Tangled (2010)

It’s hard to call Tangled a ‘Disney Princess’ film. Yes, it has some of the elements, such as the pretty teenage/early twenty-something girl wanting more and being part of royalty or being infatuated with royalty. It even has the songs. But there is a certain amount of sass that doesn’t tend to appear in Disney films. In fact, it seems more like it should have been made by Dreamworks!

The story of Tangled is that of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), who is imprisoned in a tower by her ‘mother’, Mother Gothel, (Donna Murphy), who uses the power in Rapunzel’s hair to keep young. However, after escaping from the tower with the help of outlaw Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) she begins to see more of the outside world and experiences all that she missed.

This adaptation of Rapunzel is amazingly entertaining. There are enough moments of comedy and real drama to keep the audience invested. It seems as if Disney pulled out all of the stops here to actually create a rather challenging film, as it does not stick to the somewhat cutesy style associated with some of their titles. There are many moments that seem slightly dark compared to any other Disney film that may prove distressing for some younger children, but are extremely interesting to watch from a more adult standpoint.

As mentioned before, this film has songs. The majority of the songs in this film are sung by musician Mandy Moore, who carries off the vocals within the songs with such power and emotion that it is hard not to feel for Rapunzel. Sadly, these songs aren’t overly catchy and I feel they won’t be instant Disney classics like songs from Aladdin or The Lion King. Nonetheless, these songs are generally good, with one or two not really hitting the mark.

The voice work of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi is pretty much perfect. Moore is able to carry off Rapunzel naivety and Levi conveys Flynn’s sense of smarminess, whilst still giving him a touch of likeability. Donna Murphy is able to do the voice of the evil Mother Gothel with seemingly far too much ease, showing the extent to which Mother Gothel is both evil yet at the same time somewhat caring towards Rapunzel.

The relationship between Rapunzel and her ‘mother’ is awkward to watch, knowing that Gothel is not truly her mother and that she is taking advantage of her. In fact, the villain acts just like a mother would towards her daughter, making Gothel seems even more insidious.

The animation style of the film is wonderful, too. This may come from the fact that this film is the second most expensive film ever made, and also the most expensive animated film ever made. The world feels alive and feels like it is huge. Action scenes are intense and gripping and there are scenes that take place in wide areas of land that feel like they are as large as they are.

Considering that the actual style of the film looks and watches like Dreamworks’ answer to a Disney Princess film, with it not entirely fitting into the Disney Princess genre, this film feels like it might be the correct step forward for Disney to introduce a more fun and enjoyable animated film without having to rely upon Pixar to do so. Go see this film when you can, as it is an amazing film and probably one of my favourite Disney films to date.

Final Verdict: 8/10

True Grit (2010)

Joel and Ethan Coen, professionally known as the Coen brothers, are well known for their film-making abilities. Films such as The Big Lebowski and A Serious Man have the trademark stamp of the Coen brothers through dark comedy, whilst a film such as No Country for Old Men shows that they can make serious, hard-hitting films, yet still inject some comedy without it seeming misplaced.

So when the news came out that they were adapting the Charles Portis book True Grit, previously adapted to film in 1969 with John Wayne as the star, we knew that it would hold true to the Coen brothers style: a very dramatic film with instances of humour. And this is just what we got.

True Grit tells the story of fourteen year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) whose father has been shot by a Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and therefore hires Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to find Chaney. At the same time, Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who has been looking for Chaney, comes along so that he may also bring the criminal to justice. What ensues is a tale that shows what someone can do with a strong enough will and shows a modern representation of the Old West.

The character of Rooster Cogburn is almost key to this, as he is the classic ornery washed-up US Marshall. Jeff Bridges plays this character well, giving him unique quirks that make him an interesting character to watch and listen to. Sadly, I have to say that his character is a little bit hard to understand at times, slurring his words. This, of course, because he is a massive drunkard, but it still doesn’t excuse for the fact he cannot be heard too well.

