Category Archives: Seen at the cinema

January 29, 2014 · 8:20 pm

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Director: Ben Stiller, Main Cast: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Sean Penn;

I’m not a fan of Ben Stiller so, usually, I try to avoid his films but I gave this one a chance, mostly due to the positive vibe of the trailer and the idea of a daydreamer as main character (something I can relate to). So I stepped into the cinema with low expectations ready to see what’s what. Well, it was a nice surprise: Stiller as the titular Walter Mitty, introverted and quite man who works for Life magazine, delivers a performance that’s unostentatious, subdued and quite effective. Mitty lives an anonymous life as supervisor of the negatives  assets department, witnessing stories and adventures of others. He escapes the plainness of his days through vivid, fulfilling reveries until, one day, Walter starts to live the experiences he only dreamt about in order to retrieve a precious negative for the cover of the final issue of the magazine. We go along for the ride with Walter and meet bizarre characters, see breathtaking scenery and appreciate the small things of life. It is a pleasant journey and “the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time”, as T.S. Elliot said, which fits quite nicely as ending of this movie. The supporting cast is very good, from Kristen Wiig as Walter’s love interest to Shirley MacLaine as his mother to Adam Scott as arrogant but not too bright executive. We get also a cameo of Sean Penn as the elusive but extremely talented photographer  who sets in motion the whole thing. I’ve read angry reviews about excessive product placement in this movie, so much that was considered distracting and detrimental, but I wasn’t particularly bothered by it, maybe because I was too surprised by Ben Stiller’s acting and enjoying the beautiful cinematography. Unexpected. —7/10

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January 28, 2014 · 7:55 pm

Philomena

Director: Stephen Frears, Main Cast: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sophie Kennedy Clark

Judi Dence and Steve Coogan in Philomena

Martin Sixsmith (Coogan), former journalist and  “spin-doctor” for the Labour government, doesn’t know what to do with himself after he got the sack. While in this limbo, he stumbles on a good subject for a “human interest” story: Philomena Lee (Dench). Her tale of woes begins in Ireland in the early fifties when she became pregnant. Being a teenager she was shamed and abandoned by her family and forced to live in a convent, you know the go-to-a-nunnery type of thing. She lived there with her son, in rather appalling conditions, for a few years until one faithful day her son is given away to a well-to-do family by the nuns. Philomena keeps the secret for fifty years but, after telling her daughter, she sets out to find her lost son with Martin’s help. The film follows this odd couple of characters in a quest for truth that is also a journey of self-discovery for both. Judi Dench gives an extraordinary portrayal of Philomena: subdue and subtle, never forced or exaggerated; which is the real strong point of the movie and what makes it involving. I guess it is never easy to make a quality film which is based on a book based on a true story… this one feels a bit re-hashed and more focused on the journalist and his achievement, telling a riveting tale and doing something good in the bargain, than on the actual, far more interesting, story of Philomena. Somewhat disappointing, watch Peter Mullan’s The Magdalene Sisters instead! —6.5/10

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January 20, 2014 · 12:51 am

The Selfish Giant

Director: Clio Barnard, Main Cast: Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder

This is a story about friendship between two boys, Arbor and Shifty, from the margins of the working class of the Midlands.  Arbor is outgoing and full of energy but he’s also prone to violent outbursts for which he takes medications. He lives with his mom and his junkie older brother. Shifty is more subdue and reserved, he’s kind, soft-hearted and tries to be responsible. He is the eldest of a large brood and his parents can barely scrap a living. Arbor and Shifty are always out and about, both to amuse themselves and to get a penny. After being kicked out of school for fighting, they enter the shady world of metal scrappers and its borderline or outright illegal activities. They befriend Kitten, the owner of the local scrap yard, and rent his cart and horse to wander around town and collect metal. As they earn some money, they see how they could earn more and Arbor gets bolder and reckless in his capers to obtain quality copper. Shifty acts like the voice of reason and he’s more concerned about the well-being of people and horses. The two boys have a fall out and they reconcile only for tragedy to strike. This is a heartfelt and engaging film made by a skilled and keen observer of mankind. The two young actors are just brilliant and the absence of a music score makes each scene more relatable and powerful. Clio Barnard is a director to watch, her style reminds me of  Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank) and  Cate Shortland (Somersault).  Compelling —8/10

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January 14, 2014 · 3:48 pm

Like Father Like Son

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda, Main Cast: Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki, Rirî Furankî

