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Beaver Falls (2011)
Welcome Netflix Viewers
I watched this on e4 when it was first broadcast in 2011. It was an instant hit for me. I loved the clichéd characters but more so the nuances of each individual. Ten years later after not being able to search for it on Netflix it appeared and it felt just the same as all that time before.
The first season is a straight 10/10. Funny, highly watchable and endearing. If you didn't connect with the characters by the end of the season then you might have problems empathising with people because it was heartwrenching.
The second season is a let down compared to the high standards of the first season. Judging by the number of reviews this is one of them shows that failed to reach a demographic effectively but I know that if more people saw this show it would be endeared by many more.
Once (2007)
Once viewed twice
Once is a raw, witty, infectious film. On second viewing, I found it to rise in my favour. This is in no part down to the composition of songs that are so beautifully constructed and sung that they could be hits in current popular culture.
The two leads Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (only seventeen at time of film) are named merely Him and Her. We don't notice this. It's not to show off a stylistic choice. What do we get from their names?
The film doesn't spend time on particulars. It alludes to the character's respective past, and the predicaments of their situation, predominantly from their music. Nonetheless, the conversational narrative is charming. From the get go neither character pulls any punches in what they think about the other. In a Dublin town centre Her questions Him why he doesn't play the song he's performed at daytime. Him tells her that people want to hear familiar music and the ten cents she gave him evidences his point.
People may question Marketa Irglova's accent as she is a Czech immigrant living in Ireland. Although at times the Irish accent came through a little forcefully, it truly appeared indicative of someone who had moved to an alien country and was learning from imitation.
Not Cinderella's Type (2018)
It surprised me
This is not a film that I'd ever choose to watch. In fact, it was my sister who picked this film. I thought I'd be gone in a few minutes - I was tempted to but I wanted to gauge how bad the film was after seeing the clichéd Aunt.
However, with such character clichés and a following coincidence where Indy finds out more about her Mother's experience, this film grew on me. I stopped caring as much about the aforementioned and became involved with the protagonist. This is directly due to the solid performance of Paris Warner who plays Indy. Her portrayal is naturalised of someone who has grown to be treated subserviently. And given the anti-Cinderella stamp (based on the novel by Jenni James), Warner was able to evade the synonymous character to some extent, allowing the character to have her own story.
Short Term 12 (2013)
The realest (and possibly best) film you'll see
My words cannot describe how good this film is. However, I'll try.
When it comes to film as an art form, escapism is thought of. The quality of Short Term 12 does make us involved to a point of escapism yet we cannot evade how real the piece is. The screenplay, the acting, the cinematography, direction, editing etc. make us observe such issues realistically. Issues that we may be aware of but not on such a personal level.
Cretton was inspired to write Short Term 12 based on his own experience of working in a group facility for teenagers. This, in line with the superb performances on and off screen, gave the film a realness that is rare. Many directors don't write the films that they direct. Many that do create a fictional premise. With ST12, Cretton uses first hand experience and it translates impeccably. His writing is excellent, and evokes a platform for the actors. The acting is spectacular.
It's not a film that announces at any point that it's based on real life/true events. It doesn't need the audience to consider this because of its rawness.
Losing in Love (2016)
A drifting soul that struggles with life
Losing in Love is a neurotic, mysterious, self-referential piece that centres around Ronnie (Martin Papazian), a drifting soul that struggles with life. We discover that he's had another stint in prison. He, and the other characters, play it down as if it were something run of the mill. No one delves into his past, they recognise Ronnie's demeanour (not misdemeanours), they see him for what he is - an open, kind, soul that craves love.
Ronnie meets a waitress, Amber (Marina Benedict), a striking, energetic, quirky woman who too is carrying baggage. He becomes smitten with her instantly. Due to Amber's wavering situation, in which she is cheated on, Ronnie invites her to share his space. She, out of options, accepts. There relationship, albeit platonic, becomes substantial and feelings subtly manifest.
Oh yeah! Ronnie's a screenwriter (Would he be anything else!) and although this is a clichéd scenario we witness a deeper understanding of his psyche. We see his fantasies in real life emanating from his writing, or the other way around. These fantasies blur the lines between Ronnie's vision of his art and the real, however the film doesn't get carried away in attempting to distort the viewers' perspective and knows its direction. It wasn't scatty like Synecdoche, New York.
This film struck a cord with me, particularly because Ronnie displayed a full spectrum of emotions without going to the extremities we often see in order to create drama/action. My only gripe is the lack of his past and how it manifested to prison.
Martin Papazian is not only the lead, but also the writer and director. This for me is testament to the fact the he couldn't let it go and envisage anyone else fulfilling the role as it was so personal. I can relate, I'm so many things that Ronnie is and invariably Martin.
Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Plain Frustrating and Bad
SNY is an amalgamation of touching stimuli of experience that is awfully executed in disarray. Caden is never really alone yet he sees the world with such destitute.
The film has elements of great life affirming messages that'll touch people. However, composing a film is like a jigsaw. The pieces once put together should reveal a picture, however distorted the picture may be. This film didn't show me a distorted picture, but rather a picture that had pieces missing and pieces muddled.
The Girl He Met Online (2014)
Mesmerising
Never would I have chosen to watch this film. It was on TV, and I gave it a moment. I was intrigued and watched the (majority) remainder of the film. (I don't think I missed much in terms of outset.)
This film centres around Gillian, a sexy, slender, young woman. She could get most men and takes full advantage of her assets. However, what lies within her character isn't this liberation of sexuality as a standalone but rather a psychotic individual who is incredibly narcissistic.