Hailee Steinfeld is, surprisingly, an amazing actress. True Grit is the first theatrical film she has appeared in, and with such a great performance she will hopefully appear in further films. She definitely shows what a teenage girl at her time would have been like, with a cross between her great knowledge and thirst for vengeance, as well as slightly more immature and childish lines. It is a wonder that she has often been nominated for Supporting Actress, as she is the main character in the film, and such a strong role at that. She plays off the other actors very well, especially Jeff Bridges.

Matt Damon also interacts with the other two main actors very well. I find that, out of the three main characters, LaBoeuf is the least well-developed. Not to say that he doesn’t get developed. His character is still very likeable and interesting, especially with his views conflicting Cogburn’s and his wish to take Chaney back to Texas, rather than let Mattie deal with him. Though not in the movie quite enough, he still shines in the scenes he is in.

Throughout all of this we can taste the Coen brothers style of directing, which consists of drama and humour. The scenes with great amounts of drama are, indeed, greatly dramatic. The intensity of gunfights and quiet scenes is so high that the audience will be sitting on the edge of their seats. In contrast, the humour sometimes seems out of place, but not so much so that you are confused as to why it is there. It more so complements the scene and is truly hilarious.

With the Coen brothers touch, True Grit deserves any awards it gets, being a great way to re-introduce the Western into the world of cinema.

Final Verdict: 8/10

Black Swan (2010)

I’m fairly annoyed at myself. I cannot believe I have never seen a film that is directed by Darren Aronofsky. I have heard praise for his films, such as The Fountain, The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream and Pi. Sadly, these films haven’t been as high on the radar as they should have been. So imagine my anger when I see Black Swan and realise I am witness to one of the best directed films I have ever seen, as well as being one of the most beautiful.

Black Swan revolves around the ballet Swan Lake and the conflict in Nina Sayers’ (Natalie Portman) life as she has to develop her darker side in order to portray not only the fragile and delicate White Swan, which is a perfect description of Nina, but also the dark and evil Black Swan.

The conflict in Nina’s life come mostly from those around her: her mother (Barbara Hershey) is overbearing, attempting to live the rest of her failed career through her daughter; the sexually forward and extravagant ballet instructor, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel); and the rival for the starring role, Lily (Mila Kunis). Through interactions with this supporting cast, and others, Nina begins to lose her mind and becomes less like her White Swan self and delves deeply into the hedonism and sexual exploration that encompasses the role of the Black Swan.

Portman’s acting in this film is perfect. Some have criticised it for being far too one-note at the start of the film, yet this is to establish her character as she begins to express more of the repressed feelings that exist within her. This creates a contrast that can be seen through many other elements of the film.

In regards to the supporting cast I find what may be my only criticism of the film, and that is that they do not seem to get enough screen time, apart from Thomas. Cassel as Thomas shows himself to be both repulsive and charming. As the audience we are never sure what to think of Thomas. Though he appears to take advantage of Nina, he seems to be doing it for the reason of the ballet, and even then he seems to strike a note of being charming, even if he is sexually assaulting Nina. The scenes he is in are usually filled to the brim with emotion, be is sexuality, anger, passion or delight.

Lily, sadly, needed more screen time. She is seen to be the rival to Nina, being more like the Black Swan, contrasting the entirety of Nina’s life. This rivalry is very well implemented, with tales of Aronofsky pitting both Portman and Kunis against each other and keeping them as separate as possible. Erica, Nina’s mother, also needed more screen time. We see at first that she is a slightly pushy mother, but as the film goes on we understand her obsession with her daughter and her success. Through this character we can really see why Nina is like she is and understand what has been repressed.

In the way of directing, this film is simply beautiful. A constant motif of white and black is used throughout, with most everyone around Nina wearing black to symbolise their corruption, whilst Nina wears white (to symbolise her purity and fragility) until she becomes more like the Black Swan, now wearing darker clothing. Another motif used is that of mirrors, which can be seen in almost every scene. These seem to be symbolic of another version of oneself, as well as reflection upon oneself. Thankfully, though these motifs appear in most every scene they do not seem forced and do not stick out enough to ruin the film.

