Words cannot describe how happy I am these felt creatures are back on the big screen...but I'll give it a go!
I grew up with the Muppets, maybe not the regular evening show but I can vividly remember going to the old cinema down the road to see Muppet Treasure Island and every Christmas I watch Muppet Christmas Carol as though its the first time I'm seeing it, yet know all the words to the songs. They are part of my childhood as I watched Sesame Street in the mornings, even watching Elmo's special early morning show when I was a teenager, who could never admit to watching such a programme, but would much rather see Elmo on screen than the news headlines.
Jim Henson is many people's hero, mine included, because he created characters that are lifelong, you won't meet a bigger Diva than Miss Piggy, be less able to understand anyone more than Beaker, and yet we love them.
You might have guessed already this is going to be a positive review.
So to the movie itself. It has been a long time since The Muppets graced the silver screen with the particularly awful Muppets in Space which finally explained where Gonzo the Great came from...no, not right. If ever a character's roots needed to not be explained it was Gonzo's, as the joke lies in the inability to say what he is. We have Kermit The Frog, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and the Gonzo the...whatever he is!
This film in contrast goes back to the origins of The Muppets and the show, where the Studio is in danger of being torn apart to find oil, not be preserved as a museum.
In comes the plucky youngster whose love of the Muppets will reignite the show and bring the gang back together, Walter (voiced by Peter Linz, a long time muppeteer who has provided background voices but now gets a lead). Walter has an older brother Gary, played by Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) who also co-wrote and was the driving force behind this movie being made, who takes his little brother with him to L.A on his vacation with his girlfriend Mary (played by Amy Adams of Enchanted fame).
I heard the Radio 1 movie reviewer (who is frankly an awful critic) remark that Amy Adams is no where near as chipper as she is normally - all I can say is she wasn't playing a Disney Princess this time, she was the woman in a ten year relationship whose boyfriend seemed more concerned with getting the Muppets back together than spending time with her, its understandable she isn't all white teeth and big eyes.
Walter and Gary and Mary all work with Kermit to bring the gang back, revamp the theatre, and put on a show to earn the required 10 million needed to stop greedy oil tycoon Tex Richman (played with such relish by Chris Cooper - Bourne Identity) from destroying the Muppet Studios.
Thats all you need to know plot wise. Its pretty standard Muppet fare, but its the execution that matters, and it is slick in its chaos, nostalgic, and so funny and sweet its like watching them on the TV once again.
Acting wise, well the Muppets are brilliant of course, and new Muppet Walter is so lovely he is the embodiment of Jason Segel's enthusiasm for these characters and their world.
As for the human cast Jason Segel and Amy Adams have the required singing and dancing talent, and their story provides a nice side story of not forgetting those who are important to you, which had happened to the Muppets also. Chris Cooper is fantastic as evil Tex Richman, even rapping at one point! The greatest thing about the Muppets is they need goodies and baddies, where the goodies are almost angelic and the baddies you can almost see the pitchfork and horns. They give actors the chance to do pantomine, but almost legitimately.
Rashida Jones (I Love You Man, Parks and Rec) does a fine job as the TV executive who reluctantly lets the Muppets have a slot on television, getting to shake Kermit, but ultimately realising the joy that comes from these characters.
The cameos are brilliant, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters/Nirvana) gets to be a Moopet, Emily Blunt rekindles her Devil Wears Prada character as Miss Piggy's assistant, and I could go on but that would spoil the surprise for spotting people.
I have to say though at one point Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) comments "I don't know why I'm not hosting the show either" and as much as I love him, he does not have the international level of fame that Jack Black enjoys who is the reluctant, to say the least, host of the Muppets telethon.
If you don't know who these actors are however the purpose of the cameo is lost, same as if you don't remember the noise your modem used to make when connecting to the Internet a lot of the jokes may not make you laugh. I'm old enough to remember these things, watch enough television and movies to get all the cameos, and more importantly I have loved the Muppets since I was a child.
