Sydney Film Festival: The Price of Fame (2014) film review

Year: 2014
Running Time: 110 minutes
Director: Xavier Beavouis
Writers: Xavier Beauvois and Etienne Comar
Cast: Benoit Poelvoorde, Roschdy Zem, Seli Gmach, Nadine Labaki, Chiara Mastroianni

The Price of Fame is currently showing as part of the 2015 Sydney Film Festival and will be screening on June 4 and 14. For more information on times, locations and tickets, please see the Sydney Film Festival website.

Based on real life events, The Price of Fame takes an occurrence that was perhaps not so humorous at the time, but dresses it up to so that once can empathize with the bad guys and laugh at their misfortunes. When Eddy (Benoit Poelvoorde) is released from prison in Switzerland, he is taken in by his long time friend who is greatly indebted to him, Osmen (Roschdy Zem) and his daughter, Samira (Seli Gmach). Osmen has fallen on hard times himself with his wife, Noor (Nadine Labaki) in hospital and he is unable to afford a major operation which she greatly needs. Eddy comes up with an idea that will solve all of his and Osmen's financial problems, which is that they should steal the freshly buried corpse of the great comedian Charlie Chaplin and hold it for ransom. However, the Chaplin's are not so easy to cooperate with criminals and their scheme does not go to plan at all.

The Price of Fame has taken the 1978 event of Charlie Chaplin's corpse being stolen from the cemetery in Vevey and tweaked the details so that it is able to call itself a comedy. The film humanizes the two men who masterminded the theft and attempts to rationalize their decisions and create empathy as a result. It is almost a look behind the scenes that can be adapted to any theft and allows people to understand their actions as despicable as they may seem from the outside. Although it does dub itself a comedy and there are indeed laughs to be had throughout the film, they are not greatly original laughs nor are they big, hearty, memorable laughs. The Price of Fame has a rather light and flimsy atmosphere, but has moments when one can tell it is trying to be much more with the help of loud instrumental, uplifting music. However, one cannot help but marvel at the beauty of Vevey which is captured beautifully on film.

Despite it's attempts to remain respectful to the great man, Chaplin fans will still feel rather conflicted by The Price of Fame. Grave robberies may well have comical elements when searched for and the grave robbery of a great comical figure such as Charlie Chaplin may make this combination sound appealing for a film maker. However, Chaplin still remains a much loved figure to many around the world and watching the force that Eddy and Osman use to move the coffin when you can hear body moving around inside will be rather upsetting for fans of Chaplin, despite knowing that this is just a re-enactment. Many will argue with his point that when someone has passed away, a body is just a body and that worrying about his physical body shouldn't be an issue. Yet can one ever see the body of one they love as just a body? However, The Price of Fame does truly attempt to honour Chaplin in the best possible way by showing clips of some of his best work and speak of him in a loving way by acknowledging his tremendous success and talking bout his work with the underprivileged. His son, Eugene Chaplin and granddaughter, Dolores Chaplin are also featured in the film and there are references to Chaplin and his life that are slipped in such as Eddy finding his work in a job not unlike where Chaplin begun.

Benoit Poelvoorde and Roschdy Zem both do well in their roles and give very different performances to each other. Poelvoorde is the more comedic one of the two while Zem is the more dramatic. However the stand out performance wise is Seli Gmach, who plays Osman's daughter, Samira. She plays the role of a girl who has been forced to grow up quickly under the circumstances and be the woman of the house, but is still a little girl who needs both her mother and father around very much. She has the strong ability to be both heartbreaking and extremely witty at the same time.

The Price of Fame is fine, but doesn't do anything which is astonishing or brilliant. It will be a hard watch at times for Chaplin fans, but if his family can feel that it is respectful enough for them to take part then his fans should attempt to feel the same.

6/10

The Lunchbox (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 104 minutes
Director: Ritesh Batra
Writer: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui

The Lunchbox is a charming film which restores faith in the romance genre. It is a breath of fresh air into the masses of romance films which have crowded our cinemas in the past few years with overly stereotypical and predictable elements. The Lunchbox is exceptionally sweet and even though the story is quite simplistic, it accomplishes so much around this story of two lonely people who find each other in the most unusual fashion. While it is culturally significant to modern day India, the threads of romance laced through the film are rather old fashioned in a most welcomed way. The Lunchbox is tantalising, heart warming and aesthetically pleasing with it's wonderful visuals of Indian cuisine.

Mumbai's lunchbox system has always had a reputation of efficiency with there being very little chance of a person being delivered the wrong lunch. It is close to an impossibility, which is why it is so unusual when lonely wife and mother, Ila's (Nimrat Kaur) home cooked meal for her husband gets delivered to the wrong person. Her meal finds Saajan Ferndandes (Irrfan Khan), a reclusive widower who is preparing for retirement. The two begin an exchange of letters through the lunches and find that this exchange is what makes the difference they have both been craving in their lives.

Just when it seems like the romance genre has nothing new left to offer, along comes a film like The Lunchbox. It avoids all the stereotypical elements of a love story which usually play a huge part in the predictability of such films. It explores the lost art of penpalling in an original form and is slightly reminiscent of such films as The Shop Around The Corner and You've Got Mail, but only in the sense that the two lead characters are exchanging letters and forming a relationship with each other by doing so. Not only does the film follow paths not normally explored by other films in its genre, but it also keeps the viewer guessing right till the end and also beyond. It has an overall feel good atmosphere to it, but it is also deep and sensitive to the emotional hardships of life and love.

The Lunchbox is a wonderful cultural study of modern day Mumbai. The lunchbox system is one which people in western culture who have never visited India would not be familiar with and the film gives a wonderful introduction to it. Visually, The Lunchbox excels on so many levels. It does brilliantly at capturing life in Mumbai domestically, and also in an office environment. The first few shots of Mumbai in the rain first thing in the morning gives the impression of chaos, but is it is incredibly interesting chaos and quite an intriguing snapshot of life in Mumbai. The whole film contains many location shots which cannot be described as neat such as cluttered offices and homes, but there is beauty in the mayhem with the way it is charmingly shot. Yet, what leaves the greatest impression on the viewer is the wonderful food which is part of the character's lunchboxes. The Indian cuisine does not only look delightful on film, but the way in which the characters react (especially Saajan) to it allows you to imagine you can also smell the incredible aroma of the food and taste the spice.

