In this post we present two Best Picture nominees that demonstrated just how to survive some fairly perilous situations. Whilst it's very unlikely that you'll be in the same predicament as either of these film's protagonists I think it's still very handy to know what to do in times of crisis no matter how bizarre the situation.
But perhaps handy is a bad term to use when describing 127 Hours, which showed just how to cope if you find yourself wedged in a ravine. The film was Danny Boyle's follow-up to his Best Picture winning Slumdog Millionaire and showed just how versatile the director could be. Boyle also assembled the majority of the team that worked on Slumdog including screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle and composer A.R. Rahman. The film tells the story of thrill-seeking engineer Aron Ralston who travels to Utah for a spot of canyoneering. Unfortunately for Ralston, he slips down a canyon with a boulder trapping one of his arms making it impossible for him to escape. The 127 hours of the title refers to the time that Ralston was trapped down in the canyon with his survival based on his collection of water and keeping himself relatively sane by narrating his stories to the video camera he had on his person. With more than half of the film being devoted to Ralston's dilemma, it's a testament to Boyle and Beaufoy that 127 Hours is never dull. Instead the footage of Ralston's hopeless situation is interspersed with memories of his family as well as fantasies about the two girls he met just prior to his fall. The editing in 127 Hours is certainly impressive with Jon Harris cutting between Ralston's current position and other points in his life. Mantle's cinematography enhances the narrative as we see the situation from several perspectives, perhaps most memorably from inside Ralston's water bottle. Possibly the most memorable part of 127 Hours occurs in its final few scenes as Ralston finally frees himself by hacking off his hand. Whilst this isn't the most practical of survival tips it saved Ralston's life and the final montage; which features the real Ralston more than proves that.
Having now watched two Boyle films for this project, it's clear that he's someone who's interested in character rather than plot. The character of Aron Ralston is an interesting one as initially he's presented as a free spirit who doesn't care about anything but finding his next thrill. This is perfectly represented in the opening sequence where Ralston takes two girls on an adventure who then realise that they didn't figure into his day at all. However, as Ralston's situation worsens, we see another side to him as the caring son and loving brother. Throughout the film it feels as if Boyle and Beaufoy strip away Aron's cool exterior to reveal a man with plenty of anxieties but someone who is resourceful enough to survive his extraordinary circumstances. Making Ralston even more likeable is actor James Franco, who we previously saw give a show-stealing performance in Milk. Here Franco continues to grow as he utilises his cool guy persona to full effect but also employs his dramatic abilities and as a result makes us sympathise with his character. Rahman's score is also worthy of a mention as it lends itself well to the tone of the film and echoes Ralston's mood perfectly. After romping home at the 2009 ceremony, Boyle's 127 Hours team failed to pick up one Oscar which I feel is a shame as it was one of the more technically sound movies released that year. Unfortunately, the 2011 ceremony included the strongest line-up of films since the field was increased and 127 Hours was a film that fell victim to the fact that it was up against nine other contenders. That being said this is an incredibly intense nail-biter of a film that is enhanced by some fine technical components and a memorable central performance from Franco.
Three years on another British director and American star teamed up for more survival tips this time informing the audience how to cope if one is ever attacked by Somali Pirates. Paul Greengrass' Captain Phillips told the true story of Richard Phillips, whose perilous cargo ship journey around the Somali coast later became the subject of a memoir. Due to the fact that he's played by everybody's favourite nice guy Tom Hanks, Philips is presented as a down-to-Earth guy who is trying to carry out a job to the best of his ability. What I liked about Billy Ray's screenplay was the fact that Captain Phillips isn't a one-sided story and instead it focuses on the Somalian pirates as much as it does Phillips and his crew. I would go as far as to say that Grengrass and Ray make you care about Abduwali Muse, the self-proclaimed leader of the pirates who becomes Phillips' opposite a the film progresses. The first half of the film hypes up the tension as Muse's team boards Philips' container ship but is outwitted by his crew who capture the former and try to negotiate a trade. However, this trade is unsuccessful and the second half of the film sees the matter becoming even more gripping as the pirates abduct Phillips in the ship's lifeboat. As the situation for the pirates becomes more perilous, Ray makes us realise why these men take up piracy in the first place and what options they have in their native land. Although the Americans ultimately end up victorious, I couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic as Muse found himself arrested for piracy whilst his friends were all killed.
