Search Results

Perhaps the most pertinent view on the value of art is the Romantic belief that art becomes more meaningful through expression – whether this be attitude, character and, for the most part, emotion. The more powerful pieces of cinema tend to elicit strong emotional responses through an appeal to the more evocative states of being, which is achieved through adherence to a strong script, powerful acting, and tactical directing. In surely one – if not the – frontrunners of 2016, Manchester by the Sea combines all three of these to create a poignant commentary on grief and the aftermath it leaves in its wake. To accurately depict the effects of this difficult emotion and to draw sympathy, understanding and attachment to the broken characters within the plot is the mark of a brilliant piece of art and it is in this respect that Manchester by the Sea is almost faultless. That being said, you need to be in a certain mood for this film. It is an emotional and sometimes difficult watch in what is writer-director’s Kenneth Lonergan’s third and finest entry, after You Can Count on Me [2000] and Margaret [2011]. In keeping with his thematic focus on the effects and difficult strains of life, he has perfected the art of drawing a strong response from the audience. It was this rawness of experience -which is entirely anti-Hollywood in sentiment – that left such a last impression. This is a film to observe acting at its finest and in its deepest form. Michelle Williams [Randi Chandler] showcases her range of acting skills and it is a shame her Oscar nomination did not materialise in to a win – you would think that her performance in one particularly heart wrenching scene near the end would almost be enough merit to give it to her. Lucas Hedges [Patrick Chandler] also stars as an up-and-coming talent capable of a strong performance alongside a Hollywood heavyweight. This is surely what Casey Affleck has now become after Manchester by the Sea. Whilst controversial, Affleck’s Oscar could not be more richly deserved in his portrayal of a struggling handyman called Lee Chandler. The story begins with him and immediately we are presented a sense of the character’s self-inflicted agonist tendencies as he rejects the advances of several women in the opening scenes to choose the punishment of a drunken fight. Struggling to coexist with a harrowed past – which is revealed through a series of flashbacks throughout the film – it is a credit to the acting ability to be able to convey such a convincing sense of depression with the lacklustre commitment to dialogue the character gives. Shuffling, sighing and appearing almost robotic, it is clear that Chandler is broken and incapable of a life in the place that reminds him so much of his grief. Returning to Manchester following the death of his brother, played by Kyle Chandler, Lee is presented with the unwanted adoption of his nephew, played by Hedges. In this character, Lonergan shows the reliance on those around you in times of grief – Patrick is presented as strong and able to deal with the loss of his father until left alone and unable to go visit one of his girlfriends. This is contrasted to Lee whom actively shies away from others and company, perhaps as a form of punishment. He rejects the opportunity of relationships throughout the movie, including an attempt of a re-connection from Randi, admitting to Patrick at the end that he cannot beat the grief. The value of Manchester by the Sea is surely in its expose on life and grief itself, which is inherently complex and idiomatic. It goes against the grain of typical cinema and it is thanks to the powerful performances by the cast and Lonergan’s script that makes this such a must see film.

As far as war films go this piece captures the ordeal of the soldiers plight accurately enough - as long as you can look past the boy model looks, shouldn't be too hard right? Well maybe, as long as you can block out the dramatic drone of background music - so unrelenting that it almost becomes nauseating in itself. Perhaps Tom Hardy can provide a stellar performance (or perhaps he will be delivering his lines in a way that no-one can understand them, yet again). The fact that the troops can't get away from the war zone is like a living nightmare that won't ever end... we get it, (and appreciate how tragic that may have been) but it just seems like that point is reiterated so much that you want it to end yourself.

Gary Oldman is the latest in a long line of actors to play the wartime leader in this latest film centring on Churchill. Just when we thought there couldn’t be anything more to say, Joe Wright gives us something new. He opts to keep the war as an external threat, which we only catch fleeting glimpses of in the authentic black and white footage in the opening scenes. Instead, he focuses on the conflict between Churchill and his war cabinet (composed mostly of doubters like Halifax and Chamberlain), showing us Winston with the world on his shoulders, thought incompetent by his peers, and under constant threat of being ousted. Oldman, versatile but barely recognisable under heavy prosthetics, makes us empathise with the character through a complex and multi-faceted portrayal; Churchill is taken away from the history books, humanised and familiarised. He ranges from outbursts of defiance towards those who want him to capitulate (“You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth!”), to a conflicted heavy-drinker sitting alone in his room, contemplating his every decision and very fitness for office. Wright is deftly able to depict pressure and tension at every turn, particularly visible through the expressive use of close-up shots during speech scenes, and symbolic colour tones. For example, at one point, a red light, initially out of focus in the foreground, illuminates Churchill at a desk, a reminder of danger. Even the mise-en-scène is restrictive; we watch the characters scurry around the narrow corridors of the War Office, and see the PM frequently confined by darkness in the lift and the toilet. Surrounded by doubters, Winston’s wife Clementine (Kristin Scott-Thomas), and his secretary (Lily James) are the ones who instil confidence in him when he flounders, but occasionally feel underutilised by the sheer amount of screen time dedicated to the protagonist. It’s not all darkness. There are some light-hearted moments when the secretary points out to Churchill that his backward V sign means “Up your bum”, and a message, “Tell the Lord Privy Seal that I am sealed in the privy!” But the most memorable scene and turning point has to be when he takes the tube to talk to the people, who urge him not to negotiate with Germany. Bolstered by their support, he finally gains the support of the doubters in his speech to Parliament. It’s in the final shot that Oldman transforms the character into the figure we know. As a silhouette, he walks towards us and out of the door, to thunderous applause, and when I saw this film I wanted to join in the clapping. No surprises with the awards – the film is a winner, thanks mostly to Oldman’s convincing turn alone.

