The Favourite

Tags

2010's, Comedy, Emma Stone, Joe Alwyn, Nicholas Hoult, Olivia Colman, Period Drama, Rachel Weisz, The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring

• Olivia Colman as Queen Anne
• Rachel Weisz as Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough
• Emma Stone as Abigail Hill
• Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley
• Joe Alwyn as Samuel Masham

A riotous, outrageous and caustically witty look at the court of Queen Anne and the machinations of it, The Favourite is both savage and very funny as directed by the maestro that is Yorgos Lanthimos.

It is the early 18th Century and England is at war with France. Queen Anne, The last of  the Stuart monarchs, is on the throne but is besieged by sadness, gluttony and manic mood swings. She has lost seventeen children and now keeps seventeen rabbits in their place, while also enjoying many unusual activities. Anne is distracted from her duties as Queen and is extremely vulnerable. She relies heavily on Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough. Sarah is powerful and persuasive, trying to make the Queen continue with the war as her husband is at the helm and she wants a level of power. Although she obviously cares for Anne( with who she is secretly sharing a bed), she is very manipulative and uses her position of favourite to her advantage. Although she is in the Queen’s life and attempts to steer her away from the political efforts of leader of the opposition Robert Harley, she doesn’t account for the arrival of someone vying for position. This person is her impoverished cousin Abigail Hill, who was formally of high society but now of a lowly station. She begs Sarah for a job and is put in the scullery. This is much to her chagrin and she aspires for more in life than the drudge of being a simple servant. She gains a chance at climbing the ladder when she helps with making something that eases the gout which the Queen suffers from. Anne takes a shine to Abigail and has her become an ever more present person in her life. Sarah doesn’t take kindly to this, having misjudged Abigail as just a simple innocent. The actual fact is that Abigail is ruthless and cruel, willing to bend over backwards in favour of the Queen but secretly working her vicious powers to secure a foothold in society. Soon a dangerous and vindictive grab for power is at play, with both Sarah and Abigail hoping that they come out on top as the favourite of Queen Anne.

The Favourite finds Yorgos Lanthimos at his most anarchistic, tearing apart the restrained image of period pieces and inserting wildness and dirty games. If period dramas are often seen as rather innocent, The Favourite is a welcome, atypical piece that isn’t afraid to be weird and bracingly eventful. Featuring lust, eccentric activities like racing ducks and lobsters, as well as a very sexually dark atmosphere, The Favourite is very much it’s own being and an amazing change of pace. Historical accuracy is probably not what you’ll find here, but when has history ever been this fun or oddball? The script wisely makes the women layered, peeling back to reveal the flawed but fascinating nature of all of them. And there is genuine emotion to be found in this weird and cruel world of 18th Century court, mostly found in the vulnerable but not completely broken Anne. It may not be written by Lanthimos, but it unmistakably captures his sensibilities and transfers them to a sinfully, devilish and amusing tale of rivalry, coupled with a liberal sprinkling of swear words. And the spinning, panning and fish eye lens employed supplies a dizzying and whirling visual style that marks it as something different. Add to this the flickering, golden interiors that bathe a lot of the action in a dusky setting, The Favourite aces it. On musical grounds, classical music fills the main bulk of the film, creating high drama and a quickening intensity to the power struggle at the heart of The Favourite. The only tiny flaw, and it is very small, is that the film does sometimes run aground and needs a bit more pace. But with that being my only minuscule gripe, I think it’s safe to see The Favourite is one of the most outlandish and excellent movies in my recent memory.

