Somewhere

Somewhere
Year: 2010
Director: Sofia Coppola
Cast: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius

In My Own Words
I have been looking forward to seeing "Somewhere" ever since I first heard about it. I am a Sofia Coppola fan, but she wasn't the main draw for me to this film. Nor was it Stephen Dorff. It was the Chateau Marmont. The Chateau Marmont is a beautiful hotel in West Hollywood which overlooks Sunset Boulevard. It was built in 1929 and since then has been the playground to the rich and famous. Such celebrities as Montgomery Clift, Jim Morrison and Leonardo DiCaprio hve stayed there are comedian John Belushi died here in 1982 after a lethal cocktail of heroin and cocaine. I visited the Chateau Marmont in January of last year and was in complete awe of it's beauty and the place completely fascinates me. I'm a big fan of old Hollywood hotels, especially the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard.; The Roosevelt played host to the first Oscars in 1929 and, like the Chateau Marmont, has been played host to many celebrities over the years and their antics. Although the Roosevelt has been featured in many movies over the year, I am still waiting for a film to be about the Roosevelt. As Sofia Coppola quoted regarding the Chateau Marmont, "It was an essential element, the third (main) character of the film" (courtesy of Universal Studios, 2010). Next time I am in Hollywood I am going to take advantage of the Chateau Marmont's hospitality and stay a night or two there....if I can tear myself away from the charms of the Roosevelt Hotel.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere" may seem like just a film about a Hollywood actor's life on the surface, but it is so much more than that. It is a film about the emotions which run through father and daughter relationships. The big thing to take into account before you see "Somewhere" is that you will take as much as you want to take out of the film. Take it for purely the words said on the screen and you take the images at face value, you won't see "Somewhere" for what it really is. If you see the words in each facial expression and see the symbolism in the script and visuals, you will see "Somewhere" as a masterpiece. Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) is a Hollywood actor enjoying the high life and living in the Chateau Marmont. He is drifting through his life with not much bother until his 11 year old daughter, Cleo's (Elle Fanning) visit becomes longer than intended and he realises that even though he has always been in Cleo's life, he hasn't been in her life as her father.

"Somewhere" shows modern day Hollywood in the most visually beautiful way in the past 10 years on the big screen. The cinematography and images are absolutely stunning. Scenes such as Johnny and Cleo's tea party under the water at the pool at the Chateau Marmont are just a treat to watch. Unlike Coppola's last film, "Marie Antoinette", it isn't beautiful in the way that it is overstocked with images of amazing ball gowns and cupcakes, but it is all in the way in which objects and people are filmed. Coppola manages to make even a scene where Johnny is getting a facial mask made beautiful. However, the scenes are very strung out and there is no suspense in the film at all. It feels as if not much really happens throughout the film, and this will really irritate some members of the audience.

The script is quite simple. Unlike other films of the subject matter, there are no long speeches in which feelings are described and how father and daughter want to become closer. The dialogue is all very simple and the images and actors facial expressions do all the talking. In hind sight, so much more could have been done with the screenplay and the script. The film has many directions in which it could have gone so it isn't surprising that if feels like it has been limited. Yet, if it had taken one of these directions, whose to say that it wouldn't have ended up being a cliche film and much like every other film out there where a dead beat father finally connects with his son or daughter. The film also gives great insight into the life of a single Hollywood actor these days. It isn't all glitz and glamour and it is all a game of filling in free time while waiting for their next call to duty, and that may well be with sex and drugs.

The acting in this film is extremely natural. For the most part, it doesn't seem as though Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning are acting at all. Dorff is perfect as Johnny Marco, truly becoming his character. It is completely evident how Johny chnages throughout the film, and again not by the words spoken, but by Dorff's acting. Coppola requested Dorff herself for the role and the result is the best role he has played in well over 10 years. Fanning is a pure joy to watch on screen. She can seem a little too mature for an 11 year old at times (even though she is just shy of 13 years in real life) and at other times she presents the perfect amount of naivety and innocence for her role. Her best moment is when Johnny's overnight guest joins them for breakfast in the morning and the look she gives her father says a thousand words and would make anyone stop and question themselves. Coppola directs these two so well that it feels like you are just watching a home video for the majority of the film.

