AKA Jessica Jones

Marvel's Jessica Jones is the second MCU property to be brought to Netflix, after Daredevil, which was released earlier this year. Jessica Jones is also noteworthy as it is the first MCU property released to have a female title character.

Krysten Ritter stars as Jessica Jones, a former superhero turned private investigator suffering from PTSD, still reeling from the aftermath of a breakup. Mike Coulter stars as Luke Cage, who will be featured in his own Netflix series early next year. Finally David Tennant stars as Redgrave, a villain with the power of mind control.

The series begins very strongly, and it gained so much momentum within the first few episodes that I wondered if it would be able to maintain this energy throughout, and I wasn't disappointed. The show is genuinely gripping from start to finish, and I watched the show at breakneck speed, to the detriment of exam revision.

The show is so much darker than previous Marvel properties, and much more violence, whereas most mainstream MCU film are targeted at a young adult or teen audience, Jessica Jones is aimed at an adult audience, and thematically it explores themes of rape, free will and sexuality.

I must admit there is something undeniably erotic about seeing two gifted humans with super strength going at it, it's something that's intrigued me for quite a while, and we finally get to see it on screen.

It seems impossible to believe that this was written by Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote all of the Twilight films, in all of their reductive post-feminist glory. More action is crammed into the first episode of Jessica Jones than into all five excruciating Twilight films.

Part of what makes this series so great is just how visceral all the action is, I've never before flinched during an MCU title, watching Iron Man attack the Hulk during Age of Ultron did nothing for me, because I knew it wasn't real. The action in Jessica Jones is scarier, because I feel every punch, every hit, because it all seems so much realer than watching computer generated characters punch each other with no gravity or weight to them.

I'm praying that we'll see a second series of Jessica Jones before The Defenders miniseries comes to Netflix, and given the buzz surrounding this series, I'm confident that we will, for me this remains one of my favorite MCU titles to date. Jessica Jones is dark, thrilling and gripping entertainment.

Mockingjay - The Final Flight

Mockingjay - Part 2 is the final installment in the Hunger Games Saga, starring all of the same cast as previous installments, this film is the final chapter of Katniss' story, and shows her final defeat of the Capitol.

Politically the themes of this film show much more depth than previous installments, rather than the film being simply about revolution, and rebellion, this film is about the nature of good, and evil, crossing the line where the oppressed become the oppressors. Where the dictated who have risen up and overthrown their dictators become the dictators themselves.

During this film Katniss realizes that the battle between good and evil is often an internal one, she sees the rebellion growing in power and influence, and she begins to question their purpose and morals. She starts to distrust the leader of the rebellion, Alma Coin and she gradually comes to doubt the sacrifices she has made.

The film also discusses the nature of victory, the fact that nobody really 'wins' a war, all victors experience loss and pain. This is discussed throughout the series as a whole, and this theme is first explored during the first film, in which Katniss and Peeta lose so much, although they are considered 'victors'. At the end of Mockingjay, Effie Trinket encourages Katniss to 'find the life of a victor'. To finally find peace.

Unfortunately Mockingjay, which could have been a glorious finale to the Hunger Games Trilogy has been split into two films, as is often the case with these films, this has left part 1 slow and quiet and lacking any real climax, however it has made part 2 even better, the final film is now chock full of action, and the vast majority of the film shows the rebellions battle in the Capitol.

I was however impressed with Mockingjay - Part 2, the film seems well thought out and well acted, and it doesn't rob us of the opportunity to say a final farewell to the characters we've grown to love over the years, even if those goodbyes are brief. Mockingjay - Part 2 is a satisfying conclusion to what has undoubtedly been one of the greatest young adult sagas since Harry Potter.

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars is a 2014 American drama film, about a young girl suffering from terminal cancer who falls in love for the first time. The film was adapted from a novel of the same name by John Green, and stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.

