A creative visionary

*WARNING SPOILERS*

A review of La La Land

La La Land just hit theatres in the UK so of course I had to attend a screening to understand what all the hype was for. With a record breaking 7 golden globes and more awards on the horizon, this film deserves every praise it’s getting.

The story centres around two individuals who help each other reach their dreams and this musical film hits every note when it comes to acting, composition, cinematography, editing. Everything is just beyond perfect. 

Damian Chazelle’s creative vision is a beautiful concoction of modern and vintage cinema. The 21st century setting is perfectly accompanied by an older style of film that swamped Hollywood back in the 50s. The CinemaScope inspired format forces you to take in everything from every scene; I just know that on a second viewing I will see and understand more and thus fall in love all over again.

I think the main reason why I enjoyed this film so much was because you can feel just how much love and care went into it’s production. Originally, the film had a measly budget and too many executive decisions resulted in Chazelle pulling the film and keeping it hidden away. Thankfully, with the success of his previous film Whiplash, Chazelle found backers that accepted his vision and now we have what's being considered as the best film of the year. As someone who sees films not just for fun but for inspiration, this film details just how powerful going back to basics can be. The fact that digital film is completely abandoned is such a risky thing to do nowadays but boy was it effective. 

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone take centre stage to become Seb: an extremely talented Jazz pianist, and Mia: an actor who is trying to catch her big break. When it comes to musical films I do find myself slightly prejudice to the idea of already successful actors suddenly taking on a singing role. I honestly don’t know why, maybe because I have the ideology stuck in my head that actors are actors and singers are singers. My prejudice was short lived, however, as Stone and Gosling take the film to a whole new level; I know that they weren’t the first choices for the roles but I am so glad that they ended up with them. 

The pair evidently have chemistry on and off screen (something I believe to be crucial in getting an honest performance) and they both just fit so perfectly in the roles. Stone and Gosling offer unique vocals which aren’t what you would expect for a musical film. They aren’t necessarily strong singers but that’s what makes them so perfect. They bring a sense of realism and reliability to the characters, through their slightly shaky voices. Having said this, Stone’s audition song near the end of the film is nothing but strength. The number is performed in a way that says “I can do this” and it just gets stronger until I am left sobbing on the floor in sheer awe of the power. Stone also has a skill quite a few actors lack and that is to show true emotion in every second of screen time. To cry on demand is one thing but to show real, raw emotion is another and Stone does an unbelievable, Oscar deserving, job. 

Then we come to Gosling, a man who spent 2 hours a day, 6 days a week for 3 months learning how to play jazz on the piano. His cocky character is the perfect example of someone who stops following their dream when it is literally in arms reach. He helps Mia with her dream but sacrifices his own in the process. Gosling played this character so well because one moment you want to slap him and tell him to stop being a full blown douche but then, at other times, you want to slap him and tell him to never give up. One of my favourite scenes is when Seb is playing Christmas music on the piano and decides to play jazz. The single-take shows Gosling (who 3 months before couldn’t play at all) performing a full blown jazz sequence that makes you question if it is him really playing and I can assure you it is.

The film begins with a one shot musical number where we see everyday people stuck in a traffic jam on a car ramp in LA. The camera tracks down the road allowing for us to see the variety of people and events taking place in each vehicle. This camera movement is so simple and memorable that as I left the cinema it was the first thing I could think about. As the camera focuses on the first singer, you really understand the feel of the film and it prepares you for the wonderful weirdness that can occur in musical films. Another reason why this scene was so memorable was (like all of the song sequences) the entire thing was done in a single-take with a camera on a crane. This created a raw, in the moment feel which is upheld throughout the film and can be compared to the spontaneous nature of Hollywood. 

While I did love every second of this feature, the editing (which took a year to get just right) is so powerful in itself. You are offered single-takes (like the gorgeous 6 minute dance sequence that Mia and Seb find themselves in while walking to their cars) which are then juxtaposed with short, snappy shots that quickly move the story along and allow for more emphasise to be put on the power of the music. I like to interpret Chazelle’s decision to do this as denoting what it feels like to be an artist- when you are doing what you love, time seems to stop and you get lost in your passion. Then, everything around that is just a means to get back to doing the thing you want to be doing. Fo example, Seb’s band scenes are snappier and not drawn out like when he is performing the Jazz he loves. Same goes for Mia. Her auditions are fast paced and almost montaged but when she goes for that final audition her love shines through and we see all of her raw unfiltered passion flood the screen. This is also helped by the fact that the scene wasn’t dubbed at all, instead what we hear is Emma Stone singing live on a soundstage with the piano in her ear.

