Reviews

A James Bond film made for the modern era, you'd be hard pressed to find any other film series able to stand the test of time and still feel relevant. When it looks like it's lagging behind the competition of the other spy action thrillers, the makers have taken note and re-invented the mould, making it more real and exciting.

To me, Bond had too much of a rigid formula, the cars, the chases, the girls, the gadgets, the megalomaniac villain's and the spectacular set pieces/stunts. After a while though, the older films seem to suffer from a sense of deja vu. It's a case of been there, done that. The structure of the films have become stale and repetitive. Same plot about a group of criminals/organisation hell bent on world domination/destruction, with a beautiful bond girl in tow, Bond and or Bond girl gets capture, ridiculous car chase or stunts with a million of cheesy one liners. Frankly, I had pretty much given up on the Bond films. They have become predictable and tedious with only the change of location to give the film any sort of distinction.

The plot of Skyfall is unlike previous Bond films, starts with the routine chase resulting in Bond being shot and wounded, believed to be dead by MI6. When an attack on MI6 headquarters manifest through a cyber attack and a bombing at the headquarters, Bond returns to uncover who is behind the assault. Struggling from his gun shot wound, Bond has to prove his fitness mentally and physically through some rigorous tests. Sent back into action without being fully fit, Bond embarks on the mission to expose the mastermind. What Bond discovers is a villain who happens to be ex-agent who has a vendetta against M and will stop at nothing to kill her.

First thing you'll notice is the lack of gadgets and the usually bond girl (there is one of sorts but you'll understand when you watch it). Also with a villain who is suave yet as equally menacing as Hannibal Lector, we have a loose cannon who isn't after the world but revenge. It's spy vs spy and the story is more of a evolution of the characters that inhabit the world of Bond. Nods to older Bond films crop up from dialogue, props and even the classic Austin Martin car makes an appearance. It's a homage as well as a resurrection of well known characters.

What we are given here is a Bond with more layers to him and more emotions. Daniel Craig has moulded a Bond who is more relateable. Signs of physical and emotional weakness shows us a Bond who is no longer a super spy with little or no vulnerability. Other characters are given more screen time and provide an emotion gravitas (We are also introduced to Q, a young model who is still wet behind the ears).

In the hands of Sam Mendes and Director of photography Roger Deakins, there has never been a more beautiful shot Bond film. During Bond's fight with a criminal minion we see only their silhouettes, but the eye is drawn to the beauty of the neon Shanghai backdrop. The reserve can be said for the grime, dour and rainy streets of London which captures our the United Kingdom perfectly.

It's a satisfying and enjoyable film, with plenty of action and a surprising emotional core to the narrative. A great development in characters with seeds being sown to allow for a more relateable and mature story telling and for future characters to come to the fore. Skyfall has made me fall in love with Bond films again so here's hoping there's no more rigid formula and routine mundane narratives of past.

A film that defies an easy explanation in terms of plot is attached with an equally less revealing title. What is the "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind"? Well, it stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in what I can only describe as a surreal romantic comedy drama from the inventive minds of Charlie Kaufman and the visionary French music video director Michel Gondry.

The film opens with Joel Barish (Carrey) narrating that today is Valentines day. Bored of his usual routine, he spontaneously gets on a train heading the other way to his work and there stumbles upon Clementine (Winslet). They strike up a conversation and apart from the odd hiccups they get along. Little do either of them know, they were partners before and as the plot unravels we begin to realise that both had decided to wipe their memories of each other.

The narrative goes back to when Joel wakes up after an argument with Clementine the night before. He goes to try to smooth things over, only to find that Clementine doesn't recognise him at all. From further investigation, Joel finds out that Clementine has embarked on a radical procedure that has resulted in her wiping all existence of Joel from her mind. As a reaction to this, Joel undergoes the same operation to do the same thing. From here on in, the film follows Joel's memories and he begins, though his unconscious mind, to remember why he loves Clementine.

As the film is mainly set in the mind, the visuals and settings are vividly bought to life from recurring images and motifs. There are numerous humour filled moments using forced perspectives. Many of Gondry's visual tricks of repetition and surrealism come into play.

