Black Swan

Tags

2010's, Barbara Hershey, Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky, Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, Psychological Thriller, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder

Film Title

Black Swan

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Starring

• Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers
• Mila Kunis as Lily
• Vincent Cassel as Thomas Leroy
• Barbara Hershey as Erica Sayers
• Winona Ryder as Beth MacIntyre

Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan; a feverish, dark and hypnotic psychological thriller about obsession, desire and mental disintegration is set in the gruelling world of ballet. Focusing on one women’s all-consuming obsession and desire for perfection, it boasts strange and striking visuals, bravura direction and a committed, Oscar-winning performance by Natalie Portman.

Nina Sayers is a diligent ballerina with a New York company. She is a dedicated dancer but fragile when it comes to criticism as she obsesses over getting everything perfect. When the company’s director, Thomas Leroy, casts Nina in the lead role in the production of Swan Lake, he begins to wonder if Nina has what it takes to embody the dual role. Her pristine, shy and somewhat virginal appearance are a perfect fit for the White Swan, but she lacks the sexuality and uninhibited freedom to play the Black Swan. As the big day of her performance approaches , Nina is pushed towards razor’s edge as she attempts to unlock the darker side of herself. To raise the stakes even more, the new arrival of the sensual Lily, who possesses the sexuality needed for the Black Swan, becomes a source of challenge for Nina’s unstable psyche and the presence of her overbearing mother does little to help. Risking her life for her art, Nina battles strange events as she spirals into hysteria for the price of her graft and obsession. Cue the creepy blurring of reality with hallucinations, sexual awakening and some striking and terrifying visuals as Black Swan throws the audience head first into the lion’s den of desire, obsession and ballet with haunting results.

The ballet at first may seem a strange place to set a psychological thriller but it adds to the sense of rivalry and desire that send Nina into dangerous hysteria. Darren Aronofsky has crafted a sometimes horrifying study of an interior mental breakdown, comparisons can be drawn with Polanski’s The Tenant and Repulsion. Visually, Black Swan is a cornucopia of startling and arresting imagery such as broken mirrors, bloodied injuries in the style of Cronenberg’s body horror  and vivid colour that adorn Black Swan’s screen. Scenes that stand out are the opening dream sequence of Nina dancing the prologue to Swan Lake and the hallucination filled rave scene when Nina and Lily cut loose on the town. Sonically, Black Swan excels with barely there whispers and the rustling of wings appearing as Nina spirals into mental unraveling. Anchoring the proceedings is the committed and fearless work of Natalie Portman, who collected a much deserved Oscar for her performance. She encapsulates Nina’s shy and virginal demeanor and the various facets of her obsession as her character’s already tenuous grip on reality begins to break as she attempts to dig deep into her soul to find the darkness and sexuality needed to embody the Black Swan. It is a dedicated and never-better performance from the gifted Natalie Portman. Mila Kunis provides the perfect foil to Nina’s fragility as the rebellious and sexy Lily. Vincent Cassel is suitably wolfish as the director who pushes Nina to breaking point as she trains for her role. Barbara Hershey is chilling as Erica, Nina’s overbearing mother who holds an iron grip over her ‘sweet girl’ and refuses to let go, instead living her life through her young daughter’s. In a small but memorable role, Winona Ryder plays an embittered dancer forced out of the company due to her age by the wolfish director.

Visually audacious, operatic, feverish and featuring an absolutely outstanding performance by Natalie Portman, Black Swan is a visceral and chilling psychological thriller with horror elements that refuses to let go and leaves you pondering long and hard after the curtain has closed.

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Monster

Tags

2000's, Aileen Wuornos, Based on a true story, Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Crime, Drama, Monster, Patty Jenkins

Film Title

Monster

Director

Patty Jenkins

Starring

• Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos
• Christina Ricci as Selby Wall
• Bruce Dern as Thomas
• Lee Tergesen as Vincent Corey

Monster is based on the true story of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who killed six men between 1989 and 1990 and was eventually sentenced to death after years on death row. Patty Jenkins directs and writes the screenplay for this brutal and intense look at Aileen Wuornos and features a raw, unrecognisable and blisteringly powerful performance by Charlize Theron, that deservedly won her the Best Actress Oscar. It may be tough to watch at times, but the performances and the way it examines the damaged soul of Aileen Wuornos is what gives Monster an unforgettable amount of strength.

