Cannes 2013: Only God Forgives Review

Director/Writer: Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Yayaying Rhatha Phongham, Vithaya Pansringarm, Bryon Gibson, Tom Burke

Synopsis: Julian (Gosling) and his brother (Burke) work in the criminal underground of Bangkok, with Julian dealing drugs to retain power. When his brother is killed he sets out to find the person responsible, pushed to such violent revenge mainly by his mother (Scott Thomas).

Only God Forgives as a follow-up to the magical contemporary masterpiece that was Drive was never going to be easy. However, it really seems that Refn rushed into production on this film, overlooking the time needed to craft an imaginative or entertaining film. Only God Forgives is beautiful to look at, and will leave you mulling over its style and substance long after, but in the cinema it’s a dull drag of an affair.

We all love a cinematic man of mystery. The enigma of a quiet, withdrawn character can be seductive and as Ryan Gosling showed in Drive, the silent types are sexy. For his part in Only God Forgives the man says close to nothing in the entire 90 minutes – a cardboard cut out would have sufficed in replacing Gosling as he’s pretty lifeless throughout. Similarly, Vithaya Pansringarm’s villain, who has his moments of edgy and explosive violence, looks and acts the same in every scene. The only character who adds some life to the film is Kristen Scott Thomas, clearly having a ball cursing constantly and playing extremely against type.

In contrast to Scott Thomas changing her appearance and manner for Refn, the director himself sticks squarely to the style he’s renowned for. His red-tinged shots and neon-lit, Noé –esque lighting are almost farcical in their exuberant utilisation; at points it’s embarrassing to see how desperately he wants his auteur quality on show. Gosling, who seems to speak less and less as he continues through his film career, clearly keeps his Drive persona in mind for playing Julian yet, like the director’s flair, escalates that method to an absurd level (almost mute). In an odd way you can see an attempt to amplify the genius of his previous, successful, filmography (violence, style and hip music) that completely fails. What’s left are a bunch of actors lost to wander through a tedious story yet captured elegantly in stunning photography.

Refn comrade Larry Smith (Bronson and Fear X’s cinematographer) joins the crew and puts a crisp sheen on every inch of the frame. Aesthetically it’s a treat – something that you will want to look at again, ignoring the plot – with perhaps more work going into the construction of colour, sets, lighting, costume and framing rather than a narrative. As with Vahalla Rising, this is a slow-moving yet sublime piece of art that will require a second glance, preserving some interest, fortunately.

A disappointment and a crying shame – Refn and Gosling not performing as well as one would hope. After the breathtaking Drive and the vitality of Bronson and Pusher 1 – 3, Only God Forgives feels limp and vacuous. Like a beguiling painting, you spend the time staring at its majesty even if you don’t quite understand or enjoy the overall work.

***
Only God Forgives was competing in the Competition Selection at Cannes 2013. Also posted on LiveForFilms 

Cannes 2013: Behind The Candelabra Review

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Writer: Richard LaGravenese

Starring: Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula, Debbie Reynolds

Synopsis: Scott Thorson (Damon) is invited to a performance by Liberace (Douglas) one night and allowed back stage after. As the two meet they instantly fall for one another. They quickly move in together and the film chronicles Thorson’s life with the flamboyant pianist.

For a film deemed ”too gay” to warrant a theatrical release (instead financed as a TV movie for HBO), there is nothing overtly explicit in Behind the Candelabra. The film also follows a linear structure, with the drama and disequilibrium found in your average theatrical feature, giving it the quality of a box-office attraction. Furthermore, with set and costume design meticulous and extravagant, it’s a wonder and a shame to know it won’t get a wide release.

Behind the Candelabra marks Steven Soderbergh’s last directorial effort, worrying for contemporary cinema and in relation to how few will see an end to the efforts of a great auteur. On a positive note, the film is brilliant and utterly enjoyable, making a strong case for Soderbergh’s legacy in film. Shot and edited with ease and perfection (a nod to Soderbergh’s almost innate skill with the film medium), there is a fantastic art to the film. Above all, however, Behind the Candelabra has Matt Damon and Michael Douglas giving their best ever performances.

Due to the platform malarkey (TV and not cinema) there is another disappointment awaiting the film upon release. What should have earned each actor an Academy Award (or, at the very least, nominations) will never happen because of its classification. Golden Globes and the Emmys will already have Douglas and Damon’s names etched into the statuettes, though in the UK these awards won’t garner as much promotion as the Oscars. Without a doubt - one would hope – word of mouth will spread on the daring and dazzling performances, and talk alone will honour both actors.

