In Defense of 'Diana'

After the countless reviews of this film stating it as the cinematic equivalent of the Holocaust, I went to the cinema to see the film not expecting much from this biopic from Oliver Hirschbiegel. The comments on it being distasteful, tarring the Princess's image and being flat out crap were all things I had read beforehand and as it is when you read the same thing over and over again, I became to suspect that I would have the same opinion as the critics and film goers who have slated this film online. I suspected wrong.

Diana tells of Princess Diana (link here, please read, very important, etc) and her life after her divorce from Prince Charles in the 1990s. Focusing on her constant battle with the British media, her clandestine relationship with a heart surgeon and eventually her public relationship with Dodi Fayed, this dramatic portrayal of the Princess of Wales' life creeps behind the guarded gates of her home in London and into her extremely unfortunate and unfair life after her break up with a member of the Royal family. As with all films regarding members of royalty, elements of fiction have been added alongside factual dates and events, increasing drama and allowing viewers to feel close to the isolated and lonely 'Most Famous Woman in the World'. I think, however, it is the addition of these fictional scenes and events that has critics and moviegoers confused.

People are taking this film as if it has been marketed as the official secret life of Princess Diana, when in reality, it is a piece of dramatic fictional work. Comments have included insults such as 'Naomi Watts doesn't even look like Diana', which, I think, says everything about the mindset that a lot of people, the majority it seems, went into this film in. If you were focussing on the lack of visual similarities between two unrelated people, then a) go back to biology class and b) read the definition of a biographical piece of cinema, revise it, then re-watch the film. There seems to be a certain attachment with the Great British public and Princess Diana that is unbreakable. People's minds are unwilling to accept a fictional piece of film and get caught up in becoming offended by a director's attempts at making a connection with the audience and evoking a state of empathy. When you take a film such as Lincoln, a film that was widely renowned to be historically inaccurate and altogether a little bit talky, if you ask me, and look at the amount of praise it got from critics all over the world, it seems almost like a barrier is put up around such films as this Diana and people immaturely refuse to suspend their disbelief in a state of defiance.

Disregarding all of the nonsense criticism I have read regarding the film, my fears for it were that as a relatively short biopic, it was going to be lengthy. There is a lot of Diana's life that is interesting and focusing on only the last two years was a brilliant way of both cutting down what would have been an extremely long running time, and also allowing those who perhaps don't know the ins and outs of Princess Diana's very public relationship with Prince Charles, to show as little judgement as possible. The rumours of the film being distasteful were also something that I thought were going to be true, and I thought this would be in regards to the death scene that was inevitable going to happen, however, to my surprise the death scene was cut out completely. This lack of showing what could have turned out be an extremely offensive and uncomfortable piece of film shows pure taste in my opinion. We all know what happened to Diana in real life, we have all seen the pictures and read the articles, Hirschbiegel has tactfully left out a scene that would have cause general offense to a lot of people, and I give him props to that, he managed to achieve his emotional scenes through skilful camera work and script writing.

The film is captivating throughout, a beautifully tragic story of love, heartbreak and tragedy, we are taken on a journey of a variety of emotions. Perhaps though, for me, the most important thing I took away from my viewing of this film is to never let a critic, or in this case a lot of critics, tell you how to feel about a movie. The beautiful thing about film is that it is subjective, the most captivating film to some will be the biggest snooze-fest ever to others, believe me, if there is anything I have learnt whilst studying for a degree in film it is that it is rare for you to find people who have the exact same film taste as yourself. Let films take you somewhere, don't hold back because of other people's opinions, and you will find yourself much more aware of what you actually enjoy and a lot more open to the film world.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints - Review

In this tale of love and drama, Bob (Casey Affleck) is arrested after taking the blame for his wife's shooting of a cop, during the time he is in prison, his wife, Ruth (Rooney Mara) gives birth to their baby girl and chooses to wait for him. The film follows Ruth and her daughter, Sylvie, coping without Bob, and also Bob's escape from prison and cross-country journey to be reunited with the people he loves.

