Jackie (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 99 minutes
Director: Pablo Larrain
Writer: Noah Oppenheim
Cast: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt, Richard E. Grant, Caspar Phillipson

Jackie is now showing in the United States and is distributed by Fox Searchlight. To be released in Australia on January 12 and distributed by Entertainment One.

Pablo Larrain's Jackie paints a sublime portrait of the extraordinary First Lady in the most complex and darkest of days following her husband's death. While Natalie Portman's wonderful performance of Jacqueline Kennedy is it's focal point, the film is an incredibly beautiful piece of work that is subtly powerful and brilliantly written by Noah Oppenheim.

November 22 1963 was the day that shocked the world. While the nation mourned the death of their leader, President John F. Kennedy, his widow, Jacqueline Kennedy (Natalie Portman) was faced not only with making sense of the sudden death of her husband, but also the closing of the Kennedy's reign of power in the White House. The days that followed that terrible event were filled with confusion and grief for the former First lady, but also a great deal of strength and remarkable power.

While the film is a thing of beauty as a whole, Natalie Portman is the core strength, heart and soul of Jackie. With her first appearance on screen as Jacqueline Kennedy as she greets the journalist at her front door, it is obvious that this is so much more than a straight forward biopic performance. While Portman does completely disappears into her character by perfecting her speech, mannerisms and walk, it is what she brings emotionally and psychologically rather than just physically that makes this her such a revelation. In Jackie, Portman has the uncanny ability to pack so much power into such a restrained performance and she is truly breathtaking.

The former First Lady has been crafted into a character for the screen with complete sincerity and respect. She is presented as a woman who experiences a great deal of sadness and confusion in her grief in the most extraordinary of situations, which the majority of us can only imagine. While Jacqueline Kennedy has always been seen as an enigmatic historical figure, Jackie allows us to see her in the most human of ways despite her social position of power. She is not subject to overt hero-worship, but it is impossible not to respect her and grow even more fond of her, which is a credit to both Portman and the filmmakers.

Jackie is beautifully constructed around it's main character. It is incredibly interesting to look at the way her story is told, as the screenplay is not written in the conventional fashion of the chronological order of events. Rather than this being confusing in any way, it makes the film feel well-rounded and Jackie's story complete. Flashbacks (particularly of the White House Tour) are used both to compare the lady she was to the lady she became and also to build suspense and intrigue in her story. The film plays back history from her point of view, which is a completely different story to the one we all know about what occurred on that fateful day.

And production-wise Jackie is completely and utterly exquisite. From beginning to end, the film feels as though it was truly shot in 1963. It's nostalgia is perfected by the incredible production design by Jean Rabasse, beautiful costume design by Madeline Fontaine and art direction by Halina Gebarowicz. Director of Photography Stephane Fontaine's cinematography is also incredibly special with the way he has the ability to turn so many scenes into a piece of art using the lighting and a range of long, short and travelling shots. Finally the harrowing musical score by Mica Levi does everything a score should do as it heightens suspense and builds on emotion to add even more power to the film.

Jackie is what you want every biopic to be like. Although Natalie Portman's performance is one of the most powerful and memorable of the past twelve months, the film does not rely purely on her to create magic and it is beautiful in every way.

9.5/10

The Magnificent Seven (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 132 minutes
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Writers: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni (based on the screenplay by) , Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk (screenplay)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, Haley Bennet, Matt Bomer, Luke Grimes

The Magnificent Seven opens in Australian cinemas on September 29 and is distributed by Sony Pictures. Now showing in the United States.

The Magnificent Seven is a throwback to the traditional westerns of yesteryear that ticks all the boxes of what makes a film of it's genre successful. When her town of Rose Creek is taken over by savage gunmen and her husband shot and killed in front of her, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) tries to find the right men to bring justice to her hometown. She finds her emancipator in Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), who sets out to assemble a group of highly skilled and dangerous men to take on Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) and his band of men to bring Rose Creek to peace again.

The 2016 Magnificent Seven wears the title of remake loosely, as it doesn't greatly resemble the 1960 film of the same name starring Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner and Charles Bronson that it is based on. This is actually surprising considering how Antoine Fuqua's film is nostalgic as it feel like the westerns of Hollywood's Golden Age. However, as is expected of all remade films with any type of action, it likes to show off what can now be done in the cinematography and special effects department.

