Maps To The Stars

Maps to the Stars is a 2014 film directed by David Cronenberg. Premiering at Cannes in may the film is a satirical exploration of how Hollywood manipulates and destroys innocence and youth. The film follows an aging actress, daughter of a Hollywood icon whose career is waning and who is slowly using her sanity, at the same time a young child star who is struggling with drug addiction attempts to salvage his career whilst dealing with the reappearance of his estranged sister.

The film is superbly acted, Julianne Moore is perfect as Havana, expertly portraying a former child star who is struggling to revitalize her career. Moore won the Best Actress award at Cannes and her performance is by far the best part of this film, Moore subtly portrays a woman slowly loosing her mind as she sees visions of her dead mother. Mia Wasikowska portrays her suffering assistant, a mysterious girl with awful burn marks and a hidden story. Finally newcomer Evan Bird plays Benjy Weiss, a spoilt and petulant child star, being manipulated by his parents, two of the most awful stage parents imagined, who also happen to be siblings.

The film is okay, sorry if that isn't very eloquent, although the visuals and the acting are strong, the film lacks direction. The film follows two disparate but tenuously linked plots, and although the plot featuring Julianne Moore as Havana is by far the strongest and most interesting plot, the other plot involving Benjy Weiss seems to take precedence despite being thematically confused and dull. Cronenberg seems at a loss to decide what he wants this story to be about, and he never truly makes a decision about which story he is going to follow, and thematically he is never sure what this story is supposed to be about, it seems to be partly about the perils of living a life seeped in Hollywood, of growing up surrounded by luxury, or if it wants to be about incest, family and manipulation.

The failures of Maps To The Stars rely wholly on Cronenberg's inability to focus and streamline the story, and so despite being a visually interesting and confidently acted drama, Maps To The Stars is messy, unfocused and confused. Rating: C+

Havana: She used to let producers put their cocks in her ass and pee.

Days Of Future Past

The wait is over, and Bryan Singer's magnum opus is finally here, and by wait i mean waiting for the nearest multiplex to schedule a screening in English. Days of Future Past is a 2014 superhero action film adapted from the iconic Days of Future Past storyline written by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. The film focuses on an alternative future, in which sentinels have wiped out many of the mutants, and most of the few who remain live in work camps, what remains of the X-Men and the Brotherhood must come together in order to alter history.

In the future, Kitty Pryde phases Wolverine's consciousness back into his younger self, so that he can alter time, stop the creation and implementation of the sentinels, and stop the assassination of Bolivar Trask by Mystique, Wolverine must find Charles Xavier and Magneto, must reunite what remains of the X-Men and alter the course of history. Days Of Future Past features a phenomenally large and diverse cast, Wolverine, Storm, Kitty Pryde, Mystique, Beast and Iceman all return to the franchise. Both Charles Xavier and Magneto appear in their modern and prequel roles, and newcomers include Omar Sy as Bishop, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, Fan Bingbing as Blink and Boboo Stewart as Warpath. The film is successful in juggling such a large cast and also features a large number of cameos. Part of the reason for the films success with such a large cast is that it streamlines the story to revolve around three lead mutants, Wolverine, Charles and Beast, two villains, Mystique and Magneto, in addition to Bolivar Trask.

The action scenes of the film are also very contained, rather than resorting to a The Last Stand battle in which every single mutant imaginary gears up to fight each other leaving the audience struggling to decipher who belongs to which team, in this film, Singer limits the action sequences to five mutants maximum, in the final battle of the movie, our three heroes battle against two villains, and in the future segments of the film, the director limits the action to a small group of mutants. By streamlining the action sequences the director allows them to be much more character driven and feature less collateral damage, each loss feels meaningful and important. The fight segments are highly choreographed and visually stunning, and have the advantage of being highly paced, whilst at the same time allowing the audience to understand what is actually going on. The use of the 3D is effective and not overbearing, Singer knows how to effectively handle the medium without it becoming superfluous or irritating, and the added dimension, whilst certainly bringing something to the film, is not entirely unmissable.

The film is highly relevant  today, i mentioned in a previous X-Men review how the films are essentially a metaphor for what is happening in the world today, the film is a very powerful message about what will happen if we don't change our course. The film shows a world divided, a world where mutants are rounded into camps, a world at war. Magneto and Charles again essentially want exactly the same thing; peace for mutants, but they have hugely disparate methods of achieving their goal.

