Film Review: American Honey

American Honey is a new American road movie. Andrea Arnold proves once more why she is such an exciting director.

Hoping to escape her less than ideal life, teenager Star joins a travelling magazine sales crew. As they travel across the Midwest, Star gets caught up in the partying and the nomadic lifestyle…

Writer-director Andrea Arnold’s American Honey combines aspects of a traditional road movie with a contemporary outlook. The film marries a throwback style with an unappealing reality. Star is a protagonist that viewers will get behind, even if some of her choices are questionable.

Opening on an average day for Star, the film immediately paints a less than ideal picture. This is not the story of a girl wanting an escape from her mundane existence. American Honey is darker than this; a theme that pervades the entire film. Viewers will sympathise with Star, and later will likely feel tense at the situations she gets herself into.

As the film progresses, the lifestyle of the characters becomes repetitive. Arnold is making a point here; it is not a envious lifestyle of these young adults, but it is better than where they have come from. The interactions seem natural, particularly the camaraderie on the road. Arnold depicts a range of characters, without delving to far beyond the main players. Nevertheless, she offers enough for viewers to feel familiar with the group. Krystal is also a strong character – a Fagin of sorts who both looks after and exploits her charges. Jake is a wildcard, likeable in his demeanour yet unreliable in his motives.

A very telling aspect of American Honey is the scenes in which the main characters talk about dreams. Their fantasies are so simple, yet not so attainable. This exemplifies the new American dream; not a life of riches and comfort but simply a space to live a normal life. Arnold captures this shift perfectly.

American Honey has one of the best soundtracks of the year. The camera work is both intimate and energetic. The handheld camera, in the van in particular, gives a strong sense of the lifestyle. Sasha Lane is very believable as Star. Riley Keough is also good as Krystal. Shia LeBoeuf brings a manic energy to Jake that viewers will have seen before. This suits the role, however.

American Honey is in its own way thought-provoking, sweet, and disturbing. A worthwhile watch.

American Honey is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2016.

BFI London Film Festival 2016 Launch

Today saw the launch of the BFI London Film Festival 2016. This year’s programme is bursting with cinematic delights. There are more galas than in previous years, and screen talk participants include Werner Herzog and Paul Verhoeven. Here are some of the films to look out for at London Film Festival 2016.

Headline Galas

The London Film Festival 2016’s opening gala A United Kingdom had already been announced, the Scorsese-produced, Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire looks like a lot of fun. Elsewhere, plenty of hotly anticipated films including La La Land, Arrival and The Birth of a Nation. Writer-director Nate Parker also stars in the story of an enslaved preacher who led a revolt in 1830s Virginia. Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals is also a headline gala. An adaptation of Austin Wright’s novel Tony and Susan, the film stars Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe stars David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o.

Strand Galas and Special Presentations

This year sees additional galas, which will take place on a purpose built venue on the Strand. They include The Handmaiden, from director Chan-wook Park. The film looks as sumptuous as Park’s previous film Stoker. Miles Teller stars in Bleed For This, based on the true story of boxer Vinny Paziena. Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq is the Sonic Gala. The hip hop musical features Teyonah Parris, Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson. Andrea Arnold’s American Honey and Ava DuVernay’s The 13th are among the special presentations this year.

Official Competition

Paul Verhoeven’s Elle is amongst the Official Competition at London Film Festival 2016. Staring Isabelle Huppert, the film is an adaptation of a Philippe Dijan novel. Terence Davies’ A Quiet Presentation is a biopic of Emily Dickinson staring Cynthia Nixon. Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, about a young man struggling with his sexuality in 1980s Miami, looks like a great watch. In the First Feature Competition, Porto sees one of Anton Yelchin’s final performances, whilst animation My Life As A Courgette looks like a lot of fun. David Lynch: The Art Life is among the contenders for the Documentary Competition, as well as The Graduation. The latter is a documentary about a prestigious film school in Paris. Chasing Asylum, about the Australian government’s immigration policies, seems very topical.

Strands

The Love strand features Lovesong, director So Yong Kim’s film about a lonely young mother. It stars Jena Malone and Riley Keough. Highlights in the Debate category include Asghar Farhadi’s The Salesman. A Separation‘s Farhadi has already won awards at Cannes. Mindhorn features in the Laugh strand. The film stars Julian Barratt as a washed-up 1980s TV detective. Dare features Christine, starring Rebecca Hall as the notorious television journalist. Paul Schrader’s Dog Eat Dog looks to be a highlight of the Thrill section, with Nicholas Cage starring alongside Willem Dafoe. Another David Lynch connection (Cage and Dafoe starred in Lynch’s Wild at Heart), Blue Velvet Revisited, features in the Cult strand.

Cult also features I Am Not A Serial Killer, based on the young adult novel. The Innocents looks to be a highlight of the Journey strand. Anne Fontaine’s film is about a young doctor working for the French Red Cross in 1945. London Town, a coming of age film set in 1979 London, features in the Sonic strand. The Family strand includes Rock Dog, an animation featuring the voices of J.K. Simmons and Luke Wilson. Finally, Experimenta includes Have You Seen My Movie?; a must-see for cinema fans.

The full London Film Festival 2016 programme can be viewed here. The BFI London Film Festival runs from 5th-16th October 2016.

Film Review: Wuthering Heights

Andrea Arnold’s atmospheric adaptation of Emily Brönte’s Wuthering Heights is a thought-provoking experiment. The film is far more earthy than a typical costume drama, which will either please or put off viewers depending on their inclinations.

The Earnshaw family are well off, living in Yorkshire. One day, Mr Earnshaw brings home Heathcliff, a young boy he finds wondering alone, and insists he is welcomed into the family. As Heathcliff adjusts into his new home, he develops a strong bond with Kathy, the youngest daughter of the Earnshaw family…

Arnold’s version of Wuthering Heights is more brutal than most adaptions of Brönte’s classic. The first half of the film is stronger than the second. It is more emotive; there is a real tragedy to Heathcliff. It is difficult not to empathise with the outsider character, and to feel strongly about his cruel treatment.

Dialogue in the film can be sparse, with plenty of prolonged shots of the landscape and close-ups of the protagonists. These shots work well to generate atmosphere. There is a coldness to the entire film, emphasised by the harsh environment and the brutality of nature. Furthermore, there is a preoccupation with animals and their treatment, perhaps likening the treatment of creatures to the treatment of certain characters.

Shannon Beer and Solomon Glave are great as the young Kathy and Heathcliff. Their burgeoning friendship is very believable. Kaya Scodelario and James Howson fair less well as their adult counterparts; at times their inexperience shines through. Robbie Ryan’s cinematography is instrumental in setting the tone.

Wuthering Heights plunges its audience into distinctive but uncomfortable world. An interesting adaptation of well-known material.

Wuthering Heights was screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2011. It is released on 11th November 2011.

Wuthering Heights Trailer

http://www.premierpr-online.co.uk/player/player_480x300.swf?file=http://www.premierpr-online.co.uk/cinema/wuth1r?user=ppr?a=false

I have heard a lot of good things about Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights. The film is an adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel, and stars James Howson as Heathcliff and Kaya Scodelario as Cathy. Whenever I think of Wuthering Heights, that Kate Bush song gets stuck in my head. This time is no different. Anyway, Wuthering Heights is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in the next fortnight, and will be out on general released on 11th November 2011.