x+y (2014) film review

Year: 2014
Running Time: 111 minutes
Director: Morgan Matthews
Writer: James Graham
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Sally Hawkins, Rafe Spall, Eddie Marsan, Jo Yang

x + y opens in Australian cinemas on April 9 and is distributed by Pinnacle Films.

x+y is a film that has been needed for a long time with the increasing acknowledgement of social disorders in society, especially among younger people. It is an incredibly moving film as a result of the realistic examination of emotions involved in the relationships, especially that of mother and child. After a terrible accident claims the life of her husband, Julie (Sally Hawkins) is left by herself to raise her son, Nathan (Asa Butterfield). As Nathan struggles with severe social anxiety and the only thing he really understands is the language of mathematics, his mother finds it particularly hard to communicate with her son the way her husband used to and to get him to understand and feel the love for her that she does for him. When Nathan is accepted for the British team at the International Mathematics Olympiad, he travels to Taipei and learns lessons about others and himself that help him to see and understand the world in a way that helps him grow and become more comfortable in the world he lives in.

x+y is an incredibly important film for parents of children who demonstrate the same sort of qualities as Nathan. What sets x+y apart from other films which feature social problems in children and teenagers, is that this film looks at the way relationships are affected as a result of the problem rather than the difficulties of the mentality as a whole. There will be a great number of people out there who will find x+y an incredibly emotional experience as they will find the relationships in it so relatable, particularly that of Nathan and his mother. The struggles that Julie goes through trying to communicate with her son and show how much she loves him are both relatable and heartbreaking for any parent. Yet Nathan's evident inner struggle to try and understand a world that does not understand him is also heartbreaking and there will no doubt be those out there who will be able to relate to his character as well. x+y does not exaggerate Nathan's social awkwardness, nor does it exaggerate the strained relationship between he and his mother and this is what many will appreciate.

Yet it is the ending of the film that will throw many people and to be truthful really isn't highly realistic. However, the last ten minutes of  x+y is more of a representation of coming to an understanding between mother and child and moving forward. Never will one revelation in such a complex situation fix everything and make everything the perceived way it ought be, but a revolution such as the one we see here can bring about change. What takes place at the end of the film between Nathan and his mother is what many in a similar situation will identify with which is finding a middle ground where they both understand each other and communicate in a way which they both feel comfortable with. Whether one is troubled by the unrealistic finale or not, there is no denying that it is a finish that is indeed emotional and moving.

x+y has moments of exquisite cinematography, particularly during Nathan's time in Taipei. The film captures the atmosphere of the bustling Asian city in a way which allows the viewer to immerse themselves in the moment in a big way. The contrast between England and Taipei is wonderfully constructed with sounds and visuals bringing out the best in both worlds.

Asa Butterfield continues to impress as the troubled soul that is Nathan. His performance is completely natural with no exaggeration in a role which could so easily have been over-performed. It is the subtlety of his portrayal that is so powerful. Sally Hawkins also does exceptionally well as mother, Julie. As has been previously pointed out, her character is so incredibly relatable. Her struggle to remain calm as to not upset her son while he is unintentionally upsetting her is so devastatingly real and will move any mother. Butterfield and Hawkins work so well together in the pivotal relationship of the film and in such a unique way as it is the struggle in their bond that makes it so captivating. Rafe Spall is also very good and shows tremendous strength and versatility in his role as Nathan's teacher and mentor, Martin Humpheries.

x+y is a film that has been needed for a long time as it explores the struggle with emotion and communication between a misunderstood child and his parents. It is a film that is extremely moving and those in a similar situation will be so thankful for due to it's understanding of it's characters and their relationships.

8/10

Paddington (2014) film review

Year: 2014
Running Time: 95 minutes
Director: Paul King
Writers: Michael Bond ("Paddington Bear" created by), Hamish McColl (story) and Paul King (story and screenplay)
Cast: Ben Whishaw (voice), John Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Nicole Kidman, Julie Walters, Samuel Joslin, Madeleine Harris, Jim Broadbent, Michael Gambon (voice), Imelda Staunton (voice)

Paddington will be released in Australian cinemas on December 11 and is distributed by Studiocanal. Now showing in the United Kingdom and to be released in the United States on January 15.

