Seattle International Film Festival: Yourself and Yours (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 86 minutes
Director/Writer: Hong Sang-Soo
Cast: Kim Joohyuck, Lee Youyoung

Yourself and Yours is reviewed as part of our Seattle International Film Festival coverage by our reviewer on the ground, Anna Chu.

Yourself and Yours, a film by prolific South Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo, is an intimate fly-on-the-wall view into the lives of two young people, who seem to know each other, but yet not at all. 

Youngsoo (Kim Joohyuck) is furious at his girlfriend Minjung (Lee Youyoung) after hearing stories about her drinking with other men and without him. Minjung leaves him once she is confronted, which sends Youngsoo into a downward spiral of despair and longing for Minjung but ultimately a realization she is the one for him. However, the journey we take with Minjung is one of possible mistaken identity - is the girl we see on screen her mysterious doppelganger? An identitical twin? Is she actually Minjung?

I left the theater thinking this was going to be a tough story to retell without sounding like I was completely crazy for enjoying it.

In South Korea, female beauty is desired, sought and bought. All things considered, it is probably likely that Minjung has a lookalike hanging out in coffee shops and bars around Seoul. However, it becomes painfully obvious that this is not the case. Minjung is deliberately deceiving these men, pretending to have never met them before. The men she meets explain they're attracted to her innocence, yet she is anything but. It's unclear, even at the end whether it was intentional on her part to pretend she was someone she wasn't, or was she haphazardly swinging a bat at anyone to see if she could finally make contact with a real connection?

I'd never see Hong Sang-soo's films before, but this film I found super interesting. Part improv, part scripted dialog, in a recent Hollywood Reporter interview, he says 'I’ve come to the point where I start with almost nothing'.

This became very apparent to me, as I kept looking for clues to figure out how the movie was going to end. There are things that come into frame - store mottos, a lingering of a store mannequin being undressed - that make you think "what was that for? Do I need to recall this later?" There is a moment in the final scene that catches you off guard, as you got so comfortable with Youngsoo's fantasy scenes. There is a beautiful surprise that it is his reality. That is why I left the film feeling fulfilled- it wasn't a film flailing wildly trying to make a point. Yet what it was I'm still not sure.

7.5/10

Yourself and Yours screened at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 21 and will have encore presentations on Monday May 22 (Majestic Bay) and Wednesday May 24 (SIFF Cinema Uptown). For more information, please see the Seattle International Film Festival website.

Rules Don't Apply (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 127 minutes
Director/Writer: Warren Beatty
Cast: Warren Beatty, Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Broderick, Annette Bening, Candice Bergen, Martin Sheen, Haley Bennett, Taissa Farmiga, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin, Steve Coogan, Oliver Platt

Rules Don't Apply is now showing in selected Australian cinemas and is distributed by 20th Century Fox.

In his long awaited directorial return, Warren Beatty commits the ultimate filmmaking sin with Rules Don't Apply...he makes known his obsessive hero worship for his leading man who he is, not surprisingly, also portraying.

According to the 2010 biography "Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America" by Peter Biskind, Beatty has long been an admirer of Howard Hughes and his legacy, as he claimed that he saw much of himself in Hughes. The prospect of a film based on Hughes' life has long been a dream project for the Oscar winning director and with Hollywood's ongoing obsession with the eccentric billionaire, the film was always been on the cards for Beatty. Rules Don't Apply is a different take on the Howard Hughes story and much more of a narrative than a biopic, as his story intercepts with that of one of his contract girls, Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) and driver, Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich).

The film opens with a direct quote from Howard Hughes himself:-

"Never check an interesting fact"

This is also ollowed by the disclaimer that names and dates have been changed (eg. the dates of Hughes' marriage to Jean Peters and the case of Hughes' against though who claimed to have written an authorized biography). In other words, Rules Don't Apply is fan fiction on a grand scale. What is terrible is that it is blatantly obvious how huge an admirer Beatty is of Hughes. Even without knowing Beatty's background and having prior knowledge that he compares himself in a favourite light to Hughes, his love affair with the man he is playing and directing is so crystal clear that it is actually painful.

In all honesty this is not a delusional thought on his behalf, as there are several similarities between Hughes and Beatty. Hollywood has long had a fascination with Howard Hughes as a result of his eccentric ways, incredible achievements in aviation, obsessive approach to filmmaking and his long list of romantic liaisons with notable Hollywood starlets. These last two points could also be used word-for-word to describe Hollywood's fascination with Warren Beatty. After arriving in Tinsel Town at the tail end of the 1950's (the same time Rules Don't Apply is set) with a bucket load of both talent and good looks, Beatty had a well known reputation that rivalled Don Juan before he eventually settled down with his wife, actress Annette Bening (who also appears in the film as Marla's mother, Lucy). Yet, Beatty has always been a very highly respected filmmaker and actor, who is a complete perfectionist when it comes to his films (hence why Rules Don't Apply was so long in the making).

Despite the fact that there are obvious similarities between the two Hollywood legends, Rules Don't Apply slips past being a passion project and into the realm of a vanity project. Beatty is so thrilled with playing his hero whom he identifies with that the whole film has an annoyingly egotistical glow to it. Not only does it feel self absorbed, but the production itself is in complete shambles. The editing is incredibly choppy leading to irritation and confusion, the mix of archival footage shot on film and newly shot digital footage in the same scene is distracting and the screenplay is nonsensical.

The film is nostalgic as far as the archival footage and costume design goes, but doesn't quite grasp the charm of the 1950's in Southern California nor does it feel atmospheric the way a film like this should be. Beatty makes his own reminiscence for this era known by superimposing photos of his younger self in young Howard Hughes photos and alongside starlets such as Bette Davis and Jean Harlow (another sign of the Hughes story overlapping his own).

To say that this film had potential is an understatement. Everyone was expecting an incredible comeback by Beatty as this is the first feature film he has written and directed since 1998 and it is understood he has been working on this film for even longer. You can see what he is doing, he is putting a different creative spin on the Howard Hughes story. Yet despite the film being primarily about the enigmatic and intriguing Hughes, one finds themselves wanting to watch a film that is more about the young Marla and Frank than him. A film about these two and the dominance that old Hollywood held over their young aspiring stars every action would have been far more interesting and allowed for a more emotional experience. Lily Collins and Alden Ehrenreich are definitely the true stars of the film and often come across a great deal more charismatic and interesting than Beatty's Hughes.

Rules Don't Apply is a grand disappointment. It is completely understandable why Warren Beatty would want to make a film about someone he so greatly admires, but in this case his passion has got the better of him and this is a film made for himself more than anyone else.

