Review: Beauty And The Beast (UK Cert PG)

Disney's 1991 animated version of the classic French fairytale Beauty And The Beast is widely considered to be one of the best of Disney's output, as well as being the first animated film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. It won two Oscars- both for its sublime music- and was turned into a hit stage musical. Unsurprisingly, it's now had a live action remake.

Directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Mr. Holmes), it's a very faithful adaptation of the animated film with a couple of added character bits and a few new songs. It follows the same story as the animated film: Belle is a beautiful but educated and headstrong young woman which puts her at odds with the people in her small provincial town. When her father is imprisoned by a ferocious beast in an enchanted castle in the woods close to the town, Belle offers herself in her father's place and becomes the Beast's prisoner. Gradually though, the relationship between Belle and the Beast begins to soften and perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before...

Disney's Beauty And The Beast is one of my favourite films of all time. So it was with a little trepidation that I went into the cinema. Were they about to butcher one of my most beloved films?

No. No, they weren't. 

Simply put, the live action version is an absolute gem. Visually, the entire film is absolutely stunning. Jacqueline Durran's costumes are just sumptuous; everything from Belle's iconic yellow ball-gown down to Gaston's blood-red jacket looks perfect. Everything from the production design to the set decoration, the art design and the visual effects come together to create an absolute feast for the eyes.

The songs from the original animated film are included (written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman) with new ones written by Menken and Sir Tim Rice. It's just a shame that they couldn't use songs from the stage musical, although the songs that have been added are good and entirely in keeping with the original. Menken also composes the score, by turns melancholic, jovial, and spine-tingling. All of the singing is good; some singing is better than others, but nobody is in a Pierce-Brosnan-in-Mamma-Mia or Russell-Crowe-in-Les-Miserables situation.

Performances across the board are superb. Whilst I was a little dubious before about Emma Watson's casting, she's entirely brilliant as Belle. She plays Belle's vulnerability as well as she plays her bravery. It's a very assured performance. Dan Stevens is similarly strong as the Beast; surly and angry yet softening as he gets to know her. It's also nice that they've chosen to make him more educated; he gets a nice moment when he gives Belle the library. One of the added character bits is to see both Belle and the Beast's early life (both losing their mothers at a young age) which shows they have more in common than they first thought. This, on the whole, works.

Luke Evans is suave and charming as Gaston, although this version has his move to out-and-out villain a lot earlier. Josh Gad is great as the faithful LeFou, clearly infatuated with his friend (more on that later). Kevin Kline puts in a wonderfully nuanced and quite moving performance as Belle's father Maurice, more overprotective but still very caring. There's also an important, yet silent, role for Hattie Morahan who plays the Enchantress who casts the spell over the Beast in the first place.

Moving over to the inhabitants of the castle, no complaints: Ewan McGregor is similarly suave as the debonair Lumiere, Ian McKellen is wonderful as cantankerous Cogsworth whilst Emma Thompson adds warmth and homeliness as Mrs Potts. Doctor Who actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw is good as the flirtatious feather-duster Plumette and young actor Nathan Mack is great as Chip, whilst Audra McDonald and Stanley Tucci are a wonderful pairing as Madame Garderobe and Maestro Cadenza (who are turned into the wardrobe and a harpsichord respectively).

I've got to address the elephant in the room. Ever since it was announced that there was going to be an 'exclusively gay moment' in the film, conservatives, evangelists and homophobes the world over have poured bile and vitriol across the airwaves and the internet denouncing this move. I don't know what they're expecting them to show in a PG-rated movie but I think it says much more about their mindset than anything else.
Making LeFou gay is not the greatest leap forward; it's clear in the animated version that he's very devoted to Gaston. So what is this moment? What could possibly be worth such a negative backlash? Well... in the ball at the end, LeFou dances with another man. That's it. That's what the furore is all about. It's as bad as all those idiots foaming at the mouth about Sulu being gay in Star Trek Beyond when, in a real blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, all you see is him putting his hand on the small of another man's back.

So you have the first canonically gay character in a Disney film here; you also have not only the first, but second, live-action interracial kiss in a Disney movie when Audra McDonald and Stanley Tucci lock lips at the end, as do Ewan McGregor and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Thankfully there haven't been protests about that.

I truly loved this film. It's quite a different beast to the animated feature but to compare the two is a bit like comparing apples and oranges (as live-action and animation are two wildly different mediums). It's a funny, lively, touching film, beautiful to look at, lovely to listen to, and a pure joy from start to finish.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tez

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015 - Part Two

The Hallow (Ireland/English dialogue/97 min)

Adam (Joseph Mawle – BBC’s Ripper Street) and Clare (Bojana Novakovic – Channel 4’s Shameless) set up home in a mill house deep within Ireland’s remote woods. They move there for peace and quiet, for Adam to get on with his work, but soon realise they have neighbours: evil Irish faeries who want to steal their baby.

