Hello, everyone, and how are you? It's been some time, haven't had much time at all to be on GS and the like. A lot of stuff is happening in "la vie", if I may use some forced French on y'all. However, I have here reviews for three films that I liked a lot (in varying measures of course). I think it would be prudent to explain my very, very simple rating system for films:
0= 0 stars, absolute trash of the highest (lowest?) degree. A relatively rare score.
*= 1 star, a movie I really don't like, with very little in terms of redemption. Avoid.
**= 2 stars, a movie I don't like. Has one too many problems, though some good can be said about the film.
***= 3 stars, a movie I like. The film has some problems, but is generally a worthwhile film.
****= 4 stars, a movie I really like. Very little wrong with the film, highly recommended.
*****= 5 stars, a masterpiece in every meaning of the word. A relatively rare score.
Usually, I hand out 1 to 2 ***** ratings a year (Up in the Air was the sole receiver in 2009, for example), but 2010 was amazing. I've got some reviews left, so get ready to see some stars.
The King's Speech
The King's Speech is simply remarkable. In every facet of the direction, the acting and the writing, there's an irremovable sense of majesty. Fitting a theme considering what the film is about, understandably. The film is a beautiful tale of courage, adversity and friendship which transgresses social traditions. Tied with Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush's standout performances, The King's Speech is a film that is a continuous joy to watch.
Colin Firth takes on the role of the late king George VI, who before his inauguration was known as Bertie. For as long as he could remember, Bertie had been beset with a debilitating stammer. This didn't make him prime royal material in the eyes of his father, George V, which lead to Edward VIII the next person in line for the crown. However, after a scandal (a scandal for that era, at least), Bertie will have to take a huge step forward in his life, work on his stammer and become the next king. To achieve that goal, he must rely on the Australian voice coach Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), who has some unorthodox methods to cure his ailment.
The chemistry between Firth and Rush is simply divine. For every rash outburst from Bertie, Rush responds in an aloof matter completely unaffected by the fact that he's helping royalty. As the bond between them grows stronger, a friendship is struck up that is both convincing and likable. Firth is clearly in the best role he's been in since he started out in the film business and is stunning in his role of Bertie. Not only does he emulate a stammer perfectly (this reviewer knows someone with a stammer, as a reference), but his performance is amplified by how accessible he proves to be in the confines of privacy. One cannot forget Geoffrey Rush either, however, who is, for lack of a better word, adorable as the nonchalant voice coach.
There's a very sturdy supporting cast as well. Helena Bonham Carter plays Bertie's wife admirably while Guy Ritchie is perfect as the loose Edward VIII. Special mention goes to Timothy Spall for his portrayal of Winston Churchill, the inspiration for bulldog names all over the world.
The film's director, Tom Hooper, puts the film together with the utmost care. When the film looks like it's going to be overly dramatic, you get a ranting Bertie throwing around swear words like rice. Adversely, Hooper keeps the drama present to emphasize the difficulties of Bertie, shown prominently in the inner conflicts of Bertie, where he battles with his duties and responsibility. The ending is particularly powerful, and shows just how well Hooper built up the narrative. In that respect, the film's writer, David Seidler, of course deserves heaps of praise. Every character feels natural and the pace, as mentioned earlier, is simultaneously easy to follow and surprisingly entertaining given the subject matter.
The King's Speech is a lot of things. One of the finest examples of British cinema, proof of Colin Firth's deserving place in the upper echelons of acting pedigree, a wonderful combination of common values like friendship, determination and will. However, The King's Speech is first and foremost a sign that films can touch an audience of incredible diversity, all from the youngest to the oldest. This reviewer's theater was filled with people of all ages, all walking out with a smile on their face. That's an accomplishment that few have ever managed to achieve.
*****
Never Let Me Go
Some alternate reality films give rise to the question: "Could this happen in real life?" At first, one might scoff and say that the world we live in would not sink to such degradable levels, that the moral highground is ever present and maintained; then you get a gnawing feeling of doubt. There are daily examples of human injustice and avarice, so the alternate reality that the viewer is presented with starts to become exactly that: an alternate *reality*. Never Let Me Go is in that sense actually quite terrifying, but it also reminds you of the beauty of the human nature, its imperfections and its greatest strengths.
