The Crimson Peak of the Winter's Offerings

This is one I came to rather late which believe me I regret now. October was a rather crowded month for releases, money needed to be prioritised and honestly at the time I thought that the English-Language debut of Yorgos Lanthimos needed far more support than a heavily marketed new film from a (relatively) more established director. Well shows what I know as Crimson Peak has long-since be labelled as another of Del Toro's under-performers, even as its gross reached $72 million worldwide. A great shame because it really does stand alongside Hellboy 2 and Pan's Labyrinth as one of his best films to date.

The reason for Crimson Peak's success as a film is the same reason behind every successful genre film these days which is a knowing sense of self. Despite all the ghosts and strange apparitions this is old school, Gothic melodrama that wears its skin transparently yet 100% embraces what it it. A lavish, elaborately staged, camping-performed romance starring a host of characters that are, bizzarely, both archetypal and colourfully realised.

The films stars Mia Wasikowska, and really is there any better actor to cast as an ethereal symbol of innocence?, as Edith Cushing. Edith is the daughter of a self-made businessman from Buffalo NY and an aspiring author of Gothic melodrama. So it makes perfect sense when she falls for the ultimate Byronic heroin Tom Hiddleston's Sir Thomas Sharpe. Sharpe is Baronet with his fortune exhausted and his estate literally crumbling around him and Hiddleston's performance sells the hell out of this. He exudes both villainy and weakness, constantly being outclassed by those around him. The fact that you never really notice how much the film rushed the courtship of Edith and Thomas is a testament to the chaste chemistry the two actors possess. Their love is one of gentle companionship in contrast to what comes later.

When Edith, who is already haunted by the ghosts of family tragedy, loses her father to murder she runs away with Thomas to Allerdale Hall, his estate where the house is falling both in disrepair and being swallowed by the disused clay mines beneath it. Del Toro's set design is always a thing of art and Allerdale Hall is his masterpiece, a traditional English manor that manages to be both vast and claustrophobic. A creature alive, but visibly dying, with constantly-moving parts seen only at the fringes of it's broken husk. Each room and level is so distinct in its design that they feel like characters unto themselves. From the dank, industrial clay vats in the basement to the narrow, spiked hallways and the rotten, winding stairwell.

Allerdale is also residence to Thomas's sister Lucille, a detached creature fixated only on her brother and the grim realities of her life. Jessica Chastain has had a great run this year playing the down-to-earth rationalist among larger, more colourful characters. In Lucille though she gets to really let loose as a creature holding all her madness deep inside her. Like Annie Wilkes she is an unstable character made all the more chilling by how composed and calm she seems on the outside. When she finally does let loose it is to glorious effect, a sharp, terrifying performance that proves her more monstrous than any ghost or ghoul.

That's another thing about the film which has recurred throughout Del Toro's work and not always to positive effect. Del Toro has always been enamored of the supernatural and his films always find the true horror in everyday humans. The unfortunate result is that the more ghostly sequences, heavily featured in Crimson Peak's marketing, never really achieve the tense level of horror associated with films like The Haunting or Psycho. There are jump scares aplenty but they feel cheap and lacking in a more lingering impact. It's not so much the design of the ghosts, which admittedly are shown so explicitly that the horror soon wears thin. It's more to do with the build up of their arrival and how quickly they tranform, in true Del Toro style, from a spectre of torment to a benevolent ally.

There are other problems to be sure. It may be baggage from his Sons of Anarchy days but Charlie Hunnam really doesn't convince as a man of the 19th Century. Too much time is spent teasing him as Edith's rightful companion in what is supposed to be a feminist revision of that kind of trope. The violence is elaborate and cartoonish, which suits the film right up until the end when Edith herself is gravely injured. It may seem like a nitpick but to be able to slam her ribs into a balcony and walk away with only a sprain feels like a stretch.