Your enjoyment of director Corin Hardy’s first feature film, The Hallow, depends on whether you’re a horror connoisseur. A couple of minutes in, you know exactly where it’s going; no surprises here. At no point in the narrative will you be stunned, thinking, “I never saw that coming!” If the last few sentences have put you off, best leave well alone. Saying that, Hardy’s film looks good, despite being on a fraction of the budget of US horror fare, plus there are some smartly constructed jolts and tense scenes.

Hardy and cinematographer Martijn van Broekhuizen take full advantage of the forest location. In the daylight, the landscape looks ominous, sinister, the last place you’d want to take your dog for a walk! At night, it’s something straight out of a twisted fairy-tale, trees dotted with moonlight, mist spreading across the ground, plenty of shadows for something to hide.

Most low budget horrors fall flat when the monster is revealed: a man in a suit or ropey CGI. The Hallows faeries are not only convincing, they’re creepy as hell. They look human, but their skin is melted, stretched across their bones; thorns and spikes pushing through their flesh.

You can tell Hardy has watched plenty of horror films; he knows how to pace the scares, sometimes making you jump with no build up or warning. Several scenes take place with the sun going down, Adam and his family alone in the house. You know the faeries are going to get in, but what happens is still nerve-wracking.

There are no twists or surprises in The Hallow; it goes from A-to-B and never veers off-course. Thanks to some sharp direction from Hardy, it is fun to watch and perfect if you’re at home and fancy a late-night scare. Hardy is currently filming The Crow remake, which, when I hear about it, makes me want to press my hands over my ears, shut my eyes, and pretend it’s not happening. After seeing The Hallow, I’m intrigued to see what he’ll come up with.

3 out of 5

Iona (UK/English dialogue/110 min)

The closing film of EIFF 2015, Iona stars Ruth Negga (TV series Love/Hate and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as the title character, seeking refuge in her hometown on the Inner Hebrides with her teenage son Bull (Ben Gallagher, his feature film debut), having survived a violent attack from a police officer.

Iona is a slow-burning drama, with plenty of lengthy shots of the cast all staring intently. With writer/director Scott Graham’s second feature film, it’s not about what characters are saying, it’s what the people of this tiny community are hiding from each other; buried feelings and secrets.

Everyone gives their all acting-wise. Negga gives a subtle, complex performance as Iona; she’s only home because she’s desperate, the island holding plenty of bad memories for her. Gallagher is equally impressive as Iona’s teenage son, struggling to cope, having murdered his mother’s attacker; trying and failing to find his place in the strict Christian community of the island. Douglas Henshall (ITV’s Primeval) gives a smart, reigned in performance as the clouded, brooding Daniel, grieving for his late wife, yet carrying on his affair with Iona, which began over a decade ago.

Cinematographer Yoliswa von Dallwitz takes full advantage of the island location, giving us shots that are both bleak and stunning. Religion is an ever prevalent theme in Iona, the people on the island having a close bond, a relationship with God, but for Iona, that relationship has broken down, something von Dallwitz explores in the visuals. The landscape at times can be bleak, unforgiving, but also wonderfully beautiful as we are shown the sun rising on the coast, or hilltop views across the island.

Iona’s hard-to-ignore problem is its running time; sometimes it’s not so much a slow burner as a drawn-out flicker. It doesn’t need to be two hours; the odd scene dragging on for longer than it should. I get that much of Graham’s film is about the secrets of a small community, how the lies and bottled-up emotions are a drain on everyone, the cast much rather giving grim stares than doing the hard thing of talking about what’s going on, but Iona is dotted with needlessly overlong scenes. You could cut the film down to around ninety minutes and none of the characters would suffer.

There’s a lot going on with Iona; a character study that really gets inside the heads of everyone onscreen. The trouble is it goes on for longer than needed. It’s a strong film, with some first-rate performances, but some will be put off by how Graham takes his time getting to the intense and draining finale.

3 out of 5

Last Days in the Desert (USA/English dialogue/100 min)

Ewan McGregor has played Obi-Wan Kenobi, it makes sense that he would one day play Jesus. Though if you’re expecting something straight out of Sunday school, think again; this is a subdued, symbolic version of Jesus’s forty days in the desert.

Writer/director Rodrigo Garcia’s film starts off well into Jesus’s journey. He can no longer speak to God and begins to doubt his faith. In the desert he meets a family. The mother (Ayelet Zurer) is dying, the father (Ciarán Hinds) tries not to think of his wife’s illness, wanting his teenage son (Tye Sheridan) to stay with him in the desert, the son however wanting to leave and make a life for himself in Jerusalem. The devil (also McGregor) makes a bet with Jesus; if he can satisfy everyone in this family, fulfil their wishes, then the devil will leave Jesus alone.