Based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go tells of the experience of a young woman, Kathy (Mulligan) who is inextricably bound to a sordid fate. She is a future donor, someone who will have to donate her organs to extend the lifespan of another human being. The film focuses mostly on her upbringing and experiences, mainly with her friends Tommy (Garfield) and Ruth (Knightley). It's predictably tragic, since there's very little in terms of actual hope in any facet of the film. That does, however, amplify the great injustice imposed upon the trio and how it affects you as a viewer. The outside world is shown as alien, distant yet reliant upon what the donors give them. Their greed and need for self-preservation seems more malevolent and criminal than most other traditional film villain simply because of how ordinary it's made out to be.
It's a possible simile to events where a certain group of people is singled out as "creatures", not deserving any of the base human rights that are so ingrained in cultured societies. One needs not look further than in the second world war to see examples of such atrocities, so again the possibility doesn't seem so far off that humanity would stoop so low out of their own selfish needs. As with any film of this nature, that is a prime achievement, making you think "what if" instead of just telling a story.
The cast do a good job of delivering the prevalent pain of their lamentable fate, and the screenplay is handled brilliantly. The main three characters are of course highlights, though it sometimes feels like they don't reach their full acting potential in the film. The film's atmosphere is of tranquility and a "calm before the storm" feeling, but the characters are if anything almost constantly stoic. It's not in any way debilitating but one is left to wonder what could have been done with a slightly different approach. In the same way, the drama of some of the plot's key scenes feels oddly subdued, like more could have been done to really hit the point home. Maybe that subtlety is intentional, and at times it does manage to make situations more dramatic, but it often feels like a limiting factor.
As has been said, the subtlety is not a hindrance for the storytelling, which is in every way brilliant. It may prove to be too dramatic at times, since it really is a sad film. However, it's also incredibly thought-provoking and worth a watch by anyone intrigued with the inner workings of society. Maybe what really makes Never Let Me Go a great film is how you start questioning yourself at the end. If you were born in this world, would you protest or would you go along with it. The answer to that question is not as simple as one would initially think... and that's scary.
****
Just Go With It
Adam Sandler is, let's face it, a guy that will split opinion forever. He has a legion of people that would like nothing more than for him to disappear from the face of film history, while others really like him. I'm in the latter group, I do not understand people's dislike towards Sandler. He has hit rough times, though, and outside of Funny People, some time has passed since he made a film that really separated itself from any average comedy. Just Go With It is therefore a breath of fresh air. It's got some irritating problems, but it's filled with witty jokes and even manages to hit upon some important values.
The film's protagonist is the opportunistic plastic surgeon Danny, who uses the wedding ring from his failed first marriage to pick up women. However, his philandering days hit a roadblock when Danny meets Palmer (Decker), a young, attractive teacher over 15 years younger than him. He wishes to change his ways, and convinces his assistant Katherine (Aniston) to play out a web of lies he gets into trying to eliminate his past.
When push comes to shove, the story is wildly confusing from a realistic perspective. Many of the scenarios feel completely fake, and would most likely never happen outside of the theater. However, the film picks up the slack with a steady flow of humor and slapstick. Yes, you'll have to be into those sorts of things in the first place to really enjoy it. If you're a serious type into more sophisticated humor, your needs would be much better met elsewhere. However, if you just play it loose, the film proves to be at some points laugh-out-loud funny.
Another oddity is how unconvincing some relationships are. Not much will be mentioned to avoid spoiling the film, but Sandler's character, for instance, seems to still be more interested in a certain character near the end despite everything else. However, Sandler is also shown in a relatively different manner here than in many of his previous films. Danny is a rough personality, but proves to be a kind person as the film goes on. You identify with him on a more casual basis and root for his goals. The two kids of Katherine that appear in the film are also some of the film's greatest features, being both charming and devilishly smart at times. Overall, the acting is solid, though the film would greatly benefit from moving away from the stereotypical idolization of Palmer's appearance.
As has been mentioned, the film is far from being perfect, but it has a sort of likeability that is absent in most of the rom-com schlock that seems to pop up every single month of the year. It's a solid film that will please those looking for a heart-warming, funny, if slightly confusing flick.
***
-Calvinsora