Sydney Film Festival: Elvis & Nixon (2016)

Year: 2016

Running Time: 86 minutes

Director: Liza Johnson

Writers: Joey Sagal, Halana Sagal and Cary Elwes

Cast: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Evan Peters

Elvis & Nixon screened at the 2016 Sydney Film Festival on Thursday June 9. For more information on the Sydney Film Festival, please see their official website.

Elvis & Nixon is a highly fabricated recount of the meeting between one of the world's biggest pop stars and the President of the United States which is a whole lot of fun and embraces it's permission to be over-exaggerated and incredibly goofy.

In December 1970, a meeting took place in the Oval office between then and not yet disgraced president, Richard Nixon (as portrayed by impression extraordinaire Kevin Spacey) and Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon). The photograph of the two that was taken on this occasion is the most requested in the National Archives. However, the transcript for what actually took place during that meeting does not exist so writers Joey Sagal, Halana Sagal and Cary Elwes have taken the liberty of inventing the comical turn of events leading up to and including the dramatically less than ordinary meeting between the two.

Elvis & Nixon has been granted an incredible privilege which barely any other biopics receive as due to the blurry nature of the event, they are given free range with their screenplay. There are several of truths in the story as approved by Elvis' close friend, Jerry Schilling (played by Alex Pettyfer in the film), but much of the film is exaggerated for comedy value. Elvis did indeed want to obtain a badge as a Federal Agent at Large and hand-delivered a letter to the White House where he was able to meet with the President later that day, but these events are built on and enhanced comically for pure entertainment value. Elvis did not attempt to take firearms into the White House and he most definitely would not have got away with it, nor would he have shown his karate moves to or take part in a hand-slap game with the President.

Everything about Elvis & Nixon is exaggerated. This exaggeration is the main source of humour, especially when it comes to the characters. Both Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon have well known and recognisable personality traits that everyone knows so these are exaggerated for comedic value, but not in a disrespectful fashion. This is particularly true of Elvis who is constantly walking around in his stage attire looking more like an Elvis impersonator rather than the man himself and always met with girls falling over themselves squealing. It is not only the characters that are exaggerated in the film, but also the production and costume design and hair and make-up. If this film was a drama or run of the mill biopic, this would be considered irritating and rather goofy, but considering Elvis & Nixon is a comedy it is all forgiven and accepted with open arms.

Despite the over-exaggeration of his character, Michael Shannon gives a solid performance as Elvis Presley. While respectable, it isn't particularly heart-warming nor does it make one feel like they want to revisit any of his music or concerts in a hurry. It feels as though one tender moment where he talks to himself about his twin brother who died at birth has been just thrown in for good measure, but it occurs too late in the film to make any sort of emotional impact for the character.

On the other hand, Kevin Spacey does a fine job as Richard Nixon. Spacey has an infamous knack for impressions as well as being a superb actor so it is with these two qualities that he brings Nixon back to life in a way that is both natural and humorous at the same time. Colin Hanks as presidential aide, Egil 'Bid' Krogh and Evan Peters as Dwight Chapin are also subtly amusing and solid.

Elvis & Nixon avoids the expectations placed on movies that are based on real life events by adopting a comedic persona rather than one which is serious and dramatic and what results is a film which is fun, enjoyable and comfortable in it's exaggeration.

7/10

Endless Love (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 103 minutes
Director: Shana Feste
Writers: Scott Spencer (novel), Shana Feste and Joshua Safran (screenplay)
Cast: Gabriella Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson, Robert Patrick, Rhys Wakefield, Dayo Okeniyi, Emma Rigby

Endless Love is now showing everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Universal Pictures.

If you need one word to describe Endless Love, that word would be familiar. The word familiar is chosen not only because it is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name, but also because it is a concept we have seen numerous times on the screen. The story of star-crossed lovers who's parents don't agree with their relationship is anything but new and Endless Love has no real point of difference to make it stand out from the rest of the pack.

David Elliot (Alex Pettyfer) has always had eyes for the beautiful and privileged, but extremely innocent and reserved Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde) through their high school years. The two never spoke a word to each other until upon finishing school, a chance encounter at the country club which Davis works at uncovers the attraction between the two and when David comes to the rescue at Jade's graduation party, they are inseparable. However, Jane's overprotective father (Bruce Greenwood) is less than thrilled with his only daughter dating a boy with a troubled past like David who distracts her from her career path. Both their families soon find that nothing they do can keep David and Jade apart.

There is absolutely nothing original about Endless Love. Many have and will continue to question why the 1981 film even needed to be remade. You can almost understand why Shana Feste wanted to bring this tale to the screen once more, as the 1981 film hardly seems relevant or overly well known in todays society. This 2014 version has the inclusion of mobile phones playing a vital part of the relationship as is the case with relationships today, but the overall quality of the two films doesn't really differ a great deal. The earlier film wasn't and still isn't seen as a particularly critical success and neither is this film. In remaking this film you would hope that Feste was hoping to improve on the original, but the film is mediocre at best.

Endless Love is absolutely void of emotion. For a romance film to actually be successful (unless it has a comedy element to it), it has to be moving. This film is not as it just feels so weak. You feel no tension, sadness, happiness or anger throughout the film. The love between David and Jade is sweet, but not relatable or captivating. The real target audience for this film is that of teenage girls who will love the film because it will represent what they hope their first love will be like. For this audience there doesn't need to be any powerful emotions, just something that is light and fluffy and Endless Love is definitely this. The film has been released at the perfect time which is Valentines Day. So even though the audience that will get the most out of this film is younger, it will generate a wider audience who will be able to accept it's content. Whether Endless Love is a film of a high standard is almost irrelevant as it is appropriate either way for the Valentines time of the year.