There is a wonderful sense of character development in The Lunchbox. Each character changes throughout the film and their relationships with each other play a big part in this development. Irrfan Khan is very, very good as Saajan. He changes in a great way throughout the film and connects with the audience on an emotional level. This connection allows you to understand, admire and empathize with him in a way which resonates long after the film is over. It is beautiful to see how his relationship with Ila and his work colleague, Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) change him and bring life, love and happiness back to his life.

Nimrat Kaur gives a beautiful performance as Ila. She starts off fragile and sad, but becomes a strong female character. Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Shaikh is a fantastic character. He has had such a tough life, but his spirit is contagious. It is obvious that his hardships have effected him, but his happiness and eagerness is beautiful. His character is so beneficial to the film as he is one of the biggest reasons Saajan learns to embrace life. Ila and Saajan may be the lead characters of the film, but Shaikh's presence is so important to their lives and relationships.

The Lunchbox is the film that sets the benchmark for romance films. The elements of it's genre are packaged in a most original way and delivered with beauty and charm within the chaos of it's world.

8.5/10

Sydney Film Festival: The Great Museum (2014)

 



Year: 2014

Running Time: 94 minutes

Director: Johannes Holzhausen

Writers: Johannes Holzhausen  and Constantin Wulff (concept)

 

THE GREAT MUSEUM will be screening at the 2014 Sydney Film Festival on the 7th and 8th of June. For more information on times, venues and tickets, please see the official website

 

The Great Museum is a wonderful documentary dedicated to one of the most grand art museums in Europe. Johannes Holzhausen takes the beautiful Kunsthistorisches Museum and is able to increase it's beauty as a result of careful and respectful cinematography which is an absolute treat to behold on screen. The Great Museum is an absolute must for art history fans, but the film and the museum are both things of beauty and are able to be appreciated by everyone.

 

The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) in Vienna is a grand institution which has been open since 1872 and houses an incredible collection of art and historical artefacts. The Great Museum takes us behind the scenes to show us how curators maintain the contents of the museum and how they are constantly learning new things about the art already in their possession. The museum's staff are also faced with the task of attracting visitors so that they can meet their budget for the year and there is the inevitable task of how to make the museum seem more relevant to the 21st century.

 

The Great Museum does the Kunsthistorisches Museum complete and utter justice. The beauty of the institution, which is already a magnificent piece of art in itself, is greater enhanced by this film. It is a triumph for a film to take something which is already of the greatest beauty and somehow increase this beauty by allowing people to see it from the most extraordinary angles as a result of wonderful filmmaking. There is a tremendous amount of beauty throughout starting from the beginning shot and it is absolutely mesmerising seeing these astonishing pieces of art like you never have before. The Kunsthistorisches Museum houses some amazing pieces of artwork and pieces of history and these objects in themselves are incredible to see, but on film we see them in a way which we probably wouldn't even see them physically at the museum. The way in which the frescos are seen as they are being maintained and the imperial crown as it is being inspected are visions you would only be able to see in this film, as you would not see them in the same way the film is allowing you to in real life. The lighting in particular scenes also allows the art to be seen from a different viewpoint, giving it different feeling and meaning. The cinematography methods used to put the museum on show are all extremely respectful, as is very important when dealing with such an Austrian cultural landmark. Vienna, although not much of it is seen, is also presented in incredible fashion. Early in the film there is a beautiful panning shot of Vienna which shows the beauty the city itself holds. In every scene which is set in a room of the museum that has a window, the camera positions itself carefully so you can see the view of Vienna outside the window.

 

In the film, the museum is a living, breathing organism and it is treated as though it is the human subject of a documentary. It's personality is explored with great depth, as are the external and internal influences that affect it's day to day life. The film is intriguing and awe inspiring. It takes you behind the scenes to witness scenes such as upkeep of their historic pieces and the arrival and preparation of new and amazing pieces. What makes The Great Museum a documentary like no other is it's method of informing it's audience. Director Johannes Holzhausen chooses not to have the curators tell the audience how they do things, but rather show them and the viewer learns much from their conversations with others and their actions. A great deal is learnt over the course of the film about the museum itself and many pieces of art housed inside it.

 

 The Great Museum is made with a huge amount of care and a great deal of love is displayed throughout the film. There is an obvious love for the museum shown by Holzhausen in the production of the film with the commitment to bringing the best of the museum to the screen in the most extraordinary way, but there is love in everyone who works for the Kunsthistorisches Museum. This love transfers to the audience as you cannot help but feel a great fondness for the museum. During the film, the staff try to look at more effective ways in which to attract the public and tourists to the museum. This film is an excellent form of publicity for the Kunsthistorisches Museum and one can only speculate at the advantageous ways in which it will work for them.

 

The Great Museum is a documentary which is truly one of a kind. It stays away from the normalities of the regular documentary and creates a beautiful film about a beautiful place.

 

8.5/10

 



Chinese Puzzle (Casse-tete chinois) (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 117 minutes
Director: Cedric Klapisch
Writer: Cedric Klapisch
Cast: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Kelly Reilly, Cecile De France, Sandrine Holt, Li Jun Li

Chinese Puzzle is the long awaited follow up to Cedric Klapisch's The Spanish Apartment (2002) and Russian Dolls (2005). While fans of the previous two movies will be absolutely delighted with this third instalment, seeing the first two films is by no means a pre-requisite for Chinese Puzzle. It is a sweet, quirky and fun film which works very well as a stand alone film. The film may make a tad more sense with the knowledge of the past films, but it is knowledge that you would be oblivious to needing otherwise.

At 40 years old, Xavier Rousseau (Romain Duris) has found himself incapable of getting from point A to point B without difficulty. When his ex-wife, Wendy (Kelly Reilly) moves from Paris to New York to be with her new American boyfriend, Xavier follows as he is unable to be without their two children. What awaits him in New York is more complicated. He moves in with his best friend, Isabelle (Cecile De France) who is a lesbian and carrying his child, gets married to Nancy (Li Jun Li) in order to stay in the country and is then visited by Martine (Audrey Tautou), who makes life even more complicated than it already is for him.

Chinese Puzzle is gorgeous. It is a great load of fun and a particularly easy watch. The screenplay is written as if it assumes that the people watching the film haven't seen The Spanish Apartment or Russian Dolls. The days in which they all lived in Barcelona and their past loves are mentioned, but nothing else really needs to be said as far as the story goes. Chinese Puzzle works very well as a stand alone film. The script is very witty and often very funny. The inclusion of the German philosophers and Xavier's explanation of how people speak to foreigners, as well as one of the final scenes in his apartment are quite hilarious. Yet it is also quite touching without being overly emotional. The description given by Xavier on the train of how divorced fathers are often like warriors who refuse to let go of their children is really quite moving and beautiful.