One of the best directed films I have ever seen, and possibly what will turn out to be my favourite film of 2011 (yes, even this early on!), Black Swan is simply beautiful. Throughout most of the film I forgot I was in a cinema and felt like I was in the movie, extremely so within the climax, which was so gripping that I refused to move for a long period of time after the film had finished. With a dramatic, tear-jerking and bittersweet ending, this film is near-to what Nina Sayers strives for within this film: Perfection!

Final Verdict: 10/10

Some of my Favourite Films

I haven’t put anything up on here for a while and it’s annoyed me. I’m seeing True Grit today, so after that I’m going to write a review for that, Black Swan and Tangled, so in the meantime here are 7 of my favourite films. 

This isn’t a top films list or whatever and they are in no real order, but I just want to share some of the films that I really love. They aren’t all exactly good films, but they are films that I really enjoy for one reason or another, so enjoy.

THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILERS, BUT I’LL TRY TO KEEP THEM OUT WHERE I CAN OR AT LEAST PUT THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE OBVIOUS OR HOLD NO REAL BEARING ON THE PLOT!

Persepolis (2007)

This film is a wonder of animation. Though not exactly the best drawn animation, the design really conveys the feeling that this is taking place in the past and contributes to an overall bleak feeling that this film tries to put across, though still expressing a lot of humour that makes  this film more enjoyable than if it was completely serious!

Taking place in Iran during the fall of the Shah and the rise of the current Muslim regime, Persepolis tells the story of Marjane Satrapi, whose life we follow. The film shows the innocence of a child during such turmoil and how it affects such a young girl, following her throughout her youth and teenage years as she feels the pressures of the regime that has taken over her country, which attempts to stifle any freedoms the people of the country may hold.

It is especially poignant in that the main character is a female, and therefore is more likely to feel the pressure of the government, which tailors more for the men than the women. This leads her to escape the country and study in Vienna, contrasting the ‘free’ Western world to that of the oppressive government of Iran.

Beautifully animated and narrated, this film is definitely worth watching, as it can show us how some of the problems in the Middle East have come about and how they can affect the people living there. Also, if you see it anywhere then pick up the original graphic novel this film is based off of, as it gives a lot more information about Satrapi’s life.

Moon (2009)

‘Emotional’ is probably the best way to describe this film. I really don’t want to include any spoilers for this one, at all, as it is so much better if you discover everything yourself. The only stuff I’ll tell you will be on the back of the DVD box and how I felt.

Sam Bell, played by Sam Rockwell, is a man working on the Moon collecting energy resources (explained slightly in the film) with only one other companion, a computer called GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey). After an accident on the Moon he makes a number of discoveries that turn his word upside-down.

It is from this seemingly simple plot that we get one of the most intelligent sci-fi films I have ever seen. Bell’s performance conveys a number of emotions that make you connect greatly with the character, so that whatever happens to him tugs at your heartstrings. Not only this, but the voice of GERTY is so calming and relaxing that you immediately grow a liking for him.

By the sounds of it this is very comparable to 2001: A Space Odyssey, however Moon is nothing like it. Though it can convey similar feelings of isolation it is far more emotional that can bring a tear to some people’s eyes.

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight (1992)

This is a weird film to put on here. It’s not at all well known and isn’t that good if you look at it in a certain way. Don “The Dragon” Wilson stars as Jimmy Boland, your classic ‘man imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit’ action star, who gets on the wrong side of both the White and Black gangs in prison. Boland essentially wants nothing to do with anyone, but the gangs keep picking on him, in the meantime getting their arses handed to them.

The action and fighting in this film is pretty good, especially for one of the Bloodfist films. At times it can get pretty intense and has some disturbing scenes. The gangs are extremely racist and this film is great at showing that hating someone else just by the colour of their skin gets us nowhere, and yet when they do co-operate they can get on swimmingly.

This film also has Richard Roundtree (Shaft) playing one of the most likeable characters I’ve seen in a film, trying to help the inmates get free through legal means, as well as being generally kind to everyone who deserves kindness. He also hits some people with a baseball bat. Win!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes (2010)

No, not the one by Guy Ritchie. This is The Asylum’s version of Sherlock Holmes. And it is awesome. It has Sherlock Holmes up against dinosaurs. Do I need to say more?