I was never going to hate this movie, A Muppet Christmas Carol and Treasure Island remain two of my most favourite book adaptations of all time because the Muppets tell the stories so well, keeping the scary moments but also adding a lot of humour that makes them memorable.
I hope this means that the Muppets will come back to our television screens and stay for years to come, so that if I ever have kids I won't have to explain who Kermit, Piggy, Animal or any of the others are.
If you love Muppets, go see this film.
Tuesday 28 February 2012
Sunday 26 February 2012
The Wrestler ☆☆☆☆
As the Oscars are on tomorrow night I thought I should start catching up on previous Oscar nominated films I have stored on the TiVo, first it was The Wrestler.
It was nominated in 2008 for 2 Academy Awards, for leading male and supporting actress. It won Mickey Rourke (Wild Orchid, Sin City) a BAFTA, but strangely nothing for script, direction, or even best picture - not even a nomination.
This I find incredibly odd as the film is fantastic, so I checked the nominations for the Oscars that year. Slumdog Millionaire won, yes agree with that, and the other nominations dealt with politics, the Nazis, homosexuality, and ageing backwards (Benjamin Button) so you can sort of see why The Wrestler got missed off. However now having seen both Milk and The Wrestler Mickey was kinda robbed. Yes Penn put in a great performance as gay politician Harvey Milk but the raw intensity of Rourke's performance deserved an award from the American Academy not just the British.
This goes some way to explain why the Academy have so many films nominated for Best Picture these days, in fact it was the next year they had ten nods, strangely only nine this year with a lot of critics fuming about the list.
Back to The Wrestler, as you may have noticed I rather enjoyed the film! It was honest and heartbreaking, and quite a difference compared to Darren Aranofsky's other work, at least those that I have seen.
Unlike Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, or The Fountain there is little need for special effects or out of body experiences.
The story follows Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a wrestler from the '80s who is living on the breadline so that he can keep performing. Then after one particularly savage match he has a heart attack, leading him to have to re-evaluate his life, reconnect with his daughter, and try to have a normal relationship with a stripper he used to frequent.
Its a huge struggle for Randy even before the heart attack, and you see these tricks they pull in the ring, the damage they cause their bodies for entertainment and wonder why would anyone put themselves through it. And then you see Marisa Tomei's (My Cousin Vinny) character Pam/Cassidy, the stripper with whom Randy would like to be more than client to. Her life is equally depressing, getting older is never easy but these two professions require perfection for their audiences, so appearances are both deceptive but also crucial.
As with all Aranofkys work the story will break your heart if you let it, and the ending will never reveal exactly what happens to the character(s), he prefers an audience to create their own ending. My mind tends toward the tragic, and the build up of the last five minutes I think is pretty convincing that it can be no other way. However everyone should be able to make their own minds up, hence why I am being so vague and non-commital right now.
The direction is deftly handled, it is not refined, playing out more like a documentary than Hollywood movie. The focus is so intent upon Randy that I wondered sometimes if it was my breathing I could hear or his. The build up of the fights, small though they are compared with WWE, is so intense that even when Randy is walking through to his job on a deli counter you almost forget thats where he is going because the crowd noises are softly built up as he walks.
As previously said I think Rourke deserved the Oscar that year, the way he plays Randy its almost like he is telling his own story. Rourke, if you don't know, was a successful (and attractive) actor in the 1980s and early nineties, but gave it up to become a boxer full time, almost destroying his face and health. Though his resume shows he worked solidly through the years, in 2005 a new generation was introduced to a gravelly voiced and intense actor in Sin City, and his star was effectively reborn. However Randy is like Rourke the boxer, taking crappy jobs to pay for his passion, except he cannot give it up despite what it is doing to his body.
Marisa Tomei is also fantastic as Pam/Cassidy, and deserved her nominations. She brings realism to the situation, showing that life is tough and crappy but single mother's more often than not do what they have to in order to ensure their children are happy and healthy. She is also the chink of light that could save Randy, if only he would let her.
Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood, Thirteen) appears as Randy's daughter, putting in a stellar perfomance as a girl who wants to trust her father will come through, but has been hurt too many times before.
This is definitely a film I would recommend, especially if you have seen Black Swan or any other Aranofsky offering and wonder if he can make a 'normal' film. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking tale of a man at the end of a so called career but refuses to accept it. It is also an insight into the world of wrestling away from the TV cameras, and the torture these men go through to make the crowds erupt with glee.
Do watch it, I hope you won't regret the time you spent doing so.
It was nominated in 2008 for 2 Academy Awards, for leading male and supporting actress. It won Mickey Rourke (Wild Orchid, Sin City) a BAFTA, but strangely nothing for script, direction, or even best picture - not even a nomination.
This I find incredibly odd as the film is fantastic, so I checked the nominations for the Oscars that year. Slumdog Millionaire won, yes agree with that, and the other nominations dealt with politics, the Nazis, homosexuality, and ageing backwards (Benjamin Button) so you can sort of see why The Wrestler got missed off. However now having seen both Milk and The Wrestler Mickey was kinda robbed. Yes Penn put in a great performance as gay politician Harvey Milk but the raw intensity of Rourke's performance deserved an award from the American Academy not just the British.
This goes some way to explain why the Academy have so many films nominated for Best Picture these days, in fact it was the next year they had ten nods, strangely only nine this year with a lot of critics fuming about the list.
Back to The Wrestler, as you may have noticed I rather enjoyed the film! It was honest and heartbreaking, and quite a difference compared to Darren Aranofsky's other work, at least those that I have seen.
Unlike Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, or The Fountain there is little need for special effects or out of body experiences.
The story follows Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a wrestler from the '80s who is living on the breadline so that he can keep performing. Then after one particularly savage match he has a heart attack, leading him to have to re-evaluate his life, reconnect with his daughter, and try to have a normal relationship with a stripper he used to frequent.
Its a huge struggle for Randy even before the heart attack, and you see these tricks they pull in the ring, the damage they cause their bodies for entertainment and wonder why would anyone put themselves through it. And then you see Marisa Tomei's (My Cousin Vinny) character Pam/Cassidy, the stripper with whom Randy would like to be more than client to. Her life is equally depressing, getting older is never easy but these two professions require perfection for their audiences, so appearances are both deceptive but also crucial.
As with all Aranofkys work the story will break your heart if you let it, and the ending will never reveal exactly what happens to the character(s), he prefers an audience to create their own ending. My mind tends toward the tragic, and the build up of the last five minutes I think is pretty convincing that it can be no other way. However everyone should be able to make their own minds up, hence why I am being so vague and non-commital right now.
The direction is deftly handled, it is not refined, playing out more like a documentary than Hollywood movie. The focus is so intent upon Randy that I wondered sometimes if it was my breathing I could hear or his. The build up of the fights, small though they are compared with WWE, is so intense that even when Randy is walking through to his job on a deli counter you almost forget thats where he is going because the crowd noises are softly built up as he walks.
As previously said I think Rourke deserved the Oscar that year, the way he plays Randy its almost like he is telling his own story. Rourke, if you don't know, was a successful (and attractive) actor in the 1980s and early nineties, but gave it up to become a boxer full time, almost destroying his face and health. Though his resume shows he worked solidly through the years, in 2005 a new generation was introduced to a gravelly voiced and intense actor in Sin City, and his star was effectively reborn. However Randy is like Rourke the boxer, taking crappy jobs to pay for his passion, except he cannot give it up despite what it is doing to his body.
Marisa Tomei is also fantastic as Pam/Cassidy, and deserved her nominations. She brings realism to the situation, showing that life is tough and crappy but single mother's more often than not do what they have to in order to ensure their children are happy and healthy. She is also the chink of light that could save Randy, if only he would let her.
Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood, Thirteen) appears as Randy's daughter, putting in a stellar perfomance as a girl who wants to trust her father will come through, but has been hurt too many times before.
This is definitely a film I would recommend, especially if you have seen Black Swan or any other Aranofsky offering and wonder if he can make a 'normal' film. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking tale of a man at the end of a so called career but refuses to accept it. It is also an insight into the world of wrestling away from the TV cameras, and the torture these men go through to make the crowds erupt with glee.
Do watch it, I hope you won't regret the time you spent doing so.
Tuesday 21 February 2012
The Artist ☆☆☆☆
I know I'm pretty late to this party but I finally got to see The Artist after months of waiting and anticipation. And I LOVED it. Couldn't stop smiling for the whole 100 minutes, except when the story turned sad, and it very surprisingly did on more than one occasion.
So, for those who didn't know, this is a silent movie about the changes in filmmaking in the late 1920s. It follows George Valentin, a silent movie star who refuses to succumb to the new era of 'talkies', and his struggle to come to terms with insignificance. It also charts the impact one young aspiring actress, the brilliantly named Peppy Miller, has on the fallen idol, and the effect George has on her.
Okay so first the acting. Jean Dujardin deserves every accolade thrust upon him this awards season because he is simply brilliant. From playing the selfish limelight hogging star to the down and out of work actor, you never require him to talk. Not once do you long to hear him exclaim his joy or despair because his face and his actions say it all. Often actors are applauded for their understated performance, this film required the opposite and Jean delivered. He is also an amazing dancer and rather dashing, which all helps!
His female co-star, Berenice Bejo, who some may recognise from a Knights Tale (she played Shannyn Sossamons handmaid), also deserves her nominations, and I think should win the Oscar this year. Not only is she stunning, but she is funny, endearing, charming, and more than a match for Dujardin's star power.
The other co-star, who has been at the heart of a campaign to start awarding animals at the Oscars, is Uggie the dog. Uggie is fantastic, there are a couple of particularly poignant scenes that he just brings so much more emotion to, and that's important, he never steals the spotlight but makes it shine so much brighter on whoever else is sharing the screen. He is particularly fantastic at being 'shot', but its the loyalty and friendship of master and dog that properly tugs your heart strings.
The rest of the cast are fantastic; from John Goodmans performance as the director of a production company tied to the whims of his stars, to Joel Murray (Mad Men) and his two minutes of screen time spent chasing the dog. The support cast only add to the magic.
The direction and production is truly nostalgic, with twists of the modern. Michel Hazanavicius is the man behind the camera, dialogue (just because you can't hear them doesn't mean nobody speaks!) and scenario. I've not seen his previous works, being only versed in French cinema that makes it through the Western critics, but from his take on the silent era and being unafraid to go to darker places within the nostalgia makes me confident I will like his films and will make it my mission to see at least one in the next couple of months.
The film defies convention by being filmed in 1.37:1...basically not widescreen (Pirates of the Caribbean was 2.35:1). It is black and white, almost entirely without speech, and full musical score that makes you wish you had an orchestra in the cinema like in the '20s. It is a true piece of art that won't, and should not, be mimicked in the future. As one critic said at the Oscar announcements The Artist is the critics darling, it is so unique amongst the blockbusters and 'talkies', which is one of the reasons why it has done so well. I think that is fair, it is the current darling, but it has earnt its place amongst the awards through confident direction and superb acting by man, woman and dog.
If you have not seen The Artist I urge you to do so, it is funny, heartwarming, tragic, and ultimately a beautiful piece of Art.
So, for those who didn't know, this is a silent movie about the changes in filmmaking in the late 1920s. It follows George Valentin, a silent movie star who refuses to succumb to the new era of 'talkies', and his struggle to come to terms with insignificance. It also charts the impact one young aspiring actress, the brilliantly named Peppy Miller, has on the fallen idol, and the effect George has on her.