This film is without question one of the few absolute masterpieces of modern drama films, David Lowery presents everything, the good and the bad, in such a hauntingly beautiful way that it now feels the genre would be hollow and lacking in substance without this film listed. Reaching down into the deepest caverns of our hearts, the tragic situations the characters find themselves in provoked such an immediate and honest response that the fact I was watching a fictional piece of work never entered my thoughts, I was with the characters emotionally, feeling their pain and hoping for some good to come their way. The fact that the artificiality of the film didn't interrupt my viewing even once is something special, and Lowery should be praised for this seamless feature.

The constant conflict of emotions in regards to what we should be feeling and what we are feeling is something that I felt to be extremely thought provoking and perhaps the greatest thing I took away from the film. We are watching criminals, people who have lied, cheated, robbed and killed people, yet we feel so attached on an emotional level to them, and their love is presented with such strength, that it bypasses all of the bad and we are stripped down to viewing them as two human beings in love who have been separated by an unlucky set of events. The addition of the cop into the equation presents us with a physical representation of the moral dilemma we are facing as an audience, we know that Ruth would be secure and safe if she let go of her longing for Bob and opened herself up to Patrick (Ben Foster), however we know in our hearts that her love for Bob is everlasting, to live on the edge of danger for her is worth it if she can be with Bob, and we never want her to give up on him.

The cinematography of the entire film is reminiscent of the likes of Terrence Malick and other directors influenced by avant garde cinema. Bradford Young shows his natural skill in making a frame as aesthetically pleasing as possible, the lighting, movement of camera and positioning of mise en scene leads us into appreciating a purely visual element of cinema at times almost unconsciously. Everything about this film just adds up, making it one of my favourites of the year so far. With outstanding performances by both Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, I will be surprised if an Oscar nomination or two isn't given out in regards to acting, the moving portrayals fit perfectly with the atmospheric and memorable film.

Watchmen - Review

In an alternate universe's 1985, during the threat of a nuclear war happening at any given time, a superhero is killed leading Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) to conduct his own investigation and find out who is responsible. His reasoning is that an attack on one hero is an attack on them all, however when his investigation gets started, he soon realises that there is a lot more to this murder than first meets the eye.

This film has a lot of characters who are central to the main plot of the film, there are seven main superheroes who all have their own backgrounds and stories to tell, one of the things I was most weary about before watching the film was how Zack Snyder was going to fit all of the back stories and subplots in the film without making them too brief yet not overriding the importance of the main plot with the introduction of these multiple characters. Snyder triumphs over this worry I had, beautifully capturing the majority of character's history, family and reasoning for their actions in the present, flashbacks are frequent and add a certain depth to the characters the film itself.

The acting in this film is phenomenal, be it Matthew Goode's portrayal as the handsome and smart Adrian Veidt, Malin Akerman's performance as a daughter living out her mother's dreams or Billy Crudup combined with a whole lot of CGI as the god-like Mr. Manhattan. Every single performance is captivating and believable, which is interesting when we are talking about a superhero film. The acting is a key aspect of how well flowing and easy to watch a film such as Watchmen, with such a complexly structured plot, is able to be.

The majority of this films scenes are in darkness, lighting is limited and it seems almost an experiment on just how much lighting can affect a picture's mood. The constant gloominess surrounding the characters and story is representative of the bigger picture, the constant threat of a nuclear war, the ticking of the doomsday clock and at some points, the superheroes inability to uncover the truth behind the murder. Zack Snyder made this film so highly stylised as a nod back to the character and stories roots as a comic book and his directing is filled with excitement, tension and drama, as is any comic book.

The brilliance of this film is so much more than any words can explain, capturing your attention from the opening scene to the closing one, this is definitely a film in the higher end of the superhero film category. Snyder is proving himself again and again to be one of the most visionary directors still working at the moment and Watchmen is a classic example of this statement coming true. With everything an outstanding film needs and more, Watchmen should be required viewing for anyone who claims to be a film fanatic.

Peckham & Nunhead Film Festival: The Immigrant & Steamboat Bill, Jr.