3.5/10

Loving (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 123 minutes
Director/ Writer: Jeff Nichols
Cast: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton, Sharon Blackwood, Marton Csokas, Bill Camp, Nick Kroll, Jon Bass

Loving will open in Australian cinemas on March 16 and is distributed by Entertainment One.

In another winning turn from writer/director Jeff Nichols, Loving is raw, subtle and endearingly human with absolutely sublime performances by Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton.

The marriage of Mildred (Ruth Negga) and Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) is legendary for it's role in the legalisation of interracial marriage in Virginia and 15 other states in 1967. In 1958, Mildred (who was of colour) and Richard (who was Caucasian) were married outside their home state of Virginia as interracial marriage was not recognised there. The two were arrested weeks later for anti-miscegenation and Mildred was thrown into jail when she was five months pregnant. Upon being released, the court rules that they must leave the state and not be in Virginia at the same time together again. The two continued to fight to have their marriage recognised in their home state and took their case to the Supreme Court.

While Loving is certainly being marketed as a romantic story of love overcoming all boundaries, it is a tremendous relief that it is not atypical of a Hollywood romance film, as the memory of Mildred and Richard Loving does not deserve that treatment. They deserve more than the candy-coating of their story to suit the wider audience. There will be many cinema goers who will disagree with me because adorable and all-encompassing romance is expected in mainstream cinema when the film is about marriage. It would have been far too tempting for the story of the Lovings to be told in such a way as a result.

However, with a writer/director at the helm like Jeff Nichols, this film was never going to be told like this. Nichols (who's past films have included Mud and Midnight Special) is known for his natural and raw method of storytelling and he was the perfect filmmaker to do the Lovings' story justice. The rural Virginian setting of Loving is extremely atmospheric and exquisite thanks to the film's glorious cinematography, but it also perfectly captures the socio-political climate of the southern state in the 1950's which is so very important to the story.

The best thing about Loving is that it does not try to push any of the issues or exaggerate any aspect of the film. The issue of race is not brought up in the film straight away as a way of showing that the Lovings never saw their race as being an issue in their relationship. They knew there wouldn't be a way to marry in Virginia because of the interracial marriage laws, so they travelled to Washington, DC. However, this is the only mention of race being an issue before they are taken into custody in their hometown. Race is a glaringly obvious theme of Loving, but its importance does not need to be emphasised as the issue and story are powerful enough without any help.

The Lovings were obviously quite reserved people who kept to themselves and even though their case was taken to the Supreme Court, they did not choose to appear in person. Despite the stigma that was attached to it, their marriage was not one that was out of the ordinary and this is perfectly depicted in Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton's performances. The two give extremely subtle, but effective performances as the everyday couple who do extraordinary things to make sure they can provide a normal life for their family. Both Negga and Edgerton give beautiful performances and their chemistry is not overly physical, but never lacks power and strength.

Loving is an extraordinary and powerful story about ordinary people wanting their marriage recognised. It is a story that is most effective when approached with subtlety and as naturally as possible. Thankfully, Jeff Nichols has taken the story of Mildred and Richard Loving and done them absolute justice with this beautiful film.

8/10

Hidden Figures (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 127 minutes
Director: Theodore Melfi
Writers: Margot Lee Shetterly (based on the book written by), Allison Shroeder and Theodore Melfi (screenplay)
Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons, Kirsten Dunst, Mahershala Ali

Hidden Figures is now showing in the United States and will be released in Australia on February 16. Distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Like the incredible women in the film, Hidden Figures is smart, entertaining and inspirational. It's a wonderfully sharp film that provides a nostalgic and informative snapshot of history while never neglecting it's responsibility to pay the greatest tribute to it's remarkable heroines.

Set in 1961, Hidden Figures is the widely unknown story of how three extraordinary women overcame the unavoidable obstacles of race and gender to assist NASA in their quest to put men in space and ultimately on the moon. Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), all of who were close friends, made their mark on history in each of their fields at NASA at a time when racial segregation was still in place in the state of Virginia and women still struggled to be taken seriously in the workplace.

Hidden Figures is truly a marvellous piece of filmmaking by director and co-writer, Theodore Melfi. At 127 minutes, it is by no means a short film. However, it is still incredible how much it does and says in this amount of time without seeming heavy or overloaded.

Hidden Figures never once loses focus of it's primary goal, which is to tell the story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. Yet at the same time, the film also provides an intriguing and nostalgic historical imprint of early 1960's in the United States, a time when a great deal of interesting things were taking place. Tensions were high between the United States and Russia and were heightened when Russian, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Being beaten by the Russians in such a time did not sit well with the country and especially not with NASA.

Of course, one of the glaringly obvious themes of Hidden Figures is racism and prejudice. In 1961, the state of Virginia was three years away from having segregation abolished under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Even in the film, there is a sense that a change is in the air, but racial tension was very much alive and well. The film works as a reminder that despite growing rights for the coloured in the early 1960's, racism was inbuilt in society so much that it was not often even recognised by whites for what it was. It was just an accepted way of thinking, as was demonstrated by various characters in the film including Kirsten Dunst's Vivian Mitchell. In a memorable exchange between her and Octavia Spencer's Dorothy Vaughan, the following dialogue sums up this notion completely:-

"Despite what you think, I have nothing against y'all"

"I know you probably believe that"

This may look and sound like an insult, but it is not that as it is nothing but the truth. Hidden Figures contains numerous memorable and important pieces of dialogue such as this, but they can also feel as though they were included for people to comment on their importance. This may not sit well with some cinemagoers, but Melfi and Allison Schroeder have achieved their purpose as here we are indeed referring to them.

Yet as much as Hidden Figures is a beautifully made historical picture, it does not forget it's primary responsibility is to highlight the ways Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson overcame seemingly impossible obstacles to achieve incredible things. The screenplay allows for the character development and in depth study of all three of the main characters so that one feels as though they are satisfied with how well they know each of the women. Not only that, but each character has their own unique personality and they have been brilliantly cast in order to make the most of their glorious character traits.

Right from the first scene which the three women appear in together on the deserted road when their car breaks down, you feel as if you are already getting a sense of who Katherine, Dorothy and Mary are and they are all a sheer joy to watch in this scene. Taraji P. Henson is wonderful as Katherine in that she is restrained, but powerful. More importantly, she is relatable and completely likable. Octavia Spencer also gives a strong performance as Dorothy, who is also rather maternal not just around her children, but also over her workers. Janelle Monae is a particular standout as Mary. From that first car scene, one can tell she is the sassy, street smart one of the trio, but not in a way that is unnatural by any means or arrogant. She is great fun to watch and brings a certain sense of "cool" to the film, but in a mature and serious manner so not to take anything away from her achievements.

