Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone, 1994)

Wow. What an incredible film − I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be this good. I was originally drawn to this film after hearing Robert Downey Jr was in it, although he doesn’t appear until about mid-way throughout the film − and by then I had almost entirely forgotten about him as the film was so engaging and intriguing.

The film is about Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis), two serial killers who attract the nation’s attention and are almost glorified by the media. I wasn’t surprised that the story was by Quentin Tarantino − the violent nature of this film fits right within his style. However, another reason why I like this film is that is looks at society’s obsession with violence, and how people seem to be becoming desensitised to a point where Mickey and Mallory are almost celebrated as heroes. I think the film also touches on the idea of how individuals become violent − is it really in their blood (as Mickey says), or is it their upbringing (in which case, are young people are at a greater risk, being exposed to more violence in today’s society?).

There is definitely a deeper message within this film, which also depicts the media’s sensationalist coverage of such issues and events. This was mainly done through Robert Downey Jr’s entertaining character Wayne Gale, who much to my amusement, is an Australian journalist who hosts a tabloid show called American Maniacs, and by the end has also changed his outlook and behaviour, sympathising with the killers (before he is shot by them). I have to praise Downey’s Australian accent, which surprised me (as I was not aware he was going to be an Australian character) and was actually well done (it felt a little exaggerated but I think that was because it was so different compared to his American accent, which I was expecting instead!). Now having seen Tropic Thunder and Natural Born Killers, it’s clear Downey can do an Aussie accent well.

What really struck me in this film was the original and creative camera work and editing. From the opening sequence of the film, where Mallory and Mickey kill people at a diner, I was drawn to this film.




On a sidenote, I also found the scene in the drugstore amusing − the fact that they can go and help themselves to snakebite antidotes on the store’s shelves was just so strange. I also loved the scene where a flashback to Mallory’s origins is presented as some sort of old-fashioned TV sitcom portraying a normal family − and we find out Mallory’s upbringing is anything but normal and happy. It’s disturbing and surreal but I was glued to the screen.

Anyway, this sort of thing happens throughout the film − trivial, happy music plays at moments when the murders are killing their victims, really adding to the psychotic nature of this film. That’s what I really admired about this film − it played with conventions and stereotypes, both in content (exploring the attitude towards serial killers), as well as in construction. It played with the typical dramatic and romance conventions, as this really was, in some warped way, a film about two lovers. Their love and dedication is admirable despite the fact they are the most wanted murders. As Mickey says at one point in the film: “Doesn’t anyone in Hollywood believe in kissing anymore?” It’s ways like this that the film plays with your mind − Mickey is presented as some sort of personification of the devil but at the same time, you can’t help but admire some of his sentimental qualities. The use of black and white footage, animation sequences, and rapid intercutting of psychedelic footage with the main frames of the film (such as when they’re driving a car, or what is seen outside the windows or doors), were some of the other techniques that I also really found fascinating.

Lastly, this film had a fantastic soundtrack, with artists such as Leonard Cohen, Peter Gabriel, a lot of heavy rock, as well as 1960s rock ‘n’ roll, perfectly complementing this great film. Visually engaging and matched with an awesome soundtrack − whether you like it or not, Natural Born Killers will have an impact on you.

4.5/5

Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010)

I can’t remember the last time I felt this way during a movie − a combination of admiration and revulsion. This film is so complex and amazing but at the same made me feel so uneasy and on edge the whole time.

Natalie Portman plays Nina, a ballet dancer who gets the lead role in a production of Swan Lake. That may be the main gist of the plot in the film but there is so much more going on, psychologically. Nina’s role involves playing a white swan and the more evil, black swan and it is these two dynamic opposites that seemed to be referenced throughout the film. The white and black swans come to represent parts of Natalie’s personality as she grows into the roles she is playing and becomes more in touch with her darker side.

