Selma (2014)

7.4/10

Martin Luther King Jr.: [somberly yet passionately speaking to church congregation at a funeral] Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson? Every white lawman who abuses the law to terrorize. Every white politician who feeds on prejudice and hatred. Every white preacher who preaches the bible and stays silent before his white congregation. Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson? Every Negro man and woman who stands by without joining this fight as their brothers and sisters are brutalized, humiliated, and ripped from this Earth.

Ava DuVernay is a director who dared to speak about the historical march of Martin Luther King Jr. on Selma, Alabama in the early 1960s. Despite the Academy's omission of nominating DuVernay for Best Director, this film resonates the transcendent message of what Martin Luther King Jr. was trying to achieve so many decades before.

'Selma' is the unforgettable true story chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. 

A bold directorial move on behalf of DuVernay and an even bolder subject to speak about. According to many public information online, despite the strenuous and tumultuous journey this film had had so far, after 10 years in development, DuVernay not only managed to take the reigns and achieve something worthwhile, but she re-wrote almost the entirety of the script, and edited out all the original speeches that were going to be used when this film was first developing. This however, and the numerous obstacles that the production faced along the way in making this film, is one of the many reasons why in its entirety this film is lacking in some way; from execution to development, the film is found wanting throughout its 2-hour span. 

The remarkable role of Martin Luther King, Jr is portrayed by the evocative David Oyelowo, who not only extols in his portrayal of the historical heritage of this man, but dignifies him by his vigorousness and his humility in the way he approached the script. Now baring in mind, what a profound significance this role has on world history, is reason enough to make any actor be in awe in the portrayal of Dr. King, Jr. Oyelowo's monumental portrayal is one that focuses more on the abundance of raising awareness and feelings of justice and equality, rather than playing upon the physicality of the character. He manages to underlay such a capturing of the multifaceted personality that does engage with the audience enough to prove how current still the words of Martin Luther King, Jr are. 

Albeit the gravity of the message being promoted through the story line, the film is lacking in its ability to engage the audience from the get go. The trouble with this, is not in the lack of empathy on the events that unraveled in 1965. The main lacking problem with the film is the long stretchy moments of hopelessnes and victimization that could make the film a lot more pacy and intriguing. Given the thematology, race issues on film are always a sore subject and DuVernay, given the resources and the backing she had, she did justice in her approach to the historical material  that gives the film a significance upon the long line of film that deal with racial equality. 

The grasp of things is that after screening the film, it is only understandable why the Academy chose not to include DuVernay's valiant effort in directing this colossal film, and if we weight upon the film-making achievements on this year's Oscar race, it is only but fair that DuVernay was not nominated for 'Selma'. A worthy nod though came to this film through it's best original song, with the film 'Glory' by John Legend and Common. The track is truly glorious!

'Selma'

(2014)

Psycho (1960)

Rating: 9.3/10

"A boy's best friend, is his mother."

One of the most iconic films that have ever been shown in the cinema theatres is Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. This is hailed time and time again in Entertainment Weekly's Top 10 List of Scariest Films of all time and since its first release it hasn't stopped making audience walk out of this without having felt a sense of fear!

All hail to the magnificent filmmaking of Alfred Hitchock who first decided to direct 'Psycho' as a low-budget black and white film in order to turn away from the big-budget films he had been making since then. He hired a TV crew, made sure he would do exactly what pleased and experimented technically on the boundaries of the 'thriller' genre.

Nowadays it's hard to come across to a good, genuinely hands-down thriller. Hitchcock made it worthwhile though; first he set up the common-place plot which goes like this:

"A young woman steals $40,000 from her employer's client, and subsequently encounters a young motel proprietor too long under the domination of his mother." (www.imdb.com)

Pretty straight-forward but at the same time with more than what meets the eye, 'Psycho' is set-up of course somewhere remotely, where people would not think of looking for 'evil' to appear. The eerie atmosphere and the gloominess of Hitchcock's cinematography relies on making sure the trickery of using multiple angles of the 'crucial' scenes in the film, even though some of those more momentous scenes would only last in the last edit less than a minute, the viewer had the opportunity of getting a glimpse of the surroundings from many perspectives, thus giving it this way a more life-like sense of the horror.

SPOILER ALERT:

One of the most well-known and iconic moments is the 'shower scene' . Actress, Janet Leigh (Jamie Lee-Curtis's mother) was wisely cast for this particular role as it would take an amount of seven days of shooting just for the shower scene and making sure that her on-screen action would be one to be remembered by. Not only did Hitchcock cleverly shot this scene from 70 different angles but he made sure that nothing would be exposed of his actress, the music would be as horrific, scary and suspenseful as it possibly could, and that the viewer would be so taken aback for what was coming that they wouldn't be able to forget this scene for years to come.

