Into The Woods (2014)

Love Meryl Streep (obviously, because who doesn’t?!). Love James Corden. Love Emily Blunt. Love Anna Kendrick. I could take or leave Chris Pine, but I’m thinking you get my point. I pretty much love this cast. Do I love this film? Not so much…

This has been highly anticipated by me and my friends for a while now, and the rave reviews only heightened our enthusiasm, so perhaps that goes some way into explaining why it fell so flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate it, and if someone wanted to see it again I would, but my problem is that this film has no longevity. With musicals you usually expect something epic and awe-inspiring, something that will grab you by the gut and either gets you up singing and dancing or has you on the floor sobbing by the end. This film elicited neither reaction, and as such left me disappointed. The premise is that an old witch living next door to the Baker and his wife has promised to lift a curse she put on him and his kin if they procure four precious items that will return her youth, and in their adventures they come across popular Brothers Grimm characters along the way. It’s an extremely interesting premise, right? That’s not a trick question, I swear. The premise was a part of the reason I wanted to see the film after all. The thought of a mish-mash of fairytale characters interacting with one another and participating in one epic adventure sounds brilliant, and in its highly successful Broadway run it has proven time and again to be just that. In film however, something has been lost in translation.

Perhaps it’s the fact that the rights to the film belong to Disney, and so a lot of the gritty nature of the original script and story had to be cut in order to maintain that fun and friendly vibe we recognise from the main distributor of children’s entertainment. I’m no expert, as I haven’t seen an onstage version, but from my research I noticed a few essential moments were left from the film. Apparently the onstage version is much raunchier and violent, and I think that if this film had been picked up by a different distributor, it would have had the potential to be truly great. I’d just like to make it clear as well that I went into this film having done zero research, so the fact that I left knowing that something was missing is a clear indicator that this film has been altered too significantly to feel true to its audience. (Or its adult audience anyway).

That wasn’t my only problem with it though. I took issue with certain scenes that came off as either extremely unsettling or too rushed to feel authentic. For example, the short cameo made my Johnny Depp playing Mr Wolf saw him sing and act in a way that came off as highly paedophilic. Obviously playing the horrible wolf is going to have its drawbacks, but honestly I and my friend were looking at each other more than the screen (in abject horror) as we watched him creep behind the girl, pull the occasional suggestively erotic pose and then sing about her bright pink flesh which has no lumps. “Lumps”? In reference to a prepubescent girl? Yeah, basically the wolf is talking about the fact that this child has no breasts and how he finds this attractive in a victim. Frankly I was appalled that this was allowed in the film, because I know that if I was a parent I would be shielding my children’s eyes and writing letters of complaint to whoever allowed such blatantly erotic and paedophilic moments to play out in a children’s film. When Little Red admits to the Baker that she was scared but also “kind of excited” by the wolfs advances, that is really the last straw for me. And in a Disney film?! But anyway, I think I’ve said enough about this short section of the film to relate that I am NOT happy about Depp’s character. Oh yeah, by the way Disney and director Rob Marshall, thanks for ruining Johnny Depp for me. I’ll never be able to look at the guy in the same way again.

This scene was not the only thing I took issue with though. Unfortunately, I was not a massive fan of the singing talents of one particular character, the actor who plays Jack – Daniel Huttlestone. I hate to say this, because some may also recognise him from Les Miserables where he played Gavroche superbly, but in this film his talents did not transfer quite so...smoothly.Your guess is as good as mine as to why. When he was singing it honestly just sounded like he was shouting, and his acting came off as forced and exaggerated in parts which ruined key moments in the film. (God, I feel like such a bitch saying mean things about a kid. I’m sorry!). Wasn’t the biggest fan of Chris Pine’s singing voice either, but he played the Prince Charming who isn’t so charming very well, and his scene with Billy Magnussen singing under the waterfall was some brilliantly clichéd (that was what they were going for, so I mean it as a compliment) cinema.

The film wasn’t without its merit (namely a fantastic and enthusiastic performance of It Takes Two by Corden and Blunt which made me really happy and saved this film from being switched off half way through. Also Streep. Because Streep is a merit in everything she does) but it didn’t meet my expectations and for this I am bitterly disappointed. It felt rushed, contrived and too abrupt in parts to maintain my interest. Why Meryl Streep’s character, the driving force for much of the action in the first half of the film, suddenly disappears in the second half is beyond me. If an explanation was given, it certainly wasn’t blatant enough to offer me and my housemates any sort of resolution to her character. But, it’s a Disney film aimed mainly toward children, so I guess not everything has to be tied up neatly…

All in all, I was not happy with the outcome of this film. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either, which is surprising given the stellar cast and experienced crew (Rob Marshall and Steven Sondeheim) at its helm.