At first I was reminded of the film Centre Stage, which also looks at the life of teenage ballet dancers. However, very quickly I realised that Black Swan was a huge step in another direction. This film portrays ballet in its raw and painful state, rather than the typical glamourised final version we see on stage. The actual ballet routines actually made up a small part of the film − instead we see more of the behind-the-scenes preparation and the pain that comes with being a ballerina, that honestly make me glad that I didn’t choose that path. Despite this crude depiction of ballet, it was a beautiful film and so artistic, just like the dance itself. So I guess in this way, it could be seen as a more real and honest depiction of the art of ballet.

The film was an incredible mix of drama, horror and a bit of romance, as well as some sexual energy, especially between Lily (Mila Kunis) and Nina. Despite having seen plenty of films with violent scenes of people being shot or killed, I found this film was more chilling and graphic, and was actually more disturbing. For instance, Nina ripping the skin off her fingers, or the rash on her back from scratching, her bloody toes, as well as the scene when Winona Ryder’s character stabs her face with a nail file. They were just horrific and poignant moments and I especially like the ending.

The most intriguing thing about this film is you never really know what’s real and what’s part of Nina’s visions. One thing I know for sure is that Black Swan has demonstrated that there are still amazing, original films being made that can enthral audiences and critics alike. I don't know if I'll be watching this film anytime soon because of the effect it has on me but Portman’s performance in this film was fantastic, not surprisingly. I admire her dedication to the role, having trained ballet months before to prepare. She has always been a favourite actress of mine and no doubt it is time for her to take home an Academy Award for her talent.

4/5

2011 Oscar Nominations

The Academy has just announced the nominations for this year's Oscars - an interesting mix of films and individuals.

Here are the nominations for the main categories:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem for Biutiful
Jeff Bridges for True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network
Colin Firth for The King's Speech
James Franco for 127 Hours

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale for The Fighter
John Hawkes for Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner for The Town
Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams for The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech
Melissa Leo for The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit
Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom

Best Achievement in Directing
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swa
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for True Grit
David Fincher for The Social Network
Tom Hooper for The King's Speech
David O. Russell for The Fighter


So who is going to take home the coveted golden statue?

Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010)

I’m not really a huge fan of teenage comedies so I didn’t have high expectations for this film. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised.

I rolled my eyes at the plot (of course, being a teenage film, it has to revolve around virginity, it seems). Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) lies to her friend that she slept with a guy, and it’s overheard by Marianne, a zealous Christian classmate (played by Amanda Bynes). Problem is, Marianne spreads the rumour around the school, and then of course, Olive develops a reputation as a tramp, sleeping around with every guy. In what is probably a more unusual twist, Olive actually embraces the attention and fuels these rumours but then things start getting difficult for her. Through in a few subplots and you’ve got yourself the basis of this film. Interestingly, the film is narrated as a web cam confession, where Olive is telling her side of the story and guiding the audience through the story’s events.

What I like about Easy A is that there are a plenty of one-liners and clever dialogue − I describe it as a sort of Juno-esque film. And I also found it clever that it ties in with the novel The Scarlett Letter, which Olive happens to be studying at school. One of my favourite scenes was this one:

It’s not a particularly eventful montage but one that sets up the running gag throughout the film with Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful of Sunshine”. (There is also some other good music in the film, from artists like The Pussycat Dolls).

On the other hand, there are some really strange characters, such as Olive’s parents − I would love to meet parents who are actually like that, as well as a guidance counsellor with an interesting story of her own (played by Lisa Kudrow). Also, I found some of the scenes in the film very artificial and hard to believe. I’m young enough to remember my highschool experience and either the film portrays a distinctly American highschool experience, or reality is being slightly exaggerated. For instance, the fact Olive can suddenly just be best friends with Marianne, or that she can be best friends with such a seemingly opposite person, or even that Todd is somehow unconvinced by the rumours the rest of the school believes (ah, the power of love). I get that this isn’t a serious film and these instances may be serving as sarcastic instances meant to parody teenagers but to me, they seem like conveniently placed events that serve to advance the plot (and more than the usual degree of “convenience” I expect in film storylines).