Perhaps it's part of Peak's charm that it seems so vastly divorced from reality, like Del Toro's previous work Pacific Rim, it feels like a cartoon made with real actors. To the great directors credit this never lessens the experience, the sincerity one feels in the courtship of Edith and Thomas, her terror at the ghosts of Allerdale and the shock at discovering the dark secrets of Allerdale Hall resonate powerfully. The film draws from the conventions of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights but unlike it's predecessors has no time for happy resolutions. Edith won't leave Allerdale with the true man of her dreams and certainly not without the scars to prove she was there. If anything Crimson Peak is the Gothic romance you'll wish you read in school.

The Lobster: An Unconventional Love Story

    If you can get over whatever weirdness is behind the core concept of a Yorgos Lanthimos film you’re pretty much good to go. Watching becomes easy once you wrap your head around say, three teenagers raised in complete isolation, people impersonating the dead for money or, in the case of his latest work, a hotel for single people who get turned into animals if they fail. The ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of this bleak future are secondary to experiencing the effects of a culture which approaches something so natural with such rigidity.

    The rigidity though is a big part of The Lobster’s humour. Inducting our protagonist David-Colin Farrell, still sporting his Horrible Bosses beer gut-into an environment that can’t accommodate his sexual curiosity or even his unique shoe size (44.5). For the first half of the film this is the prevailing theme; society’s ingrained tunnel vision around what does and doesn’t work as a relationship. Long term couples like the Hotel Manager-a comically stilted Olivia Coleman- and her partner are a picture of marital misery. Even couples outside of the hotel seemed to be based on arbitrary commonalities like short-sightedness and math skills. It’s all so chilly and formal that David’s early attempts at coupling are painfully awkward. In the hands of a less skilled director such moments would be a slog to watch but Lanthimos has enough of a grasp of timing to make them comedy gold.

    It’s not all half-baked attempts at flirting though. The first act is broken up with several trips out to the woods to capture the ‘loners’, people unable to pair who have fled the prospect of being transformed. This is a chance for Lanthimos to stretch his artistry a little with long, slow-motion sequences of the hunt. More importantly though it’s a reminder of the fate that awaits David the longer it takes for him to find a partner. A nice, consistent reminder of his remaining days at the hotel.

   The Loners become much more important in the second half of the film when it all goes south for David. In fleeing the hospital and joining the local resistance movement they essentially turn The Lobster into a sort of European Neo-realist version of Equilibrium. Of course Lanthimos is smart enough to not completely vilify the Loners. While they do offer more freedoms they also forbid pairing, require members to dig their own graves and flirting is harshly punished. It’s an apt message, that no society’s version of relationships is applicable to everyone but it didn’t really need this much time to explain. While the humour and characterisation is as sharp as ever it can’t help but drag the film’s momentum to a halt.

   The real shame of this is that it doesn’t allow time to build the intimacy between David and his eventual love interest; Rachel Weisz, simply credited as Short-Sighted Woman. Their pairing is deliberately superficial and has some tender moments but it would have been nice if their relationship had been based on mutual interests and chemistry (y’know, like in the real world). To their credit though both Farrell and Weisz manage to work through the script’s knowingly decorous dialogue while communicating a strong emotional bond.

   On that note the film boasts an amazing supporting cast with great comic timing. Not just Coleman and Weisz but Ben Whishaw and John C. Reilly as hotel residents; the two are equal parts frustrated and pathetic without overplaying it. Ashley Jensen feels a little ‘on-type’ as ‘Biscuit Woman’ a resident who’s a touch too desperate in her attempt to find a match. The real surprise though is Lea Sedoux as the Loner Leader, a capable and somewhat heartless figure who takes pleasure in undermining the hotel’s hollow principles. 

   The Lobster is utterly unlike any other film this year, save perhaps Peter Strickland’s equally oddball The Duke of Burgandy. A funny and thoughtful look into society’s strict categorisation of human relationships that falls just short of being truly great by its severe pacing problems.