The film contains a highly complex storyline, far more complex than a film of this genre deserves, and perhaps the most exciting, successful and rewarding superhero film since The Dark Knight. Days of Future Past is easily one of the best films of the genre and features a powerful story, strong acting, strong emotional connection to the characters and thrilling action sequences. Director Bryan Singer is able to effectively juggle the disparate elements of the story in order to create a powerful story with a strong moral ethic. Days of Future Past is thrilling, tantalizingly plotted and powerfully acted, making this by far the most successful film of the X-Men franchise. Rating: A

Professor X: Mutants, we now find ourselves on the edge of extinction.

The MDNA Tour - DVD Review

About a year ago, i reviewed Adele at the Royal Albert Hall, a concert DVD, i think that was probably the latest concert film i had seen, until now. The other night, i settled down for a sketch and a watch of Madonna's latest tour DVD, The MDNA Tour, the tour took place in 2012 and was the highest grossing tour of the year, in addition to becoming the second highest grosing tour ever by a female artist, behind Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour from 2008, and higher than The Confessions Tour from 2006. The tour was filmed in Miami in 2012 and was broadcast on Epix.

Despite being majorly filmed at the shows in Miami, the show also uses footage from other shows of the north american leg of the tour, the show was filmed in HD using multiple cameras mounted on the stage, giving the audience the feeling of actually being on stage with Madonna. The editing between the multiple shows is seamless, and there is no break between songs, the show is highly edited using multiple cuts per song, adding to the phrenetic energy of the performance, the DVD is essentially a two hour music video, highly produced and well directed.

Thematically the show is split into four segments, the first, entitled Transgression, deals with themes of violence, religion and sex. The second segment, entitled Prophecy features music that brings people together. The penultimate segment is entitled Masculine/Feminine, features the iconic cone bra and is an exploration of eroticism, masculinity and femininity, nudity and power. The final segment is called Redemption and has an appropriately religious feel, with Madonna taking the role of Pope (of course)

The DVD is highly impressive, particularly for Madonna's performance, at 55 Madge shows no signs of slowing up, her dancing is energetic and entirely on point and her vocals are surprisingly even and strong. What is mostly impressive with this DVD is how brilliantly successful is is as a DVD, many concert tours struggle to find a reason to be filmed, and the MDNA tour needs no reason, the show is energetic, visually stunning and thematically engaging, the tour itself and this DVD is a testament to Madonna's work as a visionary artist and her unique voice in the music industry today. Rating: A+

 Madonna: Fuck Yeah!

The Normal Heart

Adapted from Larry Kramer's semi-autobiographical tony award winning play, The Normal Heart is a 2014 TV movie aired on HBO and directed by Ryan Murphy. The film centers on the early days of the AIDS crisis, and follows Ned Weeks, an activist attempting to generate support for the gay community from public offices. The film takes place over a long time period, from the very early days of the disease when it was referred to simply as a gay cancer, when no one knew of it's cause or method of transmission, to the mid eighties when its causes and effects were well known, when gay men were continuing to drop like flies and the government was content to let them die rather than fund AIDS research.

The features a large ensemble cast, starring Mark Ruffalo as Ned Weeks, and activist intent on generating support, whilst trying to care for his boyfriend Felix, played by Matt Bomer, a writer ravished by the effects of AIDS. Taylor Kitsch stars as Bruce, a closeted investment banker afraid to make too many waves for fear of losing his job and respect. Julia Roberts features as one of the few docters in New York who would treat AIDS patients who previously suffered from polio. Additionally Jim Parsons reprises his role from the Broadway revival as Tommy and Alfred Molina stars as Ned's brother.

The Normal Heart is a highly important film, particularly for those in the gay community, AIDS now seems like distant memory, HIV is a virus that can be combated by simply popping one pill a day, what this fails to mention is that although HIV can be far more effectively combated that in the 80's, it is still a debilitating disease, and we should still use protection. Although it is clearly good that we live in an age where AIDS is seen as less of a threat, that is no excuse for complacency, and HIV levels are slowly starting to rise. The film effectively shows the hysteria of the era, and the sheer numbers of people who died, the film also shows the stigmatization that occurred, people didn't need another reason to discriminate against the gay community, and AIDS gave them a reason, there was an excuse.

