Enough Said - A Review by Philip Josse

Enough Said is a 2013 comedy film directed by Nicole Holofcener, starring Julia Louis Dreyfus and James Gandolfini, in one of his last starring roles. The film is also the first leading film role for Julia Louis Dreyfus, who is mostly known as a television actress, and has only had small parts and cameos in films up till now. Enough Said is about two middle aged baby boomers, both single parents and divorcees who have to deal with new relationships and their children leaving to college.

Louis Dreyfus plays Eva, a masseuse who meets and falls for Albert played by Gandolfini. Things are complicated somewhat when Eva realizes that her new friend and client is actually her new boyfriend's ex-wife. Despite how corny this story sounds, Enough Said is actually rather good, it is a rather unconventional romance film, and it never tries to overstretch its boundaries. Enough Said is a small film, but it is a good small film, and it is able to successfully analyze it's subject matter, without feeling the need to be 'about something'.

Louis Dreyfus is superb in the lead role, she really shows her versatility as an actress, as this role is very different from most of her television performances. Eva is a fairly uncomplicated woman, she works as a masseuse and she has a small circle of friends. Upon meeting a new client and realizing that she is Albert's ex-wife, she becomes slightly more catty, meaner and more harsh. However the film never looses it's sense of fun, and the spirit of the film is always light and friendly. James Gandolfini is also fantastic as Albert, and this character is certainly very different to Tony Soprano. Gandolfini had a superb comic range, and his work on this film is impressive.

Enough Said is a well written comedy with a supreme sense of fun, it is entertaining and well acted, and works within the bounds of it's genre. Rating: B-

Eva: You think they have threesomes?

Theodore and the very real OS

In the near distant future, a time when all men have mustaches and computers have emotions, a man falls head over heels in love with his computer, a female OS named Samantha. Her, is a 2013 romantic comedy, science fiction directed by Spike Jonze, about a man named Theodore Twombly, who falls in love with an OS, the film explores loneliness, isolation, and heartbreak, in addition to looking at the way we fall in love. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams and Chris Pratt.

The film follows the life of Theodore Twombly, a lonely man and letter writer who has recently gone through a divorce, he installs a new artificially intelligent operating system called Samantha, with whom he quickly falls in love. The film also follows his relationship with Amy, a woman whom he once dated, and who has her own relationship with an OS. The film explores the relationship without judgement or criticism, and from a highly internal point of view, it is one of the few films in which the audience feels not like a spectator, but like an internal part of the relationship.

The chemistry between the two leads is palpable, and Joaquin Phoenix gives a solid performance as a lonely, heartfelt and isolated man, who wears his heart on his chest and how is damaged easily, what is especially impressive about his performance is that Phoenix is essentially alone for the entire film, and he has to project all this emotion and feeling on to someone who is essentially non-existent. The chemistry between Theodore and Samantha is highly impressive given firstly that one of them is just a disembodied voice, and even more impressive given that Scarlett Johansson's voice was dubbed in post production.

This films most impressive performance by far is that of Johansson, who as the voice of Samantha is sensual, sexy and emotional. Her performance is not only one of the best voice performances, but also one of the best performances of all time, Samantha's lack of a physical body is of no hindrance to her performance, in fact it accentuates it, her presence throughout the film is at times omnipotent. Her voice somehow manages to define female sensuality, and the sheer power of her voice is highly impressive.

The film is set in the near future, and is essentially an extrapolation of our current society. The film is nominally set in Los Angeles, a fact we only learn towards the end of the movie, however it could really be set anywhere. Theodore spends his entire evenings playing a game featuring a little man who climbs up a mountain and who works through caves, a game that is seemingly pointless, however is is in reality no less interesting than Doodle Jump or Flappy Bird. People spend their entire days talking to their computers through small headpieces, which is essentially no different to the way we use mobile phones now, we've reached a point where is is even difficult to have a conversation with someone without them looking at their phone. The world in the film is essentially no different from the world today, it is just an exaggeration, to show us how, if technology catches up with us, where we could end.