Hidden Figures is enjoyable and entertaining, but not overwhelming. The brilliance of this is that it does not detract from the enlightening, intelligent and inspiring story of these three incredible women.

9/10

Fences (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 139 minutes
Director: Denzel Washington
Writer: August Wilson (based on his play "Fences" and screenplay written by)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney

Denzel Washington once again steps behind the camera to direct himself in Fences, a film based on the play both he and co-star Viola Davis are no stranger to. And unfortunately, this is the greatest problem with the film.

Despite knockout performances by both Washington and Davis, Fences commits the ultimate stage to screen crime...it is obvious. The most successful stage to screen adaptations make people oblivious to the fact that it is an adaptation. In hindsight, Washington would have seemed the obvious choice to direct and August Wilson the perfect choice to write the screenplay, as he also wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning play. Yet, these are perhaps the two biggest downfalls of the film.

Those who did not see Fences on Broadway (which will be the majority of cinema goers) can only imagine how spectacular it would have been to have seen on stage. The best way to sum up the film is in a quote by the film's character, Bono (played by Stephen Henderson):

"Some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in. "

Washington's Troy Maxson is an ex-baseball player who despite his sunny outlook on life, is tormented by his past misfortunes. His wife of 18 years, Rose (Viola Davis) has been his tower of strength, but his son, Cory (Jovan Adepo) has felt his wrath more than his love. The family has always kept a strong and happy united front, until Troy brings home an issue from outside their walls and the cracks star to show inside.

Despite the fact that Fences has one major problem as a whole, it does have incredible redeeming features. It is a well-made film, but would have worked better from an entertainment perspective if it didn't look like a play trying to be a film. It is a challenge for a writer to adapt a play for screen and make it seem as though the story was originally made just for this medium. Many films are able to do this well ( eg. The Philadelphia Story, Chicago, Les Miserables, etc.), but Fences cannot hide this fact even though you can tell Wilson's screenplay has tried to. Both director, Washington and Wilson are far too attached to and know too well what works from their previous work on Broadway with Fences. The result is that the film is slow, overlong and lags under the weight of the heavy chunks of dialogue, even though these pieces are delivered brilliantly and are wonderfully written.

While the film doesn't have a wide variety of filming locations due to the nature of the story, it's production design by David Gropman is superb. Fences is wonderfully nostalgic with it's recreation of 1950's Pittsburgh. The time period is replicated beautifully in it's set design of the Maxsons street and house, and with Sharen Davis' costume design.

However, it is the performances by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis that are the champions of the film. Washington directs himself wonderfully, but one can only imagine that it would not be such a hard task as he has played the role many a time before. His Troy is a particularly interesting character, as he continually battles with his inner demons who are tormenting him about his past and missed opportunities. He is particularly likable at the beginning of the film and becomes harder to like as the film progresses showing wonderful character depth and development.

Washington is certainly powerful and undoubtedly perfect in his role, but it is Viola Davis as Rose who is the greatest thing about the film. Even though Washington is a force to be reckoned with, Davis steals the spotlight away from him in every scene she is in. She is such a strong female character who struggles with, but does not give up on her job to keep her family together. With the Academy Awards only two weeks away, Davis is an absolute certainty to win the Best Supporting Female Actor Oscar for this role. There is one scene in Fences where if this had been the only scene that Davis had appeared in throughout the film, it would still win her the Oscar.

Fences is a fine looking film, but is ultimately saved from itself by it's powerful and memorable performances by it's cast.

7/10

Manchester by the Sea (2016) film review

Year: 2016

Running Time: 137 minutes

Director/ Writer: Kenneth Lonergan

Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, Kyle Chandler, Gretchen Mol, Matthew Broderick

Manchester By The Sea is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Universal Pictures.

The stunning and incredibly crafted Manchester by the Sea is as heartbreaking as it is brilliant with it's tale of devastating tragedy intercepting with the absurdity of life.

Janitor Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) ran from his Massachusetts hometown of Manchester to escape his haunting personal tragedy, but he is summoned back when another family tragedy occurs. Upon the death of his brother, Lee becomes his nephew, Patrick's (Lucas Hedges) guardian. Despite his obvious love for Patrick, he is reluctant to move his life back to Manchester and accept a life of pain at the hands of the past.

Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea is not only devastating in story, but devastatingly beautiful as a whole. The atmospheric film set in the coastal New England town masters the art of modern tragedy and the Charles Chaplin quote "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot" represents the film perfectly.

Manchester by the Sea is brilliantly written and directed by Lonergan as it captures the intensity of never-ending grief, guilt and heartbreak that accompanies a traumatic event, such as the one experienced by Affleck's Lee and his ex-wife, Randi (as portrayed in a stellar performance by Michelle Williams). However, the screenplay emphasises the fact that the absurdity of life does not disappear in tragedy and although humour is lost in the eye of the beholder, it is still there, as is seen in various surprisingly amusing scenes in the film (eg. losing the car and the frozen chicken scene). This inclusion of humour in the tragedy is such an achievement as the film does not lose any of it's emotional impact as a result of these fleeting, but effective moments of amusement. Rather, it adds to the realism and enjoyment of the film.

The film is exceptionally character driven with it's large focus on human interaction and relationships. Casey Affleck as protagonist, Lee Chandler gives an extraordinary performance as the man who has lost all that he ever cared about and despite having tried to move on, cannot do so in Manchester where everyone knows everything about each other. The character development is exceptionally strong with Lee as the film allows us to feel the extent and depth of his change in response to his life-altering events. Affleck is truly remarkable as Lee. He gives an emotionally powerful, yet restrained performance which naturally channels a broken man trying to navigate his way through life and find meaning once again.

Although Michelle Williams is truly heartbreaking as Randi, it is the chemistry between Affleck and Lucas Hedges, who plays Patrick, that is one of the great highlights of the film. Although Lee has been away from his nephew, the two are so alike at times that they clash and at other times they lift each other up. Their dialogue is perfectly timed and often witty and hilarious, but they also share some truly beautiful and heartfelt scenes.

Manchester by the Sea is by all means not the feel good film of the year, but it proves that sometimes even a harsh outcome can be gratifying if the film is crafted with the sheer perfection that this one is.

9/10

Moonlight (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 111 minutes
Director: Barry Jenkins
Writers: Barry Jenkins (screenplay), Tarell Alvin McCraney (story)
Cast: Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monae, Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, Andre Holland

Moonlight is now showing everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films.