Woodley plays Hazel Grave Lancaster, a young girl living with her parents in Indianapolis, struggling to cope with impending death as a result of her terminal cancer. At a support group for cancer patients, she meets Augustus Waters, an amputee and cancer survivor who she subsequently falls in love with. The cast of this film is superb, with Shailene Woodley giving an outstanding performance as the strong, yet fragile Hazel, a girl who tries to prepare those around her for her death, and who has to convince her parents to go on without her.

Elgort is also fantastic as Augustus, an unusually wise and brave young man, who finds himself weakening and falling for Hazel. Filling out the supporting cast is Laura Dern, playing Hazels mum, a woman dealing with the constant sickness of her daughter. Willem Defoe plays Peter Van Houten, the author of Hazel's favorite book, called an imperial affliction, and who she travels to Amsterdam to meet. The entire film is bolstered by a fantastic soundtrack, featuring the talents Ed Sheeran, Tom Odell and Charlie XCX, who contributes a fantastic song called Boom Clap to the film, which perfectly captures the bittersweet nature of the film.

It should be said that the film is a tearjerker, i personally was sat in my room bawling with a tube of loo roll next to me two thirds of the way through, but that's just me. The first part of the film is reasonably cheerful, and there is something subversive about the way the film sets its viewers up, like a roller coaster train climbing a hill the audience knows that the fall out from this film is going to be huge, and as the film goes on we become more enamored and emotionally connected to these characters, and so to see them hurt is painful to watch.

Overall The Fault in Our Stars is emotional without being melodramatic, it's superbly acted and written, and is a touching heartfelt young adult adaptation. Rating: A

Hazel Grace Lancaster: But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.

AHS: Freak Show

The fourth season of anthology series American Horror Story is subtitled Freak Show, and takes place in the town of Jupiter, Florida, where an aging German ex-patriot is attempting to keep one of the last freak-shows in America afloat. Jessica Lange plays Elsa Mars, secretly an amputee who tries to keep her show in business. Starring alongside Lange is a diverse cast of AHS regulars and new actors, who play the sideshow's various 'freaks'.

Sarah Paulson plays both Bette and Dot Tattler, a pair of conjoined twins who become embroiled in murder after their mother is found dead in their kitchen, they are visited by Mars in the hospital, who takes them in, and who protects them from the authorities. Kathy Bates also returns to the show playing Ethel, the shows resident bearded lady and Evan Peters plays her son, a man with fused fingers who performs as 'the lobster boy'. Amazon Eve is played by trans actress Erika Ervin, a woman who is abnormally large.

The show is visually very different to other iterations of the show, whereas both Coven and Asylum were cold, dark and stylish, Freak Show is much softer, the camera is less focused, less sharp giving the whole show a 1950's movie style. Overall the show feels a lot warmer than previous versions, both Coven and Asylum were set in highly hostile environments, the atmosphere of Freak Show is warmer, with the show actually being a place of safety for most of these 'freaks'.

Despite this change in atmosphere, the show is actually the scariest version yet, the antagonist of this season is a terrifying clown, who wears the bottom half of a mask featuring a horrific wide smile, which contrasts with his dead eyes, the clown is responsible for a number of murders which have rocked the small town, leaving four dead. The opening of the first episode is atmospheric and dark, and the entire episode is one of the most chilling the show has yet seen.

The entire cast, many of whom were used in previous seasons is superb, Jessica Lange is fantastic, in what will be her final season on the show and the entire cast is excellent, many of them are favourites, and it is fantastic to see them back on the small screen, albeit playing different characters. Rating: A-

How To Get Away With Murder

How to Get Away with Murder is a 2013 american thriller series, produced by Shonda Rhimes and starring Viola Davis as Annalise Keating, a law professor at a prestigious university, whose students become embroiled in a murder during the school year.

Keating teaches a class called How to Get Away With Murder, a practical university course teaching it's students how to defend guilty clients in murder trials. The series is produced by Shonda Rhimes, and is scheduled after the also Rhimes produced Scandal, and stars Viola Davis, Davis is fantastic as Keating, a hardened and scarily professional professor, who challenges her students to work hard and who seems to be hiding a powerful secret herself. How to Get Away With Murder has the same stylish flair as Scandal, and the show is fun and thrilling. The show uses a unique flashback structure, and the series features a season long mystery, similar in style to Desperate Housewives, and in someways, this show is the first network drama since Desperate Housewives that has the chance to become a stonking great hit.