What really brings The Favourite to an amazingly high level is the work of a trio of fine actresses. Comprising Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, they turn in some mightily effective work that ranks as some of their best. Olivia Colman is the centre of it all with a performance of both tragedy and comedy. Anne is a melancholy and almost childlike woman who seems to be as fragile as glass and as changeable as mercury. Colman finds these mannerisms and adds yet more levels to this character, telegraphing a whole host of emotions from pity to humour as Anne shows she’s not as temperamental as she at first appears . Simply put, Colman is winning and ideal in her acting here. Ably matching her is Rachel Weisz; all clear-cut words, biting wit and intense looks. Weisz clearly relishes the dialogue and gets some wickedly, catty put downs. Yet like the other ladies here, Weisz displays another side to her role and makes it multi-faceted. Emma Stone, complete with crisp, English accent, delivers one of her most memorable performances in a role that is far away the most daring one she’s ever done. Being a vindictive charmer whose innocent appearance masks a grasping and scheming viper, Stone’s having a ball. There are flickers of desperation there, but Stone most excels at being nasty and seductive. It’s not hard to see why all three ladies are in awards contention. In supporting roles, Nicholas Hoult is a hoot as a plotting but ridiculous member of Parliament, whose giant wig is as big as his ego. Joe Alwyn also provides much silliness and rakish behaviour as a nobleman who becomes infatuated with Abigail.

A completely brazen and well acted movie that boasts the trademark uniqueness of Yorgos Lanthimos and a strange depiction of power play in regards to royalty, The Favourite stands as one entertaining and unusual movie that for me is a must see. It’s a crowning achievement of directing and acting.

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The Help

Tags

2010's, Allison Janney, Bryce Dallas Howard, Drama, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer, Sissy Spacek, Tate Taylor, The Help, Viola Davis

Film Title

The Help

Director

Tate Taylor

Starring

• Emma Stone as Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan
• Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark
• Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson
• Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook
• Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote
• Allison Janney as Charlotte Phelan
• Sissy Spacek as Mrs. Walters

A big-hearted and stirring movie that tackles racism and the efforts of someone to expose it, The Help provides a poignant and affecting film, aided by a superb cast of talented actresses.

Aibileen Clark is a black maid for a family in 1963 Jackson, Mississippi, who has endured great hardships but has largely kept her emotions under wraps as being maid is the only thing she knows and the only form of work she has. She finds company in her friend and fellow maid Minny Jackson, who is sassy and outspoken in comparison to her, but an excellent cook which is why she finds her employment. A friend of the family Aibileen works for, the young and fresh out of university Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan returns home to pursue a career in writing. Yet in the social circle that Skeeter finds herself in, headed by the utterly vile and extremely racist Hilly Holbrook, she is something of an odd person, mainly due to the fact that she is more interested in writing than finding a boy to marry. After witnessing the prejudice that the black maids suffer on a daily basis from the white families that employ them, Skeeter finds a story to be discovered and written about. She wishes to write something that shows the feelings and opinions of ‘the help’ and expose what they go through. Determined as ever, she first asks Aibileen her thoughts on being a maid, of which Aibileen is apprehensive as she doesn’t want to lose her job for speaking out of turn. Good-natured Skeeter eventually wins Aibileen around with her persuasive tactics as she genuinely cares about what happens and wishes to make some sort of difference to the shocking treatment of black people. But in the climate of racism and prejudice, they must be careful that no one catches on to their plans, especially Hilly. They also recruit Minny, who has a few stories to tell in typically impudent fashion. Their writing and conversations soon lay the ground work for the book, as they skilfully avoid being caught by meeting in secret and quietly getting the opinions of other maids, who were first skeptical about speaking out. As the writing continues, Skeeter’s resolve strengthens until she won’t stop and with growing confidence and support from both Aibileen and Minny, the book is put in successful motion.

Tate Taylor’s direction is well-appointed and rendered with just the right amount of poignancy, that allows the characters to shine brightly and come alive. He does get a bit sidetracked with trying to sometimes be too light, but his direction is handsomely done all the same. There a few times when The Help misses an opportunity to really present the themes it has with more honesty and they get a bit lost in the whole thing, but by and large, it does a pretty commendable job with at least bringing most of it to the attention of viewers. I would have liked a bit more seriousness at various parts in the film, but the largely touching and inspiring story at least made up for that mishap. The Help certainly makes for moving and poignant viewing, as we really feel get to know the characters of Aibileen and Minny and are horrified at the treatment they endure by others, simply because of their skin colour. It is pretty staggering that it wasn’t actually that long ago that things like this happened when you think about it, and even today there is still prejudice in places. Some will say that the film is too glossy to have dramatic impact when it does have significantly moving material that sheds a light on determination to overcome racism. If anything, the bright colours throughout The Help, enable it to be a bit ironic as everything on the surface is nice, but the ugly truth of matters is far from it. The music in The Help is quite a contemplative part of it, with a growing emotion and feeling slowly emerging from the quiet.