For those of you expecting your usual Jim Carrey vehicle, you'll be very disappointed. None of his facial pulls or goofy antics are on show and his performance is akin to his other serious acting performances (The Truman Show, The Majestic and to some lesser extent, The Man on the Moon). As for Kate Winslet, she is always capable of pulling off a convincing performance as a kooky, hippy and impulsive woman.

An original and invigorating story about a two people who fall out of love but fate and realization brings them back together. A unique insight into a couples love life. Through the highs and lows of the memories in Joel's mind, he comes to find that it's the faults and differences that make him attracted to Clementine. Watch with an open and clear mind and fall in love with a romantic comedy with a difference.

Could there been a better time to review a classic than it's ten year anniversary? Released only a decade ago Amelie has firmly established itself as a timeless classic. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's best film so far (his latter films are a bit of a disappointment but check out his earlier works "Delicatessen" and "The City Of Lost Children"), here he is allowed full rein over his expressionistic ideas and visions, brought to live by a simplistic and charming story of a young girl with an imaginative and inventive mind growing up with little or no friends where all she has for company is her fantastical views on people and her unique look on life.

The story starts with a narrator regaling little facts about bluebottle flies before moving onto the main character and her family. Divulging further tit-bits in an entertaining and statistical manner over her families likes, dislikes and idiosyncrasy (not just about Amelie but every character the camera comes across, we get a little story on obsessive compulsive behaviours ranging from bubble wrap popping to bone cracking). As we follow Amelie on her fabulous journey (the English literal translation is The Fabulous Life of Amelie Poulain!) one event which affects our heroine is the death of Lady Diana. With the news playing in the background Amelie drops a lid, that rolls towards a tile, which happens to be loose and it's there she finds someones hidden childhood memories. That night she decides to track down it's owner, return it to him and if they are grateful she'll continue to do further good deeds. From there on the film goes off on an extraordinary and incredible adventure where she becomes a match maker, a tour guide, a deceased lover and a woman looking for love amongst others.

It's a film that is so beautifully shot with outstanding colourisation and a marvellous use of warm soft Earthy tones of greens, reds and yellows. Paris has never looked so autumnal. The complementary colours of the greens and reds brings out the vibrancy and warmth which gives the film more heart and feeling. It's a quality the film never veers away from and as a failed artist it's not too hard to spot the beauty and artistry of the cinematography. Along with the beautiful music by Yann Tiersen, they combine to add an elegance and haunting beauty to what is already a feast for the eyes let alone the ears.

The breakout performance from Audrey Tautou as Amelie who in nature appears child like and innocence enables her to tug on viewers heartstrings at all the right places. A spot-on capture of someone who is positive and has their heart in the right place though has a sly wicked streak for those who deserve punishment (a comical moment in the film where she teaches a market vendor a lesson or two in humbleness and humility). With a uniformly strong supporting cast (keep your eyes out for Jeunets regulars Dominique Pinon and Rufus) the story ticks along with each characters little foibles creating a world where perfection is not the norm and everyone has their own little obsessive behaviours whether they know it or not.

Cynics of you may not buy into its charms or understand Amelie's take on the world and life. The mixture of fantasy, dreams and reality may not be everyone's taste but it's undeniably wonderful and captures the human spirit and it's faults to a tee. It's an escape from reality and that is what cinema is all about. You don't go to see the mundane and the drab (though in this film even the mundane and the drab are given beauty and purpose). Here, the joys and euphoria come at you in equal measure and one persons act of kindness is surely something that's not too hard to imagine.

This is dedicated to my wife, my very own Amelie as this is one of her favourite films, and like Amelie she has a heart of gold and would do anything and everything for anyone.

A Uruguayan film which claims to be filmed all in one shot and in real time! I was intrigued to see whether the claims were true. As film making has progressed, what is to stop anyone from making a film in one long continuous shot? Well here's an attempt from debut film maker Gustavo Hernandez.

The plot is based on a true story of an event which happened in the 1940s in Uruguay. A father and daughter are called to a cottage/farmhouse to house sit until it's eventually sale. It doesn't take long to find things are not as quiet and serene as they seem. The daughter Laura, (the main focal point in the film) starts to hear some noise coming from the rooms above. She wakes her father who goes reluctantly to investigate and that's when the film kicks into gear. After a few minutes and the non re-appearance of her father, Laura decides to find out what has happened to her father.