A rambler’s star rating?

Begin Again (2013)

Most people will come for this film because of its oddly-paired starring duo, Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, or perhaps because they saw Once (the writer-director John Carney’s Dublin set musical hit) and thought that Carney could once again work his magic. I, personally, entered the film with neither option spurring me onwards and colouring my views. I’m not an avid fan of either actor and, though I’ve certainly heard of Once and read the rave reviews that accompanied its release, I haven’t actually seen the film. I think that’s the best way, as a viewer, to enter into the experience. Completely unbiased and willing to let the film do what the film needs to do.

Telling the tale of two lost souls trying to find themselves through music, we begin with Greta (Knightley) singing a melancholy tune while clearly lamenting some sort of recently suffered tragedy. As it turns out, she’s a recently graduated Brit who travelled to the Big City with her long-time love Dave (Adam Levine) so that he could pursue he’s musical talents with the production company he recently signed with. Things don’t go as planned, as is often the case when people make big life decisions based on their lovers’ lives, and suddenly Greta is left with her guitar; a single suitcase; and her pal Steve’s (James Corden) stodgy couch as the place to rest her head. Things aren’t great, that’s for damn sure. Ruffalo finds himself on the down-and-out as well as the alcoholic absentee father who has just been fired from the production company he co-founded. Cue the cute-meet in a dingy bar where Ruffalo hears Knightley sing and, instead of seeing the verging-on-suicidal woman the audience see, he spots something special in an awesome scene where the downbeat original is transformed into an upbeat orchestration imagined by him.

The musical collaboration begins, and the pair quickly form a bond based off of their mutual need to create something great and something that goes beyond the troubles they have recently suffered. The film is magical in this sense. The quirky pair bounce off of each other and their chemistry is really quite surprising, and palpable from the word go. This broken pair needs each other, just as much as they need the music, because it’s nice not to feel alone. Don’t worry though, it’s not a romance per see, although there are flirtatious gazes and the suggestion of something “more” littered throughout the film. That’s exactly what made me love the film as well. It doesn’t conform to some Hollywood idea that a film can’t be something great and truly substantial unless its leads end up in a romantic embrace. It does the exact opposite. It shows that sometimes what’s truly best is to know that you can love yourself, without having to be loved by somebody else. That’s an important and powerful message.

What I loved most about the film was the raw charm it exuded and the bloody brilliant soundtrack throughout. From the outside looking in, the cast seem odd and mismatched. I mean we’ve got Knightley, Ruffalo, Adam Levine, James Corden and Cee-Lo-Freakin’-Green and to me it just seemed so odd and out-of-place, yet as I was watching it felt completely right. The actors just seem to bounce off of each other, and Corden brought his foul-mouthed-British charm to the fore consistently, which felt palpable and real as he interacted with Knightley and Ruffalo. The scenes where we see Greta film and sing her music in random locations across the beautiful NYC are breath-taking and charming and, as a viewer, just make you wish you were there. There is no better feeling than live music and the atmosphere it gives, and you really get the sense of this atmosphere in the film – which, kudos to the actors and director, because that is an impressive feat.

If you’re a fan of brilliant music, brilliant actors and a story that will leave you feeling hopeful then please see Begin Again. It’s something great and its messages are healthy and direct. You don’t need anybody but yourself, and you certainly don’t need the approval of many to feel the glory of success.

A rambler’s star rating? 

Frozen (2013)

And who says adults can’t enjoy animation?? That’s the question I found myself asking as the end credits rolled and this delightful Disney movie came to its conclusion. I’d been looking forward to this since its trailer was released, especially since one of the lead characters was voiced by the wonderful and hilarious Kristen Bell. Unfortunately responsibilities come before indulging in my inner child but, alas, I watched; I loved – and now I review.