And show off it does. There are plenty of impressive sweeping shots of the American west that bring out how attractive it is rather than how brutal. Fuqoa is particularly fond of setting up his cast for hero shots, which usually come when introducing a character or end of the film and are in this case spread out throughout the whole movie. Again, some of these shots are rather impressive such as the seven walking into the sunset (a stereotypical shot for a film of it's genre), but it is more overkill than artistic.

However, the grandest moment of The Magnificent Seven is the fight for Rose Creek. It's battle is exactly what you crave from a western genre film with plenty of action, suspense, unpredictability and heartbreak. The first half of the film (with the exception of the opening scene) coasts along without too much to marvel at, but the promise of and lead up to the final shoot out is superb....and this is no spoiler at all to speak about. The final shoot-out is an accepted piece of a western film, and the plot of The Magnificent Seven lets one know early on that this is where the film is headed.

There isn't too great an attempt of character development for any of the main players besides the basics and what they have done in the past month or so, but each player has a solid and distinctive personality. Despite it being The Magnificent Seven, it is basically Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt being the two of the most magnificence. The two are presented in the film as rock star-like figures and it is them that drive the film. Washington is very good and a real presence on screen as the leader of the seven, Sam Chisolm. His attitude is intriguing and he embodies the cowboy ring-leader with ease and class.

Chris Pratt plays Chisolm's opposite as the mostly intoxicated and laidback, Josh Faraday. Faraday does have many traits that liken him to other Pratt characters in his past movies with his cheeky demeanour and witty one-liners so much that it almost feels as though Pratt was cast purely for comedic value. However, it does work in lightening the mood of the film and giving the screenplay a bit more life. Haley Bennett also does well in the sole female role as Emma Cullen and has several moments throughout the film when she shines.

As westerns do not grace our cinema screens with the consistency which they did in the past, The Magnificent Seven may well be the best of it's genre you see this year. Satisfies lovers of westerns and old-fashioned action.

7/10

Night Moves (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 112 minutes
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Writers: Jonathan Raymond and Kelly Reichardt
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard

Night Moves is currently playing in limited release in Australia and is distributed by Curious.

Subtle on the surface but morally complex, Night Moves is a slow and intense burn. Kelly Reichardt's latest is recognised as an environmentally political film due to it's subject matter along with it's tranquil nature visuals, yet it explores a great deal more than such a film would typically do. The film looks at taking responsibility for and dealing with actions which were made with good intentions, but have outcomes which are less than desirable and lead to human guilt. Night Moves is a very quiet film with big intentions.

Wanting to take a political stance for the good of the world, three radical environmental activists hatch a plan of attack on a hydroelectric dam in Portland. Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), Dena (Dakota Fanning) and Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard) find success in their venture which they undertake in order to make a political statement, but none are prepared for the aftermath of their elaborate and dangerous venture. The outcome does not evoke the sense of personal satisfaction or community gratification which they were seeking, but leaves each having to deal with a great deal of guilt, paranoia and the realisation that what seemed like the right thing to do for the environment may not have been worth the inner turmoil they were to endure in the aftermath.

Night Moves requires great contemplation and not about the themes typically found in such an environmentally minded film. With the exception of the environmental documentary screening in the film at the beginning and some facts about the state of the world during the film, Night Moves gives us very little to contemplate as far as the environment is concerned through plain speech. Yet, it gives us more to contemplate in relation to taking responsibility for your actions even if they were done for the right reasons. In Night Moves, this group believes they are making a stand for the good of the Earth, but they are not the heroes in the aftermath that they were expecting. Each emotionally deals with the guilt of taking responsibility for their actions when they realise they may have gone too far with their ambition. It is a dilemma which is presented in an extremely realistic way through the wonderful screenplay. The film is quietly and subtly suspenseful and as a result very unpredictable.

