Orlando (1992) – Available on DVD Certificate 15

Orlando (Swinton) is an Elizabethan nobleman living a privileged life when Queen Elizabeth I (Crisp) commands him to stay forever young, which he does. This film follows Orlando from 1600 to the present day when he searches for truth, beauty and love. This book is based on the Virgina Woolf book of the same name the story is also updated to reflect modern life.

He falls in love and is betrayed, he falls into a seven day sleep and awakens anew and travels to the Middle East as the UK ambassador where he discards the pomp and pageantry of the British courts. It is when he is here he witnesses a battle and he becomes disgusted with men and so falls into a deep sleep again and this time awakens a woman.

When she returns to England, essentially the same person but now a woman it is here that Orlando realises the restrictions, limitations and constraints on women in the 1750’s. Through Orlando the audience sees the gradual changes in the perceptions and rights of women right up until the present day.

The film is told in chapters and always with an ironic sense of fun and humour. Orlando moves through the chapters and through the ages, learning, loving and finally becoming whole. In some ways he / she seems like a witness to their own destiny rather than a real participant. In fact it is only when she meets Shelmerdine (Zane) that you have the feeling that she then begins to live properly.

It’s a beautiful film, the costumes are amazing, the sets are almost too beautiful – from the ice covered Thames to Orlandos house which even under dust sheets it looks a magical place. I began to wish I had seen this in the cinema as the visuals would have been so powerful and stunning. Swinton is amazing and mesmerising as Orlando, it is impossible to think of another actor who could have played the androgynous dreamlike character.

It is also an unfamiliar experience to see the changes in the perceptions of women over centuries through one character, and as a female it made me glad I live in an age when there are so few constraints in real terms. It is only in this age also that Orlando has found peace and happiness with herself.

This film won’t be popular with everyone, even the concept of a character changing sex part way through the film will be enough to put some people off. I though am glad I have seen it, the haunting visuals and the humour and subtle strength of Orlando’s character made the film for me well worth it.

Director: Sally Potter

Cast:

Tilda Swinton – Orlando

Billy Zane – Shelmerdine

Charlotte Valandrey – Princess Sasha

Lothaire Bluteau – The Khan

Quentin Crisp – Queen Elizabeth I

To view the trailer please click here

Step Brothers out on DVD now

After the marriage of Nancy Huff to Dr Robert Doback their respective sons, Brennan (Ferrell) and Dale (Reilly), have to learn how to live together. They fight, they sulk, they threaten each other and they hate each other. The problem is Brennan and Dale are two 40 year olds who are acting like 9 year olds.

Neither Brennan or Dale have worked a day in their lives they are both given an ultimatum – get a job or get out, which leads to them becoming friends although that still doesn’t lead to a peaceful household.

Will Ferrell has always been a bit hit or miss, for every Anchorman there is a Bewitched or Talladega Nights but Step Brothers is worth watching if you don’t expect too much. Its funny, silly and yes childish watching Ferrell and Reilly acting like spoilt kids. The films not perfect there are parts when the plot slows down also some of the story seems quite formulaic and this makes the plot predictable but for those minor problems its still fun. It won’t change the world but it should at least make you laugh.

Director: Adam McKay

Cast:

Will Ferrell – Brennan Huff
John C Reilly – Dale Doback
Mary Steenburgen – Nancy Huff
Richard Jenkins – Dr Robert Doback
Adam Scott – Derek Huff
Kathryn Hahn – Alice Huff

For the offical website click here

Gran Torino out on DVD now

Recently widowed Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) is isolated from his family, stuck in his ways cantankerous and grumpy. He saves his neighbour Thao (Vany), who is of Hmong descent, from a local gang an incident that begins a chain of events that will affect Kowalski and his neighbours forever.

Think Harry Callahan from the film Dirty Harry (1971), imagine him retired living in Michigan, surrounded by immigrant families, clinging to his old ways, hating his family, hating his neighbourhood and hating change, in fact the only thing he loves is his mint Gran Torino.

Eastwood is great, as always, as Walt, a man who relishes hating life so much he’s forgotten how to live. Its great to see this character dragged back into life, made to care despite himself. It’s a film of two halves, the first being funny as Walt sneers at everything and anything, treating everything with contempt, and the second dealing with much deeper more serious issues.

Watch it, you wont be disappointed.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood – Walt Kowalski
Christopher Carley – Father Janovich
Bee Vany – Thao Vang Lor
Ahney Her – Sue Lor

For the offical website click here

Che Part One out on DVD now

Detailing the start of the Cuban revolution in the 1950’s when the Cuban dictator Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro (Bichir) and Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara (Del Toro).

I was hoping that it would fill in some gaps in my knowledge of history from that time, as I have to confess I’m of the era when Che is more of an iconic poster image rather than knowing the details of what he actually did in history. Yes I’ve seen (and read) the Motor Cycle Diaries (2004), which documents Che’s early travels in South America I was hoping this film would add even more flesh to the bones, but sadly it didn’t.