Writing about Barry Jenkins' magnificent Moonlight is no easy task.

Moonlight is a stunningly unique and moving coming of age story which is deceptively complex whilst simultaneously being incredibly sweet and simple. It beautifully explores the concept of identity and the ways in which our environment and the people in it shape who we become with incredible performances of wonderful characters by the stellar cast.

The Jenkins directed film tells the story of one boy as he becomes a man and tells his tale in a way that avoids the typical mode of storytelling found in generic coming of age stories. Moonlight is divided into three parts which represent pre-adolescence, adolescence and adulthood and are each titled according to what name our protagonist is called at the time.

Part One: Little

We first meet Chiron, who is currently known as Little (Alex R. Hibbert) as a young boy who is being tormented by bullies and trying to escape. By chance, he meets Juan (Mahershala Ali) who takes him under his wing and gives him sanctuary away from his troubled mother, Paula (Naomie Harris). Even at this young age, Little is showing signs that he may have homosexual tendencies and he tries to make sense of this with the help of Juan.

Part One of Moonlight is a sensational and strong opening to the film and gives us some of the best scenes of 2016 featuring the amazing and memorable characters of Little/Chiron and Juan. The character of Juan, wonderfully played by Mahershala Ali, is so special and it is devastating that he only appears in his fragment of Chiron's story, but this is also understandable and vital to the rest of the film. Ali's performance is incredibly powerful and he is instantly likable, while Naomie Harris' Paula sends waves of pain and torture through you in the best of ways.

The simply beautiful ocean scene is the most important of the film. Not only is it an example of the film's incredible cinematography by James Laxton, but it is where Juan leaves a true impression on Little with the following quote:-

"At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you're going to be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you."

This is the epicentre of the film. Moonlight is at it's heart about the formation of identity and creating that identity yourself, but outside influences encourage you to make this decision. It is also this scene that the colour blue is discussed ("In moonlight, black boys look blue"). The colour plays a large symbolic part in the film by appearing at moments (in the form of lighting, costume, etc.) which are shaping Chiron as a person and he is making a connection.

Part Two: Chiron

In Part Two, we meet Chiron (Ashton Sanders) as a sixteen year old, who is still being bullied at school for his appearance and his now assumed sexual orientation. His mother has plummeted further into her drug-fuelled haze and Chiron is now more her keeper than she being the strong force in his life she should be. He finds a kindred spirit in classmate, Kevin (Jharrel Jerome) who is the only person in his life to bring him happiness and acceptance. However, a terrible turn of fate results in Chiron's trust horrifically being broken by Kevin and setting off a chain reaction of life-changing events.

Part Two is the weakest of the three parts, but needs to be so for Part Three to be as special as what it is. Watching Ashton Sanders' Chiron in this third is incredibly painful as he struggles to navigate his way through this confusing and torturous time, but there really is this incredible tension you feel as a viewer as you sense him head towards his breaking point. The exact moment when Chiron changes the course of his life is captured in the most confronting, graphic and powerful way that is certainly breathtaking.

Part Three: Black

Part Three is the reinvention of Chiron, who is now an adult going by the name of Black (Trevante Rhodes) and unrecognisable with his new, harder persona. He has now become a man of the streets and is very much like Juan, the man he idolised as a young boy. Black has moved away from Miami, but is drawn back when he receives an unexpected phone call from Kevin (Andre Holland).

Part Three of Moonlight is absolutely stunning and emotionally charged. Chiron/Black formed his identity after reaching his breaking point and no longer letting anyone define him. He emotionally shut himself down to everyone in his life, but that barrier is ripped open when he once again hears from Kevin. The scenes in Part Three between Trevante Rhodes as Black and Andre Holland as Kevin are just beautiful. There is so much being said without either of the character's having to use dialogue and the camera picks up on every thought and emotion is exchanged between the two. While Chiron/Black and Kevin are rediscovering each other, it is impossible not to fall in love with the two while watching them.

Moonlight truly is a film like no other and is a sensational piece of filmmaking that restores your faith in love and the human spirit. It is a film that with it's powerful characters and superb cinematography, musical score and underlying themes will not only be greatly studied by film students, but will be loved by cinemagoers for years to come.

9.5/10

Lion (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 118 minutes
Director: Garth Davis
Writers: Saroo Brierley (adapted from the book "The Long Way Home" by), Luke Davies (screenplay)
Cast: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman, Sunny Pawar, Abhishek Bharate

Lion opens in Australia on Thursday January 19 and is distributed by Transmission Films. Now showing in the United States and distributed by The Weinstein Company.

Based on the extraordinary true story of Saroo Brierley, Lion is incredibly moving, heartfelt and rewarding. It embraces it's themes of identity, obsession and family, while also not being afraid to show the raw emotions behind each of these by making the most of it's phenomenal cast.

In a small Indian town in 1986, a young boy by the name of Saroo (portrayed by newcomer Sunny Pawar) boarded an empty train which took him 1900km away from his hometown and his family. After arriving in Calcutta with no way of knowing how to get home, he braved the dangerous streets before ending up in an orphanage and being adopted by Sue and John Brierley (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham), an Australian couple from the island of Tasmania. 25 years later, Saroo (now portrayed by Dev Patel) is haunted by the ghosts of his past despite living a comfortable and happy life in Australia. He attempts to try and find his way home with the help of Google Earth and embarks on a journey that becomes an all encompassing obsession.

Saroo Brierley's story, as told in his 2013 book "The Long Way Home", is so unbelievable and inspirational that it seems as though it was just destined to be made into a movie. For this reason, it would have been too easy for the filmmakers to purely rely on the story to draw emotion and make it work. However, Lion finds it's strength not just from it's story and Luke Davies screenplay, but also from it's beautiful cinematography by Greig Fraser, haunting musical score by Volker Bertelmann and Dustin O"Halloran and the truly remarkable performances by it's cast.

Lion is not afraid to wear it's heart on it's sleeve. It allows the emotion of the story and it's characters to be shown openly and this in turn allows you, the viewer, to feel openly while watching it. You can feel yourself outwardly expressing your sympathy by frowning in pity for little Saroo as he navigates his way through the Calcutta train station. Young Sunny Pawar plays the character with such endearing innocence that he is heartbreaking as well as heart-warming. You return the smiles from the characters on screen with your own and cannot hold back tears when they are also in tears. It is a tremendous achievement for a film to be able to have so much control over it's audience and at the same time, still allow the audience to feel comfortable.

