Lorenzo’s Oil

Tags

1990's, Based on a true story, Drama, George Miller, Lorenzo's Oil, Margo Martindale, Nick Nolte, Peter Ustinov, Susan Sarandon, Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Film Title

Lorenzo’s Oil

Director

George Miller

Starring

• Susan Sarandon as Michaela Odone
• Nick Nolte as Augusto Odone
• Peter Ustinov as Professor Nikolais
• Margo Martindale as Wendy Gimble
• Zack O’Malley Greenburg as Lorenzo Odone

A harrowing but inspiring true story is brought to the screen in the drama Lorenzo’s Oil. Focusing on Augusto and Michaela Odone’s unending determination and eventual success in finding a treatment to stabilize their son’s terminal disease, it gains power and deep emotion from heartfelt direction and most successfully two outstanding performances from Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte.

Lorenzo Odone is a five-year-old boy as the movie opens, full of energy and brightness. He lives initially with his banker father Augusto and mother Michaela in the Comoros. The family then relocates back to the United States and this is when things become very worrying for young Lorenzo. He begins to lose some of his hearing, has convulsions and displays neurological problems. His concerned parents have him evaluated and he is then diagnosed with the rare and complex disease ALD, which is usually fatal within two years and . Reeling from the prognosis, Michaela and Augusto find that no doctor is able to treat the disease because of how rare it is. But instead of sitting back and waiting for the inevitable, Michaela and Augusto begin their search for a treatment. Despite neither of them having any real knowledge in medical or scientific study, they soon bury their heads in research, reviewing records of tests and trying any means necessary to treat their son. Along the way, the couple are met with adversity and skepticism from support groups, doctors and scientists who are all about going through the proper channels and waiting until something is found. Undettered by the fact that nothing is in their favour, the two parents continue their crusade, hanging on by sheer will and faith that they will find something and not be torn apart by everything. Eventually they manage to discover the usage of two types of oil that will break the boundaries of modern medicine and assist in stabilizing young Lorenzo’s condition, that many said couldn’t be treated.

George Miller as director crafts this inspiring film from the true story and keeps it rooted in emotion and faith. I admire the way that Miller successfully didn’t make Lorenzo’s Oil yet another  ‘Disease of the week’ style movie, instead bringing forth the heart and steadfast love that both parents exhibit and are willing to use if it means saving their son from an early death. Employing unusual angles and quick camera shots to place us right in the middle of the harrowing turn of events that befall’s Lorenzo and his family, before making the camera smoothly operated as a tiny glimmer of hope begins to appear when at first it looked as if there was none to find. Despite the fact that the audience knows the outcome of the story, this shouldn’t be held against Lorenzo’s Oil as it really cranks up the tension throughout as the Odone’s bury themselves in anything that can be of help to their boy in a desperate time. If anything knowing that the family succeed only makes the film more inspiring and triumphant as it shows the tenacity of their hopes and research, that many wrote off as in vain but was proven wrong.

A major high point of Lorenzo’s Oil is the cast, in particular Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte as the crusading Odone’s. Both actors pour the hearts and souls into the roles and it really shows. Susan Sarandon is a force of nature as Michaela, who holds firm that her son will survive and won’t listen to anyone else who says otherwise. Part of this is why I found her performance so compelling, she never sugar coats the woman or makes her saintly. She snaps at others who don’t share her faith and can be ruthless in order to get what she wants, but all of that comes from a place of love and the soulful eyes of Susan Sarandon wonderfully portray this. Nick Nolte, sporting an Italian accent that gets easier to listen to as the film progresses, is equally as good as Augusto, who throws himself into research. He is the more rational of the two parents, yet while their attitudes at times of what is best to do clash, they are both united in their goal to save their son and Nolte sensitively displays this. Peter Ustinov is very good as a medical professor who wants to help, but whose hands are tied due to ethics, time and bureaucracy. Margo Martindale is hugely effective as the mother of two children afflicted with the disease and is one of the few people to be of support to the Odone’s. As the young Lorenzo, Zack O’Malley Greenburg shows him in the beginning as a vibrant child who is then struck with the disease that affects him significantly and cruelly.

Truly moving, evocatively performed by the cast and never falling into cloying sentimentality, Lorenzo’s Oil is a stirring account of determination in the face of hopelessness and the fighting spirit of a parent’s love for their child.