Playing extraordinarily against type, Michael Douglas is astonishing as Liberace. His whitened dentures and glittery costumes vitalize the screen, but eventually a shadow slightly shades the 68 year-old actor. Matt Damon plays Thorson with a quiet anxiousness, pushed to one side by Douglas’ larger-than-life character. However, gradually over the film’s runtime Thorson’s dark insecurities take over and all you can think about is Damon. Thorson implodes into a mess of a man, with Damon physically changing to portray such upset. Without seeing them as separate performances, the chemistry between the two is entirely authentic, each seemingly born to play these roles.

Scott Thorson is still alive and he couldn’t have asked for a better actor to fill his biopic shoes, and those of his ex-lover. Applause should also be directed to writer Richard LaGravenese who finds every touching, quirky and dramatic part of the pair’s life to scribe an engaging script.

Soderbergh’s flair will never be forgotten, certainly not with this as his last. Behind the Candelabra is expertly executed but it’s not about the technical attributes – this is a film illuminating performance to which Douglas and Damon unquestionably perfect.
****
Behind the Candelabra was competing in the Official Competition selection at Cannes 2013. Also posted on LiveForFilms

Cannes 2013: Michael Kohlhaas Review

Director: Arnaud des Pallières

Writers: Christelle Berthevas, Arnaud des Pallières 

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Mélusine Mayance, Delphine Chuillot, David Kross, Bruno Ganz, Denis Lavant

Synopsis: After an unfair deal, horse trader Michael Kohlhaas (Mikkelsen) attempts to seek justice and compensation. A court hearing is disregarded and in desperation he sets out to wage war on the government and citizens who have wronged him.
  

Sampling various epochs and languages, Mads Mikkelsen’s selection of roles always finds him in an interesting setting. Michael Kohlhaas is his second period drama in a year (the other being the outstanding A Royal Affair), but instead of corsets and courtrooms, Arnaud des Pallières’s finds him wielding swords and riding across the French landscape. It’s not as action-heavy as it sounds; rather, the film is solemn and slow-moving, exploring the motivations of revolt.

After being dealt a dab hand in a horse trade, what goes from being an irritating dupe turns into a bloody and morbid affair. Michael Kohlhaas’ wife is murdered and he is left with his daughter, urging him to avenge his lover and alter his child’s future. When Mikkelsen is handed a character with a dilemma or a strong impulse, he nails it every time. Kohlhaas is a rich character already revered in Germany where the story has been read for over a century. In this respect, Mikkelsen has a history of interpretation and analysis to look at in order to play Heinrich von Kleist’s protagonist, enabling him to embody the eponymous hero compellingly. Mikkelsen has not shown himself as a leader in many films, adding to the interest in Michael Kohlhaas where he instructs and commands. With all this, there is still the tenderness often found in his work that moved away from being typecast as another Bond villain-type. The last shot, squarely framed around Mikkelsen’s forlorn face, promotes the actor’s charisma and skill unlike any other so far.

Executed pretty well, there is an awful series of edits in one of the pivotal moments that does irreparable damage. Difficult enough to follow the new group of characters at this stage in the film, and focused on some important action, the editing is too rough. As the narrative calms slightly, this problem is forgotten, partially.

Other than that, the music (an elegant and melodic score that, like the end shot, lingers long after) and imagery is magnificent. Novelistic in its DNA, it flows forward with a definite progression of character and themes. The reason for disequilibrium – a swindled horse deal – may seem strange and unfitting for a period epic but it’s analysed in such a way that you feel strongly connected to Kohlhaas’ cause. Obviously aided by Mads Mikkelsen, the film may not be worth much without its lead but as it stands, it’s powerful and gorgeous.

****

Michael Kohlhaas is competing in the Official Competition selection at Cannes 2013. Also posted on LiveForFilms

Cannes 2013: Heli Review

Director: Amat Escalante

Writers: Amat Escalante, Gabriel Reyes

Starring: Armando Espitia, Andrea Vergara, Linda González, Juan Eduardo Palacios, Linda González

Synopsis: A young girl (Vergara), who lives with her brother Heli (Espitia) and his wife (González) falls in love with a 17-year-old soldier (Palacios). The soldier steals some drugs recovered from a drug bust, leading the drug barons back to Heli’s house, kidnapping all but the wife and torturing them to get to the narcotics.

As commendable as it can be simulate an impeccable verisimilitude, sometimes it can be a little too raw. In the case of Amat Escalante’s Heli, there are numerous incidences that are repulsively realistic. Softened slightly but moments of warmth and humanity, it isn’t all doom and gloom, but for the majority it will prove tortuous.