Some people will find "Somewhere" utterly frustrating due to the lack of tension, suspense and dialogue, while others will find it a complete work of art. Simply, those who see film as for purely entertainment, won't be overly impressed. Those who see film as a form of art as well as entertainment, will love and praise it. As a modern day work of art, "Somewhere" is truly a wonderful and beautiful construction.
8/10

The Tourist

The Tourist
Year: 2010
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cast: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton

In My Own Words The combination of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie is a film makers dream. Two of the biggest movie stars on the planet and two of my personal favourite actors. Johnny Depp is just likable in every role he has been in the past few years. Even in "The Libertine" where one of his first lines is "You are not going to like me". He failed at that because I still found him likable. He's not afraid to take risks, I think he is more afraid of taking on a role people might consider "normal". He has been nominated for 3 Oscars, but has yet to take home one. I would love to see him win one, but what will it take? He's been nominated for"Pirates Of The Carribean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl", "Finding Neverland" and "Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street". All amazing roles completely out of the ordinary yet no golden statue. What does he have to do?!

Then there is Angelina. The actress who has show-stopping beauty, but is sometimes more popular for what she does off screen than on screen. Her past romances, kissing siblings and being known as a "home wrecker" in the tabloids overshadow how truly amazing she is an an actress. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards and took home the big one in 1999 for "Girl, Interrupted". I think she is brilliant, regardless of what she does in her private life. After all, what is true about her so-called private life that we read in the celebrity gossip magazines?

I've already established that Depp and Jolie are amazing actors, but do they work together? These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
Everything about "The Tourist" points towards a winning combination. It stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie who are two of the biggest movie stars in the world at the moment, has an Oscar winning director in Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and it's set in a beautiful city like Venice. It seems like nothing could go wrong, or could it? "The Tourist" was always going to do well at the box office no matter what happenned in the film. It is one of those films which some people are going to love and others are going to find ridiculous. "The Tourist" is an action thriller which borders on comedy. Unfortunately, the comedy aspect makes it hard to take the film seriously when you feel like you should be taking it seriously. Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp) is a maths teacher minding his own business on a train trip to Venice when a beautiful, mysterious English woman, Elise (Angelina Jolie) sits next to him. Little does he know, he is part of a plan of Elise's elusive love, Alexander Pearce to detour the authorities and make them think that Frank is actually him.

Set against the amazing backdrop of Venice, "The Tourist" seems to be a very confused film. It is not quite sure what it is. It could have been a serious film and it seems like that is what the film makers would have wanted, but with Johnny Depp involved it doesn't come across that way. Not to say that Johnny Depp can't do serious roles because he definately can, but his character of Frank is quite comedic. On the other hand, it is not as funny as it should be to qualify as a comedy. This confusion makes the film seem a bit messy, although it does play out perfectly and runs smoothly on the screen. Visually it is an amazing film to watch. Henckel von Donnersmarck has pieced the film together beautifully and the cinematography, editing and visuals are amazing. Scriptwise, it is a good story and completely unpredictable. Everytime you think you know what is going on, something will happen to change your thoughts. It is one of those films you will walk away from and the more you think about it, the more everything will start to make sense. However, it is the scrip that provides the comedy moments which creates the confusion of the film.

Both Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie are stars, there is no doubt about that. Johnny Depp is able to show so much emotion in just his facial expressions and in his eyes. He is able to make the audience feel great pity for him at the beginning of the film. The character of Frank feels much like the Inchabod Crane who Depp played in "Sleepy Hollow". Jolie shines on the screen, the camera just adores her. Depp and Jolie visually look good on the screen together, but there isn't a great deal of chemistry between the two. Maybe they were afraid of creating too much chemistry between the two in case that started creating rumours.