Saroo Brierley's story may not be one which everyone can relate to, but the themes that are at play as part of the film will strike a chord with many. Lion is at it's core about identity. It is not unusual to hear stories about adopted children who wish to find out more about their birth parents and the circumstances of their early life. This is because they feel the longing to find out who they really are and achieve closure in the process, much like Saroo in this case. He is torn between his Indian heritage and his Australian upbringing and feels that by finding his family, he will be able to close that door in his past. This quest to find that missing piece of himself becomes his obsession, as it takes over every aspect of his life. His mind is so preoccupied that he starts to lose himself inside his obsession.

It is during these moments when the obsession with the unknown takes over in the film that Dev Patel truly shines. From his first moment on screen in the Tasmanian waters, Patel is an absolute joy to watch. He completely embodies the young Australian man (with an incredibly convincing accent) who is struggling to find out who he truly is and disappearing into his long restrained pain and torment. Patel is truly magnificent in the final scenes of the film and leaves a lasting impression with his superb performance.

The third theme is that of family, which is seemingly obvious considering the story. In particular, the film looks at the bond between Sue Brierley and her sons, Saroo and Mantosh (Divian Ladwa). Lion is a tribute to mothers everywhere, but in particular to those who have adopted children and love them unconditionally. Nicole Kidman does beautifully in representing these mothers and gives an incredible performance as Sue Brierley.

Lion is an incredibly beautiful and moving piece of cinema that is emotional in the most comfortable, gratifying and uplifting of ways.

9/10

The Edge of Seventeen (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 104 minutes
Director/Writer: Kelly Fremon Craig
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgewick, Blake Jenner, Haley Lu Richardson, Hayden Szeto

The Edge of Seventeen is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films.

Kelly Fremon Craig's directorial debut, The Edge of Seventeen is the perfect fusion of wonderful, witty comedy and that type of horror you only get by watching someone who is way too much like yourself or past self that it is frightening.

Nobody knows more about the divide between the cool kids and the rest more than high school junior, Nadine (played by Hailee Steinfeld). While her brother, Darian (Blake Jenner) is the blessed sibling who "naturally excels at everything", Nadine constantly feels like the outcast and even more so when Darian starts dating her best and only friend, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). Of course, she overdramatically disapproves of the match and without Krista by her side, Nadine's problems seem to snowball. She finds unexpected solace in her classmate, Erwin (Hayden Szeto) and teacher, Mr Bruner (Woody Harrelson), but she first must learn how to live with herself before she can tolerate those around her.

The Edge of Seventeen is incredibly character driven and it is these characters along with the entertaining screenplay and fine performances that take the film from run-of-the-mill teen flick to something with a much wider appeal. Hailee Steinfeld gives an incredibly inspired performance as Nadine, the sassy, but painfully narcissistic teenager. Despite her misgivings and unfavourable qualities, she is such an accurate representation of a girl of her age that it is actually questionable if you cannot see fragments of your old self in Nadine.

Watching Nadine brings out the same sort of thought process one would have when watching a horror or thriller, but instead of saying "Don't go through that door" or "Don't go up the stairs", you are saying "No no no...don't do that!" and "Don't say that!". Then comes the horrible realisation that even though you are watching Nadine and thinking how terrible her lack of judgment is, you are really having an out of body experience watching yourself as a teenager.

There are plenty of things that come out of Nadine's mouth that will stir memories of things long forgotten for the viewer. For example, Nadine is a virgin and really knows nothing about sex, but talks like she does when she clearly has no idea what she is talking about. Something that everyone will be able to relate to is Nadine saying that she would like to believe that her problems are bigger than everyone else's". From the outside looking in, she sounds incredibly narcissistic, but narcissism is part of being a teenager. At that age, life is so confusing and there are so many new emotions to be felt that it is difficult to understand and grasp the concept that we are not the centre of the universe and that others are feeling similar to us or even worse.

However, one thing that is not quite as relatable and is the one thing we can envy, is Nadine's manner of speech. Her dialogue is cutting, witty and hilarious and this is what gives the film such an amusing edge. Steinfeld shows her wonderful comedic timing in her natural and unforced delivery of this wonderful dialogue and steals and dominates every scene she is in. Her Nadine also embodies the idea that the world views us the way we view ourselves. She see's herself as awkward and tells herself to stop acting so, making it inevitable that she will behave more awkward in social situations.

Despite the film being primarily about Nadine, all of the characters are well crafted and incredibly interesting to watch. What The Edge of Seventeen does so well is that it highlights the imperfections in it's characters, but does not substitute this for their likability. These imperfections merely show that as we grow up, we still never quite figure it all out and that we are never completely rid of bad judgement. This is especially evident in Nadine's mother, Mona (played by Kyra Sedgewick), who one cannot help but feel that she is a bad influence on her daughter. Woody Harrelson's Mr Bruner is far from perfect and is blunt and unrelentless, but still remains a lot of fun to watch.

The Edge of Seventeen is so relatable that it would be frightening if it wasn't so hilarious with it's brilliant screenplay and Hailee Steinfeld's craftsmanship of Nadine.

8/10

Passengers (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 116 minutes
Director: Morten Tyldum
Writer: Jon Spaihts
Cast: Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne

Passengers is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films.

In 2007, the Passengers screenplay written by Jon Spaihts was featured on the Blacklist, which is a list of the year's best scripts that have yet to developed for the screen. Now nearly 10 years later Morten Tyldum has brought Spaihts' screenplay to life.

After watching the film, it is not only obvious why the screenplay was part of the Blacklist, but it is also obvious why it took so long for it to be made. Passengers sounds as though it could be an intriguing enough story, but there is only so much that can be done with it when translated onto the screen. The end result is a film that is fine, but could never really have been something truly special.

In the future when Earth is over-inhabited, the spaceship, Starship Avalon transports 5000 passengers to Homestead Colony to set up the next stage in human existence. Although the journey is to take 120 years and all the crew and passengers are to be in hibernation pods until just before arrival, a malfunction occurs and Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) awakes 90 years ahead of schedule. He is the only being to be awake on the Avalon besides android bartender, Arthur (Michael Sheen), until he is joined a year later by Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence). The two have an instant connection, but it is a connection that may not have been made under the most ethical circumstances.

Passengers is really everything it could have been. Morten Tyldum directs it to the best of his ability and both Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence bring as much to the screen as they possibly can. The fault of the film does not lie in the production of it. There was just no possible way that the story could have been developed for the screen without it coming across as mostly unoriginal, only slightly ludicrous and mediocre at best.