It's the blurring of the lines between good and evil that is one of Captain Phillips' main strengths and helped to make it one of the best films of 2013. Paul Greengrass is one of my favourite directors and he made Captain Phillips feel almost as claustrophobic as his 9/11 drama United 93. Cinematographer Barry Akroyd employs a similar style to the one he used on The Hurt Locker and as a result makes Captain Phillips feel almost like a documentary. Greengrass perfectly amps up the tension gradually with the pirates' first attack on the ship feeling particularly tame when compared to their later treatment of Phillips. Christopher Rouse's frantic editing of the piece is also outstanding and helped to make me feel slightly uneasy all through the film. Captain Phillips also features what is, in my opinion, Tom Hanks' Best Performance of the last ten or fifteen years. Hanks is so absorbing that he makes you sympathise with Phillips even before the pirates board his ship. His portrayal of the everyman in a perilous situation put me in mind of his turn in Saving Private Ryan in which he played an equally sympathetic character. I personally felt it was rather odd that Hanks didn't even receive a nomination for his role here and was seemingly snubbed in favour of Christian Bale's comedy hairpiece-led turn in American Hustle. In fact the only member of the cast who was nominated for their role in the film was Barkhad Abdi who delivered a breakthrough performance as Muse. Abdi was great at mastering certain facial expressions which portrayed his desperation as the situation slipped out of his control. It's through Abdi's performance that you at least have some sympathy for Muse's plight and why people like him are forced into piracy. Although Abdi won a BAFTA for his role, not one of Captain Phillips' six nominations resulted in a win. This is a shame as I feel that it's a great film full of tension, great characterisation and two winning performances. But at least I know now that, if I ever do find myself on a freighter ship on the African coast, I'll be able to survive it in the same way that Phillips did.
Next time we go from survival skills to dance lessons with a side of psychological torment
Showing posts with label Danny Boyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Danny Boyle. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 May 2015
Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 405-406: Cowboys and Indians
People who've followed this journey from the beginning will know that, when I can, I like to group two or three nominees together. This time the films in the double bill have certain things in common such as their romantic nature and the fact that they netted Best Director and Best Score Oscars at their respective ceremonies. However, if I'm honest, the reason that Brokeback Mountain and Slumdog Millionaire are in the same entry is due to the fact that I liked the title of the post.
We start with Brokeback Mountain whose lead characters Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar are technically sheep herders rather than cowboys but lets not bogged down in semantics. Even if they haven't seen the film most people will have an idea about Brokeback Mountain's plot as the film's title has become synonymous with dubious male relationships. What I can say about Brokeback Mountain is that it has incredibly slow start in which Jack and Ennis meet herding sheep upon the eponymous rock. Eventually realising their feelings for one another, Jack and Ennis begin sleeping together before they go their separate ways over the summer. Where the film got more interesting for me was in director Ang Lee's portrayal of the years following the couple's first meeting where they had to handle their secret whilst trying to go about a normal daily routine. The more reserved Ennis started got married quite early and started a family with the likeable Alma. Meanwhile, Jack took to the rodeo circuit eventually marrying the daughter of a wealthy farming supplies company. However, the pair participated in a number of lengthy fishing trips in which they reigniting their passion for one another. Although Jack wanted to start a new life on a ranch with Ennis he wasn't convinced and was worried that he'd eventually be caught out for his feelings towards a fellow man. Eventually the meetings became more infrequent and the final scenes revealed that Jack died possibly due as the result of a beating. However, the film's closing shot was beautifully realised as Ennis realised that he couldn't let Jack go even in death.