While I do seem to be going on about Chazelle’s influence on the film I can’t forget to briefly talk of Mandy Moore’s choreography. To get over 100 dancers to jump up on cars in unison and perform such a powerful sequence is a feat in itself but to teach two people who aren’t professionals how to dance but more specifically tap in three months is astonishing. Every dance has a strength and intensity that leaves you speechless and wanting nothing more than to see it another time.

Then of course, there is the genius behind the music, Justin Hurwitz. The soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment to what we see on screen. Each song is utterly original and helps move the plot along in their own magical way. Ever since I saw the film, I've had "Audition" playing nonstop and tears staining my cheeks.

Finally, I wish to talk of the ending which has had extremely mixed reviews. Some viewers hated it’s kick in the teeth feel while others adored it. I’m glad to say I am in the latter group. I have to admit, at first I was confused into what was happening but as it pans out and it becomes clear that it’s a “what could have happened” sequence, it makes the entire film 100x more powerful. It visualises the fact that life doesn’t always go to plan; you can dream about how you want something to go but you will always go in a slightly different direction. For some to say they were robbed of a happy ending is nonsense, because, while they aren't together, they are both happy and can see the other is happy living their dream. 

I will be seeing this film again and I beg anyone and everyone to just take 2 hours to watch Chazelle’s extraordinary vision that is full of beauty and passion.

Thank you for reading,

Haynes

Let's go fluff some scumbags...

*WARNING SPOILERS*

A review of War on Everyone

A comedy that left me laughing half-heartedly, War on Everyone was a film I had been anticipating for months now. My main reasoning behind my excitement was of course Alexander Skarsgård, after seeing him in the summer blockbuster Tarzan and from the HBO Vampire show "True Blood". However, the film looked promising and interesting considering it's a different genre to what I usually watch.

The film itself sees the bad cop/ worse cop narrative play out with Skarsgård and Peña at the helm. These two cops push their level of authority to get what they want but when they push the wrong people, events don't go as planned. The "wrong people" are led by Lord James Mangan (Theo James) an upper class Englishman who has too much money and too little conscience. Of course, the Englishman was the villain in the story dominated by Americans. Keeping with the idea of stereotypes, so many filled this film that it lost its comedy element pretty quickly. Now that being gay is accepted more easily, a new victim has to be chosen. Unfortunately, that victim is the Trans community. Sometimes I just feel like a joke against a community already struggling isn't needed and there was definitely one moment in particular that was rather pointless and not helping the trans cause. 

The plot itself was rather confusing and I still don't know what everyone was talking about but I can say I got the gist of the overall storyline. This is definitely one of those films where I don't like it for the plot but instead the way it is presented to me. Dutch angles were thrust into my brain every now and then which I highly enjoyed because it perfectly conveyed the twisted domination of the cops. Transitions were abrupt yet fitting. For example, a hand was centred in on at the end of a scene before cutting to Peña's character playing the piano and focussing on his fingers. Another moment which was highly enjoyable was the tracking shot of James moving through his mansion. We follow him from the aftermath of his endeavours in bed and see him move down a grand staircase (stopping for a quick kiss on the way), pick up a sword and end standing in front of a man he intends to decapitate. The movement was flawless and real did well to put you in the scene and feel the pompous power radiating off of Lord Mangan.

The jokes themselves were rather forced resulting in only slight laughs from me and other audience members. However, I would like to remind you that I rarely laugh out loud in cinemas (as I don't wish to be one of those obnoxious people (we all know who I am talking about)). Having said this, the jokes that did succeed in making me giggle were the ones that hit quick and just screamed stupidity. One moment that stands out is when the cops go to interrogate a man working for Mangan. He makes a gesture where he lifts his arms slightly to convey power but Skarsgård's character makes a joke out of it and mocks the man by repeating the same movement (but more like a chicken) before running after the man who is rather confused. The scene is rather hard to explain, as you can tell from my poor description but it was so simple and effective in breaking my cinema rule.

Overall, I think I did enjoy the film but not for the plot. Instead, I will be filing this feature under "movies I like due to the way it's made". If you wish to spend 97mins watching a film that is slow but beautiful in it's presentation then I highly recommend War on Everyone.

Thank you for reading,

Haynes

The perfect internet safety video

*WARNING SPOILERS*

A review of Nerve

It's been a while since I saw this film but it hasn't left my thoughts at all. I have never been so tense and on the edge of my seat as I was while watching this very modern film. Its morales and characters were so relatable that I couldn't help but think: this could happen to me.

