Film Review: Brimstone

Martin Koolhoven’s film is unrelenting and unforgiving. Brimstone can be difficult to watch, but it enthrals nevertheless.

Liz provides a midwifery service, along with her young daughter, for the women in her village. When a new preacher arrives in town, Liz immediately fears that she and her family are in danger…

Brutish and bruising, Brimstone is a thriller that does not know when to quit. But make no mistake, this is a good thing. Writer-director Martin Koolhaven has created a opera of suffering, vengeance and retribution that takes no prisoners. The film is not for the faint-hearted.

Divided into four parts, Brimstone tells the story of a young woman, and the preacher that plagues her. The film is told in a non-linear format, with later chapters filling in the gaps in the story. The first part leaves viewers with a lot of questions. Koolhaven keeps his viewers hooked.

The narrative engages throughout. The film maintains an air of mystery for a significant portion of the duration. The later chapters give more context to the events of the first chapter. Whilst the air of mystery may dissipate by the final chapter, viewers will be rooting for the protagonist in the game of cat and mouse. There is a good deal of tension present in the film’s climax.

Koolhaven teases the audience with moments of false hope throughout the film. Liz has much to overcome, and elicits sympathy and admiration. Brimstone’s protagonist is thoughtfully depicted as a strong female. As the title suggests, the film has overt biblical overtones. The character of the preacher epitomises the hypocrisy of patriarchal, organised religion. Above this, he functions almost as the devil; there are some supernatural undertones to proceedings. Dakota Fanning gives a very impressive performance as Liz. Guy Pearce brings a frightening menace to his role.

Atmospherics in the film are potent, thanks to excellent art direction and sound design. Brimstone is a gripping thriller.

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

Stuff To Look At

Plenty of aural-visual delights this week, including The Babadook, Dracula Untold and Serena. And the new trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1…

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Here is the official trailer for the first part of the final instalment of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. The trailer reveals a little more about the plot, and shows Katniss in full-on action mode. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is released in UK cinemas on 20th November 2014.

The Babadook

I saw a trailer for The Babadook recently, and thought that it looked pretty terrifying. The quotes on this poster for the film appear to cement this opinion. Horror The Babadook hits the big screen on 24th October 2014.

Dracula Untold

Here is a clip from the upcoming Dracula Untold. The film is an origins story of the man who became the legenedary vampire. Starring Luke Evans and Dominic Cooper, Dracula Untold hits the big screen on 3rd October 2014.

Serena

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence reunite in Susanne Bier’s Serena. Cooper and Lawrence star as a newly wed couple in the 1920s who build a timber empire. Serena is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival and is released in cinemas on 24th October 2014.

Effie Gray

Here is a trailer for Effie Gray. Starring Dakota Fanning and Emma Thompson. the film tells the story of the marriage between Victorian art critic John Ruskin and his young bride. Effie Gray is out in cinemas on 10th October 2014.

The Judge

Robert Downey Jr. leads an all-star cast in The Judge. The film is about a city lawyer who returns to his hometown where his father, the town judge, is suspected of murder. The Judge is released in UK cinemas on 17th October 2014.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

To celebrate the upcoming release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Paramount commissioned artists across the world to make artworks based on the origins of the turtles called ‘The Legend of the Yokai‘. One of my favourites is the the one by Nicolas Delort. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is released in UK cinemas on 17th October 2014.

Lava

I don’t know exactly what this film is about, where the story will go, or why it has been made, but there is a singing volcano! And that is fine by me. Above is a short clip of Pixar’s Lava, which is scheduled for release in the UK in July 2015.

Draft Day

Draft Day is set on, as the title suggests, the day of the NFL draft. Starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, the film is about the manager of an American football team and the decisions he makes on that day. But really, the reason to see this film is that Frank Langella (aka Skeletor) is in it. Draft Day is set for release on 3rd October 2014.

Film Review: Night Moves

Night Moves features an interesting enough premise, but this is let down by the lacklustre execution.

Environmentalist Josh wants to make an impact. Along with his girlfriend Dena and friend Harmon, Josh plans to blow up a dam…

Kelly Reichardt’s Night Moves is a drama about the environmentalists rather than the environment. The film concentrates on three main characters and their reaction to their plan and its after effects.

Night Moves toddles along at a rambling pace. The film never quite manages any real peaks. There are a few tense moments, but these are not powerful enough to compensate for the rest of Night Moves. The second half of the film in particular lacks momentum.

The atmosphere is never really persuasive enough. There are certain points in the film which indicate a shift in feeling, but these do not permeate universally. Night Moves would have worked better with a meatier plot.

Environmental aspects of the film act as a catalyst for action to unfold rather than dominant themes. The focus is on the how and its impact, rather than the why. As a result, Night Moves concentrates on the actions and reactions of Josh, Dena and Harmon more than anything else. The characters needed to be more compelling in order for the film to work. Some more character development would have been welcome.

Performances in Night Moves are fine. There is not that much for Dakota Fanning or Peter Sarsgaard to get their teeth into. Jesse Eisenberg is decent as Josh.

Ultimately, Night Moves is a dull film. There is not enough in the film for audiences to engage with.

Night Moves is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2013.

Trailer Round-Up

Last week was a slow week for trailers, so I decided to carry any forward to this week’s round-up. Despite the teasers for the Prometheus trailer, it is not being unveiled until Sunday. But this week with have the first trailer for Dark Shadows, a new Battleship trailer, Now is Good and a new Mirror Mirror featurette.

Dark Shadows

From the stills released earlier this year, this was not what I was expecting from Tim Burton’s update of 1960s television show Dark Shadows. Set in the 1970s, the film appears to be far more camp than gothic. There is also more comedy than I was expecting. This is not necessarily a bad thing, readjusting expectations to view Dark Shadows as a comedy makes it appear rather fun. Dark Shadows is released on 11th May 2012.