In a small corner of Peckham Rye Park, London on a friday night, a group of film fans gathered to watch two classic silent films. With the sun setting whilst a live pianist accompanied the films, the atmosphere was as relaxed as can be and there was no pretentiousness surrounding the event, which I was extremely happy about, the people that were there simply wanted to watch a good film surrounding by others who want to watch a good film.

The two films on show were Charlie Chaplin's The Immigrant, a hilarious short released in 1917. The film only runs a mere 20 minutes long, yet is as engaging as any feature of the time, the slapstick comedy is constant and the accompanying piano was so fitting. The film was extremely well received and had me, along with everyone around me, in stitches.

The other film shown was Steamboat Bill, Jr, a 1928 comedy directed by Charles Reisner and starring Buster Keaton. Being made over a decade later than the previous film shown, the improvements in the production of films was interesting to look at. This film takes slapstick comedy to a new level, with the climatic storm scene at the end of the film being perhaps my highlight of the night. A roar of laughter erupted in this quaint corner of the park and didn't stop until the scene was well and truly over. It was so beautiful to see so many (well over 50) people of all ages, from toddlers to pensioners, come out to the park in a cold September evening to watch some old films.

People were drinking wine, eating scones and sampling the nearby café's burgers and organic beers. There were people on wooden chairs, in sleeping bags, on picnic blankets and on plastic carrier bags, the variety of different people this event attracted was something that struck me as surprising, and something that really started this festival off with a strong feeling that the cinema is not dying, or dead, it is, in fact, in the most unusual places and situations where you find the passion and dedication that comes with the art. What a beautiful evening to start off the festival, heres to the next week.

We're The Millers - Review

When a pot dealer gets robbed of all his supply and money, he is left with no other option than to accept a dodgy deal with an old acquaintance and smuggle "a smidge" (a lot) of pot over the Mexican border. With the help of a stripper, a teenager and a runaway, the 'family' embark on their drive and it all seems too easy until they're pursued by a Mexican drug lord, meet an easily persuadable Mexican cop and unwillingly make friends with another family travelling the same route as them. The film is a barrel of laughs, standing out among every other comedy I've seen this year as one of the greats, I haven't laughed out loud like I did during this film in a long time.

Ignoring the obvious similarities to Breaking Bad in regards to the plot revolving around a drug filled RV, We're The Millers boasts an extremely refreshing script, one filled with hilarity and one expertly crafted, with scene after scene delivering the same high standard of comedy, the 1 hour 50 minute film breezes by, a lengthy running time for a comedy, however We're The Millers has its audience's complete attention throughout. With brilliantly written characters, unique attributes and a whole lot of bad luck, We're The Millers is exciting, fresh and a thriving example of a mastered comedy.

The four main actors and actresses fit perfectly together, the chemistry comes across so naturally on screen making the comedy so much more effective and adding an element of realism to a rather farfetched plot. The bloopers shown immediately after the closing scene solidify this feeling of warmth given off by the characters, and after watching them the films scenes become more memorable due to the plausibility of the relationships and situations.

The film was extremely well received by viewers, with the start of some scenes being inaudible due to people's continuous laughs from the previous scene. I did not expect to get so much enjoyment from watching this film, Rawson Marshall Thurber has proved himself to be much more than 'that guy who directed Dodgeball'. This film is alive among many rotten comedy films that have been released in the past few years, the ambition is matched in the execution, if you watch this film you'll find yourself laughing for days.

Rush - Review

With a busy screening in East London full of veteran cinema-goers, Cineworld offered their Unlimited card holders a preview screening of Ron Howard's latest feature, Rush. Although some minor technical difficulties (we were shown the first five minutes of You're Next before the technical crew realised their mistake), the crowd was alive with excitement for what could possibly be the film of the year, and we were not let down one bit.

Rush tells of the rivalry and personal feuds between two racing drivers in the '70s, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Their lives on the race track and behind the spotlight are portrayed so magnificently by Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl in this biographical drama that hits screens in the UK on the 13th September. 