The film has been likened to a cross between 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Notebook, which sounds so odd that it sets off alarm bells instantly. While the sci-fi genre is typically able to get away with an escape of realism, the whole concept of Passengers just seems too far-fetched for it to be taken seriously. It is the type of film that one watches knowing that they should be pondering the ethical dilemmas and underlying themes being presented by the characters and their situations, but they are just too far removed to make a connection. There are indeed some interesting ethical questions to be explored there, particularly in regards to Jim and Aurora's relationship origins, but it is difficult for these to become conversation starters when the ludicracy of the story is the film's main talking point

However, Passengers does have some redeeming features. The production design by Guy Hendrix Dyas of the Starship Avalon's interiors is very impressive as they are complex, but neat and linear. There are some truly spectacular celestial moments throughout the film, but it is a shame that they are few and far between. One also cannot fault the film's two stars, Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. Passengers is perhaps the most intense role Pratt has had to date and he maintains the comical demeanor that he has become popular for as well as showing the needed emotions. Jennifer Lawrence gives her consistent all to the role of Aurora and has a great chemistry with Pratt onscreen.

Despite the misgivings of the film, Passengers is still watchable. It is not painful to watch by any means, but struggles to make something meaningful out of something so ridiculously far-fetched.

5/10

Allied (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 124 minutes
Director: Robert Zemekis
Writer: Steven Knight
Cast: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Lizzy Caplan

Allied is now showing everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Paramount Pictures.

Robert Zemekis' Allied is undeniably spectacular to look at, but does not have the suspense nor intrigue which such a promising story with it's incredible pairing of Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard deserves.

The year is 1942 and as the war rages on, a Canadian intelligence officer, Max Vatan (Brad Pitt), arrives in Casablanca to embark on a deadly mission with a beautiful French Resistance fighter, Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard). The two pose as a married couple, but they cannot fight the strong attraction they feel towards each other and fall in love. When they return to England and marry, all is idyllic until Max is told that Marianne is under watch as she is believed to be a German spy. If she is found guilty, Max must be the one to end her life.

Allied looks and sounds like something very exciting. The plot is definitely intriguing and the teaming of Robert Zemekis with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard is thrilling. However, something has really gone amiss with this promise. Allied presents a case where the story is better than the screenplay, as it's execution is rather slow and tedious at times. The film is currently being marketed as and really should be a romantic tale that is laced with intrigue and suspense, but is a disappointment as it falls short of this due to the underwhelming screenplay and an unfortunate and rare flat performance by Brad Pitt.

Pitt is capable of far more than what we see here in Allied. His performance is rather lifeless when it should be intense and full of emotion, especially in the face of uncertainty over his love and life. It seems as though Zemekis has directed him this way so that his performance is more subtle than overtly emotionally powerful, but considering how epic the rest of the film (besides the screenplay) is, Pitt should be able to show up. On the other hand, Marion Cotillard gives her consistent best in the role of Marianne and plays the role of the suspected femme fatale wonderfully.

Besides Cotillard, the saving grace of Allied lies in the visual aspects of the production. The film has been drawing comparisons to Michael Curtiz's classic, Casablanca for it's sense of nostalgia and, more obviously, for it's location. The production design by Gary Freeman is fantastic and shows the North African city in the romantic light just right for the film and is especially atmospheric. Joanna Johnston's costume design is absolutely sublime, especially for Cotillard's Casablanca wardrobe. Her design pays homage to classic film starlets and especially that of Ingrid Bergman (Cotillard's Casablanca lunch outfit which is very much like what Bergman wore as Isla in Casablanca).

Allied has been made on a grand and epic scale with a great deal of promise, but it falls short of it's potential with it's lack-lustre screenplay and unfortunate direction.

6/10

Moana (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 107 minutes
Directors: Ron Clements and John Musker
Co-Directors: Don Hall and Chris Williams
Writers: Jared Bush (screenplay), Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, Chris Williams, Pamela Ribon, Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell (story by)
Cast: (voices) Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk

Moana is now showing everywhere and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios.

Disney's Moana is visually exquisite, adorably witty and completely endearing, with a gratifying and realistic view of the ever popular theme of following your dreams.

As the daughter of Polynesian island, Motunui's chief, Moana (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) is expected to dedicate her life to helping the people on her island in as many ways as possible. However, she has felt a draw to the sea her whole life and as she grows, the pull only gets stronger. When life on Motunui takes a turn for the worse and their food resources start to dry up, her grandmother (Rachel House), tells Moana of a demigod, Maui (Dwayne Johnson) who stole the heart of the island goddess, Te Fiti and without her heart, a lava monster dwells searching for her heart and is the cause of the island's misfortunes. The ocean has chosen Moana to seek out Maui and return the heart to Te Fiti, which would save her island. The journey to do this is not an easy one, but is a chance for Moana to become who she believes she was always meant to be.

Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana can be as simple or as deep as you would like it to be, which seems to be a common feature of Disney films in the last decade or so. One of the reasons Disney feature films have remained so popular is that they are widely acknowledged and expected to be enjoyable for both young and older audiences, and Moana is no exception. The story is simple enough on the surface for young audiences to enjoy, but older audiences will be able to understand what the film is trying to say with this warrior princess and her journey.

The character of Moana is representative of that piece inside all of us that is torn between who we want to be and who we are expected to be. It's the hardly original, but still effective message of chasing after your dreams and overcoming your fears that resonates through the film. However, Moana does chronicle the reality of the process of self belief better than other films. We start with wanting to reach a certain goal and neglect thinking about the setbacks that are always inevitable. While we achieve a sense of self belief in order to begin our journey, that belief is likely to be challenged and waver several times and you may have to hit rock bottom before you finally arrive where you are meant to be. The memorable song "How Far I Go" written by Lin-Manuel Miranda works this theme into music beautifully.

It is this representation of self belief as a journey and the construction of Moana's character that make the film perhaps more relatable than most Disney films. Auli'i Cravalho, who voices Moana is the youngest Disney princess as she was 14 at the time of production (she is now 16 at the time of release). Her youth is actually of great advantage to the character as it allows people to identify with her more and the excitement you hear come through her with her dialogue is incredibly endearing. Even the visual aspects of Moana make her more relatable than many of the Disney princesses that have come before her, such as getting her hair stuck in her face when attempting to turn around gracefully. Her chicken friend, Heihei is perhaps the most hilarious princess animal friend Disney has produced, especially considering his first scene involves him trying to eat a rock.