Without wanting to give to spoil the real shocker in the film, I shall simply extol the superb performance by relatively newcomer then Anthony Perkins, who albeit he did not have the career one could have hoped for, he sure did give a performance of a lifetime. His ability to improvise on his role and the distinct characteristic of facial manipulation which he had, made the audiences reel for what was coming and since then he has managed to spread the real fear and horror through his simplistic and yet powerful performance.

This film is hailed as one of the scariest films of all times for the simple reason that is simplicity, its sheer uniqueness and the fact that it was so under-budgeted and film in only 30 days and Hitchcock's first horror film, make it a distinguishable achievement for the horror-flick-lovers.

'Psycho' stands out for numerous reasons; the most important of all it's ability to lure you in and shock your brains out like you haven't before. Worthy to mention as well, the brilliant and yet spookiest most horrifying musical scores ever to have been written for a thriller. You can listen to it here! This is not a film of gore or waiting for the killer to strike, but more of a film of silent horror waiting to suck you in!

For all the horror-genre-lovers out there, this one's not to be missed for sure!

Enjoy everyone!



Psycho (1960)

The Graduate (1967)

Rating: 8.4/10

"Mrs. Robinson you're trying to seduce me, aren't you?"

'The Graduate'. This is the film that made it all happen for newly seen actor back in the day, Dustin Hoffman. He was a shooting star when this film came out. But let's not get carried away shall we? Let's talk fimmaking first.

'The Graduate' is on of those films that made history. Not so much about the story but about the revolution that its themes started. The film centres around a recently college graduate Benjamin Braddock, who is trapped into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, who happens to be the wife of his father's business partner and then finds himself falling in love with her daughter, Elaine.(www.imdb.com)

This is perhaps the film that started the whole the cougar-is-the-best-around theme that has been going on, especially during the last few years in pop culture. The slinky plot-line, the witty dialogue, the brooding/atmospheric music ('Sound of Silence')of one of the most well-known Brit duos back then 'Simon & Garfunkel' and the eerie direction are a few of the ingredients that make this seemingly shallow film work into a classic.

The delight comes from within; acting being a craft in the hands of the two main protagonists, Anne Bancroft and the new-kid-in-the-block-then Dustin Hoffman. They might have seem an odd pair to match but their precise movements and mannerisms in the filmic made both of them sultry and easy to watch. Their affair might not be presented in all the conventional terms, but this is exactly why it still manages to hold the audience's attention so many years later.

In my opinion, what really did fascinated me from the very first time I sat down to watch this film was the brooding melancholia it was transmitting towards me. All those idle moments of Hoffman's character, the need to find something pure and honest, the need to escape the conventions of the elite status of his parents were examples of the modern-man wanting to break free, to escape from the chains of the suburban way of living. Just like so many young people in the late 1960s wanted to break free and see the world with open eyes, so did this film wanted to transmit; the courage to go beyond social convention and give a taste of the "new", the forbidden, the "future".

Stylistically this film has a lot to offer in terms of originality and scripting. At moments it can be both hilarious and at moments desperately dramatic. It swindles you both ways but in all sense at the end makes you understand that love is all you need to prevail. Mike Nichols, the director knew well how to set-about with the themes he wanted to leave his audience with, since he cleverly took us from a very long-lost-suburban-graduate to a rebellious-young-man-who-can-do-most-anything, thus giving the audience back then to believe in the future, in their power to choose and try things.

Understandably this film is considered a classic and still manages to warm up the audience's heart. Witty, smart & sexy, this film has a lot to offer than just a naughty cougar; brains to match it as well.

Hope you enjoy the film!

The Graduate (1967)

The Iron Lady (2011)

Rating: 6.9/10

" It used to be about trying to do something. Now it's about trying to be someone."

'The Iron Lady' is a much talked about film these days; Having won the Academy Award for Best Actress with Meryl Streep this film has gone to be hailed as an anthem for the English's ex-ruler Margaret Thatcher.

As a political genre film this does not sets its basis only in with the politics factor. The film cleverly takes us on a journey to discover the unknown life of Margaret Thatcher, from the time she was a young lady till the time she became an old lady. Flashbacks were a must for the story, something which made the film quite rough around its edges. The non-linear narration was quite complex, thus leaving the audience at times perplexed and confused as to how they should feel for Streep's role.

Although the directing seems to be sailing with a smooth pacing, Phyllida  Lloyd does not fully succeed in her vision to make us fully sympathize or even understand the purpose of the film; whether we like the protagonist or not and what purpose did her life and actions served at the end. Albeit these minor flaws the film has a lot of emotional background, taking us slowly into the mentality of the Iron Lady and at the end releasing us into her world of hallucinations.

