Black Swan: Dancing, Death, and Doppelgängers

Plot:
A tortured New York ballerina explores her dark side as she competes to win the coveted lead role as the Black Swan.


When the final sequence in Black Swan is over and the credits role, you get the sense that you have seen something very special. There is no way you could watch this film and not have some sort of discussion on the journey home. Darren Aronofsky hasn't just directed a film here, he has created a piece of art that will live on for some years to come.

Describing Black Swan to someone who hasn't seen it can be a challenge as a film about Ballet isn't something that appeals to many, especially when such films as True Grit and 127 Hours seem more engaging to a mainstream audience. However once you get over the fact that the film is about something unfamiliar, you are taken on a ride that literally drags you by the heels. The film contains themes have been lodged into Aronofsky's work in the past, the alienation of ourselves and the searching of identity from Requiem for a dream is ever-present, along with the protagonist journey we saw in The Wrestler. 

As a huge fan of David Lynch, I knew from the beginning I would love Black Swan. It switches moods in a flash from the melancholic opening which transcends into dark, monumental chaos. Natalie Portman carries the film and delivers a performance worthy of her Oscar nomination, playing Nina Sayers, the wannabe star. Her love-hate relationship with Ballet, her friend Lily and teacher Thomas Leroy makes us unable to take our eyes away from the screen. Vincent Cassel is completely over the top with his performance as Leroy but this is what makes the film so different. He is a character so out of the ordinary that it becomes the norm and pushes us deeper into the beautiful yet destructive world of Ballet.

The plot isn't something completely mind-blowing and the ending is totally expected. However, the film is as much about the set-pieces and the journey that Nina Sayers goes through. The cinematography in the film is amazing and the Ballet scenes look completely realistic (to someone who knows nothing about it anyway). Barbara Hershey is scintillating as the mother of Nina and their on-screen relationship goes from adoration to hatred and everything in-between, creating a turbulent and unpredictable environment in which the audience is as trapped as the two of them.

Black Swan takes the audience through so many different emotions that it is difficult to pinpoint how someone might feel afterwards. Whatever you think of the film, you wont have seen anything like it.

5/5 

Revanche

Revanche is a film about escaping. Alex and Tamara want to escape from their destructive lives in Vienna where Alex works as a pimp in a brothel and Tamara works as a prostitute at the same place. The whole film has that European, uncomfortable feel about the cinematography and each shot is delicately filmed giving it a soft, yet voyeuristic touch. In order to get away from the filthy and shoddy place they both inhabit, they need money, so Alex decides to rob a bank. Here enters Robert who is a policeman. After Alex and Tamara try to escape when they have the money, Robert shoots to stop the car but kills Tamara. 
The film then centers around the struggles of Robert and his wife Susanne who have lost their first baby and cannot conceive another child because Robert is infertile. Revanche is as much about escaping as it about love, death and class in modern day society. I think an important theme in the film is moving on. The characters in the film want to move on in their lives and get away, but there is also the moving on from death and the reconciliation the characters have to go through with themselves. The scenery varies dramatically in the film with the dirty and disgusting flats housing the prostitutes at the beginning of the film which then transcends into the gorgeous scenery of a farm overlooking a river in the second half of the picture.
Revanche is a beautiful and emotional journey that the characters in the film and we, the audience go through simultaneously. The lead performance from Johannes Krisch is outstanding and we feel his pain throughout the film and we endure everything he goes through and everything he inflicts on the other characters. The film has a dream-like feel to most parts but there is something underneath the surface that is more real than anything I have seen on the screen for a long time.


5/5

Somewhere

Plot:
Hollywood actor Johnny Marco, nested in his luxury hotel of choice, is a stimulated man. Drinking, parties and women keep a creeping boredom under wraps in between jobs. He is the occasional father of a bright girl, Cleo, who may be spoiled but doesn't act it. When Cleo's mother drops her off and leaves town, Johnny brings her along for the ride, but can he fit an 11-year-old girl into his privileged lifestyle?

I went into Somewhere not knowing much about Sofia Coppola or her past work. I fell asleep through The Virgin Suicides but missed Marie Antoinette and Lost in Translation. The latter was supposedly her breakthrough picture with fantastic performances from Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson and a real emotional depth. Sadly, this doesn't have that. Nor does it have what it needs, an antagonist. What I mean by this is that without something to kick-start  the monotonous pace of the film, it drags but it does so without fuss, which is actually even more irritating.  


The film plods along and at times becomes extremely tedious. I almost feel sorry for Sofia Coppola as it feels like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, and it shows in Somewhere. The lead performance from Stephen Dorff, you would expect it to be compelling and full of real emotion. However, through no fault of his own, there are moments where he seems wooden, this is probably due to the peculiar art house approach Coppola has taken with the cinematography and the sense of a script that is out of touch, the polar opposite of what the film is supposed to be. 