Moana really is incredibly beautiful to watch. The colours used and lighting accompanying it make it absolutely visually exquisite and it completely captures the beauty of the ocean. It really is quite atmospheric. However, while watching the film, one cannot help but feel as though they are seeing similarities between other Disney films. There are remnants of Frozen (and a not so subtle reference when Sven the reindeer has a brief cameo), The Little Mermaid, Mulan and Pixar's 2015 short film, Lava.

Moana is another wonderful offering from Disney that draws on past Disney classics for inspiration, but has a beautiful personality of it's own.

8/10

La La Land (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 128 minutes
Director and Writer: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Legend

La La Land is now showing everywhere and is distributed  in Australia by Entertainment One.

The exquisite La La Land is a multi-layered, whimsical and truly timeless piece of creative brilliance from Damien Chazelle that is an ode to both old and new Hollywood.

La La Land opens on a busy freeway, a scene which is more than familiar to anyone from Los Angeles. Sitting in this terrible, but expected traffic jam are an aspiring actress who is yet to have her big break, Mia (Emma Stone) and a jazz musician who longs hit the big time and open his own venue, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). Despite a middle finger salute by Sebastian being their only communication here, fate would have it that these two cross paths a number of times before they fall in love with one another. Their romance is idyllic and uncomplicated, until their dreams start to get in the way of each others.

Timeless is the best way to describe La La Land in one word. Usually when people use the word "timeless" to describe a film, it means that they believe it will stand the test of time and still remain relevant after years go by. La La Land is this, but it is also timeless because it is a story that could be told at any time during Hollywood's history. Not only that, but it contains so many elements from the past and present that you are never quite sure when the film is set. Instead of this being confusing, it is divine.

Chazelle's film is a love letter to Los Angeles (particularly Hollywood) in it's past and present and is a kaleidoscope of nostalgic and modern images and music. At any one time, you can be watching a scene that seems to be taking place in the present, but is surrounded by pieces of 1950's nostalgia and featuring a song such as "Someone in the Crowd" that would not have been out of place in a MGM musical of yesteryear (including such films as Singin' in the Rain, An American in Paris and Swing Time). La La Land does draw great inspiration from these past musicals in the composition, dance routines and cinematography in numbers such as  "A Lovely Night" and the unforgettable Griffith Observatory scene.

La La Land is deceptively complex and it is so in the most beautiful of ways. There are so many layers to the film and so many things to be taken away from it. Some themes will ring true with some viewers more than others, but it is without a doubt that those who have worked or live in the entertainment business will take a great deal away from the film.

The most obvious theme is that of following your dreams. Emma Stone's Mia and Ryan Gosling's Sebastian are our dreamers and they are relatable to anyone who has ever chased after a dream that seems so huge that it is out of their reach. Mia's speech in small town Nevada is particularly moving as she verbalises what anybody who has been rejected and thought of giving up has felt. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are both at their most lovely and charming in La La Land. Their chemistry is perfect as they work off each other incredibly well and they too create characters that are a perfect balance between the modern and the old Hollywood starlet and leading man.

The film also has the underlying theme of preserving history, something which is often neglected in Hollywood and it's surrounding areas. Sebastian speaks of jazz as an art form dying and the Rialto Theatre in the film (and real life) is a beautiful old theatre that is closed down. Both of these are signs of how people can often forget about preserving something from another time and ultimately they become lost. However, Chazelle's movie as a whole really is a homage to old Hollywood with the many references that appear throughout the film.  Again, La La Land is reminiscent of golden age of Hollywood films by way of it's musical numbers, but also with it's use of captions and in it's whimsical, romantic nature. In this way, Chazelle is actually doing his part to preserve Hollywood history by paying tribute to it with his film.

It also must be said that Los Angeles looks at it's best in La La Land. Despite having a reputation of a sun drenched Californian city of glitz and glamour, LA struggles to uphold this image in real life as certain areas can look run-down and unpolished. However, it is at it's most beautiful in the film showing many famous landmarks in amazing light and colour. The image of the Los Angeles of La La Land is aligned with the dreamlike atmosphere of the film and almost symbolises the pull the city has for dreamers to flock to this land where magic happens. There are also plenty of in-jokes for those who have lived in Los Angeles.

La La Land is pure, old-fashioned cinematic escapism. It maintains an incredible equilibrium between what is nostalgic and modern and the result is absolutely exquisite.

9.5/10

RIP Debbie Reynolds- Our MGM Hero

Debbie Reynolds

April 1 1932- December 28 2016

And I thought that same sentence was hard to write yesterday for Carrie Fisher. I can tell you my heart truly broke when the news came through that her mother, the beautiful and talented Debbie Reynolds passed away only one day later.

It was no secret how close Fisher and her mother were. Last year I read "Unsinkable" by Debbie Reynolds and "Wishful Drinking" by Carrie Fisher back to back and the way those women's two worlds revolved around each other was beautiful. Not surprisingly, Carrie was a nightmare in her rebellious years during her twenties, but her mother clearly never gave up on her. In later years, the two lived next door to each other and shared a remarkable bond.

The strength of that bond was made known on the morning of Wednesday December 28. According to E!Online, Todd Fisher (Debbie's son and Carrie's brother) stated that his mother had expressed how much she missed her daughter and wanted to see her again before she suffered an alleged stroke (this has yet to be confirmed as of this time). The idea of having to live without her beloved daughter and the emotional stress of having to deal with this and funeral arrangements was too much for her to bear. The heartbreaking reality was that Reynolds simply could not live without her daughter.

For classic film fans like myself, Debbie Reynolds was our hero. She was a true lady in every sense of the word and one of the few that the Studio System did not have to work on to make sure she upheld her reputation as a good MGM girl, because she really was. She always stood by her morals and was a survivor. Although many class her finest film achievement as Kathy in 1952's  Singin' in the Rain, she earned an Oscar nomination in 1964 for The Unsinkable Molly Brown. It was from this film that her memoir, "Unsinkable" took it's name and unsinkable was the perfect way to describe Reynolds. She endured incredible trials and tribulations in her life, which included messy divorces (including her infamous one with Eddie Fisher where Elizabeth Taylor was the other woman) and financial hardships. Yet, she was always seen with a smile on her face and always resembled a ray of sunshine.

As amazing as her long career was, her professional achievements are not the ultimate reason for her being a champion among classic film fanatics. Reynolds worked tirelessly to preserve the history of old Hollywood, particularly that of MGM. She was a serious collector of movie memorabilia from the Golden Age of Hollywood and was angered by the idea that others were not seeking to look after history the way she was.

Unfortunately for Reynolds, she had to sell the items in her collection at auctions over the years. However, at these auctions she was able to make sure that the items (which included Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz and one of Scarlett O'Hara's dresses from Gone With The Wind among others) went to homes where they would be taken care of.