There are some interesting choices in the cinematography here. There are various montages of the way David and Jade spend their time together. Some of these montages are worthwhile, but others (such as the firecracker scene) would have benefitted more from a continuous shot which would have enhanced the emotional impact of the film by understanding more about the relationship between David and Jade. This would have then led to a bigger feeling of disappointment and sadness for the two when things were not going as planned.

While not an emotionally charged film or a particularly well written film, it is actually a very well cast film. All the roles have the best actors for the part in them and it is a shame they haven't been given more to work with. The characters themselves are the best part of the screenplay as there is great character development for each one of them. Alex Pettyfer does well and gives no reason for people to dislike him. His David is very likable and you always believe the best about him in every circumstance. He and Gabriella Wilde work very well together on screen and physically look perfect as a couple. Wilde is extremely sweet and a perfect choice for the role of Jade with her angelic looks. Both Pettyfer and Wilde have moments where you feel they are on the verge of showing their true potential, but don't have the opportunity to meet that potential in this film.

Joely Richardson is wonderful as Jade's mother, Anne. She is the type of mother you would love to have in a situation you hate to see a good woman in. Bruce Greenwood is also very good as the possessive father, Hugh. He is extremely unreasonable, possessive and often emotionally detached from his family, qualities one would hate in an in-law. Yet with all these he is so interesting to watch. Robert Patrick, who plays David's father Harry, is also very good.

With Endless Love you don't get what you want out of a romance film. However, as it is a Valentines Day release, you can reluctantly accept it.

4/10

I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four
Year: 2011
Director: D.J. Caruso
Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron, Teresa Palmer

In My Own Words
"I Am Number Four" is director, D.J. Caruso's first cinematic stab at the sci-fi genre. He's had experience with sci-fi in television with directing stint's in "Smallville" and "Dark Angel", but this is his first go at it on the big screen. Caruso has already proved himself more than capable of directing thrillers with credit to his name such as "Taking Lives", "Disturbia" and "Eagle Eye". So making a sci-fi thriller, shouldn't be too hard a task for him. Especially with the help of producer Michael Bay who knows a thing or two about sci-fi considering he is currently completing his fourth sci-fi film in a row. Yes, you are right. It is the 3rd Transformers he is in the process of finishing off. So, thriller expert plus sci-fi action expert, we should have a winner on our hands with "I Am Number Four"!

Ironically, or maybe not so, these were the two men who were ultimately responsible for the rise of Shia LaBeouf. LaBeouf had been in the business since 1998 when he was only 12 years old, but at 21 in 2007 he was given his first top billing in a major film. It was D.J. Caruso who cast him as the teenager, Kale under house arrest in "Disturbia". His next major role (besides lending his voice talents to the animated feature "Surf's Up") was as Sam Whitwicky in "Transformers" directed by Michael Bay. So thanks to Caruso and Bay, international movie superstar! My point is, is the same thing in store for Alex Pettyfer considering he's got these two in the same film? Unlike LaBeouf. Pettyfer has already been top billed in the family film "Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker", but this is his first billed as an adult in a main stream film. His next film is "Beastly", the modern day "Beauty And The Beast" story with Vanessa Hudgens and Dakota Fanning, which has just been released in the states. It has made over $10 million in it's first week. He next film is "Now " with Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfreid and Cilliam Murphy, and he is rumoured to have been cast in "The Seventh Son" with Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Lawrence. Things are definately looking up for Pettyfer. Caruso and Bay are proving themselves to be lucky charms with their actors!

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
"I Am Number Four" is a film that has a little bit for everyone. It has action, aliens, romance, high school drama, family drama and some very good looking people. It is what you would expect a film to be with all these credentials, it is entertaining and quite a bit of fun. "I Am Number Four" is not the number one film you will see this year, but it certainly fulfils it's purpose. Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) may look and act human and feel human emotion, but he is not your normal everyday teenager. He is a Lorien, or an alien, and must do everything in his power to keep it a secret as there are forces out there who are killing the remaining Lorien's one by one. Just as Number Three falls victim, Number Four don's the alias of John Smith and moves to Paradise, Ohio. While trying to stay incognito, John falls in love with schoolgirl photographer, Sarah ( Dianna Agron) and befriends outcast Sam (Callan McAuliffe). These new friendships make it harder than it ever has been before to pack up and leave and puts himself and his friends in danger.

The combination of D.J. Caruso as director and Michael Bay as producer is a great combination for this movie. It brings the suspense and great story telling of a Caruso film and the special effects and spectacular cinematography of a Bay film. There are some amazing action sequences and the special effects in scenes such as the final battle are actually quite beautiful to watch. Of course, the film is very unrealistic and even quite silly at times as one would expect with a story like this. The characters are also very stereo typical and the story is not particularly original or unpredictable, which again is something people would expect from a film like this. However, because this film falls under a the sci-fi genre where these things are expected they are forgiven.

The good thing about this film is that it has great character development. Yes the characters are stereotypical, but during the span of the film you get to know each of the characters, who they are and their backgrounds. The acting isn't too life changing. Alex Pettyfer does carry the film well and he really does outperform all the other actors. He is does seem natural in the role, but at times can also come across a bit boring. Dianna Agron does well in her role away from the sometimes evil sometimes sweet Quinn in "Glee", although she doesn't put the emotion into her performance when it really counts. She does well in the natural scenes and then lacks when she should be giving more. Timothy Olyphant isn't bad as John's protector, Henri, but isn't a stand out.

"I Am Number Four" is not a great piece of work but it does entertain and that is what Caruso has set out to do in this film. Really, you can't ask more of a movie than to succeed in doing what it is meant to do.
6.5/10