Okay so first the acting. Jean Dujardin deserves every accolade thrust upon him this awards season because he is simply brilliant. From playing the selfish limelight hogging star to the down and out of work actor, you never require him to talk. Not once do you long to hear him exclaim his joy or despair because his face and his actions say it all. Often actors are applauded for their understated performance, this film required the opposite and Jean delivered. He is also an amazing dancer and rather dashing, which all helps!
His female co-star, Berenice Bejo, who some may recognise from a Knights Tale (she played Shannyn Sossamons handmaid), also deserves her nominations, and I think should win the Oscar this year. Not only is she stunning, but she is funny, endearing, charming, and more than a match for Dujardin's star power.
The other co-star, who has been at the heart of a campaign to start awarding animals at the Oscars, is Uggie the dog. Uggie is fantastic, there are a couple of particularly poignant scenes that he just brings so much more emotion to, and that's important, he never steals the spotlight but makes it shine so much brighter on whoever else is sharing the screen. He is particularly fantastic at being 'shot', but its the loyalty and friendship of master and dog that properly tugs your heart strings.
The rest of the cast are fantastic; from John Goodmans performance as the director of a production company tied to the whims of his stars, to Joel Murray (Mad Men) and his two minutes of screen time spent chasing the dog. The support cast only add to the magic.
The direction and production is truly nostalgic, with twists of the modern. Michel Hazanavicius is the man behind the camera, dialogue (just because you can't hear them doesn't mean nobody speaks!) and scenario. I've not seen his previous works, being only versed in French cinema that makes it through the Western critics, but from his take on the silent era and being unafraid to go to darker places within the nostalgia makes me confident I will like his films and will make it my mission to see at least one in the next couple of months.
The film defies convention by being filmed in 1.37:1...basically not widescreen (Pirates of the Caribbean was 2.35:1). It is black and white, almost entirely without speech, and full musical score that makes you wish you had an orchestra in the cinema like in the '20s. It is a true piece of art that won't, and should not, be mimicked in the future. As one critic said at the Oscar announcements The Artist is the critics darling, it is so unique amongst the blockbusters and 'talkies', which is one of the reasons why it has done so well. I think that is fair, it is the current darling, but it has earnt its place amongst the awards through confident direction and superb acting by man, woman and dog.
If you have not seen The Artist I urge you to do so, it is funny, heartwarming, tragic, and ultimately a beautiful piece of Art.
Friday 17 February 2012
The Woman In Black ☆☆☆
The Woman In Black is not terrifying, but it is scary. I slept well after seeing it, so well in fact I slept through my alarm. I am also terrible at watching horror or suspense so for the hardcore thrill seekers this perhaps will not be your cup of tea.
The story follows Arthur Kipps, a young widower who has a son and bills to pay, so takes a job for his law firm to help sell an old mansion on the East Coast of England. When he arrives it is clear the townsfolk don't want him, trying to be as unfriendly as possible, or even as co-operative as they can with regards to the documents required by the law firm. However with work to do young Kipps travels to the mansion, where he sees a mysterious figure of a woman in black in the grounds. Then the children of the village start dying. Not only dying, but committing suicide.
That's all I'll say plot wise in case, like me, you have not read the book or seen the play. I have heard the play is the most frightening thing to experience, and seeing as I had to use my cardigan as a pseudo-cushion I can imagine it wouldn't be a pleasant experience.
The film is typical of a ghost story, you pretty much know how they are going to scare you, and yet the build up of tension in the atmosphere in both the movie and the cinema caused me to jump out of my skin more than once. The scenery is gloomy and misty, the marshlands just vast fields of despair, and Kipps is a man half dead already so he fits into this horrific world of child death whilst actively trying to save the village.
Kipps is played by Daniel Radcliffe who I have to say does rather well, I agree with Claudia Winkleman's recent review that it does take about 20 minutes to get used to him as a widowed solicitor who has a four year old son. But after those 20 minutes I began to appreciate his acting talents more than I ever have through the eight Potter movies. The trust between him and his four year old co-star Misha Handley is so real, it was wise of the casting people to choose a kid who is actually Radcliffe's godson. Misha is also adorable.