While Night Moves doesn't talk about environmental activism verbally, it more than makes up for this in it's visuals. Even though there is suspense in the character's actions, there is peace in the visuals. The nature shots of the forest and river are extremely tranquil and make the film extremely atmospheric. These beautiful shots install in the viewer a love for these pieces of nature and makes one understand why Josh, Dena and Harmon go to such extremes to try and make people see that this is something worth saving. Something Night Moves also does brilliantly is it avoids showing disaster so the attention is not taken away from the moral implications of the aftermath. The mind is greater than anything the eye can see, so sounds and conversation are used instead to let the viewer see the disasters talked about in their film in their mind rather than on screen.

Jesse Eisenberg does well with a character which doesn't show a great deal of emotion or variety until the last minutes of the film. Like the film itself, Josh is a very quiet, contemplative character who makes it known that he is always in deep thought about something. Eisenberg shows his wonderful ability to demonstrate great character development while saying very little. Dakota Fanning's performance is an extremely interesting one. As the rich kid turned enviro-politically minded rebel, Fanning's Dena undergoes change throughout the film due to the change in circumstances. In the beginning, she is calm in their decision to make a difference and even a little cocky feeling as she feels she is thinking the most logically out of the group and is confident in herself and actions. After the event, her emotions get the better of her as she is taken aback by this planning becoming reality and she is then the one who is visibly overcome by guilt. It is an interesting transformation of character and Fanning gives an even and controlled performance to support this development.

Kelly Reichardt's Night Moves' originality lies in it's subtle intensity and ability to quietly create a sense of importance. Wonderfully atmospheric and intriguing till the last moment.

8/10

Sydney Film Festival: Lovelace (2013)

Year: 2013
Director: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Juno Temple, Sharon Stone, Robert Patrick, Chris Noth, Hank Azaria, James Franco, Adam Brody
Lovelace will be screening at the Sydney Film Festival on the 10th and 15th of June 2013. Please see here for venues, times and tickets.

Biopic's of pornography stars are completely unlike any other type of biopic...and not just for the obvious reason.

What one notices when watching Lovelace, is that even though the film does have it's moments of drama and heartbreak, there are the moments relating directly to the pornographic industry that are just ridiculously humorous. As was the case with Linda Lovelace's film Deep Throat which had everyone talking back in 1972, you leave this film and you remember it more for the recreation of the filming of this cult/porn classic rather than the terror that Lovelace goes through.

Lovelace follows the first porn superstar, Linda Lovelace (Amanda Seyfried) on her rise to stardom. We first meet Lovelace as a twenty-one year old when she meets her to-be husband, Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard) who is the one who makes her become a pornstar so they can pay back the money they owe. The more successful Lovelace gets, the more abusive and controlling Chuck becomes. Lovelace shows how a young girl became a porn superstar and then ultimately became an anti-porn activist.

This film, which is basically based on Lovelace's 1979 autobiography "Ordeal", is an extraordinary story. It is incredible to find out how this star came to be who she was and what she went through when the cameras weren't rolling. It is amazing that someone who did something completely against her would come to be such a massive star.

However, according to many reviews of "Ordeal", the book was very hard hitting and upsetting. The film on the other hand does have it's sad moments and you do have a fear for Lovelace's safety with her violent husband, but it isn't as heart-breaking. This is perhaps because in the book you don't hear or see any recreation of the film, Deep Throat that made Lovelace a star. The recreation of the porn film in Lovelace doesn't actually show too much, but gives the impression of these acts so you don't remember these scenes for the visuals (which you apparently do in the actual 1972 film). You remember them rather because they are actually really quite funny and silly. You really can't help but giggle like a schoolgirl at some of the things said in the film recreation and on the set. Then there are the ridiculous sex toys you have to laugh at too. It seems so light-hearted and funny in these scenes, that it over rides the seriousness of Lovelace's situation with her husband. It takes away from the dramatic aspect of the film.

Were directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman wanting Lovelace to be a drama, or were they wanting us to have a giggle? Were they wanting us to be inspired by Lovelace's story? It is unclear what Epstein and Friedman are wanting us to take away from this film apart from the obvious being informing us of Lovelace's life.

As this film is about an ex-porn star, there is lots of sexual references. That is a given. You can't go into this film not expecting to see a bit of nudity and a lot of sex talk. It's all justified though so there is no reason to complain.

The time period of the 1970's in which the film is set is recreated in a wonderful way. The costumes are fantastic and fun and the location shots are also great. The motel shots during the filming of Deep Throat are perfect for the time period, as are the roller skating scenes.