Last Days in the Desert is one of those films where you only get out of it what you put in. The story itself is a simple one (if it were a novel it would barely make it past ten pages), but Garcia has crammed the film with minute-after-minute of religious and philosophical discussion, plus heaps of symbolism. The parallels between God and Jesus/the father and son are obvious; Hinds’ father expecting Sheridan not to question him, to trust him, even when Hinds gets things wrong. One of my favourite scenes – which doesn’t spoil anything by mentioning it; I’m assuming everyone knows how Jesus finally ends up – is towards the end, Jesus walking through what is meant to be the dried up Dead Sea, the lowest land mass on earth, turning to the devil and saying, “This is where I leave you.”

McGregor gives one of his best performances for a while as Jesus and the devil. McGregor’s Son of God is defeated, softly spoken, but angry at his Father, bottling up his rage. This Jesus is not the kind, wise man you read about in Primary school: he doubts himself, no longer having a purpose. The easiest thing as the devil would be to overact, make him this sneering, clichéd villain. McGregor wisely avoids this, portraying the devil as a petulant child, who is always right, never listens to anyone, raging if he doesn’t get his way. Garcia has Jesus and the devil played by the same actor, but they are two totally different people.

Hinds (an appallingly underrated actor) is outstanding as the father. You can see why Sheridan is frustrated with him; to anyone on the outside it’s as if Hinds has plans for his son, his son having no say on his future. The truth is that Hinds is terrified. If his son remains in the desert, he can protect him; if his son goes to Jerusalem he has no idea what will happen to him. Hinds has no faith in people, hence why he and his family live out in the desert. It is only when this father meets Jesus that his faith is mended.

Last Days in the Desert is possibly the most stunning film you will see in 2015. It helps when you have Birdman and Gravity’s Oscar-winning cinematographer on-board; Emmanuel Lubezki. Shot in southern California, Lubezki used only natural lighting, surrounding the characters with rocky hills, bare trees and oppressing skies, the landscape giving the film this epic grandeur, whilst also showing how insignificant these people are compared to the world around them.

Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ didn’t just miss the point, it wasn’t even firing in the right direction (show us scene-after-scene of Saw-style torture porn Gibson, but why is Jesus doing all this? WHY?!). Garcia’s take on the Son of God (Yeshua, as he is called here, the Hebrew name for Jesus) is never pretentious or self-absorbed; it’s moving and wears its heart on its sleeve, getting you to ponder the same questions the characters ask themselves.

Not everyone will like Garcia’s film; there are some out there who will hate every single minute of it. If you like your dramas thoughtful, powerful, and hugely ambitious, then you need to make sure you see this. The more I stop and think about Last Days in the Desert, the more I’m in awe of it.

4 out of 5

The Legend of Barney Thomson (UK/English dialogue/93 min)

The Legend of Barney Thomson is Robert Carlyle’s (Trainspotting, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough) directorial debut, a wickedly dark comedy with Carlyle as Thomson, a clueless barber who accidently murders his colleague. Thomson tries to cover up his actions, but is forced to kill more people when the truth threatens to rear its ugly head.

For Carlyle, the stars were all in alignment with his film. Richard Cowan and Colin McLaren’s screenplay is minute-after-minute barmy and hysterical, the British all-star cast gleefully milking it for all it’s worth. Despite Thomson being a serial killer, you’re cheering him on, wanting him to get away with it because he’s so bumbling and useless. For Thomson, this is an accident that spirals completely out of control.

As good as Carlyle is, it’s Emma Thompson who steals the show here as Barney’s no messing, rough-around-the-edges, Glaswegian mother. Thompson is scarcely recognisable under the heaps of make-up to make her look older. She’s fiery, does whatever the hell she wants, and has the accent absolutely spot on (“I dunnae think ya heard me… IT’S MA BINGO NIIIIGHT!!”). A Scottish friend of mine said she brought back memories of his grandmother, she was that convincing and comical.

Ray Winstone shows he can do more than play the gravel-voiced hard man. As a London copper who simply doesn’t get Scotland or its people, he proves he’s more than capable at comedy. Winstone wants to go in, guns blazing, smash a few heads, but gets shot down time-and-again by his colleagues (Extras’ Ashley Jenson, on marvellous shouty form) and his superior (Tom Courtenay – exasperated by anyone and everyone around him; having body parts mailed to the police station just about tipping him over the edge).

The Legend of Barney Thomson opened this year’s EIFF, and you can see why. It’s riotous and ridiculous without ever losing its audience, everyone on screen is having a grand old time, which shows in the performances, it’s fast paced, and has plenty of fond nods and gags aimed at Glasgow and Glaswegians. Carlyle’s first film in the director’s chair is one EIFF’s best films; make sure you watch it.