My initial love of the film is its leading ladies and the dynamic and love between the two that becomes the films driving force. Instead of some fabled love-at-first-sight mumbo-jumbo to take us to the films problem and eventual solution, we have a complex story of sisterhood and what the strength of this bond will force one to do. Herein lies the two leading ladies – Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell). The film begins by establishing the strong bond of love between the two borne from their adventures and fun due to the ice-cold powers emanating from the hands of Elsa, who can turn the ballroom of their giant castle into an ice-rink. Their fun quickly takes a turn for the worse though when Elsa accidently sends a bolt of ice to her beloved sister Anna, knocking her unconscious and eventually leading to any-and-all memories of Elsa’s magic being taken from Anna – to ensure her safety (I won’t go into details, because I don’t want to spoil it). After this Elsa becomes ruled by fear, and begins to ignore her endearing and fun-loving sister Anna to keep her safe. At the films conclusion it turns out this fear-driven method of avoidance and control may not have been the best course of action because, it being a Disney movie and all, love is of course the answer and solution to pretty much everything. Oh how I wish my life was a Disney movie…

The film doesn’t just find its strength in its outside-the-box true-loves-kiss-maybe-aint-the-answer-this-time approach however. It’s also made extremely endearing because of its lead, the princess that saves the day – Anna. I’d read a few interviews before seeing the movie where Kristen Bell explained that she didn’t want Anna to be some run-of-the-mill princess who relied on men to solve the problems and couldn’t pull a few punches herself. She’d explained that in helping create Anna she hoped to bring to life a character she’d always craved for as a kid – a strong, determined, and very awkward princess. A princess girls could actually relate to. Well Kristen Bell – BRAVO. Her wishes have been fulfilled in this character because, unlike many of the Disney princesses preceding her, I felt more endeared and in-tune with Anna than I have for a Disney character before. Her strength often surpasses that of the lead male – Kristoff - whom she saves on more than one occasion. In addition to this strength comes her no-holds-barred argumentativeness, which leads to some downright hilarious disagreements between the hapless Kristoff whose found himself helping the princess without much choice in the matter. The slight awkwardness and naivety which also makes up Anna adds a truth to the character that young girls could do with these days. Furthermore (and I hope I don’t sound obnoxious when I say this because, really, I’m only nineteen and have no right to a level of superiority that only parents can adequately pull off), kids could do with being reminded that they are indeed kids once in a while, and Frozen, with its messages of friendship and female empowerment, is an excellent method of doing so.

Of course I couldn’t write this review without giving mention to the non-human sidekicks that have come as a highly expected, and wonderfully anticipated, aspect of any contemporary Disney film. (We need only look at Tangled and Shrek as points of reference). Frozen has even surpassed these animated-capers though with Olaf the talking snowman and Sven the goofy and adorable reindeer. I won’t lie, Olaf might just be better than Donkey from Shrek, and believe me, I realise the magnitude of this statement. His enthusiasm and loyalty make him extremely likeable, yet the real clincher is his craving for summer and warmth and his ignorance at what this means for him. The scene in which he sings his enthusiasm for this season is perfect and makes you want to rewind and watch all over again. The fact that he has no subtely whatsoever also puts him up there with the best of the Disney-sidekicks. Also it can’t go without saying that the voice for Olaf – Josh Gad (whom some may recognise from Love & Other Drugs, New Girl and The Internship) – is absolutely perfect. Gad’s comedic timing is essential in bringing Olaf to life and his enthusiasm and nuance make him perfect for voiceover, especially animated voiceover.

To bring the review to a close I’d like to reiterate some points. First and foremost – who said adults couldn’t enjoy an animation?! If you are an adult and were wondering whether to catch this when it comes out on DVD then I would give you a big resounding YES. It’s hilarious, endearing, and doesn’t follow the usual Disney recipe (200g of true-love, 100g of evil-hoping-to-destroy-love, 50g of song-and-dance, 1tsp of talking-animals and just a pinch of magic). The film is refreshingly original while still maintaining the elements that we love. Also, this film has some damn catchy songs – type into YouTube “Let it Go” and “In Summer” to see what I mean.

To cut a long story short…

Would I recommend this? Even if you don’t usually go for an animation I would encourage, maybe even insist, that you see this. It’s too funny, sweet and original not to. 
A film rambler's star rating?

Tonight You're Mine (original title You Instead) (2011)

The one thing I love about the British film industry is that it’s not afraid to take some risks. They fund independent projects which don’t always make a lot of money, but they don’t care, or at least that isn't there number one priority. They don’t reproduce a set of Hollywood-idealized plots, and they don’t make sequels or prequels as if they’re life depended on it. What they do is even better - they make something original. And originality and quality is what we have with Tonight You’re Mine – its quirky, its British and its bloody good.