How to Get Away With Murder is a hugely fun show, it's a stylish and sexy, and is a fantastic vehicle for Viola Davis, who is great in the lead role, the supporting cast is well rounded and diverse, and the show already looks like it will be a huge hit. Rating: A-

 

We Need To Talk About Kevin - Review by Philip Josse

We Need To Talk About Kevin is a british drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay adapted from the novel by Lionel Shriver, and starring Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller. We Need To Talk About Kevin is about the relationship between a mother and her son, who has recently killed nine people in his school with a bow and arrow, and whith whom she has a distant, unloving relationship.

The cantral figure in the film is the relationship between Eva, and her son Kevin, Eva was a successful travel writer in New York, who had her own imprint and earned a lot of money, she meets a man named Franklin, and suddenly falls pregnant, despite not wanting a child or, really, a relationship with Franklin. Upon the birth of her child, Eva fails to connect with the child, Kevin screams constantly even as an infant, he resists toilet training, and rebuffs her feeble attempts at intimacy and maternal affection. She moves with Franklin to a house in the suburbs at his insistence. In the suburbs, Eva is unhappy and lost, and she lacks direction in her life. She is openly hostile towards to Kevin, telling him that she doesn't love him, and breaking his arm as she lashes out.

As Kevin grows up he becomes even more cold and malicious, as Eva has a daughter, looking for some love in her life, and Kevin reacts to his sister with jealousy, killing her pet hamster in the garbage disposal, and burning her eye with cleaning fluid, leaving her blind. Subsequently Kevin kills nine students at his school, and Eva is forced to loose her house, and she ends up living in a rundown house near the railway line, working in a travel agency, being openly shunned and abused by her neighbors, the film shows her trying to understand the reason behind Kevins actions, and whether this was her fault, or whether he was simply a bad seed.

The film is unequivocal in it's presentation of Eva's guilt, her house is at one point splashed with red paint, and we see Eva washing her hands after having cleaned it, rinsing the red paint off her hands like a murder washing the blood off their hands. Eva is openly abused and is at one point slapped by one of her neighbors, however she doesn't react, and she takes the abuse as if she deserves it. Red is omnisciently present in the film, the film opens with the food fight in valencia showing red splattering and people running, the murder scene is presented similarly to this, with the police lights giving the scene a garish glow. The color red is present mainly after the murder, reminding her constantly of the acts her son committed.

Environments are also very important in the film, the apartment into which Kevin is born is a very personal space, curated over time and filled with memorable trinkets. The house in the suburbs to which they move is in direct contrast, it is cold, uninviting  and impersonal. In the house both of the children have personal spaces which represent them, even Kevin, Eva's only attempt at a personal space is ruined by Kevin, who sprays it with black ink. The rest of the house has a clinical feel, lacking personality or feeling.

The performances in the film are superb, Tilda Swindon is magnificent, playing a woman who is wracked with guilt, who feels responsible for the abhorrent acts her son committed, and who accepts her punishment with an almost saintly penitence. Ezra Miller is also fantastic as Kevin, a sociopath who feels almost nothing, a psychopath who doesn't know why he killed those people, and who acts out of curiosity. The lack of chemistry between Swinton and Miller is incredible, and their performances are subtle and complex.

However We Need To Talk About Kevin raises more questions than it answers, and the film is ultimately more of an exploration than a decipherment. Nonetheless We Need To Talk About Kevin is a visually intriguing and beautifully acted drama. Rating: A-

Eva: Whenever I see fat people, they're always eating. Don't give me any of this... 'slow metabolism, it's my glands' crap.

HP6 - Review by Philip Josse

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is the sixth film in the Harry Potter franchise. I know i previously stated my intention to review all these films before the end of the summer, but to tell you the truth i still haven't gone back to university, and so hopefully i will complete them all before freshers week, only two to go. Half Blood Prince recounts the sixth year at Hogwarts School, and is the year in which Harry finally learns more about his past and his destiny from Dumbledore. The title refers to an old potions book which Harry founds, which was once the property of the mysterious Half Blood Prince, a potions genius from who he learns a great deal.