At the beginning of the film, we hear Aileen’s voice explaining about her dreams as a child. These are light shots of the fresh-faced little girl wanting to be a movie star. Then, we see the reality of it all. Aileen, alone on the highway, her face puffed up, her eyes like a wounded animal, contemplating suicide with a gun in her hand. Before she decides whether to kill herself, she walks into a bar to order a drink. It is here she meets Selby Wall, a naive, painfully shy outcast lesbian, who has been sent to live with family friends in order to “cure” her lesbianism. Although Aileen insists she isn’t a lesbian, she strikes up a deep emotional bond and eventually a relationship with Selby and finally feels she can connect with someone after the abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of men. Feeling a connection to her, Aileen attempts to get a real decent job, instead of being a prostitute. Try as she might, with no qualifications, she is turned down at every opportunity. Wanting to provide and survive now that she has Selby, Aileen returns to prostitution. One night a client goes too far and in a particularly graphic scene, rapes her. In self-defense, she shoots him dead and hides his body, later she takes his car. This assault on her sets of Aileen’s anger and rage towards men and she continues to work as a prostitute, but descends into killing her clients, even if they are innocent. 

What is interesting to watch in Monster is the way it shows Aileen. Unlike the tabloids that often sensationalize serial killers and not focus on why they committed the acts, Monster delves into the damaged psyche of Aileen and strangely, gets the audience to sympathise with her. The screenplay by Patty Jenkins doesn’t say that what Aileen did was right, but gives us reasons as to what drove her into killing.  Because of this, Aileen emerges as a multi dimensional character, rather than just a brutal serial killer. Most of this is down to the staggering and no holds barred performance by Charlize Theron. Theron is unrecognisable as Wuornos, she gained weight for the part, wore dental prosthetics and embodied many of her mannerisms with eerie similarity. You see Charlize Theron does not just play Aileen, she becomes her. We get a portrait of a damaged woman who has had to fend for herself after abuse and distrust and Theron shows both the vulnerability and coldness to her character. Charlize Theron thoroughly merited her Oscar for this powerful portrayal. Ably supporting her is Christina Ricci as Aileen’s lover, Selby. Ricci plays her with a naive way but also a spoilt and manipulative side in the case of wanting better things from Aileen. Selby’s introduction serves somewhat as a catalyst for the story, Aileen believes she can finally connect with someone and trust them. The relationship between the two is another interesting facet to the movie. We, as the audience may never know why Aileen did what she did, but Monster provides us with a gritty, interesting examination of a woman’s damaged soul and the consequences of her emotional scars.

Whether viewed as a portrait of a doomed relationship between two outcasts or as a study of a woman who was mistreated and in turn took matters into her own hands in her own way, Monster is still startling yet powerful viewing. Aided by the unforgettable performance of Charlize Theron , sterling support by Christina Ricci and Patty Jenkins gritty but sensitive direction , Monster is a film that is not easy to forget after viewing it.

From Russia with Love

Tags

007, 1960's, Bernard Lee, Daniela Bianchi, Desmond Llewelyn, From Russia with Love, James Bond, Lois Maxwell, Lotte Lenya, Pedro Armendáriz, Robert Shaw, Sean Connery, Spy, Terence Young

Film Title

From Russia with Love

Director

Terence Young

Starring

• Sean Connery as James Bond
• Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova
• Pedro Armendáriz as Kerim Bey
• Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb
• Robert Shaw as Red Grant
• Bernard Lee as M
• Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny
• Desmond Llewelyn as Q

Following on from the groundwork of Dr. No and armed with twice the budget, Terence Young crafts From Russia with Love; a quintessential entry into the Bond series that is also a classy, exotic and exciting thriller in its own right. Featuring eccentric villains, a stunning Bond girl, likeable allies and an absolutely riveting story of international espionage, From Russia with Love ranks as one of my favourite movies in the James Bond franchise.

This time Bond is summoned to M to investigate a very mysterious and twisted case. A beautiful cipher clerk in Istanbul named Tatiana Romanova has contacted MI6 saying she wants to defect with information regarding a Lektor device. M thinks it is a trap but sends Bond anyway to see what he can find out. It transpires that the crime syndicate SPECTRE has devised a cunning and seemingly ingenious plan to steal the Lektor from the Soviet’s, whilst getting revenge on Bond for the killing of Dr. No. Tatiana Romanova, unbeknownst to her, is in fact an unwitting pawn in SPECTRE’s twisted plan, she believes she is doing this mission for the good of her country. Bond heads to Istanbul to investigate and is aided greatly by Kerim Bey, the charismatic British Intelligence Chief stationed in Istanbul. Meeting with the gorgeous Tatiana, he begins to unravel the case.  From here it is a cat and mouse game of espionage as Bond tackles villains left, right and centre, including the sadistic Rosa Klebb and the psychopathic Red Grant. With exotic foes, nefarious schemes and Sean Connery back as James Bond, From Russia with Love is classic Bond.

