The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 179 minutes
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Jordan Belfort (book), Terence Winter (screenplay)
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau, Jon Bernthal, Joanna Lumley

The Wolf of Wall Street will be released in Australia on the 23rd January 2014 and is distributed by Roadshow Films. Now showing in the USA and UK.

The Wolf of Wall Street could not have avoided being highly anticipated. Let's face it, the majority of films being released at this time of the year usually have huge expectations on them. However, when you put the names Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese in the same sentence, you expect something pretty special. Yet, you also worry that these two pairing up for another critically acclaimed film may be too good to be true.

Well this is the news. The Wolf of Wall Street is another amazing piece of work by the dynamic duo. The story of the "Wolf" is intriguing and entertaining and keeps the viewer's undivided attention for the entirety of the film. The film is unexpectedly hilarious and pleasingly shocking at the same time, while also making you contemplate the ethics of the actions of Jordan Belfort. Leonardo DiCaprio is a force to be reckoned with in his fifth partnering with the great Martin Scorsese and the combination of these two proves once again to be a winner.

The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the novel of the same name and tells the rise and fall of stockbroker, Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio). From his beginnings as a naïve but determined rookie of Wall Street, to his fall as a result of his illegal and unethical activities at his firm, Stratton Oakmont Inc., Belfort doesn't lead a boring life in any way shape or form. He enjoys the perks of the high life including the luxury apartments, Long Island property, unlimited girls and a ridiculous amount of drugs. His addictive lifestyle is extremely hard to give up, but the FBI is always watching him and one wrong step and he will have no choice but to give up his lifestyle and everything that goes with it.

Jordan Belfort's story is not one of a hero. At one point in time he was idolised by so many, but he is ultimately the villain of his own story. His actions and treatment of people are not desirable and it does absolutely make you look at the stockbrokers in the big city in a different way, regardless of whether they are like Belfort and his team or not. It's not likely that most of the things that went on in his office still occur, such as using prostitutes and strippers as a reward for good work actually in the workspace in work hours. Yet the film does make you stop and think about the ethics of someone such as Belfort and for the large majority of the film, he is not a very likable specimen.

However, this works in a big way. Belfort may not be likable and his practises not ethical, but his story is absolutely enthralling. You may not like him or what he does, but you love watching him. The whole film is incredibly entertaining and even if you do not condone his bad boy ways and his lifestyle, you can't look away. Scorsese has brought Belfort's story to the big screen in spectacular fashion. The Wolf of Wall Street completely captures the extravagance of his story and you feel as though you could be having as much fun watching the story as Belfort was living it. As a viewer you feel the thrill the stockbroker would have been experiencing living on the edge.

The screenplay, written by Terence Winter is also spectacular. It is a pleasant surprise and brilliant how hilarious it actually is, especially the scene where Belfort is at the Country Club. It is a brilliant thing to be able to take a true story and make it a lot more funny than what it would have been in real life. The one factor that may deter many people away from The Wolf of Wall Street is that it is a minute short of three hours. As much of a thrill as it is, it does feel like it is this long. Obviously there was a lot to get through and the three hours does seem acceptable for how much Scorsese had to cover. It is also quite obvious that what we are seeing is the shorter version of all the footage that would have been taken. There are various features of the film which are skimmed across at lightning speed and some things which can be seen as a bit confusing (particularly at the end) because they are not explained thoroughly.

The soundtrack for the film is extremely fitting and actually quite enjoyable itself. The cinematography has some very Scorsese-esque moments, but this is in no way a bad thing. Every shot is interesting and though there are some full frontal and confronting shots, the photography is perfect for every scene. The film and it's costume design, location and interior design is very reminiscent of the time period every scene is set in.

Leonardo DiCaprio has had many outstanding performances throughout his career, but this is one of his best to date. DiCaprio's Belfort is intense, proud, unpredictable and just a bit of an egomaniac, and he is absolutely fantastic to watch. He truly becomes his character and displays every facet of his personality. Even though the film is three hours long, you wish you could just on watching him because he is such a joy to watch. The scenes of him giving speeches in his office are just brilliant.

