Tom Hardy – The LEGEND

I knew Legend was a film that I had to watch, not just because i’m a fan of Tom Hardy and believe he is one of the finest British actors about. I also enjoy a good biopic, which I forgot the film was. It was told so well, that I forgot that it was a biopic and almost saw it as an original screenplay adapted from scratch – I couldn’t even tell you why. As well as being a great film, it was thoroughly entertaining and I enjoyed every bit of it. It has a great script and a clear distinction between the two twins, they very much are two different people.

Which leads me on to the fabulous performance by Tom Hardy who portrayed both Kray twins Ronnie and Reggie. His characterisation of both men is absolute. While watching, I simply forgot that the two twins were being played by the same actor playing different characters. It was so convincing and truly great to see a fine actor flex his muscles and really show what they’re made of. Right down to Hardy’s vocal’s – there was a distinct difference.

Reggie clearly had things more together in his life and processed things differently which is a little more familiar to the Tom Hardy role we would expect to see; yet Reggie still seemed more relaxed and not up tight. Whereas Ronnie was a loose cannon with a drop lip that added to his intimidating character. To the extent where he made me nervous through a screen, there were scenes where I was scared of what he was going to do next! Not just the way he walked, but also little gestures that Hardy created for both the characters. I can’t applaud Hardy enough.

I purposely watched The Drop as well which I have to say is a secretly brilliant film, and is just as tense as Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker which had me on my feet. I watched The Drop, to get a rough grasp of Hardy’s development as an actor. I haven’t watched all of his films but i’ve watched one at least every two years and he really does deserve more recognition than he gets for excelling as an actor. He’s proved that he can not only play “the hard one” but he can pull off the hardest character he’s faced with without having to be so extrovert about it. This is shown in The Drop.

I didn’t even realise until half way through the film that young Kingsman star Taron Egerton was in the film and will definitely prove to be a talent in the forceable future. He plays Mad Teddy.

The comedy in the film can’t be unnoticed as well, which actually proves to be a great comic relief with some of the very serious and violent scenes in the film. It definitely isn’t for the faint hearted if you can’t handle a punch. Or should I say hammer?

I don’t know too much about the writer and directer Brian Helmand as I would with other writers or directors, but I know he’s a damn good writer. Looking at his filmography, he’s not only been behind great screenplays such as L. A. Confidential, but he won an Oscar for it. An it seems he hasn’t lost his touch. Coming from a Brit, and knowing I wasn’t born in the 60’s he seems to have captured it very well in this film.

What I still like about the film is how unpredictable it is. Characters climbing so high, yet falling so low, as well as the lowest climbing higher and making their own rules. And just like me before I watched you may think, why is it different to any other “gangster film” and you’re right! Why is it? It’s because it’s bloody brilliant. Go and watch and tell me you don’t like it at the end! Legend!

D. x

BFI IMAX – Nolan Double Bill

So on Thursday, I went to BFI like a geek to see a Christopher Nolan double Bill of Inception and Interstellar. The first film was Interstellar, followed by Inception. And it was so great to be surrounded by people who were super Nolan fans. It started at six, so I got my Americano and watched the gift from Nolan. I booked my ticket a week ahead but still didn’t get a seat in the middle row. Which really shows how big of a fan base Nolan has.
Now, I am aware I study film, and I believe me, I love it and feel comfortable talking in depth about it. And I really am a huge Nolan fan, but no… I hadn’t watched Interstellar. Not because I didn’t want to, but because being a student I was short on funds at the time. And being a huge film fan, I knew this wasn’t a film to watch on my outdated samsung laptop. So I waited knowing that it would come to BFI at some stage, and boy was I right!

However, after watching the film, I felt confused. Fo the first time watching A Christopher Nolan film, I didn’t know how to respond. I like it, I really did. The visuals were amazing for one. I can’t believe how believable it all looked. I liked the concept of the world running out of food, which we probably are on our way to doing (but very slowly). It’s a great idea for a film as a social message as well, even though it won’t stop people tearing into their steak.

I also feel it must be complimented that Nolan finds it easy to incorporate emotional and family sub-plots to textbook sic-fi films. It’s funny because others opt to make sic-fi films where the world must be saved and the only humane element in the film is a love interest. However, in Interstellar we have an entire family of generations that it effects. It’s a skill he has that I can only imagine isn’t easy to find the right equilibrium. Yet he’s proved time and and time again that it can be accomplished.