From the get go, From Russia with Love emerges as an excellent spy thriller. Terence Young directs with flair and allows the humour and suspense to be supplied in equally effective quantities. Visually, the film is stunning to watch as we see Istanbul in all its beauty. The title sequences that would populate later ventures are used for the first time here, the title seductively projected over the undulating hips of a belly dancer. Peter Hunt, the editor is at his best here, with many of the action and fight scenes being a significant highlight. These range from a jaw-dropping and savage fight between two women at a gypsy camp in order to settle a love triangle, Tatiana exchanging information with Bond in the Hagia Sophia and not forgetting Bond’s brutal fight to the death aboard the Orient Express with the assassin Red Grant. John Barry’s score is suitably amazing and perfectly compliments the exciting yet dangerous atmosphere of foreign intrigue. Matt Monro croons the title song that features at various important times in the narrative. He would be the first high-profile singer to sing the title song in a Bond movie and since then many illustrious stars have followed.

The cast itself is reason enough to catch this marvellous entry in the series. Sean Connery is back as the debonair, womanizing Bond and this time gets some great one liners to compliment the ruthless side of his character. Daniela Bianchi, whilst being a stunning girl, embodies the naive charm of Tatiana as she begins to realise the trickery that has befallen her. Pedro Armendáriz turns in a highly charismatic performance as Kerim Bey; he has a humour, charm and intelligence that make him one of the best allies in the Bond movies. Lotte Lenya is unforgettable as the twisted and sadistic Rosa Klebb, her poison tipped shoe making her a dangerous and highly original villainess. And adding to the excellent villains of the piece is Robert Shaw, who is outstanding as the homicidal paranoiac Red Grant, who is charged with killing Bond. His violent and well-executed fight with Bond on the Orient Express is an excellent scene of hand to hand combat and danger. In the supporting roles, Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell are as always a welcome presence as the crusty M and the keen Miss Moneypenny. For the first time, we get a glimpse of Desmond Llewelyn as the much-loved gadget master Q. He supplies Bond with a nifty attaché case, armed with a throwing knife and tear gas, that comes in very useful later on in the movie.

So all I have left to say is that From Russia with Love is a thrilling, gripping and exciting  high point of the James Bond franchise.

Dr. No

Tags

007, 1960's, Anthony Dawson, Bernard Lee, Dr. No, Jack Lord, James Bond, John Kitzmiller, Joseph Wiseman, Lois Maxwell, Sean Connery, Spy, Terence Young, Ursula Andress

Film Title

Dr. No

Director

Terence Young

Starring

• Sean Connery as James Bond
• Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder
• Joseph Wiseman as Dr. Julius No
• Jack Lord as Felix Leiter
• Bernard Lee as M
• Anthony Dawson as Professor Dent
• John Kitzmiller as Quarrel
• Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny

In 1962, one film started one of the most successful franchises in movie history. That movie was Dr. No and the series was of course the James Bond movies. A sleek, action-packed and influential film, Dr. No ushered audiences into the exciting world of one of cinema’s most enduring icons, the one and only Bond…..James Bond.Making a star out of Sean Connery as the suave and sophisticated spy and boasting a multitude of iconic images, Dr. No is a spy movie that still holds up as a great way to start the long-running series.

James Bond, also known as 007, is sent by MI6 to Jamaica in order to investigate the disappearance of Strangways, another agent who was looking into a CIA  claim that something in the area is disrupting the launching of rockets. Bond teams up with CIA agent Felix Leiter and a local boatman Quarrel, in order to unravel the mysterious disappearance of Strangways. It seems that the evidence points to the reclusive Dr. No, a scientist who owns the nearby island of Crab Key, which many people are scared to enter because of alleged superstitions involving a dragon. Whilst tangling with deadly tarantulas, shifting loyalties and assassins, Bond begins to unearth the sinister plans of the Doctor. Also aiding him in this is Honey Ryder, a beautiful diving girl with her own agenda for taking part in bringing down Dr. No. Prepare for exciting, action and the introduction to James Bond as Dr. No delivers an amazing spy film that is still as watchable as it has ever been.