However, you do spend a great deal of the film trying to work out where it is going. It isn't a slow film, but it is not an overly eventful film either. Rather it just coasts along at a steady, but laid back pace which does work for the type of film which it is. There are several parts of the story (particularly involving Isabelle and her partner, Ju and also Xavier and Nancy) which are not really concluded as they should be at the end of the film and leave you hanging as to what actually ended up happening. Some things are concluded in perfect fashion, while some as practically swept under the mat.

Like Cedric Klapisch's past films, the cities in which the film is set in are shown with love. There is a dedication to make New York look as beautiful as possible in ways which are different from the norm. The graffiti clad rooftop is filmed in such an interesting way and it looks far more attractive than you know it is supposed to be. Chinatown in New York City is not a place you see in many films, but it is welcomed as the way it is filmed heightens your senses and makes you feel like you know the place well. The way in which Isabelle and Xavier's situation is explained visually is enjoyable, as they are made to look like cut outs in a paper world. The soundtrack is also very fun and adds to the craziness and complexity of Xavier's life.

Romain Duris knows his role well, you can tell that straight away from his performance, He knows how Xavier feels and projects this into his facial expressions. He does well and is extremely lovable. As much as he thinks he is complicated and messed up, he is just too likable to doubt his ability to work through what he is going through.

Audrey Tautou is gorgeous. She has an unique style of comedic timing which has always worked for her and does again her. Her scene in the boardroom is particularly hilarious. Her and Duris have wonderful chemistry and she is a pleasure to watch every moment she is on screen. Kelly Reilly also does well. She gives a particularly emotional performance as a woman who is on the brim of happiness, but is still worn down from what she has been experiencing.

Chinese Puzzle is charming and a wonderful feel good film. It has some very touching moments, but also some incredibly funny ones.

7/10

Korean Film Festival Australia: A Werewolf Boy (2012)

  

 

Year: 2012
Running Time: 122 minutes
Director: Jo Sung-hee
Writer: Jo Sung-hee
Cast: Park Bo-Young, Song Joong-Ki, Jang Young-nam, Yoo Yeon-Seok

A Werewolf Boy is the official opening film for the Korean Film Festival in Australia 2013. Screened in Brisbane on the 14th August and Sydney on the 21st August. Screening in Melbourne on the 5th September. Please see here official site for tickets and venue details.

A Werewolf Boy was also screened at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival and screened on the 3rd and 11th August.

As the top grossing melodrama at the Korean box office of all time, A Werewolf Boy has something for everyone.

One wouldn't suspect it by just reading the title of the film, but A Werewolf Boy is so incredibly sweet and beautiful. It turns a stereotypically horror associated character into a lovable and misunderstood soul who craves love and friendship. The film has a bit of everything in it with plenty of laughs, tear-jerker moments and despite it's light content for the most part, you can't have a film about a werewolf without having a few scary moments.

47 years ago, a young girl, Suni (Park Bo-Young) and her family move into a farmhouse to make a new start. They soon discover that there is a feral boy (Song Joong-Ki) living on their property. They take in the boy, who's behaviour is more like a wolf or dog than a boy, and rename him Chul-Soo. Suni and Chul-Soo share a very special bond as the two become best friends and each other's first love. When neighbours start to find out what Chul-Soo really is, it puts him in real danger and will break both his and Suni's hearts.

A Werewolf Boy is a beautiful breath of fresh air in cinema. This genre hybrid is unlike any other teen romance film where a human falls in love with a supernatural creature. The big difference here is that unique beauty really is present in the relationship between Suni and Chul-Soo. Neither of them speak the same language as each other, but they both come to understand each other and do not want to be without the other. There is no love at first sight, but rather the progress of a relationship which is based on respect and friendship. There is also so much beauty in the innocence of the friendship between Suni and Chul-Soo, as well as in all the scenes with the younger children of the village. It is so well done how the script allows us to see how children are more accepting of those who are different and can sense when there is good in the difference.

Although the story does come completely equipped with the promise of it being not completely realistic, the ending of the film starts to makes it seem a bit more like a fairytale. The ending really is a matter of personal taste and opinion as to whether you will appreciate it. It seems a highly unlikely outcome and also one which doesn't really quite add up. It is still a sweet ending nevertheless.

A Werewolf Boy is also visually beautiful. The countryside in which the farmhouse is located in beautiful and in the snow this beauty is amplified.

Park Bo-Young is absolutely wonderful in this film. She is such a beautiful and relatable character. You see her character change throughout the film and one of her last scenes in the film in which she is in the woods, she is just sublime and absolutely heartbreaking in. Song Joong-Ki is also wonderful. Whilst many people may think that acting like a dog for the majority of the film may be an easy task, he proves this isn't the case. His Chul-Soo is an extremely complex character, as he changes so much throughout the film and his change needs to be shown gradually and convincingly. His mannerisms are spot on for the part he is playing and after establishing that he is not the scary monster people think he is, he is the object of the audience's affection.

A Werewolf Boy is truly a film for everyone, in a way that is so rare these days. It is a treat to see something so different get it right and be a thing of true beauty.

8/10


The Korean Film Festival in Australia will be in these cities on the following dates:
Brisbane      14th-18th August
Sydney         21st-29th August
Melbourne  5th-11th September

For more information, please see the Korean Film Festival in Australia Official Website

Melbourne Film Festival: Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer (2013)

Year: 2013

Running Time: 88 minutes

Director: Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin

Cast: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival on the 30th of July, 4th and 9th of August 2013.

One of the most intriguing cases in Russia's recent days paves the way for one very interesting and equalling intriguing documentary

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer is an exceptionally well made film which achieves what many documentaries with similarly controversial topics don't, the freedom of choice. Just as the members of Pussy Riot believe in the freedom to voice their opinions, this film believes that the audience has a right to the freedom to choose whether they believe that the members of the all female band are the victims or have received a just punishment. As well as being un-bias, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer is wonderfully made and extremely thorough and informative.