The Hunger

Tags

1980's, Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Erotic Horror, Horror, Susan Sarandon, The Hunger, Tony Scott

Film Title

The Hunger

Director

Tony Scott

Starring

• Catherine Deneuve as Miriam Blaylock
• David Bowie as John Blaylock
• Susan Sarandon as Dr. Sarah Roberts

A stylish vampire horror with lots of 80’s excess and blood, The Hunger is also a very mixed film in terms of quality and watch ability. For all its visual panache and atmosphere, with the added bonus of a good cast, The Hunger in the end left me wanting something more from it and I felt that there was something missing from it.

Miriam Blaylock is a centuries old vampire who has the ability to bestow immortality on people she takes as consorts to ease her loneliness. Her current companion is John Blaylock, who has been with her for two hundred years travelling from domain to domain. The two are now in New York in a high-rise apartment, which they use to lure back unsuspecting victims to feed on their blood at least once a week. John believes that his youthful appearance will last forever but soon learns that it doesn’t. He will in fact live forever, but Miriam has not told him that his physical appearance will drastically wither away. Soon enough, John’s appearance begins to age at an alarming rate. Wanting help, he seeks out Dr. Sarah Roberts, a determined scientist who studies cases of advanced aging. At first she dismisses him, but after witnessing him age in just over two hours, she is shocked and wants to help. Unlucky for John, the aging continues and Miriam buries him in a coffin, alongside her other lovers over the years who are cursed to live forever but age horribly. Sarah is soon drawn into Miriam’s life and becomes bewitched by the alluring woman. And Miriam is now looking for a new lover and sees the perfect partner in Sarah. So on one of the their meetings, the seductive Miriam seduces Sarah and binds her to her by feeding on her blood. Sarah, who was unaware of this act, begins to develop worrying symptoms and begins to crave blood, leading to a gruesome, blood-soaked showdown with the imperious Miriam.

I’ll begin by going through the things that I took issue with and could have been improved on first. While The Hunger does have some thematic value, I always felt that the story and themes could have been pushed a little further than the finished results. The theme of immortality and the search for youth is an interesting one, but it gets swallowed up by the visuals and doesn’t really stand a chance. The pace of this movie can be really slow as a snail and meandering when it should have been a bit quicker. I understand going for a slow burn, but this really takes it a bit too far. The ending of the film also feels more than a little forced and undoes some of the intrigue that the film has built up but can’t sustain. In conclusion to the negatives, The Hunger just has that feeling of being hollow and not really reaching much of a worthy conclusion.

It must be said on the positives that The Hunger heralded the rise of Tony Scott as a stylish director with a keen eye. Everything in The Hunger is photographed with a certain gloss, that ties in with the setting of 80’s glamour and decadence. He masterfully inter cuts scenes to create visual symmetry and atmosphere. From rippling curtains, misty lenses and quick cutting, The Hunger is in the category of films that have a stunning impact on the eyes. I must day that the effects still stand up today, particularly when John begins to rapidly age. Scott does manage to tap into some of the themes in the story and certainly brings a darkly perverse and erotic core to it. I was similarly impressed by the way he updated vampire lore, instead of having the same old types of vampires we have seen a thousand times. The vampires here mingle into society, don’t seem to have an aversion to sunlight, have no fangs that we see and instead of biting the necks of victims they use a small knife to slit the throat and then proceed to feed. A perfect example of this is the striking opening scenes in which Miriam and John cruise around a dark nightclub and take home two unwitting victims to seduce and then feed their need. The style, music and visuals all fit together to give this opening scene a hell of an impact. Also worth mentioning is the seduction scene between Miriam and Sarah, as slow motion sensuality and a more sinister undertone perfectly mix to exotic effect, accompanied by the strains of opera. The unusual music score has a ghostly but strangely romantic twist to it and it makes for a chilling listen.

Catherine Deneuve is at the height of her icy and aloof powers here portraying the eternally beautiful Miriam, who is fond of company due to living for so long. There are glimmers of sadness that Deneuve brings out in subtle ways, but she’s most impressive when being alluring and poised, a vampire femme fatale whose kiss and appearance alone brings a hypnotic impact to those around her, in particular Sarah. David Bowie elicits a whole lot of sympathy as the aging John, who comes to see that he’s been spun a lie about how long he will remain youthful. The scene when he ages alarmingly fast is all the more sad for Bowie’s moving delivery of this betrayed man. Susan Sarandon is full of sensuality and curiosity as she becomes the latest victim of Miriam’s affections. Sarandon is also adept at displaying the fear that Sarah goes through as her body changes due to her sexual encounter with the icy Miriam.

