Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Now this was a film that I would watch again and again, it was both moving and in a sort of strange way - thought provoking. The performances from the all star brilliant cast really do the storyline justice and provide characters that you can sympathise and connect with throughout the film. Although it is mostly a romantic drama it has so many comedic moments to keep what could be a dark film very light hearted.

Silver Linings Playbook is about a man named Pat who has just been released from a mental institute after being admitted there for beating a man to near death after finding the man having sex with his wife in their shower whist their wedding song was playing and is also diagnosed as being bipolar. The song is a trigger of Pat's that sets him off every time he hears it. After leaving he moves back in with his parents Pat Senior and Dolores, and makes numeral attempts to get back in touch with his wife who left him. Pat believes he can live off positivity and looking for silver linings rather than taking his medication and a few events take place that shows he needs the help of his therapist and medication after all.  But as he adjusts back into reality and what could be considered as 'normal' life, he comes across Tiffany who is a very troubled women herself, with her own issues sparked from the death of her husband. Pat and Tiffany click almost instantly, their eccentric platonic relationship concerns both their family members but by being in each others company they find themselves being more emotionally stable and healed. Pat takes part in Tiffany's dance competition in return for her passing on letters to his wife which he cannot do due to a restraining order he has. As they practice sparks fly, and they fall for each other. Pat doesn't comprehend that Tiffany has feelings for him and Tiffany doesn't realise Pat returns the feelings she has for him. *Somebody tell help them out here* After the dance competition they finally become a couple with the acceptance of both families. The silver lining in Pat's life being Tiffany.

The actors really bring the characters to life and do the script justice as you believe ever word spoken, the cast include Bradley Cooper as Pat, Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany, Robert De Niro as Pat Senior, Chris Tucker as Danny, Julia Stiles as Veronica and Jacki Weaver as Dolores. This is just a small handful of the talent shown! The standout performance having to be from Bradley Cooper that truly crafts Pat in the best way possible by making him appear crazy but stable, eccentric and troubled, happy but sad. The development of Pat finding himself as well as the development of his relationship with the other characters such as his father who longs for a father son bond, Danny his friend from the institute who is constantly escaping and of course Tiffany who is more or less the female version of him. A beautiful film is created through the simplicity of life, no action is needed as the film is more an expression of people and their own lives with the adversities they face.

I really cannot recommend watching Silver Linings Playbook enough, it deserves to be recognised for both the narrative and performances, the editing and sound, the mise en scene and directing, the screenwriting and overall production.

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Pitch Perfect is one of them throughly entertaining films that keeps the humour going throughout, which is a hard thing to do. The cast were all perfect for the roles that they played and you found you could relate to at least one of the characters in some sort of way which made it even more fun viewing. Although the film focuses around the main girl Beca played by rising star Anna Kendrick who plays the typical rebellious girl who has aspirations and feels like she needs no one else to help her, joins Barden college where she is sort of roped and blackmailed into joining the female a cappella group called the Barden Bellas who turn out to be a strange bunch of misfits that fit perfectly together. The best laugh out loud moments probably being provided by Fat Amy played by the funny Rebel Wilson and Lilly played by Hana Mae Lee who at one point silently declares 'I ate my twin in the womb' and its one of them points that if you catch what she's said you'll laugh but if you miss it her comedic moments can be overlooked.

The Barden Bellas compete with other a cappella groups in order to try and win at the finals, with Beca helping to find a new way to represent the group and how to show off their voices along with the teamwork that falters at one point they manage to finally achieve winning in the final. Alongside this is a romance between Beca and Jesse as he teaches her to open up and shows he cares for her, but with him in the rival group this causes trouble and friction between the members of the group especially hot headed leader Aubrey who humiliates herself at the beginning of the film. Pitch Perfect is full of great songs that just make you want to sing along and join in, the best musical point I would say is the Riff Off where rivals gather and compete with songs about sex, his brings out the competition and wit in both the males and females. It is a formulaic film as you can pretty much guess where the story is going about twenty minutes in but you forgive that due to original and quick witted lines, the script for the film is stellar.

Verdict: If you like comedy this is a must see film packed full of laughter.

Ruby Sparks (2012)

Now this was what seemed like a promising film on the surface but was actually pretty flatline viewing.  
The film tells the story of a young man named Calvin who achieved fame through writing a successful novel at a young age  as he has got older he finds not only is he unsuccessful in love but has also formed the dreaded writers block. However when he starts dreaming about this imaginary girl then writing about her on his type writer, he is surprised to find her as an actual living person stood in his house the day after. Ruby Sparks lives! Much to the astonishment of Calvin and probably everyone viewing the film. He has created his dream girl that will love him no matter what he faults, or so he thought. After cracks begin to appear in their relationships, Calvin becomes a paranoid and creepy girl who finds he can control ruby and her moods through typing it on the page. An uncomfortable moment in the film appears when he attempts to seize control and show her how much power he has over her after they have a massive row, he begins by making her speak french, then having her snap her fingers, then strip her clothed and finally having her behave like a dog. The realisation and humiliation of this is very awkward viewing and probably the most provoking part in the movie.

