The Hurt Locker might be the best film on the Iraq war, but on the subject matter it has been beaten by TV. And it pains me to say that. Throughout watching this great film, I couldn't help compare it with HBO's Generation Kill. The Hurt Locker comes off looking like a poor imitation. Kathryn Bigelow's camera zooms in and out way to much, desperate it seems to emulate the documentary style of HBO's mini series. Content wise, its not as modern or as realistic in its portrayal of soldiers as Generation Kill. There are a couple of moments in the film that I found hard to believe. In Generation Kill its the familiar story of officers leading the troops to their unnecessary deaths. In The Hurt Locker, its the other way around. What I found revelatory about Generation Kill was that the soldiers had no qualms about killing (as long as it was a legitimate target). They were depressed when they didn't have a chance to kill. The Hurt Locker almost makes a similar point with the main character, but it just doesn't have the same impact. I'll stop with the comparisons now, its becoming unfair.
Despite the documentary style and art house release, Bigelow's film betrays its modern sensibilities with some predictable, cliche, scenes. Such as the obligatory shower scene where the character wears all their clothes to reveal their inner turmoil. (re. Casino Royale). Or leaving a room just to hear someone call on you and ask a character revealing question.
What the film lacks in originality, it makes up for with its energy, quickness, and surprisingly, humour. Its a good film, and a great film if you haven't seen Generation Kill.
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Monday 8 March 2010
Youth in Revolt
Another late entry, I seen this a week ago. I think most teenagers have a film that embodies a mood, tone and humour that they can identify with. That film becomes their bible for a little while. I loved Donnie Darko when I was 16. Youth in Revolt (based on a book that achieved bible status) is aiming for a place in that canon. Michael Cera makes a good everyman. His dialogue, and that of every other teenager, is in the tradition of the implausibly articulate teens that feature in Heathers, Clueless, The Breakfast Club, 10 Things I Hate About You, and so on. Amidst the sophistication, there's a surreal interpretation of the crazy events you expect in Superbad and Porky's. Sailor's turning up at his door, threatening to break his Mum's boyfriends legs. A car being dismantled and re-built perfectly in their living room.
Michael Cera plays Nick Twisp and his vilanious alter ego Francois Dillinger. They take the split personality so far, for most of the film I thought his character was genuinely schizophrenic.
I liked the romance between the two leads. Cera will do anything she says, and she loves to play with him. But, they both unite behind teenage escapist dreams that made me think of An Education. Carey Mulligan's character and Portia Doubleday (who plays Sheeni Saunders) both look upon 60's Paris as a utopia. I like the fact that the intangible ideas of escape in both films take the very definite shape of Paris. In the 60's.
Youth in Revolt has a liberating sense of freedom. It made me want to be more subversive and do something.. mental. Then I watched Field of Dreams, and Kevin Costner's character is a grown up Nick Twisp, and he fully commits to something mental.
The film also reinforced my love for short feature films. Miguel Arteta's film just runs out of steam at 90 mins.
Michael Cera plays Nick Twisp and his vilanious alter ego Francois Dillinger. They take the split personality so far, for most of the film I thought his character was genuinely schizophrenic.
I liked the romance between the two leads. Cera will do anything she says, and she loves to play with him. But, they both unite behind teenage escapist dreams that made me think of An Education. Carey Mulligan's character and Portia Doubleday (who plays Sheeni Saunders) both look upon 60's Paris as a utopia. I like the fact that the intangible ideas of escape in both films take the very definite shape of Paris. In the 60's.
Youth in Revolt has a liberating sense of freedom. It made me want to be more subversive and do something.. mental. Then I watched Field of Dreams, and Kevin Costner's character is a grown up Nick Twisp, and he fully commits to something mental.
The film also reinforced my love for short feature films. Miguel Arteta's film just runs out of steam at 90 mins.
Micmacs
I seen this film when it was the opening gala of the Glasgow Film Festival on the 18th Feb. Jean Pierre Jeunet was there in person, and with all the glamour (and free goodie bag) at every sold out seat, there was a very excitable atmosphere.
We weren't let down, especially with Jean Pierre Jeunet's enthusiasm and warmth, and the exhilarating first 10 minutes of Micmacs a Tire-larigot. It could have made for an immense short film in its own right. I haven't seen Up, but surely this could compete with its infamous opening sequence. The film was aptly summed up by Jeunet as a live action Pixar/Disney film, and I don't think I can do better than that. In an otherwise kid's orientated film, Jeunet injects a sudden burst of adult sexuality in a lap dance scene. He does this in almost all of his films. Just as you think its safe for the family, the film takes a seedy, but strangely innocent, turn into a red light district. It must come from his house in Montmartre, Paris's cultural sector.
In his interview after the film, and in subsequent interviews, Jeunet asks budding filmmakers if they want to 'be a film director' or 'make films'. There is a crucial difference, and it certainly made me question the reasons behind my commitment. I concluded the latter, but cursed my laziness in cultivating my creativity. Enough soul searching. The best thing I took from his talk was his objective to 'have an idea in every scene' in the same way that a Pixar and Disney film has. This really made me think about the effort he puts into his films. He's only made 3 films in the last decade, and this must be because of the detail and effort he puts in every scene. Putting an idea across and telling a story effectively to an audience is enough for most filmmakers. Jeunet wants more. He wants all the mise-en-scene, theme, character and plot functioning. Then he wants an idea on top of that.
I felt inspired at the end of the film and talk, and will try and take his enthusiasm and dedication into the next film.
We weren't let down, especially with Jean Pierre Jeunet's enthusiasm and warmth, and the exhilarating first 10 minutes of Micmacs a Tire-larigot. It could have made for an immense short film in its own right. I haven't seen Up, but surely this could compete with its infamous opening sequence. The film was aptly summed up by Jeunet as a live action Pixar/Disney film, and I don't think I can do better than that. In an otherwise kid's orientated film, Jeunet injects a sudden burst of adult sexuality in a lap dance scene. He does this in almost all of his films. Just as you think its safe for the family, the film takes a seedy, but strangely innocent, turn into a red light district. It must come from his house in Montmartre, Paris's cultural sector.
In his interview after the film, and in subsequent interviews, Jeunet asks budding filmmakers if they want to 'be a film director' or 'make films'. There is a crucial difference, and it certainly made me question the reasons behind my commitment. I concluded the latter, but cursed my laziness in cultivating my creativity. Enough soul searching. The best thing I took from his talk was his objective to 'have an idea in every scene' in the same way that a Pixar and Disney film has. This really made me think about the effort he puts into his films. He's only made 3 films in the last decade, and this must be because of the detail and effort he puts in every scene. Putting an idea across and telling a story effectively to an audience is enough for most filmmakers. Jeunet wants more. He wants all the mise-en-scene, theme, character and plot functioning. Then he wants an idea on top of that.
I felt inspired at the end of the film and talk, and will try and take his enthusiasm and dedication into the next film.
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