DVD review: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

May 1, 2015April 7, 2020 Garry Arnot2 Comments

In the arts, fame can be incredibly brittle as many hit the heights of stardom to then fade away quickly, never to be spoken of again. Artistic merit and validation is therefore vitally important for those that ply their trade in the creative industries whether it be film, music or theatre. Black comedy drama ‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ directed and co-written by Alejandro González Iñárritu explores this theme through fictional actor Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) who makes a publicised comeback in adapting a Raymond Carver short story into a Broadway production, writing, producing and directing for the stage. Best known for his role as Birdman in a blockbuster superhero series, Thomson hopes to shed the mainstream association for theatrical credibility. Assisted by his loyal lawyer Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and his dysfunctional daughter Sam (Emma Stone), will his change of direction leave a lasting legacy or is he destined to be nothing more than a flash-in-the-pan?

A shaky cam follows Riggan around for a lot of the film, giving the impression of one continuous tracking shot. This helps create a fantastically frenetic energy that flows throughout, accompanied by a drums-laden soundtrack that never misses a beat. The script is spiking and satirical, and very often hilarious, giving a sharp social commentary on the pomposity of the industry and the people that inhabit it. As the show gets underway onstage, the character studies deepen off of it following the introduction of method actor Mike Shiner who clashes with Riggan. Scenes involving the two are among the film’s strongest moments as their dialogue bounces off one another with brilliant rhythm. Shiner’s friendship with Sam also serves as an effective subplot as they take to the theatre roof to philosophise on the highs and lows of showbiz.

The style of the film can at times be a lot to take in due to the chaotic cinematography and editing, as well as the wistful fantasy tangents. The strength of the acting keeps the aims and concepts grounded even with the characters aren’t. Michael Keaton is perfectly cast as Riggan, due to the obvious comparisons to his own career – he is arguably most associated with his nineties portrayal of Batman. The schizophrenic nature of the performance is handled tremendously as he is haunted by hallucinations of his most famous incarnation. Whilst Norton and Stone almost steal the show completely with their excellent screen relationship, stellar support also comes in the way of Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough, completing a cast that really do their bit to fit the bill.

‘Birdman’ is rightfully tipped for awards success and we may see life imitating art come the ceremonies. Iñárritu goes against the grain of trends and reboots, intelligently telling a story which surrounds the oldest traditions of performance art but which is laced with digital media and pop culture references. In doing so, he has created something which feels very unique and original, in both its visual style and subject matter. For me, it fully deserves the credit it will receive and could ironically reignite the career of its leading man.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

April 20, 2015April 20, 2015 Garry Arnot1 Comment

After a combined running time of 1032 minutes, Peter Jackson’s six-part Middle-Earth saga draws to a close with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, rounding off the prequel Hobbit trilogy. Picking up directly where the second instalment left us, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the squad of not-so-merry dwarves look on in terror as the recently awoken dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) rains fiery hell over Lake-town. With the dwarf’s leader Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) back in his beloved Lonely Mountain in Erebor, will he maintain control of his kingdom or will he succumb to the greed that comes with the almighty power? Everyone and their army now feel a sense of entitlement to their share of the treasure that lies at the bottom of the mountain, so battle inevitably follows.

I don’t think it’s unfair to say that the recent Hobbit films haven’t achieved the same sense of spectacle as the Lord of the Rings and the same problems from Desolation of Smaug carry through into the final part. The continuation of the elf-dwarf-elf love triangle is an irritating subplot, with Legolas popping up now and again to do little more than hop across stones and have a little moan. The development of Thorin’s story arc is, to me, one of the highlights of the series, culminating effectively in an interesting character study that explores what can happen when you get everything that you’ve ever wanted. His friendship with Bilbo provides a few touching moments, and helps bring the hobbit himself into what is supposed to be his story after all.

In the midst of all the fighting and the questionable high frame-rate CGI, there are a few performances that deserve some credit. Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee are as strong as ever as the all-conquering wizards Gandalf and Saruman, their story nodding towards what is ahead, making it increasingly tempting to dig out the Fellowship of the Ring DVD. Martin Freeman comes into his own finally as Bilbo, the portrayal bettering as the character grows in confidence and stature. Richard Armitage impresses the most as Thorin, powerfully conveying the swaying nature of the character’s inner conflict. In an all star cast, Ken Stott, Stephen Fry and Billy Connolly stand out from the supporting actors, though the latter’s appearance is nothing more than an amusing cameo.