Emma Stone is extremely appealing as the heroine and thrust of the narrative. Her Skeeter is a girl of understanding and doggedness, who gradually with gumption takes risks in ensuring that the story is told and recognized as a portrait of the hardships the maids have to deal with. Her bright eyes and quick mouth are also put to good use, with Stone getting some feisty one-liners to dispense to the circle of women she knows and all follow Hilly like loyal sheep. If Stone represents the spirit of the piece, Viola Davis is the beating heart of The Help. Her dignity, integrity and emotions are all projected with such beauty, poise and humanity that you can’t help but be moved and sympathise with. Her face registers so many feelings that dialogue isn’t needed to understand the hardships she has endured and how she has stoically battled away with grace and hope. Davis is a soulful and powerful performer and her work here is nothing short of amazing from start to finish. On scene-stealing form is an Oscar-winning Octavia Spencer, who is delightfully sassy and direct to the point. Her Minny is a character to root for and Spencer’s wit and depth is given fine voice and freedom as Spencer completely owns a lot of the show with her work. Bryce Dallas Howard savours the role of queen bitch Hilly and plays it to the hilt, becoming one nasty piece of work that you just want her to get exactly what she deserves. She reminds one of a cross between a Stepford Wife and a queen bee from high school, all packaged into a horribly vindictive package and realised well by the talented Howard. Jessica Chastain showcases her immense versatility by playing the ditzy but very personable Celia; an ostracized lady who hires Minny and treats her like any normal person would, in a respectful and kind way that isn’t based on prejudice or fear. Chastain imbues the role with a real naive sweetness, along with a complimentary wealth of sadness that makes you want to hug her. Celia is bullied by the disgusting Hilly who sees her as trashy and immature, when in reality she is a lot more likable, open-minded and mature in outlook than anyone thinks. Good support is provided by Allison Janney as Skeeter’s bossy but ill mother and especially Sissy Spacek as the dotty but amusing mother of Hilly.

So while it could have dug deeper into the issues it presents, The Help still ends up being a pleasing and moving drama about taking a chance and growing with courage in letting your voice be heard.

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Tags

2010's, Analeigh Tipton, Comedy, Crazy Stupid Love, Drama, Emma Stone, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, Jonah Bobo, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, Romantic Comedy, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell

Film Title

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Directors

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

Starring

• Steve Carell as Cal Weaver
• Ryan Gosling as Jacob Palmer
• Julianne Moore as Emily Weaver
• Emma Stone as Hannah
• Kevin Bacon as David Lindhagen
• Marisa Tomei as Kate
• Jonah Bobo as Robbie Weaver
• Analeigh Tipton as Jessica

A very disarming romantic comedy, that brings in touching drama effectively, Crazy, Stupid, Love guarantees laughs and sympathy with a big heart and fabulous cast. This is for my money, one of the better romantic comedies in years.

Middle-aged Cal Weaver’s life looks like it’s going swimmingly; he’s long time been married to high school sweetheart, has two children and a good job. But this is about to take a sever nosedive as Emily reveals that she has cheated on him and now wants a divorce. Dejected and shocked, he drowns his sorrows at the bar. While there, resident Lothario Jacob Palmer takes sympathy on depressed Cal and offers to help him turn his life around. Cal accepts and smooth-talking Jacob soon has him growing more confident with a makeover and tips regarding the dating scene. Cal finds that after getting awkwardly to grips with dating, he can be quite a guy and a real charmer with the ladies. Yet while gaining confidence and his mojo back, Cal can’t help but feel that something is missing and that he may have to confront the feelings he still has for Emily. Meanwhile, Jacob finds himself falling for law student Hannah, who initially rebuffed him but wants some excitement in her life after feeling that her steady but dull boyfriend is not what she was looking for. Because he has always been the player, Jacob doesn’t know how to approach the possibility of love. Also feeling the pangs of love is Cal’s son Robbie, who has a hopeless crush on his pretty 17-year-old babysitter Jessica( who it transpires has feelings for Cal herself). Much hilarity and unexpected results abound as a result of love.

Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa really know what they’re doing with this kind of project and ensure that the laughs flow just as much as the drama of it all. By far the largest and best thing Crazy, Stupid, Love has in its artillery is a snappy script. There is a devilish and side-splitting back and forth there;particularly in regards to the Cal and Jacob parts of the movie( the makeover of Cal is a very hysterical part), as well as a good few cynical jabs at pop culture’s idea of romance. What set apart from many other film of the crowd, was that it let the characters be flawed yet likable. With too many comedies, it becomes a case of us always having to like the characters all the time. Crazy, Stupid, Love does things differently by equally making time for the humorous aspects of the players and blending with the touching insights we get to them, expressing their insecurities and desires. The movie never ceases to be hysterically funny and irreverent, but the added parts of drama give it a lot more impact and made it a better movie that what I expected it to be. And rather than be overly predictable, there are some extremely well-timed surprises along the way, bolstered by a genuine heart and sympathy. Love and relationships are depicted as funny, complex and unexplainable, but always there no matter what. A gentle and amiable score perfectly matches the events on screen in a very accomplished way that doesn’t overstate things. The only niggle I found was that the film was a tad too long, but honestly that was the only thing in a very funny and satisfying movie.

A winning cast is the proverbial cherry on top. Steve Carell is inspired casting as the hapless Cal, who doesn’t know what to do with his life after discovering the infidelity of his wife. The required awkwardness, every man quality and emotion is glimpsed, but Carell succeeds the most at displaying his sense of humour once Cal gets a new lease of life. Some of his facial expressions are just so funny and equally touching, often in quick succession and it is hard not to want to reach through the screen and tell this guy that things will work out for him. Ryan Gosling plays remarkably well off the straight-laced and sympathetic Carell with his matinee idol image of a stud put to great use. Yet while his good looks and charisma are all there, he also gets the opportunity to reveal a bit more than just the standard role of the playboy wing man. Both men take up a lot of the story and have a blast doing so. The rapport between them is one of those winning combinations that benefits the other and ensures that the laughs and good nature of Crazy, Stupid, Love come percolating through. The distinctively emotional and expressive delivery of Julianne Moore is very well suited to the part of conflicted Emily. We witness how she begins to rue her decision to ask for divorce, despite being involved with someone else. As usual, Moore is terrific. Emma Stone is a vibrant flash of energy and has some sparkling chemistry with Ryan Gosling, alongside humour to burn. Laughs are also guaranteed courtesy of Marisa Tomei, playing the schoolteacher who sleeps with Cal and then becomes neurotic over him not bothering with her because of his new lifestyle. Her scenes are a real hoot and though the part is small, it’s well-played and memorable. Kevin Bacon has probably the least developed part of the man Emily cheated on Cal with, but has fun with it anyway in the way that he knows how. Jonah Bobo, despite his young years, comes off incredibly confident and mature when playing the young boy mooning over his babysitter crush, while also dispensing advice about love to grown ups. The lovely Analeigh Tipton sweetly portrays the longings of a girl near womanhood and the confusion of it all, very perceptively and honestly.

In fact, it must be stated that Crazy, Stupid, Love features such great chemistry from each cast member, it’s positively infectious.

A simply wonderful and warm slice of romantic comedy-drama, Crazy, Stupid, Love is the kind of the film that will leave you with a massive grin on your face.

More Beautiful Ladies

Tags

Beautiful Ladies, Christina Hendricks, Emma Stone, Eva Mendes, Jackson Rathbone, Liv Tyler, Olivier Giroud

After the success of my other Ladies posts, I thought I’d do another one for all my great followers out there. There is no specific theme today, just beautiful women for all the guys and some handsome men for the women.

Firstly, we have the luscious Liv Tyler. With her full lips and raven hair, she is a beautiful woman who always captivates my attention.

The sensual Christina Hendricks is a stunner in almost every photo I see her in. And I just love those fiery red locks.

Eva Mendes always exudes smoky sex appeal in almost everything she does.

Emma Stone has such a gorgeous demeanor and has one of the best smiles I’ve ever seen.