Throughout the story we delve into Gillian's upbringing; how she uses this as an excuse to justify her evil actions. Yvonne Zima who plays Gillian is mesmerising in her performance of bipolarity. No one could see her evil other than her step-mother (played by Mary- Margaret Humes with aplomb) who puts up with an inordinate amount to her detriment, also eventually an ex who blackmails her.
Sure, there'll be many negative verdicts and points made about this film. What grabbed me was the strength of the key performances, and given such a basis (TV movie) how they outshone moot issues of the film. I'm usually quite nit picky regarding lack of sensibilities in plot but in all honesty I didn't even care that denouement was predictable.
Hardcore Henry (2015)
Computer game or film?
Never have I seen a film that is so pious towards computer gaming – namely a first person shooter (FPS). However, what is so intriguing is that this film is a standalone, it's not based on a game. How can it be replicating something that doesn't exist? (other than paying homage to a genre).
The film's standout USP is the point of view stance it gives Henry. It's easy to see the mass appeal, as there are swarms of gamers living a second life in POV. This cinematography worked effortlessly throughout. The start slowly adjusted us to this shot, and after the first couple of scenes I was completely at ease with this direction, which was brilliantly assisted with a soundtrack that set an atmosphere of serenity at the outset.
Hardcore Henry certainly lives up to its name, as it is steeped in an high octane, abundance of action. This non-stop action showed great promise from the start, but as the action kept on topping itself my interest eventually dwindled. I personally believe that a viewer is more appreciative of action when it is sprung upon them. Watching 'HH', I became aware of what was happening to an extent where I was thinking, "This will probably happen." It's a bit of a moot point; as what did I expect? The film is called Hardcore Henry. However, the hardcore status certainly would have remained if the action was toned down. There can be nothing wrong with hinting or even explicitly stating that action will occur and/or the viewer predicting/knowing something will happen, but when this film is attempting to mesmerise us by the relentlessness of it, I didn't want to predict it to the extent that I did.
I wasn't let down it nor mesmerised by this film. I found it to be more of a computer game. It's as if Akan is the boss and Henry must fight legions of Akan's minions in order to face him. This is a simplification of course. Albeit, it works well as a spectacle. If there was any film I was allowed to watch without sound, at this moment I'd pick Hardcore Henry.
Testament of Youth (2014)
'A story of young love, the futility of war, and how to make sense of the darkest times.'
Testament of Youth is a screen adaptation of Vera Brittain's World War One memoir of the same title. This adaptation, by Juliette Towhidi, portrays Brittain's key witness account of not only the superficial, but also the undercurrent of war. It's a personal story of how one person faces war and tragedy in an existential world.
Vera (Alicia Vikander) has a silver-spoon background; she acts unadmirably when her request to study at Oxford by her father is rejected. However, it's hard not to adore the character of Vera through the narrative as we witness her open-mindedness, altruism, bravery, hope, dreams, love, futility, and how she makes sense of her decisions in the darkest times. Not many actresses could pull off such a plethora of emotions, Vikander does so with aplomb.
I have read some criticisms that this film is over pious towards the memoir, therefore there is not enough ingenuity within this screen portrayal. Regardless of piety, I have to disagree with such critiques. Testament of Youth is a film that sucks you in through its stellar acting and heart-wrenching drama. The ingenuity lies in the form of pertaining to the forefront of war but not extensively showing us it. A film that so strongly connects us with all those who were associated dearly with war, that the mere sight of seeing a loved one at risk raises the tension to a queasy level. A level where we truly understand how Vera Brittain went on to write one of the defining memoirs of her age, giving a voice to a lost generation.
This film, understandably, could not fit in all of the detail from Brittain's 661-page memoir. However, Towhidi tries to elect as much detail of the run up to war and the war itself, then gives us a glimpse of the aftermath. This works, the action is quick and certainly both affective and effective.
Admittedly, as a twenty-four year old ignorant of any major war (at time of review), this film didn't naturally entice me. I now not only know of Vera Brittain and her trials and tribulations, but I also feel a genuine admiration for her and all she accomplished. This is testament to this film.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)
A tour de force
So much more than a conventional coming of age film.
Set in the 70's backdrop of San Francisco, Minnie (Bel Powley) is a matured 15-year-old who's in a state of sexual angst. She isn't resistant when her mother's boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård), makes sexual advances towards her – in fact she gives as good as she gets. These advances lead to her first sexual experience with Monroe; who is both unassuming yet somewhat exploitative of his position. Alexander Skarsgård gives Monroe a likability which is hard to believe considering what he's doing. He eventually takes into account his actions and is not devoid of feelings toward Minnie.
Alongside this narrative is Minnie's desire to become a disciplined artist. She draws about her experiences and fantasies, that both manifest from her observable imagination – created in the form of her art. It's almost too conflicting to have a sensitive narrative juxtaposed with comic drawings, but "Diary" frequently pulls it off.
Like the comic drawings, this film often feels as if it's trying to juggle sensitivity with the mundanity of being a teenage girl. However, this is a reflection of Minnie. Her sexual exploration has brought more complexity into her life (although she seems unfazed a lot of the time). This, with the fulfilment of being a daughter, a sister, a student, just makes things more taxing.
This film made me second guess outcomes; the darkening tone made the manifestation of Minnie's actions unforeseeable (albeit I suspected turmoil). It gave me the sort of nervousness I could empathise with when I was a teenager – that feeling of not knowing what's around the corner. Was her mother (expertly played by Kristen Wiig) going to find out on her own accord, be told, or ever going to find out at all? Maybe I was overthinking it, but that's what this film did to me. I never felt at ease with it and that gripped me.
This adaptation by first time director Marielle Heller showed an exuberance from formula, making "The Diary of a Teenage Girl" a must-see for indie fans who want to a see a narrative of substance.