Week in Film: 20-26 Jan 2014

My New Year started with a dry patch, in film terms. Three weeks in and I realised I barely watched anything – very rare for me. So I was more than happy to get my ass down to the cinema for the first time this year. It was one of those where you agree to meet someone to see what’s on and decide when you get there type of things. So I was pleased when I pre-checked the times beforehand and realised the only film near our 6pm meeting point was The Wolf of Wall Street – result, this is the film I want to see. But when I got the text from my friend earlier in the day suggesting we meet earlier (as nothing is really on at 6), I got the distinct impression someone else in our party of two was trying to manipulate which film we were going to see. I wasn’t wrong. But to be fair, if you are going to the cinema with a hairdresser you have to expect that they want to see the film with the best display in hairdressing. So, off we went to see American Hustle.

This wasn’t a complete disappointment, all the hype and subsequent backlash after the plethora of awards it has picked up had peaked my curiosity. However, given all the accolades it is getting I can’t say I understand why. That’s not to say it was a bad film; despite a couple very loudly sleeping in our cinema, it was an enjoyable couple of hours. But was I blown away? Did I walk away thinking, ‘wow, that was the best thing I’ve seen in the last twelve months!’ Well, the short answer is no.

The performances I’ve heard so much about were good, but considering the acting talent assembled, I’ve seen all do better in other roles.  The story also, left a little to be desired. Was this aiming to be a drama? Or a comedy? Because the dramatic tension was just not turned up enough – honestly, did you ever feel that Irving and Sydney were in that much danger? They were always destined to get away cleanly. If I’m honest, the biggest point of tension within the narrative was wondering whether Amy Adams’ Sydney was going to have a wardrobe malfunction. But maybe it was supposed to be a more light-hearted affair – after all, it did win the Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical . Yet, I barely tittered at maybe two lines. If this was a comedy, I was not getting the jokes, obviously. I left the cinema, and I suppose it was best to say that American Hustle left me truly underwhelmed. 

The rest of my filmic viewing throughout the week did not feature anything new: a late night TV showing of Saw III to which I was barely paying attention (yes, that’s the type of film I have on as background noise, what’s your point?) and a Saturday night in with the big screen TV and The Raid on DVD. It also consisted of a great little vintage horror from the 70s, Asylum. I had watched this many years ago, but, as I’m currently writing a chapter on dolls, had to seek it out again (on youtube here) and re-watch the relevant segments – a man who believes he can will his conscious into a small figure of himself.  Typical of the episodic horror that seemed to be a feature of the genre at the time its not a bad watch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

The Raid 2: Berandal

Three years ago, for those who like to keep their ears to the ground for all things action movie based, the buzz around The Raid (Gareth Evans, 2011) was palpable: a blistering martial arts action-fest by a Welsh director in Indonesia. Given its limited UK release, I missed seeing it in the cinema, but even on my meagre little TV, my first viewing can only be described as a draw-droppingly epic experience. But I still can’t get away from the fact that this is probably a film that will be best enjoyed on the big screen. But, I have a chance to make all right, with its sequel, The Raid 2: Berandal (Gareth Evans), released later this year.

But will it live up to the expectations of the first? Well, the trailer is promising:

And if the initial reaction after the screening at Sundance 2014 is anything to go by, this one is just as thrilling as the first:

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/review-the-raid-2-delivers-visceral-thrills-on-an-epic-scale

http://thefilmstage.com/reviews/sundance-review-the-raid-2/

http://twitchfilm.com/2014/01/sundance-2014-first-impression-the-raid-2.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TwitchEverything+%28Twitch%29

All of this looks good, and this is one film I am definitely more than a little excited for this year. But still a few months to go, so until then, I think tonight I may have to dig out the DVD of the first film…    

Star Trek Into Darkness

So is this the new format for Hollywood blockbusters these days? Take a very British actor, in the strictly stereotypical sense, dye his hair black and have him cause some kind of havoc with civillian casualties that seriuosly vexes our heroes. He then surrenders, gets marched through spaceship/airship and is put into a glass-fronted cell (because that always ends well!). Does this all sound familiar? Because as I was watching Star Trek into Darkness I couldn't help but be reminded of another film populated with numerous superheoes. Cut to said villian of the piece trying to verbally manipulate his captors from his cell, and the sense that his surrender was maybe not a snag in his diabolical plan after all, but an integral element. 

Despite this, I don't think it was the familiarity of the plot points that led to the lack of unpredictability and tension. Add to that the illogicality of solving the ship's power problem, not by any technical or computer based means by the numerous scientists on board, but by a good kicking (thus confirming my particular favoured method of dealing with failed technology, although less successful in my experience). Undoubtedly some of the supporting performances lift the film along the way but generally the second Star Trek outing remains a disticntly average affair.    

New Year Celebrations

It seemed that the main trend was to stay in this year for New Years Eve. So unlike most of my friends I was at the most lavish party in town, albeit from the comfort of my best friend's sofa, tucked up under a duvet, but elegantly hosted by none other than Mr Jay Gatsby. We had all the music, the vibrant fellow party goers and free-flowing booze a girl could need (ok, so only the booze bit was technically part of my reality, but that's just being pedantic). 

There was a slight pang of guilt that, maybe, I should start the New Year as I intend to go on; watching a good film (that is, critically recognised as so). So the fact that the Godfather: Part II was on FILM4 and I had failed to tune in, almost seemed like starting on a bad note. But then it would have inevitably ended up with the overwhelming desire to greet every wish of a 'Happy New Year' with a brash hug, rather aggressive kiss on the cheek and a 'You broke my heart. You broke my heart!' before enigmatically walking away - probably not the best idea for someone already circling the margins of social acceptance. 

So Baz Luhrmann's 2013 retelling of The Great Gatsby it was. Maybe it is more style over substance, but perhaps it also embodied a few messages that weren't as hollow and shallow as first glance may suggest to start the New Year. Firstly, that money can't buy your way to happiness - or, as I would argue in Luhrmann's case, better art, as, for me, his films were much more interesting before he had an exorbitant budget. But, perhaps most aptly; you can't relive the past. While these are derived from the main source material of Fitzgerald's novel, it seems an appropriate message to take forward into 2014: the past is gone, we can't relive it or recapture it and to do so is futile. So for all the New Year's resolution/new start bullshit that will be doing the rounds for the next 24 hours, maybe my first film of the new year has given me more to ponder than the glitz and glamour of fictional tragic decadence. And maybe, if I really wanted to explore this more, I'd dig out my copy of the novel. But like everyone else, the burst of enthusiasm for the pursuit of such philosophies will probably have dissipated by tea-time.