By now, the sight of Peter Jackson’s Middle-Earth is comforting to fans of the series and the finale provides a solid, if slightly subdued conclusion. Taking an overview of the story, the Hobbit novel is aimed predominantly at a young audience and has a primitive plot at its heart. In its cinemakeover, Jackson’s vision has stretched and contorted it, turning Tolkien’s short book into a near ten hour epic, perhaps for monetary gain and to fulfil his own artistic ambition. Where some flourishes work and his flair for stunning set pieces is unfaltering, others sadly don’t. Despite its flaws, ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’ is an enjoyable closing chapter to what is arguably one of the best cinematic franchises of all time.

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Features

Top 5 Al Pacino Performances

April 14, 2015November 6, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Next month, the iconic Hollywood actor Al Pacino visits the United Kingdom to take part in ‘An Evening With…’ events in both London and Glasgow. I will be hoping to grasp the opportunity to ask him a question about his hugely impressive career. Until then, let’s celebrate how much of a talent he is, and reflect on the film performances that helped make him the legend he is today.

5. Scarface

‘Say hello to my little friend’ is arguably one of the most quotable lines in cinema culture, epitomising the egotistical drug-lord Tony Montana whom Al Pacino played in Brian De Palma’s crime thriller ‘Scarface’. It is set to be remade in the coming years but I doubt any actor of today could match the sheer screen presence of Pacino in his heyday.

4. Serpico

In a rare good-guy appearance, Al Pacino brilliantly took the eponymous part of patrolman Frank Serpico in Sidney Lumet’s police corruption drama. Sick and tired of the constant pay-offs taken by his cheating colleagues in the force, he goes out to expose his co-workers, but at what cost does justice come at?

3. Godfather Part I

In the performance that launched him into the limelight, he is the soft-spoken youngest son of Don Vito Corleone in the first instalment of Francis Ford Coppola’s mafia trilogy ‘The Godfather’. His cool, calm and collected exterior is put to the test when the safety and well-being of his family is threatened, and he takes drastic action.

2. Dog Day Afternoon

In a ‘how not to rob a bank’ masterclass, Al Pacino co-stars as hapless dreamer Sonny Wortzik alongside John Cazale, who plays his on-screen brother in the entries that sandwich this one in the list. Sidney Lumet directs again and we see another side to Pacino where his character quickly loses control of a high-intensity situation and he is forced to face the consequences of his foolish decision-making.

1. The Godfather II

In the second part of Coppola’s gangster epic, the reserved youngster from the original becomes a fully fledged boss of the crime family, and will stop at nothing to keep his empire and his reputation intact. The transformation of Michael Corleone goes a long way to showcase the colossal talent of Al Pacino, and is recognised as one of the greatest character arcs in film history.

Shorts

Short film review: The Muse

April 4, 2015February 17, 2025 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Muse -noun

(Muse) (In Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.

A woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist: Yeats’ muse, Maud Gonne

In the creative industries, it is vitally important to always be inspired for each and every project you take on and fashion photographer Tim Walker has turned film director to explore this theme further. His piece, simply titled ‘The Muse’ features Ben Whishaw in the leading role, who rose to fame in 2012 after playing James Bond’s go-to-gadget-guru Q in Skyfall. He plays struggling artist Edward who is lost without his muse (Kristen McMenamy), and left to reflect over what he had, mourning his source of invention and imagination.

It is refreshing to watch Walker liberated from still photography to work with the moving image, and his strong visual style transfers beautifully across mediums. Each frame of the film is deliberated over and could easily be captured to go on display. Structurally, the minimalist narrative floats through in a wash of ambiguity, as Edward mopes about in despair, his internal monologue the only dialogue, while his mermaid muse gazes out of a water-tank in what are beguilingly fantastical-flashback-dream sequences. I feel that it could benefit from the accompaniment of an exhibition space to fully flesh out the thought process involved, but with the behind-the-scenes bundle available at www.wearecolony.com, you can get access to the full film as well as stills, concept art, sketches and more!

See the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK4JTCByEQY

DVD & Digital

DVD review: The Infinite Man

April 4, 2015April 5, 2015 Garry Arnot1 Comment

A new breed of films are surfacing in the forever changing cinema industry. Independent science fiction, or sci-findie if you will, is a forming genre which takes elements of futuristic technology – in this case time travel – and applies it to a simple story, with no aliens or laser beams in sight. Australian comedy ‘The Infinite Man’, written and directed by Hugh Sullivan, has one location, three actors but a great deal of creativity and intelligence. Dean (Josh McConville) wants to recreate the perfect anniversary weekend with his girlfriend Lana (Hannah Marshall). He takes her to same holiday resort, which unbeknownst to him is now closed and deserted, and has an agenda to repeat the same activities. However, when Hannah’s ex Terry (Alex Dimitriades) appears, his carefully laid plans go terribly awry.