4 out of 5

Love & Mercy (USA/English dialogue/121 min)

Bill Pohlad’s second film as director (having been producer on Brokeback Mountain, The Tree of Life and 12 Years a Slave) is no straightforward biopic of a million selling recording artist. Based on the life of Beach Boys singer/songwriter/music genius Brian Wilson, we cut back-and-forth between two key moments in Wilson’s career: his twenties (played by There Will Be Blood’s Paul Dano), when Wilson wrote Pet Sounds, and his mental health was becoming more-and-more noticeable, and his forties (played by Grosse Point Blank’s John Cusack), Wilson a recluse, held prisoner by his mental illness as well as his legal guardian, Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti).

You’re lucky if you get one awards-worthy performance in a film; Love & Mercy has several. Best of the bunch (no disservice to anyone) is Paul Dano as the young Wilson. Not only does Dano look and sound like him (Dano performed the spookily similar vocals himself), he gets Wilson’s mannerisms absolutely right. In brilliantly shot, fast paced studio scenes, the camera zig-zagging and swerving in every direction, we see Wilson’s unbridled joy while he is recording, child-like in his excitement and coming up with never before tried ideas straight out of nowhere. Dano also gives us the other side of Wilson, his know-no-bounds kindness, his vulnerability, how afraid he is when his mental health worsens, and his growing paranoia. It’s a staggering, complicated, give it all you’ve got performance.

While John Cusack might not look or sound much like Wilson, he gets the behaviour, the ticks, the social awkwardness completely spot on. It’s tragic to watch, Dano’s cheerful young man, full of energy, has gone, replaced by someone who is shy, frightened, speaking in whispers, prepared to do whatever he is told, terrified of confrontation. The kind, child-like Wilson is still there, but buried under heaps of medication which he has no say over. With most biopics, you already know how things will end because the main character is a worldwide superstar, every bit of their life up there on the internet or in the media for all to see. While most people are aware of what happened to Wilson, that doesn’t stop the film from being a gripping watch; you want Cusack to escape from his living hell.

Paul Giamatti, when not taking Hollywood’s money and running for the hills (I’m looking at you, San Andreas) is staggeringly talented. Here, as Dr. Landy, he is an odious man with a shit-eating grin, saying his actions are for Wilson’s benefit, when really he is controlling, a bully, bleeding Wilson’s fortune dry and calling it therapy. Giamatti can be frightening to watch, speaking in a soft, gentle voice until he hears something he doesn’t like, firing off into this child-like rage. The main reason you cheer for Wilson is down to Giamatti and his intimidating, perfect performance.

Elizabeth Banks plays Melinda Ledbetter, the love interest, but it’s not your typical, seen it all before role. She falls for Cusack’s Wilson, then discovers how he is being mistreated by Dr. Landy. Melinda may be a car seller, using her looks to get the punters to part with their cash, but she is a smart, feisty woman who doesn’t get scared or intimidated, Landy foolishly underestimating her. It’s clear from the moment she meets Wilson, Melinda doesn’t want him for his money, she loves this man, doing whatever she can to rescue him.

Love & Mercy isn’t a biopic with great performances, marred by an average script or cinematography. Pohlad uses some smart tricks to show us Wilson’s mental health go into free fall, a stand-out scene involving Paul Dano having dinner with friends. We realise the sound of cutlery, the clangs, the jarring noise, is merging, ending up on a loud, continuous loop. Wilson tries ignoring it, but becomes more and more distressed. There are a number of scenes with young Wilson in a quiet studio. He puts on his headphones and all he hears is harsh, discordant sound, tearing the headphones from his ears. It’s clever, creative stuff!

Like the best music biopics, the soundtrack has plenty of perfect, sing along songs where you can’t help but do a little dance in your seat. It’s impossible not to sing along to Wouldn’t It Be Nice or move around to Good Vibrations. There’s a lovely moment where we watch Wilson in the studio recording God Only Knows, going from shot-to-shot as we see him discussing his vision with the band, tinkering with the instruments and trying things that had never been done before (placing hair pins inside a grand piano to give it a rattling, clinking sound).

Pohlad’s biopic is flawless, up there with Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There or Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Nowhere Boy. Thrilling and mesmerising, Love & Mercy isn’t just one of EIFF’s best, it’s one of the best films of 2015.

5 out of 5

The Messenger (UK/English dialogue/96 min)

When I read the write-up in this year’s EIFF programme, The Messenger was one I didn’t want to miss. It sounded like the British, dirt-under-your-nails version of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense. Jack is known down his local as a fruit cake; he sits in a corner with his pint, talking to himself. The truth is he’s not mad, he can see the dead.