Far From the Madding Crowd: Review

Far From the Madding Crowd is almost a perfect example of the Period genre's pornographic sensibilities. It's an idyllic recreation of rural Wessex in the 1800s. The springs are all lush, sun-soaked fields, the winters all virginal white hills. Carey Mulligan is positively radiant as the worlds cleanest farm owner. And as usual the costume and set design are done to near perfection. All of which serves to make the whole endeavour feel just a little bit unreal,undercutting much of the drama and character relationship.

At the time the hiring of The Hunt director Thomas Vinterberg, co-founder of Dogme '95, must have seemed like a radical choice for an adaptation of a Thomas Hardy novel. Which makes it sad then that the result is so conventional. A well-acted, beautifully shot work that look just too nice to feel authentic and a stark contrast to the 1967 version.

The good news is that the nuts and bolts of Hardy's classic novel are still intact. In Mulligan's hands Bathsheba Everdene is a much more tempered creature. Still independent and defiant but more out of uncertainty than the belief that she don't need no  man. It even comes across subtly in scenes in which her strength is called upon. When she takes control of Everdene farm her doubt can be heard in Mulligan's voice and yet when she declares her intention 'to astound you all.' she really means it.

As inciting incidents go it really says something when a film can convey utter horror and tragedy at the death of a flock of sheep as befalls Bathsheba's first suitor Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts). With smouldering eyes Oak is a decent man but also one coloured by the conventions of the time, thinking he can woo Bathsheba with the promise of comfort and a good income. When he receives his humbling at the death of his livelihood Schoenaerts really sells his sad frustration becomes a picture of nobility in poverty.

Suitor number two comes in the form of wealthy widower William Boldwood (Michael Sheen). This is a role that would seem every bit as arrogant as Oak in the hands of a lesser actor but Sheen vrings real vulnerability to the role. Of all Bathsheba's suitors his is the most sympathetic with an earnestness to his desire to protect her.

Suitor number three is Tom Sturridge's powerhouse of testosterone Sargent Troy. A soldier who manages to woo Bathsheba into a foolish marriage of passion with his fancy swordsmanship (no, not a euphemism). He is perhaps the weakest of the three but speaks to the folly that exists within Bathsheba despite all her resolve.

The conflict between these three men is mostly understated but builds to an intense climax. Mulligan all the while seems to constantly be ruminating on the nature of love and marriage. Having succumbed to her heart with Troy and wishing to follow her head with Boldwood. All the while building a fond friendship with Oak. By the end you see the relationship which has the most value because it has been built over the years not won with money or showmanship.

This for me is what separates Bathsheba from the likes of Lizzy Bennett and Jane Eyre who seem to be simply waiting for circumstances to permit them to marry. Bathsheba on the other hand genuinely develops a strong friendship with her eventual partner. She's not waiting for equality of position (indeed she is of higher status than him for most of the film) but instead equality of affection.

It's a shame then that such timeless storytelling have to live with such a clean, flat production. Everything's been lovingly crafted to perfection but in such a way that leaves the film feeling passionless. Britain still loves it's Period Porn, if we can call it that, but the genre is so overdone that it's in desperate need of a shake-up. This unfortunately isn't it.

Unpleasant new chapter in the Chronicle of Josh Trank

Folks it's time to talk about Josh Trank.

I've been resisting the urge to sound off about Trank for a while, especially with regards to his role directing the new Fantastic Four film. But news is new's and last nights reveal that the Chronicle director had stepped down from one of the upcoming Star Wars anthology films certainly adds credence to rumours circulating about Fantastic Four.

So in case you missed it Trank, who first hit the scene with found footage superhero film Chronicle, was in the midst of developing a spin-off to the new Star Wars Trilogy. The 'Anthology' films are set to begin next year with 'Rogue One' directed by Garreth Edwards. However after failing to appear at the Anthology panel at this years Star Wars Celebration (citing illness) Trank released the following statement:

"After a year of having the incredible honour of developing with the wonderful and talented people at Lucasfilm, I’m making a personal decision to move forward on a different path. I’ve put a tremendous amount of thought into this, and I know deep down in my heart that I want to pursue some original creative opportunities."