And now ladies, here are some handsome men to lust after. We have some hipster guy for Reut, Jackson Rathbone for Vampire Placebo and French football star Olivier Giroud for all you sporting ladies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy A

Tags

2010's, Aly Michalka, Amanda Bynes, Comedy, Dan Byrd, Easy A, Emma Stone, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, Patricia Clarkson, Penn Badgley, Stanley Tucci, Thomas Haden Church, Will Gluck

Film Title

Easy A

Director

Will Gluck

Starring

• Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast
• Penn Badgley as Woodchuck Todd
• Amanda Bynes as Marianne Bryant
• Thomas Haden Church as Mr. Griffith
• Lisa Kudrow as Mrs. Griffith
• Aly Michalka as Rhiannon
• Dan Byrd as Brandon
• Patricia Clarkson as Rosemary Penderghast
• Stanley Tucci as Dill Penderghast
• Malcolm McDowell as Principal Gibbons

Funny, insightful and above all relatable, Easy A examines in comedic fashion that effects that a few little white lies can have on you and your reputation in the puzzling jungle known as high school. Headed by the excellent Emma Stone, Easy A is well above the average teen comedy and is one of the best I’ve seen in my recent memory, mainly because of its razor-sharp script and funny reworking of The Scarlet Letter.

Olive Penderghast is an average high school girl, who while not the most popular girl in school is not the most unpopular either. In order to get out of a camping trip with her best friend Rhiannon, Olive lies and says she lost her virginity having a passionate weekend with a boy. Unfortunately, Marianne, the zealously religious girl, begins to spread the rumour around the school and soon Olive has a reputation as the school tart. Now everyone is gossiping about her alleged personal life whereas before no one really took notice of her, she confides in another friend Brandon, who has recently come out as gay. Suffering bullying at the hands of the other students, he begs Olive to pretend she slept with him. Out of kindness, Olive agrees and when this rumour gets around she embraces the title as a harlot. Funnily enough, her reputation begins to mirror The Scarlet Letter, a book she has recently been studying in English class. But after a while, she begins to see that the reputation has gotten out of hand and is impacting on her relationships with those around her. She decides that maybe it is time she revealed the truth. But will anyone believe her?

The first thing to note in Will Gluck’s movie is the remarkable script it has. Delving into the thorny thicket of teenage gossip and anxiety, it crafts a relatable yet still funny look at the machinations of social standing that occur in high school. Laughs and equal amounts of drama occur, with the cast ably handling both with aplomb. References to John Hughes movies and classic 80’s films abound and will certainly raise a smile from many, including one scene that re-enacts both Say Nothing and The Breakfast Club.The eclectic soundtrack assembled accompanies much of the film, and provides many laughs along the way. A highlight for me has to be Olive singing “Pocketful of Sunshine” for almost the whole weekend, I really couldn’t stop laughing after viewing this scene.

Emma Stone is smart, sexy and touching as Olive, who finds herself branded the Hester Prynne of her school after that little white lie became public knowledge. She excellently captures the caring side of her and the willingness to help others, whilst also showing a charismatic sense of humour when people turn on her. Olive is a character who many can identify with and much of this adds to the success of Easy A. Penn Badgley of Gossip Girl film makes his role as the boy who sees through the lies and manages to woo Olive, more interesting than it could have been. As the zealous Marianne, Amanda Bynes is particularly good, her scenes with Stone providing many comedic highlights. One being Marianne telling Olive that a higher power won’t approve of her depraved behaviour. Olive’s witty reply “Tom Cruise” will have you laughing for ages. Thomas Haden Church and Lisa Kudrow in supporting roles perform very well as married teachers. Dan Byrd as Brandon earns sympathy as the much bullied Brandon who Olive helps out. Aly Michalka is a cheeky presence as the bossy Rhiannon. And rounding out the cast are Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as Olive’s super groovy parents, who steal every scene in which they appear. Look out for Malcolm McDowell in a humorous cameo as the principal.

What could have been another clichéd teen movie becomes something much greater in the form of Easy A. If it’s a teen movie that probes into many issues facing youths on a daily basis and a fine cast fleshing out the eccentric roles of this modern take on The Scarlet Letter, Easy A may be the film you’ve been searching for.