There's too little I can say for the real-life Iron Lady of the cinema though; whatever I put into words for Streep's acting would be pointless enough, as this actress never seems to fail in every portrayal she may give. In my opinion the Oscar was well deserved, not because of the girth and the humanity she brought into this role but because of the pieces she gave from her heart into Maggie Thatcher's character. You could feel her pain, her loss, her hallucinations, her long-forgotten glories, her strength, her ambition and her love for everything she may have tried to do. For Streep it wasn't just to portray the goodness in this character but to present her reality, with the good and the bad equally and in the end to let you decide on the qualities that this character deserves.

A wonderful achievement of the recreation of so many different decades would be in order for the costume designer, Simon Elliot (North & South TV Mini Series), who literally had an overwhelming task to achieve in his creation of the first lady in the English Cabinet. Superb production design.

And it would be a mishap on my behalf if I failed to mention the always breath-taking music score of Thomas Newman (American Beauty, Shawshank Redemption) who as always was not much appreciated for his astounding work. Truly a remarkable musical score.

And last but not least, it is only fair to mention Steep's co-star and brilliant....no brilliant's not too good enough of a word to describe this actor...the extraordinary Jim Broadbent. What a colossal performance each time this thespian gives. He truly is the modern embodiment of a thespian. Always carries his performance on screen with such ease. In the Iron Lady he was so carefree, so pious and willing to give an emotional portrayal of his relationship with Streep that it couldn't fail but move the viewer.

As a last thumbs up I would give to the young, and yet so far unknown, actress who portrayed Margaret Thatcher as a young lady, Alexandra Roach. In my opinion she is among the newly rising British actresses and would love to see more of her in the near future. She had the zeal and the stamina to portray such a crucial character and yet she did not fail.

The film as a whole does not say a lot, but the performances speak aloud. Watch it for the  brilliant acting and the production design and relish for a little while how it must have been for a lady of Thatcher's stature. Albeit many people suffered under her time of ruling, she did leave her political mark in the British people; restrain.


The Iron Lady (2011)

The Sound of Music (1965)

Rating: 8.7/10

"The Von Trapp children don't play. They march."

The ULTIMATE feel-good family-movie!

How can anyone review a masterpiece such as this film?!? Not only this film is the ultimate classic, it surpasses anyone's expectations when we look at today's musicals.

'The Sound of Music':

The story involves some nuns, a governess, a captain, some Nazis and a large family of kids that sings and dances. Pretty straightforward story: "A young woman trained to be a novice, leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the seven children of a Naval officer widower." (www.imdb.com)

I'm sure there's plenty of governesses stories out there, although this one is slightly different. There is indeed a lot of singing involved and quite a bit of dancing, as there is a lot of pranks and heartfelt performances. This film is a special treat for the whole family, because it takes you step by step into this gloomy household and its transformation into a house of laughter and singing. Imagine a more mature Mary Poppins type of film.

The newly-Academy-awarded Christopher Plummer and the always astounding Julie Andrews give a bedazzling performance and really pour their heart and soul into bringing their characters to life. Although rumours may suggest what a struggle it had been for Plummer to really connect with his character, having to do all that singing, he found it a sheer joy to be pummeled day in and day out with the passion and the stamina of Andrews. Their on-screen chemistry as master and governess at the beginning and their growing likeness towards each other as the film progresses really give the audience feel at ease and  joyful to watch this on-screen couple. Both actors apply the performing girth into full gear, especially when it came to their vocal numbers they leave one breathless with their heartfelt emotion that they put into their songs.

Of course the key ingredient in all of this is the music, and the children. Nothing would have been made possible without these two elements. A combination that truly makes any family member involved. Each vocal number for the children was definitely a challenge but all seven of them did a superb job with both their hilarious acting as well as their singing. Considering that for some of these kids, this film was their debut into the acting world, one can't help but admire their fantastic energy and enthusiasm that they bring in this film. But like I mentioned before, nothing also would not be the same without the exquisite original music score of Irwin Kostal, who has the audience still singing the songs of the film forty-seven years after its making. What a wonderful achievement that must be for a music composer.

This film would be suggested mostly for the families, the people who love musicals and singing in general, but I would recommend it to people who enjoy a good performance, a good subtle story of an estranged family and people who like to relish on classic cinematography. I mean look, the shot of having Julie Andrews at the beginning of the film singing in the Austrian mountains (which I've checked it's quite real I guarantee you) is one of the most unique shots in all of cinema history, and that's not an exaggeration. I mean beat that today, without any visual effects and CGI. Very few can!

This film is full of heart and soul, and above all some exquisite, original, authentic music!

Enjoy the VonTrapp family my lovely cinema-goers!


The Sound of Music (1965)