Anyway, the film touches on many other teenage themes, like body image and self-esteem, friendship, loyalty and love. I like when one of the teachers talks about Facebook and how rumours can spread online, and sometimes even the mundane nature of social networks, which I found amusing. It’s actually a pretty clever way of getting a message through to teenagers about problems with online gossip.

When I heard that this film had received a Golden Globe nomination (Emma Stone for Best Actress), I’m sure I wasn’t the only person left bewildered − “Are teenage comedies like this supposed to win awards, especially when they’re competing with those more ‘serious’ drama films?” I think that’s probably a common attitude to award shows like the Golden Globes and the Oscars, an attitude which has been enforced over the years. I mean, we didn’t see anyone from American Pie winning an Academy Award, for instance? However, though there were a few unusual nominations (in my opinion), after watching this film, I wholeheartedly endorsed the nomination for Emma Stone. It was Stone’s character that really drove this film and without the performance she gave, I think the film would not have been as effective.

Yes, there were cringe-worthy moments and stereotypes, and what I feel were unrealistic situations, yet in the context of this film and with an entertaining talent like Emma Stone, these flaws were forgiven.

3.5/5

Anne Hathaway as Catwoman

Warner Bros. have announced that Anne Hathaway will play Selina Kyle (a.k.a Catwoman) in the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises.

Christopher Nolan will be directing the film, which will also see the return of Christian Bale as Batman, as well as the addition of Tom Hardy, who is set to play Bane (a character who hasn't appeared in the Batman films since Batman & Robin in 1997.

Other stars signed up for The Dark Knight Rises include Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine.

The film is scheduled to be released in Australia on July 19, 2012 and in the USA and UK a day later.

Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010)

I must admit a gasp of horror came from my mouth when I found out there was going to be a third Toy Story film. Haven’t enough classics been revisited by the hungry Hollywood machine? Nevertheless, I was one of the millions of people pleasantly surprised by what is a pretty decent film.

One of the main obstacles that would’ve faced the scriptwriters was the character of Andy. Over the first two movies we saw him grow up but in this one there is no denying that Andy, who is now leaving for college, no longer plays with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and all his childhood toys. Apart from Woody, whom Andy intended to take with him, the other toys were mistakenly donated to local childcare, Sunnyside (instead of taken to the attic). What appears as a nirvana for toys soon becomes hell and Andy’s toys try to escape.

Each of the subsequent Toy Story films are freshened up with the addition of new characters − this third film was no different. The main new characters thrown into the mix this time include a revengeful and abandoned purple teddy bear, a toy baby and a Ken doll, who provides plenty of entertainment. Ken’s romance with Barbie provides a comic/dramatic subplot and some of the most amusing scenes (such as when Ken is modelling clothes for Barbie):



Then of course, there are the old favourites: Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Slinky, Rex, Mr & Mrs Potato Head, etc. It’s also good to hear the familiar voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, who the film would definitely not be the same without, plus there is also Joan Cusack as Jessie and Michael Keaton as Ken. Another thing I like about Toy Story is their end credits − their either bloopers or in this case, an epilogue showing the toys’ new lives.

The beauty of Toy Story is that audiences of all ages can relate to it. There are many familiar faces and personalities of the toys, which I’m sure most people have felt attached to at some point in their life. There are also a lot of clever gags set up along the way and unlike a lot of other animations being released nowadays, it seems to be a well thought-out film with attention to detail and effort put in to keep the viewer engaged. The action is quick and there is something happened in every scene. Also, what really surprised me, was the emotional impact of some of the scenes. I know it is just a fictional story about talking toys but it somehow manages to connect with the audience at a deeper level in some parts of the film, such as the flashback to when Lotso was lost by Daisy or near the end, when the toys believe they are about to be burnt alive.

So overall, it was worth seeing the third instalment of one of the most popular animations ever made though of course, for me nothing will beat the first film of the series. I think, just like Andy, director Lee Unkrich we should finally say goodbye to this fond franchise − it’s a nice bit of nostalgia but now it’s time to grow up and put the toys away.

4/5