So while the atmosphere and gloss of The Hunger is intoxicating, this doesn’t add up to the most riveting movie out there and it emerges as one that needed some other spark to ignite some form of interest.

 

Little Women(1994)

Tags

1990's, Christian Bale, Claire Danes, Coming-of-Age, Gabriel Byrne, Gillian Armstrong, Kirsten Dunst, Little Women, Mary Wickes, Period Drama, Samantha Mathis, Susan Sarandon, Trini Alvarado, Winona Ryder

Film Title

Little Women

Director

Gillian Armstrong

Starring

• Winona Ryder as Jo March
• Trini Alvarado as Meg March
• Claire Danes as Beth March
• Kirsten Dunst as Young Amy March
• Susan Sarandon as Marmee March
• Christian Bale as Laurie
• Mary Wickes as Aunt March
• Samantha Mathis as Adult Amy March
• Gabriel Byrne as Friedrich Bhaer

Adapted from the much-loved novel of Louisa May Alcott, Little Women is a heart-warming, movingly told gem of a coming of age movie about the importance of family and sisterhood. Boasting strong performances, beautiful cinematography and emotive music, Little Women is a joy for everyone to watch.

The focus of the story is on the women of the March family in the years of the Civil War and the time after in Concord, Massachusetts . Meg is the beautiful, gracious but slightly vain eldest, Jo is an expressive tomboy with a passion for writing, Beth is sensitive and earnest,  Amy is the romantically winsome and spoilt youngest. Their mother, affectionately known as Marmee, guides them through their lives with loving care but makes sure the girls manage to stay true to themselves no matter what whilst their father is fighting in the war that to them seems to be never ending. The sisters come across love, hardship and kindness as they grow up and experience the vicissitudes of life. The sisters befriend Laurie; the lonely boy next door who becomes almost like a part of the family and yet he develops feelings for Jo along the way. The film follows the March sister’s various ups and downs, personal pain and happiness and the strong, unbreakable bond between the girls that is eternal. Crafted by Gillian Armstrong, Little Women is sensitively told and beautiful without falling into the trap of being overly sentimental in its story of these four special girls.

Gillian Armstrong brings to the forefront the feminist undertones of the story, embodied by Marmee’s wish that her four daughters develop their intellect as well as blossoming beauty. Some purists may take issue with this and feel that it is bashing people on the head with the message, but it does the opposite by subtly adding an interesting dimension to the story and gives us an array of strong female characters that live long in the memory. Armstrong obviously feels a connection to the story and as her past output often features strong female characters, it’s not difficult to see why such a talented film maker would adapt this classic, intimate story for the screen. As the story spans many years in the lives of these girls, the expressive cinematography captures the changing of time to stunning effect by showcasing the beauty of the seasons. The evocative score by Thomas Newman highlights the deep themes of family importance and the various differing personalities of the March sisters as they make their journey through life and all that it entails. It was rightly nominated for an Oscar and it isn’t difficult to see why. As an audience, we glimpse the various troubles and joys that make up the lives of these characters. Many of the scenes stay strong in the memory such as Jo’s feisty independence beginning to emerge, Amy’s near death experience when she slips through the winter ice, the sisters reading a letter from their father around the fire and the sensitive Beth’s battle with Scarlet Fever. It really makes for heart-warming viewing as these girls go through the various stages of life and experience the many changes that it brings.

Most of the joy that comes from the film is down to the cast. In the lead role as the idiosyncratic and hot-tempered Jo, Winona Ryder is a marvel at bringing both the tough side to her character to the forefront whilst showing us the emotional care she has for those around her. Ryder is delightful and makes the plum role of Jo her own, The beautiful Trini Alvarado is impressive as the manner obsessed Meg, who begins to understand the social standing isn’t everything in life. A young Claire Danes is suitably lovely and sensitive as the caring Beth, who seems to face even the toughest things life can throw at her with a sense of decency and a smile. Young Kirsten Dunst adds mischief and an amusing selfishness to her role as the hopelessly winsome Amy, who is a regular madam with her nose in the air. It must be said that the chemistry between the four young actresses is simply delightful and helps you buy into them as sisters. Susan Sarandon embodies the love but firm care of the girl’s mother, revealing a strong women intent on keeping her girls from becoming merely a decorative piece on a suitor’s arm. A young Christian Bale is impressive as Laurie, the boy next door who is first enchanted by the four March women and later befriended by them. Mary Wickes, with killer one liners and a withering eye, is a hoot as the rich Aunt March, who can’t seem to go a minute without finding something to bad mouth or look down upon. On the other hand, Samantha Mathis as the older Amy and Gabriel Byrne as a handsome professor involved with Jo, are underwritten and as a result don’t get much to do in terms of pushing the story ahead.

