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AsharaDayme
Reviews
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
A superbly accomplished slice of cinema
From the very opening, the trademark Coppola class is very much evident. Young Sofia casts an orange-filtered eye over a muted suburban life, with a remarkable ability to make every single scene interesting somehow.
Perhaps one of the best things about this film is its slow-burning subtlety. It's clever, but not in a 'clever-clever and don't we all know it' way. Whilst the film is undeniably laced with black humour, this serves only to enhance its poignancy rather than detract from it.
The dialogue is convincing, and the structure is virtually linear, but just jagged enough to give a little extra interest. This series of understated touches, a refreshing change from the overloaded films of late, all comes together in what is an experience to truly treasure. A floaty soundtrack by Air and beautifully etched characters draw us into the lives portrayed, and the feelings expressed. The realism of the film is given a boost by the lack of any real moral or message - this comes across as a story about something that just happened.
Undeniably this is a film much more about mood than plot - but what a mood! The wistful voiceover evokes the air of painful nostalgia, whilst on several occasions, Sofia holds the camera just long enough so that for a split second, we assume the worst - given the title of the movie.
So in an era of twists, clever-cleverness and blatancy comes a subtle, few-tricks film that really is a must-see. It also puts Sofia Coppola on the map as a talent to watch as the new century unfolds.
American Beauty (1999)
An immense movie
Having seen this film four times now, I feel ready to begin to plumb the depths of this modern masterpiece. 'American Beauty' stands as a solemn exposure of the hollowness of the American dream. And the more times I watch it, the more the film polarizes. My first watch I laughed at pretty much everything. But by the fourth time, some bits had become even funnier, and other bits didn't make me laugh at all, because they were just plain sad.
Whilst this may not have the adrenaline hit of its cousin 'Fight Club', it is much more poignant, and repeated viewings yield greater benefits. I actually thought both the films possessed a somewhat adolescent rhetoric, but all the adults I've spoken to about this movie absolutely adored it too.
So I'm not going to be regurgitatious and say what's been said already. This film is hardly a well-kept secret. What can I say? This is one of the best films in a year of absolutely wonderful ones.
The Godfather Part II (1974)
A sequel that surpasses its monumental predecessor
The proclivities of the majority of imdb users on this topic are well known: 'The Godfather' is a better film than 'The Godfather Part II'. However, having watched them back-to-back last night, then argued the relative merits with my friend, I have to say I disagree.
Let's look at the evidence. OK, so 'The Godfather' has better death scenes, better villains, James Caan and Marlon Brando. These things are not to be ignored. But 'Part II' is arguably more epic, and definitely more poetic. Here we get two films for the price (although admittedly not the typical length) of one. And in these two separate storylines we get two immense performances. At this time, it seems that if De Niro and Pacino were to share the screen, it would simply explode.
Al Pacino and De Niro both transform themselves to celluloid legends. Pacino eminates a presence that was only hinted at in the first movie, and we watch him chillingly guard the interests of his family. He visibly ages throughout the course of the movie, yet never loses his humanity.
De Niro not only delivers a spot on young Marlon Brando, but develops Don Vito and gives him a subtle and wholly appropriate sense of humour: just look at the scene where nothing more than a knowing smirk is needed to cause a previously tyrannical landlord to lower his rent $10!
At the end of the day, I just prefer the whole atmosphere of 'Part II'. What it may lack in the set pieces of its predecessor, it makes up for with its beautiful direction and cinematography, and an air of incredible confidence afforded by the success of the first instalment.
The Godfather Part II (1974)
A sequel that surpasses its monumental predecessor
The proclivities of the majority of imdb users on this topic are well known: 'The Godfather' is a better film than 'The Godfather Part II'. However, having watched them back-to-back last night, then argued the relative merits with my friend, I have to say I disagree.
Let's look at the evidence. OK, so 'The Godfather' has better death scenes, better villains, James Caan and Marlon Brando. These things are not to be ignored. But 'Part II' is arguably more epic, and definitely more poetic. Here we get two films for the price (although admittedly not the typical length) of one. And in these two separate storylines we get two immense performances. At this time, it seems that if De Niro and Pacino were to share the screen, it would simply explode.
Al Pacino and De Niro both transform themselves to celluloid legends. Pacino eminates a presence that was only hinted at in the first movie, and we watch him chillingly guard the interests of his family. He visibly ages throughout the course of the movie, yet never loses his humanity.
De Niro not only delivers a spot on young Marlon Brando, but develops Don Vito and gives him a subtle and wholly appropriate sense of humour: just look at the scene where nothing more than a knowing smirk is needed to cause a previously tyrannical landlord to lower his rent $10!
At the end of the day, I just prefer the whole atmosphere of 'Part II'. What it may lack in the set pieces of its predecessor, it makes up for with its beautiful direction and cinematography, and an air of incredible confidence afforded by the success of the first instalment.
