The 50 Year Argument (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 95 minutes
Directors: Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi

The 50 Year Argument  will be showing at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival at Chauvel Cinema on Saturday 18 October. For more information and for ticket purchases, please see the Official Website

Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi's documentary about the institution that is The New York Review of Books, The 50 Year Argument is a piece of cinema which every avid reader and writer should see whether or not they are familiar with the periodical. The film is constructed in such a way that it is not just a history of the Review, but a history of the world as the Review saw it. An extremely passionate exploration of the sphere of both journalism and literature which contains wonderful images, but also some which are the most shocking of the last 50 years.

As The New York Review of Books reaches it's 50th birthday, Scorsese and Tedeschi embark on an in depth study of what has made the publication so unique compared to it's competitors and of the journalists and intellectuals who made it so. From it's beginnings in 1963, editor Robert Silvers has been committed to assembling the past and present respected writers who have given the Review not only views on the most popular pieces of writing, but also an unique cultural and political voice in covering some of the most monumental events in the world over that time. In order to make The New York Review of Books superior to other publications, these writers have strived to put to print their brave and sometimes unpopular views and are continuously being encouraged to do this as the world changes.

"Our only truth is narrative truth".

While The 50 Year Argument is primarily an insight into The New York Review of Books' 50 year history, it's story cannot be told without encompassing elements of what was occurring in the world and being reported over that time. The last half century has produced some truly shocking events which have been caught on film as well as in print. These events (including the Vietnam War and the unrest in Cairo) are retold by those journalists for the Review who were on the ground as they happened and offer an unique recollection of events which produced controversial pieces of writing at the time. The film also demonstrates how the written word can bring on change and has the ability to influence such is with the example of "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan and feminism. The 50 Year Argument seeks to remind viewers that the written word is the only true way of capturing the truth and it has an incredibly powerful ability to influence change and history.

Scorsese and Tedeschi's documentary is quite a stunning piece of work and is assembled with great care and love for the New York institution. It's content as well as the visual appearance of important information and passages from and about the Review often appear throughout the film in written form in the Times New Roman font, which will delight avid writers and readers with it's familiarity. The 50 Year Argument does not shy away from some of the most startling photos and videos, such as the infamous Tibetan monk on fire footage. While many will find several images unsettling and confronting, the fact that they are spread out through the film is a wonderful technique as it allows for tension to be felt continuously throughout the film. 

The 50 Year Argument is made with warmth and love for one of the great publications of the United States. The film is nostalgic and classic, but also an extremely smart piece of cinema.

9/10

The Judge (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 141 minutes
Director: David Dobkin
Writers: David Dobkin (story), Nick Schenk (story and screenplay), Bill Dubuque (screenplay)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vincent D'Onofrio, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester

The Judge opens in Australian cinemas on October 9 and is distributed by Roadshow Films. Opens in the United States on October 10 and the United Kingdom on October 17.

Without it's magnificent cast and smart direction by David Dobkin, The Judge would be in danger of becoming just another predictable family redemption melodrama. The saving grace of the charismatic presence of Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall makes sure that what would usually be seen as stereotypical is given a disguise for it to be perceived as new and original. While the disguise may not be as convincing as it could be, the emotional intensity of the performances puts it above the majority of films in its cluster.

High flying Chicago lawyer, Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) receives the terrible news that his mother has passed away suddenly and he will have to make his way back to his Indiana rural hometown  for the funeral. The idea of returning to the place he grew up does not appeal to Hank as it means the reunion of he and his estranged father, Judge Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall). It appears as though it will be a trip long enough only to have a confrontation with his father and be on his way, until it is discovered that his father has been involved in an accident and needs a very good lawyer for him to escape being convicted of murder.

The Judge is not altogether predictable, but neither does it feel like something audiences haven't seen several times before. The family relations storyline about the troubled father-son relationship and about the son returning to his hometown to face his past is extremely predictable and almost painfully stereotypical with elements such as the compulsory encounter with an ex-girlfriend and reminiscing over family photos and films accompanied by nostalgic music. However, the film gains originality when the family aspect is combined with courtroom drama. It is the legal side of The Judge which keeps it intriguing as that is where the unpredictability in the film lies and it's screenplay becomes all the more interesting for it. Unfortunately, the courtroom drama and mystery of what happened on that rainy night are not enough to make the film overly memorable.

Visually the film regains it's stereotypical family melodrama feel. Flashback shots in home movie style are used to visualize memories which Hank has running through his head and the town he returns to is much like any other town in which a character has made an effort to escape only to return to in order to face their demons. Yet it is a beautiful and quaint town which is a perfect place to go to reflect on life and is pleasantly captured on film. Even though the musical score is attempting to be light and nostalgic, it comes across as more dated and timeworn.

As Hank Palmer, Robert Downey Jr. shows how he can regain his charismatic and enjoyable persona and take it emotionally wherever it needs to go. The main source of humour in The Judge is his dialogue, which is as quick and witty as audiences have fondly become accustomed to from such roles as Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes. Yet, Downey gives his most emotional performance in years and is both convincing and wonderfully moving. Robert Duvall is also very good. He is extremely real in his portrayal of a man who is in mourning, but at the same time is angry with the world and very much in denial about his own reality. Downey and Duvall work brilliantly together and there are some truly remarkable confrontation scenes between the two of them.