On the 21st of February 2012, five girls dressed in bright coloured dresses and balaclavas took to a Moscow Russian Orthodox Cathedral and performed in protest of the church leader's support of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova , Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were arrested for hooliganism and faced seven years in prison if found guilty. This film covers the trial from beginning to end and the controversy surrounding the girls and their fight for freedom.

There could not have been a more thorough examination of the phenomenon which Pussy Riot has created. Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorvkin's film looks at every possible detail that accompanies the band and it's trial. With interviews with those closest to the three girls, we find out more about who each of them are and how and why they became involved in Pussy Riot. There are also interviews with those who are for the girls and those who are against, so you are not hearing second hand information and the accuracy of the film is heightened. Footage from the crucial moments in the court room are also included in the film, as well as those happenings between protesters and police outside the courtroom. It is absolutely intriguing to watch for those who do and don't know much about Pussy Riot, and also is a great look into the Russian judicial system.

For the most part, the film is un-bias. Both sides of the argument as to whether these girls should have to endure the sentence or not are presented. Those who were extremely offended by actions of the girls are allowed to have their say in the film, and this is not just restricted to the leaders of the church, but also civilians. The "for" side does have more screen time in the film and this could be the film makers trying to lean the audience to that side, but all in all, we are allowed to make up our own mind from watching the film.

The editing of the film is superb. Even though there are flashbacks and moments taken to look at the girls backgrounds, the film just seems to flow smoothly. For those who don't know the story of Pussy Riot, there is a suspense there which keeps you going till the end. If you hadn't known much about the trial before, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer provides you with the intrigue to keep following the revelations of the case from here on in.

What we have here is a very well made documentation of an intriguing current issue. This film will be known in the future as the best resource in finding out exactly who Pussy Riot is and what happened in the court room as a result of their actions.

8/10

Melbourne Film Festival: The Rocket (2013)

Year: 2013

Running Time: 96 minutes

Director: Kim Mordaunt

Writer: Kim Mordaunt

Cast: Sitthiphon Disamoe, Loungnam Kaosainam, Thep Phongam, Bunsri Yindi, Sumrit Warin, Alice Keohavong

The Rocket will be screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival on the 8th and 10th of August 2013. Please see official site for more information http://www.miff.com.au

The Rocket will open in Australian cinemas on the 29th of August and is distributed by Curious Films.

Winner of the Sydney Film Festival's Audience Award this year,  The Rocket is a piece of pure beauty.

A film that will both break your heart, but also fill you with love and joy, The Rocket is one of the first films for international distribution that is set and filmed in the war torn country of Laos. It gives the world a look inside of the broken yet beautiful country while telling a coming-of-age story like no  other. This combination with the addition of incredible performances of memorable characters makes Kim Mordaunt's debut feature film one of the best of the year. 

A set of boy twins are born in Laos, where it is believed that each set of twins contains one child which is a blessing and one which will bring bad luck on the family. One of the boys is a still-born and the other is allowed to live, but Ahlo (Sitthiphon Disamoe) is always believed to be the bad luck twin, especially by his grandmother (Bunsri Yindi). When his family is forced to move from their native home, they come across hard times. Ahlo believes that he can win a rocket competition and win the prize money that will allow his family to live on their land and grow the mango trees he wants to plant in rememberence of his mother.

 

Writer and director Mordaunt has done an absolutely incredible job at telling the story of Laos by telling the story of Ahlo and his family and friends. There are not two stories being told during the film, but we are learning just as much about the characters as we are about the country at the same time. The Rocket is the film that it is because of the country it is filmed and set in and as it is so rare to have a film set in Laos, it is completely original and like no other.  The Rocket Festival is indeed a real competition and according to Mordaunt and producer, Sylvia Wilczynski, is almost metaphorical in the most bombed country in the world, as they are sending the bombs back up to where they fell from. That really says something about the beautiful people living in Laos, as they have made a happy occasion out of something so terrible. It is this spirit that assists in the overall beauty of the film, as it starts off so heartbreaking, but turns into something so uplifting.

The cinematography and musical score do nothing but give complete and utter support to the beauty aspect of the film. The landscape shots are breathtaking and you can smell the incense in the air. One incredible scene is when Ahlo is swimming and the camera sees everything he sees, including all the fallen spiritual statues underwater. The music is wonderful and fitting for every scene. There is traditional music, but it is a great moment when James Brown suddenly starts blaring as Ahlo is being chased. 

The characters and those who play them are just as wonderful as each other. Both Sitthiphon Disamoe and Loungnam Kaosainam, who plays the little orphan girl, Kia are incredible in their very first on screen roles. Disamoe has talent beyond his years and plays a character who the audience connects with and instantly feels sorry for. However, when Kaosainam is on screen, she absolutely steals the show. At such a young age, she is as good a supporting actress as any you will see. Like Disamoe, she is beyond her years and a complete natural on the camera.

Purple, who is played by Thep Phongam is one memorable character, particularly for his obsession with James Brown. He has some hilarious scenes and is like an enigma for the better partof the film. Alice Keohavong, who plays Ahlo's mother, Mali, cannot be forgotten. When on screen, you are bewildered by the fierce love she has for her son. It is so intense how she feels for her son and it is not hard to believe that he is her everything. Bunsri Yindi, who plays Ahlo's grandmother is also a fierce character, but has some very funny moments. 

The Rocket is one of the most incredible films of the year. It is a flawless film which is entrancing, suspenseful and a masterpiece. A wonderful way to capture the true essence of Laos.

9.5/10

Le Prenom (What's In A Name?) (2012)

 

 

Year: 2012

Director: Alexandre de la Pattelliere and Matthieu Delaporte

Cast: Patrick Bruel, Valerie Benguigui, Charles Berling, Guillaume de Tonquedec, Judith El Zein

Le Prenom (What's In A Name?) will be released and distributed by Madman in Australia on the 25th of July 2013

 

What's In A Name? is an incredibly intelligent film based purely on character and dialogue.

 

Alexandre de la Patteliere and Matthieu Delaporte's latest starts off as one film, but ends as another. What's In A Name? begins as a clever and enjoyable comedy and stems into a French version of Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? with some intense arguments that will seems all to familiar to some couples and families.  

 

 

Married couple, Elisabeth (Valerie Benguigui) and Pierre (Charles Berling) host a small dinner party for their lifelong friend, Claude (Guillaume de Tonquedec) and Elisabeth's brother, Vincent (Patrick Bruel) and his pregnant wife, Anna (Judith El Zein). All seems to be going swimmingly until Vincent announces the name he will be giving to his son, there seems to be no one in the room who shares his enthusiasm. What ensues is a night full of confrontations regarding everything  these people have been keeping to themselves regarding each other.