Sadly, BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning director David Blair’s latest is nowhere near as good as it should be. Andrew Kirk’s screenplay ticks off virtually every ghost story cliché; there is nothing remotely new here, not even a genre tradition with a slight twist. The Messenger’s entire ninety-odd minutes have been done before.

The cast (including Misfits’ Robert Sheehan; Lily Cole) all do their best, but they’re given worn out, sometimes unintentionally funny dialogue. Rants about how the dead choose you because you have “the gift”, how this is more like a curse than a blessing, how you wish you could live like everyone else – they’re all here. All of the characters here are underwritten. We see Jack’s childhood during several flashbacks – explaining why he’s a loner, why he’s not just damaged because he’s seen dead people all his life, other things went on – though they feel like they were added in later, having nothing significant to do with the narrative. The only reason we’re given as to why Emma (Lily Cole) offers to help Jack is because she’s his sister; we learn nothing about her character, no digging beneath the surface, only that she’s a bit bored staying at home in her boyfriend’s swanky flat, drinking wine all day.

Ian Moss’ cinematography does the job, but it’s nothing special; a dim, depressing-looking palette that’s been used in numerous British films.

The Messenger becomes tiresome after a while. If you’re going to dredge up the same, seen-it-dozens-of-times-before formula, then why bother? It fails as a ghost story, as a psychological study; it fails at near enough everything. Search round for ITV’s afterlife starring Lesley Sharp and Andrew Lincoln, which had ideas, scares, compassion, plus a crafty sense of humour, all AWOL from Blair’s newest entry on his CV.

2 out of 5

Turbo Kid (Canada, New Zealand/English dialogue/89 min)

Turbo Kid is a ridiculous amount of fun for anyone who loves ‘80s action or sci-fi films (Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop, George Miller’s Mad Max 2, or John Carpenter’s They Live!): it’s smart, gory, and has its tongue firmly in its cheek.

In a post-apocalypse world, Turbo Kid (Munro Chambers), obsessed with anything-and-everything ‘80s, even dressing up like a superhero, keeps himself-to-himself, not trusting anyone, until he meets the beautiful and cheery Apple (Laurence Leboeuf), the two of them suddenly finding themselves the targets of a violent, take-no-prisoners biker gang.

Turbo Kid is made on a shoe-string budget, but everyone involved makes the most of every penny. Half the fun of Anouk Whissell, François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissell’s film is that it looks like a cheap ‘80s sci-fi. The visuals are clearly Verhoeven-inspired, with geysers of blood being launched at the screen. It’s not barbaric, it’s not realistic, it’s so over-the-top, you can’t help but burst out laughing. A scene guaranteed to make you roar involves a henchman having several torsos land and pile up on his head, looking like some gore-covered kebab spit.

All of the actors onscreen are clearly having a great time, everybody hamming it up. Best of the bunch is Michael Ironside (Scanners, Top Gun, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone) as the film’s villain Zeus, playing the role much like Brian Blessed’s performance in Flash Gordon: like he’s onstage at The Globe, but is having plenty of fun. Aaron Jeffrey enjoys himself as a gunslinger out of every Clint Eastwood film ever made; gravel-voiced and giving everyone he meets a cold, don’t-wanna-mess-with-me stare. Leboeuf should be Jar Jar Binks irritating with how bright and happy she always is, but is actually funny as hell whenever she is onscreen; a great contrast to Chambers’ mistrusting, forced to grow up Turbo Kid.

Worthy of a mention is Le Matos, who produced the film’s score, who obviously live and breathe anything ‘80s. Whatever synthesiser the band used to come up with the music, it has to be well-and-truly exhausted; drum machines and sequencers turning up every five minutes in Turbo Kid.

While it harks back to the ‘80s, Turbo Kid has plenty of its own ideas to make you rush out and buy it on DVD. A deliriously violent and nostalgic ninety minutes.

4 out of 5

Review: August: Osage County (UK Cert 15)

Blood is thicker than water. You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. Both of these truisms have at their heart the complex and sometimes fractious relationship of family at their core, and that's something that describes August: Osage County to a tee. A merciless dissection of a dysfunctional family brought together by tragedy, it's adapted by Tracy Letts from his own Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play. It also brings together one of the finest ensemble casts assembled on-screen.

Leading from the front is Meryl Streep in a role that has just garnered her an unparalleled eighteenth Oscar nomination. Formidable matriarch Violet Weston is an absolute gem of a role and Streep attacks it with gusto- Violet is by turns a pathetic, fragile, drug-addled mess, without her wig and glazed behind the eyes (she is receiving treatment for mouth cancer) and then she's a malevolent presence at the dinner table, poised like a black widow spider, cigarette in hand, ready to deliver a barbed comment (of which there are many) at any of the unfortunate family members round the table. There are times when you really feel for the woman and there are times that you just want to slap her, but she's a force of nature and it's another very impressive performance by one of the world's very best actresses.