Battleship

From the toy company that brought you Transformers… There are definite parallels between this Hasbro toy product-based film and the Michael Bay franchise. I am hoping Battleship is going to be the hottest mess of the year. It should be suitably ridiculous, and shouldn’t take itself too seriously. Whatever the outcome, at least the presence of Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgård will make the film easy on the eye. Battleship is released on 11th April 2012.

Now is Good

This looks as if it will be a bit of a tearjerker. Based on Jenny Downham’s novel Before I Die, Now is Good is about teenager Tessa, who is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Dakota Fanning has proved herself to be a capable actress, but her English accent in the above trailer sounds less than authentic. Now is Good is released on 25th May 2012.

Mirror, Mirror

Having undergone a sensible name change, Mirror Mirror seems a very family-orientated film. It is a lot more camp than Snow White and the Huntsman, which is out later in the summer. Above is a featurette about Armie Hammer’s character in the film. Mirror Mirror is out on 2nd April 2012.

Film Review: Somewhere

Somewhere is an aesthetically pleasing film, but the slow pace will not be to everyone’s taste. Somewhere displays flashes of Sofia Coppola’s earlier film Lost in Translation, but fails to live up to the promise of her 2003 hit.

Johnny Marco is a movie star living a vacuous lifestyle at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. When his young daughter comes to visit him, Johnny re-evaluates his life…

The fundamental problem with Somewhere is not that it is a slowing-moving film, but that it is a slow-moving film that fails to pack an emotional punch. Although Johnny is an interesting protagonist, he does not inspire any real emotional reaction. Therefore, it is completely conceivable that viewers will leave screenings wondering what exactly the point of the film was.

There is complete lack of urgency in Somewhere; events are left to unfold at a sedentary pace. Coppola, who also wrote the screenplay, expends energy on the subtle rather than very apparent actions. There is little dialogue in the film, Somewhere concentrates on the unsaid.

Somewhere focuses on the vacuousness of the Hollywood lifestyle and the resulting dysphoria. Rather than the glamour of such an existence, Coppola is intent on fixating on the negative side. Even with women throwing themselves at Johnny, it is clear that this is a shallow life where pleasure is fleeting.

Sofia Coppola’s real talent lies in her ability to effectively cut through the glossiness of the world of celebrity to expose the hollowness of this realm. She does this with a sly humour reminiscent of the photo shoot scene in Lost in Translation. Thus, there are the deeply unsexy pole artists putting on a private show for Johnny, the inane questions at the press conference, and the uncomfortable mould-casting session. Like the rest of the film, subtlety is the key in the humour of these scenes.

Stephen Dorff is solid as Johnny; it is fathomable that the actor may have experienced what is depicted in the film himself. Elle Fanning gives an excellent performance as his daughter Cleo, stepping out of Dakota’s shadow in a very convincing way. Benicio Del Toro’s cameo appears utterly pointless.

Coppola’s shooting style owes more to art house and independent cinema than mainstream Hollywood. There are numerous lengthy shots, but thankfully these stay on the pensive side, rather than becoming overly cumbersome. Despite the film’s negative reaction towards Hollywood, locations are shot beautifully.

As subtle portrait of existential anxiety, Somewhere is not as profound as it thinks it is. The film shows flashes of brilliance but feels a little superficial overall. Ironic, given its theme.

Somewhere was screened at the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival in October 2010.

Film Review: The Runaways

One of the aims of this film surely is to encourage viewers to revisit the music of Joan Jett and The Runaways. The film will no doubt be successful on this count; it will be difficult to find one audience member who leaves without the iconic track ‘Cherry Bomb’ playing in their head.

Aspiring rock guitarist Joan Jett wishes to form an all-girl rock band in the 1970s. With the guidance of producer Kim Fowley, The Runaways go on to have great success, but it isn’t plain sailing for the group, particularly singer Cherie Currie…

This biopic was based on the memoirs of Currie, and with Jett as producer it is clear events are grounded in some truth. Notwithstanding, the filmmakers failed to get the consent of all the band members, which explains the elements of fiction. Although it is titled The Runaways, the film is very much the story of Jett and Currie.

The Runaways is very much a coming-of-age picture; depicting the girls growing up in their teen years whilst having their musical success. Thus, there is the sexual and drug experimentations, as well as the more mundane parental problems. The film reveals a notable shift in celebrity from the 1970s to the present day. Whilst the band could get away with a certain amount of bad behaviour behind closed doors, teen stars today do not appear to have quite the same luxury.

Although the film depicts the major events in The Runaways’ career, it does not give a clear sense of time. It shows the band getting signed and their success (particularly in Japan), but condenses later events. For those not schooled in the history of the band, this may be a little misleading.

The Runaways is an entertaining film overall, however on occasion points seem laboured. The lingering shots of Dakota Fanning in stockings and suspenders do not sit easy considering the actress’ young age. Although her costume is authentic of Currie, the protracted gaze is unnecessary. Furthermore, the film continually drives home how difficult it was to be a female musician at the time. Whilst this point is not disputed, the overemphasis is not really necessary; the same message could have been delivered with a degree more subtlety.

Dakota Fanning is excellent as Cherie Currie, proving she is one of the best young actresses around. Kristen Stewart successfully captures the attitude of Joan Jett, whilst Michael Shannon brings the humour as the larger-than-life Fowley. The re-recordings of songs by the cast are competent, but sound a little too polished compared to the originals.

The Runaways is an enjoyable trip to rock’n’roll history. The film is pretty much guaranteed to reignite interest in the band’s music, as well as gain a new generation of fans.