 

The film of What's In A Name? is based on the play by Matthieu Delaporte, who also co-directed and wrote the adaptation. So as a result, you would expect the screenplay to be wonderful, and that it is. The dialogue is extremely witty, intelligent and enjoyable. It is extremely well done how the film just flows through the night without any sudden hold ups in the film. It is also not predictable at all, especially when it comes to Claude's confession which is the funniest part of the second half of the film.

 

In saying that, up until the point where Anna enters the film, What's In A Name? is a very funny and sweet film. When Anna enters the film, it all turns rather nasty. It actually becomes quite uncomfortable watching this family turn on each other and the characters you were actually really enjoying watching to begin with, you start to dislike intensely. The perfect example is the character of Elisabeth. To begin with she seems relatable and so realistic, yet as the film goes on she starts to seem nothing less of spiteful and incredibly mean. The funny thing is, this revelation makes the character who you initially didn't like seem like the good guy by the end of the film. It is quite a thing of genius to be able to switch the sympathy between characters like that. While the script is still almost flawless in the second half of the film, this half is the less enjoyable of the two.

The first five minutes of the film would be wonderful for French viewers who don't need to read subtitles, but for those who do not speak the language of the film, it is actually quite annoying. What's In A Name? has an Amelie type beginning where the characters are introduced in a montage which highlights their key characteristics and before that, has a montage of the path a pizza delivery man take to the apartment where all this is going to take place. The trip to the apartment is a beautiful montage of Paris and all it's glory. However, if you are not watching this in French, you are missing the beautiful visuals and the visuals that accompany the character's as you are trying to read the subtitles. The shots in the montage are way too quick and if you blink or read a subtitle, you miss it.

 

It is the men in What's In A Name? who steal the limelight. Patrick Bruel, Charles Berling and Guillaume de Tonquedec are all fantastic to watch and do not miss a beat through the film. They all have great comedic timing, but all have a great deal of individual character. Valerie Benguigui is good, but, as said before, she has the stigma of being such an unlikable character by the end.

 

What's In A Name? is very intelligent film and the first half is so much fun. Maybe it would have been better as a short film if you are after a light hearted comedy, but it works well as a feature film if you want a laugh, but also want to be challenged.

 

6.5/10

 



Amour (2012)

Year: 2012
Country: Austria
Director: Michael Haneke
Cast: Jean- Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert
Amour is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray everywhere

Amour is as tragic and heartbreaking as it is hauntingly beautiful.

Michael Haneke has provided every ingredient in order to create an absolute masterpiece with Amour. The film completely emotionally captivates it's audience from beginning to end with absolutely astounding performances and beautiful direction.

Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) are a married couple in their eighties who are retired music teachers living in Paris. Life is seemingly peaceful and idyllic, until the day that Anne suffers a stroke which leaves her paralysed down one side. As Anne's physical and mental health rapidly deteriorates, the couple's bond is tested and their relationship changes it's course.

Amour is a heartbreaking reminder of our own mortality and  what happens to the relationships around us as the end approaches in such a way that is seen in this film. The film can be very emotional to watch as it progresses, but it rewards you at the end with a beautiful and fitting ending. It is the type of ending which makes you uncomfortable before almost straight away making you feel at peace yourself.

Even though the beginning of the film gives you the final outcome of the film, it still avoids predictability by not giving away how it will come to that finale and engrosses you completely regardless of whether you know the ending or not. The script, also written by Michael Haneke, is just beautiful as it shows how hard you have to work at a marriage whether it be in your first days as husband and wife or your last. It brings forth the worries that a couple will always have no matter how old they are, but also the little things that make a marriage work such as a sense of humour and playfulness, as well as common interests (which is music in this case).

Haneke's direction is just exquisite. The majority of Amour involves only two people and is set almost completely inside their apartment. Haneke makes sure throughout the film that the rooms of the apartment and the way in which they are seen on film fits the mood of the scene which they are in. He uses different lighting in the chosen room in each scene it is ion and each time you see a particular room, it isn't in the same circumstance and therefore has a completely different feel to it. Like the ending, the apartment seems to be it's most peaceful right at the end.

There could not be enough praise given to Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva. Trintignant is wonderful as Georges. It is incredible to watch how his character changes with Anne's change in health. He starts off such a strong personality as seen when he and Anne are talking at the beginning, but he begins to wear out bit by bit and even when he is trying to stand up to one of Anne's nurses, he is just too tired to make himself seem threatening.

Emmanuelle Riva is just astonishing. She commands the audience's sympathy and you feel all of her frustration and sadness. Although the state of her body is deteriorating, it is her expressions that give away how worn out her soul is getting as the end draws near.

There is one stunning quote in Amour that stays with you. When looking through a photo album, Anne says "Isn't it beautiful?" to which Georges replies "What?", and she says "Life".

This is such an incredible line and is what we should all take away from seeing such a beautiful film that reminds you of the beauty there is in our existence.

9/10






On a side note.....
Amour was the only film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards earlier this year that Movie Critical was not able to review before the awards. With this review, all nine nominees for the category have now been reviewed. The other eight nominees were:-
Argo (Best Picture winner)
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

You may also like to check out our wrap up of the week that we were in Hollywood for the Oscars here. Movie Critical will be back in Hollywood for the week of the Academy Awards in 2014 and will be reviewing all the films to be nominated leading up to the event.

Sydney Film Festival: Borgman (2013)

Year: 2013
Country: The Netherlands
Director: Alex van Warmerdam
Cast: Jan Bijvoet, Hadewych Minis, Jeroen Perceval, Sara Hjort Ditlevsen, Alex van Warnerdam
Borgman will be screening at the Sydney Film Festival on the 13th and 14th of June 2013 and is one of the entrants in the Official Competition. For more information please see here

Having had it's world premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Borgman became the film everyone was talking about for it's unsettling atmosphere and creepy characters.

From all the talk coming from the south of France, one would expect Borgman to leave you completely rattled and with recurring nightmares as promised. However, if you listen to the hype you will be disappointed. Yes it is creepy and unsettling, but not as much as the hype suggests. There is no doubt that it is a very interesting, entertaining and well made film, but it isn't the scariest film of the year that it has been made out to be.