Touching, immensely enjoyable and crafted with beautiful care by Gillian Armstrong, Little Women is sensitive and loving viewing at its best.

Which actors and actresses have the best voices?

Tags

Al Pacino, Bette Davis, James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, Maggie Smith, Marlon Brando, Morgan Freeman, Susan Sarandon, Tom Hanks

There are many stars who have a distinctive and memorable voice, if I listed them all I would need a book. So the question today is, which actor or actress has the best voice? Which star has a voice that you could listen to without getting bored? It can be someone really famous in the acting business or someone not so well-known. Whatever the answer, please give it and feel free to comment.

Here is a list of actors and actresses I consider to have great voices off the top of my head;

Maggie Smith

Susan Sarandon

 

Tom Hanks

 

Morgan Freeman

James Stewart

 

Katharine Hepburn

Al Pacino

 

Marlon Brando

Bette Davis

Thelma and Louise

Tags

1990's, Brad Pitt, Callie Khouri, Drama, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Ridley Scott, Road Movie, Susan Sarandon, Thelma and Louise

Film title

Thelma and Louise

Director

Ridley Scott

Cast

• Susan Sarandon as Louise Sawyer
• Geena Davis as Thelma Dickinson
• Harvey Keitel as Detective Hal Slocumb
• Michael Madsen as Jimmy Lennox
• Brad Pitt as J.D
• Christopher McDonald as Darryl Dickinson

The story of two best friends going on a vacation that turns into something completely different and ending in an unforgettable finale, Thelma and Louise struck a chord with many upon its release in 1991, maybe because of its road movie revamping and its new female spin on a male dominated genre. Whatever your view on it, there can be no debating the amount of buzz and arguments it has caused over the years since it’s release. Anyway, back to the review of it.

Thelma Dickinson is a meek, put upon housewife whose husband controls everything she does, her best friend Louise Sawyer is a tough-talking, world-weary waitress whose unexplained trauma that happened years prior has made her that way. Both bored in their uneventful and small Arkansas town, Louise suggests going on a trip, just the two of them. They both decide to do it and along the way stop at a bar, planning to leave after a short break. A suave man named Harlan begins to flirt with Thelma and eventually gets the timid housewife drunk. When she goes outside for air, his charming demeanor changes to violent as he tries to brutally rape her. Louise, stops him with the aid of a gun and threatens him. After yelling obscenities at her, Louise shoots him dead. Fearing the consequences of the incident, the duo go on the lam in an attempt to escape imprisonment, and so begins a thrilling journey of self-discovery and the power of friendship, that involves theft, guns and a spectacular chase through the Grand Canyon.

What is so interesting upon viewing Thelma and Louise, is its merging of various genres and its dusting off of old clichés in the form of new ones. At the heart of it, it is a road movie, but it also includes many instances of crime, action and drama. This is all handled under the thoughtful direction of Ridley Scott. Although I wouldn’t expect Scott to make a film such as this, he actually pulls off the film admirably and memorably. The Oscar-winning script by Callie Khouri furthers our engagement, emotional tie and understanding of the women and gets to the heart of their characters. Credit should also be given to Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, who both create convincingly outstanding portrayals as the eponymous best friends. All the way through the film, they anchor the proceedings and keep us watching as the women try to find a way to escape imprisonment whilst driving through the twists and turns of the American frontier. Harvey Keitel is also used to great effect as a sympathetic detective, who tries numerous times to persuade the women to stop running. Film buffs should also look out for a young Brad Pitt as a charismatic thief who Thelma takes a shine to after picking him up.

Debate rages on as to whether the film is man-hating, that its depiction of crime is one of a positive nature and that if it shows women in a positive or negative light. The film is also a hot topic when it comes to the ending, which I won’t divulge in case people reading it haven’t seen it. Those who have will know exactly what I’m talking about. Arguments made against it have labelled it flawed and cop-out, whilst others have disagreed. All of this aside, Thelma and Louise makes for memorable viewing because of its re-writing of genre and gender favorability, its title characters that are brought vividly to life by Sarandon and Davis and its mix of humour, drama and emotion.