The film is interesting in that it is the only film about the AIDS epidemic that put's gay people exclusively at the center, both Dallas Buyers Club and Philadelphia all feel the need to feature the heterosexual ally who swoops in to save the day, aside from the inclusion of Julia Robert's character in a relatively small role, the lead characters in this film are almost exclusively gay, and this is a good reflection on the film, the fact that this film was written and directed by two gay men is also notable, many of the actors featured in the film are also gay, this is notable because for years the gay community has been forced to watch while straight people told our stories, and particularly for a story as important as The Normal Heart, it is hugely gratifying to see it told by a member of the community.

The film is superbly acted, Mark Ruffalo is excellent as Weeks, a dedicated and aggressive activist who finds himself sidelined due to his extreme and often vocal opinions. Also great is Matt Bomer as Felix, Weeks' lover and partner, whose body is being ravished by the effects of AIDS, and who is fighting to stay alive. Taylor Kitsch is surprisingly good, playing a man full of contradictions, a closeted activist trying to do the right thing whilst also protecting his own privacy. Julia Roberts plays Dr Emma Brookner, one of the few straight characters in the film, a woman who understands the crisis due to her own struggle with polio as a child, a doctor who tries to force action in the New York government, ultimately without success. Finally Jim Parsons plays Tommy, a young naive man from Texas, who is shy and childlike, struggling to come to terms with the crisis unwravelling around him, it is fascinating to see Parsons in a drama, and he successfully breaks free of the mantle of playing such an iconic character as Sheldon Cooper, and it's a testament to his ability as an actor that i wasn't thrown by his presence.

The film is certainly a weeper, and Murphy successfully juggles all the disparate elements creating a film which is emotional without veering into melodrama, a film which challenges it's audience to think about the effects of the AIDS crisis today and in the 1980's, and a film which successfully analyzes the different ways we approach change. Mark Ruffalo leads a superb cast of thespians at the top of their game, playing a hugely diverse cast of characters with wit, humor and emotion. Rating: A+

Ned: You can't stop fighting for the ones you love

W.E. - A love story

W.E. is a 2011 film, written and directed by Madonna, not word's anyone interested in cinema is ever ford of hearing. W.E. is the story of Edward VII of England, who fell in love with an American woman named Wallis Simpson, and who abdicated the throne to be with her. The film draws parallels between this story, and that of a wealthy socialite living in New York in 2001, Wally Winthrop, a woman obsessed with the story of Wallis Simpson, and whose life carries certain parallels with that of Wallis.

I have in the past expressed a loathing for films that feel the need to use multiple storylines, as it often feels redundant and over complicated, W.E. is no exception, the love story between Wallis and Edward is fascinating, and not something i know a huge amount about, the story featuring Wally Winthrop on the other hand is trite, melodramatic and boorish, much of it's story involves Wally obsessively musing over the life of the Duke and Duchess, her story with her abusive husband is not much more interesting either, and the story doesn't carry the affecting weight that it is supposed to, by the end of the story, there simply isn't the emotional payoff that is required.

The film looks fantastic, and Madonna clearly spared no expense, the parts featuring Wallis and Edward are particularly beautiful. Wallis Simpson was known for her sense of style and is today seen as a fashion icon. The clothes were partially recreated from old patterns found in archives of clothes actually worn by the Duchess. What is clear from the film is that Wallis Simpson had fun with fashion, she was unafraid to wear clothes that were extravagant and fun. Her fashion legacy is suitably portrayed in this film, and the costuming is beautiful and detailed Also fantastic is the music of the film, the score, composed by Abel Korzeniowski is harrowing and ethereal, mysterious and beautiful.

This part of the film is also reasonably well acted, Andrea Riseborough is fantastic as the Duchess, she gives a realistic harrowing performance, Riseborough successfully penetrates the iconography of and manages to find the human inside the portrait of a woman vilified and despised by the British public, and manages to create something somewhat resembling a person. The Wallis Simpson created by this film is a woman who is fragile and delicate, and who never intended to hurt anyone, she is portrayed as being fun, loud and with a wicked humor.

Despite being a fairly well handled film, W.E. is also a highly frustrating film, as it never reaches it's full potential, the scenes featuring Wallis and Edward are fantastically acted and visually lavish, however the whole spectacle which should be allowed to soar, is instead caged in a drearily dull modern retelling that is mostly histrionic melodrama and partially hysteria. W.E. whilst being a visual treat, never reaches it's full potential, and it's a shame that so much which is good got clouded in so much that is bad. Rating: B-

Wallis Simpson: Attractive, my dear, is a polite way of saying a woman's made the most of what she's got.