Half Blood Prince adds very few new characters to the series, as the work focuses mainly on Harry's past and future, and there is no 'mystery' to be really solved, however one fantastic addition is that of Jim Broadbent as Slughorn, i love this actor and he really shows both his comedic and dramatic range in this film. The movie is much more introspective, the pensive is a device used in other books and films which allows the characters to enter memories and explore them. Here Dumbledore uses the pensive to show Harry memories about Voldemort from his past, in order for Harry to understand Riddle's motives. Dumbledore shows Harry Voldemort's discovery of horcruxes and his childhood. The film shows us a lot about Voldemort's descent into psychopathy and the birth of his obsession with eternal life.

The second half of the film deals with the trios raging hormones first and foremost, the burgeoning relationship between Ron and Hermione, and Harrys growing affection for Ginnie. This part of the film also deals with horcruxes, and Dumbledores search for them. Harry and Dumbledore journey to a cave, where they find a locket and fight off inferi, upon their return to Hogwarts Dumbledore and Harry face off against a group of death eaters in the battle of their lives.

The film is much darker than it's predecessors, and this film continues the trend of desaturating the film of each subsequent installment of the series, becoming darker and less colorfull, to represent the happiness being sucked out of the world. The sets are beautiful in this film, and the movie is tender and poignant. The cave where Harry and Voldemort find the locket is a fantastic creation, and identically mirrors the illustration from the book cover. The film shows the same world as the first film, but with all the life, light and colour sucked out of it, and the future looks bleak as we gear up for the final battle. Rating: B

Harry Potter: Be brave, Professor. Be brave like my mother... Otherwise, you disgrace her. Otherwise, she died for nothing. Otherwise, the bowl will remain empty... forever.

Down the Rabbit Hole We Go

Rabbit Hole is a 2010 drama film directed by John Cameron Mitchell, starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. The film is an adaptation of the 2005 play of the same name, and revolves around a couple dealing with the death of their son in a car incident. Kidman stars as Becca, a woman attempting to cope with her grief and move on from her sons death. Becca want's to give away all his clothes and toys, sell the house and move on with her life, her husband, Howie is more maudlin, and wants to keep his sons' room exactly as it was, and resents Becca's attempts to move on.

The couple struggle on for a few months, Becca want's to sell the house though Howie attempts to stop this, he tries to resume sexual relations with Becca in the hope of having another child, however she rebuffs his advances. Later in the film the couple attend a self help group for grieving couples, but Becca finds the group tiresome and contemptible. Howie attends without her, finding solace in the meetings, and begins to bond with the other attendees. Becca meets with Jason, the driver of the car that killed her son. Howie resents her meetings with Jason, but he shows her a comic he is writing about parallel universes called Rabbit Hole, which she thinks is wonderful.

The film endeavors to dissect the differences between the way they process their grief. Becca takes a more typically masculine approach, she compartmentalizes her feelings and avoids all interaction with her husband, becoming detached and depressed, but managing to function relatively normally. Howie on the other hand takes a more conventionally feminine approach, keeping his sons room exactly as he left it, making no changes as if he expects him to return, becoming agitated when Becca attempts to alter anything, clinging emotionally to the last video taken of him, becoming distressed when Becca accidentally deletes it.

The film is superbly acted, led by Nicole Kidman who is incredible as Becca, a woman racked by grief, yet making all attempts to hide it, seeking to function and rebuking all suggestion from her mother that any other situation could be like hers. Attempting to appear normal and buoyant to the outside world when she is screaming and crying in the depths of her mind. Rabbit Hole is a film which should be depressing, however unlike August Osage County which sucked all the humor out of it's original play, there is a sense of hope left in Rabbit Hole, even if much of the humor of the original play is lost, there is still the possibility of redemption.

