We're back once again with the third post looking back at this year's Oscar nominees and this time we focus on the sort of film the Academy love most, a good old biopic.
We start with The Imitation Game, which focuses on Alan Turing; who was a key figure in cracking the German's Enigma Code and ultimately helped the allies win the war. The film focuses on three periods in Turing's life; his unhappy teenage years at Boarding School, his work on the Enigma Machine during the war and finally his decline in the early 1950s where he was ultimately arrested for conducting a homosexual relationship. Graham Moore's screenplay, based on Andrew Hodge's biography of Turing, paints the character as somebody who was hard to like at times. His obstinate attitude, lack of humour and contempt for those with inferior intelligence all led to him clashing with his co-workers and superiors. He had particular trouble with Commander Alastair Denniston who constantly tried to have his project shut down after an earlier clash with Turing. Thankfully Turing later found a friend in codebreaker Joan Clarke, whom he came to admire for her intelligence. She taught him to cherish his colleagues and he eventually proposed to her so he could stay on at Bletchley Park. I enjoyed how Moore began to intersect the three time periods as the film went along to make the audience understand just why Turing was as obsessed with his Enigma machine as he was. His naming the machine Christopher, after a particularly close school friend, made it somewhat of a personal project that he wanted to continue even after his arrest for indecency. William Goldenberg's editing of these three time periods was completely seamless and I believe he's certainly in contention of winning an Oscar for his work.
Other than Goldenberg's editing, I didn't find The Imitation Game to be particularly cinematic and at times it felt more like a BBC Sunday night drama than a multi-Oscar nominated picture. Although Morten Tyldum's direction was solid, there was no really striking visuals in The Theory of Everything. What the film did have going for it was a stunning central turn from Benedict Cumberbatch; who essentially played Turing as a more sympathetic version of Sherlock. Cumberbatch made you feel for Turing throughout the film, especially in the scenes in which his secret homosexuality was used against him. Cumberbatch's performance was particularly moving in the 1950s when Turing agreed to chemical castration rather than be separated from his beloved machine. Even though Cumberbatch won't win Best Actor, of the three performances in that category I've seen thus far, his is definitely the most moving. Nominated alongside Cumerbatch was Keira Knightley; whose Supporting Actress nomination was more than deserved thanks to her plucky portrayal of Joan. Knightley turned what could've been a one-note character into somebody to root for and made sure that her character could more than hold her own against the boys. The film also benefited from a glut of fine supporting turns from the likes of Charles Dance, Rory Kinnear, Matthew Goode and Mark Strong. Despite some fine performances and an involving story; The Imitation Game does have the same cinematic style as most of its fellow nominees. I believe that part of the reason it has garnered as many nominations as it has is due to the involvement of the God-like Harvey Weinstein who has made sure that as many Academy members see the film as possible. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I believe that more visually spectacular and unique films have been overlooked thanks to Weinstein's campaigning for The Imitation Game. At the same time I'm glad that Turing's story has been told on screen as it was one that I hadn't heard before and one that moved me deeply.
The real-life drama double bill continues with Selma; which tells the story of the Martin Luther King-led marches on the titular Alabama town in 1964. The purpose of the marches were to eliminate restrictions on black people's rights to register to vote. These struggles are perfectly represented in an earlier scene in which a black woman, attempts to register but is blind-sided with questions which would be impossible for anyone to answer. Obviously the marches themselves were met with opposition, not least from the Governor of Alabama George Wallace who tried to quash King's efforts. One of the main criticisms levelled at the film was the way the relationship between King and President Lyndon B Johnson was portrayed. Whilst in actuality Johnson was one of King's key supporters; the film portrayed him as someone who went out of his way to quash the planned marches. Although I didn't feel that Johnson was the film's key antagonist it was certainly suggested that he was a thorn in King's side and he later allowed J. Edgar Hoover to tap his phone in an effort to split him from his wife. Despite the historical inaccuracies I felt that Selma really started to get going after the first march which depicted the brutal beating of many of the protesters. I felt that the way that this march and its aftermath was filmed drew me into the film with the subsequent two marches having a different tone to them. I do believe that if I was an American then I'd know more about this story than I do so it was an interesting watch despite the fact that I'd sort of guessed the ending. But I did feel like Selma was geared towards an American audience who have a greater grasp of the feelings of both the Selma natives and King's group.
Oddly for such an American film, the three lead parts are all ably played by British actors. The brilliant David Oyelowo gave a captivating turn as King as he perfectly captured the charismatic nature of the man. Oyelowo was totally convincing throughout and I felt he perfectly portrayed the reasons why people were so willing to follow King into potentially violent situations. At the same time he was able to show a more vulnerable side to the character in particular his doubts about being a competent leader. As President Johnson, Tom Wilkinson gave a solid if somewhat unremarkable turn as a leader who didn't like being forced into a corner. Meanwhile Tim Roth's George Wallace was every part the slimy villain as he hid behind minor laws to stop black people from voting. In supporting roles, Oprah Winfrey and Wendell Pierce shine in a cast that also includes a rousing cameo from Martin Sheen. As I've already mentioned the cinematography added to the stirring mood of the marches and I also enjoyed Jason Moran's fantastic score. However, just like The Imitation Game, Selma at times felt like a historical TV feature drama rather than a cinematic release. At times Paul Webb's script featured too many scenes with men in rooms talking to each other and it was only during the silent marches that the film came alive. One of the main controversies surrounding the film is the fact that it hasn't been nominated in any categories outside of Best Picture and Best Song for John Legend's 'Glory'. With no black actors in any of the four categories this year I feel that at least Oyelowo deserved a place in the Best Actor category as his turn was certainly better than Bradley Cooper's in American Sniper. Apart from that though I think that Selma is somewhat of unremarkable historical film which people will quickly forget in years to come.
Next time I look at the final two Best Picture nominees from 2015.
Showing posts with label Tom Wilkinson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tom Wilkinson. Show all posts
Monday, 25 May 2015
Saturday, 28 March 2015
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 407-408: George, by George
We first met George Clooney back in the 1990s when he was one of many actors who had a bit part in The Thin Red Line. At the time Clooney was beginning to breakthrough into movies after coming to prominence as Dr. Doug Ross in E.R. Finishing his tenure with the show at the end of 1999; Clooney ascended to movie star status during the early 21st century. In 2002 he directed his first film, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and three years later would helm his second feature which netted him a Best Director nod.
That film was Good Night and Good Luck; which earned six nominations in all including two for Clooney in both the directing and screenwriting categories. Clooney also starred in the film as Fred Friendly the co-producer of notorious broadcaster Edward R. Morrow. The story focuses on Morrow's various attacks on Senator Joseph McCarthy and in particular his criticism of the scaremongering tactics that were being employed by his administration. The war begins when Morrow criticises McCarthy's prosecution of a young officer without having any proof of his wrongdoings. Their battle intensifies when McCarthy outright accuses Morrow of having communist leanings to which the host of 'See it Now' totally denies. Clooney and co-writer Grant Heslov's script looks at the effects of this war of words on both the CBS network and Murrow's colleagues on the 'See it Now' show. These include Joseph and Shirley; a married couple who have to keep their relationship a secret from their colleagues due to CBS guidelines. Also featured heavily is CBS journalist Don Hellenbeck, who is criticised in the press for being a 'pinko' and who ultimately commits suicide. In my opinion it's the relationship between the staff members that makes Good Night and Good Luck so successful especially when you come to realise they're like a little family. I especially liked the loyalty displayed by CBS Boss William Palley, the father figure of the group, who defended Murrow's actions to the advertisers who were worried about his barbed attacks. I also liked the way in which the film's narrative was book-ended by Murrow's speech to the Radio and Television News Directors Association in which he condemns the way in which TV is dumbing down.