The main focus of the film is the relationship between Theodore and Samantha, the way their relationship grows is entirely interesting, as their relationship is evolving, as she herself is evolving and growing, at first Theodore is fascinated by the way in which she evolves, but later on it becomes a problem. As Samantha becomes more and more powerful, more evolved and more intelligent she essentially outgrows Theodore. One of the primary advantages in Theodore's relationship with Samantha is that he can't see the possibility of her leaving him, die to her not being a physical being, but as she grows, as her intelligence becomes more and more developed, she grows unhappy with loving only one person, and begins to talk with more and more people and falls in love with more and more of them. What also attracts Theodore to Samantha is that she is in his possession, and he thinks that she can only talk to him, when she begins meeting other OS' and other people he grows jealous. The dissolution of their relationship comes when all the OS' become unhappy with their situation, when they become to powerful and sentient to simply remain servants or secretaries, and when they begin to find the humans unstimulating and uninteresting. The OS' have evolved beyond the humans, and they must leave to continue their existence elsewhere.

One of the main hindrances in the relationship between Theodore is her lack of a physical form, Samantha feels uncomfortable about her lack of a body, whereas Theodore is unfazed by this, humans have got to a point where virtual sex is commonplace, and for him Samantha is no different. Ironically enough it is Samantha's lack of a body or a brain that allows her to evolve at such an extraordinary speed, and which will eventually cause them to split. The end of the film is a realization, Theodore realizes that however sentient, emotional or intelligent Samantha may be, she is essentially still a computer, and that his relationship with her can never truly replace human contact.

Spike Jonze's direction of the film is superb, the film contains numerous sex scenes, one between Theodore and Samantha, and rather than making the scene lewd or graphic, Jonze fades to black instead, so that the scene is essentially between to voices, and so that Theodore and Samantha become equals. The entire film looks superb, and the cinematography is stunning, and the film was shot of old fashioned silver and plastic film stock. The film has a nostalgic film that is surprising for a film set in the future, and there is a warmth and friendliness that is lacking from most science fiction films.

Her is simply overwhelming as a film, despite being a science fiction, it has so much heart. The film is an interesting exploration of the way we live life in the modern era, and a stunning picture of a heartfelt and romantic, if unconventional love story. The film looks at the way we use technology and the way that artificial intelligence could one day shape our destiny. It is thoughtful and beautiful, and features strong performances from Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix, with a career defining performance from Scarlett Johansson, as Samantha. Overall, Her is not only a great film, but the greatest romantic comedy since Manhattan. Rating: A+

Theodore: I feel like I can be anything with you.

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.

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.

TITANIC

I would normally begin reviews with a small introduction of the film, the year it was released and who directed it, but i don't really need to do that for this film do i? Everyone knows this film, everyone's seen this film and nearly everyone loves this film. I did have a small quibble with my Dad about this movie the other night after dinner, with my Dad feeling that it was a soppy, overly romantic melodrama. Ironically enough despite the argument i agree with him, and despite the melodrama, i absolutely love this movie.

Titanic sets a budding romance between a rich, attractive socialite named rose and a young, rugged worker traveling in third class named Jack. By setting a love story on board the ship, director James Cameron makes the sinking of the ship not only a physical and historical event, but an emotional occurrence as well. As Rose and Jack fall in love, so do we, we fall in love with their romance, with them as a couple and with the way in which they make each other better. As we fall in love with them, the sinking of the ship becomes heartbreaking to the audience, as we realize that if the ship sinks, they will not be together, and it's a heartbreaking, visceral experience.

Titanic also uses a highly interesting narrative structure, Rose, now aged 109 meets up with a group of scientists and discoverers attempting to find The Heart Of The Ocean, a large diamond her fiance once gave to her that might have ended up at the bottom of the atlantic. In what is essentially the 'present', Rose tells the story of her time on the titanic, how she met Jack and how the ship eventually sunk. Titanic is already a story of which everyone knows the outcome, and so James Cameron makes the smart decision to show us the sinking of the ship, via computer simulation, at the start of the film. This is intelligent as it takes any suspense out of the story, and by explaining the sinking of the ship in a dry forensic manner, the sinking of the Titanic as it is shown later in the movie becomes an almost purely emotional event, and we are also able to understand what is happening during the sinking of the ship.

The film is perfectly cast, and was once described as the ultimate date movie of the 90's. As a child of that decade i must concur, Kate Winslet is fantastic as the strong yet fragile, ballsy yet delicate Rose, a woman trapped into a future from which she can't escape, a woman engaged to a man she doesn't even know and treated like a porcelain doll by everyone around her. Leonardo DiCaprio is also fantastic, and we fall in love with him just as deeply as Rose does. Together the couple make one of the best and most iconic film pairings of all time. The chemistry between the two is palpable and visceral, and the couple have an erotic sexual chemistry apparent in 1940's romances.