A strange, bearded man (Jan Bijvoet) is chased by a priest and his men with spears and axes when he comes across a modern family house. He knocks at the door asking the man of the house, Richard (Jeroen Perceval) if he could have a bath. Richard isn't convinced, but his wife Marina (Hadewych Minis) feels pity for the man and takes him in. The man, who now reveals himself as Camiel Borgman, and his strange friends draw each of the family in, causing turmoil and havoc which intensifies until the dramatic final night.

Borgman seems to be one of those films you like more the more you think about it. When the credits roll, there is a lot to take in. On the surface there is a good film that is well shot and very clean cut and neat. It is not a typical "horror" film. It is extremely subtle and doesn't force itself to scare the audience. It has a very dark undertone and it's creepiness resides in how Borgman and his friends don't visually resemble the typical idea of what evil forces would be. It is scary that they come across so normal  and just fit right into society, until their behaviour suggests otherwise.

 There is a lot more to the film that lies under the surface. There is a lot that you need to really think about and take in after the film. One thing about this film is that it doesn't supply you with answers and you have to come to conclusions yourself about several aspects of the film, such as the presence of the greyhounds on the property and also the actual inner character of young Isolde. This is frustrating, especially with the events at the end of the film. As you really need to think about it and draw your own conclusion, you don't feel a sense of closure or peace with the film. The overall feeling of the film is unsettling, but it is unsettling in a different way at the end in that you are left in an unsettling state of confusion.

Borgman also claims to be blackly humorous. It is only very, very subtly funny. It is not overtly funny, it's more bizarre than funny. If you find the strangeness of something funny, than you may well find Borgman quite comical.

Visually, the film isn't a masterpiece or a selection of beautiful pictures, but it is very neat and clean cut. That is one of the things that makes Borgman unlike other films of it's particular genre. It doesn't rely on it's visuals for it's atmosphere, but does make sure that the visuals are as polished as they can be.

The players bring these unsettling characters to life. Jan Bijvoet delivers a very subtle and unexaggerated performance of Borgman. He doesn't give the typical performance of such a being, but this is why he works. Borgman is manipulative, cunning and scheming and this is were his evil shows through. Even though not physically powerful, he presence is that of a leader and of control.

Hadewych Minis and Jeroen Perceval are very good as married couple Marina and Richard. Perceval gives an emotionally charged performance as a father who wants to protect his family and is falling apart at the seams in the process.

Borgman is very interesting and keeps you enthralled from the beginning to the end without fail. However, questions remain unanswered and it is made to unsettle and it is fine if that unsettling feeling comes from confusion.

7/10

Please click here to see the official English trailer for Borgman (embedding unavailable)


The 60th Sydney Film Festival will be running from the 5th-16th June 2013. Please see the official website for more details.

Sydney Film Festival: Blancanieves (2012)

Year: 2012
Country: Spain
Director: Pablo Berger
Cast: Maribel Verdu, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Macarena Garcia, Angela Molina
Blancanieves will be screening at the Sydney Film Festival on the 11th and 14th of June 2013. For more information on times, venues and tickets please see here

For how many retellings of the fairy tale "Snow White" there have been since Disney's masterpiece in 1937, Blancanieves has presented the story with so much beauty and originality in it's presentation that makes it one of the best adaptations on the big screen ever.

The best word to describe Blancanieves is beautiful. There is beauty in the story as there always has been, but also beauty in the translation of the fairy tale in a completely different setting and time. There is beautiful cinematography, musical score, set design and costumes. And of course, the acting is just exquisite.

Set in 1920's Seville, Carmen (Sofia Oria/ Macarena Garcia) is the beautiful daughter of the late Spanish dancer, Carmen de Triana (Inma Cuesta) and the famous bullfighter, Antonio Villalta (Daniel Gimenez Cacho). Her father is left disabled after a horrible accident and she is sent to live happily with her grandmother, but when she passes away, Carmen is sent to live with her father and horrible stepmother, Encarna (Maribel Verdu). After another horrible turn of events, Carmen comes across seven little friends who change her life and give her the family she has always wanted, as well as a career in bullfighting.

The way the timeless classic has been recreated is wonderful. It is not made to seem like a fairy tale, but rather the tragedy of this poor girl with some quirky twists and turns. It is as though director and writer, Pablo Berger has just taken the skeleton of "Snow White" and formed a 1920's Spanish body around it. There are a few tiny things, if being picky, you can see in the film, particularly in the concluding scenes which are a bit too far fetched and don't make a whole lot of sense, but that is where the fairy tale basis comes into play.

The film, made last year, is filmed in black and white and is silent with English subtitles. You feel as though you are watching a film made in the time period in which the film is set, but with all the film making tricks of the trade we have learnt since. In this way it is like the 2011 film, The Artist, but this is where the similarities end. By way of gorgeous images and Spanish guitar music, you feel completely submerged in the world in which Blancanieves is set. You feel as though you are transported back to the beginning of the 20th century in Spain and it is a wonderful place to be.

The opening of the film with the landscape of Seville and the crowds of people running towards the bullfighting arena sets the scene perfectly. You immediately feel the atmosphere of the town in that time period and hear everything these people could hear and see all the bright colours of the bull fighting ring and the flamenco dancers, even though you cannot see these things on screen. The costume design of the bullfighters and all the women in particular is exquisite, and, as just noted, you don't need to see them in colour to see the beauty in them.

There are some amazing performances in this film. Macarena Garcia who plays the older Carmen is wonderful. She is so likable and expresses her emotions perfectly for a silent film. Sofia Oria plays the younger Carmen and is also wonderful. She is adorable, you has so much fight in her. Daniel Gimenez Cacho gives a very convincing performance as well. Maribel Verdu is the star of the performers. She is so good as the stepmother because she has the ability to look so elegant and beautiful, yet when she turns on the evil, she is downright horrid.

Blancanieves is wonderfully entertaining and a visually stunning film. It is so original in it's execution and is unlike anything you have seen in a long, long time.

9/10





The 60th Sydney Film Festival will be running from the 5th-16th June 2013. For more information, please see the official website

Sydney Film Festival: Soldate Jeannette (2013)

Year: 2013
Country: Austria
Director: Daniel Hoesl
Cast: Johanna Orsini-Rosenberg, Christina Reichsthaler, Josef Kleindienst
Screening at the Sydney Film Festival on the 6th and 8th of June 2013. Please see here for details on times, venues and tickets.

