Saving Mr Banks (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 125 minutes
Director: John Lee Hancock
Writers: Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith
Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwatrzman, B.J. Novak, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Rachel Griffiths

Saving Mr Banks now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios.

Saving Mr Banks is complete and utter joy. This joy doesn't just stem from the fact that it is a beautiful film, but also from the revelation that this film isn't just for Disney fanatics. It is a film for all to enjoy and appreciate.

In Saving Mr Banks Disney has made their best live action film in years. While many were worried that this would be a Disney film about Disney which means that it could have well turned into primarily a major marketing tool for the empire. Even though there are plenty of Mickey Mouse references in the film, there is a great deal more emotion than one could have ever expected thanks to an impressive screenplay and some truly wonderful performances, especially by Emma Thompson. In the film, P.L. Travers accuses Walt Disney of wanting to give Mary Poppins the Disney treatment and making her twinkle, yet Saving Mr Banks relies very little on sugar coating when creating a truly wonderful film.

The year is 1961 and author, P. L. Travers (Emma Thompson) has finally given in to the demands of Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) and agreed to travel to Los Angeles to discuss the possibility of making her beloved "Mary Poppins" into a film. Travers has major reservations about Disney's movie making style and is not at all convinced that Disney will do her creation justice. While exploring the possibilities, Travers finds herself revisiting her childhood and remembering what "Mary Poppins" is really all about and it is not until Walt Disney realises what Mary Poppins really means to her that the film can really be made.

Saving Mr Banks is truly magical, but not in the traditional Disney fashion.  It is a film which has some absolutely incredible and memorable moments, some of which will have you laughing and others which will have you crying. While Saving Mr Banks is most well known for being the film about the making of Mary Poppins, it is just as much, or of not more a film about the early life of P.L. Travers. The screenplay, written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith does a marvellous job of combining the two and being able to give a comprehensive examination of both.

Even though it does take a good half an hour to really kick into gear, the film is both interesting and entertaining. There are some wonderfully uplifting and sweet scenes such as the beginnings of "Let's Go Fly A Kite" and the Disneyland scene, but also some very sad moments in the flashback scenes. The final scene in the Chinese Theatre is one that stays with you long after the film has finished. The flashback scenes of Travers as a little girl nicknamed Ginty by her dreamer father (Colin Farrell) are impressive not only in emotion, but also in visuals. The Australian countryside is accurately recreated and enables the viewer to feel and smell everything you would if you were actually there.

As the film is set in the early 60's, the world of Saving Mr Banks is very nostalgic. Such locations as the Los Angeles LAX airport, the Beverly Hills Hotel and Disneyland were given adjustments to take them back to the intended time period. The musical score employed is also very suitable to the time period, as is the costume design. The overall feeling of the film reflects a film which would have been made in the 1960's, but at the same time have a sophistication to it that reminds us that this is a modern piece of work. And even though we aren't getting Disney as a whole shoved down our throats, there is still enough Disney references in this film to keep the crazed happy.

Emma Thompson is absolutely exquisite as P.L. Travers. She gives an incredibly powerful performance and shows both the hard and soft sides of her character. We are able to see in her the process of walls being knocked down as a result of exploring the world of Mary Poppins all over again and letting go of grudges and the pains of the past. Her final scene at the premiere is a spectacular piece of acting and has a huge impact on anybody watching it.

Tom Hanks, although not a mirror image of Walt Disney in appearance (besides the infamous pencil moustache), is wonderful as Walt Disney. He captures the essence of what the man was like and how much people adored him. It is in the Disneyland scene when the gates to the park open up and Hanks is standing there waving, that it hits you how much you really believe he is Disney as this moment is enough to give you goose bumps.

Colin Farrell also gives one of the best performances of his career as Travers Goff. Although he is playing an alcoholic who is down on his luck, he is incredibly likable and we can easily see why his daughter idolises him so much. Ruth Wilson is also very good as Margaret Goff, the fragile and heartbroken mother and wife. Paul Giamatti plays P.L. Travers driver, Ralph and he is a real treat. Every scene he is in is so much fun because of him and often very sentimental.