One year later, a heartbroken Dean digs out a ridiculously looking time-travel device which he has cooked up ‘in the lab’ and proceeds to send himself and Lana back in time to give it another go. Of course, this backfires when his current self follows suit, trapping the characters in an infinite loop of misery, jealousy and hilarity. Despite the narrative repeating itself, it never becomes uninteresting and actually gets funnier as the plot develops and we see Dean become hysterical in his pursuit of eternal happiness. The dialogue has the same quirky edge and unenthused tones as that in the New Zealand sitcom Flight of the Conchords, and is delivered with impressive comic ability by all involved.

The inventiveness of the plotting means that the viewer is always kept thinking, and the low-budget environment becomes an intimate microcosm of unrequited love. I hope that the work will reach a wide audience after its festival reception, and it’d be intriguing to see where the ideas could travel with more money to spend. Until then, ‘The Infinite Man’ is substantial proof that big ideas can work well on the smallest of scales, and is a notable feature debut for film-maker Hugh Sullivan.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: Interstellar

March 29, 2015January 2, 2020 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Christopher Nolan is undeniably one of the most ambitious, forward thinking filmmakers working in the industry today. Known for writing and directing mind-bending films such as Inception and Memento, his thought-provoking style pushes the boundaries of cinema, challenging audiences to unravel his narratives. His latest picture is sci-fi epic ‘Interstellar’ and it is perhaps his most daring yet. Set on a decaying planet Earth running low on natural resources, Matthew McConaughey takes the leading role as former NASA pilot Cooper and is tasked with the almighty responsibility of finding a new home planet for the human race. After much deliberation with his daughter Murphy (Mackenzie Foy) and persuasion from Professor Brand (Michael Caine), he leaves his family behind for the greater good, taking off with biologist Amelia (Anne Hathaway) for a journey through space and time.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: The Drop

March 21, 2015September 16, 2021 Garry Arnot3 Comments

In a year that has pushed the envelope in terms of experimental filmmaking, is there still a demand for simplistic cinema? Or is it in fact more ambitious to do the stripped-back style well, with solid acting and an intelligent script, than convolute your story with gimmicks to stand out from the crowd? Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam brings together an excellent cast for neo-noir drama ‘The Drop’, which harks back to the classic gangster genre movies where nobody can be trusted and danger lurks around every corner. Tom Hardy stars as soft-spoken and unassuming bartender Bob Saginowski who looks after a drinking den alongside his Cousin Marv (James Gandolfini), which is regularly used as a ‘drop’ for the local lowlifes to launder their illegally gotten gains. When a robbery takes place after hours, Bob and Marv find themselves in a precarious predicament, forced to face the wrath of the mob.

Brooklyn’s grimy underworld provides the backdrop for Dennis Lehane’s tightly woven script to unfold. Having previously worked on The Wire as well as collaborating with legendary crime film director Scorsese, his influences are clear as they bleed into the flawed but fascinating characters. Very much character driven rather than narrative driven, the study of the morals and masculinity of the protagonists is always interesting and an appealing subplot plays out naturally about the responsibilities involved in taking on a pit bull pup. While events never really veer too far out of the ordinary story-wise, Roskam puts on a masterclass in tension building, heightening to a satisfying final third.

It is of course terribly sad that this film will mostly be remembered for featuring James Gandolfini’s final screen performance, but it is testament to how phenomenally gifted he was as an actor. Widely known for his long-running portrayal of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano, he was an expert in complex multi-faceted drama and playing cowardly Cousin Marv serves as a fitting swansong. Not to be outdone though is Tom Hardy, who matches Gandolfini blow for blow in a battle of acting prowess and again proves himself as one of the best of his generation. He gives a controlled and more subtle turn than we are used to seeing from him, nailing the accent and showing that sometimes less is more.