The film itself is about a girl named Vee (Emma Roberts) who decides she doesn't want to be the "perfect" goody two shoes anymore. She winds up playing an online game called Nerve which allows for watchers to dare players into doing whatever they can think of, all for a cash prize. Vee signs up to the game as a player and ends up doing the most stress inducing and utterly horrifying dares, ending with her being shot.

Now, don't worry, she doesn't die and I think that is why I loved the film so much. I honestly did not know if she was dead or alive. Usually I can see the end of a film coming from a mile away but this film succeeded in sitting me in the dark and keeping me there. Part of me hoped she had died, just so a stronger message could be put across to the internet users of today but the sheer idea of truly not knowing caused me to feel extremely nervous. Something a film has never done before so I congratulate it for that.

In terms of acting, I was pleasantly surprised by Roberts performance. Over the past few years I have carried a real distaste for the actor but recently I have come to terms with the fact that yes, she may be typecast as the bratty teen but boy can she play it well. Nerve sees her in basically the same role but there is feeling and character there, where in previous roles there has just been bitchiness. In terms of Franco, he brought pretty much the same character to the screen as his one in Now you see me but with more strength and kindness. The other supporting actors all conveyed the perfect height of emotions to push me to the edge of my seat; one scene that stands out in my mind is when Vee's friend Sydney (Emily Meade) is dared to cross from her building to the adjacent one with nothing but an unstable ladder. The hair stood up on the back of my neck as I watched this actor crawl out into the unsafe. It was at this moment when it hit me. This character could fall and die; she wasn't necessarily a main, the story could go on. I ended up with butterflies in my stomach, as I watched with a completely open mind. 

The concept of the film was probably what I enjoyed the most because here we are being offered an idea that is completely possible to execute in our day and age. The internet is unsafe. children and teens can be forced into doing dangerous things all because someone on the internet said to. We all know about The Fire Challenge (which is still going on today). This film really makes you think just how out of depth you can get in this digital age. We all care more for how many people are watching and liking us online that we forget the real world and the real friends we have. 

Overall, I highly recommend anyone and everyone to watch this film. You are being given a perfect internet safety video. Utilise it but most of all enjoy it because at the end of the day it is a highly exciting, nail biting piece of cinema.

Thanks for reading,

Haynes

2nd Time's the Charm

*WARNING SPOILERS*

A review of Suicide Squad

Okay, so where do I begin? I've seen this film twice at the cinema now. The first time, I was buzzing with excitement from; reading spoiler free reviews, watching cast interviews and seeing promotional pictures EVERYWHERE. Everything Suicide Squad, I wanted to know. In taking in so much knowledge of the film before watching it, I think it allowed me to appreciate the picture more than someone that may not have fallen into the vat of DC publicity. For my first viewing of this new take on Superhero films, I was in 4DX. For anyone that doesn't know what that is, basically the chairs move, lights flash, wind blows through the room, and you even get sprayed with water at times (it's a great experience and I recommend you try it at least once). Anyway, so there I was in my special 4DX seat and it wasn't even 2 minutes into the film before I knew it was going to be good. At the beginning, the DC logo spins and, being in a movable chair, so did I. Then came the first of numerous perfectly chosen and placed songs (the opening number being "House of the rising sun"). The hairs on my back stood up and I just sat in awe for the rest of the film. 

My thoughts from my first viewing were as follows: Great cast, phenomenal effects and fight scenes but what the hell was the plot? My brother had a nice way of summing the film up, "It was so close to being amazing that it was annoying". Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it so, so, so much but the way the plot had been put together was painful to watch at times. It was like they had a folder full of best bits and just tried to put them in some order that would create a hint of a narrative. To say I was confused would be an understatement; I honestly thought that the Suicide Squad were recruited to save Rick Flag, because the actor looked so different from shot to shot (I later found out this was down to the re-shoots and them forgetting that hair grows).

Now move forward in time a week. I had a whole 7 days to reflect on my opinions and read more information on what made the film what it was. In those 7 days my enjoyment of the parts I did understand and like only grew stronger and when it came to the second viewing it felt like I was watching it for the first time. However, this time I knew the plot and I wanted to focus on all the things around the loosely constructed story. Let's just say, I walked out that theatre with a huge grin on my face and the inability to shut up for a good 2 hours. Going that second time allowed me to watch the film and fully enjoy the creation put before me, instead of trying to follow every single element of the plot. If there is anyone out there who is on the edge of liking it, go and see it again. I promise you a second time round will tip you right into the "loved it" category.