X-Men

As we are on the dawn of the release of Days Of Future Past, and given that i recently rewatched the original X-Men, i had some thoughts about the X-Men series, which is, to my eyes, one of the most complete, and detailed superhero franchises. The series has mainly been helmed by Bryan Singer, who has directed 3 of the 5 films of the series so far, and who is due to direct a fourth.

The series,  which is based upon a series of marvel comic books, originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, follows a band of superheroes, as they attempt to fight evil, and live together. These superheroes are mutants, their powers derive from a mutated gene, the series follow the leader of this group, Charles Xavier, and a select band of mutants, as they battle to save humanity. The main mutants featured in the film series are Wolverine, a mutant with adamantium bound to his bones who has the ability to heal and doesn't age, Storm, and african goddess with the ability to control the weather, Cyclops, a mutant whose eyes give out laser beams, and Pheonix, an incredibly powerful mutant whose true power is only seen in the third film. Also featured are Rogue, who absorbs other mutants powers through her skin, Shadowcat, who can phase through walls and Beast, an incredibly agile mutant with blue furry skin. The X-Men spend much of this series fighting the brotherhood of evil mutants, a group led by Magneto, who is able to control metal, and his right hand woman, a shapeshifter named Mystique.

What makes this franchise so successful is it's ability to handle such a large ensemble cast, the original film is a particularly good example of this. Spider-Man took over an hour of screen time to explain who Peter Parker is and how he became Spider-Man, X-Men has dozens of characters, each with personal stories and powers, and yet it introduces them in half the time. Days of Future Past has an even bigger cast, combining the characters from the prequel series and the original trilogy,

The film series success is also based upon it's real world relevance, the film is essentially an allegory for the oppression and malignation of any minority, particularly in this case, the gay community. The characters of Charles Xavier and Magneto are essentially representatives of Martin Luther King and Malcom X, they both want the same goal, but they attempt to achieve it by different methods, Magneto is more militant and violent, and believes that mutants should be the dominant race, Charles is more peaceful and believes in the good in people. The film's franchise being largely helmed by Bryan Singer is perhaps responsible for the strong LGBT undertones of the series, the scenes of mutants powers evolving and their telling their parents strongly mirror LGBT youths coming out to their parents, and Senator Kelley asking congress if they "want mutants in their high schools" mirror what right wing politicians have been saying for years.

Overall the X-Men franchise succeeds due to it's ability to balance its large ensemble cast, and its willingness to explore conemporary social issues, exploring sexuality, race and minority subcultures, the X-Men franchise is by far the most exciting, well defined and surprisingly even franchise.

Raven: Hank, don't! You're beautiful, Hank. Everything you are, you're perfect. Look at all of us? Look at all we've achieved this week? All we will achieve? We are different. But we shouldn't be trying to fit into society. Society should aspire to be more like us. Mutant and proud.

Production Design of The Truman Show

My previous post focusing on the production design of Tim Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory was reasonably well received, i decided to do a follow up, about The Truman Show. The Truman Show is a film directed by Peter Weir, starring Jim Carrey and Ed Harris. Carrey stars as Truman, a man who lives in a make believe town, where all his actions are filmed, and broadcasted 24 hours a day, on a TV show named The Truman Show, the film revolves around Truman's realization and understanding of the world he lives in, and his ultimate leaving of that world.

The world Truman inhabits is a constructed reality, despite being enclosed in the largest soundstage in the world, it is a universe constructed to look entirely like the world outside. However the town of Seahaven is overly idyllic, the buildings are all clean, well maintained and perfect. The buildings are all unnervingly unblemished, all a bland shade of yellowy-beige and all identical. Seahaven is a town where all the buildings are virtually identical, the town itself is also highly idyllic, all the lawns are perfectly mowed, the pavements perfectly swept. The town is idyllic to the point of even including a harbor and a traditional marble bank. The film makes a clear distinction between on-stage and off-stage environments, on-stage environments are over-lit, overly clean and synthetic looking, off-stage environments, such as the basement of Truman's home, and the room we see behind the elevator shaft.