Saving Mr Banks is a film for everyone, not just the Disney fanatic. It is an absolute treat to encounter such a film where you are encouraged to feel a number of emotions and not feel as though you are exhausted as a result. Instead, you feel pure joy at seeing such a cinematic treat.

9/10

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 161 minutes
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: J.R.R.Tolkien (novel "The Hobbit"), Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and Guillermo del Toro (screenplay)
Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Aidan Turner, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch (voice)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is now showing everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films

There is a lot to talk about when it comes to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Funnily enough this reflects the film and the series of films quite well. There is a lot going on in the film so it is only to be expected that there would be a lot to discuss. However, unlike the book to film adaptation, we don't have that much to talk about to make three posts about it.

There is absolutely no denying that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a very well made film and has intended to make the most of everything available to it. After the incredible success of Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's  The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit is extremely reminiscent of the former and maybe even trying a bit too hard to be it. It really depends who you are as to how you feel about this. Some people will be over the moon that they are lucky enough to be indulged once again with Middle Earth, while others just won't be able to get past the fact that three films are being made out of one book and therefore have added so much which wasn't in the original film. For a Tolkien fan, this film holds a lot of emotional baggage, both good and bad.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug begins where The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey left off, as Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the band of dwarves make their way to Erebor to reclaim their homeland. Along the way they come into contact with the elves and the people of Lake-town, while they try to avoid capture and death at the hands of the Orcs who are following them. As Bilbo tries to resist the power of the ring which he is carrying, he also must gather all the strength he can as according to the dwarves, he is the thief who must venture into the mountain and at all costs try to avoid being noticed by the fearsome dragon, Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).

It is true that if you didn't like The Lord of The Rings you won't like The Desolation of Smaug. However, if you did like The Lord of The Rings, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will like The Desolation of Smaug. Taking the prior knowledge into the film that Peter Jackson and his team of writers have taken a reasonably short book (as opposed to the three book in The Lord of The Rings trilogy) and made three films out of it does tend to suggest that the film makers are indeed trying to reach for the stars. It is certainly trying to be another Lord of The Rings and in all honesty it does do well enough in doing that. The Desolation of Smaug really does have the same atmosphere as the previous trilogy and the story (with all it's additions) does play out in a similar fashion. Unlike it's processor, it does feel at times like there really is a little too much going on at once and one too many subplots. Comparing the film so much to The Lord of The Rings does seem like a sin, but given The Hobbit is basically part of the Lord of The Rings story, it is extremely hard not to.

The computer generated images used in the film are spectacular. The creation of Middle Earth locations such as Mirkwood, the Elf Kingdom and inside the mountain are incredible. The final scene in which the dwarves and Bilbo are taking on Smaug really is a visual masterpiece with the CGI perfecting the location as well as the enormity and magnificence of the dragon. The make-up used for characters such as the Orcs and the skin-changer, Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt) is very well done and in the case of the Orcs, very scary. The action sequences are also enhanced by CGI and although very impressive, can get to the point where they seem just a little too far fetched and ridiculous. For example, the scene where the dwarves are being swept down the river in barrels and trying to escape the Orcs while Legolas (Orlando Bloom) holds them off is just way too choreographed to be taken seriously.

Martin Freeman once again does well as the lead character, Bilbo. He gets very much into character and is very consistent with this character from the beginning to the end of the film. The role doesn't call for any huge emotional scenes in this film and all of his establishment of character is done in the first film, but he does as well as anyone could in the role. Ian McKellen is always an absolute thrill as Gandalf and every scene he is in is enhanced by his presence.

Richard Armitage, who plays the dwarf Thorin does well, although his performance borders on corny in the final scenes. Luke Evans as Bard is actually quite an interesting character and has a real sense of mystery to him. Evangeline Lilly's performance of the female archer elf Tauriel feels very overdone, while Orlando Bloom doesn't do too badly even though his Legolas doesn't have a great deal to work with. Benedict Cumberbatch's gives voice to both Smaug and also the Necromancer is quite interesting and fitting, particularly for Smaug.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will and has already done well due to the intrigue that Peter Jackson has created in his adaptations. His film making is known by all for being ambitious but successful and this film is a perfect showcase of his skills.

