No Country for Old Men ~~~~

Deserves the Oscar for best film... just. Interesting, thought provoking, nerve-racking and clever.

This is a film full of the unexpected. Having not read any reviews or synopses I truly did not know what to expect. Having seen this a few weeks before, my parents reported back that it had been exciting and violent but in the context of the many films released nowadays, it could have pointed in one of many directions. But they were right. Exciting it was. But violent? It certainly displayed much of the physical manifestation of the word but more than that, it showed the violence within man himself. (And I do mean men rather than women because the film is very masculine in most senses of the word and of the composition of the film.)

Tommy Lee Jones heads up an extremely robust and interesting cast. Realising the film relied much on Jones’ inclusion in the marketing of the movie, I was slightly perplexed as to the conspicuous lack of his appearance in the story but then, having let the film rumble around in my mind for quite some time, I realised that this was how it should be. Thinking about the title, having seen the film, I wondered what it was all about. Jones, being the local cop near to retirement, experiences the slowly unfolding story as we, the audience, do. His reactions to the violence and to the characters involved mirror ours and he voices the moral reactions we feel. His experiences of crime and people over the years add context to the stories he shares with other characters and law enforcement staff and we soon begin to feel that the world has changed. And rightly so. It has. The incredulity he feels towards the recently perpetrated crimes is our own. Mystified by the actions of the criminals, Jones guides us through the main story and certainly proves that it’s a young man’s game where only those sensible enough to exit the life-style are allowed to grow old.

Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin, supported by Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald, offer spellbinding performances and I was totally taken in by their diverse characters. Brolin plays Llewellyn Moss, a working-class man seemingly discontent with his life. Out hunting one night he discovers a heinous scene in the desert, one which forces him to make a life altering decision. Once on this new and exciting path, Moss soon finds that he is more than the man he thought he was but unfortunately not enough of a psychopath, in the true sense of the word, to survive. He is no Anton Chigurh, the character played by Bardem, and the man now following him on the path to living hell and relentless fear and hatred. This becomes a cat and mouse game – a chase scene played out almost painfully for we surely know what the outcome may be.

The story follows the characters’ on a moral journey through the arid desert and into the over-crowded city, all tied up with the inevitable money and drugs. Violence and greed. Death and destiny. Relentlessly pursuing Moss, Chigurh is a hired hitman on his own mission. A body lacking soul – a man with his own reasoning and values. A man who has either chosen or been forced to absolve himself of responsibility. He holds his own rationality up to others and expects them to accept his values. He forces others to see the world through his own eyes and punishes them whether they struggle to live or accept their fate. He is a walking harbinger of death. But sent from whom? Is he the devil incarnate or mankind on trial? He makes you feel uncomfortable yet at the same time exposes us for who we really are. If you find yourself rejoicing in the simplicity of his ethics, you are not alone.

The simplest moral to take away with you would be ‘never take another man’s money’. The most complex? I’ll let you decide. It is very rare that a film can tick as many boxes as this does. Action, check. Depth, check. Politics, entertainment, great cinematography? All checks.

Brolin’s performance is quite a revelation. Although quite recently seen playing a very small part in another Jones film, ‘In the Valley of Elah’, his most memorable performance to me has always been that of the stick-in-the-mud, big brother in ‘The Goonies’. I can’t wait to see him in more. He is quite the leading man. Brooding, handsome, quiet and solid. As for Bardem, he excels in characters with a inner violence and distemper. He is quite a marvellous actor.

Overall, the Coen brothers are back on track with a well deserved Oscar winner of a film. This story will stay with you for a long time. I look forward to seeing it again and again because I truly believe that there is so much I missed. A big congratulations also to those who decided that in sound-track terms, less is more. I really appreciated the lack of musical score – I had nothing to audibly lead me through the film and as such, got much more from it. A definite contender for my own film of the year.