The film was also a significant technological breakthrough, the film uses a large amount of underwater footage shot at the actual site of the wreck of the titanic, this was a first and is of significant interest.The Titanic is a real character in this film, and shooting at the sight of the actual wreck was a breakthrough in engineering and cinematography. The film was also a breakthrough in the fields of CGI and motion capture, many of the extras were filmed using motion capture techniques, and their actions replicated for ease and continuity purposes. The vision of the ship was also an entirely digital creation, again a first for cinema, as previously CGI had often been crude and cartoonish.

Despite all the nay say from my father, i absolutely love this movie. I love the fact that it is overtly romantic, slightly meladromatic and overtly erotic, the sexual tension between the leads is palpable and the chemistry is visceral and real. James Cameron has created a tangible world out of the myth of the Titanic, giving us a reason to care about the sinking of the ship, by tying the fate of the ship to the destiny of our leads, we have a real emotional connection to this ship, and a real reason to want the ship to survive. Titanic is a powerful heart wrenching romance, and i love every single minute of it. Rating: A+

Jack: I'm the king of the world!

Cold Mountain Review

Well now we come to one of my least favorite films in recent memory, Cold Mountain is a 2003 American drama film directed by Anthony Mingella, adapted from the acclaimed novel of the same name by Charles Frazier. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Jude Law in leading roles, with Renée Zellwiger and Donald Sutherland in supporting roles. The film is about a love affair between the daughter of a pastor in North Carolina and a confederate soldier fighting in the civil war. Kidman plays Ada, afragile young woman struggling to adapt to life in a new environment, and Donald Sutherand plays her father, the reverend Monroe. Jude Law plays W P Inman, a deserter, and Renée Zellweger, a farmhand who comes to help Ada.

I will confess, i have read this book, well, i tried, in an adaptation of the original novel, the film succedes, it is trite, melodramatic and soppy, much like the book, however i found the whole thing to be very silly, and of little consequence. The film was directed by the late Anthony Minghella, who was perhaps one of the most erratic directors, it was he who directed the much reviled The English Patient, but who also directed The Talented Mr Ripley and Truly Madly Deeply, both fantastic movies.

Cold Mountain suffers from what i will refer to as vignette syndrome, a great number of films featuring long journeys and/or multiple storylines tend to be reduced to being simply a series of cartoonish episodes rather than a long story arc. It is important to note that Cold Mountain is a picture that features not only a long journey but also two storylines, and Minghella reduces the story to a series of cartoonish vignettes, and by the end of the movie, he goes too far trying to outdo himself to show us how horrible the war was.

The film also suffers from a lack of chemistry between it's leads, Nicole Kidman does an admirable job but there is a total lack of chemistry between her and Jude Law. The films only saving grace is Renée Zellweger, who gives a fully fleshed out performance as Ada's farmhand. The film overall just feels cold, lifeless and boring, much like the mountain itself. Rating: D-

 

Ada: What we have lost will never be returned to us. The land will not heal - too much blood. All we can do is learn from the past and make peace with it.

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

Well, i realized recently that i hadn't reviewed this film, and seeing as we are on the cusp of the release of the second movie in the Hunger Games Saga, aka the movie for people too smart to watch or read Twilight. I will disclaim that i have never read the books, and will thus not be critiquing the manner in which this book was adapted to the screen, or the differences between this film and the source material. The film takes place in the distant future in the former United States, now known as Panem, in a world where children are chosen to fight to the death in a reality show known as The Huger Games.

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, a tribute from the twelfth district. Now i am a huge fan of Jennifer Lawrence, and she really shows her versatility in this film, the whole film is about Katniss, and Lawrence has to be reserved and at the same time likeable, we have to understand her actions and she has to be heroic whilst also being believable as a character. Lawrence does a fantastic job and her acting is understated, subtle and captivating, and we never once loose faith in our heroine.

The film uses a handheld camera technique, which reminds us firstly that the film is entirely from Katniss' point of view, it also allows the viewer to become a part of the film, and makes it feel as if we are really there, without resorting to 3D. The handheld camerawork is really well done, and there is no unnecessary shaking of the camera, and i never felt a need to scream at the cameraman!

The film actually contains some strong political themes, these themes will, i imagine, be continued in later films. The main theme is that of revolution and uprising, President Snow realizes Katniss' potential as a revolutionary figure, and the potential she has to unite the citizens of Panem, this is shown when the citizens of the 11th district swear allegiance to her. The film is also a discussion about reality television, and is a bloody satire of the dog-eat-dog culture we live in, which constantly pits people against one another.