The interiors of the houses are also highly constructed, garish, bright and synthetic. This introduces the notion that everything is for sale, that this is a designed, artificial world that has been created, the rooms look like the pictures from catalogs for model homes, minus the happy families eating breakfast at the kitchen table. The rooms look highly matched and coordinated, with the tablecloths tending to match the drapes. The characters costumes are also artificial, Truman's wife, Hannah, works as a nurse, and her costume is slightly camp, and highly stereotypical. All of the characters in the film dress in highly archetypal ways, always with perfect hair and makeup, this reinforces the idea that the characters in this film are actors, and that they are playing roles.

The film ends with Truman discovering the truth about his world and existence, and with his decision to leave this artificial reality. The final shot of the film, is Truman standing in front of a door, set into a blue wall, built to represent the sky, up a flight of steps, this iconic image represents Truman's venturing into the unknown, his lack of knowledge about the world outside, but about his understanding that reality is better than the artificial reality that has been constructed for him.

Five Favorite Directors

This is the start of a new tradition here at Popcorn@Movies, i have in the past done lists featuring favorite comedies, favorite opening sequences and favorite Disney films, i have decided to turn this into a regular feature, and today i will be listing my five favorite directors. This list is subject to change, and as such i have decided to include only directors currently making films (no retired or dead directors), and only directors who have released a film in the past 10 years (sorry John Waters). All directors have to have released at one theatrical film to be considered, although i will consider the TV work of directors who have done so.

• Xavier Dolan

One of my current directors du jour, Dolan has become the fresh young face of the new queer cinema movement, at the tender young age of 25, Dolan is on the cusp of premiering his fifth film, titled Mommy, in competition at Cannes. Having  released 5 films in the years since premiering I Killed My Mother at Cannes at the age of 19, Dolan, who writes all his own films has become a passionate and confident young voice in the world of French language film. Xavier Dolan is a rarity, a painfully young and visually distinct filmmaker, with a real voice and opinion. Dolan's films are highly personal, and often feature complex familial relationships, and themes of impossible or improbable love. Dolan's youth and unique style is justification enough for his place on this list.

• Sofia Coppola

I am slightly partial to this Italian-American filmmaker, having directed two of my favorite films. Being only the second female director to be nominated for best director, Coppola quickly established herself as a distinctive voice in the world of independent film. Her first film, The Virgin Suicides, distinguished Copolla from her father as a strong and independent spirit, it also established it's star, Kirsten Dunst as a serious actress. Coppola subsequently released Lost In Translation, which catapulted her to worldwide fame, earning many accolades and earning Scarlett Johansson worldwide fame, it's also one of my favorite films! Coppola subsequently released Marie Antoinette, also one of my favorite films, a lavish and sensuous period drama. Coppola continued her winning streak with Somewhere, which  won the Golden Lion in Venice, and The Bling Ring, released in 2013.

• Woody Allen

 Despite the nay say of my friends, i love this american director, perhaps one of the most iconic and prolific directors of all time, this year saw Allen return to form with Blue Jasmine. Allen's hits from recent years include Vicky Christina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris. Woody Allen, despite being fickle, is nonetheless a unique and iconic voice in the world of film. His best films include Hannah and Her Sisters, Annie Hall and Manhattan. Woody Allen is the quintessential New York director, and his perseverance and prolificness justify his place on this list.

• Christopher Nolan

 Unlike Allen, Christopher Nolan is consistent to a fault, and surprisingly even, Nolan entered public consciousness with Memento, a bafflingly confusing but ultimately mesmerizing film that foreshadow's Nolan's filmmaking style, featuring non linear storylines, and visual contrast. Nolan's films feature strong and often complex philosophical themes, emotionally damaged protagonists, and lucid dream worlds. Protagonists of Nolan films are often vengeful, emotionally and morally driven, and ethically ambiguous. Nolan is known for being a perfectionist, never using a second unit, and he has become one of the biggest advocates of film stock since Martin Scorsese. Nolan is also noted for his use of IMAX, cameras, with up to 30% of The Dark Knight Rises being shot on 70mm. Nolan is a visually distinctive and philosophically driven voice.

• Lena Dunham

One of the less established directors on this list, and being mostly known for her TV work, Dunham has in fact released two films, the little seen student film Creative Nonfiction, and indie comedy Tiny Furniture. Since releasing these, Dunham has become known for the HBO series GIRLS, which she also writes, produces, created and stars in. Dunham has created a unique visual style which has since become mainstream, using low saturated film. Dunham's work features spoilt entitled main characters, artistic protagonists who are mainly out of work, and unlikeable leads she somehow finds a way for the audience to root for. Dunham is also a fantastic actress, and features in all of her projects. Despite being mainly known for television, Dunham's place on this list is justified by her unique voice and confident style. Dunham is a unique, young female director, who at the age of 28 is one of the only real female voices in television.