It's now been around a week since I saw the film; I'm still reading articles and watching videos (I even bought temporary tattoos that relate to each of the characters). I've been able to gather all my thoughts and I officially want to say I love the film. The casting was perfect and I truly felt each of the actors were their roles. I especially liked Jai Courtney (Boomerang) and of course the stunning Margot Robbie who threw herself completely into bringing Harley Quinn to the big screen for the first time. Her performance was definitely the highlight of the entire film and while there were times which upset me about her character (like the over-the-top "voices in my head" sequence or the fact she was literally the most femme fatale character I have ever laid my eyes upon), I highly appreciated her take on the therapist-turned-insane partner of the notorious Joker. Speaking of the Joker, I can't do this review without mentioning Jared Leto's take on the character. Going back to a more Comic version of the villain, Leto offered what seemed like a more controlled, businessman version. Personally, I did like Leto in the role but I feel like the main reason why a lot of people aren't taking to his performance is because he was cut from so much of the film. If we'd got to see more of him and more of the effort that Leto seemed to put into the role I think more people would have taken to him just like they took to Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008). Not going to lie, I could easily sit through an R-rated Joker film with Leto as the lead.

One scene which really stands out to me is just after Harley has jumped from the crashing plane and she waits for the squad on top of a car. She has lost her "puddin" and in that moment you can see the pain and vulnerability in her eyes. As the squad moves towards her no one tries to fight her or jab a harsh comment at her. Instead, she is the one to offer a broken smile and jump right back into the action. I loved this because it showed the character to still feel emotions. More times than none, someone who kills as much as her would be portrayed as having no emotions at all. Even Dead shot says he "can't feel love and still sleep at night" to which Harley replies "classic textbook psychopath". In that response alone you see Harleen Quinzel still in there and it allows for us as viewers to connect with the character and feel more satisfied when she does see The Joker again. 

I think what DC have succeeded in doing is creating a new team of anti-heroes who we like more than our stereotypical ones. I might be alone in saying this but if there is a Justice League Vs Suicide Squad film, I am rooting for the latter. Hopefully, the sequel will be given an R-rating so it can be darker and show more of the villainous sides to the characters because sometimes they did come across as too nice but maybe thats just how it seems in our desensitised world. You could have killed hundreds of people but if you have a daughter who you help with her math homework, i'm on your side.

Thank you for reading,

Haynes.

Back to Basics

*WARNING SPOILERS*

A review of Star Trek Beyond

This new instalment took us back to what Star Trek original stood for: An adventure to far off places where danger ensues and by some miracle Kirk and his crew are able to save the day. Previously, JJ Abrams took the helm and rebooted the franchise with Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), grossing over $7 million worldwide. The plots were interesting, the cast were spot on and, of course, Abrams' directing techniques were unique and exciting, as always. 

Star Trek Beyond found itself a new director, in the form of Justin Lin (Fast an Furious (2009)) with Simon Pegg (Scotty) helping pen the script. Right from the get go, you can feel the difference between this film and the previous two. It felt lighter and funnier, allowing for beloved characters to come into the limelight. Sadly, Anton Yelchin passed away just before the film was released but it was nice to see Chekov get a bigger part in what ended up being Yelchin's final performance of the character. In addition, Karl Urban reprises his role of Bones and we get to see his relationship with Kirk and Spock return to its original one. 

In terms of plot, I liked the idea because it was simple and easy to follow. Then, of course, they had to destroy the Enterprise which left me feeling like someone had just punched me in the heart. Idris Elba played Krall (previously known as Captain Balthazar Edison, former commander of the USS Franklin). After being stranded on an alien planet, he used the technology around him to prolong his life. This film sees him set on destroying the Federation so that galactic conflict resumes. Of course, the Enterprises' crew won't let that happen and somehow find every possible way to save the day just in time. 

The only critisicm I have for this film is that Pegg's portrayal does come across slightly too Scottish. All of the stereotypical words that you think of when you think of the dialect are used and when he talks to Jaylah (an alien scavenger who helps the crew) she doesn't question his accent or what the words he are using imply. I mean, considering she learnt English from the few video logs left behind by the USS Franklin's crew, it just didn't seem right that she wasn't confused or even making fun of his accent.

In conclusion, I liked this film as a "back to basics" instalment but I have to admit I preferred Abrams' style and plots just because they felt more exciting and weren't as predictable. However, I will no doubt be buying this on DVD one day to add to my, what I hope won't just be a trilogy, New Trek film collection.