‘The Drop’ is an effective throwback genre picture, and what it lacks in narrative imagination, it makes up for with the powerful screen presence of the leads. The term ‘actor’s movie’ has never felt more apt. Roskam and screenwriter Lehane present a bleak Brooklyn exterior, an unappealing interpretation of the big apple which hides a black and bloody core of corruption. In this environment, it is equally dangerous whether you’re propping up the bar or serving beers with Bob and Marv from behind it, but where Hardy and Gandolfini are concerned, consider the metaphorical acting bar raised.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: ’71

March 8, 2015April 23, 2020 Garry Arnot3 Comments

In his feature length debut, Yann Demange’s action thriller takes us to the height of the Troubles in Belfast where political conflict lasted for over a quarter of a century. We witness the hostilities through the fearful eyes of a young British soldier called Gary Hook (Jack O’Connell) whose squad is caught in the middle of a riot, and who is accidentally left behind by his unit after events go terribly awry. As he desperately tries to get back to his barracks and fights for survival, he becomes embroiled in a local war of corruption and betrayal. This is a brutally realistic depiction of terror, enhanced by yet another stunning performance from one of Britain’s best.

There is a patient build-up as we’re first introduced to Private Gary Hook, and we get vital glimpses of his youthful innocence before he is thrust into the face of danger. The grainy cinematography as well as the shaky camera techniques assist in creating a pragmatically dangerous environment. An excellent chase sequence had me gripped as the protagonist is hunted down by a ruthless gang of nationalists. Tension drops slightly as Hook meets a young impressionable protestant who seems born to hate the ‘fenian bastards’ as he so eloquently, and continuously puts it. Their brief encounter offers the only glimmer of humour as the youngster struts the dishevelled streets like a mafia boss, but the friendship is brought to an abrupt, shocking climax which highlights the atmosphere of the film and illustrates how treacherous the situation was in Northern Ireland at that time.

In a role much more subtle and understated than we are used to, Jack O’Connell is excellent. With very little dialogue, his performance relies on his range of expression as well as his general screen presence. Earlier this year, we saw him in Starred Up as a disturbed prisoner, visceral and violent. Here, he is vulnerable, and lost in a antagonistic environment that he knows little about. Support comes in force from Paul Anderson and Sean Harris as crooked figures of authority. Harris’ squirrel faced villain is chilling, and with trouble around every corner, so-called factions are paper thin as every character seems willing to stab their allies in the back. The final third plays out a little predictably, though not without moments on extreme intensity as all sides close in on Hook and each other.

The focus of the thriller as a whole leans less on being a story of the Troubles as such, and more a survival movie as the lead is attacked from all angles throughout. It marks an impressive foray into cinema for the director Demange, who along with writer Gregory Burke and composer David Holmes, captures the threatening mood brilliantly. The main strength of the piece is the central turn from O’Connell. We’ll see him on the big screen again soon, this time as an American soldier in Angelina Jolie’s WWII directorial debut Unbroken, which demonstrates the impact he is having within the industry. Until then, we can celebrate the year he has in British film – the rising star has reached new heights.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: Mr. Turner

March 3, 2015September 12, 2024 Garry Arnot2 Comments

Joseph Mallord William Turner was a complicated man, revered for his pioneering painting style, but his reputation tainted by his life away from the easel. In typically fluid fashion, veteran British filmmaker Mike Leigh writes and directs a biopic of the artist, which looks at the latter stages of Turner’s life. The great Timothy Spall stars in the eponymous role, and the narrative follows how he balanced his passion for his art with his personal demons. Both Leigh and his regular cinematographer Dick Pope are long-time fans of J.M.W. Turner and this comes across strongly on-screen as the director’s style departs from the zany and improvisational and is executed with great care and precision.

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Interviews

Director interview: Morgan Matthews – ‘I want to be creatively challenged and try all the different forms of storytelling, whether it’s documentary or fiction’.

March 3, 2015September 28, 2023 Garry Arnot2 Comments

Inspired by his own film Beautiful Young Minds, British filmmaker Morgan Matthews directs ‘X+Y’, a story of a young boy with autism who has a gift for mathematics. The cast includes Asa Butterfield, Rafe Spall, Eddie Marsan and Sally Hawkins. It screened at Glasgow Film Festival and I was fortunate enough to speak to Morgan Matthews about the project…

Coming from a career in documentary filmmaking, why was this the right time for your first foray into feature fiction?

I’ve made a lot of documentaries and have done so in differing styles but at the same time felt that I was making them in quite a similar way. I want to be creatively challenged every time I make a film and try all the different forms of storytelling, and whether it’s documentary or fiction you’re still telling a story. In some ways there are a lot of similarities.

Continue reading “Director interview: Morgan Matthews – ‘I want to be creatively challenged and try all the different forms of storytelling, whether it’s documentary or fiction’.” →