What happens next is a series of what I would call "boo" moments, as the film makers try to catch the viewer off guard by springing up flashes of images and dark shadows in the background to instill so scares. As a veteran horror fan it wasn't too successful. What the film does succeed on though is giving the sense of claustrophobia. Having only one view point can be really unsettling, as the camera follows our protagonist from behind and slowly switching views to being in front and occasionally becoming the POV shot, there is no cut away or a secondary view point. The film makers have really tried to make the film flow like an uncut one long continuous shot.

But is the film really filmed with no cuts? Unforutnately no, those of you with an eagle eye will probably be able to spot the seamless cuts between the passing through objects or anything dark. That isn't to say that there isn't a lot of technical achievement on show but the claims of the film are clearly not 100% accurate. There is a lot to say about only having one view point as it can seem really restrictive but in turn it can boost the overall atmosphere and tension. The lack of film score also adds to the sense of dread as every little sound is magnified.

The only thing criticism I would level at the film is it's last reveal or final revelation. When you find out what is really happening there's an enormous sense of let down. For all the films technical flair, the film is severely hampered but it's silly turn in events. If you have seen the French film Haute Tension then you will understand what I am talking about. It should have kept on going as a haunted house story instead of what it turns out to be.

An interesting idea, clever uses of light and dark and the generation of tension is admirable. Clearly influences by other low budget horrors like Blair Witch and the video game Silent Hill. A girl walking around a house with only a torch to light the way only conjours up memories of playing the old survivor horror game. Alas, I feel I would have more fun playing the game than watching this film. A flawed experiment.

The second feature in Richard Linklater's exploration at romantic love in which we are re-united with the characters we were first introduced to, back in 1995, in Before Sunrise. Reprising their respective roles are Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Celine). We are invited to catch up on their lives 9 years later and straight away we feel like we're catching up with old friends.

For those of you who have not seen the first feature, at the end of that film, both promised to meet each 6 months later but the meeting never took place. Almost a decade later we find Jesse (an author now,who's written a book based on his experiences in Vienna) on the launch of his book in a bookstore in Paris. The film opens up with Jesse explaining his theory and his ideas of his own book. By coincidence Celine happens to be in the very same book store. What follows is a brief encounter where they go to have coffee and converse over matters and topics like their lives and the reasoning why they never got to meet up.

As they wander through the streets of Paris they talk about what had happened, the camera slowly follows them as they talk and catch up on events. This one, like the previous effort, the dialogue and performance is main focal point and drive in the narrative. Issues which both character have passions for, are vocal discussed in an expressive and devoted manner like the environment. In the little time Jesse has before he his flight leaves, they connect like they did before as they come to realise that this sort of connection is a rare thing in life. The way in which they talk is so relaxed and comfortable in feels so effortless and never contrived.

With this film being set almost a decade later it differs from the fact they have moved on and their lives have changed but they realise that there is some chemistry and undeniable attraction towards each other. Gone are the ideals of young love and blossoming relationship, here we see two people reconnecting and finding nothing has changed in what they found so attractive about each other.

What is technical, a remarkable achievement, is the way the film unfolds in very long shots which captures the naturalist and authentic performances in the streets of Paris. The dialogue is as ever, free flowing, witty, entertaining, funny and never feels like they're reading from a script. The writing duties on this film is credited to both leads (and director) which shows their acting never feels like acting, past experiences and events in their real lives seem interwoven into the story. With the ever setting sunset, the film captures an illuminating yellow tint which gives the overall tone and feel a glowing radiant beautiful shine. It feels like a metaphor on their relationship. The sun maybe setting but there is a beautiful glow like the heart beating on and love still resonating.

A journey which unfolds in real time and with two likable actors who portray two people in a very honest and romantic way in picturesque setting of Paris. Little nuances from unspoken words to glances and physical touches all adds to the depth of realism. And in the way in which the film ends, well... maybe there's more to their relationship to discover and more to their journey but when it ends, we left with "what ifs" and "what now". A tantalising ending, full of promise and hope.