The Judge is a film with a story like many others, but the strength and intensity of it's performances by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall gives it the edge to put it above the films in it's class it could be compared to.

6.5/10

Gone Girl (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 149 minutes
Director: David Fincher
Writer: Gillian Flynn (book and screenplay)
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Carrie Coon, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit

Gone Girl is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Twentieth Century Fox.

A book shouldn't be made into a film unless it really has something to gain from it. Unfortunately in most cases with highly successful books, this gain and the driving reason behind the adaptation seems to be money. However, Gone Girl truly has gained from being made into a movie, especially in the hands of David Fincher. Based on the bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn (who also wrote the screenplay), the neo-noir film unsettles and thrills with its combination of suspense and depth. With incredibly strong and memorable performances by all the cast, Gone Girl proves that unlike so many others, it belongs off the book page and on the screen.

On the morning of their anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) returns home to find that his wife of five years, Amy (Rosamund Pike) has disappeared in what appears to be a violent kidnapping. As the search for Amy begins, Nick finds himself at the centre of the investigation as all the evidence starts to point to him when the cracks in his marriage start to be seen by the world and he becomes the lead suspect in his wife's disappearance and assumed murder.

Fincher's Gone Girl does exactly what book to film adaptations should do and that is to recognise and act upon what cinema can do to enhance the story. As a book, "Gone Girl" continues to attract a large readership and among it are admirers and cynics of Flynn's work. However, the film will impress and entertain even those amongst the cynics. The screenplay stays true to the book for the most part which means that the ending, which is the main cause for complaint of many, is present in the film. This is evidently what many will profess to dislike about the film, but the way in which Fincher has dealt with and fleshed out the material which has been given to him is testimony to his brilliance as a film maker. It is not often one says that a book works better on screen than it does on paper, but the unmistakable style of Fincher is perfect for Flynn's story and brings out it's true suspenseful and unsettling nature in spectacular style.

For those who have not read the book, Gone Girl is completely unpredictable and suspenseful. Yet, those who have read the book will be astonished at the suspense they feel while watching and knowing what is to come. While most of the suspense is in the story, it is assisted in spectacular fashion by the incredibly haunting music provided by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and gorgeous use of cinematography. Fincher shows the characters from such interesting and beautiful camera angles which allow a different story to be told through the camera lens. The final music piece of the film which plays through the last scene and into the credits is beautifully unsettling and this is the feeling that resonates after leaving the film.

Fincher has the wonderful ability to bring out themes in the film which were not as evident in the book as what they should have been. The notion which both the book and the film will prompt people into contemplating is whether we ever truly know the person we are with. It is easy to start seeing your marriage alongside Nick and Amy's and hoping that in the comparison you see differences. While this is intriguingly and thought provoking, the theme which plays alongside this in the film is that of changing ourselves for other people. This is something which many members of the audience will be able to relate to as we are all capable of trying to change ourselves for others. However, you can only try and be someone else for a certain amount of time until you become troubled as that unknown version of yourself and the real person starts to show themselves. In marriage, people don't change after they are married. They purely relax and reveal who they really are.

From the very first moment Rosamund Pike appears on screen as Amy Dunne in close up, she presents the viewer with a character of extreme complexity. As a result of the constant comparison Amy has felt throughout her life to her mother's fictional book character, Amazing Amy, she is never quite sure of who she is. Pike's performance is nothing short of outstanding. She shows a remarkable amount of versatility and range in this complex and intriguing role and is perfectly cast in the role. Pike and Ben Affleck have such an interesting screen chemistry. They do fine in the romantic scenes, but it is the awkwardness and tension they have towards each other afterwards which makes them truly exciting to watch. Affleck does very well as Nick Dunne and again is perfect for the role. He gives a pure, strong and controlled performance. Both Affleck and Pike also have the uncanny ability to make the viewer feel both love and hate for the two of them at different times throughout the film and hold a real emotional connection with the audience.

Carrie Coon, who plays Nick's twin sister, Margo is a stand out. She is often Nick's strength and she is completely entertaining in every scene she is in. Neil Patrick Harris plays Amy's ex-boyfriend, Desi Collings, a role which seems completely different from his previous work. Desi is another very interesting character, as you never know what his real intentions are and Harris gives such a strong and memorable performance in a part which is relatively small. Kim Dickens is also commendable in her role as Detective Rhonda Boney. It is a role which could have been stereotypical and one dimensional, but Dickens is perfect and incredibly real.

Gone Girl worked as a book for so many, but the film fleshes out far more and brings to the screen the type of thriller once thought long gone. David Fincher's film shows that there are still ways to shock audiences which are accompanied by dark beauty and extraordinary talent. While the film doesn't end in popular fashion, it unsettles and resonates for long after.

8/10