At the time Brokeback Mountain was released on DVD I was working at a video store and rented it out several times but I have to admit that I was never really as crazy about it as other critics. But watching with my 2015 eyes I appreciated the beauty of the film a lot more and feel it was almost criminal that cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto didn't win an award for his capturing of the Canadian landscape. That being said I still hold that the sheep herding scenes were quite slow and I feel that I would've still understood that Jack and Ennis' work was incredibly dull without having to witness it myself. However, I liked following the characters over a number of years and I also enjoyed how the timeline could be best ascertained by how old Ennis' daughters were as well as by the size of Anne Hathaway's hair. The fact that we didn't know exactly what year we were in helped screenwriters Diana Ossana and Larry McMurty to create a timelessness to Ennis and Jack's relationship with their fishing trips becoming more and more infrequent. On this viewing of Brokeback Mountain I really began to understand the characters and their differences between the quiet brooding Ennis and the boisterous Jack. This understanding was bolstered by a duo of fantastic turns from the late Heath Ledger as Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack. Interestingly Ledger was nominated as Best Actor whilst Gyllenhaal was in the Supporting category however I think that both should have been put on equal pegging. That being said I feel that Ledger's performance was better as he perfectly portrayed the feelings of a man who said very few words. Michelle Williams was also given a Supporting Actress nomination as Ennis' heartbroken wife Alma; a role that cemented the actress' standing in Hollywood.
All in all Brokeback Mountain won three Oscars including ones for Ossana and McMurty's adapted screenplay and Ang Lee's fantastic direction. Also honoured was the Gustavo Santaolalla's iconic score which is one of the most memorable elements of the film. Going in to that year's Oscar ceremony, which I stayed up to watch live, Brokeback Mountain was the clear favourite to scoop Best Picture. There was surprise then when it went to rank outsider Crash; a film that hadn't even been nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe the month before. Upon watching both films in quick succession, I have to concede that Brokeback is the better film however I'm not sure if I agree with the conspiracy theorists who blame the right-wing leanings of the Academy members on that year's Best Picture result. However, maybe neither film deserved to win and instead Crash triumphed over a more deserving nominee. Whilst you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out my verdict on the result as a whole, there's no denying that Brokeback Mountain is a beautifully constructed film about unrequited relationships. To me I don't think it mattered too much that the lead characters were gay but instead that these were two people who clearly loved each other deeply. Jack's line 'I Wish I Knew How to Quit You' perfectly sums up the film's central relationship in which neither member could escape their feelings for the other even after death.
While Brokeback Mountain didn't triumph in the Best Picture category the other film in this double bill, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, garnered the big prize during the last Oscar ceremony of the noughties. As well as winning multiple Oscars, both films have an episodic structure in which they follow the lead characters over a number of years. Both are also based on best-selling novels, with Slumdog's source material being the book Q&A by Vikras Swarup. It was the interest in adapting Swarup's book that first got Simon Beaufoy interested in the idea and he later took several trips to India; where the film is set. Eventually teaming up with director Danny Boyle the two set about creating a film that has a very complicated narrative structure. The modern day part of the story sees the adult Jamal Malik being questioned by detectives after being suspected of cheating whilst taking part in the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The film then uses the police interrogation as the basis for a series of flashbacks as Jamal explains in detail why he knew the answer to each individual question. I think the level of enjoyment one gets from Slumdog Millionaire comes from how easy you find it to suspend your disbelief. For example it's interesting how the order of the questions allow Jamal to tell his story in a chronological manner. Despite being a contrived story, Slumdog Millionaire at least tells a powerful tale of street children, prostitution and organised crime. At the time one review described Slumdog Millionaire as 'a feelgood film' which is laughable in a movie that contains a cavalcade of bleak moments. However, the film does have an incredibly feelgood ending before concluding with a Bollywood dance routine that feels out of place.