Ruby eventually leaves Calvin, and he faces up to himself and his actions by letting Ruby forget her past with him and become a free person. The conclusion being that he publishes another novel on his heartbreak and he meets Ruby in the park but she has no memory of him, a relationship between the pair sparks up as they bond on a picnic blanket. The ending is carefully rounded off around the place it began with the couple. This is an unrealistic story as no body has the power to manifest a person, if we all did there would be trouble but the fantasy element works in this context to provide a sort of light hearted film that contains what could be said as a main character that comes across very unlikeable. You will certainly not finish viewing this film and have any thoughts provoked but it is an okay film that will satisfy any boredom.

Control (2007)

I've not blogged recently due to starting university but I am trying to start posting more. With taking a film degree, watching films is part of the territory and gives me ample opportunity to watch and review. Our first screening was of Control.

Control tells the story of the famous singer Ian Curtis from the band Joy Division and how his personal life collided with his career causing a great internal struggle that caused him to sadly commit suicide at the young age of 23. The film is black and white throughout but I think this adds to the atmosphere and emphasises how the troubled singer saw the world in black or white with no in-between which was part of the problem in his life. The lack of colour and joy causing what was portrayed as a deep depression with inner turmoil. The film begins showing Ian at a young age with his cool exterior which appears to slip when he falls in love with a girl called Debbie whom he then marries and has a child with. This appears to be a major regret in his life as we later see him progress from a  performing in a band called Warsaw that eventually became Joy Division that hit a big success after undergoing new management and getting signed. Although Debbie and Ian's lives appear to be following the steps of a regular relationship it is in fact going downhill as he is no longer in a happy marriage which is highlighted even further when he falls for a Belgium woman named Annik whom he met after one of his gigs. With an affair taking place he begins to spend less time at home and tries to avoid the responsibilities he created and has. Throughout the film parts of his life a highlighted which in turn creates quite poignant moments such as when Debbie finds out about Annik and begs him to stay with her anyway, when Ian has an epliectic fit on stage when performing and in the end his bid to stop all the confusion by committing suicide. The end providing a heartbreaking moment when we see a young man who has so much potential give up, and you can't help but feel that with more understanding and support it may not have came to that end result.

His struggles appeared to stem mostly from his conflicting feelings about Debbie and Annik, the amount of himself he put into each of his performances and that he had no medication that was fully effective for his condition. The film itself is an artistic piece and is not meant to be a documentary, it looks at some facts and dramatises them to create a moving image telling the story of a life that every person watching can sympathise with. The soundtrack of the film is mostly provided by Joy Division's songs, they fit in exactly in the right places to provide a level of drama and integrity to the life of Ian Curtis. With the lyrics reflecting the bleakness and truth of what they felt like 'Love will tear us apart'. Although the film focuses on certain points of Curtis's life such as the sadness and avoids showing the happy moments he had with the band this helps to build up the film to emphasise the lack of control he had in his life and the inevitable result of this.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

I may be biased in reviewing this movie because I've watched this film many times and it reminds me of when I was a little girl, sitting in the living room with my mum with this light hearted romantic comedy playing on the TV. So when I watch it again now it always brings back a fondness for the film as it is such a sweet story that provides a classic humour with a heart warming storyline.

Sweet Home Alabama is about a small town girl  Melanie who leaves her hometown Alabama to move to New York City where she plans on a bigger and better life which includes her becoming a fashion designer and marrying the mayor's son. After getting engaged to Andrew Hennings played by the dashing Patrick Dempsey, she realises she has things to sort out in the town she left behind and hasn't been back to in seven years like the divorce to her first (and only) childhood love Jake and seeing her parents once again. But when she returns, she reconnects with her past and finds she is at home there in Alabama. The film highlights the true meaning of community and friendship as the scenes when Melanie return are both welcoming and funny.

With her fiancee Andrew showing up whilst she is in the process of trying to get Jake to sign the divorcee papers, stuff gets more complicated and truths about her past life are revealed much to his surprise. With the wedding looking like it is going ahead after Jake signs the papers, everyone's futures look on track but when the big day comes it turns out Melanie is the one who has not signed the papers and cannot bring herself to do it as she realises she is still in love with Jake and always has been. With the wedding called off why waste a good reception! Melanie goes to find Jake who is out in a storm, and they kiss with the rain soaking them and him asking why he wants to mary her anyway? and her replying 'So I can kiss you anytime I want' mimicking the first scene of the film where they were children so that the words are echoed but in reverse. I hate to label a movie but this is a chick flick if there ever was one, with the romantic story of soul mates who found their way back to each other. Although it is a predictable ending, it is the ending we all want to see so you cannot complain.