Equally as good is Julia Roberts, who plays eldest daughter Barbara. Struggling with the breakdown of her own marriage to Bill (a quiet and studious Ewan McGregor) and dealing with a precocious teenage daughter (Abigail Breslin), Barbara clashes spectacularly with Violet and also becomes embroiled in the other dramas circling the Weston household as- inevitably- old secrets are revealed and age-old resentments come to the boil. It's a tough role but Roberts acquits herself perfectly in it.

Whilst Roberts and Streep have had the lion's share of the awards praise, each member of the ensemble cast is pitched perfect. This is high drama, heightened drama and every member of the main cast gets a moment to shine. It seems unfair to single any member out, as they all do such a sterling job. Julianne Nicholson and Juliette Lewis play the other two Weston daughters- Ivy and Karen- and there's a wonderful scene between the three sisters where a few surprising truths tumble out; Nicholson is just excellent as the mousy Ivy while Lewis is great as the slightly self-deluding Karen. There's a strong performance by Margo Martindale as Violet's sister Mattie Fae, another vicious-tongued harridan who hasn't got a good word to say for her own son Little Charles (Benedict Cumberbatch, playing against type as a nervy, anxious man with a secret love). Chris Cooper has some great scenes as de facto patriarch Charlie, particularly when he calls Mattie Fae out about her treatment of their son.

This is an adaptation of a play and feels like it- it never really slips from the stage origins. Apart from some brooding shots of the Oklahoma landscape, the action is focused on the actors and their performances. But that's OK. There doesn't need to be any visual tricks or gimmicks- the pyrotechnics here come from the words. Director John Wells has a strong grounding in directing for TV (having done episodes of ER and the US version of Shameless) and it shows. It's almost as if he's set the cameras up and let the actors get on with it, and when you have actors of this calibre, they will not disappoint.

Letts also wrote the plays Bug and Killer Joe (both have been filmed), both of which take a very bleak look at the world and human relations. The same is true here: there's precious little comfort here, people are- in some cases- unnecessarily cruel to one another, and the one glimpse of happiness is shot down in a shocking revelation which, for me, delivered an exquisite little gut-punch but might leave others cold. There has been so many other secrets revealed up to this point that it could be felt that another might overturn the apple-cart and launch the film into a place that's almost too ridiculous. But for me, it worked, even if it does rob the piece of a saving grace.

This will not be to everyone's tastes. It does present a very bleak view of the world and the people in it, that people are selfish and cruel and nasty to those they're supposed to love, and it's also got a rather downbeat view of family (Ivy states at one point that they're 'just people, accidentally connected by genetics') but it's wickedly funny in place- the script is alive with so many vicious one-liners, it's unreal- and the uniformally brilliant performances makes it shine.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Revisiting A Classic: The Star Wars Saga (Part One, Episodes I – III).

So, a movie marathon (the first for The Watchers)– and where better to start than the Star Wars saga itself? Some might say that the problem with a Star Wars marathon is that “there are too many of them” or that they “don’t like the look of this”? However, the main problem with doing a Star Wars marathon is the old debate of which order to watch the films in- original trilogy then prequels or vice versa?  Well, I’ve gone for the order of episodes as film maker George Lucas intended (well, for now- until he makes some new Director’s Supreme Edition).

So let’s begin, A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far Far Away……

Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.

The main problem with doing a Star Wars marathon is the order I’ve chosen is having to watch The Phantom Menace first- then again, it gets it out the way!

The opening of the movie is as ever impressive- you’re instantly into the universe of the saga. It sets the scene well with the Trade Federation blockade over Naboo and the invasion of the planet below. The film begins well, introducing a few important characters – namely Obi Wan Kenobi, even if Ewan McGregor’s performance within this film is wooden and flat to say the least.

Jar Jar Binks arrives in the film as the invasion begins and befriends our two Jedi Knights. The obvious debate- is he annoying or is he a great comedy relief? My opinion: by far the most annoying character to ever grace the saga and even (in some ways) cinema history. The excuse of the chance to create a fully generated main character in a “live-action” film for the first time was overused and the animators indulged and delivered unforgivable character quirks coupled with an annoying vocal performance by Ahmed Best. What you end up with is by far the most irritating character to grace the cinema screen. We’ll leave Jar Jar there, as we could rip apart his involvement within the film scene by scene – but I wont, as he just doesn’t deserve the mentions or my time. Forgive his creation? Never! Overlook him to enjoy the film? Of course!

Where the film can lack in characterisation and dialogue, it does evoke a real sense of universe. The landscapes and scope of the film is huge. For the time it came out (1999) nothing had been seen like it before and even now the general views of Naboo, Coruscant and Tatooine make you sink into a wider galaxy than the individual planets that the characters visit alone. Tatooine helps you re-immerse yourself into the universe after the gap between the two trilogies – it’s like you the audience are revisiting a familiar place yourself.