Upon concluding this list there are common themes among these directors, this list features an unusual amount of female directors, given that they are poorly represented in this field. This list is also unusual for featuring a gay man, who again are poorly represented in the world of cinema. Interestingly all of the directors featured on this list write their own scripts, and they all have highly distinctive visual styles. The five directors featured on this list are independent, competent and powerful voices in the world of cinema.

The Puppy Episode

Back in 1997, Ellen DeGeneres had a sitcom, initially called These Friends of Mine, the series was quickly retitled Ellen. While floundering a little in early seasons, struggling to find a reason to exist, the show garnered ratings success and sparked national debate and controversy during the fourth season upon airing The Puppy Episode, an episode in which DeGeneres' character Ellen Morgan and DeGeneres herself came out of the closet, the title refers to the fact that the producers wanted to air an episode in which Morgan adopts a puppy. The episode was a huge success, drawing 42 million viewers.

The episode, which is a two-parter, revolves around Ellen Morgan, meeting a lesbian woman named Susan, whom she instantly clicks with, not bring honest with herself or her friends about her sexuality, Susan, and her therapist encourage her to open up about her sexuality to herself and to her friends. The episode featured numerous cameos and guest appearances. Laura Dern appears as Susan, a love interest for Ellen, whom Ellen becomes romantically attached to, and who is later revealed to be in a relationship. Oprah Winfrey also starred as Ellen's therapist, and DeGeneres also came out of the closet on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the same day as the airing of the episode. K.D. Lang, Jenny Shimzu, Demi Moore and Melissa Etheridge all have cameo's.

The show was a huge success, becoming Ellen's highest rated show drawing 42 million viewers, the show also spurned numerous cultural phrases and puns, in the episode, when Ellen accuses Susan of trying to recruite her, to which Susan replies, 'one more and i would have got the toaster oven', since the airing of the episode, coming out has often been ironically referred to as 'getting the toaster oven'. The episode also makes light fun of people who refer to an organised gay movement or a gay mafia, at the end of the episode, Susan takes Ellen to see Melissa Etheridge, who after filling out the necessary paperwork, congratulates Ellen on being gay and hands Susan a toaster oven.

The episode led to the show getting renewed for a second season, and has been referred to as one of the most significant LGBT television moments, and one of the first high profile coming-outs. Although the episode managed to give the show focus, however not in the direction that ABC wanted, the show became highly gay-centric, and whole episodes became focused around niche gay topics which were uncommon or alienating to heterosexual viewers. What saddens me somewhat is that few people of my generation have seen this episode, and although Ellen DeGeneres is still a public figure, and is still on TV every day, few people really know what a trailblazer DeGeneres was, and how brave it was of her to come out at a time when society was so unforgiving, The Puppy Episode remains a fantastic sitcom episode, and fortunately for those who have not seen it, both episodes are available on YouTube.

Susan: Damn, now I have to call headquarters and let them know I lost you. Just one more and I would have gotten that toaster oven.

The September Issue

Welcome back, hope you all celebrated Star Wars Day in the appropriate way, i briefly considered reviewing Return Of The Jedi, but i decided that three Star Wars posts in as many days may be somewhat overkill, so i will leave it till later to complete my series on the original trilogy. The September Issue is a 2008 documentary feature revolving around the production of the september issue of Vogue magazine, directed by RJ Cutler, the film looks at the conception, writing and styling of the magazine, and the conception of what was, at the time, the largest edition of a monthly magazine ever produced at 820 pages.

The film revolves around Vogue and it's editor in chief, Anna Wintour, notoriously frosty and cold, Wintour runs Vogue with an iron fist, and that is apparent from this film, however the film also does a good job of showing us the woman behind the pageboy bob and the large sunglasses. The idea for the film came about in 2006, after the release of The Devil Wears Prada, the film had the unintended consequence of turning Wintour into a celebrity outside of the fashion industry, and giving her a reputation for being mean, frosty and unemotional, in order to repair her image, Wintour commissioned a documentary, detailing her private and professional life, and the development of the magazine.