Family drama in modern Japan: Ryota and Midori, a well-to-do couple, discovers after six years that their son has been swapped at birth with someone else’s. We follow the slowly unfolding of events from the first meeting with the other couple, who owns a small hardware store, to spending time with the other child and getting to know him and his family. It is interesting to see the very different interaction of the fathers with their sons and between the families, the viewer can appreciate cultural nuances and rich subtext due to the dissimilar social background. The film focuses in particular on Ryota, who is rather distant and strict as a father, more worried about making his sweet, mellow son stronger and independent, to prepare him for the future, than to actually spend time with him. When he finds out that his child is not biologically related to him, he starts to question everything about his son and to yearn for one more like him. It is a journey of introspection for Ryota, he struggles with his own daddy issues and tries to decide what is the best way to resolve the situation. The good performances of all the cast and the sure hand at the helm make the film absorbing and touching. —8/10

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January 10, 2014 · 6:55 pm

The Wolf of Wall Street

Director: Martin Scorsese, Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Jon Bernthal

This new Scorsese-DiCaprio collaboration is about the financial scams in Wall Street in the late eighties-early nineties, a la Gordon Gekko so to speak. It is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort who started his career as stockbroker on the Black Monday in 1987 and then relentlessly pursued money and wealth until the FBI cornered him and left him no choice but to collaborate in order to avoid a very long permanence in jail. In perfect Scorsese style we are spared nothing of the way of life as obscenely rich brokers : wild parties, sex, booze and, most of all, drugs…of all kind. The film is three-hours-long but it barely registers, the script flows without an itch and keeps you interested and involved, all due to Terence Winter’s skills. There are some memorable, hilarious scenes and several moments will make you laugh out loud. Leonardo DiCaprio gives an impressive performance  as Jordan Belfort and special kudos go to Jonah Hill and Jon Bernthal.  Another notch on Scorsese’s belt, distinctive and intense. —9/10

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January 7, 2014 · 9:39 pm

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Director: Justin Chadwick; Main Cast: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Jamie Bartlett

Nelson Mandela’s story: from his early days as brilliant lawyer defending black people to joining the ACN and the non-violent protests against the apartheid. He then moves to more extreme forms of fight like bombing public facilities and he is arrested and convicted to a life sentence. We see Mandela and his fellow leaders of ACN growing old in prison while the unrest in the country turns into open revolt, mainly lead by his second wife Winnie. It is quite interesting seeing both his private and public life, how they intertwine and evolve, and his relationship with Winnie, in a manner, quite crucial for the end of the apartheid in South Africa as well. The film ends with SouthAfrica’s difficult transition to a proper democracy and the election of Mandela as president. Idris Elba does a wonderful job as Mandela, the right mix of charisma, energy and compassion, but not devoid of flaws, making him very human. Naomie Harris shows her acting chops and is quite convincing as Winnie Mandela. All in all it is not only interesting but also a compelling film. I particularly enjoyed the lighting and the colours of the photography, accurately depicting the different moments in history. Moving and uplifting. —8/10

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December 24, 2013 · 3:31 pm

The Counselor

Director: Ridley Scott, Main Cast: Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt

Cormac McCarthy’s second attempt as a screenwriter leaves me with mixed feelings. It’s a dark tale of choices and consequences, somewhat between a Shakespearean tragedy and a Coen’s film. Michael Fassbender is our anti-hero, involved with unsavory people due to his profession as a defense lawyer. He decides, out of need and greed, to enter the risky but highly remunerating  business of drugs with the help of two longtime associates (Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt), who are quite savvy when it comes to dealing with Mexican drug cartels. Someone else’s greed and fate will throw a wrench in his plan and tragedy will ensue. The dialogues and all the scenes with the main characters are more suited for a play than a movie, so much that the stunning cinematography, typical in a Ridley Scott’s film, seems wasted. There are gruesome deaths and a very cynic view of the world but the film lacks conviction about its grittiness, maybe in the hands of the Coen brothers we would have seen something grimmer but more cohesive. Anyway the acting is top-notch and it is a pleasure to watch.  —7/10

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December 22, 2013 · 4:53 pm

Captain Phillips

Director: Paul Greengrass, Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Michael Chernus

Based on the true story of the first hijacking of an American cargo ship by Somali pirates in 2009, this film is compelling and engrossing. We see both sides going about their seemingly ordinary everyday life up until they are set on a colliding route. Tom Hanks is very convincing, as always, as the titular captain  and Barkhad Abdi, the Somali ringleader, delivers also a strong performance. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat with a very effective script and editing. A different tale for the Christmas holidays. —8/10

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December 14, 2013 · 1:07 am

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Director: Peter Jackson, Main Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch

We pick up the story of our brave 13 dwarves plus a hobbit and a wizard exactly where we left a year ago. This time around they meet Beor the skinchanger, evil giant spiders while walking through the Mirkwood, get captured by the elves, arrive by very unusual means at Esgaroth on the Long Lake and finally get to Erebor. Most of the times Bilbo is the one who saves the day while Gandalf has gone south on his own mission against the dark power that is growing in Dol Gurdul a.k.a the Necromancer. In this second installment Peter Jackson takes far more liberties from the original story and there is an excess of orcs and elves for my liking, yeah they look cool when they fight but after a while it gets irksome. I find even more irritating the whole part about Gandalf, it feels kind of deja vu (Isengard, Saruman etc., right?) and too much an add on that has no support from Tolkien, even if we consider the appendix in the Lord of the Rings (White Council and such). Anyway we finally see the dragon and that’s something! The cast does a great job, the costumes, settings and special effects are gorgeous but I’d cut 20-30 minutes of the film and the 3D is completely useless, no point to it. I’d expected better, hopefully next year we get a grand finale. —6/10

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December 11, 2013 · 12:31 pm

Frozen

Directors:  Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Main Cast (voice): Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel

Repeating the winning formula of Tangled (and ransacking one of Andersen’s story this time for inspiration), we watch the tribulations of an heroine, Anna,  who’s (overly)-optimistic, endearingly goofy and naive but also determined and courageous. With the help of Kristof and his faithful reindeer Sven, she needs to save her sister Elsa, who has magic freezing powers and has brought a perpetual winter in their fair kingdom of Arendelle. After adventure and betrayal, of course, amor omnia vincit but, for once, not as expected. As comic relief the snowman Olaf is the best I have seen in a very long time in a Disney movie, it almost makes worth watching this film just for him. However I still do not appreciated some hidden messages Disney sends to girls: Elsa finally is free to use her powers and suddenly she wears a flimsy, sexy evening gown and high heel…which are very impractical in the snow even if you don’t feel the cold…Well, still a bit sexist as a message, why can they come up with something better to depict strong women who accept who they are? Anyway it is entertaining —6.5/10

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December 6, 2013 · 6:19 pm

La Marche

Director: Nabil Ben Yadir, Main Cast:  Olivier Gourmet, Tewfik Jallab, Vincent Rottiers, M’Barek Belkouk, Nader Boussandel, Lubna Azabal, Hafsia Herzi, Charlotte Lebon

Set in the autumn of 1983 and inspired by true events, this film tells the story of a non-violent protest against racism in France. Tired and frustrated by yet another act of random violence towards Maghrebi immigrants committed by policemen, a group of friends decide to take action. They organise a march through France to raise awareness about the widespread racial prejudice and to fight against discrimination. At the very beginning they are joined by four other people, complete strangers that believe like them in non-violent demonstrations. Along the way they become a tight-knit group and meet rabid racists, more moderate opposers and enthusiastic supporters. They walk in good or foul weather, reaching small town and cities alike, to spread their message. Their final destination is Paris, where thousands of people join them in an historic rally on the 3rd of December 1983. The film is a very nice mix of drama and comedy, well balanced and never dull. It avoids cliches and easy tropes. The actors are not only excellent in their respective roles but have also great chemistry, which makes the best part of the film. Heartwarming and engrossing. —9/10

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December 6, 2013 · 12:21 am

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Director: Francis Lawrence, Main Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci

This second installment of the Hunger Games series (yep, I guess we can call it a series since there will be 2 more films) is surprisingly good. The story picks up almost right after the first movie ended. Katniss and Peeta are going through the country on the Victor’s Tour but serious unrest or even open rebellion is brewing in the Districts. Katniss is at the center of it all, being viewed as a symbol of hope and defiance of the establishment. After receiving an offer she couldn’t refuse by President Snow (finally we get to seen Sutherland flexing his acting muscles) and failing to deliver, she fears for her life and that of her loved ones and plans to run away with Gale’s help. He has a different opinion and wants to stay and fight. The new Head Gamemaker and Snow have a machiavellian plan to get rid of the thorn in their side, using as perfect opportunity the Quarter Quell, a special edition of the Hunger Games, this time the tributes will be selected among the victors of each district: Katniss is going back into the arena! The recurring cast seems more at ease in their respective roles, Jennifer Lawrence keeps up the good work and kudos are due to Harrelson, Banks and Tucci. The new faces (Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone and Sam Claflin) are quite convincing as well. Loved that Hoffman is not wearing any weird make-up or clothes. We see a little bit more of the other Districts and learn more about Panem’s political equilibrium (or lack thereof), which is interesting. The film has a good pace and never a dull moment and it comes easy to relate to and root for our heros. Enjoyable —7/10