There Will be Blood ~~~~ ½

This is a humdinger of a film that not one everyone will like. For some it might be too hefty and for others, unfulfilling but as anyone settling down to a film starring Daniel Day-Lewis ought to know, it isn’t going to be Hollywood Movie Lite™. And it must be said, Day-Lewis is no doubt the true star of this film albeit a furtive, imploding and hefty one.

The story itself is quite simple. Set in America at turn of the last century the audience is introduced to a man, down a hole, sweating his guts out mining for gold. This is D-L as Daniel Plainview (note the surname.) He is a man alone; weary, physical, focused and determined. The opening sequence, lasting about ten minutes introduces, without dialogue, his character as a man unperturbed by violence and physical pain. Perhaps the verbal silence of this scene signifies what is to come; no clue as to who this man really is on the inside, no pointers to what he really feels or believes? But do not be deceived, the haunting and creepy music throughout points not to a pure man battling the earth for gold but to a creature resolute on his path of enrichment.

After this stunning introduction to the hard life of mining and to the impenetrable character D-L delivers, we are shown the beginning of his ultimately lucrative yet embittered and lonely life. We see his humble beginnings with a crew mining in the desert and the unfortunate accident which kills his colleague leaving D-L his baby son to care for. And care for he does. As his ‘son’ grows older, we are shown an almost loving relationship develop. The couple search out business together and survey land as a team, trying to find the new ‘black gold’ – oil. Overtime the audience are made to develop the sense that this relationship is honest and caring and that D has truly taken this boy to be his own. But, as we find throughout the slowly disorientating deteriorating story, it is not to be. The result of D’s true nature (you will hardly believe) proves to show a man incapable of any selfless act or thought… or does it. The actions of a man alone, afraid and angry hit us where it is bound to scar deeply but coming away from the film, many days later I found it within my heart to read this story another way and to re-evaluate my initial mental interpretation of his actions. My heart implored me to give the character benefit of the doubt and to insert pieces of the jigsaw which, perhaps, could and would not have easily fitted in had I not brought along my own sense of forgiveness and understanding.

So, heavy stuff so far and I haven’t even touched upon the real story of the film. In searching for lucrative land, D-L comes across a young man who recommends he look on his family’s land for oil. D and his son travel to meet with, and it can be argued con, the family mentioned. Nothing too out of the ordinary until they happen upon another son who is a preacher. It doesn’t take long for these two men to size each other up and then to embark upon a power struggle which rarely on screen has seemed so terrifying and animalistic. There are scenes involving these men which are so powerful and raw and so full of hatred that one cannot look away. The years roll away and even so, when the tables are turned and the power lies with D-L the pure venom and loathing felt between these two does not dissipate indeed, it reaches it peak. The clashing of ideologies – greed and religion – merge and become one another each as violent and self-serving as the next.

This film has so many aspects to it. So many ways it can be read. If betraying fellow men and sons isn’t enough then the nature of desperate men is uncovered in all its pitiful glory. One can use it as a commentary on the present oil crisis or the current problems with religious fundamentalism but one can also read it, with equal validity, as an exploration of the human heart and mind. Avaricious people beware. All that gold, it just ain’t worth it!

If you like this, you might also like ‘Bad Day at Black Rock’. The sentiment is not dissimilar and the uneasiness of the film is just as tangible as it is in this wonderful film.

Juno ~~~~

This is a smart film and a funny film and a great antidote to the usual teen fodder.

Don't be misled by the idea that this just movie fluff. This could be one of the comedies, quirky as it is, of the year.

Teenager Juno gets pregnant by her high-school boyfriend unexpectedly. What to do? In her own wisdom she decides to keep the baby, stay in school and find adoptive parents for the prospective bundle of joy. So far, so American cheese-ball movie. (See 'Knocked Up' in comparison.) However, this film is far from what one might expect from our State-side cousins who, more often than not, do a remarkable impression that life is all roses and delight and that teenagers don't do grown up things - or rather they do and the Christian-right is placated with dodgy moral choices almost alien to us in the real world. There. My political comment is over. But, as I say this film, although on the surface following the predicable life choices re: bun in the oven etc, does all it can to make the issue of teen pregnancy and responsibility honest, open and extremely funny, touching and realistic. I think you get the gist of the story.