The film looks great, and is well acted, (Del Toro totally dominates the screen as Che, and looks amazingly cool) but also it doesn’t really do anything, or go anywhere. I watched Che walk through the jungle, shooting, rebelling, deal with injustice treat people fairly and treat people medically. I saw Che in New York I saw Che in a jungle and that’s about it for me. For a film about a person who was so charismatic it seemed strange that there was no climax or focal point and also, and probably more disappointing for me, was I learnt nothing new about the man himself or even the real reasons behind the rebellion.

I’m hoping that Part Two delivers.

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast:
Benicio Del Toro – Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara
Demian Bichir – Fidel Castro

For the trailer click here

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button out on DVD now

Based on the 1921 short story by F Scott Fitzgerald The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opens with Daisy (Blanchette) dying in New Orleans as hurricane Katrina comes to town. She asks her daughter to read from Benjamin’s diary, and so the begins the tale of his unusual and incredible life.

Born an old man, abandoned by his family but found by Queenie a carer at a home for the elderly Benjamin (Pitt) grows younger daily while the residents arrive age and die around him. Daisy comes to visit her grandmother and so begins a lifelong friendship and love.

It was a real pleasure to watch this film, I had thought that it was either just a vehicle for Pitt or was going to be too romantic and soppy but it wasn’t it was great. Firstly I wondered at the amazing subtle effects and sight of a child sized old man protected and accepted in the home for the elderly Its fascinating to watch the years drop off, while the love of his life, Daisy ages. The film draws you in with a mixture of humour and curiosity and before you know it your hooked!

The film is funny amusing, and also very moving. By presenting a life in reverse the audience is made to think about love, loss and the happiness that can be found in life. Watch it, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Director: David Fincher

Cast:
Benjamin Button – Brad Pitt
Cate Blanchette – Daisy
Julia Ormond – Caroline
Taraji P. Henson – Queenie

Click here for the offical website

Get Smart out on DVD now

Based on the 1960’s television series of the same name, Get Smart follows newly promoted Agent 86 (Carell) and his partner Agent 99 (Hathaway) as they attempt to foil KAOS and their plans to assassinate the US President.

I’ve not seen any of the original television series and maybe if I had I wouldn’t have been left feeling that I watched the wrong film. I expected the film to be on par with Austin Powers or even Inspector Clouseau with Peter Sellers (I haven’t seen the Steve Martin remakes) where a clumsy misguided agent wins through in spite of himself but this film wasn’t like this at all. Carrells Agent 86 is intelligent but inexperienced which although this is a different angle it is one that, for me, didn’t really work. He is teamed with Hathaways Agent 99, who is reluctant to work with the rookie – it’s a formula that has been overused in films and nothing new is added to it here.

I know comedy is subjective but I didn’t laugh enough, and I also didn’t care enough either. Its well acted, it looks good but it just didn’t do anything for me, I think I will forget I ever watched it very quickly.

Director: Peter Segal

Cast:
Steve Carell – Maxwell Smart / Agent 86
Anne Hathaway – Agent 99
Dwayne Johnson – Agent 23
Alan Arkin – The Chief
Terrance Stamp – Siegfried
Terry Crews – Agent 91

For the official website click here

The Wrestler out on DVD now

The story of an ageing, once successful wrestler Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson (Rourke), a man trapped by his headlining past trying to come to terms with a very uncertain future.

When you only know how to do one thing what happens when you can no longer do it? A tale of one mans attempt to rebuild and change his life when a heart attack means he can no longer continue in the ‘sport’ where he was once great.

BAFTA winner Rourke is totally fantastic, it’s impossible to contemplate anyone else in the role of the battered, broken Randy. A man trying to forge a relationship with his estranged daughter and a blossoming romance with a stripper (Tomei) while trying to deal with physical trauma and ill health. He only knows the ring, the crowd, the lights, and the fans – what is his alternative? Its almost heart breaking watching this guys attempts to work in a grocery store when ill health forces him into retirement.

Aronofsky directs this tale brilliantly, in one particular scene Randy is going to work in the supermarket and it is filmed like he is entering the wrestling ring it’s superbly done. It’s a film that made me think again about a profession that I had thought was almost a joke. What these men put themselves through in the ring while preparing themselves like models for the small crowd they draw is really something to consider. What do they do when the spotlight moves on and they haven’t ever reached the heights of being truly successful? Do they end up like Randy, trapped in an old image of themselves, living on dreams?

It’s a great film, moving, powerful, sad and thought provoking – something I never thought I would ever say about wrestling!

Director: Daren Aronofsky

Cast:

Mickey Rourke – Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson
Marisa Tomei – Cassidy / Pam
Evan Rachel Wood – Stephanie

Click here for the official website