Rabbit Hole is a rare film, one with a subject matter so depressing, that it should make it's viewers feel positively suicidal, yet the whole film is an exercise in atonement and emotional restitution, it features a masterful performance by Nicole Kidman leading a fine cast, in a challenging film dealing with a difficult subject. Rabbit Hole is a rare film, one that inspires contemplation. Rating: B

Becca: Somewhere out there I'm having a good time.

Somewhere, somewhere....

Somewhere is a 2010 drama film directed by Sofia Coppola, which follows a famous actor, staying at the Chateau Marmont recovering from a broken wrist. The actor, Johnny Marco is forced to promote a new movie, and he feels as though his life is meaningless, whilst staying at the hotel, he goes through an existential crisis, feeling that life is hollow and pointless. Marcos peaceful stay is abruptly disturbed by the arrival of his daughter. A trip to Milan for a film festival underlines his loneliness, and Marco begins to question the meaning of his success.

The film is set at the legendary Chateau Marmont, a famous hotel in Los Angeles, and Coppola was inspired by trips to the hotel with her father, and the feeling of detachment the fantasy of the Chateau brings. The hotel represents a paradox, in that for many outsiders, it is a paradise of luxury and decadence, and yet for Marco, it represents a lonely, disconnected web of corridors and rooms, where he feels more introspective than gratified. The Chateau Marmont is emblematic of Hollywood, an impenetrable fortress for many outsiders, into which it is so hard to be accepted, but the view from the inside is often shallow and unsatisfying.

One of the main themes of the film, like many of Coppola's other films is that of ennui, here celebrity languor is explored, Johnny Marco is successful and accomplished, however he feels like none of it is meaningful, celebrities are often people who are idolized and worshiped, but Coppola paints an unflattering portrait of life behind the curtain of fame, Marco is shown hiring twin strippers to dance for him, having gratuitous sex with women, taking pills and drinking. All these exploits are unsatisfying to him, and he gleans no pleasure from them. Fame is expected to fix ones problems, but Marco is unhappy despite all his alleged success, and his self imposed seclusion is emblematic ohis depression

The films stars Stephen Dorff as Marco, a newly famous actor going through an existential crisis, struggling to deal with his fame and his otherwise broken life. Elle Fanning plays his daughter, Cleo, from his failed marriage. Her arrival forces Marco to change his lifestyle, and as their time together grows he comes to realize the importance of fatherhood, he sees how all the hedonistic pleasures that were supposed to bring him happiness failed, and that it is his daughter who allows him to see what is important in life. The film was all shot on location at the Chateau Marmont, and the film itself is beautiful, shot in a Kubrick inspired almost documentary style like it's predecessor, Marie Antoinette This style shows a cold detachment from its subject, almost a disinterest. Somewhere is a stylish and beautiful ode to fame and loneliness. Rating: A-

Cleo: Why are you taking a bath next door? Is yours broken?

Dreamgirls

Forgive me if this post seems a little bitter, the VMA’s of Sunday night burned a bleeding hole in my soul so deep it will take months to heal, but I will soldier on regardless. Dreamgirls is a 2006 movie musical directed by Bill Condon and featuring an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy and Anika Noni Rose. The film remains the most expensive film ever made with an all-black cast, and one of the highest grossing musicals. Based on the Broadway musical, the film is essentially a film a clef about The Supremes, with the film being a story about a three part girl group from Detroit, who find fame and stardom, despite being entirely controlled by the group’s manager and lead singer.

Many of the characters in the film are partially based upon real life individuals, Jamie Foxx’s character; Curtis Taylor Jr. is strongly based upon Berry Gordy, the real life owner of Motown Records and the manager and producer of The Supremes. Knowles’ character is strongly based on Diana Ross, like Deena Jones, Diana Ross was neither the strongest or best singer of The Supremes, nor was she the original lead singer of the group. Jennifer Hudson’s character mirrors the story of Florence Ballard, the original lead singer of The Supremes who was later fired by their manager and replaced.