Transporting you back to 1983, Call Me By Your Name, is a love story like no other. Luca Guadagnino does not take you down Brokeback Mountain’s memory lane, but instead you get to be immersed into the beauty that is Italy. Elio Perlman, an intelligent 17 year-old boy spends his day at his family’s picturesque villa in Lombardy, Italy. Elio, soon meets Oliver, a handsome, but older young man, who is spending the summer as an intern for his father. Over the course of the summer under the beautiful Italian sun, Elio and Oliver partake in a romance that is truly unforgettable. It is important to note that this is not the male version of Blue is The Warmest Colour, even though I am sure that film was an inspiration to all the actors in CMBYN. Truthfully, I did not have great expectations for this film on arrival to the cinema, but was completely blown away by the revelation that is Timothee Chalamet. I really do wonder where this young Daniel Day Lewis look alike has been hiding. It is no surprise that he has received great acclaim for his outstanding performance as Elio,with a SAG,Golden Globe and Oscar nod; I am sure we have only tapped into the surface of an overnight star. Another surprise came with his supporting costar Armie Hammer, who I had last seen in an adaptation of Snow White alongside Lily Collins, which was an unsurprisingly dull cinematic experience. Yet, his calm demeanour and genuine nature as Oliver, was mature and brave alongside Chalamet. Being the older man in the relationship did not make him fit the stereotypical dominant or controlling partner in the relationship, if anything he came across as a lost and found soul for Elio. If you want to see a film about real love that does not include cheesy lines and a kiss in the rain, this is your movie. If you have an appreciation for all things Italian, this is also your movie. The movie is beautifully directed and the idyllic nature of Lombardy comes across on screen, making you want to book a flight to somewhere where the sky isn’t grey and full of clouds. I was lost in awe watching the brilliance of this film, it was heartbreaking and truly set a high expectation for love. Of course, one of the most talked about scenes in the movie is ‘the peach scene’. Personally, I was not taken aback during this scene, if anything it made sense that Elio was a curious young man, who was struggling with identifying with his sexuality. The heartbreak came when you see Elio break down as Oliver attempts to eat the peach that Elio has used, his break down of gratitude. Just when I thought this tear jerking and heart wrenching love story had come to an end, I see Chalamet completely break down and emotionally face the love story he was part of in the final scene of the film, where the credits were rolling. I was shocked to see people leaving, when this was the scene, which I honestly felt made the whole movie a success. Not to mention the absolutely incredible soundtrack, which has also received recognition for its mastery. Nevertheless, I have ‘mystery of love‘ and ‘visions of Gideon’ on repeat and every time I am transported back to the heady Lombardy, where love truly does exist. The only downside of this film is that I am not sure how much this film will appear to the wider public, but I urge you all to see this film! It’s a gift to humanity. The downside? Armie Hammer is not up for an Oscar and Timothee Chalamet has yet to win one. Rating: 9/10

The news was the first rough draft of history, according to Katherine Graham’s (Meryl Streep) husband. In a way, that line sums up the subject of The Post; someone has to hold those in power accountable for their misdeeds. In this case, it’s successive administrations’ involvement in the Vietnam War, which was continued mostly to try and avoid a humiliating defeat. The plot initially plays out as a seemingly familiar story of government vs. free press. In 1971, the New York Times gets hold of the McNamara report and publishes part of it, before being suppressed by Nixon under the Espionage Act. Where The Times is silenced, The Washington Post gets a chance to publish the documents. However, the film’s originality comes from the exchanges between its two leads. As the paper is going on the stock market to increase its declining readership, owner Graham and executive editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) also have to wrestle with the inevitable moral questions of deciding whether or not to publish. How can we hold anyone to account with no money and therefore no paper? Will we be putting lives at risk? What will people think if they know we had the documents but did nothing? The fact that we know the outcome doesn’t diminish our enthusiasm, and we feel complicit with the characters throughout, following them through the bustle of the newsrooms with tracking and crane shots. If the promise of Streep and Hanks on screen together gets people into cinema seats, their performances hold them there. Hanks is convincing as the morally right journalist who just wants to do his job (“The only way to assert the right to publish is to publish”). But Streep has the more complex role as Graham, simultaneously trying to save her paper whilst doing the right thing. And she has to do it in a misogynistic, male-dominated environment, constantly reminded that the company belonged first to her father, then her husband. It’s satisfying to watch her finally assert control while Nixon, almost a distant shadow boxed in by the windows of the Oval Office, screams into the phone, followed by a tiny foreshadowing of Watergate in the film’s closing moments. While the boardroom scenes and the battles fought with words may make the story seem slow for some viewers, Spielberg keeps us hooked with a well-scripted, well-acted and neat comment on the (past and modern) times. It’s a successful reminder that, when the press serves the governed, not the governors, the pen can be mightier than the sword.

DIRECTED BY BEN FALCONE WRITTEN BY MELISSA MCCARTHY & BEN FALCONE STARRING MELISSA MCCARTHY, GILLIAN JACOBS, MAYA RUDOLPH, JULIE BOWEN, MATT WALSH, MOLLY GORDON, STEPHEN ROOT, JACKI WEAVER, JESSIE ENNIS, ADRIA ARJONA, DEBBY RYAN and JIMMY O.YANG