The film begins by showing us the Vogue offices, Wintour's country home in upstate New York, and her life with her daughter, a university law student, the film then shows us Wintour's trip to europe and her meetings with the fashion council in Paris. What is hugely focused on in the movie is Wintour's relationship with Grace Coddington, Coddington, a former model who is now fashion editor at American Vogue. The relationship between the two is featured heavily throughout the film, and Coddington often seems to be the only person who occasionally stands up to Wintour.

The September Issue is highly successful as a documentary, as it provides an unadulterated and reasonably unfiltered look into the creative process at Vogue Magazine and the way Anna Wintour runs the magazine, the film also manages to make it's protagonist, who was previously thought of as being cold and unapproachable, into someone empathic and strangely likeable. The September Issue is entertaining and fun, and is an accessible documentary for anyone interested in fashion. Rating: B

Anna Wintour: Just because you like to put on a beautiful Carolina Herrera dress or a pair of J Brand blue jeans instead of something basic from K-Mart it doesn't mean that you're a dumb person.

The Empire Strikes Back

Whilst i appreciate that it might be overkill writing two posts about Star Wars in as many days, all the recent news about the franchise has got me buzzed, and i settled in last night to re-watch Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. I reviewed Episode IV a while back, and i remember being pleasantly surprised by the film, finding it to be engaging, fun and exciting (my review can be found HERE). The Empire Strikes Back was directed by Irvin Kershner, and based on an original story by George Lucas, released in 1980, the film was the second Star Wars film to be released, and the fifth in the series chronology. 

The film is notable for being one of the first real sequels released in Hollywood, and for kickstarting one of cinema's first real franchises. The original Star Wars series was one of the first blockbuster trilogies, one of the first tentpole franchises, and also the first, and to date only real blockbuster financed independently, Lucas broke from the Hollywood mold by using his own money to finance Episode V, with the film subsequently being only distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film also set up a chronology for the Star Wars canon that would only become realized in the early 2000's with the release of the prequel trilogy. The film was somewhat confusingly called Episode V on release, with the first film being retitled Episode IV: A New Hope. This sets up the space for a prequel trilogy, episodes 1 through 3, and allows the films to subsequently be viewed as one long series. Although being confusing at the time, the gamble paid off, and the series is now a shining example of how to master plan a series, as each film is satisfying in its own right, and yet leaves space for expansion and explanation in subsequent series.

The film is set about three years after A New Hope, the death star has been destroyed, and the rebel alliance is struggling against the empire, Darth Vader has been chasing our three heroes in revenge for the destruction of the death star, Han and Leia grow closer, and Luke tries to find out the truth about what happened to his father. The film's plot and script is fun and action packed, our heroes are constantly put in danger and manage to escape by the skin of their teeth, and the film is fairly well paced, the director makes the smart decision to limit the length of the film to two hours, meaning that the action is fairly tight and well paced.

The film also looks fantastic, the effects used were groundbreaking for the time, much like the first film, and a variety of effects were used, go-motion was used to animate the AT-AT and the AT-ST, which look fantastic, and which have a realness and visual tactility that is absent from entirely CGI creations. The film also takes us to new and exciting places that were not seen in the previous film, the cloud city on Bespin looks stunning and is a simply fabulous idea, making an exciting setting for the climactic battle between Vader and Luke. The film also takes us to Dagobah, a swamp-like marsh, where Skywalker meets Yoda, a Jedi Master. One of the only new characters or new species to be featured in this film, Yoda takes the form of a wrinkled green dwarf, and was animated using mainly puppets and animatronics. In this film Yoda was portrayed by Frank Oz, noted for also playing many muppet characters including Miss Piggy.

The acting in the film is superb, and it is notable that the film doesn't suffer from the absence of Alec Guiness, who was a huge presence in the previous film, the film nicely explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia, as it developed into a romantic attraction, and the relationship between Luke and Leia as they grow closer, and learn the truth about their relationship. Most important is the development in the relationship between Luke and his archenemy Darth Vader, which culminates with Luke learning the truth, and being unable to handle it.

The Empire Strikes Back is everything a sequel should be, despite there being a jump in time between this film and the last, no time is wasted with introduction or exposition, and we are dropped right into the middle of the story. Lucas assumes that we have seen the previous film, and the movie is much stronger for that. Lucas, Kasdan and Brackett successfully weave a delicate and complex plot featuring overlapping storylines, exhilarating action and a sensitive romantic subplot. The film is tense, atmospheric, visually stunning and highly plotted, making for a thoroughly enjoyable watch. Rating: A

Darth Vader: Luke, you do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy.