If you go into "The Tourist" thinking you will see a drama, you will be disappointed. If you think it is going to be a comedy, you will also be disappointed. If you think it is a psychological action film, you may not be so disappointed. If you think it is just going to be just a good piece of entertainment and something which is visually beautiful to watch, you will enjoy the film. Visually it is amazing and beautifully directed with beautiful people, but it is just confused about what it is and what it is trying achieve.
6/10

TRON Legacy

TRON Legacy
Year: 2010
Director: Joseph Kosinki
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen

In My Own Words
How excited are sci-fi fans about this film? After 28 years since the original "TRON", fans finally get to see the revamped version of the old Disney classic. I never watched the original "TRON". One of the reasons being that I was born in 1982 so it wasn't a new release I got to see at the cinema. My only memory of it is of it being one of the trailers on my other Disney movie videos (yes, videos....let me know if anyone needs reminding of what a video is). At that point in time I was more interested in Disney films with talking animals rather than science fiction films. Since then, it is not a movie I have seen on DVD. I believe it is on DVD, but it is very hard to come by. I would watch it if I could find it! I am sure a few of the questions which I have about "TRON Legacy" would be answered if I had seen "TRON". Maybe I would have appreciated it more, but I'm not quite sure. Maybe I would have been comparing it too much and would have hated it! Who knows! Personally I thought the best things about the film were the music and the visuals. Without the impact of those two features, the movie would have just been a confusing and boring 2 hours. I never thought I would credit Daft Punk with making a movie worthwhile. Of course, if you are a sci fi fan, you are obviously going to disagree with me. This film could well be your bread and butter.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
28 years after Disney released "TRON" in cinemas, it's sequel "TRON Legacy" finally comes to our screens. The original "TRON" was seen as a break through in cinema as it was released at a time when computers hadn't been around for very long and a movie about someone being sucked into a computer system created a great deal of interest. However, 28 years later in 2010, it doesn't create quite the same interest in our worlds where the internet is a necessity to many. The story is out dated and dull, only to be saved by the impressive visuals and soundtrack. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is the son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the video game creator who has been missing for years. When Sam investigates in his father's abandoned video game arcade, he finds himself sucked into the digital world which his father created. However, the world is now ruled by Flynn's creation gone bad, Clu ( also played by Jeff Bridges). Sam soon finds that he is the enemy of Clu and that his father is alive and living in exile inside the Grid.

It just seems as though Disney left it way too long to release "TRON Legacy" in order for it to be a success. Disney only confirmed 2 years ago in 2008 that their were serious aboit releasing a "TRON" sequel. Leaving it this long meant that times have changed as have what people find intriguing. We have seen many movies which are set around or in computer generated worlds that in the age of computers where anything is possible, it is hard to impress. Also, there will be many people who haven't seen the original "TRON" as it was released nearly 30 years ago.The film will pose many questions for those who haven't seen the original "TRON". For a film that is hard to come by these days on DVD, this was always going to be a problem. One can guess themselves what happenned in the first film, but there is still a great deal of film concepts that would become so much clearer for the audience if they had seen the first. Unlike many other sequels, this film is easier to be judged as a stand alone film rather than a sequel. This may not do the film any justice, which is a rarity for sequels.

On the other hand, visually "TRON Legacy" has perfect timing. The film was not made for 3D, but post-production made it possible. The computer generated images during the film, such as the games of survival are truly amazing and exciting to watch. The techniques used to make Jeff Bridges 30 years younger are absolutely intriguing. It is amazing what can be done during post production of films these days. The costumes and make up are also very impressive. The soundtrack to the film, as done by Daft Punk, is one of the key elements of the film. Even for people who are not fans of the electronic scene, there is no denying that the music adds to the effectiveness of the film. Each piece of music enhances the scene which it is in and brings it to life. The direction and post-production of this film is really quite commendable.

The acting in this film is quite simple. The only two actors who show any type of emotion are Jeff Bridges and Garret Hedlund in the reunion scene and goodbye scene. Otherwise their acting is quite bland. Olivia Wilde as Kevin Flynn's sidekick, Quorra doesn't do anything spectacular in this film and it is not a very hard role for her to play. As Zeus, Michael Sheen seems to be channelling his inner David Bowie, and does so successfully. He is un-nerving and bizarre, but strangely interesting. The film is actually quite well choreographed during scenes such as with the sirens supplying Sam with his disk.

"TRON Legacy" is a hard one. The story and script is outdated and the acting is not spectacular, as one would'nt expect from a film such as this. However, it takes full advantage of the CGI which is available today and the film strives on this throughout the film. Without the CGI, there wouldn't be much of a film. Sci-fi fans will love this film, while others will either take it or leave it. The CGI can only take you part of the way to a good film, a good story and script will take you the rest of the way. Which makes "TRON Legacy" only partly a good film.
5.5/10