It's clear that in both his writing and direction of Good Night and Good Luck that Clooney has a particular affinity with the 1950s. I wasn't surprised to learn that Clooney's father was a TV news journalist as there seems to be a certain respect of the profession running throughout the film. Indeed Murrow's words about the descent of TV in general looked to be Clooney's critique of the reality-heavy output of 21st century television. The script was just one of the things that made Good Night and Good Luck a solid piece of factual drama that obviously struck a chord with the academy due to its political message. The fact that the film was shot in black and white made it stand out from the colourful films that were nominated alongside it. The decision behind the colour scheme was to do with the fact that Clooney wanted to use black and white archive footage of McCarthy. Interestingly some audience members thought that McCarthy was being played by an actor and actually criticised the authenticity of the performance. However, the acting from top to bottom in Good Night and Good Luck is outstanding and it's hard to pick a weak link from the bunch. I particularly liked the tender turns given by Patricia Clarkson and Robert Downey Jr. as the married couple who had to hide their relationship at work. Ray Wise as the tragic Hellenbeck and Frank Langella as the strong-willed Palley were also on top form. But the stand out turn has to be the one given by David Strathairn as Murrow himself a fact the academy recognised by awarding the star with a Best Actor nomination. Strathairn portrays Murrow as a reserved individual whose passion kicks in as soon as he is able to talk about things that matter. I really liked the fact that the ensemble shared a great chemistry which made the character's family dynamic all the more believable. Whilst Good Night and Good Luck didn't win any of the six awards it was nominated for, Clooney did pick up his only acting Oscar to date for his role in Syriana.
Whilst Clooney did indeed pick up an acting award for Syriana it was in the supporting category and the actor would have to wait another two years to be recognised in the lead actor field. That recognition came for his performance as the eponymous anti-hero in Michael Clayton. Although Clooney had delivered fine performances up to that point he brought an extra tinge of vulnerability to the titular legal fixer. Director Tony Gilroy's script for Michael Clayton was brilliantly structured as he briefly tore away the layers of each character to reveal their true nature. In brief the film sees Clayton called to action by the head of the law firm for which he works when one of their senior litigators has a breakdown during a high profile deposition. Although the troubled Arthur Eden had been dealing with bipolar disorder, Clayton believes that his latest outburst is bigger than simply his illness. Gilroy later reveals that Arthur's paranoid suspicions are valid as he is being followed by goons hired by U-North; the agricultural company that the legal firm were defending. Halfway through the film Arthur is murdered however everyone bar Michael believes that he took his own life. From that point on, the film becomes a conspiracy thriller as Clayton tries to follow in Arthur's footsteps whilst evading suspicion from the U-North group. The unscrupulous U-North is represented by Karen Holder, a brusque general counsel who herself is suffering from mental difficulties. Events come to a head during the film's most iconic scene in which Michael's life is essentially saved by a group of horses. Although the film's ending is a little too neat, I did enjoy the fact that Michael decided to opt on the side of self-preservation while at the same time revealing the truth about the villainous U-North.
Usually I don't like dramas which start halfway through before flashing back to the beginning of the tale. However, in the case of Michael Clayton I think this worked as Gilroy makes the audience anticipate the events that we witnessed during the opening ten minutes. Gilroy's script is perfectly paced as he takes his time to let us get to know the characters before plunging us into the world of conspiracy. The character of Clayton himself isn't every inch the smooth-talking charmer that Clooney had been known for portraying up to this point. Indeed he has his demons which include a serious gambling habit and a recent bankruptcy caused by a bad investment in a bar. Clooney is great at portraying the infallible nature of the character as well as he is when conveying the cool, calm and collected part of Clayton's personality. Giving a similarly brilliant turn was Tom Wilkinson as the troubled Arthur Eden, who may be more sensible then everyone gives him credit for. Wilkinson seemed to be having an absolute hoot playing Arthur, especially when he went off the rails and stripped naked at the deposition. Wilkinson's ability to make us care for Arthur before his eventual demise meant that we then were rooting for Clayton to expose the truth behind his murder. Oddly, although both Clooney and Wilkinson were nominated for Oscars, the only winner on the night was Tilda Swinton. This decision struck me as a little odd as Swinton didn't make any big impression on me mainly as her character Karen Holder isn't on screen for a great deal of time. It almost felt if the Academy were honouring the film as a whole by letting Swinton win one of the seven categories in which Michael Clayton was nominated. Even though I've watched Michael Clayton before it didn't make as big an impression on me as it did this time round. I found it to be an intensely gripping thriller that revealed its hand gradually and was all the better for doing so. However I'm not shocked that it didn't win Best Picture and in a way I'm surprised that it was even nominated in the first place.
Next time we look at a film that occurs over three different timelines that are linked by one specific piece of literary work.
That film was Good Night and Good Luck; which earned six nominations in all including two for Clooney in both the directing and screenwriting categories. Clooney also starred in the film as Fred Friendly the co-producer of notorious broadcaster Edward R. Morrow. The story focuses on Morrow's various attacks on Senator Joseph McCarthy and in particular his criticism of the scaremongering tactics that were being employed by his administration. The war begins when Morrow criticises McCarthy's prosecution of a young officer without having any proof of his wrongdoings. Their battle intensifies when McCarthy outright accuses Morrow of having communist leanings to which the host of 'See it Now' totally denies. Clooney and co-writer Grant Heslov's script looks at the effects of this war of words on both the CBS network and Murrow's colleagues on the 'See it Now' show. These include Joseph and Shirley; a married couple who have to keep their relationship a secret from their colleagues due to CBS guidelines. Also featured heavily is CBS journalist Don Hellenbeck, who is criticised in the press for being a 'pinko' and who ultimately commits suicide. In my opinion it's the relationship between the staff members that makes Good Night and Good Luck so successful especially when you come to realise they're like a little family. I especially liked the loyalty displayed by CBS Boss William Palley, the father figure of the group, who defended Murrow's actions to the advertisers who were worried about his barbed attacks. I also liked the way in which the film's narrative was book-ended by Murrow's speech to the Radio and Television News Directors Association in which he condemns the way in which TV is dumbing down.