On Tatooine, we are introduced to the most important character of the saga – Anakin Skywalker. Unfortunately here he is played by the young Jake Lloyd, who has the screen presence of a door mat mixed with the essence of a wet dog! Seriously, between Jar Jar and Lloyd, this film struggles on so many levels. The child actor has an annoying way of speaking, walking and even breathing! So yeah the fact that he grows up to be Darth Vader is about as believable as George Lucas’s care for his fans!

The Pod Race: it’s like watching a futuristic version of the chariot race from Ben-Hur. Exciting, well-paced and just pure Star Wars. This scene manages to pick the film back up in quality and you almost forgive the drivel that got you to this point within the film.

The film builds into a much more rounded plot with the character arriving at Coruscant, the capital of the Republic – here we meet Yoda, Palpatine and of course Mace Windu (played by Samuel L Jackson). The scenes here show the back room bargains and politics of the universe – namely Palpatine’s puppetry skills in which leads him to become the President (this is who ‘the phantom menace’ is). The Jedi Council scene is intriguing in itself – giving us a look at the doubts and misgivings in training the young Anakin Skywalker and if he truly is the chosen one!

The final battle of the film is superb (as ever with these films!) – the usual cross between locations is used to great effect, where the action bounces from the fight between the Droid army and Jar Jar’s people, to the fight inside the palace, to the dogfight in space and of course the Jedi Vs Sith first encounter. Darth Maul (played by Ray Park) is a superb villain – the short screen time that he has is made up for by the sheer evil that is behind the eyes of the character. The light sabre fight is by far one of the greatest in the saga – you’re left breathless by trying to keep up with the action taking place, which comes at you from all angles.

So, all in all, the film is a mish-mash of good and bad. If we watch it for what it really is – a space adventure designed for the family to enjoy, and a stepping stone to a wider story.-then, yes, it does deliver. Leaving Jar Jar and Jake Lloyd’s acting aside, what we actually have is a film that has stood the test of time since the 1999 release- the effects look as fresh as they did then and the story (if a bit slow to get going) is a well thought out first chapter.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

After a quick shower and a fresh mug of coffee, we start again…

Episode 2: Attack Of The Clones

Originally released in 2002 and (unlike the others in the Saga) this one- and Episode III- were filmed at Fox Studios Sydney, Australia.

Within minutes of this film starting and the initial political intrigue scenes in Palpatine’s chambers, you know you’re in a more adult adventure. The saga is the story of Anakin Skywalker- The Phantom Menace was a film surrounding his childhood and the feel was a lot more childish in tone. With this one (Anakin is now eighteen and played by Hayden Christensen), we are in a dark toned universe, which is reinforced by the first third of the film being set on Coruscant – the capital planet. A planet that is one large endless city. We are treated to a Star Wars speeder/car chase through the depths of the citadel: fast paced, well edited and well performed by the actors (as they would have just seen green screens).

Already this small way into the film Ewan McGregor’s performance is what you expect from the actor of his calibre – the Obi Wan in this film is so much more rounded out and feels the same man as played by Alec Guinness in the later films of the saga.

The middle of the film is an interesting and somewhat strained affair. The middle of the film deals with Obi-Wan discovering a clone army being created for the republic – but the Jedi Council or senate know nothing of it being asked to be created. This is the interesting section which provides both a massive plot point – the clone troopers/storm troopers, which leads to becoming the army of the Empire. What’s nice is it’s very cleverly handled and under played and obviously a great nod for the fans when you first watch the film.

The strained affair I’m talking about is the romantic plot between Anakin and Padme, played by Natalie Portman.  The two characters are to fall deeply in love and as a fan we all know where ends – tragedy. But what’s strained is Christensen’s performance and the chemistry between the two actors is less than none, making it painful to watch the scenes- you’re literally thinking: where’s the fast forward button? Get to the action! (Which is a great shame).

The CGI in this film has not stood the test of time. It looks overly synthetic and there are obvious generated lighting effects. You can literally tell which scene was shot on green screen stage and which are shot in real lighting and real places. Also the CGI of characters is poorly handled; a lot of the animation of characters feels juddery and unnatural.

The major saving grace of the middle of the film is one character – well, two really! The Fetts are introduced: Jango and Boba Fett. The iconic characters added to the film could have easily been an easy trick to please fans – but what’s nice is how they are woven into the fabric of the plot. We learn that Jango is the subject that clones are cloned from and he is in fact in league with the dark side at work!