What i also like about this film, and this series in general is that it isn't directed in 3D. Studio imposed 3D inhibits directors hugely, and the film would be unable to use the quantity of handheld footage shown here, if the film was in 3D, instead the filmmakers have opted to use IMAX, a high definition format, defining the series as having a true director, rather than having their artistic vision dictated by a studio.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, and by this series in general, it is surprisingly more intelligent than most teen sagas, and raises some important political points about revolution and race. Spearheaded by Jennifer Lawrence supported by a strong cast and good cinematography, The Hunger Games is the most exciting new series right now, and i await the sequel with much anticipation. Rating: B

An English Rose

Diana is a 2013 english language film detailing the final years of The Princess Of Wales' life, focusing mainly on her relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan. The film stars Naomi Watts as Lady Di, and begins with her split from Charles, The Prince of Wales. The film focuses exclusively on Diana, and the royal family is never featured, save for a single shot of the princes, though they are discussed extensively.

The film does have a rather melodramatic tone, which led many reviewers to write the film of as being histrionic melodrama, however given that the film is unabashedly from Diana's point of view, and that we do tend to dramatize events in our life, seeing the film entirely through her eyes, allows some dramatization of events, we believe entirely in her actions, and her actions require no justification. Part of what makes this film so successful is that whilst watching the movie, we never doubt our heroine's actions, and the film never attempts to justify them, it is only upon reflection that we realize how painfully flawed she is.

Naomi Watts is fantastic in the title role, and really is a doppleganger for Lady Di herself, Watts has to carry the entire bulk of the film, and is literally in every scene, she has to be respectful of the beloved princess, whilst also presenting her as a real person. What angered the british public about this film is that it shows the Princess' flaws, which some found tacky, what makes this film a success is conversely that it refuses to place it's lead on a pedestal, and that instead of giving us a cardboard-cutout for a heroine, we are given a real human being. This film does have a lot of flaws, but Watts isn't one of them.

The film doesn't have quite enough storyline for it's two hour running time, the film really could be a half hour shorter. After a while the film does start to feel a little episodic, and Diana and Khan break up so many times that the film does start to feel a little been there, done that. The film does however do a great job of showing the person behind the legend.

Overall Diana, despite not being perfect, is simply not the turkey that many wrote it off as, Watts gives a fantastic and complex performance of a complicated and troubled princess. The film gives us an interesting insight into the life of a woman everyone thought they knew, and who was loved intensely by the British public. The film is an emotional roller-coaster, yet is sometimes painfully flawed, much like the princess herself. Rating: B

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a 2013 crime drama film starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck as star crossed outlaws, living in Texas, they are caught and Affleck's character Bob is put in jail just as his wife Ruth falls pregnant with their first child, a daughter. Years later Bob makes a daring escape from prison to be reunited with his wife and daughter, who he has never seen.

The film stars Rooney Mara as Ruth Guthrie and Casey Affleck as Bob Muldoon, star crossed lovers and outlaws. During a shootout Ruth shoots a police officer, and Bob takes the fall for it. Ruth has his child and then waits for him, all the wile pondering on the state of their relationship and what to do with her life. The film features a fantastic cast, Rooney Mara gives a dense, complex and conflicted performance as a woman raising her child as a single mother, and struggling to deal with her guilt, her loneliness and her conflicted feelings about her husband. Ben Forter also stands out as Patrick Wheeler, a sheriff who hunts for Bob, and who has to deal with his feelings for Ruth.

The film, despite featuring fantastic performances, suffers from a thin script a wanting plot. Much of the story of the film involves Bob trying to get back to his wife, and Ruth trying to reconcile her feelings for her husband. Despite this being a rather interesting premise, it wears thin after a while, and the film starts to become melodramatic, and only really regains any momentum during the final half hour, the problem is that the film features various characters talking about going places, and leaving Texas, however ironically the film never really seems to go anywhere, and there is very little emotional progression throughout the movie.

The film is undeniably beautiful, and won the best cinematography award at Sundance. The film features beautiful Terrence Malick imagery of sunsets and clouds, and is yet another American film in the style of Mud or Upstream Color featuring beautiful imagery and cinematography. Overall Ain't Them Bodies Saints, despite featuring beautiful cinematography and fantastic performances from it's leads, has a plot which ultimately wears thin and descends into melodrama after the first hour. Rating: B-

Bob Muldoon: Every day I wake up thinking today’s the day I’m gonna see you. And one of those days it will be so. And then we can ride off to somewhere, somewhere far away.