7.5/10

August: Osage County (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 121 minutes
Director: John Wells
Writer: Tracy Letts (play and screenplay)
Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepherd, Margo Martindale, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Benedict Cumberbatch, Misty Upham

August: Osage County is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films.

Pulitzer Prize winner, August: Osage County could not possibly have made its switch to the big screen in a more powerful way.

August: Osage County doesn't hold anything back and it's family politics are a heavy burden on the audience, but in the best possible way. It is almost confusing as to what type of film it actually is. Too heavy and emotionally draining to be a comedy, but too many laughs and speckled with black humour to be labelled a drama. However, there is no way of getting around the appreciation for its wonderfully adapted screenplay and also its quality performances, especially by the consistently brilliant Meryl Streep.

As the film opens on Beverly Weston (Sam Shepherd) describing how he and his wife, Violet (Meryl Streep) have an unspoken agreement in their marriage where he drinks and she takes pills, the foundation is set for understanding that this is one intense family. When Beverly disappears, the whole family is reunited which brings all the problems they have with one another to a head. The Westons three daughters, Barbara (Julia Roberts), Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) and Karen (Juliette Lewis), who are all incredibly different try to keep the peace for their parents, but trouble finds them whether they like it or not.

As the above poster for August: Osage County suggested, this film is very much like being seated at somebody else's family dinner table and being confronted with all their problems. It is incredibly uncomfortable and often cringe-worthy and embarrassing, but there is something so wrongly entertaining and exciting about it. You want to go and tell everyone you know about it, if you didn't feel so tired and emotionally drained from it. This is August: Osage County to a tee. It is wonderful and exhausting.

The dialogue is brilliantly worded in a very well constructed screenplay, but this is only to be expected considering the author of the play, Tracy Letts also wrote the screenplay. The conclusion of the film doesn't offer any uplifting message which will not be to the liking of those who want to be given atonement. The opportunity is there to take from the film what you think it is trying to tell you. Whether it be that children exhibit the same behaviours as their parents whether they see it or not, that you can't choose your family members, that we are all covering up secrets or even if this is just a source of entertainment and you are not supposed to take anything from it, it is really up to the individual to decide. Visually there are some incredible shots of the Oklahoma country side throughout the film. It is really quite an oxymoron as the countryside is so peaceful, yet inside the Weston's house it is complete mayhem.

In conjunction with the wonderful dialogue, it is the incredible performances of complex characters which really make August: Osage County a success. Meryl Streep is such a powerful force as the head of the Weston family. Violet is not a pleasant lady, but she commands everyone's respect as the family's matriarch. Streep is incredible in this role and she brings out so many different facets of Violet's personality. She is a thrill to watch and highly entertaining, but always leaves you feeling unsettled and just a bit scared.

Julia Roberts also does her best acting in years. Her performance is so controlled and maybe a little too neat at times, but still very powerful. Her character is very much like her mother as she is very complex and Roberts is able to give us so much information about Barbara just through little moments throughout the film. Roberts and Streep have perfect chemistry as well, playing the tense mother and daughter roles very well. The chemistry also between Roberts and her on screen husband, Bill (Ewan McGregor) and daughter, Jean (Abigail Breslin) is perfect. The scene between the three of them outside at night is unforgettable.

Every actor does very well in the film. Benedict Cumberbatch is particularly impressive, as his character of Little Charlie shows the true anxiety of being in a family like this. The scene at the bus stop between he and his father, played by Chris Cooper is perfect representation of how any normal person would react having to be subjected to this. Cooper is also wonderful, as his performance is not over the top, but subtle and powerful in its subtlety.

While often uncomfortable due to it's burdening weight, August: Osage County is powerful in a most welcomed fashion with memorable performances by a truly stellar cast.

8/10