It's clear that in both his writing and direction of Good Night and Good Luck that Clooney has a particular affinity with the 1950s. I wasn't surprised to learn that Clooney's father was a TV news journalist as there seems to be a certain respect of the profession running throughout the film. Indeed Murrow's words about the descent of TV in general looked to be Clooney's critique of the reality-heavy output of 21st century television. The script was just one of the things that made Good Night and Good Luck a solid piece of factual drama that obviously struck a chord with the academy due to its political message. The fact that the film was shot in black and white made it stand out from the colourful films that were nominated alongside it. The decision behind the colour scheme was to do with the fact that Clooney wanted to use black and white archive footage of McCarthy. Interestingly some audience members thought that McCarthy was being played by an actor and actually criticised the authenticity of the performance. However, the acting from top to bottom in Good Night and Good Luck is outstanding and it's hard to pick a weak link from the bunch. I particularly liked the tender turns given by Patricia Clarkson and Robert Downey Jr. as the married couple who had to hide their relationship at work. Ray Wise as the tragic Hellenbeck and Frank Langella as the strong-willed Palley were also on top form. But the stand out turn has to be the one given by David Strathairn as Murrow himself a fact the academy recognised by awarding the star with a Best Actor nomination. Strathairn portrays Murrow as a reserved individual whose passion kicks in as soon as he is able to talk about things that matter. I really liked the fact that the ensemble shared a great chemistry which made the character's family dynamic all the more believable. Whilst Good Night and Good Luck didn't win any of the six awards it was nominated for, Clooney did pick up his only acting Oscar to date for his role in Syriana.
Whilst Clooney did indeed pick up an acting award for Syriana it was in the supporting category and the actor would have to wait another two years to be recognised in the lead actor field. That recognition came for his performance as the eponymous anti-hero in Michael Clayton. Although Clooney had delivered fine performances up to that point he brought an extra tinge of vulnerability to the titular legal fixer. Director Tony Gilroy's script for Michael Clayton was brilliantly structured as he briefly tore away the layers of each character to reveal their true nature. In brief the film sees Clayton called to action by the head of the law firm for which he works when one of their senior litigators has a breakdown during a high profile deposition. Although the troubled Arthur Eden had been dealing with bipolar disorder, Clayton believes that his latest outburst is bigger than simply his illness. Gilroy later reveals that Arthur's paranoid suspicions are valid as he is being followed by goons hired by U-North; the agricultural company that the legal firm were defending. Halfway through the film Arthur is murdered however everyone bar Michael believes that he took his own life. From that point on, the film becomes a conspiracy thriller as Clayton tries to follow in Arthur's footsteps whilst evading suspicion from the U-North group. The unscrupulous U-North is represented by Karen Holder, a brusque general counsel who herself is suffering from mental difficulties. Events come to a head during the film's most iconic scene in which Michael's life is essentially saved by a group of horses. Although the film's ending is a little too neat, I did enjoy the fact that Michael decided to opt on the side of self-preservation while at the same time revealing the truth about the villainous U-North.
Usually I don't like dramas which start halfway through before flashing back to the beginning of the tale. However, in the case of Michael Clayton I think this worked as Gilroy makes the audience anticipate the events that we witnessed during the opening ten minutes. Gilroy's script is perfectly paced as he takes his time to let us get to know the characters before plunging us into the world of conspiracy. The character of Clayton himself isn't every inch the smooth-talking charmer that Clooney had been known for portraying up to this point. Indeed he has his demons which include a serious gambling habit and a recent bankruptcy caused by a bad investment in a bar. Clooney is great at portraying the infallible nature of the character as well as he is when conveying the cool, calm and collected part of Clayton's personality. Giving a similarly brilliant turn was Tom Wilkinson as the troubled Arthur Eden, who may be more sensible then everyone gives him credit for. Wilkinson seemed to be having an absolute hoot playing Arthur, especially when he went off the rails and stripped naked at the deposition. Wilkinson's ability to make us care for Arthur before his eventual demise meant that we then were rooting for Clayton to expose the truth behind his murder. Oddly, although both Clooney and Wilkinson were nominated for Oscars, the only winner on the night was Tilda Swinton. This decision struck me as a little odd as Swinton didn't make any big impression on me mainly as her character Karen Holder isn't on screen for a great deal of time. It almost felt if the Academy were honouring the film as a whole by letting Swinton win one of the seven categories in which Michael Clayton was nominated. Even though I've watched Michael Clayton before it didn't make as big an impression on me as it did this time round. I found it to be an intensely gripping thriller that revealed its hand gradually and was all the better for doing so. However I'm not shocked that it didn't win Best Picture and in a way I'm surprised that it was even nominated in the first place.
Next time we look at a film that occurs over three different timelines that are linked by one specific piece of literary work.
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 392-393: Tales from Suburban America
The common bond our next two films share is that of suburbia, is that they seemingly focus on normal families going about their daily business. However, the slightest change in circumstance alters the characters in both of these films significantly. Although one film relies a lot more on quirks both look at the stereotypical American family and the cracks that show beneath the surface.
The Burnhams in American Beauty have almost so many cracks that the surface is all but gone. Alan Ball's script focuses on the spiritually dead Lester Burnham who is reawakened by several new faces in his life. The first is his teenage daughter Jane's new friend Angela, whom he has numerous sexual fantasies about and begins to work out after eavesdropping on a conversation between the two girls. Meanwhile, his new neighbour, and Jane's love interest, Ricky Fitts supplies him with marijuana and as a result he regresses into a youthful state. These new changes in her husband's life don't go down too well with his prim and proper realtor wife Carolyn. Carolyn is a very methodical person who likes everything just-so so when Lester resigns from his job her world starts to change too. As Ball has already let us know, Lester dies by the end of the film, so part of the plot is devoted to building up a list of suspects. With Carolyn taking shooting lessons and Jane asking Ricky to kill her father; both seem like likely candidates however the actual perpetrator is the man who has a room full of guns. The aim of Ball's script is to poke fun at the middle classes with their candlelit suppers and finely pruned roses. I feel he does this admirably as Lester's breakdown begins to effect the world around him and change the status quo in the household that Carolyn has maintained.
I've watched American Beauty several times before and I remember rather enjoying it. However, on this latest viewing, I found myself initially hating Kevin Spacey's performance as Lester. Although the character of Lester is well written, Spacey plays him so withdrawn that it's hard to sympathise with him. It's only in the latter scenes that Spacey brings out an extra dimension to Lester however I feel that other actors would've made me warm to Lester sooner. It seems like I'm in the minority though as Spacey won his second acting Oscar in as many nominations, his first coming via his superior turn in The Usual Suspects. If anybody should have won an Oscar for their performance in American Beauty then it's Annette Bening. Bening utterly becomes Carolyn and makes the scene in which she 'must sell this house today' utterly compelling. In fact, by the end of the film, I had much more sympathy for Carolyn than I did Lester. Fine support was provided courtesy of a regimented Chris Cooper and a withdrawn Alison Janney as Ricky's parents. Sam Mendes, who won the Best Director award for what was his debut feature, perfectly anchored the film's offbeat style. Although a little pretentious for its own good at times, especially with the dancing shopping bag, there's also a lot to like. Among these positive elements are Thomas Newman's haunting score and the way that cinematographer Conrad Hall presents the scenes in which Ricky films Lester and Jane. Despite American Beauty being a well put together and interesting film it doesn't scream Best Picture winner to me. Whilst I enjoyed myself and found it to be an easy watch, I was never blown away and found Spacey's central performance inconsistent throughout. That being said it's still better than a fair few Best Picture nominees that I've watched up to this point and at least the Academy picked a film with plenty of substance.