Speaking of the actors, the performances given by Hemsworth and Bruhl were absolutely phenomenal, their characters and the lives they lead were so unbelievably captivating, the film raced by (no pun intended) with the performances being the leading factor in how well the film flowed and how beautifully received the twists and turns of the plot were. If Oscar nominations are not given for the acting in this film, I will have no words on the Academy's ridiculous decisions, with the best acting I have seen in a long, long time, I felt a genuine connection and involvement in the character's lives and it was brilliant.

My one fear going into this film was that the emphasis on the racing element would be too strong and would draw away from the characters and other aspects of the film, however my fears were put aside instantly, with the racing scenes never dragging on at all, the less dramatic races were shown for a couple of seconds and only the races that were crucial to the plot and character development were shown, making watching a lengthy racing scene all that more tense due to the knowledge that something is going to happen. Cinematography was strongly considered and after effects used in order to make the races an experience for the audience as much as the characters, the competitions were a break from all of the drama surrounding the other scenes, yet still held interest into the outcome of the characters and their situations. 

The film transcends any words that any critic or fan can label it with, standing out as the film event of the year so far for me, I have no doubt that this is a high point not only in Hemsworth and Bruhl's careers, but also for Ron Howard. Once a director makes a brilliantly received film (such as Howard's The Da Vinci Code) they are often known as the director who made that one film that one time. Yet with Rush, I feel Howard has proved his worth in the filmmaking business and stomped on the heads of critics of the film. This film is truly moving, outstandingly beautiful and so beautiful to watch. Don't miss out on this film.

True Romance - Review

In this 1993 film from Tony Scott, Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) falls in love with a prostitute (Patricia Arquette), kills her former pimp, steals a suitcase full of cocaine and travels to L.A in hopes of selling the lot and living in luxury for the rest of his life. As can be expected from a film written by Quentin Tarantino, things are never as simple as they seem, with pursuits, deception and violence never being too far away, True Romance is an action packed crime thriller that does not fail to deliver in terms of excitement.

There is something awfully endearing about watching a film written by such a prolific figure in modern cinema before their 'big break', Tarantino shows his love for a big plot and even bigger characters in this feature that was released only one year after his magnificent Reservoir Dogs hit the festival circuit and blew critics away. The sky is never the limit with Tarantino's scriptwriting, and the Hollywood norm is never going to be followed wholly, with scenarios put in just for the fun of it, characters introduced just to be killed off and the N-word used as frequently as the name of our protagonist, the film delivers a script that could only be written by something with an intense passion for cinema. With many hints at the ideas brewing in Tarantino's head that would be put on film in his later films such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, parts of the script seem like Tarantino testing the waters of Hollywood to see the reactions to his graphic imagination. Writing the script was market research for Tarantino, a mere peek into some of the ideas he had for future films that he could take the whole credit for.

There is a disconnection felt when we are watching our protagonist's adventures. Speeding through the US with a case full of cocaine, being pursued by big time gangsters and taking it all in their stride, this film is not one that is easily relatable to. This lack of connection with Alabama and Clarence means that some scenes seem too stretched out or too exaggerated, I tried really hard to understand their motives throughout and gain a sense of perspective but found myself repeatedly lost. The lack of understanding, intentional or not, fits rather beautifully with the thematic side of the film, however, this journey that the characters are on is like a dream for them and why the Hell should they filter their enjoyment for us to feel engaged? When looking at this case, the characters seem to have depth, and their diegesis, although seen from our perspective through a non-understanding eye, is captivating and exciting. 

The film packs so much into the two hour running time, action, adventure, crime, romance and thriller are just some of the genres the film touches upon. With spectacular performances from Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken and Christian Slater, and a 30 second appearance from Samuel L. Jackson, it appears that many Hollywood big shots were more than happy to get on board with this film, and with many of them it was the first of many collaborations with Quentin Tarantino. Tony Scott brings everything together in a compact and enjoyable way, making quite a complex and scattered script into an easy to watch crime thriller, this film is cemented as one of my favourites of the 90s.