So yeah, Trank is out, having ostensibly walked from what must have been a dream project. This feels like a climax to something bad that's been brewing for a while, mostly on the set of Fantastic Four. Trank was hired to direct Fox's latest attempt at an FF film shortly after the release of Chronicle.

Trank's debut feature released to critical acclaim.

For a while it seemed like the best possible move Fox could have made. Everyone was riding high on the acclaim Chronicle had received and the film geek bubble were desperate to see what Trank did next. Then the story and casting details started to emerge; fans were confused and irate at the cast's average age skewing younger. With particular regards to the still relatively young Miles Teller cast as the mature, level-headed group leader Reed Richards (and also sadly about Michael B. Jordan cast as the traditionally white Johnny Storm). The explanation that this was to bring the film more in line with Marvel's Ultimate imprint from which it is looking to adapt. However the fact that Ultimate Marvel is not particularly well-liked among comic book fans meant this did nothing to stem the criticism.

Then the actual rumours started around the films production.Trank has been said to be "indecisive and uncommunicative" according to unconfirmed sources in The Hollywood Reporter. Much of the dialogue seems to suggest Trank was unaccustomed to working with a big-scale blockbuster production. Seasoned writer and producer Simon Kinberg was brought on the overhaul the script and tensions between Kinberg and Trank are suspected. The only thing known for certain is that the final film did require substantial re-shoots, exacerbated by the cast's conflicting schedules.

Now I generally don't want to give too much credit to rumour and speculation. Trank is clearly a talented director, Chronicle is proof enough of that. Was Fantastic Four just too big of a production to step into right after? Maybe. I will admit the trailers are giving hints of structural problems but that's nothing to go on. Right now the situation seems to be 50/50: Fantastic Four will either be yet another disappointing comic book movie or it could be something legitimately weird and unique as is being teased.

The main take-back is that it must really suck to be Josh Trank at the moment. Film geeks and comic book fans alike are lining up to crap on his film before it's even been released. The production clearly hasn't been plain sailing and to cap it all off he's having to walk from every sci-fi fans dream, whatever the reason. If Fantastic Four tanks as badly as some fanboys are hoping it will a talented man's career might be over before it's even really begun.

Why So Cynical? First Image of Jared Leto's Joker & other news.

Wow, it's been a while. As always real life commitments got in the way of movie-watching/blogging for the last few months. So much so that it's actually been a while since I got out to the cinema. Plan is to see The Falling next bank holiday but in all likelihood Avengers: Age of Ultron will be rearing it's Hulk-sized head soon enough. In the meantime here's a few news stories of note:

Michelle MacLaren leaves Wonder Woman: This sucks, here's hoping Patty Jenkins can make it work.

Trailers dropped for Ant-Man, Fantastic Four, Star Wars etc: Confession I have not actually watched the new Star Wars trailer, trying to stay in the dark. As for the others Batman v Superman is 50/50, Fantastic Four looks as problematic as ever, Ant Man? Two words: Train set!

Fast & Furious 7 made a bunch of money: in other news water is wet.

Riz Ahmed rumoured for Rogue One: Good on Riz, he rocked in Four Lions and Nightcrawler, he'll probably rock here too.

First image of Jered Leto as Suicide Squad's Joker revealed:

O...kay?

So several hours ago David Ayer, director of Suicide Squad, posted the above image on Instagram for the Anniversary of the Joker's first appearance 75 years ago. It shows Jared Leto in full make-up as the latest incarnation of the classic Batman villain here imagined as a tattooed 90s Nu Metal fan in the throes of lunancy he is often characterised for.

It's an interesting incarnation to say the least. Closer in appearance to say Victor Zsaz than the purple-suited psychopath. In terms of personality he really just seems to be the Heath Ledger incarnation turned up to eleven. The fits of lunacy which Ledger used to break the incredible tension he generated now seems to be the default state for the character. Not sure if this is an improvement.