Where this film really comes into it's own is in almost all the elements a good film should consist of. Great script (not too smart arse as some critics have mentioned - why not be smart after all?), engaging actors, enjoyable yet subtle tunes throughout, great camera work and interesting story. Part of the humour in the film comes from Juno's developing relationship with the prospective adoptive parents who themselves have both individual and couple issues. Juno becomes almost a surrogate child/friend to the 'father' (smashing and underrated Jason Bateman) and the relationship takes an interesting twist as does that of the relationship with the desperate yet sympathetic mother, lovingly played by Jennifer Garner. Juno's parents are wonderful and quirky as are her best friends and townsfolk.

Without ruining the outcome, this is a smashing film. If you like 'Napoleon Dynamite' at all, this is a great compliment to it in many ways. It really is much more than a teen movie. The substance is far more interesting and daring than I had imagined and I am already looking forward to watching this little gem once again. A shame the lead actress missed out on the Oscar... but there's plenty of time for her to succeed in the future. Watch out!

Cloverfield ~~~~

This is a monster movie.

Very, very briefly (because I'm quite busy) this is a great piece of entertainment. I've been told of the handful of internet site ties-in's to this flick and the directer, JJ Abrams (of Lost fame) seems to have constructed quite a Cloverfield World....

It follows a group of youngish, very good looking New Yorkers whose party get rather rudely interrupted by a mysterious and friggin' huge monster. Nuff said. DO NOT SEE THIS FILM IF YOU GET MOTION SICKNESS. You have been warned! It's 100% hand-held camera business so pretty way out in the sick-cam stakes.

The actors do a sterling job but the hats are particularly off to the ladies who spend a great deal of time running about with little clothing and HUMONGOUS high heels on. Well done!

It's a bit slow paced at the beginning and I actually thought I might have ended up in the wrong cinema but rest assured, once the action begins you'll lose track of all time and wonder when the hell it'll all end!!!

It's a fun film, hits all the rights spots and is well worth a second watch. Rumour has it there is already a follow up on the way and I for one am already looking forward to it.

Monsters rule..... oh yes they do!!!!!!!! Go see this now on the big screen!!! (And the music rocks, too!

The Valley of Elah ~~~

Quite an impressive film all round. Great acting, excellent direction, stunning cinematography and above par script. Only draw back - the story. If you aren't interested in slow, but exciting journies of discovery (for both the characters and the viewer) then this won't be for you. Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron (with Susan Sarandon on the side) put in pretty amazing performances in this slow paced but intriguing story of how futile and desperate modern army life can be. Half detective fiction, half social comment on how war tears families, and soldiers, apart this is the kind of film everyone should be watching. High quality, high concept but low maintenance. The kind of film you can take on face value or read into it whatever political comment you might like.

Without spoiling this at all, it follows a father trying to come to terms with the loss of a son but not only that, trying to uncover the mystery of what happened and why. Jones plays an ex-military dad on a mission to pull the authorities into the situation but finds himself responsible for uncovering the truth. Theron is pretty strong as the local cop up against her own plethora of misogynistic and dumb ass colleagues whilst becoming embroiled with, and in turn supporting, Jones' character.

This may not be everyone's cup of tea but amongst the recent slew of very mediocre movies recently, this shines stronger than most. Jones must surely win a few awards for this performance? It would only be fair for such an honest and human portrayal.

There is a rather interesting and clever analogy made throughout referencing the American flag - perhaps not so poignant for UK viewers but on reflection both significant and touching. And, most possibly, incredibly true. Please do go and see this. It's subtle yet quite powerful and emotionally resonant.