More than sixty years after he first appeared in childrens storybooks, Michael Bond's beloved Paddington Bear finally makes his first appearance on the big screen in Paddington. Paul King's take on the endearing character is a family film which ticks all the boxes of its genre, but has a screenplay and sense of humour that is certainly more appealing to younger audience members. Despite it's extreme predictability and simplistic comedy, the film is redeemed by it's ability to embrace the atmosphere of the London the characters dwell in and by the warmth of it's incredibly lovable leading bear.

Forty years ago, British explorer Montgomery Clyde (Tim Downie) ventured into the Peruvian jungle and was the first to discover a new species of bear who have the gift of speech and an intense love of marmalade. The nephew of the pair of bears who Clyde bonded with travels to London after a horrible accident in search of a new home, but finds that the city he has been told so much about by his auntie and uncle is not the warm and welcoming place he believed it to be. While he is seeking the explorer Clyde and unknowingly being hunted by taxidermist, Millicent (Nicole Kidman), he is taken in by the Browns, a family who may need him just as much as he needs them.

Paddington is a completely entertaining and charming family film. For those familiar with the "Paddington Bear" books and animated television show, the film attempts to bring Paddington to the realm of live action by embracing the nostalgic world tinged with magic that he has always belonged to. The London which Paddington lives in is considerably charming with it's polished streets and houses and emphasis on a society that values all things nostalgic. The production design is particularly exquisite as it's slight surrealism adds towards the magical atmosphere of the film.

However, Paul King has also attempted to stay true to past Paddington Bear stories by ensuring that his screenplay and direction too have an old fashioned air about them. This is not in itself problematic, but the result is a story which will be of greater interest to younger family members. The film starts off strong with some hilarious moments in it's first ten minutes, but after awhile the dialogue seems rather unoriginal and humour is either too simple or too exaggerated. It is obvious that what King is trying to do is make a film which the whole family can enjoy which stays true to the world of Paddington Bear that Michael Bond created in the 1950's. He does do this to an extent, yet children will enjoy the film as a whole more than adults, as the story and characters will be of greater interest to the young. This is not surprising as Paddington Bear is a character aimed at children, but it is clear that King is also trying to make this film enjoyable for older audiences too. Adults will find the visual aspect of the film more intriguing than the actual story, but many will still find the story enjoyable in it's simplicity and charm.

However, it is the furry protagonist who wins the audience over. Paddington Bear is completely lovable and exceptionally endearing. While he isn't overly visually adorable, he has a quality that makes one sympathetic towards him. The performances of the live action actors are ones that very much belong primarily in children's entertainment as they are exaggerated and one-dimensional. Paddington is Paddington Bear's first live action feature, yet the performances in the film are almost cartoonish, particularly those of Jim Broadbent, Sally Hawkins and Nicole Kidman. All the emotion comes from the Ben Whishaw voiced Paddington and although the film calls for some special family moments from the Browns, there are none to be found.

Paddington serves it's purpose as a family holiday film perfectly well, but struggles to find a balance between being a live action film and staying true to the Paddington Bear that has been loved for generations. Light and sweet, but not without it's flaws.

6/10

Godzilla (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 123 minutes
Director: Gareth Edwards
Writers: Dave Callahan (story), Max Borenstein (screenplay)
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn

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

There is just something about the giant, prehistoric lizard by the name of Godzilla that film makers see as an attractive challenge for themselves, and at the same time there is no denying it is a concept the public will always find enticing. This monster which terrorizes the major cities has inspired the imaginations of filmmakers and audiences alike since it's first appearance in the 1954 Japanese film Godzilla (Gojira). With each new film and television version, the makers have been faced with the constant dilemma of how to create the perfect monster film by achieving the right combination of amazing visuals, script and human character. The 2014 Godzilla has come with high expectations, especially in regards to it's visual impact considering it has been made in a time when computer generated images are more impressive and realistic than they ever have been before. Visually it is incredible and Godzilla himself is the perfect prehistoric terror. It is the beast that is magnificent, and the humans that are the pitfall of the film. If this was a film purely about the beast, it would be a great deal more successful than it is while it is trying to be a combination of that and human emotion and survival.