Eh it's different and whether it's working or not Warner Brothers has been bending over backwards to differentiate it's DC properties. Both from previous version and the little-known other series of comic book films that have been wiping the floor with them. It does kinda suck that Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn will probably just be a cheap variation on the above but for now we wait and see.

I Want You Back Guardians

For the first time in as long as I can remember I have walked into a cinema screen and had fun; pure, unadulterated, uninterrupted fun. From the moment Chris Pratt’s Star Lord bursts into dance at the opening credits until the moment…well the moment he bursts into dance at the finale pretty much. Guardians of the Galaxy might not be the smartest film you’ll see this year or the most powerful but by God it is the one you’ll remember when December rolls round.

Part of the success is that Guardians is the first Marvel movie you can go into without needing any real understanding of the established universe. It’s not a superhero film, it doesn’t feature cameo’s from Mark Ruffulo or make reference to something important down the line. It’s a space opera taking place in a galaxy far, far away and while the influences of Star Wars, Firefly, Farscape and Cowboy Bebop are all too apparent the film has an energy and wit all of its own.

Much of that wit comes in the form of Chris Pratt’s performance as Peter Quill, a human abducted from Earth as a child who, twenty-six years later, is now trying to establish himself as the outlaw Star Lord. His cocksure, space cowboy persona is a fun opening gimmick but watching it get undercut by how little it means is what seals the deal. Quill’s dedication to the pop culture tropes and references of Earth reinforce his tragic characterisation as a kid trapped in a man’s body trying to imitate Han Solo. Make no mistake people Quill is no John Crichton and if his companions fail to get his remarks about The Maltese Falcon or Footloose it’s all part of the gag. 

Of course it’s mostly Star Lord’s that kick of the plot when he retrieves a mysterious orb from a dead planet. The orb is sought by Ronan the Accuser a genocidal manic who wants to use it to destroy his enemy the Xandarians(just get used to the weird names here) and so sends his living weapon Gamora to steal it from Quill. Meanwhile Quill has a bounty on his head that draws the attention of Rocket Raccoon and Groot, a tree-person whose vocab is limited to ‘I am Groot’. In the end they all clash on Xandar and end up in prison where they meet Drax the Destroyer,a bruiser with a score to settle with Ronan. There the five agree to team up, sell the orb and split the cash.

Then things take a turn of formula. Turns out the orb is a planet-destroying weapon and the gang need to put their interests aside for greater good and yadda yadda yadda. Yeah part of Guardians fault is that it spends a lot of time trying to ignore the whole big picture altruism that heroes are supposed to have. So much so that it can’t quite sell everyone’s turn for good when it’s time for the big space battle.

This is largely down to the portrayal of Gamora. Not Zoe Saldana mind, who does a good job of balancing her effortless badassery with the exasperated straight woman role. No the problem is that Gamora has the most significant role in the plot outside of Quill, with her betrayal of Ronan forcing the Guardians together and her horror at the orb’s power the instigator for their last hurrah. This is all fine stuff but it’s never backed up by anything. There’s no destruction of Alderran that drives home the monstrosity of Ronan, no moment for her to reflect that what he could do with this kind of force. Compare this with Karen Gillan’s Nebula who breathes resentment for Gamora and their shared father Thanos the Mad Titan. At the end when Nebula betrays her father for Ronan it’s all too clear why she does this. With Gamora there is no such scene.

Gamora isn’t the only plot contrivance pushing the characters along though. An extended scene with the orbs would-be buyer Taneleer Tivan (last seen after the credits of Thor: The Dark World). Benicio Del Toro gives a delightfully camp performance but can’t escape the fact that he is simply explaining the purpose of the orb for the sake of plot. Thankfully though his scenes provide a new environment for the Guardian’s antics and another colourful action beat.