This is Amanda Seyfried like you have never seen her before. She proves here that she is not the same actress we saw in Mean Girls and has matured in the industry. She is very good as Linda Lovelace. You see a lot of fragility in her performance, but the one vital thing that is missing from her performance is absolute fear, which should definitely be there.

Peter Sarsgaard also does well as Chuck. He's great when he is showing true emotion and is being pulled down by the realisation that he is hurting those around him. Again, he is missing one major thing and that is that he isn't quite as scary to the audience as he could be, which is a great shame.

Sharon Stone is a complete surprise as Lovelace's mother. Not only does she look incredibly different than she did in her most famous films such as Basic Instinct, but she is actually a harder and scarier character than that of Chuck Traynor. Hopefully we get to see much more of Stone if this is what she can serve. Robert Patrick, who plays Lovelace's father also gives a beautiful performance.

There are also cameo's galore throughout the film which are fun to discover.

Whether it knows what it is or not, Lovelace is entertaining and interesting at least...if you are not a complete prude.

6.5/10







You may have also see Amanda Seyfried in.....
Letters To Juliet as Sophie
Red Riding Hood as Valerie
Les Miserables as Cosette

You may have also seen Peter Sarsgaard in.....
An Education as David

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

Knight And Day

Knight And Day
Year: 2010
Director: James Mangold
Cast: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis, Paul Dano

In My Own Words
Some actors can just create box office magic out of anything they touch. I’ve decided to coin the term “box office magic” as there was a term in the Golden Hollywood days of “box office poison”. Katharine Hepburn was at one point in time, as were many other old time stars. Though some stars just make everything they touch turn to gold, such as, in this case, Tom Cruise. The man could be in anything and it would generate millions just from people seeing him on the posters and reacting by going and purchasing a ticket to the film. These actors who generate box office magic don’t have to be in more than one movie a year or two years, but when they do, they don’t need to work for more than those few months that they are filming and promoting because of the money the studio pays them for being box office magic. Other actors in this category besides Mr Cruise are John Travolta, Brad Pitt and his squeeze, Angelina Jolie. Being box office magic doesn’t mean that your most recent movie is a particularly good one, but nevertheless it will still bring in the millions just with their billing. So needless to say “Knight And Day” was extremely highly anticipated, has generated $161 million worldwide so far and it’s not that great a movie. Box office magic! Spread the word!

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
“Knight And Day” is Tom Cruise’s long-awaited return to the action film. If you are going to see this film purely to see Cruise complete amazing stunts and kill all the bad guys, then you will love this movie. If you are expecting anything else, chances are you will be disappointed. The first thing that strikes you about “Knight And Day” is that it seems extremely dated. The film would have been a hit if it was released at the most the early nineties, but now almost every aspect of it seems old and dated. June (Cameron Diaz) boards a plane to Boston with a handsome stranger, Roy Miller (Cruise), whom she is immediately attracted to. Little does she know, she has now become involved in a dangerous game of cat and mouse between Roy and his ex-partner, Fitzgerald (Peter Sarsgaard). Once Roy lands the plane by himself, June tries to go on living her life, but she is about to be taken on the adventure of her lifetime by this fugitive that she has just met.

For a mindless action film, “Knight And Day” isn’t too bad, but from a critical point of view, it is a miserable failure. The majority of the special effects and even the scene backdrops look terribly fake to the point that they can just look ridiculous. The film seems completely amateurish compared to some of the other action films that have come out in recent days. As said before, the story, musical score and the special effects resemble that of a 1980’s/1990’s action film. Harsh, but true. There is nothing worst then watching an action movie and the only thing you can think of is how fake the crashes look and how you can tell that they really aren’t underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. A film is supposed to suck you in and make you believe that what you are seeing on the big screen is the real thing. However, “Knight And Day” is an extremely unrealistic film. The plot is very unrealistic, not that this matters in an action film like this the majority of the time. However, the unrealistic nature of the script is also transformed to being that of pure fun on the screen. Many viewers will enjoy the continuously changing location of the film and seeing the beautiful cities featured, while others will just scoff at the silly antics and how far from the truth everything is. On the other hand, it really is quite comical in parts and there are quite a few giggles to be had throughout the film.