However concluding my ambiguous thoughts on Interstellar, something is holding me back from saying it’s amazing confidently, yet there is nothing wrong with it. Maybe my mind was clouded with incredibly high expectations or clouded with other people’s thoughts. Either way, i’ll find out hopefully.

Moving on to Inception. It was brilliant. Beautiful. Alluring. My favourite film hands down. I couldn’t believe how amazing it was all over again. It’s strange to think someone created a piece of work this delicious. I almost wept, like I did the first time I watched it. The original score by Hans Zimmer is one of the best i’ve heard from him and for a film. I remember going through my friends iPod and she had ‘Time’ as song on her playlist. I saw homemade video’s that had ‘Time’ as the music in the background. And it’s not just Inception, it’s Hans Zimmer in general. He’s an amazing composer. I could give you a list of what’s he’s done but it’s too damn long – so here’s a link.

Connecting to his audience with the alluring concept of dreams was so simple, yet achieved with elegance and charm accompanied with an incredible cast was something can’t have been easy. It’s just… wow. You may think i’m exaggerating, but watch it again uninterrupted and I hope it’s as mentally stimulating for you as it is for me. Everyone deserves this kind of exposure.

D. x

6 Reasons to watch “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”

So you’ve seen the posters, you’ve seen the trailers, you’ve even seen the reviews but you’re still not convinced. Here’s where i’m more than willing to step in and tell you why you should go to the cinema and watch Guy Ritchie’s latest film without hesitation.

The Style

The style of this film is simply amazing, absolutely great cinematography throughout. The artistic view we see of the film is in tune with the fashion, right down to a tee. It’s nice to see a film like this set in the 60’s instead of chucking it into the 21st century with s**t loads of amazing technology. It does have a James Bond feels to it, but not at all in a bad way. More of an inspiration, in terms of being a good old fashion agent and completing your mission. Who needs an exploding pen?

The Location

I can’t remember the last film I watched that I wanted to jump right into (even knowing scenes were filmed a few minutes from my house). The various locations for the film are a sight to see in the 60’s which was refreshing. But Italy was definitely the stand out location. The whole place just looked amazing, I wanted to be there with a cocktail in my hand and my perfect circle sunglasses. Even when they are around the ruins in Italy, it still manages to look amazing. It’s not a sight to miss.

The Action

As stylish as the the film is, it doesn’t lack any action. The best part of the action is that part of it probably contains the best comedy. You won’t find things too serious in this film, you’ll enjoy it all the way through. Even while I was kept on the edge of my seat in case they were to ever blow their cover; it seems the characters themselves kept a kind of composure I couldn’t have in my own home. Watching trained CIA and KGB agents never get’s old I guess.

The Actress

I have to say, I’m so glad for Alicia Vikander, as I remember seeing her in Anna Karenina thinking she was brilliant even though she payed a small role. However, instead of a corset in 19th Century Russia, she’s in the most chic outfits in this film and shows she can do comedy as well while still giving a great performnce. But you’ll see in the film, she’s not just a pretty face, and not one to be messed with…

The Man of Steel

Henry Cavill really surprised me in this role. I suppose i’ve only ever seen him in Man of Steel, and I don’t really feel Superman is challenging as a character. But seeing him here, was great. Wit, charm, sex, and calm all in one. It was really great to see him do something different. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him in a swell performance. (Especially with his cheekbones).

The Soundtrack

I don’t know what it is, maybe it just complements the tone and style of the film so much, but there is something about the soundtrack that makes you want to tap your feet, even at the most awkward of scenes. You’ll be on Spotify when you’ve finished watching it saving every song on to a playlist. Daniel Pemberton has done an unimaginable job with the soundtrack! This film really is “Mr. Cool”. Watch out for the above dance scene in the hotel, it’s not one to miss! Armie Hammer definitely deserves a mention for a vey controlled performance.

I’ve done it, i’ve told you! Now it’s your turn to go to your local cinema, and go back in time…

D. x

No Escape

If i hadn’t seen the trailer for this film, I wouldn’t have given it the time of day, even on a Sunday. And call me biased, but i’m still not 100% convinced by Owen Wilson as a “serious actor”; especially as I am deeply in love with the film “Midnight in Paris”. It’s definitely an underrated film from the Woody Allen collection.