The positives of the film come in the performance of Elle Fanning who does a wonderful job of playing a naive girl, caught up in the plastic and contrived nature of modern day Hollywood, which must in some part mirror her own life. The film honestly portrays fame and celebrity culture for what they are which can only be a good thing. The relationship between Fanning's character and Dorff's should be flawless and should grasp the audience but just like Johnny Marco's character is going nowhere, the film does exactly that.


What Sofia Coppola needs to understand is that filming something in an art house style, doesn't mean the film has to be dull and uninspiring. Take the film Fish tank, the Andrea Arnold film about social deprivation, it shows the humanistic side of characters we may not usually be accustomed to liking or relating to. Somewhere is detached and disconnected from its audience which is obviously not the intention.


2/5

Twin Peaks: Owls, Fire, and Coffee.

An image of a bird on a branch fades into the slow cutting of metal at a saw mill. Whilst the enchanting music plays over the top, we see the sparks fly from the machinery and the equipment thrusting into place. A sign, 'Welcome to Twin Peaks' accompanied by the Douglas Fir trees and the foggy mountains. As the opening titles keep rolling, a waterfall flowing in slow-motion. 

Am I dreaming? The show hasn't even started properly and I am mesmerised. From the minute Laura Palmer's pale and lifeless body washes up on the shore of the Twin Peaks river until the climactic scenes of the feature film released after the second series of the show, you cannot keep your eyes off what unfolds. Thirty episodes and one film, yet there is still mystery and confusion and frustration and total endearment hanging over the legacy of this amazing phenomenon. 

I find it difficult to place Twin Peaks into a particular genre of category as the beauty of it is that it has seemingly everything. There is a dream-like quality to it throughout which would appeal to fans of surrealist work. There are Sci-Fi elements especially in the second series. There are action sequences which may not be Michael Bay standard but serve a great purpose. There are love elements which are heart-warming most of the time. There is a score to die for composed by Angelo Badalamenti. Possibly most importantly, a creator who many think (me included) is a genius, the magnificent David Lynch. Twin Peaks has everything. 

Then what is missing? 

The answer to that question is up to whoever is asking. Most people believe that after the huge mystery of Twin Peaks being solved midway through the second series, the show plummeted into mediocrity and became almost incoherent compared to the highs of the first series. The blame can be placed firmly onto the shoulders of American Network ABC. The thing is that if you watch Twin Peaks looking for answers you come out asking more questions which is the genius of it. The more you want to know about Owls, the Log Lady, the Giant, Windom Earle, the Man from another place, and all the other enigmas of the show, the more questions you find yourself asking. 

Twin Peaks: Fire walk with me, the feature film which was booed at its screening at the Cannes film festival in 1992. The film was met with almost universal criticism as there were many things that were left unanswered and the peculiar nature of the film baffled and bewildered fans of the show. I think the problem was not the film itself but the expectation of what it should have been. People wanted the show to finish with a resolution, closure to what had been their favourite television show. What they got was unexpected, therefore disappointment was on the cards. 

Whatever you think of Twin Peaks, there is no denying it is magical, captivating and inspiring. It is a show that is still relevant today. It captures the underbelly of our society like no other show has ever done, combining soap opera elements with horrific and mystifying story lines. The genius of it is that it is untouchable, it is a snapshot of an era and is like nothing out there. You want more when its done yet at the same time its perfect how it lingers and leaves its mark like Laura Palmer does all the way through. 

It is something else. 

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Plot:
Soren is a young owl who, to the amusement of his older brother, Kludd, dreams of joining the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors.

When the brothers fall from their tree top into the terrible talons of the Pure Ones, it is up to Soren to lead a daring escape, find the Guardians of Ga'Hoole and save the owl kingdoms.

When you think of Zack Snyder, a 3D animated owl picture would not be the first thing you would imagine as his newest project. After having a career doing TV adverts for car companies, Snyder went on to direct various films that you may consider as 'teen pictures'. Now the man behind 300 and Watchmen has churned out something of a surprise based on his previous and brief filmography. 

I would say straight away that the visuals in this film are stunning and this is actually down to the fact that it is in 3D. I can't comment on the 2D version but I'm sure it doesn't look half as good and the film does rely on the '3D-ness' to wow the audience at regular intervals. The audience for this film is obviously young children and the release takes full advantage of half term. The film offers up a story of sibling rivalry which we have seen many times before, a 'good vs evil' plot that is at times convoluted and characters that are voiced and animated in an extremely appealing fashion. The question is, is there any real substance?

Sadly, there isn't much. I wanted to enjoy the film a lot more than I did, this isn't to say I didn't like it because I did. What the film is missing is a heart. It's all well and good giving us great voice-overs including Helen Mirren, Sam Neil and Hugo Weaving but beneath the surface there has to be something more. When kids and parents alike watch Toy Story 3, there is a warmth and a depth to what unfolds on-screen. In Legend of the Guardians, that likeability and 'cant wait for the sequel' factor is nowhere to be seen.