Soldate Jeannette is set to become one of the most interesting films of this year's Sydney Film Festival, reminding us all that film is first and foremost an art form.

The entertainment value and suspense of the film may not be quite as high as some others, but it certainly is a very interesting film in every way. It's way of production is fascinating and the message inspiring. What Soldate Jeannette proves is that in order to create a beautiful piece of art, it is not large amounts of money that will achieve this, but a whole lot of heart.

Fanni (Johanna Orsini-Rosenberg) has been living a life of extravagance, but has come to dislike money intensely. When some of her secrets start to unravel, she leaves her life of luxury and travels to the country to live on a farm. There she meets and befriends Anna (Christina Reichsthaler) who is unhappy with her life. Together, these two break free of their confines and find a life of freedom where they no longer feel they have to do what they don't want to do.

The most intriguing thing about Soldate Jeannette is that it is completely unscripted. It is completely improvised by the actors. What is more interesting is that the two main character's experiences are based on the experiences of their actors. These stories were found out by director, Daniel Hoesl during casting and the film was moulded around these life stories. Also, this film was made with a budget of almost nothing.

If you just walked into a cinema and knew nothing about the film to begin with, you may say that the film is slow and boring and takes too long to get to the point. However, if you go into Soldate Jeannette with the background knowledge of how it was made and these interesting facts of production, you are willing to look over these downfalls. Any film with a production such as this deserves to be praised. It is not the film you want to see if you want to be thoroughly entertained and be kept guessing, but the one to see if you want to see art in action.

The cinematography in this film is really amazing. There are some absolutely incredible shots throughout the film, many of which are of things which normally wouldn't be considered anything special. For example, the night shots of a road where you can only see the car's headlights driving up and down the laneways is so interesting to watch when it really isn't all that in real life. Some of the location shots are also quite intriguing, especially those of the farm exteriors. There is also great use of symbolism, such as the necklace symbolising the world of luxury and wealth.

The acting in this film is extremely subtle. There isn't a great deal of emotion shown from any of the characters, only very slightly. There isn't a great deal of character development either, although there is growth. Both lead actresses do well and it is obvious they have both drawn from experience because they improvise so convincingly.

Soldate Jeannette is a wonderful piece of artwork for those who love to marvel at the beauty of film. It is an achievement which Hoesl should be extremely proud of.

7/10


The Sydney Film Festival will run from the 5th-16th of June. Please see the official website for details.

Un bonheur n' arrive jamais seul (Happiness Never Comes Alone)

Year: 2012
Country: France
Director: James Huth
Cast: Gad Elmaleh, Sophie Marceau, Maurice Barthelemy, Francois Berleand
Limited release Australian theatres 30th May 2013

If you are starting to get a bit tired of watching the action blockbusters which grace our film more often that not at this time of the year and drama films are just a tad too emotionally taxing, then Happiness Never Comes Alone may just be the break you are after.

Happiness Never Comes Alone is an incredibly simple fun film with an extremely easy story to follow. It doesn't delve deep into your emotions or leave a lasting impression, but it does still give some great laughs and some beautiful moments in amazing Paris.

Sacha Keller (Gad Elmaleh) is a free spirited bachelor who writes jingles for commercials by day and plays piano at a jazz club at night in exchange for an open bar. He feels like he has got it made, until by chance he meets accident prone Charlotte (Sophie Marceau). The two instantly fall for each other and they seem like they are made for each other. However, things become complicated when Sacha discovers that Charlotte has three of the things he is terrified of, children. Not only that, but she is the ex-wife of one of his company's biggest and most powerful clients.

Happiness Never Comes Alone is a very simple film. It is nothing that we haven't seen before, but still has a certain charm to it. Because of this lack of originality, you do leave the film trying to figure out what the whole point of the film was and what is the lesson you are supposed to be taking away from it. Of course, there is the common theme we see in romance films that the two people in love will always be in love no matter what. You can probably take away the idea that anyone can change their lifestyle when the right person comes along, but you are still waiting for something a tad more insightful to hit you.

Yet, it is the humour and visuals of the film which keep the film from becoming a dud. The script is really very funny in parts with some great one-liners (especially when Sacha likens Leonard to "a little Philip Seymour Hoffman"). The antics of Sacha with the children are hilarious as are Charlotte's string of unfortunate but hilarious accidents.

The cinematography is also quite beautiful and shows off Paris. In particular, the scenes which are set in Sacha's Montmarte apartment show the Sacre Coeur Basilica in the reflection of his window. A great way to show off the beauty of the city.

One thing about the film is that it's soundtrack is perhaps not used in the most effective way. In two particular scenes which are when Sacha and Charlotte meet for the first time and the final scene, they use a love song turned up to drown out any other sound. It is meant to enhance the emotion in the scene, but it is not done in a subtle way at all. When the music starts, you are waiting for something funny to happen because it is so blown out of proportion.

Gad  Elmaleh doesn't do an altogether bad job as Sacha, but it isn't a particularly emotional performance. He doesn't connect with the audience on an emotional level at all really, whether it be with Charlotte or with her kids. Sophie Marceau does do better and you can feel her love and pain in every scene she is in. Her Charlotte is an extremely likable character. The chemistry between Elmaleh and Marceau is completely enthralling.

Whether or not Happiness Never Comes Alone leaves a lasting impression on you, it does bring a smile to your face. Sometimes simple is just what we need in this harsh world.

6.5/10

The Hunt (Jagten)

Year: 2012
Country: Denmark
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Lasse Fogelstrom, Alexandra Rapaport
Limited release in Australia currently showing
Limited release in the USA 12th July 2013
Available to purchase on DVD from Amazon here

What happens to the people who are accused of a terrible crime, but are actually innocent?

This notion is explored in The Hunt. The film shows how innocent until proven guilty is the way it may work in the legal system, but in the mind of members of society it is more guilty until proven innocent. The Hunt gives us plenty to think about when we leave the cinema and also makes wonderful viewing with some incredible performances.

Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen) has had a rough time after losing his job as a teacher and having to fight for custody of his son, Marcus (Lasse Fogelstrom). Things start to look up for him when he starts work at a kindergarten and starts dating Nadja (Alexandra Rapaport). Just when it looks like things may just be on the right track, one of the children at the kindergarten accuses Lucas of something terrible. Lucas is innocent, but it will take a lot more than his word to make everyone think otherwise.