Either way, I found myself at Milbank Media Centre ready to watch the film with my brother on one side, my sister on the other, a small Americano in front of me and an open mind ahead.

For the review of this particular film, I would like to start with the location. Which means I should also start with an apology as me and my older siblings couldn’t stop placing bets on during the film as to where it is supposed to be set even though it was filmed in Thailand. All we know is that it is next to the boarder of Vietnam which is where the family are trying to get to. Therefore I’ve deduced that the countries it is supposedly meant to be set in are either China, Laos, or Cambodia. But I feel China is too obvious and quite frankly more powerful than the other countries so it must be set in Laos or Cambodia. I don’t know why, or if it was just me, but the location really bugged me especially as they didn’t reveal it in the film or in any plot summaries I read online. However, I am not sure if this vague detail can be part of any reason as to why the film didn’t take off.

Moving on, the film doesn’t start badly but rather starts plotting questions in your head with a watershed moment in the first five minutes. Even though you do not know what it means, you sure as hell know that it’s important. Leaving this in our minds, we are introduced into the action slowly and carefully with ye ol’ slow motion and pristine sound editing. This is when I fell into the film willingly and let myself go. I started to enjoy the horror elements to the film which the film is riddled with. Such as the dramatic irony: when the little girl is in the pool swimming without a care in the world, but she doesn’t know that metres away from her people are being beaten to a pulp; yet of course we do as the audience. (I believe this was also the part me and my sister were gesturing to my brother that if this was us in the film – it would definitely be him.)

There are many stunts in the film which I was quite frankly shocked by, but at the same time enjoyed just at how ridiculous and courageous they were as we as human beings would love to think we would act this way in a situation like this, but we probably wouldn’t even think of half the stunts performed. (Without giving too much away, this is aimed at a scene on top of the hotel building.) I can imagine the director: John Erick Dowdle thought more about how to please his audience more than what we should take from the film, with his experience in horror films. And with that in mind, we must mention Bond number five. If you watch the film, you’ll later see how he is part of all the excitement and heroics with his rather “chirpy” and “blasé” character.

The performance from Owen Wilson was good, but I have to say I much prefer him in “Midnight in Paris”. This could be my biased view talking, but I just don’t feel that seeing him in this kind of film is really his strong point. Not everyone is meant to be a comedy and serious actor, some people are just far more superior in one than the other which I think could be the case for him which isn’t a bad thing at all. However, I take nothing away from him as there were parts where he was swamped in the protective father role, and I really felt for him in his chase to find safety for him and is family.

In this manhunt film where humans attack other humans with brute force (and no boundaries really), it made me think about the concept of the film which I think is absolutely brilliant. Without revealing too much, I felt that even though I don’t agree with the violence from the South East Asian country to all the Westerners and the people that helped or were assosiated with them, I understood where they were coming from. I’m not saying i’m the best person to talk politics with (Uh-oh!), but they are simply biting back at Western countries trying to take control of their own. Who can blame them for that?

The concept of the film is great. I honestly think it is, and so much can be done with it. However, I feel that even though I fell into it, it could have been delivered to the audience much better and with more than just the recipe to excite and thrill; but with respect and feeling and more of a direction. Even though, you want a film like this to keep you on the edge of your seat, it’s not enough to do that for a whole 100 minutes.

No Escape comes out September 4th.

D. x

Bonjour…………….

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! So it’s my first post, on my new blog and i’m quite excited as to what I may post in the future. I’m hoping to post regularly, and I will do my best to fulfil this. I’m also planning on getting a new camera in the next couple of weeks as I would like to start taking more pictures; I think it’s a hobby that everyone should try. (And yes, the above photo is mine). It also means, I can post my own pictures up on here as well, which I would very much like instead of the textbook “Save Image As…”.

I’m still getting to grips and trying to figure out what I want this blog to be, and my approach to it so please bear with me as I find my feet! 🙂 But I can tell you now the majority will probably be about film. My first review will be on the new film “No Escape” which I had the privilege of watching this evening at an advanced screening. I will get this out to you in the next 24 hours, but until then – adios!

D. x