As the film nears its climax we have a few interesting scenes laid out for us- Christopher Lee as Count Dooku at a meeting with separatist leaders. What’s great is they are talking over plans of a new weapon- the Death Star. Of course, there is the tragic reunion between Anakin and his mother and then the vengeance he commits upon a village of Sand People. Slaying them all- men, women and children- this is his beginning to the dark side.  Most notable is the action scene with Anakin and Padme in the droid factory as they jump, fall and manage to survive a conveyer belt of obstacles!

The finale of this film lasts for over half an hour, starting with an amazing action sequence with our three heroes fighting it out gladiator-style in a giant arena against three large alien beasts, then the arrival of the purple light sabre and what follows is just geekgasm! Jedi battle on a scale never seen before! Twenty to thirty Jedi fighting outnumbered odds, with a showdown between Mace and Jango that’s just simplistic and sets up Boba for the rest of the saga- Mace swipes Jango’s head from his shoulders without breaking a sweat! A great way to show the power of a Jedi Master and the futility of this villain, Jango Fett.

Yoda arrives with the New Army of the Republic- the clone army- and the battle goes up a gear once again. Now not confined to the arena, a massive war field erupts. The finale ends with a light sabre dual between Obi-wan, Anakin and Count Dooku. Then Dooku goes against Yoda in what is either the most amazing fight ever or the most laughable. In some ways, I look at it as the first, but I feel as a fan I’m blinded. What this finale does is stamp this film as a Star Wars – this is what a blockbuster should be; all out brash (but with a decent plot) and helps you escape the world for a few hours.

This instalment brings us into the start of war with a bang, even if some of the effects don’t stand the test of time, and half the time you’re trying to figure out if this can be counted as a live-action film or a CGI film? All round good family fun with a hint of geekgasm!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

So after a break here we go again…..

Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith

Twenty minutes into the film and I can catch my breath! Of all the films in the saga, this is the one I have seen the least – this is probably only the fourth time I’ve watched it! I had completely forgot the flip that Lucas did with this film- this film begins as the others end. A twenty minute sequence where we join the characters in mid-battle: we have a dog fight between space ships and a whole armada of two fleets battling it out, with scope and scale never seen before in any of the films. There are two light-sabre duels, the death of Count Dooku and the rescue of Palpatine – you don’t have time to process any of this and then you realise you’re only twenty minutes into the film and its only just begun! Outstanding; just outstanding.

And then we have the core of the film that falls flat again. The core of the film is a love tragedy – a space opera Romeo and Juliet. What falls short, yet again, is the chemistry between Portman and Christensen. The dialogue doesn’t help them, mind – with insipid lines like ‘love has blinded you’. Pass me the sick bag – we need Harrison Ford to write the lines again – ‘I love you’; ‘I know’!

On the other hand, the reverse can be said for the relationship between Obi Wan and Anakin – the chemistry of a friendship gaining cracks and falling apart between Christensen and McGregor is very well portrayed and written. It’s obvious that Lucas has real issues with writing and directing the romantic plotlines. This can be said also for the scenes with Palpatine and Anakin – it’s wonderful in these scenes that, as a fan, you’re watching Young Vader and Palpatine. As the film progresses, so Anakin progress into Darth Vader- which is great as he becomes him without the costume to make the man.

The CGI in this film seems to have stood well with time, it still has a annoying unnatural synthetic feel, but it has improved since Episode II - this is not surprising as it came out in 2005 and less time has passed by. It’s also fresh seeing Coruscant in daylight more, which gives the setting a fresh perspective.

The Obi Wan vs General Grievous sequence is a fantastic action scene – but also forms a midpoint; a line is drawn in the sand right here – this is where the film itself starts to turn to the dark side of viewing. A dark cloud begins to overshadow the rest of this tragic dark tale! There is a choice – a choice for Anakin and, with the death of Mace Windu, the choice is made and, once made, there is no turning back (well, until the end of episode 6!!).

The fall of the Jedi is not an easy watch and nor should it be – Jedi after Jedi butchered to death, with the eerie scene where Anakin ignites his light-sabre to kill the children at the height of your thoughts. Leaving your imagination running wild with how he killed those children… it’s not surprising this is the only film in the saga to be given a rating of 12.

The finale of this film sees Obi Wan pitted in fierce combat against Anakin – or should I say Darth Vader- what can only be described as the greatest light-sabre duel of the entire saga. The speed at which the fight takes place is insane and a wonder to watch. The bittersweet victory for Obi Wan and the death of Padme as Vader rises from the ashes gives this film the weight the prequels deserve.

A film that is truly the dark film of the series – this is an amazing midpoint within a glorious saga. This film can be forgiven for its badly written romance – this is what Star Wars is about. Love, Tragedy, defiance and here the rebellion is born.

So ends my Marathon of the prequels …… To Be Continued with Episode IV: A New Hope.

Rating: 4 out 5 stars

Rhys