The film succeeds largely due to the performances of its talented and charismatic cast. Knowles, despite easily being the weakest singer of the group, is perfectly suited for the part, and despite her film performances in the past and since having been savaged, this role perfectly suits her, although her voice is weak and often thin, she comes into her own during Listen, when she isn’t forced to compete with stronger singers, and when her voice really soars. Jamie Foxx is also great as Curtis Taylor Jr., despite Taylor Jr. being the obvious villain of the piece; Foxx plays him with a complexity and a sense of malice that keeps the character from becoming two dimensional or camp. Eddie Murphy’s performance is unusually restrained, and he imbues the character with a comic tragedy. Anika Noni Rose, despite not being given a huge amount to do gives a fine performance, and her scenes with Eddie Murphy in addition to the characters emotional evolution throughout the film are a highlight

The standout performance of the film is that of Jennifer Hudson, who, in her feature film debut, who was awarded an Oscar for her performance. She is superb in this film, she has one of the best voices recoded since Aretha Franklin, and her voice is strong, clear and powerful, she infuses it with a heartbreaking sense of tragedy. Her performance of And I Am Telling You is now the definitive recording, and she portrays Effie as someone fragile and gentle, who is hurt easily, and who has her heart broken by a man attracted to mere beauty, and who has her career stolen by a woman far less talented than she.

Dreamgirls succeeds as an adaptation of the hit show and as a standalone movie; the film is a fascinating look at the Motown music scene of the sixties, and the history of the Supremes. It is also slightly validating to see Beyoncé out sung in every scene by an American idol alumni (who didn’t even win). Dreamgirls is fun, visceral and energetic. A perfect movie musical featuring perfect performances.

The Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth film in the Harry Potter saga, and this film marks my renewed commitment to reviewing all the films in this series by the end of the summer, or at least before i have to go back to university in september. The Order of the Phoenix represents Harry's fifth school year at Hogwarts, and his first since the rebirth of Voldemort (sorry, spoiler) and the death of Cedric Diggory (sorry, more spoilers).

The landscape of The Order of the Phoenix is significantly darker than that of previous Potter films, the wizarding world is gripped by a possible threat from Lord Voldemort, the press is attempting to smear Harry Potter and Dumbledore at the request of the ministry and the ministry in interfering at Hogwarts, making Dolores Jane Umbridge Hogwarts high inquisitor, and later headmistress. The film introduces the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization headquarter at 12 Grimmauld Place, Sirius' family home. The film shows the characters' evolution, and them finding their independence.

The visual landscape of the film is also darker, the film continues the trend of each film becoming lass and lass saturated, with less and less colour, showing the growing bleakness overtaking the world of the films, and the darkness that seeps into the stories. The world of Hagwarts becomes equally bleak, Harry describes him feeling alone, Dumbledore ignores him and Umbridge makes his life a misery. Starring the same cast as the other movies, this film adds Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange, despite not having many lines, her presence in the film is unmatched, and her performance is note perfect. Imelda Staunton stars as Dolores Umbridge, imbuing the part with such malice and evil that she is almost, if not more hated than Voldemort. and finally Evanna Lynch plays Loona Lovegood, a kooky character that treads a fine line between endearingly queer and just plain wierd.

The film also presents several new environments, the climax of the film takes place in the department of mysteries, a series of rooms beneath the ministry of magic with an unknown purpose where prophecies are kept. The department has an unnatural blue tinge, and one of the first battles takes place in the hall of prophecy, an expansive room in which glass spheres line the walls containing prophecies which can only be taken by the keeper of the prophecy. The climactic battle takes place in the Death Chamber, a circular room featuring a stone arch in the center, at the top of a small hill is a stone archway, featuring a veil through which the dead can be heard. The environment of the department of mysteries remains elusive, and the large amount of CGI used to bring this environment to life works to it's advantage, giving the department a lack of lucidity.

The Order of the Phoenix is the most complete of the Harry Potter film yet, the tone is dark and mysterious, and the new additions to the cast are perfectly chosen, and Imelda Staunton gives a near perfect performance as Dolores Jane Umbridge. The way the cast and the tone of the series has matured is impressive, and The Order of the Phoenix is an impressive film. Rating: B+

Lord Voldemort: You've lost, old man.