I think it was almost impossible for Danny Boyle to make a film about Indian slums without garnering some criticism from the country itself and indeed that's exactly what happened. Many members of the Indian film industry have criticised Boyle for presenting a westernised view of their country. It's true that at time Slumdog Millionaire does resemble an advert from the Indian tourist board however I do think that Boyle tried his best to create a somewhat accurate depiction of the country. What I really care about when watching these films is how well they're made and if they entertained me sufficiently. I think Slumdog Millionaire did both as Chris Dickens deftly edited the multiple timelines together whilst Anthony Dod Mantle's cinematography was utterly breathtaking at points. The plot structure, in which each part of the film is divided into an explanation of Jamal's reason for knowing a certain answer, didn't bother me as much as it did some others. I also found the character of Jamal an endearing one and therefore his various traumas were easy to sympathise with. In the lead role of the adult Jamal, I think that relative newcomer Dev Patel did his best to anchor the film as he brought a certain naivety to the character. Seasoned professionals such as Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan were on hand to bring a bit of experience to the film as the quiz show's host and the lead detective respectively. Praise must also go to the young actors who were absolutely brilliant as the younger versions of Jamal, his brother Salim and the love of his life Latika. Although it possibly dilutes a lot of the issues that it focuses on, Slumdog Millionaire is an entertaining film that's easy to watch. Well-shot, directed and edited with a strong storyline to boot I can't help but admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the film even it doesn't quite have that quality that I believe a Best Picture winner should contain.
Next time we focus on an actor who found success on both sides of the camera.
We start with Brokeback Mountain whose lead characters Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar are technically sheep herders rather than cowboys but lets not bogged down in semantics. Even if they haven't seen the film most people will have an idea about Brokeback Mountain's plot as the film's title has become synonymous with dubious male relationships. What I can say about Brokeback Mountain is that it has incredibly slow start in which Jack and Ennis meet herding sheep upon the eponymous rock. Eventually realising their feelings for one another, Jack and Ennis begin sleeping together before they go their separate ways over the summer. Where the film got more interesting for me was in director Ang Lee's portrayal of the years following the couple's first meeting where they had to handle their secret whilst trying to go about a normal daily routine. The more reserved Ennis started got married quite early and started a family with the likeable Alma. Meanwhile, Jack took to the rodeo circuit eventually marrying the daughter of a wealthy farming supplies company. However, the pair participated in a number of lengthy fishing trips in which they reigniting their passion for one another. Although Jack wanted to start a new life on a ranch with Ennis he wasn't convinced and was worried that he'd eventually be caught out for his feelings towards a fellow man. Eventually the meetings became more infrequent and the final scenes revealed that Jack died possibly due as the result of a beating. However, the film's closing shot was beautifully realised as Ennis realised that he couldn't let Jack go even in death.
At the time Brokeback Mountain was released on DVD I was working at a video store and rented it out several times but I have to admit that I was never really as crazy about it as other critics. But watching with my 2015 eyes I appreciated the beauty of the film a lot more and feel it was almost criminal that cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto didn't win an award for his capturing of the Canadian landscape. That being said I still hold that the sheep herding scenes were quite slow and I feel that I would've still understood that Jack and Ennis' work was incredibly dull without having to witness it myself. However, I liked following the characters over a number of years and I also enjoyed how the timeline could be best ascertained by how old Ennis' daughters were as well as by the size of Anne Hathaway's hair. The fact that we didn't know exactly what year we were in helped screenwriters Diana Ossana and Larry McMurty to create a timelessness to Ennis and Jack's relationship with their fishing trips becoming more and more infrequent. On this viewing of Brokeback Mountain I really began to understand the characters and their differences between the quiet brooding Ennis and the boisterous Jack. This understanding was bolstered by a duo of fantastic turns from the late Heath Ledger as Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack. Interestingly Ledger was nominated as Best Actor whilst Gyllenhaal was in the Supporting category however I think that both should have been put on equal pegging. That being said I feel that Ledger's performance was better as he perfectly portrayed the feelings of a man who said very few words. Michelle Williams was also given a Supporting Actress nomination as Ennis' heartbroken wife Alma; a role that cemented the actress' standing in Hollywood.