Jonah Hill is great as Belfort's best friend and wing man, Donnie. Margot Robbie, who plays Belfort's wife Naomi is an absolute starlet in this film and so convincing. Her American accent is brilliant and unless you knew better, there is no way you would ever guess that she was actually Australian. One thing this film is missing is enough Matthew McConaughey. He plays the role of Belfort's mentor when he first arrives on Wall Street of Mark Hanna and is so charismatic and hilarious. He is only in the film for a short time, but absolutely memorable regardless of how long he spends on screen.

The Wolf of Wall Street is an absolute pleasure to watch and for some may be the true definition of a guilty pleasure, because you know you shouldn't enjoy watching bad behaviour so much.

9/10

The Book Thief (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 131 minutes
Director: Brian Percival
Writers: Markus Zusak (novel) and Michael Petroni (screenplay)
Cast: Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Ben Schnetzer, Nico Liersch

The Book Thief opens in Australian cinemas on the 9th January 2014 and is distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Marcus Zusak's novel, The Book Thief is a classic. The book has captured the hearts of many around the world for it's beautiful and heartfelt story of a young girl living in World War II. Unlike many books, everything about The Book Thief presented the perfect opportunity to make an amazing film.

It's such a shame that The Book Thief is missing something so major that would have made it this wonderful film it could have been, and that is emotion. What we have been given by director Brian Percival is a visually beautiful film with a story which you know you should be shedding tears over...yet this is not the case. The Book Thief is by no means a failure, but it does not prompt your heartstrings into motion the way it should.

Young Liesel (Sophie Nelisse) has experienced an unhappy childhood and after her younger brother dies, her mother is unable to take care of her. She is adopted by a childless couple, gentle Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and hot-headed Rosa (Emily Watson). She quickly develops a father and daughter bond with Hans and he is the one who discovers Liesel's odd, but endearing habit of "stealing" books and using them as comfort in the harsh times of World War II in Germany. He helps her by teaching her to read and using the basement as a classroom just for her. The classroom is soon turned into the hideout for a young Jewish man by the name of Max (Ben Schnetzer) who's father Hans had made a promise to. While there are troubled times in the world, Liesel finds love and happiness in her new home.

The Book Thief really had so, so much potential. If it was done in the right way it could have been a potential Oscar nominee in various categories. It seems like a real shame that the amount of emotion the book could provoke could not transfer to the screen. Even if you had not read the book, there are scenes particularly towards the end of the film which you watch and know you should really be on the verge of tears, but you are not. This is no fault of any of the actors, as we know from previous roles that they are all fine performers and have no problem with evoking emotions in their audiences. Therefore we can only assume that they were not pushed by Percival and that the adapted screenplay did not provide enough opportunity for the actors in this way.

Yet, there is still beauty in the film. Visually the film is gorgeous and extremely convincing of such a time as seen through the eyes of a child. The village in which the family lives is wonderfully recreated for the time in which it is set. While being quite a pretty town, it is also quite depressing as a result of the inhabitants being burdened with war. The colour grey is used a great amount in the outdoor shots of this town and this adds towards the feeling of the inhabitants as grey is a colour associated with unhappiness. Other outdoor scenes of Liesel and Rudy (Nico Liersch) at the river are very beautiful. Because of the way that The Book Thief is visually perceived, it is a success because it captures the atmosphere of Germany during the war in a perfect manner.

Sophie Nelisse does very well as Liesel. She is extremely convincing and the viewer is sympathetic towards her from the very first minute. However, it really does feel as though she isn't given the chance to take her performance to the level where it would have an emotional impact on the audience.

Emily Watson is brilliant as Rosa. She completely personifies a woman of the times in attitude and in emotion. She is hard and seemingly cold, but you can tell that she has made herself this way in order to protect herself and her husband from being hurt too much by the hardships. She shows her softer side throughout the film in due time. Geoffrey Rush works very well with both Nelisse and Watson and does well himself. Although he does have one scene which stands out from the rest.

The Book Thief is a fine film about the how German families got by during the war time, but has too little books and emotions.

6/10

Her (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 126 minutes
Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde, Portia Doubleday,
Scarlett Johansson (voice)

Her will be released in Australian cinemas on the 16th January 2014 and is distributed by Sony Pictures. Now showing in the USA and opening in the UK on the 14th February.

