like Christopher Nolan for Dunkirk or Guillermo Del Toro for The Shape of Water may win the Oscar.

The other awards are still important but I have picked a select few to comment on. If you feel inclined, please leave a comment below with who you want to win at this year’s Oscars.

Happy Watching,

Robyn 🙂