Thank you for reading,

Haynes. 

The perfect ending, for a perfect film.

*WARNING SPOILERS*

A review of Lights Out

I think I have found a new directing inspiration. In 2013, David F. Sandberg created a short film (just under 3 minutes) called Lights Out. Unfortunately, I watched the short after seeing the feature film's trailer but let me tell you, I have never been so creeped out in the space of 3 minutes; my mum literally screamed. Lotta Losten (Sandberg's wife) takes on the role of a women who, when she turns the light off, sees a shadowy creature staring back at her. Just that concept creeps me out. After seeing that short, I looked at the couples' other work and it successfully spooked me out in such a short amount of time (a feat in itself).

Moving back to the feature film, I re-watched the trailer and began to do my usual research (some may call it stalking) on all things Lights Out. I already knew about James Wan producing the movie so I knew it was going to be great and it quickly became my most anticipated film of the summer. Unfortunately, I couldn't see it the Friday it was released in the UK but I did go on the Monday and as I sat there watching the pre-movie trailers it got me thinking. Both Sandberg and Wan created a short film that was picked up and made into a feature, kicking off their big screen careers. Just the concept of that is extremely inspirational to me and has motivated me to start writing my own scripts. 

Anyway, onto the film itself. I bloomin' loved it. Thinking back right now, I can't think of many, if any negatives. The casting was perfect, the cinematography was beautiful, the creature was just the right amount of creepy to not give me nightmares (unlike the one from the original. Jesus, that was scary!), and the plot itself was everything I could have hoped for and more. In addition, my thoughts on run times are "keep it the shortest it can be" and at 81 minutes it was a perfect length. I checked my phone at one point in the movie thinking it had been on for at least an hour but in reality only 20 minutes had gone by. So much is put into every moment and it results in you getting more and more excited because you still haven't got to the big horror ending.

The plot itself was interesting because it had characters that you could relate to and a clever and creepy reasoning behind why the shadowy figure (Diana) was tormenting the family. Plus, the creature wasn't just something that would jump out at you, scream a little and maybe scratch you, it full on ripped you to shreds. It had slasher elements (a genre I am very fond of). In particular, one of my favourite scenes is when Bret (Alexander DiPersia) tries to flee the home and the creature follows him. it's tense and terrifying because he is running from something that can't be seen in the light. He is caught and lifted to what I fully expected to be his back-breaking death, when he grabs hold of his keys, switches his car lights on and Diana disappears, dropping Bret to safety. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I truly did believe he had run away for good leaving the family to die. Luckily, he returns, logically having rung the police (who unfortunately do die but hey, at least they brought torches!). 

Of course, with a name like Lights Out, lighting played a huge part in this production and every single light created the perfect effect. Martin wakes up and leaves his room with a candle (personally, I would have just sat in a corner holding the light to me) as he moves outside Diana is waiting in the shadows and grabs his feet. Martin falls to the floor in a beautiful shot where the candle seems to be the only thing lighting him as he is dragged away. Also, the tattoo parlour's red light created a terrifying scene as I could do nothing but watch as Rebecca moved to inspect what I already knew could brutally murder. In addition to the red lights, there were the blue UV ones. I knew, the moment Martin found the UV torch, Diana would be visible when using it so when it came to the terrifying mannequins I couldn't bring myself to look at the horrific face that sprung into view. 

Now to my favourite part of the film. Diana's end. I had guessed that the only way the creature could be killed was by Sophie (Rebecca and Martin's mum) taking her medication. In the scene where Diana threw her pills away I thought maybe Sophie might think about killing herself but it was just a passing thought that I knew wouldn't actually happen cause thats not the stereotype of this genre; the good guys find a way to win without being killed otherwise what is the point. So when Sophie drew a gun to her head I was beyond shocked. I sat and thought no, she wouldn't. As soon as I realised she was going to kill herself I was amazed and excited (not by the idea of suicide but by the breaking of a horror stereotype). Also, the performance by Palmer left my hair standing on end as I put myself in her shoes and felt my heart being ripped out. It was a perfect ending for a perfect film.

I do have one question, however: if you were under your covers with a light, Diana wouldn't be able to touch you but could she just pick up the covers with you inside and kill you anyway?

Overall, this film is in my top 5 favourite films of 2016 (if not all time). David F. Sandberg is joining James Wan as a director I am inspired by and look up to and I cannot wait to see what he creates with Annabelle 2.

Thank you for reading,

Haynes.