Whilst the Burnhams are dysfunctional throughout the course of American Beauty, the Fowlers are initially a well-adjusted happy clan who live a fine existence in the small town of Camden, Maine. Father Matt is the town's GP whilst Ruth teaches singing at the local school, meanwhile their son Frank is training to be an architect. The Fowlers lives are full of poker games, barbecues and trips to luxurious cabins; however everything changes when Frank starts to date the much older Natalie Strout. Natalie doesn't come alone; as she has two young sons as well as an abusive ex-husband who turns up every now and then expecting to reunite with her at some point. It's Natalie's ex-husband Richard who changes the course of the film when he storms the family home and shoots Frank dead. From then on the film explores the theme of grief with both Ruth and Matt dealing with the incident in different ways. Matt tries to put a brave face on things and attempts to return to work however it's later made clear that he isn't coping as well as he should. Meanwhile Ruth becomes a lot more withdrawn and it takes it a while to go back to the school to train her choir for the upcoming Labour Day concert. Director Todd Field and co-writer Robert Festinger; who based their script on Andre Dubus' short story Killings, perfectly pace the first two thirds of their story. I felt that Ruth and Matt's ultimate argument occurred at the right time with both throwing the finger of blame at each other. Where the film lost me was in its final act, where Matt finally attempts to extract vengeance for his son's death. These final scenes felt out of place with what had happened up to this point however I felt that Field and Festinger pulled it back with a rather open-ended final scene.
Something that was great throughout the course of In The Bedroom were the performances given by Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson as Ruth and Matt. One great thing about doing this challenge is watching the entire span of an actor's career and that's what I feel I've done with Sissy Spacek. From her idealistic roles in Coal Miner's Daughter and Missing, In the Bedroom sees her deal with much more of a down-to-Earth matriarch. However, Spacek's outstanding ability is demonstrated here as she is able to say so much with a sudden glance or the smoking of a cigarette. The grief that Ruth feels is conveyed brilliantly by Spacek especially in an almost inconsequential scene at a log cabin where she chats with an old friend. It's also great to see Tom Wilkinson graduate from British films to playing the lead in an American production where he's able to showcase his extraordinary skills. Wilkinson brings a charm to the character of Matt however I didn't believe his descent into darkness in the aforementioned final scenes. Both Wilkinson and Spacek were nominated for Oscars for their performances as was Marisa Tomei for her turn as the tortured Natalie. As a big fan of Tomei's I was upset when she had little to do following Frank's death although her earlier scenes were more than enough to put her in the Supporting Actress category. Antonio Calvache's cinematography was perfect as he sometimes focused on a specific part of a character's body rather than their facial features. This often gave the character's more depth and allowed us to see through the eyes of Ruth and Matt. Also worth a mention is the haunting music that Ruth is teaching her choir for the concert; this music is added to several of the film's pivotal scenes which gives them a certain eerie edge. It's a shame that In the Bedroom isn't as well remembered as American Beauty because in my opinion it's the superior product. Despite a wonky third act; In the Bedroom is still a brilliant piece of film-making that explores what happens when a shocking incident affects a seemingly normal suburban family.
Next time the blog goes to the races as we have some fun horsing about.
The Burnhams in American Beauty have almost so many cracks that the surface is all but gone. Alan Ball's script focuses on the spiritually dead Lester Burnham who is reawakened by several new faces in his life. The first is his teenage daughter Jane's new friend Angela, whom he has numerous sexual fantasies about and begins to work out after eavesdropping on a conversation between the two girls. Meanwhile, his new neighbour, and Jane's love interest, Ricky Fitts supplies him with marijuana and as a result he regresses into a youthful state. These new changes in her husband's life don't go down too well with his prim and proper realtor wife Carolyn. Carolyn is a very methodical person who likes everything just-so so when Lester resigns from his job her world starts to change too. As Ball has already let us know, Lester dies by the end of the film, so part of the plot is devoted to building up a list of suspects. With Carolyn taking shooting lessons and Jane asking Ricky to kill her father; both seem like likely candidates however the actual perpetrator is the man who has a room full of guns. The aim of Ball's script is to poke fun at the middle classes with their candlelit suppers and finely pruned roses. I feel he does this admirably as Lester's breakdown begins to effect the world around him and change the status quo in the household that Carolyn has maintained.
I've watched American Beauty several times before and I remember rather enjoying it. However, on this latest viewing, I found myself initially hating Kevin Spacey's performance as Lester. Although the character of Lester is well written, Spacey plays him so withdrawn that it's hard to sympathise with him. It's only in the latter scenes that Spacey brings out an extra dimension to Lester however I feel that other actors would've made me warm to Lester sooner. It seems like I'm in the minority though as Spacey won his second acting Oscar in as many nominations, his first coming via his superior turn in The Usual Suspects. If anybody should have won an Oscar for their performance in American Beauty then it's Annette Bening. Bening utterly becomes Carolyn and makes the scene in which she 'must sell this house today' utterly compelling. In fact, by the end of the film, I had much more sympathy for Carolyn than I did Lester. Fine support was provided courtesy of a regimented Chris Cooper and a withdrawn Alison Janney as Ricky's parents. Sam Mendes, who won the Best Director award for what was his debut feature, perfectly anchored the film's offbeat style. Although a little pretentious for its own good at times, especially with the dancing shopping bag, there's also a lot to like. Among these positive elements are Thomas Newman's haunting score and the way that cinematographer Conrad Hall presents the scenes in which Ricky films Lester and Jane. Despite American Beauty being a well put together and interesting film it doesn't scream Best Picture winner to me. Whilst I enjoyed myself and found it to be an easy watch, I was never blown away and found Spacey's central performance inconsistent throughout. That being said it's still better than a fair few Best Picture nominees that I've watched up to this point and at least the Academy picked a film with plenty of substance.
Whilst the Burnhams are dysfunctional throughout the course of American Beauty, the Fowlers are initially a well-adjusted happy clan who live a fine existence in the small town of Camden, Maine. Father Matt is the town's GP whilst Ruth teaches singing at the local school, meanwhile their son Frank is training to be an architect. The Fowlers lives are full of poker games, barbecues and trips to luxurious cabins; however everything changes when Frank starts to date the much older Natalie Strout. Natalie doesn't come alone; as she has two young sons as well as an abusive ex-husband who turns up every now and then expecting to reunite with her at some point. It's Natalie's ex-husband Richard who changes the course of the film when he storms the family home and shoots Frank dead. From then on the film explores the theme of grief with both Ruth and Matt dealing with the incident in different ways. Matt tries to put a brave face on things and attempts to return to work however it's later made clear that he isn't coping as well as he should. Meanwhile Ruth becomes a lot more withdrawn and it takes it a while to go back to the school to train her choir for the upcoming Labour Day concert. Director Todd Field and co-writer Robert Festinger; who based their script on Andre Dubus' short story Killings, perfectly pace the first two thirds of their story. I felt that Ruth and Matt's ultimate argument occurred at the right time with both throwing the finger of blame at each other. Where the film lost me was in its final act, where Matt finally attempts to extract vengeance for his son's death. These final scenes felt out of place with what had happened up to this point however I felt that Field and Festinger pulled it back with a rather open-ended final scene.