Fight Club (1999)
This is the film that set the trend...
This is the film that set the trend followed by the much more viewer friendly 'American Beauty': a rejection of the values which underpin middle class America. Whilst 'American Beauty' succeeds in its aching poignancy and wistful rhetoric, 'Fight Club' assaults the senses with frenetic direction and a much greater adrenaline injection. One thing the two films have in common are stellar performances by the central actors.
Much is always said of Ed Norton, and here he is on fine form as usual. But for me, this is Brad Pitt's film. Looking as though his body has been carved out of stone, it is he who fills the screen with something which resembles charisma, but verges more on animal magnetism.
The imagery of emasculation is very clever. And the anti-society message is forced home by Fincher's most stylish, and yes, his best, movie to date. 'Fight Club' is much more stark than 'American Beauty'. It does not seek to find the beauty in living, but seeks to tell us that one day we are going to die, and that only by destroying ourselves can we ever hope to make something better.
Perhaps where the film suffers is by its establishment of a concept which cannot be given any satisfactory conclusion. The film itself loses itself towards the end. But this reflects the film's message, and is unavoidable.
Such minor criticisms aside, 'Fight Club' is a film good to see at least twice, for reasons that will become obvious once it has been seen once. It actually seems, in my experience, to be the most re-watched film at the cinema I can remember, with countless people returning for a second, third, and even fourth watch. And it is the only film I know of which is actually a significant improvement upon the book it is based on.
Go and see it.
The Beach (2000)
Beauty over content
As an avid, British movie fan, the prospect of Figment's fourth movie outing, an adaptation of Alex Garland's stunning debut novel, excited me greatly. Despite all the negative publicity, things seemed promising. Trainspotting, Figment's finest work, was also an adaptation of a cult novel, so I felt convinced that John Hodge (screenplay writer) would do a great job. And I also felt that Leonardo was right for the role of Richard; and let's not forget, a great actor. The trailers were wonderful: the cinematography appeared stunning, and the soundtrack sounded awesome.
So, on the opening night, there I was, expecting something wonderful. And sadly, I was disappointed. The film starts well, there's no denying it. For the first ten minutes or so I thought I was safe. But after that, it just went downhill. Yes, the cinematography, and indeed the cast, were as beautiful as the trailer promised. And yes, the soundtrack was superb - Porcelain, noteably. However, all the subtleties of character and complicated group dynamics which rendered the book so fascinating were totally removed. Rather than opting for an intelligent adaptation of the book, Figment had gone for a grossly over-simplistic sex-on-the-beach story.
I don't blame Danny Boyle (director). He does a fairly good job, and there are moments in the film which undeniably capture the spirit of the novel. I blame John Hodge, who I know is capable of so much more. But Trainspotting was written for a British audience for reasons of artistic merit. The Beach was written to keep Fox and Leonardo DiCaprio happy. Their target audience was not cynical British fans of the book, such as myself, but for a worldwide market, and Leo's fans. But I still feel they should have struck more of a balance.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad film. From the interviews with Leo that I read, he seemed to understand his character in the book very well. And the first and last handful of scenes are just right. Maybe I was wrong to expect Figment to be able to condense everything in the book into a film that wouldn't last about two and a half hours, with rambling voiceovers and the like, but I think if Figment were still making films for a small audience, and not trying to please the masses, this is what they would have done. But having said that, if they were doing that, it's unlikely they could have afforded to do what they have. So it's a no-win situation. So it would appear that the process of making the film better reflects the impossibility of achieving perfection than the film itself.
Election (1999)
Cynical - just the way I like them!
This is quite simply one of the finest movies I have ever seen. It has incredible pace and flair, with both the script and the direction demanding equal attention. And it just works so well on so many levels. Whilst it is a political satire, it also stands well as a story in its own right. It's great to see Matthew Broderick in a good film. Reese Witherspoone turns in what I consider to be a career-best, and Chris Klein is wonderfully endearing as a jock with a heart of gold.
What I really love about Election is the way its pace doesn't let up at all. By the time you've finished you feel like you've seen a good two and a half hours of movie. It's the only film I know that seems longer than it is in a good way.
This film made me laugh out loud more than any other I can remember that isn't just a dumb comedy. But Election also doesn't take itself too seriously. The direction can accurately be described as deadpan - with Chris Klein, stripped of his ability to play football, gazing soulfully out to sea, and falling asleep over a book on philosophy. The way that each major character is afforded a voice-over, giving us an amusing insight into their psyche, is a wonderful technique, and the freezeframes of Reese Witherspoone's contorted facial expressions truly are moments to treasure.
What more can I say? Election is smart, funny, and biting. It maintains its brilliance for the entire duration of the movie, and the ending is wholly satisfying. In fact, I can't actually think of one word of criticism. You'll have to search long and hard to find a better film anywhere, which is why I'm giving it a stellar nine out of ten.