A Single Man on DVD now

A Single Man that is based on the book of the same name by Michael Isherwood, is the story of a day in the life of a college professor George (Firth), a man struggling with grief after his partner Jim (Goode) has died in a car accident.  Months after Jim’s death George is slowly unravelling and is looking for a reason to carry on.

Firstly this film is beautiful in a way that isn’t often seen, its almost a work or art, Ford the fashion designer turned director is in his element, not only do the characters look like they are straight off the catwalk there is also something ethereal, almost dreamy about the way in which the film was shot. There are some amazing shots that are almost in sepia until George takes a deep breath in and in doing so breathes life into the footage, it’s a simple technique but is done so wonderfully you don’t even realise what you have seen until it has passed.

The story is great, and also tragic, Firth is excellent as the outwardly controlled, repressed and yet deeply grieving George, the heart of the film.  We follow him through a day in his life where we see him largely detached from his surroundings as if his grief has made him an observer in his own life. Georges situation is made all the more tragic as you realise that in the 60’s when the film was set George wasn’t allowed closure on his lovers death – not allowed to attend the funeral and apart from his friend, the beautiful gin soaked Charlie (Moore) he has to live in denial as to what has happened to him.

It’s a slow moving, dreamlike beautful movie both in look as well as sentiment and it is the unsaid lines in the film where it speaks its loudest.

Director: Tom Ford


Cast:

Colin Firth             George
Julianne Moore    Charlie
Nicholas Hoult      Kenny
Matthew Goode   Jim 

 

Splice on DVD now

Splice is the story of a couple Nicoli (Brody) and Kast (Polley), two young enthusiastic genetic engineers who have been working on groundbreaking experiments creating new species from a mixture of DNA from various animals. Their work has been to find new medical treatments but it is suddenly threatened with closure, this galvanises them to take the next step and splice the next hybrid with human DNA.

Where the basic premise of Splice is relevant, and is likely to become even more so in the future as man takes even more steps with work on DNA and cloning, ultimately the film, like the scientists, goes a step too far. Splice at first raises questions about what is right and wrong and where man morally stands on these issues.  Even when Dren takes her first steps you are still interested into where the film might be going, it is though, soon after that you can see where the film is heading when Kast decides to humanise her by dressing her up and buying her dolls.

Dren herself is an interesting creation and lucky for her it seems that the human gene is the dominant one in the way she looks. She has birdlike movements and seems to have some unusual physical features that are only glimpsed. 

It is though in the relationship of scientists and their lack of scientific discipline that the film really fails. It seems that Nicoli and Kast although they have been a couple for years haven’t actually told one another about themselves.  They are also so pleased with dressing Dren up and playing at ‘parents’ that they are not bothered with her development or any of her genetic features or traits.  What starts as an interesting premise ends in a rather sub standard horror tale – and it’s a shame it could have been a lot more.

Director: Vincenzo Natali

Cast:
Adrien Brody             Clive Nicoli
Sarah Polley              Elsa Kast
Delphine Chaneac    Dren

The Kings Speech – at cinemas now

Tom Hoopers multi award winning Kings Speech, based on the true story of King George VI who upon his brothers abdication is required to take to the throne and rally the British Empire at the beginning of the second world war. The problem is ‘Bertie’ has a stammer and cannot even speak to his family without stammering – how is he going to conquer the wireless.

Its difficult to go into watch this film without the weight of expectation that the hype and publicity has brought it. Is it really that good? Is Colin Firth that good? How can a story based on not too distant history about the Royal Family evoke any sympathy in 2011? The answer to these questions is yes it can, due to an amazing performance from Firth supported by the best British cast (excluding Rush) this side of Harry Potter and a great, subtle script.

I suppose this is the type of filmmaking that the British excel at – a period piece with and ensemble task on a subject that on paper shouldn’t really work but in reality does. Im no fan of the Royals – no siree, but the film, using Logue as the voice of the common man slowly pokes fun out of the institution and even the King himself voices how restraining and confining being in the ‘firm’ can be. Its in Firths performance, though that you see the restraint, duty, pressure and weight of expectation of a man placed in a role that he feels wholly unprepared for. He deserves every award that he wins.

Hold on the cynicism it’s a must see.

Director: Tom Hooper 

Cast:

Colin Firth                        King George VI 'Bertie'
Helena Bonham Carter  Queen Elizabeth
Geoffrey Rush                  Lionel Logue
Jennifer Ehle                    Myrtle Logue
Derek Jacobi                   Archbishop Cosmo Lang

Catfish on DVD now

Catfish is a documentary about Nev Schulman as captured by his brother, Ariel and their friend Henry Joost. What begins as a small interesting project soon becomes something much more intriguing. Catfish documents Nev as he begins an online relationship with Megan, a relationship where it soon becomes apparent that Megan is not all that she seems.

Nev’s a normal young guy and Megan seems to be and ideal match for him, he links with her and her family and friends through facebook. It’s a really well paced documentary in which you are as the viewer drawn into a facebook mystery of Nev’s relationship with Megan as he piece by piece puts together the evidence with his brother and friend that facebook sometimes lies.

What then follows although not all together surprising but it is quite scary especially the level to which the deception goes. Nev and friends expose the truth but you are left thinking how often does this happen in the virtual world to maybe more vulnerable people. Another remarkable element of this documentary is that you don’t hate the protagonist you are left feeling quite sympathetic to their situation despite the months of deception you know Nev has been exposed to.

Very telling for our times – in that respect it’s a must see.

Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman 

Cast:
Ariel Schulman           Himself (as Rel Schulman)
Yaniv Schulman          Himself (as Nev Schulman)
Angela Wesselman   Herself