Fans of old Hollywood, like myself, will be forever grateful for Reynold's efforts in preserving pieces of an age gone by and being such a staunch advocate for it. She really was an old Hollywood treasure herself. Losing her is losing another piece of film history. However, it does feel selfish to want Debbie to still be here when she is now back with Carrie.

Now that I have finished writing this, I just want to say that I pray I do not need to write another one of these tomorrow evening. Move along 2016, move along.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 133 minutes
Director: Gareth Edwards
Writers: John Knoll and Gary Whitta (story), Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy (screenplay)
Cast: Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is now showing everywhere and is distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

While Star Wars: The Force Awakens was an undeniable success, Rogue One brings forth the Star Wars film that people truly wanted to see with a brand new and original story that answers long held questions in the most spectacular and glorious of ways.

Rogue One is what Star Wars fans were eagerly anticipating when Disney announced their plans to expand the Star Wars universe. The Force Awakens was a great starting point for kicking off the new series of films, but many complained of it's lack of originality because of how much it resembled A New Hope. Gareth Edward's film really does expand the Star Wars universe by opening it up to include more than just the Skywalkers and their family tales, and the screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy makes the most of this freedom while also staying true and respectful to the George Lucas films.

Rogue One takes place right before 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope and focuses on the rebels who obtained the plans to the Death Star. Orphaned at a young age when her father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen) is called upon to work for the Empire, Jyn (Felicity Jones) finds herself years later being recruited by the Rebellion. She discovers that her father has hidden the secret to bringing down the Empire's weapon, the Death Star in it's plans and she must lead a group of rebels into enemy territory to give them hope that the Empire and Darth Vader can be defeated.

Rogue One is a film for Star Wars lovers. It fills a great hole that was left gaping when George Lucas completed his six episodes and answers the questions you never knew you had until you watched Rogue One. Fans of the Star Wars franchise will be delighted with several Easter Eggs throughout the film and also the inclusion of unused footage from A New Hope. However, as a result, this film will mean far more and be enjoyed more by actual Star Wars fans rather than those who are indifferent. The aim of the screenplay is to primarily explain a missing piece of the Star Wars universe and to link up with A New Hope, not to tell a brand new story to appeal to an un-bias audience.

Yet, Rogue One is undeniably entertaining with it's impressive action sequences and outstanding use of CGI. The final act is particularly spectacular as well as visually stunning with a wonderful use of colour combined with high intensity action. While the large majority of the audience will know what the ending to the film will be, the journey is unpredictable and therefore, anything goes. All areas of production are, as one would expect from a Star Wars film in 2016, superb.

There has been much spoken about how the newer Star Wars films are both led by female characters and how strong the characters of Rey (portrayed by Daisy Ridley in The Force Awakens ) and Jyn Erso are. However, what is truly great about the way Star Wars has approached these characters is that they have made gender irrelevant in the creation of them. The fact that they are female in the film is not brought up at all and the respect they receive in these films are equal to that of any male counterpart. Felicity Jones is wonderful as Jyn. She brings to the character her strength as an actor and gives a heartfelt, yet stoic performance.

Ben Mendelsohn also impresses as Director Orson Krennic, but it is once again a droid who steals the show. Voiced by Alan Tudyk, K-2SO is equipped with the wittiest of lines that give the film it's comedy relief, much in the same fashion that R2-D2 and C-3PO have done in the past.

Rogue One successfully expands the Star Wars universe and is an utter treat for long time fans. It may not have the same power for those who are no overly familiar with the past films, but is still entertaining thanks to it's incredible visuals and original screenplay.

8/10

Office Christmas Party (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 105 minutes
Directors: Josh Gordon and Will Speck
Writers: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore and Timothy Dowling (story), Justin Malen, Laura Solon and Dan Mazer (screenplay)
Cast: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, Karan Soni, Randall Park

Office Christmas Party is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australian by Entertainment One.

Josh Gordon and Will Speck's Office Christmas Party is not much more than a stereotypical lewd party comedy with the likes of Santa Claus, a few Christmas trees and fairy lights thrown in to make it relevant to the season.

The holiday season is closing in quickly at Chicago's Zenotek office and morale is low. Things are only set to get worse when CEO, Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston) announces that she will be closing her brother, Clay's (T.J. Miller) branch down. In a last minute attempt to save their office, Clay, Josh (Jason Bateman) and Tracey (Olivia Munn) organise an explosive Christmas party to impress a potential client, Walter Davis (Courtney B. Vance) who could save their branch if he agrees to work with them. What ensues is a night of absolute mayhem which is a throwback to the work Christmas parties of old where anything goes.

Perhaps the most unfortunate thing about Office Christmas Party is that when there is not a party involved, it is actually far from painful. The actual party itself is a colossal mash-up of as much crude humour that could take place at any event where a great deal of alcohol and drugs are being consumed. There is nothing subtle nor even remotely original about the film's attempts at humour during this time and it will take fans with this particular type of humour to conjure up a giggle or two.

Yet, the script and humour involved before and after the party is quite entertaining with some great banter taking place between the main players including Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller and Jennifer Aniston. There are deeper themes involved including the ongoing economic worries that plague corporate business, but these more serious plot points are pushed aside so to make way for the grand attraction of Christmas party shenanigans.

It's inevitable that Office Christmas Party will do well at the box office as during the few weeks leading up to the holidays, people are drawn toward seeing films that are in the Christmas spirit. The truth of the matter is that Office Christmas Party is really not much of a festive movie. It's disguised as a festive film by all the things which symbolise Christmas, which also includes the infamous work Christmas party. The screenplay could well exist without it being set during the Christmas season, but it would be unlikely to grasp the attention of the public and unlikely to have achieved the attention of the impressive comedic cast.

It almost feels cliché to say that the cast  (who are all highly respected comedic actors) are all underused in this film. It is completely evident that each tries to do all they can with the material that is given to them, but even those who are especially talented when it comes to improvisation (eg. Kate McKinnon and T.J. Miller) struggle to make something of merit. However, it would be unfair to say that Office Christmas Party is not funny at all if you are not a fan of dirty humour, as there are some moments which are very amusing. All the characters in the film are fairly safe and stereotypical of their surroundings, but each actor knows their character well enough (especially Bateman, Aniston and Karan Soni as Nate) to be able to fit into them comfortably and bring out the best in them.

Office Christmas Party may not be the holiday fix one would like to experience at the cinemas this season, but is entertaining enough thanks to it's talented cast.

5/10