All in all Brokeback Mountain won three Oscars including ones for Ossana and McMurty's adapted screenplay and Ang Lee's fantastic direction. Also honoured was the Gustavo Santaolalla's iconic score which is one of the most memorable elements of the film. Going in to that year's Oscar ceremony, which I stayed up to watch live, Brokeback Mountain was the clear favourite to scoop Best Picture. There was surprise then when it went to rank outsider Crash; a film that hadn't even been nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe the month before. Upon watching both films in quick succession, I have to concede that Brokeback is the better film however I'm not sure if I agree with the conspiracy theorists who blame the right-wing leanings of the Academy members on that year's Best Picture result. However, maybe neither film deserved to win and instead Crash triumphed over a more deserving nominee. Whilst you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out my verdict on the result as a whole, there's no denying that Brokeback Mountain is a beautifully constructed film about unrequited relationships. To me I don't think it mattered too much that the lead characters were gay but instead that these were two people who clearly loved each other deeply. Jack's line 'I Wish I Knew How to Quit You' perfectly sums up the film's central relationship in which neither member could escape their feelings for the other even after death.
While Brokeback Mountain didn't triumph in the Best Picture category the other film in this double bill, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, garnered the big prize during the last Oscar ceremony of the noughties. As well as winning multiple Oscars, both films have an episodic structure in which they follow the lead characters over a number of years. Both are also based on best-selling novels, with Slumdog's source material being the book Q&A by Vikras Swarup. It was the interest in adapting Swarup's book that first got Simon Beaufoy interested in the idea and he later took several trips to India; where the film is set. Eventually teaming up with director Danny Boyle the two set about creating a film that has a very complicated narrative structure. The modern day part of the story sees the adult Jamal Malik being questioned by detectives after being suspected of cheating whilst taking part in the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The film then uses the police interrogation as the basis for a series of flashbacks as Jamal explains in detail why he knew the answer to each individual question. I think the level of enjoyment one gets from Slumdog Millionaire comes from how easy you find it to suspend your disbelief. For example it's interesting how the order of the questions allow Jamal to tell his story in a chronological manner. Despite being a contrived story, Slumdog Millionaire at least tells a powerful tale of street children, prostitution and organised crime. At the time one review described Slumdog Millionaire as 'a feelgood film' which is laughable in a movie that contains a cavalcade of bleak moments. However, the film does have an incredibly feelgood ending before concluding with a Bollywood dance routine that feels out of place.
I think it was almost impossible for Danny Boyle to make a film about Indian slums without garnering some criticism from the country itself and indeed that's exactly what happened. Many members of the Indian film industry have criticised Boyle for presenting a westernised view of their country. It's true that at time Slumdog Millionaire does resemble an advert from the Indian tourist board however I do think that Boyle tried his best to create a somewhat accurate depiction of the country. What I really care about when watching these films is how well they're made and if they entertained me sufficiently. I think Slumdog Millionaire did both as Chris Dickens deftly edited the multiple timelines together whilst Anthony Dod Mantle's cinematography was utterly breathtaking at points. The plot structure, in which each part of the film is divided into an explanation of Jamal's reason for knowing a certain answer, didn't bother me as much as it did some others. I also found the character of Jamal an endearing one and therefore his various traumas were easy to sympathise with. In the lead role of the adult Jamal, I think that relative newcomer Dev Patel did his best to anchor the film as he brought a certain naivety to the character. Seasoned professionals such as Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan were on hand to bring a bit of experience to the film as the quiz show's host and the lead detective respectively. Praise must also go to the young actors who were absolutely brilliant as the younger versions of Jamal, his brother Salim and the love of his life Latika. Although it possibly dilutes a lot of the issues that it focuses on, Slumdog Millionaire is an entertaining film that's easy to watch. Well-shot, directed and edited with a strong storyline to boot I can't help but admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the film even it doesn't quite have that quality that I believe a Best Picture winner should contain.
Next time we focus on an actor who found success on both sides of the camera.
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