Beginning with a long take, dropping you right into the heat of Mexico, your first sight is a bloodied face being pushed down by someone’s boot. Nothing extremely violent as yet, the next part shows the man being dropped by a noose over a bridge. How the filmmakers did this so believably is mind-boggling – it jolts you up in your seat as you brace yourself for something bleak. It’s how Escalante throws you into these types of moments that makes Heli so shocking; you never know what might be coming and just how horrid it may be. Genital burning and the quick snap of a puppy’s neck are just some examples of how vicious the film can be.

Brazenly presenting these scenes to the audience is both Heli’s triumph and downfall – you can either put yourself through it or you can’t. If you can stomach these parts there is an education available about how troubling and dangerous the area and culture can be.

In amongst the ruin are Heli and his sister – the core characters – who exist to make you care and follow events. Armando Espitia may not be a great actor (and this is his first major role) but his everyman persona is certainly needed for what seems like an extraordinary set of scenarios. Andrea Vergara becomes lost through a large section of the film, but her appearance that bookends the narrative is soothing in contrast to the traumatisation.

Perhaps only fitting for the festival run, Heli will struggle with general release. It is overtly shocking through nearly half of the film, never shying away from malice.

**
Heli was competing in the Official Competition selection at Cannes 2013 and won the award for Best Director. Also posted on LiveForFilms

Cannes 2013: Ain't Them Bodies Saints Review

Director/Writer: David Lowery

Starring: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Keith Carradine, Rami Malek

Synopsis: After time spent in jail for murder, Bob (Affleck) sets out across Texas to rejoin his wife Ruth (Mara) and daughter. What he doesn’t know is that Ruth is being courted by a local police officer, Patrick (Foster), someone involved in Bob’s own arrest.

The American South plays such an intrinsic part to the beauty of the country’s art and cinema. Ever since D. W. Griffith captured the wide-open landscapes of his home turf, continuing on with the likes of John Ford to Terrence Malick, filmmakers yearn to photograph its beauty. It is also in these places that darkness and tradition cements itself; racism is largely rooted in the Deep South, and the advocating of guns is continually associated with the Red State, for one. In David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints pastoralist and perilous circumstance go hand in hand – a mix that works aesthetically but lacks something bold and defining.

With a cast that’s made up of some of the best character actors around – Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster and Keith Carradine – there’s never an issue with performance. Affleck and Mara are less energetic than their muses, Bonnie and Clyde, but better Dunaway and Beatty in terms of dramatic performance. Affleck has already shown himself in a lyrical Western (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and appears completely at ease with the tone Lowery’s going for, as well as the archaic personality of Bob. That said, Mara and Foster don’t subvert that tone but seem slightly more grounded in modernity.

The story feels timeless and the film is very difficult to pinpoint era-wise, sometimes problematic when trying to decipher the importance of context. Much like Malick’s work, the ellipsis of various aspects of plot and character proves difficult in your enjoyment or involvement with the film. There is a linear narrative, though sharp jumps in timelines are often jarring, throwing you and the pace of the film completely off.

When the film is constructed aptly – musically, visually and tonally – it begins to feel like a contemporary classic. However, it never retains continuity and perhaps the Bonnie & Clyde comparison (with the 1967 film very much in the style of the French La Nouvelle Vague with quick cuts, choppy action and emphasis on the translated word “vague”) is key in understanding the film – indistinct and peculiar at points. It is not a wholly kinetic New Wave pastiche, nor is it a sombre modern Western, leaving it as confused composite. Not so much for writing or directing, it’s the acting, Daniel Hart’s score, and Bradford Young’s cinematography that earns the film great credit.

***

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints was competing in Semaine de la Critique [Critic's Week] at Cannes 2013. Also posted on LiveForFilms

Cannes 2013: Nebraska Review

Director: Alexander Payne

Writer: Bob Nelson

Starring: Will Forte, Bruce Dern, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk

Synopsis: An alcoholic septuagenarian (Dern) becomes obsessed with collecting a $1 million prize from Mega Sweepstakes Marketing. His son, David (Forte) tries to explain it's a scam but as his father becomes more beset he decides to drive him to the Sweepstakes Nebraska office so he can find out for himself.

Featuring the motifs and themes of two of his most critically acclaimed films (aging and road trips from About Schmidt and Sideways, respectively), Alexander Payne’s Nebraska is a great return to form. The Descendants may have included some energetic moments aside a colourful palette, but it lacked vitality. Nebraska may be a solemn, black and white drama/comedy but it contains more expression and vigour than the Clooney-led “dramedy”.

Nebraska happens to be one of the few films Payne has not written whilst directing. The writing/directing juggling act has by no means sullied the final outcome with his previous films, though there’s no doubt that Bob Nelson has allowed Payne to effortlessly focus on directing here. Nelson’s voice (surprisingly matured through only two gigs of television writing) is perfectly honed to the varying ages in the film, as well as fitting in with the tone of Payne’s oeuvre.