In Japan in 1999, a series of small aftershocks as a result of an earthquake in the Philippines are taking place and American Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) is concerned that this activity could have a dangerous effect on the nuclear plant which him and his wife, Sandy (Juliette Binoche) work at. His suspicions are tragically confirmed when a disaster takes place at the plant and Sandy is among the fatalities. Fifteen years later, Joe and Sandy's son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is a US naval lieutenant and has just returned home to his wife, Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) and son, Sam (Carson Bolde) when he receives a call from Japan informing him that his father has been arrested for trespassing. Ford returns to Japan to bail out his father and return home as quickly as he possibly can, but Joe talks him into staying longer when he explains he was trying to get back to their old house as he believes the government are hiding something big. Joe and Ford find that they are in fact hiding something which they would do anything to not let the world know about, but it is only with Joe and Ford's help that they realise that there is an even bigger threat out there in the Pacific Ocean waiting for it's chance to surface.

The first 20 minutes of Godzilla gives the impression that this time they may have got it wonderfully right this time. The beginning sequence in which there is a montage of news stories and footage which end with a black and white shot of Godzilla stirring in the ocean is the perfect way to start the film as it pulls in the audience and creates intrigue and suspense as well as a slight nostalgic atmosphere. It is in this 20 minute time period of the film where the spectacle, screenplay and acting really create something special. The scene when Joe loses his wife is absolutely heartbreaking. There is a great deal of human emotion and Bryan Cranston is absolutely superb and Juliette Binoche brings the very best to her brief time on screen.

When the film reaches into the future, it still maintains it's high standard for a period of time. It is when the beasts appear that the interest in human emotion and relationships tend to lessen. Admittedly, the film is first and foremost about Godzilla and past Godzilla films and television shows have been more about the spectacle and action rather than the human side of things. However, this wouldn't have been as much of a disappoint if the first 20 minutes hadn't set the film up for a perfect combination of everything a film needs to be a success overall. The film after this period of bliss starts to consist of weak human relationships, emotions and restrictive acting, and not nearly enough Godzilla.

In order to make this Godzilla different story wise to past Godzilla's, writer Max Borenstein has obviously tried do something that hasn't been done before. In this case, it is not only Godzilla who is the only prehistoric creature in the film, but there are two other spider like reptile creatures which are called MUTO's which are fed by radiation. These MUTO's appear in the film a great deal more than what Godzilla does and even though these two creatures are interesting to look at, they do not compare to Godzilla. Godzilla truly is a sight to behold. The CGI which has gone into making this creature is truly amazing. Every little detail of him down to every scale on his body has been immaculately created. The size of the beast is magnificent and when situated next to landmarks such as San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge makes him even more terrifying. Alas, there is really not enough of him as opposed to the MUTO's, who are nowhere near as impressive. The set design, especially that of the deserted Japanese town and the railroads, is also rather exquisite and impressive.

Bryan Cranston and Juliette Bincohe are indeed the stand-outs performance wise in the film. The other two actors who also should have given beautiful and emotional performances are Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen. However, their performances are lack lustre and this is no fault of their own. Both actors have given incredible performances in the past and there is no doubt they are fine actors. Yet their roles in Godzilla are ones that call for emotion and depth, but both fall short. It really is uncharacteristic of the two actors and fault falls more on the way in which Gareth Edwards directs them as it really feels like the two have been restricted. Ken Watanabe's role as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa by all means the corniest. Every line he says is just so typical of his type of character in such a movie. It is as thought everything he says is a revelation or sorts and you cannot help but snicker when he announces "And we called it....Godzilla"

Godzilla is, just like the beast itself, a spectacle. The film gets your hopes up in a huge way at the start, but lets you down little by little with the weakening of the humans emotionally and nowhere near enough of Godzilla itself.

5.5/10

Blue Jasmine (2013)

 



Year: 2013
Running Time: 98 minutes
Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K., Alden Ehrenreich

Blue Jasmine will be released in Australia on the 12th September and distributed by Hopscotch Films. Now showing in the United States and opening on the 27th of September in the United Kingdom.

Woody Allen is fast approaching his fifth decade of film making and Blue Jasmine is the perfect example of how the genius film maker has still got plenty more in store for us.