Spike Jonze's Her is like no other. Cynical and thought provoking, yet incredibly sweet and romantic.

Her is a scary reminder of how dependant we are becoming on technology and the future we are heading towards as a result of this dependence, yet it is also a reminder of how beautiful life is. A sweet but unconventional love story which see's Joaquin Phoenix give yet another incredible performance is a pleasure to behold on screen and is an absolute must see.

Set in Los Angeles in many years to come, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) is still recovering from his marriage breakdown when he decides to obtain a new Operating System (OS) which is a voice like our Siri, but actually interacts with you on a conversational level. Theodore's new OS, Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johnasson) becomes more than just a great help with his technology, but soon helps cure his loneliness and gives him the companionship he has been craving. Like any relationship, these two experience ups and downs, but further complications were always going to arise when one of the two doesn't exist in physical form.

In the place in time which we are now, the idea of someone falling in love with a Siri type entity seems ludicrous. However, in Her, director and writer Spike Jonze establishes right from the beginning of the film how technology has evolved to become something which members of society are even more reliant upon. With this basis set for the film, the idea of a human falling in love with an OS does not seem as ludicrous. Everything seems to be made easier by technology that some people don't even need to take the online dating path and just need to purchase an OS and they have a new friend. As entertaining as it is on screen, it is startling to glimpse into the future and see the direction in which we are heading. Are we losing touch with reality? And then we can also ask ourselves, what is reality? Do we determine what is our reality and what isn't?

Yet before you start thinking that Her is a little heavy as it makes you question and fear the future, you realise what makes the screenplay truly brilliant. At the core it may be cynical and a little philosophical in regards to it's stance on technological dependence, but it is combined with a very sweet love story. The screenplay is incredibly well written to incorporate both of these and is often very funny. Listening to the way Theodore and Samantha talk to one another and hearing the way Theodore describes what he sees and Samantha describes how she feels and the way she sees the world when she cannot see it is intoxicating. It is easy to find yourself appreciating the beauty if words and how the way things are said can alter your perception of how you see things.

Her is also visually beautiful. The use of colour is amazing throughout the film and gives the film a completely unique atmosphere, as though we are not just watching a unique feel, but feeling something truly different as well. The creation of a dystopian Los Angeles is almost addictive, as you feel like you want to explore more of this new world. The city has grown in such an interesting way with an updated (and seemingly much more popular) rail system and an extravagant upside down airplane outside the Pacific Design Centre. Yet you have the contrast of beautiful nature such as the beach and a cabin in the woods in the snow. Music is also of great importance in the film and the musical score is very fitting for the film.

Joaquin Phoenix is so incredibly lovable in this film. Phoenix has often played complicated individuals in his past film and while Her see's him playing an unconventional character once again, this is perhaps the greatest connection he has established with an audience. He is so likable and you immediately feel sympathy for his character to the point where you feel you should reach into the world of Her and give him a big hug. In a film where reality is questioned, the way which he exhibits his emotions is extremely real. His character just adds to the beauty of the film and Phoenix's final scenes are perfection.

While Scarlett Johansson doesn't appear in the film in a physical sense, she gives a fantastic vocal performance. You may only be able to hear her, but you often forget that you are not seeing Samantha as her emotions are all so visible in her voice. It seems crazy how much you actually feel for her character as well, only to remember that this character is an OS and not a real person. Amy Adams plays a fragile character in Theodore's good friend, Amy. She does well, and like Theodore, is a very real character in a strange situation. Olivia Wilde has a small role as Theodore's blind date, but also does well and Kristen Wiig lends her voice to Theodore's adult chat partner, SexyKitten and is hilarious. The scene with Phoenix and Rooney Mara, who plays his ex wife Catherine, is so real that it is haunting. A meeting between once husband and wife on the verge of divorce where they start off on good terms, but end up fighting about the way things were, which also results in Phoenix's Theodore second guessing himself in a way that only an ex can make you do.

Her is pure brilliance in the way that it thoroughly entertains and shows you the beauty in the world, but is also cynical about the world. While the technology aspect of the film may make you question how real our reality is, the beauty of the film is absolutely real.

9.5/10