Director Terence Young brings the action filled world of 007 to excellent life with amazing vigour with car chases, a maniacal villain and a gorgeous Bond Girl. As I mentioned earlier, it is a film with no shortage of iconic moments; the opening gun barrel sequence, the famous main theme tune, Honey Ryder’s sexy emergence from the surf and many others.Although not as gadget laden as many of his later adventures, we still see Bond as a suave agent with a ruthless streak that can survive on his own wits. As the first man to essay the role, Sean Connery is nothing short of amazing. He embodies the sophisticated edge to Bond but imbues him with a humour and serious side that make him one of the most iconic to play the role. The moment he utters the immortal lines “Bond…..James Bond” is still an excellent introduction to this enduring character. Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder is suitably sexy and appealing, her famous entrance in which she rises Venus like from the ocean clad in a white bikini has lost none of its erotic impact and still ranks as one of the sexiest moments in the series. Joseph Wiseman is a creepy presence as the eponymous villain, hell-bent on revenge against those who have doubted him. In supporting roles, Jack Lord and John Kitzmiller make for likable allies in this Bond adventure. As the villain’s henchman, Anthony Dawson is excellently menacing and his scene when Bond questions  him whilst calmly playing cards is a thrilling and suspenseful moment. Bernard Lee is the stern M, head of MI6 and Lois Maxwell is the pining secretary Miss Moneypenny. Both would become staples of the films and Lee and Maxwell acquit themselves admirably.

Making stunning use of the Jamaican location, boasting an excellent score and many other positives, it is hard to fault Dr. No. Yes some of it may look a bit dated now, but without this we wouldn’t have the Bond series. An influential and iconic movie that deserves every ounce of credit thrown its way.

Gothika

Tags

2000's, Charles S. Dutton, Gothika, Halle Berry, Horror, John Carroll Lynch, Mathieu Kassovitz, Penélope Cruz, Robert Downey Jr, Supernatural Thriller

Film Title

Gothika

Director

Mathieu Kassovitz

Starring

• Halle Berry as Dr. Miranda Grey
• Robert Downey, Jr. as Dr. Pete Graham
• Charles S. Dutton as Dr. Doug Grey
• Penélope Cruz as Chloe Sava
• John Carroll Lynch as Sheriff Ryan

Yes the plot may be preposterous and the final act may fly off the rails, but for the  first hour or so Gothika does keep you entertained and evokes some genuinely scary moments.  It is very much a film of two halves, but if you go into it without questioning logic and reason, you might just enjoy this horror/ supernatural thriller.

Miranda Grey is a gifted psychiatrist working at a mental hospital for women. Married to the director Doug and very rational when it comes to her work, Miranda’s life is ordinary enough. Until, one stormy night after her session with a patient named Chloe, Miranda is driving home when she has to take a detour after a closure of a number of roads. Whilst driving, she crashes her car after swerving from a young girl standing in the road. Upon exiting her car, she comes face to face with the girl who suddenly bursts into flames. The next thing Miranda knows she is back in the mental hospital, only this time she is one of the patients. She has been asleep for three days and to make matters worse, she is being accused of murdering her husband. Confused and deeply horrified, Miranda attempts to fathom the events that occurred that fateful night as those around her, including a good friend Dr. Pete Graham, begin to doubt Miranda’s story. The girl who she saw before she blacked out keeps appearing, is she real or just a figment of Miranda’s imagination? Delving deep into her mind, Miranda begins to slowly recover her memory and is pushed to the edge of her sanity as her world falls apart and the events around her become darker. Although full of schlock and a certain unevenness to its tone, Gothika at least succeeds in part due to its stylish direction from Mathieu Kassovitz.

For the good first hour or so, Mathieu Kassovitz keeps Gothika ticking over with frightening imagery, moody lighting and kinetic camera angles that capture Miranda’s life being turned upside down. If anything, the overall visual look and chilling sets keep Gothika rising above the by the numbers script.The atmosphere created is very spooky indeed as we are thrown into Miranda’s tailspin of emotions as she questions what really happened and how she ended up on the other side of the glass. The music provided is suitably eerie and frequently utilised to great effect. Unfortunately, the film as a whole does not feel even enough, as plot holes begin to appear during the last act. It does have its share of scary moments, but many of these feel repetitive and clichéd to say the least. The supernatural element is handled in an ok fashion in the beginning but soon descends into hokey elements. What does keep Gothika from being all bad is the performances. Halle Berry rises above the scripts flaws and excellently portrays Miranda as she is thrown into a nightmare and attempts a way out of the bizarre case. She evokes a sense of confusion and shock that does make you feel for her. Robert Downey Jr. is great as the psychiatrist who is forced to leave his personal feelings at the door when it comes to analysing what Miranda remembers and whether or not she is mentally unstable or indeed innocent of the crime of which she stands accused. In supporting roles, Charles S. Dutton and John Carroll Lynch are fine as the murdered man and his lifelong best friend and sheriff attached to the murder case. Penélope Cruz creates an interesting character in Chloe, injecting menace and a certain vulnerability, as we watch her and Miranda go from patient and psychiatrist relationship to trusting one another.