STAR WARS: REBELS

Last week the internet almost imploded with the news of the release of the cast of the upcoming episode 7, and the list pleased me somewhat, the stars of the original trilogy are all returning, which seems like auspicious news. Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac, two of my favorite current actors, have also joined the cast. Also joining the ensemble is Andy Serkis, an actor mostly known for playing CGI characters such as Gollum , King Kong and Captain Haddock. Serkis' presence in the cast suggests that he will perhaps be playing a CGI, motion capture character, which is incredibly de rigueur right now. Also returning are C-3PO and R2D2, in addition to Chewbacca, all of whom are fan favorites.

However, this post is not specifically about Episode VII, but about the recently announced animated television series, airing on Disney XD in the autumn of 2014. Since reaching an licensing agreement with LucasFilm, and especially now since acquiring the company for 4.05 billion in 2011, Disney has developed a number of animated series based around the star wars characters and universe. During the 1990's these were developed by LucasFilm in conjunction with ABC or Cartoon Network, however since 2008's The Clone Wars, they have aired exclusively on Disney owned channels. Early series had limited success, and The Clone Wars, despite running for six seasons could only be described as a partial success. A few early episodes were bundled together as a feature film and released to cinemas, a move which rarely works and concurrently the film was panned by critics. The latest season was aired on Netflix instead of on cable, and will be the end of the series.

Although i try to keep television posts on Popcorn@Movies to a minimum, and i would normally never dream of writing about an animated television series, the trailer, recently released for Star Wars Rebels succeeded in piquing my attention. The trailer, which lasts all of  15 seconds (and which can be found HERE) features some pretty stunning animation. The series looks almost photo-realistic, with the exception of the human characters, who are animated in an asian inspired manga style. It seems that the merger with Disney has been good news for LucasFilm's animation department, as the quality of animation looks to be extremely high, particularly for a television budget.

I am oddly excited for this series, whilst i would previously never really care about a series airing on Disney XD, this looks to be a well produced, exciting and fun animated series, wit unusually high production values. As the first real product of the merger between Disney and LucasFilm, it looks to be an auspicious start, and should give Star Wars fans high hopes for the upcoming Episode VII.

Ten Years Of Mean Girls

Is it really possible? The seminal high school comedy written by Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters was released a decade ago today. I don't think i need to explain the plot to you, but in case some of you have been living under a rock for the past ten years, i will. Cady Heron who was previously home schooled arrives in a new school after moving from africa to the united states. She makes friends with two art students, and they convince her to infiltrate a group of popular girls, named The Plastics and usurp their status. The film was written by SNL alumnus Tina Fey, who also played Mrs Norburry, in her feature film debut.

The film starred a young and talented cast, who have gone on to manage their careers with differing success. Lindsay Lohan starred as Cady Heron, and has gone on to crash and burn, entering rehab six times, and has recently starring in a reality show docu-series on OWN. Rachel McAdams went on to star in many films such as About Time, Morning Glory and To The Wonder. Lizzy Caplan disappeared from public consciousness for a while, and recently resurfaced, starring in showtime's Masters Of Sex, while Daniel Franzese, Lacey Chabert and Jonathan Bennett all slipped from the public eye and have yet to resurface. Meanwhile Tina Fey herself went on to parody Sarah Palin and won the public's heart, finally Amanda Seyfried went on to star in Mamma Mia, Les Miserables and Lovelace.

The film quickly garnered a strong cult following around people of my generation, and is infinitely quotable. Mariah Carey wrote the song "Obsessed", inspired by this movie, and Jennifer Lawrence referenced the film at the People's Choice Awards. The film inspired many a meme, You Go Glen Coco perhaps being the most iconic. Fetch sort of did happen for a while, on social media anyway, and the film even spawned a semi-sequel released direct to dvd that no-one saw or cared about.

Ten years on the film is as current as ever, it's depiction of female friendship and rivalry is as accurate and uncanny as ever. This Tina Fey penned comedy serves not only as a reminder of how talented Lindsay Lohan really is, but also how irreverent and funny Tina Fey is as a screenwriter. So to commemorate 10 years of mean, lets really make fetch happen shall we?

Regina: Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen! It's not going to happen!