The Backlash against Blackfish

Well the first thing i can say in this article, is that Blackfish was robbed, despite being the most noteworthy, controversial and current documentary of the year, it failed to pick up an Oscar nomination, Blackfish was the only documentary released this year that had any kind of impact, yet the academy failed to recognize that, to be honest, Blackfish was the only documentary that most people saw or even heard of, shame on you AMPAS.

The film, my review of which can be viewed here, started a backlash against Seaworld the repurcussions of which are still being felt. Visitors at SeaWorld are down six percent from last year, and due to the company going public, they now have a huge amount of debt to contend with, it doesn't look good for BlackStone or for SeaWorld 'Entertainment', it is interesting that despite America now coming out of the recession, visitors are still down, so the decline in visitors is perhaps due to Americans realizing that they have a choice where to spend their vacation dollars. In fact Ondi Timoner, director of Bring Your Own Doc's son didn't want to go ti SeaWorld after seeing the film, proving that Blackfish is a powerful documentary that has the ability to change peoples opinions.

We can also see that even SeaWorld Entertainment knows that the decline in visitors is due to Blackfish, in December 2013, nearly a year after the release of the film, SeaWorld spent a fortune taking out a full page ad in The New York Times, to rebuke the events portrayed in the film, they also used twitter and YouTube to release videos and comments from SeaWorld trainers contradicting the events portrayed in the movie. The fact that they are willing to spend so much money, time and effort to rebuke what is portrayed shows two things, firstly that SeaWorld is scared, they realize the effect that this film has on people, that this film is stopping people coming tho their parks, and that they need to do something to combat the negative publicity against them.

Secondly, by rebuking the events in the film so strongly, they are in a sense validating them, if the film was a complete fantasy, they would just ignore it, but seeing as they are taking notice of this film, and attempting to fight back, it suggests that their is some validity to the films claims. A good parralel to this is the film Escape From Tomorrow, filmed clandestinely at Disney World and Disneyland, the film is less that complimentary about Disneys business practices and ethos, yet Disney didn't just ignore the film, they included it in Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia, and didn't rebuke any of the events of the film or the films agenda. By rejecting so forcefully the concepts put forward by Blackfish, SeaWorld shows their vulnerability and manage to reinforce what this movie promotes. By taking out a full page ad in a national paper, all SeaWorld does is promote the movie and encourage more people to see it, and thus decrease ticket sales.

Whatever you think of Blackfish personally, it is impossible to ignore the powerful images it presents, whether you think that animals are deliberately mistreated at SeaWorld or not, the fact is that three people have been killed by Tilikum, the parks remain the only theme parks where workers are still injured regularly, and the list of incidents involving whales in SeaWorld parks is longer than my arm, the video footage of bleeding whales and rake marks across the whales backs is real, and it is a fact that Orcas die younger in the parks than they do in the wild. I suppose all there's left to say to SeaWorld is: "Karma's a bitch man".

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette is a 2006 historical drama, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman and Rose Byrne. The film is a highly loose adaptation of the life of the French queen, and represents the life of the queen, from the age of 14 when she was promised to the dauphin, the future king of France, up until the French revolution, when she and her husband were forced to leave Versailles.

The film is a highly loose adaptation, and style clearly takes place over substance in this adaptation. Kirsten Dunst shines as the young and troubled young queen. The film is a highly humanizing portrait of the young queen’s life, and elements of the film are intentionally modernized in order to humanize the characters involved, rather than portraying Marie Antoinette as a selfish and spoilt girl, Coppola presents her as a deeply flawed young woman, entirely cut off from reality, and trapped within a world she had no control over. Jason Schwartzman also stars as Louis XVI. The film also has the distinction of introducing the world to Rose Byrne, who plays Yolande de Polastron, a beautiful and extravagant duchess, a favorite of Marie-Antoinette.