So all in all, Gothika is flawed and full of plot holes. But if you don’t question this you may enjoy the scary atmosphere, Kassovitz’s visual style and some good performances.

X-Men: The Last Stand

Tags

2000's, Aaron Stanford, Action, Anna Paquin, Ben Foster, Brett Ratner, Daniel Cudmore, Ellen Page, Famke Janssen, Fantasy, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Rebecca Romijn, Shawn Ashmore, Vinnie Jones, X-Men: The Last Stand

Film Title

X-Men: The Last Stand

Director

Brett Ratner

Starring

• Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine
• Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe/Storm
• Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto
• Patrick Stewart as Professor X
• Famke Janssen as Jean Grey/Phoenix
• Anna Paquin as Marie/Rogue
• Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/Beast
• James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops
• Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
• Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake/Iceman
• Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce/Pyro
• Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat
• Vinnie Jones as Cain Marko/Juggernaut
• Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin/Colossus
• Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III/Angel

Taking over the reins of directing from Bryan Singer, Brett Ratner directs this third entry in the X-Men series. X-Men: The Last Stand is by the weakest in the series, though it still delivers in some departments. It may focus too much on the action side of the film rather than the deep themes of Singer’s ventures, but many members of the cast more than make up for this quibble in this flawed but still watchable entry into the series.

When a pharmaceutical company called Worthington Labs announces it has developed a cure for mutants that will permanently erase their powers, anarchy and much discussion ensues.  Professor X still speaks of tolerance between mutants and humans, but there are many who disagree. Magneto on the other hand takes it upon himself to wage a war against humans after hearing of the cure. He raises an army of renegade mutants to assist him in his quest. The X-Men become involved in this ultimate power struggle, but find that a former ally has awakened. Jean Grey, who sacrificed her life  for the team in the last movie, has risen from her watery grave, but not as she once was. Professor X informs Wolverine and Storm that he visited Jean as a child and saw the immense power she had and how it could be used for evil. He formed boundaries for Jean to suppress this, thereby creating a split personality known as ‘The Phoenix’, which has now almost completely taken over Jean. With anger rising and the threat of war brewing, the X-Men, including new recruits Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat and Peter Rasputin/Colossus, attempt to stop this impending war before tragedy strikes as Jean joins forces with Magneto’s army. With the battle lines drawn, who will prosper and who will perish as war draws closer?

Whilst the first two movies balanced action with the deep dramatic themes, The Last Stand stumbles on this front by focusing on the action too much. Yes, the plot revolving around the cure is interesting in the beginning, but it soon becomes just another strand of the story. Ratner tries his best, but can’t quite keep the multiple storylines all ticking over with the skill of Bryan Singer. Some of the action scenes are very good by the way, but not backed up enough in terms of plot development.

On the more positive side, many of the cast members turn in great performances. Hugh Jackman still rocks as Wolverine, we also get to see him grapple with his personal feelings as he comes to realise that Jean, the woman he has always loved, is no longer the same. Halle Berry turns in her best performance of the series as we witness Storm’s anger at the supposed cure, her fierce and protective side emerges as a result of this and she most certainly kicks ass when she needs to. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are suitably stately as the former allies, who still respect one another despite their differences on the subject of mutant acceptance. Famke Janssen is terrifyingly good as the resurrected Jean, her many instances of her personality and powers switching is exceptionally done. Anna Paquin is unfortunately not given a big role and is only really there as one of the only mutants who wants to remove their power. Kelsey Grammer is great as Hank/Beast, a former student of Professor X who resembles a blue creature ,is super strong  and also has a place within the political realm of mutants. Grammer adds some much-needed humour into the narrative with his role. On the woefully underused side are James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn as Cyclops and Mystique; Cyclops only functions to meet an ambiguous fate at the hands of Jean and Mystique is only used as a mutant who sacrifices her powers and pays the consequences for her actions. Shawn Ashmore and Aaron Stanford continue to impress as opposing forces Iceman and Pyro who used to be good friends. Their battle with each other adds a personal quality to the story. Ellen Page is suitably spunky and quick-witted as Kitty, who has the ability to phase through objects. Vinnie Jones contributes his usual tough guy act as the hulking Juggernaut. Daniel Cudmore plays the super strong metal man Colossus who comes in pretty handy in combat and Ben Foster is great as Angel, a young man who has a giant wingspan and whose father created the cure.

Many of the effects are very well done and the score is evocative as well as thrilling. All of this adds up to a flawed but still watchable experience.