Though the person who plays Sherlock Holmes is not that good an actor, everyone else plays their characters pretty well. In fact, Sherlock Holmes does what Sherlock Holmes would do in the situation, which is odd but really well done.

Sherlock Holmes is extremely creative, including a sea monster and dinosaurs. It also includes a chase scene between a hot air balloon and a dragon that is burning London. This sounds so ridiculous, and it is, but it gets your attention and is actually a really well told story.  

There’s not much I can really say about this film other than this: awesome. Go find it and see it, because this is extremely entertaining, in both a good and funny way!

Casablanca (1942)

Ah, Casablanca. I shouldn’t like it. It’s a romance film, and I’m not too keen on romance films. But Casablanca is done so well, with such finesse, that I find it hard not to love. It’s also what I like to call a ‘true romantic film’ (I’ll get onto my problem with romance films at some point).

Set in unoccupied Africa during WWII, we follow Rick Blaine, an American bar owner in Casablanca, Morocco. He comes into possession of two letters of transit, which allow the movement from Morocco to another country. Whilst there he comes into contact with a rebel leader, Laszlo, who comes with a previous love of Rick’s, Ilsa.

The rest of the movie focuses on the love between Rick and Ilsa, as well as the love between Laszlo and Ilsa. The character of Captain Renault is both amusing and likeable, though he has his flaws. In fact, all characters have their flaws, which make them all the more likeable as they seem more human and relatable.

The story of Casablanca is one of sacrifice and shows the extent to which one would go to in order to secure the safety and happiness of the one you love. Casablanca shows what a true romance is, that it is not full of sunshine and rainbows like so many romance films these days show.

Sideways (2004)

Talking of romance films I like, I need to include Sideways. This is, yet again, what I would call a ‘true romantic film’. And yet it is nothing like Casablanca. Though this is not necessarily a romance film, one could call it a romantic comedy.

Set in California’s wine country, Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) are two friends that are having a week long road trip for Jack, who is getting married. Jack’s main goal for this trip is to get laid, whereas Miles just wants to get over his ex-wife. Both go about their romances in two extremely different ways, with Jack being more forward than the nervous Miles.

Paul Giamatti has to be one of my favourite actors. He plays the character of Miles so well that we feel for him greatly. Everything he does we can relate to. There are moments of great awkwardness that only his acting seems to be able to convey.

The film, overall, is rather bipolar. I’m not sure whether or not it is supposed to be light-hearted or deeply dramatic. Some may be put off by the dark drama, however this only allows the periods of humour to be even funnier.

Sideways involves so many twists and turns that it holds your attention throughout and delivers a story that is strangely relatable at times, as well as completely ridiculous. Like Casablanca both characters have flaws, but this makes them all the more likeable and interesting.

Also, being a lover of wine it’s nice to see so much of it going around!

Six Shooter (2004)

I was considering not putting this on here, but I love this film. Not many people will have heard of it but it’s by someone who made a very good film: In Bruges. Though not a normal film per se, it being a short film and all, it still has enough content and drama to feel like one.

Martin McDonagh’s Six Shooter is a black comedy at its finest, mixing enough drama and comedy to create an awkward feeling. This awkward comes about not from the brilliant performance of Brendan Gleeson as a recent widower, but more so from the psychotic kid he meets on the train to Dublin (yes, this film is chock full of Irish people), played by Rúaidhrí Conroy. It is through his performance that we get most of our laughs, but also some of the most awkward and disgusting moments. At many points I was unsure whether to like him or hate him.

Throughout all 27 minutes of this film we get to know around 4 characters, but we mostly learn the story of Gleeson’s and Conroy’s characters. At times this film can seem somewhat depressing, either through the characters’ stories or from what happens to them, but the mood is kept elevated at times.

All of this builds up to a stunning conclusion that, like the rest of the film, is both upsetting and funny.

So those were 7 of my favourite films. I’ll probably list some more at some point, but first I need to get these three reviews done. Thanks for reading!