Something that was great throughout the course of In The Bedroom were the performances given by Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson as Ruth and Matt. One great thing about doing this challenge is watching the entire span of an actor's career and that's what I feel I've done with Sissy Spacek. From her idealistic roles in Coal Miner's Daughter and Missing, In the Bedroom sees her deal with much more of a down-to-Earth matriarch. However, Spacek's outstanding ability is demonstrated here as she is able to say so much with a sudden glance or the smoking of a cigarette. The grief that Ruth feels is conveyed brilliantly by Spacek especially in an almost inconsequential scene at a log cabin where she chats with an old friend. It's also great to see Tom Wilkinson graduate from British films to playing the lead in an American production where he's able to showcase his extraordinary skills. Wilkinson brings a charm to the character of Matt however I didn't believe his descent into darkness in the aforementioned final scenes. Both Wilkinson and Spacek were nominated for Oscars for their performances as was Marisa Tomei for her turn as the tortured Natalie. As a big fan of Tomei's I was upset when she had little to do following Frank's death although her earlier scenes were more than enough to put her in the Supporting Actress category. Antonio Calvache's cinematography was perfect as he sometimes focused on a specific part of a character's body rather than their facial features. This often gave the character's more depth and allowed us to see through the eyes of Ruth and Matt. Also worth a mention is the haunting music that Ruth is teaching her choir for the concert; this music is added to several of the film's pivotal scenes which gives them a certain eerie edge. It's a shame that In the Bedroom isn't as well remembered as American Beauty because in my opinion it's the superior product. Despite a wonky third act; In the Bedroom is still a brilliant piece of film-making that explores what happens when a shocking incident affects a seemingly normal suburban family.
Next time the blog goes to the races as we have some fun horsing about.
Tuesday, 24 June 2014
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 334-336: Tales from Modern Britain
With the exception of Titanic, the last three posts have looked at how British films did rather well in terms of garnering nominations throughout the 1990s. However the majority of these nominations were given to films set during Elizabethan or Edwardian times with many of them featuring an endless cycle of exquisite costumes and loads of sodding bowing. But there was another type of British film that was gaining momentum in the nineties with a focus on more contemporary issues and a look at the way in which the working class were coping with various problems.
Not that there were many working class characters in our first offering, Mike Newell's Four Weddings and a Funeral. The movie was most famous for launching the international film careers of two prominent personalities one in front of the screen and one behind. Screenwriter Richard Curtis earned an Oscar nod for his original screenplay which was based on the fact that he was suddenly attending a lot of weddings. Curtis' well-observed if overly corny script certainly rung true in places and marked him out as the king of the romantic comedy over the following decade. He would also go on to collaborate with the film's leading male Hugh Grant, who we've already seen do his thing in costume dramas. Four Weddings really saw him utilise his slightly awkward persona which he would utilise in such flops as Nine Months and Mickey Blue Eyes. Whilst I found Grant's turn here incredibly endearing I felt he lacked chemistry with the film's female lead Andie Macdowell. Macdowell's presence in the film was obviously to increase audience interest and include a star that the American audience would've been aware of. However I thought Macdowell didn't handle Curtis' comic dialogue at all well and her line at the end of the film asking if it was still raining was incredibly cringeworthy. Additionally I felt that Curtis' plot device to keep them apart, by having Macdowell's Carrie marry an elderly Scottish politician was fairly absurd. While I agree that Carrie having another beau made sense, I never felt that she and Corin Redgrave were a good match so I wasn't surprised when they'd divorced quite quickly. Meanwhile I felt that Grant's Charlie really should've acted on the fact that Kristin Scott Thomas' Fiona was madly in love with him as she was a lot more interesting.
Indeed the scenes I really enjoyed throughout Four Weddings were those featuring Charlie's friends all of whom had distinct personalities. Simon Callow's Gavin was an absolute joy, lighting up the screen before breaking everybody's hearts when he died at Carrie's wedding. One of the highlights of the film is John Hannah's Matthew delivering a moving eulogy to his late lover which famously included the use of WH Auden's 'Stop All the Clocks'. In fact I felt the inclusion of a gay couple in a major romantic comedy was a groundbreaking move at the time but neither Matthew nor Gavin ever behaved in a clichéd manner. At the same time you believed that they truly loved each other and that's a testament to both Hannah and Callow. James Fleet also got his moment to shine as the foppish Tom whose heart to heart with Charlie following the funeral is another memorable moment. Meanwhile the late Charlotte Coleman's Scarlett was a firecracker whose unusual dress sense and dyed hair still stick in the memory. I feel that the film rings true for anybody whose ever attended a wedding as Curtis explores the monotony of the celebrations as the day goes on. I personally enjoyed the awkward speeches and the dreariness as the post-wedding discos began to wind down. I think I would've preferred more of these well-observed moments as opposed to the more overtly comic sections of the movie most notably the second wedding ceremony being performed by Rowan Atkinson's novice vicar. The film's other notable contribution to pop culture was Wet Wet Wet's cover of 'Love is all Around' which seemed to loiter at the top of the pop charts for what seemed like an eternity. I have a long-running history with Four Weddings, dating back to when I rented it on VHS at the tender age of twelve. I do believe that Carrie and Charlie's drunken fumblings in their hotel room was my first ever on screen sex scene and has probably scarred me for life. Despite not really buying into the central relationship, I still think Four Weddings is a funny and believable look at a tight-knit friendship group who really care deeply about each other. For me the real love story is about Charlie's feelings for his friends rather than his relationship with the dreadful Carrie.
Similarly well-observed, but not as tightly-scripted, was Mike Leigh's excellent Secret and Lies. I have to say I was surprised to see a film from a very British director like Leigh gain so much Oscar buzz. In fact the film ultimately had five Oscar nominations to its name with Leigh being nominated for both his direction and script. Not that there was much scripting to talk of as Leigh only provided his actors with bare-bone accounts of each scene and a description of their characters. I feel that this helped to provide the realism that the film has in droves and why each character feels interestingly recognisable. The main plot of the film concentrates on intelligent optometrist Hortence who, following the death of her adopted mother, tries to find the woman who gave birth to her.After an exhausting search, Hortence discovers that her mother is a white working-class woman with a complicated family life of her own. The woman in question is Cynthia, a harassed factory worker who is struggling for money and has a strained relationship with her daughter Roxanne. Cynthia's relationship with her brother Maurice and his wife Monica is also explored throughout the film which particularly deals with the aspect of class. Whilst Cynthia has stayed in the family home, Maurice's job as a photographer has afforded he and Monica a new house. Cynthia's apparent jealousy of this new purchase adds to the problems she already has with Monica, who she blames for her lack of contact with Maurice. I personally really liked the scene in which Hortense and Cynthia meet for the first time as it feels so raw and genuine. The primary reason for this is that Leigh hadn't informed actress Brenda Blethyn that Hortense was black meaning that Cynthia's reaction was a completely realistic one. Similarly the scene was shot in one take meaning that Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste had to work their socks off to provide something spectacular. The film itself culminates at a barbecue that Monica and Maurice hold for Roxanne's birthday with Hortense attending under the guise of Cynthia's work colleague. From there the secrets and lies of the title are finally revealed and everybody comes to terms with the new information they've been given.