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November 30, 2013 · 7:45 pm

Inside Llewyn Davis

Directors:  Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Main Cast: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund

I’m quite partial to movies about music and I just love the Coen brothers, so this film had all the premises for a great treat. It doesn’t disappoint at all: it tells the story of a down-on-luck folk musician, Llewyn Davis, in New York, in the sixties. We follow him around for a few days while he tries to make a living with his music and everything that can go wrong does. He’s so broke that he sleeps on the couch of friends and acquaintances, he makes a mess or find himself in one at every turn, even when he finally decides to give up and go back to a regular job. Lot of humor, sometimes dark humor as it is the Coens’ wont, few memorable secondary characters (e.g. Johnny Five and Roland Turner) and a bittersweet story with a pretty darn good soundtrack. Impressive. —8.5/10

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November 29, 2013 · 6:35 pm

Behind the Candelabra

Director: Steven Soderbergh, Main Cast: Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd

It’s the story of the turbulent relationship  between an aged Liberace and a much younger man, Scott Thorson. It is based on the latter’s autobiographical novel: all the glitter and glamour of fame and money, living the life in Las Vegas as, basically, a boy toy. It is a honest telling showing both lights and shadows of Scott’s life with Liberace. Michael Douglas does a pretty impressive job as Liberace, he’s also helped by the outrageous costumes and setting. Matt Damon is quite good, though he lacks the ability for a truly nuanced performance. The use of bright, happy colours for the first part of the film and then a more subdue light is spot on, a trademark of Soderbergh, to get the audience more involved in the story.  Enjoyable and unconventional. —7.5/10

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November 15, 2013 · 12:35 am

Thor: The Dark World

Director: Alan Taylor, Main Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Jaimie Alexander

This is one of the rare cases in which the sequel is better than the original movie (which has been made only, I suspect, to be sure that the non-geek crowd would recognise the blonde guy in the Avengers). The quality of the film is mostly due to the fact that there is more humor and that Loki is a scene stealer. Tom Hiddleston is brilliant as Loki, showing many layers within what was meant to be a clean-cut villain. This time Thor must fight to save not only Earth but his beloved Jane, his home world and the universe itself from the evil elves and never-ending darkness. To do so he must defy his father and ally with his untrustworthy brother, who uses his tricks to help him but also to pursuit his own machiavellian plan. Can Loki truly redeem himself or will he finally show his true colours? It’s easier to relate to him because he is conflicted, flawed and very human… for a god. Chris Hemsworth does a better job this time around as Thor, a more well-rounded performance and less super-buff caricature. Natalie Portman comes back as Jane Foster and she is unwittingly responsible of discovering the ultimate evil… why scientists are always held responsible for bringing doom to the planet? Hollywood seems to love that! And for the record: an astrophysicist is perfectly able to change her phone’s ringtone. Poor Stellan Skarsgard is relegate to comic relief alongside Kat Dennings. Anyway the film is very entertaining, with plenty of action and effective special effects. The 3D doesn’t add anything, as it is the case most of the time, but, at least, it’s not distracting or disturbing. Well done, let’s see what will come next! —6.5/10

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November 13, 2013 · 10:39 pm

La vie d’Adele

Director:  Abdellatif Kechiche, Main Cast: Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos

We witness how Adele (Adele Exarchopoulos) grows from a teenager into a young woman, discovering her interest and then passion for Emma (Lea Seydoux), an art student and a painter few years older than her. The story is captivating and both actresses give a convincing portrayal of their characters. The director uses the visual medium very effectively to showcase all Adele’s different social interactions, with her high school classmates, at the gay bar, at the family dinners, with Emma’s friends and, of course, with Emma herself. We sympathise and empathise with Adele. We watch her inner monologues and struggles when, after jumping into a situation without really thinking (with quite some courage, I must say), she has a “now what?” moment. I have some issues with the editing: some cuts are too abrupt and some scene are too long or plainly unnecessary to the narrative (e.g. sleeping scenes in the second half of the movie). With regard to the sex scenes, I get the burning passion but, after a while, it seems a mere voyeuristic exercise and odd, silly things start to pop in my mind…like…”aren’t they cold after spending so much time naked?” Or “their esthetician is very good but they must be spending gazillions of euros on waxing”, probably not what the director had in mind. Anyway, these might be considered minor flaws. Beguiling —7.5/10

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November 12, 2013 · 12:38 am

Gravity

Director:  Alfonso Cuarón, Main Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris;