The combination of Allen and Cate Blanchett is one of the most exciting director and actor pairings of the year. What is more exciting is that Blue Jasmine is an instant classic thanks to the brilliant screenplay and direction by Allen and an amazing performance by Blanchett. There is so much life in this film and although it is darker and more confronting than the typical Woody Allen film, it is still very funny for the most part and Blanchett's Jasmine is a character you feel you should hate, but you just love.

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) is used to living the high life on Park Avenue with her husband, Hal (Alec Baldwin). When everything falls apart for her after Hal's illegal business operations are found out, she moves to San Francisco to stay with her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins) and recover from her nervous breakdown. Ginger lives the opposite lifestyle to what Jasmine is used to and must make the right changes in her life to move forward. That is, if she wanted to move forward.
Blue Jasmine is a much darker film than we are used to seeing from Allen. It is nastier, harshly intimate in a psychological way and more confronting. However, this does not mean that the type of humour always present in his films is a thing of the past. There are some very funny moments throughout the film and the characters have some very colourful and hilarious dialogue, particularly Jasmine herself and Ginger's boyfriend, Chilli (Bobby Cannavale). The conclusion of Blue Jasmine is many things. Many people won't like it and will feel uneasy with it, but for the most part it is unpredictable and extremely fitting for Jasmine.

There is something so interesting about a protagonist like Jasmine. She is selfish, blunt, materialistic and emotionally unstable. All the qualities one should dislike in a character, but you love her. If you met someone like Jasmine on the street you would probably dislike her and want reality to hit her hard. Yet in Blue Jasmine, you cheer for her and want everything to be okay with as little pain as possible. Yes you want her to wake up to herself and realise that life isn't all Park Avenue, but you feel so much emotional attachment to Jasmine that you want to reach out and really be there for her as it seems like no one, except her sister has ever been. She is a wonderfully written character who is brought to life in an extraordinary performance by Blanchett.

Blanchett completely personifies Jasmine in every way. The way she carries herself when we first meet her is that of a confident high society woman and as she unravels throughout the film, her whole physical and emotional performance changes in a scary way. Blanchett has the uncanny ability to be able to draw in the audience and allow them to feel how she is feeling. As unsettling and emotional as this performance can be, you could watch Blanchett forever as Jasmine. Brilliant.

Sally Hawkins is very good as Jasmine's sister, Ginger. Ginger is also a very interesting character in herself and a complete joy to watch as she is a wonderful contrast to Jasmine. Bobby Cannavale is fantastic as Chilli. He has everything in his performance. He is powerful and intense in some emotional scenes, but can also be soft and hilarious. Alec Baldwin is also a treat. The chemistry between him and Blanchett is perfect.

And is the case with Woody Allen films, the city plays it's own role in the film. Allen has a wonderful way of pouring love into the way he encompasses the location of his films, as we have seen so many times in the past with New York and more recently with European cities such as Barcelona, Paris and Rome. In Blue Jasmine, he brings so much charm to San Francisco. He shows the bohemian side of the city in perfect light, as well as showing the upper class side. Neither falters under his direction and each location in the city used is perfect for the scene in which it appears and acts as a character in it's own right.

There are whispers in the air that Blue Jasmine could bring about Cate Blanchett's sixth Academy Award nomination. These whispers could be right on the money as Blanchett is divine and Blue Jasmine is wonderful.

8.5/10


You may have also seen Woody Allen's film making in.....
Midnight In Paris

You may have also seen Cate Blanchett in......
Robin Hood as Marian
Hanna as Marissa

You may have also seen Alec Baldwin in.....
It's Complicated as Jake
Rock Of Ages as Dennis Dupree

If you are in the Sydney metro area and would like to see Blue Jasmine and hear the experts talk about it, Dendy Newton is hosting a screening and media panel on the 12th of September. Blake Howard (That Movie Show 2UE and Graffiti with Punctuation), Andrew Buckle (Graffiti with Punctuation), Lisa Malouf (The Limerick Review) and Maria Lewis (The Daily Telegraph) will be talking all things Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen and Cate Blanchett and answering all your questions on each of these.

Please see here for more details and to buy tickets.