Of the three films in this post, Secrets and Lies is the only one that I'd never seen before and I'm now wondering why it took me so long to find it in the first place. Leigh's minimal use of scripted dialogue allows the actors to create something naturalistic which is very hard to do in films. The barbecue scenes were particularly realistic from Maurice's manning of the grill to Monica's worries that she won't have enough garden chairs. One of the best recurring sequences of the entire piece is the small segments in which Leigh shows us some of the characters who come into Maurice's studio to have their photo taken. These scenes show all aspects of human life from happy couples and families to a woman who is having photos of her battered face being taken ahead of an impending court case. Andrew Dickson's haunting score perfectly punctuates each scene and contributes to the film's bleaker qualities. It's hard to highlight one member of Leigh's stunning ensemble cast with each of them taking their turn to give winning performances. Brenda Blethyn's jittery turn as the emotionally fraught Cynthia anchors the film beautifully with her use of the word 'sweetheart' having several different meanings. Her performance is perfectly counterbalanced by that of Marianne Jean-Baptiste who presents Hortense as a cool and calm professional woman. Timothy Spall's turn as the reliable Maurice is perfectly realised whilst Phyllis Logan really comes into her own as Monica in the film's final act. Claire Rushbrook is great as the stroppy Roxanne whilst Lee Ross and Elizabeth Berrington shine in smaller roles. Leigh himself deserves praise for perfecting the kitchen sink drama and adding a new element to it in the form of the cultured Hortense. If I have one minor criticism it's that I don't think the scene in which the former owner of Maurice's studio visits him quite works. Apart from that though, Leigh's work is a thing of beauty and I'm happy to say that he's still creating brilliant dramas such as this almost twenty years later.
The final film of this trio combines the working class elements of Secrets and Lies with the comedic charm of Four Weddings and some of its own magic. The Full Monty instantly conjures up certain images in people's heads but I feel that some of you forget that Peter Cattaneo's film is ultimately about a group of unemployed men. This is demonstrated perfectly in the film's opening scene which is taken from a 1970s movie reel entitled 'City on the Move' which looked at Sheffield's thriving steel industry. But, in the late 1990s, the industry had disappeared and the men who used to work there were forced to go on the dole. The characters in The Full Monty have all decided to deal with their new unemployment in different ways even if all these methods ultimately have the same outcome. The film's protagonist Gaz is a happy-go-lucky type who wants to maintain a relationship with his young son despite the boy's mother filing for full custody. His best mate Dave is paranoid that his wife is having an affair and therefore has started to withdraw from life. Meanwhile security guard Lomper tries to commit suicide to get away from a life which is split between looking after his elderly mother and playing in the local brass band. The most compelling character, who deserved more screen time, is Tom Wilkinson's Gerald a man who is yet to tell his wife that he's been made redundant. Gerald is certainly one for keeping up appearances and I think one of The Full Monty's most tragic moments is when the bailiffs start calling round. Writer Simon Beaufoy's script perfectly combines all of these elements with the Gaz's money-making scheme to put on a strip show for the area's local ladies. The scenes featuring the lads training for their stripping debut add some much needed light to proceedings but I feel never overshadow the characters. This use of light and shade is one of The Full Monty's most positive attributes and is one of the reasons that audiences have returned to the comedy drama time and time again.
I do remember watching this film when it first aired on television and by that point it had become a worldwide phenomenon following its Oscar success. In fact the film won an award for Best Musical and Comedy Score, thankfully one Oscar that Titanic wasn't eligible for. Watching it for the first time in years, I didn't realise how quick The Full Monty was and it almost feels a little rushed. Due to the short running time several subplots don't get enough time devoted to them especially the relationship between Lomper and Guy. I felt that both Dave's anxieties about his weight and Gerald's need to get back to work needed to be explored in more depth but both were outshone by Gaz's tale. Not that there's anything wrong with that as Robert Carlyle's breezy performance is a joy as his chemistry with Mark Addy who plays Dave. Young William Snape is excellent as Gaz's son Nathan and clearly portrays a boy who loves his dad despite his many faults. I do feel it's a shame that not one of the cast members were nominated for an Oscar, especially Wilkinson who steals the show as the incredibly proud Gerald. Wilkinson's performance is possibly the most tragic and he is able to convey a man who's devoted all his life to the steel industry. Possibly one of the film's lasting legacies is its use of music most notably Hot Chocolate's 'You Sexy Thing' and Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff'. Interestingly the iconic 'Hot Stuff' dole queue scene was initially cut from the film as Cattaneo didn't feel it was realistic enough however I believe it represents how much their new passion means to the men. Despite feeling rushed, The Full Monty is an enjoyable film that has a lot to say about the failing industries in the UK and the affect it has on the men who face redundancy. An uplifting look at the many personalities that can find themselves unemployed, The Full Monty is the dictionary definition of a feelgood hit.
Next time we look at another film with an iconic music based scene that certainly got quite a few people into pottery.
Not that there were many working class characters in our first offering, Mike Newell's Four Weddings and a Funeral. The movie was most famous for launching the international film careers of two prominent personalities one in front of the screen and one behind. Screenwriter Richard Curtis earned an Oscar nod for his original screenplay which was based on the fact that he was suddenly attending a lot of weddings. Curtis' well-observed if overly corny script certainly rung true in places and marked him out as the king of the romantic comedy over the following decade. He would also go on to collaborate with the film's leading male Hugh Grant, who we've already seen do his thing in costume dramas. Four Weddings really saw him utilise his slightly awkward persona which he would utilise in such flops as Nine Months and Mickey Blue Eyes. Whilst I found Grant's turn here incredibly endearing I felt he lacked chemistry with the film's female lead Andie Macdowell. Macdowell's presence in the film was obviously to increase audience interest and include a star that the American audience would've been aware of. However I thought Macdowell didn't handle Curtis' comic dialogue at all well and her line at the end of the film asking if it was still raining was incredibly cringeworthy. Additionally I felt that Curtis' plot device to keep them apart, by having Macdowell's Carrie marry an elderly Scottish politician was fairly absurd. While I agree that Carrie having another beau made sense, I never felt that she and Corin Redgrave were a good match so I wasn't surprised when they'd divorced quite quickly. Meanwhile I felt that Grant's Charlie really should've acted on the fact that Kristin Scott Thomas' Fiona was madly in love with him as she was a lot more interesting.