The Hunt deals with the confronting subject that is pedophilia, but it doesn't deal with the act of paedophilia. It deals with how people react to the accusation of it. We see how the family of the victim deal with it and how the people around the accused act towards them. What the film also looks at is what happens to the accused who are actually innocent. Even if they are not charged as being guilty and the accusation is still there, they might as well still be guilty. People change around them and their whole world is turned upside down by a lie.

So the film isn't really as confronting as it may sound like it is going to be as it is not graphic. It just really challenges your mind. The Hunt does have a thrill to it, as you are completely unsure how it is going to finish  and what will happen to Lucas.

The Hunt puts Danish film making on show. It has a wonderful combination of magnificent direction, cinematography and acting. The Danish wilderness is transferred to the screen beautifully. The hunting scenes in the snow are truly breath taking.

It was for this film that Mads Mikkelsen was nominated for and won Best Actor at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and rightly so. He commands the audience's sympathy right from the beginning of the film. You feel so much pain for this poor man who has nothing go right for him at the hands of someone else.

The other star of the film is little Annika Wedderkopp who plays Klara, the little girl who tells her classmates that Lucas exposed himself to her. You think about a little child who has innocently told a lie which has had a major impact, and even though it was done without her knowing the full implications, you still feel dislike. However, it is so hard to be mad at Wedderkopp. Apart from the fact that she really is a little cutie, she plays the role with such purity that she is impossible not to like. You actually do feel sorry for her by how awkward she seems in the whole situation. It's incredible for such a young little girl to give such a beautiful performance.

It isn't just these two who give amazing performances. Lasse Fogelstrom is fantastic as Marcus and Thomas Bo Larsen, who plays Klara's father is also incredible.

The Hunt is so special because it approaches a subject from a different angle than the way it is normally talked about. It makes you ponder what you would do in the same situation and how you would behave towards someone who was accused of something, but proved innocent. Would you still treat them as if they were guilty and refuse to believe they are innocent in order to prevent yourself from guilt? Or would all be forgotten?

9/10


On a side note....
It's incredible to think that here we are talking about Mads Mikkelsen being named Best Actor at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and the 2013 festival is only days away from starting.

Even though I am on the other side of the world, it is always a very exciting time of the year for me. Any film festival is an exciting time really, but Cannes is one of the most, if not the most prestigious of them all.

I love hearing about who the winners are and which films are making their debut. I always get to find out what amazing movies I have to look forward to. And of course, there are always the films that I thought I was looking forward to but if the word from Cannes is unfavourable, then I might not look forward to it as much. Doesn't mean I won't go and see it and make my own mind up though!

For a link to the list of films involved in this years Cannes Film Festival, please click here for the list on Film Ink.

You may have also seen Mads Mikkelsen in......
Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky as Igor Stravinsky

Biutiful

Biutiful
Year: 2010
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu
Cast: Javier Bardem, Maricel Alvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella

In My Own Words
When the lights went down for the 6:30 session of "Biutiful", the silence itself was almost deafening. When Javier Bardem's name appeared on the screen, my friend next to me held up her hands as if to applaud him. Without even seeing Bardem in "Biutiful" yet, you know it is going to be an absolute powerhouse of a performance.  Bardem himself is a fantastic actor and has proved this in many films such as in his Oscar winning role in "No Country For Old Men". However, I believe that it takes something very special to be nominated in one of the main categories of the Academy Awards for a non-English speaking film. Bardem was nominated for Best Performance by An Actor In A Leading Role for "Biutiful", not an easy category to be in contention for. When you look back at the performances which have been nominated for Academy Awards in the past which are not part of English speaking films, they are all truly amazing, unforgettable performances. Of course, all the performances which are nominated for the big awards are indeed noteworthy, but there are always some nominees which people find questionable. The nominees who are nominated for a foreign film and never questioned and always legitimate contenders. For example, Marion Cotillard in "La Vie En Rose", Penelope Cruz in "Volver" and Roberto Benigni in "Life Is Beautiful". The Academy recognises the performances in foreign films which are truly unforgettable and Bardem's performance in"Biutiful" is one of these.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
"Biutiful" is exactly as the name suggests, beautiful. It is not beautiful as in it's all rainbows and flowers, as it is quite the opposite. It is hard-hitting, but in a subtle way. It is unsettling, but not disturbing. It is an emotionally charged film with powerful performances so real that they make you truly believe that you are watching real life play out in front of you. "Biutiful" follows the last few months of Uxbal's (Javier Bardem) life as he dies from cancer. He decides against telling his family about his condition, and instead tries to make sure his two young children will have a good life once he is gone. Uxbal tries to make amends for his wrongs and to protect his children from their mother and his wife, Marambra's (Maricel Alvarez) self-destructive behaviour. On the road to his end, he is faced with more heartbreak and guilt than one should ever have to go through.

Javier Bardem is the star of this film and he is everything the lead of a film should be. He is in control of every scene he is in and carries the film perfectly. He is extremely likable and the audience can really sympathize with him. They feel truly sorry for him with the things he has to go through and all you want him to do is have a peaceful end to his life. "Biutiful" really tugs at your heartstrings as the performance by Bardem is so powerful. There is so much pain and suffering, but also love for his children shown just in his eyes throughout the film. A particularly memorable scene is when he comes face to face with his father for the first time in the morgue and the amount of emotions you realise that are passing through the character of Uxbal at that point in time is fantastic. Bardem is able to bring the character of Uxbal to life and completely embodies the character in a way which is seen extremely rarely.

"Biutiful" deals with some very confronting situations which will be very real to some people, but unlike most confronting movies, the confrontation is very subtle. The situations which the viewer is presented with throughout the film could be disturbing if they were done in a different way, but in "Biutiful" they are no so much. This is not to say that the filmis weak at all, but some of the things which occur stay in your mind after the film but don't make you feel uncomfortable. This is something quite extraordinary. Director Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu has really excelled himself by doing something like this which is basically unheard of. The musical score is also commendable. It adds to the tension of each scene and the score is actually quite selective. There is less backing sound than there is in a typical film, but the scenes which are backed by the score are the ones which really do benefit from it. There are no scenes that the musical score is part of that have it there just for backing sounds. Every scene which is included as part of the musical score is so because it is enhanced by it. The cinematography is beautiful and the editing is brilliant.

"Biutiful" is once again a time for Javier Bardem and Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu to shine. It proves that confrontation does not always mean having to make the audience feel uncomfortable, but this is something you may not realise until you see "Biutiful"
8/10