The support of Ciaran Hinds is impeccable, he is a grounded actor who has the gravitas to lend to Radcliffe who has not quite got to his best acting standard I feel. He is the man who doesn't believe in ghosts, and yet his wife is 'possessed' by the spirit of her son (a wonderful performance by Janet McTeer).
The rest of the villagers are the usual fare, scared and angry, but fine perfomances all round.
I enjoyed this film, it was a proper ghost story. Although people may complain the book is far scarier, the play more so, this was plenty scary for me. I jumped fewer times than I thought I would, but had to steady my breathing a couple of times and got the giggles from being so nervous about what was going to happen. It is a sad story too, and reminded me a lot of The Others which was released in 2001.
The Others is a traditional ghost story as well, a haunted house in the middle of nowhere, a frightened parent and children as the victims, with a tragic twist. If you have seen The Others and liked it I would recommend The Woman In Black. However if you felt it was tame or there was not enough story, don't watch this film. Stories like these rely on not all the population being desensitised of their fear factor, and I still have a healthy fear of dark alleys and odd lights glinting in mirrors.
One last thing, the toys are terrifying.
The story follows Arthur Kipps, a young widower who has a son and bills to pay, so takes a job for his law firm to help sell an old mansion on the East Coast of England. When he arrives it is clear the townsfolk don't want him, trying to be as unfriendly as possible, or even as co-operative as they can with regards to the documents required by the law firm. However with work to do young Kipps travels to the mansion, where he sees a mysterious figure of a woman in black in the grounds. Then the children of the village start dying. Not only dying, but committing suicide.
That's all I'll say plot wise in case, like me, you have not read the book or seen the play. I have heard the play is the most frightening thing to experience, and seeing as I had to use my cardigan as a pseudo-cushion I can imagine it wouldn't be a pleasant experience.
The film is typical of a ghost story, you pretty much know how they are going to scare you, and yet the build up of tension in the atmosphere in both the movie and the cinema caused me to jump out of my skin more than once. The scenery is gloomy and misty, the marshlands just vast fields of despair, and Kipps is a man half dead already so he fits into this horrific world of child death whilst actively trying to save the village.
Kipps is played by Daniel Radcliffe who I have to say does rather well, I agree with Claudia Winkleman's recent review that it does take about 20 minutes to get used to him as a widowed solicitor who has a four year old son. But after those 20 minutes I began to appreciate his acting talents more than I ever have through the eight Potter movies. The trust between him and his four year old co-star Misha Handley is so real, it was wise of the casting people to choose a kid who is actually Radcliffe's godson. Misha is also adorable.
The support of Ciaran Hinds is impeccable, he is a grounded actor who has the gravitas to lend to Radcliffe who has not quite got to his best acting standard I feel. He is the man who doesn't believe in ghosts, and yet his wife is 'possessed' by the spirit of her son (a wonderful performance by Janet McTeer).
The rest of the villagers are the usual fare, scared and angry, but fine perfomances all round.
I enjoyed this film, it was a proper ghost story. Although people may complain the book is far scarier, the play more so, this was plenty scary for me. I jumped fewer times than I thought I would, but had to steady my breathing a couple of times and got the giggles from being so nervous about what was going to happen. It is a sad story too, and reminded me a lot of The Others which was released in 2001.
The Others is a traditional ghost story as well, a haunted house in the middle of nowhere, a frightened parent and children as the victims, with a tragic twist. If you have seen The Others and liked it I would recommend The Woman In Black. However if you felt it was tame or there was not enough story, don't watch this film. Stories like these rely on not all the population being desensitised of their fear factor, and I still have a healthy fear of dark alleys and odd lights glinting in mirrors.
One last thing, the toys are terrifying.
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