That’s the thing, significant though they may be the problems with Guardians never overshadows the level of fun, humour and action that the film has. The entire supporting cast is a riot, Dave Batista in particular kills as the entirely literal Drax. While Groot isn’t exactly Hodor the ‘I am Groot’ never gets old and his emotional intelligence paves the way for an incredibly affecting payoff. And look at that I finally managed to get through a Bradley Cooper film without my bum going to sleep. 

Other than that Guardians of the Galaxy is a ride, an energetic exciting ride that begs to be repeated. Yes it’s formulaic but formula can be a great jumping point for inventive action scenes, consistently funny characters and a universe of tricks and toys to be played with. Well worth a watch again and again.

A Grim Session with The German Doctor

The greatest fault of The German Doctor, originally titled Wakolda is perhaps that it relies too much on your knowledge going in. To truly understand just how chilling a film about a struggling Argentinian family and the mild-mannered physician who comes to lodge at their hotel in 1960 you must already know a little about who the man is.

The German Doctor is shrouded in mystery for much of the film, with focus instead thrown on the relationships that the doctor, who goes by the name Helmut Gregor, forms with the family. He takes a scientific interest in their diminutive daughter Lilith, identifying a growth defect that he can treat. Mother Eva is wary of allowing a virtual stranger to experiment on her child but being fifteen weeks pregnant with another she knows she may need his help. While the father, Enzo is made predictably anxious by this newcomer’s increasing involvement with his family. Even when Gregor offers to invest in a business venture together, mass producing the doll Enzo made for Lilith, named Wakolda from which the film gains its Spanish title.   

Then comes the twist, that this seemingly average German doctor is in fact escaped war criminal Joseph Mengele. While some may know Mengele as the villain in The Boys from Brazil he is in fact the kind of Nazi scientist that other Nazi scientists thought insane. On top of the unknown number of people he killed Mengele amputated his victim’s limbs, infected them with Typhus and injected chemicals into their eyes among other horrific crimes. However The German Doctor chooses not to outline the depths of Mengele’s evils, most of his work is conveyed in a handful of graphic drawings in his notebook. Assuming this information is either common knowledge or simply already implicit in his association with the Nazis.

Whatever the reason it feels like The German Doctor could have pushed its subject matter for greater dramatic tension. This is a film about a collection of innocents coming to the realisation that they have colluded, however unknowingly, with a monster. The theme of lost innocence is felt most profoundly with Lilith who gains the most from Menegle’s presence and so becomes the most enamoured with him. At the threshold of puberty she takes an interest in this charming older man, eventually coming to learn about his work and ideologies. Thankfully their scenes never possess a Lolita-esque vibe, Mengele views her more a subject of study than anything. And it has to be said Florencia Bado gives a charming, naive performance as Lilith without becoming overly precocious.

The real star though is Alex Brendemuhl with the unenviable task of playing one of history worst menaces with zero menace. His cold, still eyes suit more and alien with an understated curiosity about other people. His Mengele is calculating about everything, wanting to be liked but only to maintain his cover, wanting to help but only to further his research. It is not until he finds the net closing around him that Mengele breaks out the hissing villainy, at which point it feel like a jarring turn of character. It is a performance which doesn’t plumb the depths of his psyche but it is effective nonetheless.

Before he flees though there is baggage to resolve with the family as Eva goes into labour and Mengele is the only physician available. A glimmer of a good deed forms in an otherwise black pit of evils as Mengele resolves to help the struggling newborn twins even with Isreali agents closing in. Meanwhile the family, with Enzo in particular, have to resolve accepting the help of a man who has committed atrocities. Will the lives of his children be forever tainted by this man’s influence? Will they be able to forgive themselves for not doing more to bring him to justice? For the family there are no easy answers.

In the end The German Doctor does not do anything new with its well-trod subject matter. It doesn’t have the big dramatic performances of Schindler’s List or the insights of Downfall. It does however provide a tense and occasionally compelling microcosm of the effects of the Holocaust. A slow-burning character piece that examines how easily it is for the devil to assume pleasing forms.