However, there are genuine 'laugh out loud' moments in the film which do make up for the sometimes wayward plot. The humour is actually one of the highlights along with the overall look of the film which is absolutely breathtaking. The kids should enjoy it, although they will have seen better if they are a certain age. It is unfortunate to have come out in the same year as Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me as they offer a little more and the kids will realise that. 

I really wanted to come out of the cinema feeling amazed and inspired by the film. In reality, the feeling I got was frustration as I wanted it to be so much more than it was as it had the platform to be an animated classic . This shouldn't take anything away from it being visually superb and a very funny half term hooter.

3/5

The Social Network: Is Mark Zuckerberg's status worth our attention?

Plot:

In 2003 computer whiz kid Mark Zuckerberg started a social networking website that would revolutionise the way the world communicates.  Six years later he had made his first million. However, Zuckerberg soon found himself in legal disputes, as he discovered that many of the 500 million people he had ‘friended’ were waiting to see him fall.

The main aim of a site like Facebook is to communicate with your real friends via the virtual medium of the internet. Right from the beginning of The Social Network, we are shown countless times that the creator Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is a social-misfit. From the very start, we see his inadequacies towards girls, his best friend Eduardo Saverin, and life in general. The first scene shows that having a 'normal' conversation with Zuckerberg is excruciating and five minutes in, you are praying that he isn't going to act like that throughout the whole film as he is so awkward and so crude that you might actually have to leave the cinema. 

Luckily, the narrative of the film distracts from his incredulously painful personality and you actually become hooked on the story. It entices you in, and you can't take your eyes off it. In the first twenty minutes we see Zuckerberg as a twisted individual who actually got initial recognition for creating a college site in which girls are rated by other students on their looks. This all stems from Zuckerberg seeking revenge on a girl for dumping him. Our opinion on Zuckerberg changes throughout the film, this is prompted by the arrival of Sean Parker, founder of Napster and played by Justin Timberlake. The performances of Timberlake and Andrew Garfield (Saverin) are solid and Garfield even outshines central performer Jesse Eisenberg at times. 

The film is directed by David Fincher and it is worth noting that the film bears no resemblance to Seven, Fight Club or Panic Room. It seems as though Fincher hasn't completely stamped his mark on the film and he has let the material flourish. This actually carries the film, the dialogue is second to none and you would expect nothing less from Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing and there is nothing fancy, dark or edgy in the directorial style. The fact that Fincher has stepped back and concentrated on the material compliments the film perfectly. 

There are elements that seem baggy on occasion and others that just don't really work, like the addition of Saverin's manic girlfriend. However, the film makes up for it, the plot is completely coherent and the transitions between dorm-room nerds typing away to the two simultaneous lawsuits against Zuckerberg are very smoothly done. Also what is key to the film working is that Sorkin has taken a neutral viewpoint, the film is not biased in any shape or form and we see the good and the bad sides of the trio of main characters. 

What I feel the audience gets out of the film is a completely riveting story of a friendship that goes horribly wrong and the sense that we really know Zuckerberg. At the same time, it seems the only person who really understands Mark Zuckerberg is Mark Zuckerberg.

5/5

The Town: Nuns with machine guns

Plot:

As he plans his next job, a longtime thief tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down.

Lets be honest. Ben Affleck has been in some stinkers over the years. These include 'Gigli' known as one of the worst films of all time, the historical car crash that was Pearl Harbour and Kevin 'Clerks' Smith's Jersey Girl. Affleck's performances in these films gained him various unwanted Raspberry nominations and made his brother seem like Laurence Olivier in comparison. Could this be blamed on the media's creation of the 'Bennifer' phenomenon? Who knows. The better question is has he learned and improved?

In recent years, Ben Affleck directed and wrote the screenplay of the fantastic Gone Baby Gone in which his brother Casey shines again but what that film prove is that there really is substance to Ben Affleck. That film showed a knack for direction and storytelling which there were glimpses of in his first screenplay, Good Will Hunting. 

The first thing to say is that The Town does not have a script like that of Gone Baby Gone. The premise is one that has been seen before, most notably from Heat, Michael Mann's cold classic. The influence of Heat is evident throughout the film, from the hard-nosed, yet extremely likeable supposed villains to the bullet-ridden, car chases. There are two notable differences, in Heat there isn't a clear good and evil, whereas in The Town, Pete Postlethwaite proves how an evil Irish gangster can still be scary. 

The other film that the Town owes a debt to is Point Break, where presidents masks and surfers were the fashion. This film is not Point Break or Heat. It is predictable and you can see most of it coming...However, it is thoroughly entertaining, it keeps you interested and it offers something different from what we have seen for quite some time in the form of heist movies. What it proves is that Ben Affleck has it. He has the ability to become an even better director but this is a well directed film, it does everything, it moves in all the right directions. The film is technically sound, from the sped up Boston skyline at the beginning, to the final narration. The characters make the film so watchable, at times Jeremy Renner overshadows Affleck and and Rebecca Hall which is not a bad thing.

However predictable, the film really keeps you, overly long but who cares, I think Affleck deserves a break and The Town will surely deliver that. 

4/5