Indeed the scenes I really enjoyed throughout Four Weddings were those featuring Charlie's friends all of whom had distinct personalities. Simon Callow's Gavin was an absolute joy, lighting up the screen before breaking everybody's hearts when he died at Carrie's wedding. One of the highlights of the film is John Hannah's Matthew delivering a moving eulogy to his late lover which famously included the use of WH Auden's 'Stop All the Clocks'. In fact I felt the inclusion of a gay couple in a major romantic comedy was a groundbreaking move at the time but neither Matthew nor Gavin ever behaved in a clichéd manner. At the same time you believed that they truly loved each other and that's a testament to both Hannah and Callow. James Fleet also got his moment to shine as the foppish Tom whose heart to heart with Charlie following the funeral is another memorable moment. Meanwhile the late Charlotte Coleman's Scarlett was a firecracker whose unusual dress sense and dyed hair still stick in the memory. I feel that the film rings true for anybody whose ever attended a wedding as Curtis explores the monotony of the celebrations as the day goes on. I personally enjoyed the awkward speeches and the dreariness as the post-wedding discos began to wind down. I think I would've preferred more of these well-observed moments as opposed to the more overtly comic sections of the movie most notably the second wedding ceremony being performed by Rowan Atkinson's novice vicar. The film's other notable contribution to pop culture was Wet Wet Wet's cover of 'Love is all Around' which seemed to loiter at the top of the pop charts for what seemed like an eternity. I have a long-running history with Four Weddings, dating back to when I rented it on VHS at the tender age of twelve. I do believe that Carrie and Charlie's drunken fumblings in their hotel room was my first ever on screen sex scene and has probably scarred me for life. Despite not really buying into the central relationship, I still think Four Weddings is a funny and believable look at a tight-knit friendship group who really care deeply about each other. For me the real love story is about Charlie's feelings for his friends rather than his relationship with the dreadful Carrie.
Similarly well-observed, but not as tightly-scripted, was Mike Leigh's excellent Secret and Lies. I have to say I was surprised to see a film from a very British director like Leigh gain so much Oscar buzz. In fact the film ultimately had five Oscar nominations to its name with Leigh being nominated for both his direction and script. Not that there was much scripting to talk of as Leigh only provided his actors with bare-bone accounts of each scene and a description of their characters. I feel that this helped to provide the realism that the film has in droves and why each character feels interestingly recognisable. The main plot of the film concentrates on intelligent optometrist Hortence who, following the death of her adopted mother, tries to find the woman who gave birth to her.After an exhausting search, Hortence discovers that her mother is a white working-class woman with a complicated family life of her own. The woman in question is Cynthia, a harassed factory worker who is struggling for money and has a strained relationship with her daughter Roxanne. Cynthia's relationship with her brother Maurice and his wife Monica is also explored throughout the film which particularly deals with the aspect of class. Whilst Cynthia has stayed in the family home, Maurice's job as a photographer has afforded he and Monica a new house. Cynthia's apparent jealousy of this new purchase adds to the problems she already has with Monica, who she blames for her lack of contact with Maurice. I personally really liked the scene in which Hortense and Cynthia meet for the first time as it feels so raw and genuine. The primary reason for this is that Leigh hadn't informed actress Brenda Blethyn that Hortense was black meaning that Cynthia's reaction was a completely realistic one. Similarly the scene was shot in one take meaning that Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste had to work their socks off to provide something spectacular. The film itself culminates at a barbecue that Monica and Maurice hold for Roxanne's birthday with Hortense attending under the guise of Cynthia's work colleague. From there the secrets and lies of the title are finally revealed and everybody comes to terms with the new information they've been given.
Of the three films in this post, Secrets and Lies is the only one that I'd never seen before and I'm now wondering why it took me so long to find it in the first place. Leigh's minimal use of scripted dialogue allows the actors to create something naturalistic which is very hard to do in films. The barbecue scenes were particularly realistic from Maurice's manning of the grill to Monica's worries that she won't have enough garden chairs. One of the best recurring sequences of the entire piece is the small segments in which Leigh shows us some of the characters who come into Maurice's studio to have their photo taken. These scenes show all aspects of human life from happy couples and families to a woman who is having photos of her battered face being taken ahead of an impending court case. Andrew Dickson's haunting score perfectly punctuates each scene and contributes to the film's bleaker qualities. It's hard to highlight one member of Leigh's stunning ensemble cast with each of them taking their turn to give winning performances. Brenda Blethyn's jittery turn as the emotionally fraught Cynthia anchors the film beautifully with her use of the word 'sweetheart' having several different meanings. Her performance is perfectly counterbalanced by that of Marianne Jean-Baptiste who presents Hortense as a cool and calm professional woman. Timothy Spall's turn as the reliable Maurice is perfectly realised whilst Phyllis Logan really comes into her own as Monica in the film's final act. Claire Rushbrook is great as the stroppy Roxanne whilst Lee Ross and Elizabeth Berrington shine in smaller roles. Leigh himself deserves praise for perfecting the kitchen sink drama and adding a new element to it in the form of the cultured Hortense. If I have one minor criticism it's that I don't think the scene in which the former owner of Maurice's studio visits him quite works. Apart from that though, Leigh's work is a thing of beauty and I'm happy to say that he's still creating brilliant dramas such as this almost twenty years later.
The final film of this trio combines the working class elements of Secrets and Lies with the comedic charm of Four Weddings and some of its own magic. The Full Monty instantly conjures up certain images in people's heads but I feel that some of you forget that Peter Cattaneo's film is ultimately about a group of unemployed men. This is demonstrated perfectly in the film's opening scene which is taken from a 1970s movie reel entitled 'City on the Move' which looked at Sheffield's thriving steel industry. But, in the late 1990s, the industry had disappeared and the men who used to work there were forced to go on the dole. The characters in The Full Monty have all decided to deal with their new unemployment in different ways even if all these methods ultimately have the same outcome. The film's protagonist Gaz is a happy-go-lucky type who wants to maintain a relationship with his young son despite the boy's mother filing for full custody. His best mate Dave is paranoid that his wife is having an affair and therefore has started to withdraw from life. Meanwhile security guard Lomper tries to commit suicide to get away from a life which is split between looking after his elderly mother and playing in the local brass band. The most compelling character, who deserved more screen time, is Tom Wilkinson's Gerald a man who is yet to tell his wife that he's been made redundant. Gerald is certainly one for keeping up appearances and I think one of The Full Monty's most tragic moments is when the bailiffs start calling round. Writer Simon Beaufoy's script perfectly combines all of these elements with the Gaz's money-making scheme to put on a strip show for the area's local ladies. The scenes featuring the lads training for their stripping debut add some much needed light to proceedings but I feel never overshadow the characters. This use of light and shade is one of The Full Monty's most positive attributes and is one of the reasons that audiences have returned to the comedy drama time and time again.
I do remember watching this film when it first aired on television and by that point it had become a worldwide phenomenon following its Oscar success. In fact the film won an award for Best Musical and Comedy Score, thankfully one Oscar that Titanic wasn't eligible for. Watching it for the first time in years, I didn't realise how quick The Full Monty was and it almost feels a little rushed. Due to the short running time several subplots don't get enough time devoted to them especially the relationship between Lomper and Guy. I felt that both Dave's anxieties about his weight and Gerald's need to get back to work needed to be explored in more depth but both were outshone by Gaz's tale. Not that there's anything wrong with that as Robert Carlyle's breezy performance is a joy as his chemistry with Mark Addy who plays Dave. Young William Snape is excellent as Gaz's son Nathan and clearly portrays a boy who loves his dad despite his many faults. I do feel it's a shame that not one of the cast members were nominated for an Oscar, especially Wilkinson who steals the show as the incredibly proud Gerald. Wilkinson's performance is possibly the most tragic and he is able to convey a man who's devoted all his life to the steel industry. Possibly one of the film's lasting legacies is its use of music most notably Hot Chocolate's 'You Sexy Thing' and Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff'. Interestingly the iconic 'Hot Stuff' dole queue scene was initially cut from the film as Cattaneo didn't feel it was realistic enough however I believe it represents how much their new passion means to the men. Despite feeling rushed, The Full Monty is an enjoyable film that has a lot to say about the failing industries in the UK and the affect it has on the men who face redundancy. An uplifting look at the many personalities that can find themselves unemployed, The Full Monty is the dictionary definition of a feelgood hit.