It tells the story of two feuding rock stars who are handcuffed together for 24 hours at T-in-the-Park where they are both due to perform. Obviously a whole host of random drunken debauchery ensues and we see how, in the midst of the madness of brilliant music and classic British weather, their relationship develops from one of feuding and bickering to friendship and romance. Maybe not love, because come on, we British aren't deluded, you don’t fall in love with someone in 24 hours, but you can fall ‘in’. Big difference. This is something the film does rather brilliantly – it depicts the ‘in’.

Of course we haven’t just got these two; we have a whole host of British actors who make up this young and refreshingly contemporary set of characters. The lesbian couple; the sexy-American-rock-star-geek, the much-older boyfriend and, of course, the drunk that everyone sends home early. It wouldn't be a British film without that character now would it? Don’t worry, these might sound like a whole lot of stereotypes and cliches for one film, but they aren't handled in this way. The story-lines progress and develop naturally – no character seems forced or unrealistic. Thank god, huh?!

One thing that might be off-putting for some viewers is the films aesthetic style, which is very dark and claustrophobic - probably to reflect the protagonists situation. This darkness, along with the documentary-style filming, gives the film a reality that is often missing in larger productions. In fact, certain sections look like they've been pulled straight from a handheld camcorder. This might seem shoddy to the Spielberg-lovers of this readership, but is refreshingly contemporary and fits in with the feel of the film. This film isn't supposed to be pristine quality, because it reflects the dirty and wonderful of the festival-world – which is anything but pristine.

Music plays a big part in bringing these two characters together.

The leading duo play their roles to perfection in this 80 minute film and it is refreshing to see two faces without stereotypical beauty, which isn't to say they aren't attractive – but doesn't it just bug you when only the ‘ridiculously-good-looking’ (I hope some of you recognize that reference) find love in the end? I know it annoys me!

The leading lady is played by British actress Natalia Tena whom some might recognize as Tonks in the Harry Potter franchise. Here she plays the feisty and opinionated Morello, who doesn't take crap from anyone. Not even hugely successful rock stars with model girlfriends. To me the role was perfectly cast and the humour we saw in Harry Potter is very much present in this production – clearly Tena is as feisty and contagious a person as she plays in this film. Our leading man is played by Luke Treadway whose good looks alone make him perfect for the dirty rock-star we all love-to-hate and hate-to-love. Here Treadway gives me another reason to gush over the British film industry because they have left the romantic lead in the hands of a relatively unknown but hugely talented actor – something you don’t see much of in a Hollywood blockbuster these days (I don’t mean to hate on Hollywood, hell I watch and love many of those films as well, but I can’t help but brag a little. Call it my patriotic duty.) Treadway’s character seems like a bit of a bad-ass but the charm with which he plays this character stops you from hating him.

All-in-all we have a top-notch British film and, though it might not be for everyone, its contemporary feel give it a sense of reality which younger audiences will definitely appreciate. The film might be a little bit cheesy, but I swear, only a little. Like a cheddar perhaps. It definitely ain't blue-cheese material.

Best line: (This can be seen in the trailer if this post has piqued your interest enough…)

Adam: We need an industrial sized tool.
Fire Marshall: I think I found one.
Morello: Really?
Adam: Oh aha ha a comedian.

To cut a long story short…
Would I recommend this? I would, but I feel like it would only appeal to a minority which is unfortunate really. 
A film ramblers star rating? 

That's it for now folks...

Les Miserables (2012)

This is an incredibly intimidating production to review, in part because the film itself is an epic onslaught on the senses, but also because there is so much to talk about and its hard to know where to start. Which makes me wonder, where do I start? Well, at the beginning I guess…

Les Miserables, or ‘Les Mis’ as it is known in the theatre-loving world, is a musical production based on the 19th century novel by Victor Hugo which chronicles the life of Jean Valjean, a convicted bread-thief who, after serving 19 years for his “crime”, is freed and sets out to create a new life under the guidance of God. This does not go down well with Russell Crowe’s character, Jalvert, who makes it his life mission to track Valjean and send him back to prison. This is where our story begins, though certainly not where it ends, for it sets in motion a whole host of events which involve saving tragic-Fantine’s orphan child Cossette and raising her in the midst of a French Revolution. Like I said, there's a lot to get your head around…