The film is a visually stunning and lavish representation of pre-revolutionary France, and of the court of Versailles, the production had unprecedented access to the court of Versailles and its grounds, and it is of huge advantage to the film. The film is infused with the essence of Versailles, something which could not be achieved if the sets had been constructed for the film. The film is also lavishly costumed, and won an Oscar in 2007 for Best Costume Design. The film often sacrifices historical realism for character development, and the clothes are used intelligently to give us an idea of who these characters really are as people, rather than simply putting them on a pedestal. Marie-Antoinette’s character is developed largely through costume, at the beginning of the film, her costumes are used to show her naiveté and innocence, she wears dresses in blue and pink, with little hats and necklaces, her make-up is also highly subdued at this point, showing that she has not yet reached an age of sexual maturity, and that she is essentially a little girl. Towards the end of the film, as Marie-Antoinette becomes more rebellious and free, her style changes as well. Her make-up becomes darker, more flirtatious, with redder lipstick and more blush, showing her blossoming into a freer and emancipated woman. Towards the end of the film her wardrobe changes also, and she begins wearing darker colors, more daring silhouettes. She also begins to dress in a far freer way; she begins to wear simple, shepherdess dresses, showing her desire for a more liberated, less conservative existence.

Supporting characters are also introduced largely by their wardrobe, Madame Du Barry, a prostitute and favorite of the king is shown with dark defined make-up, and modern avant-garde clothing, looking highly unlike the rest of the nobility, ensuring that she is seen by the audience as an outsider, given that she is not a true member of the nobility. Costume is also used to show the sheer extravagance of the royal family, Manolo Blahnik created hundreds of pairs of shoes for the production, and at one point in the film, we see a pair of modern Chuck Taylor’s, in pale blue under a table, showing that Marie Antoinette is essentially still a young teenager, even if she is the Dauphine of France. Also important in the film are wigs, Marie-Antoinette brought in a fashion for wigs in France, and in the film Marie-Antoinette beginning to wear wigs is a turning point in the film, as her extravagance begins to become inappropriate. Her wigs also show her innocence, that even though she was a grown woman by this point, even though she was queen of France with responsibilities and children, she was still immature and childlike, willing to try odd and even downright ridiculous things.

The film is a highly humanizing portrait of the doomed queen; Marie-Antoinette is portrayed as being entirely cut off from reality, Versailles is depicted as an entirely cut off world, a world in which she was endlessly trailed by courtiers and servants. Marie-Antoinette is portrayed as a woman who couldn’t possibly know about the troubles of the working people of France, because she was entirely cutoff from reality, and as a woman who desperately longed for a simpler life. She is described as essentially a woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and who cannot be blamed for the financial woes of France. Marie-Antoinette is shown to be a woman who cares deeply for her country, despite not having been born in France, and as a woman who accepts the position she has been put in despite it not being her fault.

Louis XVI however is portrayed in a highly unsympathetic light; he is shown to be pompous, unfriendly and uncaring towards his wife. His inability to consummate the marriage is of considerable pain to his wife, and yet he makes no attempt to console her, the film also places the financial ruin of France solely in the hands of Louis XVI, given that it was him who sent troops to America to fight the British, a move inspired wholly by ego. The film’s use of music is also superb, as is traditional for Sofia Coppola films; the film uses a soundtrack of new age and post punk music, which although anachronistic, really allows us to empathize with the characters. The use of anachronistic music, which although being de rigueur today, was relatively unheard of in the early 2000’s, allows us to see Marie-Antoinette as a young teen, and gives us a way to relate to the film.

Although being lightweight and frivolous, Marie Antoinette is a well-produced, visually sumptuous and deftly acted drama; the film finds a way to allow us to empathize with these historical characters, by taking them off their pedestals and humanising them greatly. Marie Antoinette is a harrowing and personal view of the doomed queen, a woman who despite being spoilt and selfish, is not guilty of either the financial ruin of France or the downfall of the monarchy, and who has been made to pay for the faults and flaws of the monarchy as an institution. Sofia Coppola shows that she again is a highly capable director with a real voice and opinion, and is successfully able to translate this overly told story to the big screen, giving it a new perspective and enlightenment. Rating: A

Marie-Antoinette: Am I to be Austrian or the Dauphine of France?