What are your thoughts on the Cloud Atlas trailer?

Tags

Cloud Atlas, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Susan Sarandon, Tom Hanks

The other day I watched the trailer for the upcoming, all-star movie Cloud Atlas. From what I know about the movie, it is about six different time zones and character’s actions connecting them. The cast includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent and Susan Sarandon, amongst others.  Since my first viewing of the trailer , a lot of people have been talking about it, and the opinion seems firmly divided. So I want to know, what are your initial thoughts of the trailer? Do you think that the film will be bold or extremely confusing? Whatever your answer or view, please give it.

The Witches of Eastwick

Tags

1980's, Cher, Comedy, George Miller, Horror, Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, The Witches of Eastwick, Veronica Cartwright

Film Title

The witches of Eastwick

Director

George Miller

Cast

• Jack Nicholson as Daryl Van Horne
• Cher as Alexandra Medford
• Susan Sarandon as Jane Spofford
• Michelle Pfeiffer as Sukie Ridgemont
• Veronica Cartwright as Felicia Alden

Battles of the sexes comedies don’t come much darker and sexier than The Witches of Eastwick. Based on John Updike’s novel of the same name, directed by George Miller of Mad Max fame and featuring an absolutely hysterical performance by Jack Nicholson, Eastwick is a wickedly and darkly comic  film that slightly goes overboard with the special effects in the later parts . Regardless of this minor quibble, the film is still a pleasure and joy to watch partly because of Jack Nicholson and the three main woman who dominate the story. The score composed by John Williams adds to the devilish and lively quality of the film.

The film revolves around three single best friends in the boring, uneventful and traditional New England town of Eastwick. Although different in terms of their personalities,each has the distinction of having a man leave them in some form or another. The dynamic trio of women comprises of strong-willed sculptress Alex, shy and matron like cellist and music teacher Jane and sexy writer for the local newspaper Sukie. To relieve their boredom and feelings of loneliness,they meet every Thursday night for drinks and food. The gatherings are spent discussing what they want in a man and wishing for one to arrive in town. Unbeknownst to the trio, they in fact possess powers that can make strange things happen. After one such gathering, the flamboyant and devilish Daryl Van Horne arrives and purchases a prominent old mansion on the outskirts of town. He immediately sends shock waves through the traditional eponymous town with his brazen, over the top and deliberately lecherous behaviour. Thinking they have conjured up the man of their dreams, the women all gradually fall under his seductive spell. After gossip spreads through the town,partly because of local busybody and eccentric Felicia and strange incidents occur, the women realize that Daryl may not be what he at first seems and that they have conjured up a literal devil.

As the witches of the title;Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer are luminous and convincing as the love-starved and bored best friends who accidentally dabble in magic and get their fingers burnt as a result. The trio have a natural chemistry with each other that helps the audience believe in the friendship they share. But the acting honours go to Jack Nicholson who throws himself into the part and makes the film hysterically funny. Whether he is frantically playing the violin in order to seduce the shy Jane or dressed in a velvet robe when trying to make a move on the self-assured Alex, Nicholson is a hoot throughout. Special mention should also go to Veronica Cartwright for her supporting performance as the local gossip and Cassandra like prophet of the town who foresees the danger and debauchery that Daryl will bring to Eastwick.

Despite the sometimes overload of effects, sometimes they work within certain scenes in the movie. The funny scene that takes place in Daryl’s manor,when the girls play tennis and discover the extent of their magical abilities by using telekinesis to move the ball in their favour is well filmed and hilarious. The scene where after the women have cooled their relationship with him, he starts to bring their deepest fears to life is quite unsettling, particularly if you have a deep-seated fear of snakes. Revenge comes when the women devise an equally unsettling plan. Equally horrifying is Daryl’s revenge on Felicia, in which he causes her to continuously vomit cherry pips. If you are easily squeamish this scene may not be for you. One thing is definitely for sure, you will never look at cherries in the same way ever again.

Overall, the film is a horror comedy with elements of drama and fantasy thrown into the eclectic mix. The best way to enjoy the film is to accept it as it is and simply watch the trio of comic performances by  Cher, Sarandon and Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson in a devilish and extremely memorable portrayal.