Verdict - This film is far from the best romance story ever but it provides lovely tale that envelops you in the plot and makes you want to be a part of it.

Dorian Gray (2009)

 Dorian gray is a film adaption of a book so there are sure to be critics as soon as the film is shown but I have to agree with some of the negative comments made about the film. It begins with Gray played by Ben Barnes brutally murdering someone who is not yet revealed the tossing a trunk with blood leaking out into a river, this ellipsis of time scene is later shown to reveal who he has killed, why and how. The blood effect was badly done with it looking like the actor is being splashed with strawberry ribena so this representation could have been done better. We are then taken back into the past in order to inform us of Dorian's story and how he cam to be in the situation we saw him in right at the beginning of the film. With the setting being London in the 1930's we are treated to some nice establishing shots and beautiful scenery so that the mise en scene is truly invoking a sense of the past. Fades between shots I found were very effective and found to create a dreamy state. These were a few of the good points of the film.

 A dark atmosphere is created by building tension around what is in the attic and we are shown flashbacks of when Dorian was a child and how he was abused, I feel this was a way to make the character more appealing by making us sympathise with his past in order to forgive his actions in the present day but I found myself to feel he brought his fate upon himself with his own selfishness. Barnes  playing the main role may have been a bit of a ploy to draw in an audience as his handsome face is sure to capture your attention at certain points of the film and keep your interest for a while, I especially liked the close up shots of him intensely looking at the attic with worry.

 I feel that the plot was very slow developing and that in the beginning it is hard to figure out exactly where it is leading but once you figure out that Barnes is at first a pleasant gentlemen that has come to London then led astray by the conniving Lord Harry into the life of sin that London has to offer, at first he appears to worry for his soul but soon gives in to temptation. We find out that he makes a ambiguous deal with the devil to stay young and beautiful forever but he does not understand the full consequences of his agreement. We see the ugliness and evilness of his true soul that appears to lie beneath the innocent face through a painting that Basil painted of Dorian. The development of the painting is a creepy process that makes you look away at points as with see maggots moving around the face and sense the unnaturalness of the being through the low moaning sound that is a motif throughout.

A lot of things were so overdone that it made the film hard and tiresome to watch at points such as the over exaggeration of the corruption that Dorian Gray went through as the constant sex scene clips soon became dull and tedious. I almost screamed at the screen "I get it!" it is easy to understand he has given in to all that is seen as bad and dangerous so the point does not need rehashing over and over again. Along with this the film prolonged the suspense and intrigue to the point the it lost all suspense and intrigue because it became boring waiting for something to happen. It appears to turn full circle when we find ourselves back where we started with Dorian chucking the trunk with Basil's body into the river after brutally murdering him but the story does not end there. The plot thickens as Dorian falls in love with Harry's daughter and he suddenly wants to repent for his crimes in order to live a happy life with her but of course actions have consequences. The painting secretly hidden in the attic was bound to be revealed at some time and typically it is revealed at the point in his life where he finds somebody he cares about. Harry and Dorian have a showdown in the attic with Harry coming out on top as he sets fire to the hideous painting and looks Dorian in the attic with it. The sad moment being when his true love shows up attempting to save him but he doesn't want to escape he declares his love then goes back to the attic to help destroying himself. The film ends on a poignant note with Harry having the old painting of Dorian when he first arrived in London, we see what he was and what he could have been.

I would have to admit that it was merely Ben Barnes and Colin Firth's performances that kept the film alive and moving for me. Lord Harry Wotton was my favourite character as he was complex and somebody that you love to hate, he was everything what was wrong but stood for things that were also right. Although he was calculating and devious he was very upfront about the way he was with people and did not pretend to be something he wasn't.

Verdict: A film easily lost amongst others.

Film Quotes of the Week

The only way to get rid of temptation, is to yield to it. - Lord Henry Wotton in Dorian Gray

You are more beautiful than Cinderella! You smell like pine needles, and have a face like sunshine! -Becca in Bridesmaids

Nobody puts Baby in a corner. - Johnny in Dirty Dancing

Whatever happened to chivalry? Does it only exist in 80's movies? I want John Cusack holding a boombox outside my wndow. I wanna ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist into the air because he knows he got me. Just once I want my life to be like an 80's movie, preferably one with a really awesome musical number for no apparent reason. But no, no, John Hughes did not direct my life. - Olive Penderghast in Easy A

So now, all alone or not, you gotta walk ahead. Thing to remember is if we're all alone, then we're all together in that too. - Patricia in PS I Love You