The first thing that come to mind after seeing this film is: visually stunning! One of the reasons why cinema was invented. The second is: using 3D in a movie makes sense for a change and it doesn’t provoke kinetosis (yay!). The third is: NASA should hire Ed Harris as the official voice of mission control in Houston (since “Apollo 13“, he is the most reassuring voice in dire situations). The plot is pretty simple: something terrible and unpredictable (?!?, I’ll get back to this later) happens during a routine maintenance mission of the Space Shuttle to the Hubble Space Telescope and leaves our heroine (Sandra Bullock) stranded without contact with Earth in an environment rather hostile to life. Ok writers, I get that you needed to find a way for this man …well… woman versus nature scenario to unleash the special and visual effects departments, and I am almost willing to forgive you most of the scientific blunders but… someone has to defend the Russians and the aerospace engineers / astrophysicists of any nation. Unlike the United States and  China, Russia has never destroyed one of their decommissioned  satellites with a missile and their satellites are at an higher altitude than the Hubble. What happens in the film is a worst case scenario well known to space scientists called Kessler Syndrome, predicted by Don Kessler in a paper he  published in 1978 (!). The problem of debris in space is well monitored by all space agencies and there are several on-going projects to tackle it (check out what the Swiss are planning: Space Clean-Up). It’s also  important to note that the Hubble and the International Space Station are on orbits with different altitude and inclination, not exactly possible to be both hit by the same bunch of debris. Furthermore, all communication satellites are on geosynchronous orbits, 35000 km higher than the Hubble, so Sandra’s character should have had Ed’s warm, comforting voice in her ear for all the duration of the movie. Lastly, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere is a very tricky business : if the angle is too shallow you bounce back into space, too steep you burn to a crisp! Anyway, don’t mind too much my rant about scientific mistakes, just enjoy the view, Earth has never looked so beautiful! —8/10

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November 10, 2013 · 2:07 am

Prisoners

Director: Denis Villeneuve, Main Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo

Dark, grim thriller set in America’s suburbia in which, surprisingly, none of the characters is very likable. The peace and quite of Thanksgiving’s afternoon is shattered when two girls are gone missing. Hugh Jackman is the bereft father of one of the missing girl, who has an Atlas complex and also happens to be a control freak with daddy issues (it turns out to be a deadly combination). Maria Bello is his listless and submissive wife, who just fall into pieces. Terrence Howard and Viola Davis are the parents of the other missing girl who adopt a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with regard to the extreme measures taken by Jackman’s character to find his daughter. Jake Gyllenhaal is the local detective with stellar record but also a clear workaholic, rough around the edges and with a serious temper.  Paul Dano is the mentally challenged, creepy guy wrongfully (?) arrested because he was driving a battered RV and Melissa Leo is his “sweet” but jaded aunt. The film’s somber mood is accentuated by grey skies, pouring rain, snow and ice; the director uses the emptiness and the silence to increase the anxiety of the audience. We watch two men unravelling while they rush down different paths, looking for answers and hoping against hope to save the day. All the cast does a solid job but Dano and Leo are the real scene stealers: kudos! The director leaves us with a sort of open ending: nothing is really straightforward and, maybe, we are all prisoners…like rats in a maze.–7.5/10

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October 20, 2013 · 9:45 pm

Rush

Director:  Ron Howard, Main Cast: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, Pierfrancesco Favino

The golden age of F1 and the rivalry between two pilots: James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film follows the story of both men through the years from their early days in F3 up until 1976, the faithful year of Niki Lauda’s accident and his epic comeback.  The latter is what Howard really loves: the hero falls and then he raises again, usually against all odds. Chris Hemsworth is, of course, the charming, hothead rogue while Daniel Bruehl is the meticulous, driven (pun intended), reserved type. They both do a good portrayal of the characters and their “frenmity”. The cinematography and the editing of the racing scenes are effective and compelling. The use of vintage cars and the over-saturated colours convey the Seventies’ look and feel very well. Nostalgic and entertaining —7/10

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October 16, 2013 · 1:04 am

Eyjafjallajökull

Director: Alexandre Coffre, Main Cast: Valérie Bonneton, Dany Boon, Denis Ménochet

A crossover between “The War of the Roses” and “Due Date” with French humor. A divorced couple needs to reach Greece to attend their only daughter’s wedding but fate intervenes and all flights are grounded due to the eruption of the Icelandic volcano. What follows is a rather adventurous road trip from Germany to Greece passing through the Balkans. The two leads have a pretty good chemistry and it really strengthens the film. Menochet’s character is unique and hilarious. Laughs and a happy ending European style. Entertaining —6.5/10

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