However, Cruise is worth going to see this movie for. He is still likable and is definitely the hero of the story, in both the story and in the mind of the movie viewer. As he is the reason for people going to see this film, he will be the reason many people will also enjoy it. The role he plays isn’t very emotionally challenging, but he still plays the part well. Cameron Diaz is just fine. There is nothing amazing about her performance and, again, it isn’t a very hard role. However, she can be very funny at times. Peter Sarsgaard and Viola Davis are both good in their roles. They bring to the table everything they can in the roles they have been given.

“Knight And Day” will be a delight for Tom Cruise fans as they will enjoy seeing him in his return to action. However, it will be one of the more forgettable films of the year and is really just a load of silliness.
4.5/10

An Education

Year: 2009
Director: Lone Scherfig
Cast: Carey Milligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Domonic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour

In My Own Words
Tonight I finally got to see the performance of Carey Mulligan in “An Education”, a role that has had many people suggesting that an Oscar nomination is well on its way. Miss Mulligan is one of those stars who has had a solid acting career, yet has not found actual stardom outside the UK until now. It has been a big year for her with the release of “Public Enemies” and “An Education”, and the release of “Brothers” not too far away. The hype is true, she really is brilliant in this film and steals the show.

I really enjoyed this film. It may be a movie more for girls than boys, as it is a coming-of-age drama about a young girl, and addresses issues that young girls faced pre-feminism. The movie also makes you realize how important education is of any kind, whether it be through school books or through enriched life experience. The movie is based on Lynn Barber’s memoir, but there are quite a few things changed in order for it to work on the big screen, and these changes worked well. The film is moving, entertaining and, dare I say it, educational. It seems like a while since I saw a film at the cinemas which really made me happy to watch and observe all the wonderful things about it. I would be absolutely delighted to see this film and Mulligan considered for Academy Awards come 2010.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
“An Education” is based on the memoirs written by Lynn Barber and written for the screen by Nick Hornby, writer of “About A Boy” and “High Fidelity”. Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is a bright sixteen year old whose parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour) have high hopes for her to attend Oxford. Although Jenny does see Oxford in her future, her mind is also consumed with her cello and everything French. Her life is turned upside down when she accepts a lift home from the charming David (Peter Sarsgaard). David, although 15 years her senior, takes her to fancy restaurants, away for weekends in the country and concerts, all the while completely charming and winning over her parents and making Jenny fall in love with him and her world. Before long, Jenny starts to notice that there are many questions that have gone unanswered about David’s world and that she may well need to choose between David or her dream of Oxford. Like many other teenagers on the verge of adulthood, she also realizes that her parents may not always know best.

Although this movie may sound like much like a typical teenage drama, it is presented far from it. It shows the transformation from a young schoolgirl into a woman of the world in a very grown up way, thanks to both fantastic direction from Lone Scherfig and amazing performances by the cast. Scherfig captures the 1960’s in a perfect manner and chooses a perfect soundtrack to back up what is happening on screen. The cinematography is amazing, such as the camera angles and shots. The choice of camera angles on Jenny help support her personal journey by showing her changing persona. However, the ending of the film may not be suited to everyone’s taste. Some people may feel satisfied with it while others may be left feeling as though the movie ends flat.

The best part of the film is defiantly the performances by the cast. Mulligan is the star of the film. As Jenny, she is charming, likeable and a joy to watch. She perfectly transforms from a young schoolgirl to a woman, whilst still regaining an air of youth and also naivety. Although in real life Mulligan is actually 24, you would find this very hard to believe when watching her on screen. Alfred Molini is also a stand out as Jenny’s father, who is protective of her and concerned about her future. Rosamund Pike, who plays David’s friend and Jenny’s some-what mentor in David’s world Helen, is also praise worthy. She supplies lots of humorous moments to the film and is an audience favourite. “An Education” also features Emma Thompson as the disliked headmistress of Jenny’s school and Sally Hawkins, star of “Happy-Go-Lucky”, also makes a cameo.

“An Education” is a beautiful film which contains both humorous and dramatic moments. The film and its cast are definitely of the Oscar caliber and it is worth seeing on the big screen to grasp the full emotion and strength it generates.

8.5/10