Director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) does so though, and with incredible flair and an imagination and determination which ensured that this multiple Oscar-winning production will go down in film history. Here Hooper has assembled an incredibly talented set of actors and brought to life one of the most celebrated novels and theatre-productions in history, for the screen. The typical course of action on a musical production, especially one of this magnitude, is to pre-record the soundtrack and have the stars lip-sync on set. Here, however, Hooper took a different approach and recorded every song live on set, in order to capture the spontaneity and emotional responses of the actors – a move which has been praised by both his cast and critics alike. A feat like this has never been attempted before, making Hooper, ironically enough, somewhat of a revolutionary…

The shining stars of Les Miserables, these two showcased their broadway credentials and earned Oscar nominations in the process.

The cast make an outstanding job of bringing to life these inspiring characters, even down to the last revolutionary extra – most of whom are made up of West End extras that starred in the various stage versions this story has inspired. Hugh Jackman plays his part of reformed criminal and surrogate father Valjean with an intense-zeal that made it hard to believe any acting was involved at all, Jackman lived and breathed this character and the passion with which he brought this character to life emphasises this fact. Jackman’s final scenes are excruciatingly painful to witness, because he imbues them with such pain and vulnerability. I really do wonder how he missed out on an Oscar for this performance, because it was certainly well-deserved. One Oscar-winning performance, however, comes from America’s quintessential girl-next-door Anne Hathaway who takes on the brief but cutting role of Fantine. Her rendition of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ is simply exquisite. There really are no other words for it. I won’t lie, usually I’m not a big fan of Hathaway, for reasons I’m not quite sure of, but in this film those feelings are swept aside by her visceral performance of the tragic Fantine. Perhaps she shone in this film to an Oscar-worthy level because so much of her performance was method. She endured a great deal of physical transformation in order to do justice to her character and that really shows in her performance. Hathaway’s Fantine is pure empathy. She lives the life of that character, and because of this, so do we, the stunned-into-silence audience. Another casting-choice worthy of commendation is that of Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen, who are reunited after their starring turn in Sweeney Todd (another stage to screen adaptation), who inject this film with a little comedy to lighten the load. This comedy-duo are truly marvellous, their hyperbolic idiocy and conning-cunning are just what this film needs to relieve some of its emotional burden. Though perhaps not the most talented musical performers in the entire cast, this fact is of little consequence, because without them, and I mean these two actors specifically, this film might’ve fallen a little flat. We all need a little comedy in our lives to ward off the desolation after all, and who better to provide that than Carter and Cohen?

A visually stunning scene in which our revolutionary heroes begin the battle for freedom.

The aesthetic quality of the film is also something to marvel at, from the reconstruction of the streets and alleyways of revolutionary France down to the costume design and makeup. The films aesthetics feel authentic to a 19th century France fighting poverty and the right-to-freedom. Hooper isn’t afraid to make his actors look unbecoming, in fact he welcomes it, and this attention to detail is what makes him the fantastic and fearless director he is. I particularly admired the barricade scene in which we see our revolutionary heroes/victims throw together a shoddy wall of furniture behind which they defend themselves from the armies they fight against. The scene felt raw and thrown-together – which I 100% mean as a compliment! The period detail is excellent and every person who was involved truly deserves a pat on the back (that’s a very English sentiment from me, not one I usually express…)

All-in-all this film is truly amazing and I only hope I’ve managed to convey my awe for this film and the admiration I feel for both the actors and the director. If you haven’t already, which I find hard to believe, then please make it your mission to see this film – you won’t regret it, even if you’re not really a fan of musical productions.

Best moment/s: (I know I say this every time, but there really were WAY too many to choose from, though I have managed to cut it down to two…)

#1 The first scene in which we are greeted by the comedy-duo Carter and Cohen – they regale us with the song ‘Master of the House’ and really make it their own. A fantastic stand-out performance.
#2 The final scene of the film in which we are reunited with the sadly departed of the cast, and they sing one of the greatest musical songs in history ‘Do you hear the people sing?’. If you don’t shed a tear or two over this then there is something wrong with you. That’s blunt, but true. Sorry.

To cut a long story short…
Would I recommend this film? Well I think the answer is fairly obvious, but YES! A film ramblers star rating? 

That’s it for now folks…