Next time we look at another film with an iconic music based scene that certainly got quite a few people into pottery.
Thursday, 19 June 2014
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 328-329: The Two Faces of Elizabeth I
Even in the early days of Oscar, the academy loved British films that focused on the Tudor Monarchy. In fact the first ever British film to be nominated for an Oscar was The Private Life of Henry VIII for which Charles Laughton won a Best Actor statuette. At the 1999 Oscars, Henry's daughter Elizabeth featured in two films which focused on different stages of her reign. Although Elizabeth was played by different actors the pair of movies did share a pair of actors who featured prominently throughout.
The imaginatively named Elizabeth was the first of these two films and saw Cate Blanchett take on the role of the titular Queen. Shekhar Kapur's film was based around Elizabeth's ascent to the throne following her sister Mary's death and her struggles to gain the respect she needed. It didn't help matters that everybody around her was trying to marry her off every five minutes or get her to declare a war on some country or other. It really seemed to me as if Elizabeth would've been better off continuing to dance round that field with Joseph Fiennes' Dudley rather than committing herself to running the country. Obviously things got a bit more complicated when it turned out when Dudley was married and plotting to have her removed from the throne. But the only other alternative was Vincent Cassel's hilariously campy cross-dressing French King who was flanked by an intimidating Eric Cantona. On the performances front, Elizabeth really belonged to Cate Blanchett who became an overnight sensation after appearing in the film. Elizabeth's transformation is the key aspect of Michael Hirst's script and Blanchett deals with this perfectly. She is convincing as the naive exile in the aforementioned dancing scenes but is equally great commanding rooms full of sceptical men. I feel the turning point in the film is Elizabeth's appearance in front of the bishops which Blanchett plays incredibly well, initially seeming nervous before becoming the strong-willed woman we know she will be. Geoffrey Rush puts in a supporting turn as Elizabeth's devious supporter Walsingham who ends up being her biggest ally. Rush is brilliant as he utilises a number of inquisitive facial expressions and tries to get the audience to second guess his actions. Christopher Eccleston's Norfolk is an incredibly brooding villain as he uses his cunning rather than any sort of brutality to get what he wants. The film is give an air of legitimacy via the inclusion of veteran performers such as Richard Attenborough and John Gielgud whilst at the same time introducing some new faces like Daniel Craig and Emily Mortimer.
It's this use of new faces and exciting visuals that sets Elizabeth out from the standard costume drama. I was personally won over straight away when the incredibly modern title card sequence flashed across the screen. The intrusive camera work in some scenes helped make the audience part of the action and livened up an occasionally dull story. I was surprised that, among the seven Oscar nominations the film received, the innovative editing wasn't even recognised. I felt that several of the film's key sequences relied on some great editing to make them feel important and give Elizabeth the modern twist it deserved. Additionally, the film was unflinching in its depiction of violence, which I feel was another positive attribute to Elizabeth's overall success. From the burning of the protestants at the beginning of the film right up to Norfolk's beheading, Elizabeth set out to show us that life in the Tudor court wasn't all bonnets and balls. Up to this point I feel most of the period dramas have kept the violence and bloodshed behind closed doors but Elizabeth swung those doors wide open. The narrative of the film was well-paced and the two hour runtime perfectly suited the story of a Queen struggling to rule her nation. My main disappointment was that the film didn't pick up as many Oscars as it should have done, only winning the award for Best Make-up. Whilst I felt that the Tudor faces were well realised, Elizabeth was much more than just your standard costume drama. But the reason for its failure at the awards can be attributed to the next film on my list.
The film was Shakespeare in Love, which won that year's Best Picture and a further six Oscars including one for Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I. Dench's role in the film was minimal and therefore some sniped at her Oscar win. I have to admit at the time I was one of them but after seeing the likes of Beatrice Straight and Maureen Stapleton win Best Supporting Actress with minimal screen time I changed my mind. Dench's Elizabeth was definitely a scene-stealer and she portrayed the Queen as somebody who was frustrated by those who stood on ceremony. Dench dealt well with the comic nature of the screenplay and was convincing as the legendary virgin queen. The link between the two performances is the line in which Elizabeth talks about being a woman in a man's profession, something she's had to cope with since her reign began. Dench wasn't the only actress to win an award for the film as Gwynth Paltrow triumphed, playing theatre-fan Viola De Lessops. Viola's romance with Shakespeare during the rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet is the basis of the film which is odd seeing as she poses as a man for large portions of the movie. Gwyenth does put in a lively turn but does nothing to convince me that she should've beaten Blanchett at that year's Oscar ceremony. Geoffrey Rush and Joseph Fiennes do double duty in this entry as they play theatre owner Henslowe and the titular playwright respectively. Fiennes is a perfectly serviceable leading man and shares fine chemistry with Paltrow which helps to make their on-screen romance convincing. Rush meanwhile is the perfect comic foil for the rest of the cast and his harassed Henslowe is the stand-out turn of a great supporting cast. One of my favourite performances in the film came from Tom Wilkinson as Hugh Fennyman, a loan shark who gets enraptured by the theatre after bankrolling Romeo and Juliet.
I don't personally feel that there's that much wrong with Shakespeare in Love and it's not particularly offensive. Instead it just feels a little unremarkable and too whimsical to ever be taken seriously as a Best Picture contender. Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman's script is a little knowing and overly comic for a film that I feel should be a little bit more serious. That being said I did enjoy some of the little touches; most notably the fact that the rowers are presented like modern-day taxi drivers. I have to admit that I did enjoy the film's final act as the performance of Romeo and Juliet itself was the highlight of the film. But it was the journey to the theatre that was the problem and I found plenty of the film's characters uninteresting or unlikeable. Stoppard and Norman don't appear to have put in a lot of work into making Colin Firth's Wessex a serious enough threat to Viola and Shakespeare's relationship. Even though she ultimately travels to America with him her heart will always be with the romantic playwright. I do feel it's a little mean to constantly cast Firth as the cuckold as he played a similar third wheel as Kristin Scott Thomas' husband in The English Patient. So how did a lightweight comedy costume drama come to be the last film to win Best Picture in the twentieth century? Well that's down to its involvement with Harvey Weinstein's Miramax studios which are notorious for aggressively campaigning for their films to win awards. Weinstein's campaign for Shakespeare in Love's win including holding a party for director John Madden and inviting several of the academy's key voters. He put millions of dollars into securing the film won in as many categories as possible and he was ultimately successful. However, after watching these two films back-to-back, its clear that Shakespeare in Love wasn't even the best Elizabethan film to be released that year. It's just a shame that politics and campaigning can get in the way of the right film winning the Best Picture and I feel that the 1999 ceremony exemplifies that point perfectly.
Next time we stay with costume drama as we focus on the continued success of Merchant Ivory.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)