The lesser-experienced Nelson penning the script is not the only stand-out aspect of the film as Will Forte, mostly known for comic turns in television and film, has to share the lead with the veteran actor Bruce Dern in a genre he rarely works in. On a casting and writing level, the film is formed on unsteady ground – inexpert scribes and actors thrown into a Hollywood production with the aim to gain critical acclaim (and, to a lesser extent, commercial gross) and awards. Nevertheless, nothing feels amateur or lacking. The film is full-bodied with laughs and tears in abundance, a major contender for next year’s Academy Awards.

Dern as the confused yet headstrong father is a revelation for an actor seldom seen on our screens today. Dern has gone from the hardened bastard that once shot John Wayne in The Cowboys, to Nebraska cranky, sweet dad. He’s a mystery to both the audience and his film family, a man steeped in the tradition of keeping yourself to yourself. This protagonist is a nice change in amongst the larger-than-life, social-media obsessed society of today. He’s quiet and honest, never hiding behind a certain image, but doing and saying exactly what he wants. This is the same for June Squibb’s Kate character, married to Dern’s Woody Grant. Nearly every line is a no holds barred, extremely opinionated, quip about someone she knows. These are the characters seen at family gatherings but not so much on screen; to see them at play, as it were, is a lot of fun.

Forte similarly adds a warmth to the proceedings (joined by Bob Odenkirk who is underused and slightly miscast as a dullard). His fresh-faced appearance works as a great foil to Dern’s weathered frown. It then adds to the development of both the father and son changing through their time spent together. As Payne always asserts magnificently, it’s the evolution of persons in a short space of time that warrants a nuanced script and narrative.

It may not better his older efforts but Nebraska certainly highlights the importance of Payne in the Hollywood system. He can explore close relationships as well as Mike Leigh or Sam Mendes, always injecting a laugh-out-loud humour to boot. Some may feel the comedy is aimed at the expense of the small-town Nebraskans but from the man who grew up there, it’s merely a way to find comedy in the hoary appearance and behaviour. Looking crisp with some gorgeous photography and a fantastic score, this is an unapologetic heart-warmer from a director who hasn’t a jaded bone in his body.

****

Nebraska was competing in the Official Competition selection at Cannes 2013 and was winner of Best Actor for Bruce Dern. Also posted on LiveForFilms 

Cannes 2013: O Sunce [Ham Story] Review

Director/Writer: Eliska Chytková

Synopsis: An old woman heads out one afternoon to buy some ham. On her way to the butchers she walks past a religious fountain, whereupon the angel and devil sculptures come alive. The devil reaches Heaven and starts toying with the world below him from a board of levers.

When animation is hand-drawn in this century of prevalent CGI ‘toons the archaic style is nicely refreshing and nostalgic. Eliska Chytková’s O Ŝunce [Ham Story] is a scratchy, exuberant and crazy short, etched with a rawness seldom seen nowadays.

Two of the film’s most noticeable facets are its animation and its bonkers story. The former includes bright and bold aesthetics, with emphasis on shape and colour. As the palette and dimensions are experimented with, so is the basic basis of storytelling. The film follows a little old woman who heads to the butchers to pick up some ham. On her way there she walks past a fountain whereupon two stone angels become alive and fly up into the sky. Up there, one angel – slightly devilish – starts playing God with levers controlling matter which, back down on earth in and around the butcher are altering frantically.

In the 6 minutes there is a ton of action happening; to think of the effort gone into the art is mind-blowing. The mishap at the hands of the mischievous “angel” is funny to watch, and the idea is quirky and cute. It’s not a seminal piece of work and exists purely to make you chuckle.

It’s more of a funny-looking experiment and given the expanse of action it was only going to be possible to record it all meticulously with years of work. The overall product looks like a series of mad doodles – from a cow with giant udders, milk flooding the streets and cats dropping down to slurp it all down (this only a minor instant in amongst the chaos).

As well as looking energetic, the sound mixing pounds through the speakers. The stereo recording of odd sound effects and voices is obviously less painstaking than the drawing, leaving all the technical proficiency to be found in the sound.  

Observations about everyday life have been captured humorously by Eliska Chytková. Elderly women trotting along, silicon-injected models parading through the streets, and scrawny slinky salesman all have such character even if they’re only seen for a split second. Chytková is playful with every figure in the frame; imagination clearly courses through the director and artist’s veins.

O Ŝunce as competing in the Cinefondation Selection at Cannes 2013. Also published Nisimazine Cannes 2013 (page 58)