Review - Écoute le Temps (2006 - Dir. Alanté Kavaïté)

In the second semi-final of the FA Cup of Actors the young challenger Émilie Dequenne faces off against screen legend James Stewart. Who will come out on top?

Being a native French speaker I can easily translate the title without even the sneekiest of peeks at a English/French dictionary. Cut the Temperature is a biopic focussing on the early disastrous cake baking attempts of Mary Berry. Burning sweet food products is her speciality until an evil hunchbacked Cornish Pisky makes a deal with her: Mary's cakes will be perfectly cooked and to be generous, he will even throw in the ability to knock up gorgeous salad dressings. The downside is that Mary has to suffer with a permanently itchy bumhole. (Watch her on 'The Great British Bake Off', she's forever having a crafty scratch. Possibly.)

I think that the DVD distributor must have put the wrong disc into my box because the film I watched was very different to the above, more to do with listening to time. (Don't know where they got that from?) But despite the lack of Mary Berry this is actually a pretty ingenious film.

Charlotte's (Émilie Dequenne) mum - rumour has it in the local village community that she was a witch - has been murdered and Charlotte moves back into her old house to investigate. Everyone in the village is a suspect. Being a sound recordist, Charlottes starts to record the creaking in the dilapidated house. Imagine her surprise when the recordings turn out to be conversations that happened in the past - hence the listening to time thingy. Examining these conversations, Charlotte starts to piece together what has happened to her mum.

The cover had me interested from the start, looking like something from a bank heist or spy thriller. The criss-crossing threads have an altogether more interesting use linked to the time travelling sounds. As with Peacock it has made a pleasant change to watch a film that tries something different.

Despite the engaging premise this film never hits the viewer with a startling twist or a stunning revelation. Charlotte just plods along finding clue after clue until she works out who the cheeky murderer is. No thrilling finale to be had here.

This isn't one of Dequenne's finest performances but it's by no means bad. It's very solid within the parameters of the script. But the lack of anything of real quality happening within the final third could have left an opening for James Stewart. If Vertigo or Anatomy of a Murder comes up for him, it's goodbye to the competition favourite Émilie Dequenne.
6/10
evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
White Noise, The Pack.

Review - Dark Water (2005 - Dir. Walter Salles)

Here's Jennifer Connelly's shot at gaining a place in the illustrious final of the FA Cup of Actors. I'm quite glad that this came up as it's something that I'd fancied seeing for a while. I saw the original version some time ago and thought that it was suitably creepy and generally okay. Let's see what I make of this American remake of Dark Water (or to give it its title in Yorkshire: Dark Watter).

Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly) is splitting up from her husband (Dougray Scott) and taking her little girl Ceci (Ariel Gade of Some Guy Who Kills People fame) with her to a new apartment. It's a shame that a dodgy estate agent (John C. Reilly) convinces her to rent an apartment in an entirely dubious location and it is run down in the extreme. It would be an understatement to say that damp is a problem. As things get worse for Dahlia, both in the flat and in her personal relationships, lawyer Jeff Platzer (Tim Roth) is on hand to advise.

This is one long slow burn of a film; think House of the Devil long burn. I quite like it for that alone. Not having any kind of attention disorder, I can cope with things gradually unfolding. Eventually slow burners need to reach a point where something great or shocking happens but like the aforementioned film, Dark Water doesn't get to that point.

The most potentially interesting relationship in the film is between Dahlia and her lawyer. Platzer's office is his car and he goes to the cinema on his own to see films like a real saddo. (You wouldn't catch me doing things like that. Not this week anyway. There's nothing on.) Yet he is a real professional and does a great job of sorting Dahlia's problems out. This was the most engaging thing for me but their relationship never gets resolved; Platzer just seems to drop out of the film in the final stages.

Jennifer Connelly does a good job of being a paranoid migraine sufferer. She doesn't quite go as deep as her role in Requiem for a Dream but you feel for her as her world falls apart. Her relationship with her daughter Ceci is also convincing. It doesn't harm things that she looks as though she could be Ariel Gade's real-life mother. 

The less said about Pete Postlethwaite's accent the better.

The question for a large portion of the film is whether the spooky goings on are supernatural or psychological. At one point in my life I'd have been desperate for the ghosts to charge out and slime everyone, but now I quite like the idea of it being more ambiguous, with clues littered throughout the film. I won't tell you which route Dark Water goes down.

I half enjoyed this film but be warned, it is very grim. To get a feel for Dark Water go and live in Hull for a month and experience the never-ending rain, the smell of drains and the overwhelming greyness. (I lived in Hull for a few years and loved it despite it's grimness. It's got a shopping centre that is vaguely reminiscent of the Millennium Falcon. What more could you want?) If the ending had been better, it probably would have bumped this up to a six or even seven. But as it stands Connelly just doesn't quite have the attacking power that Page possesses. So Ellen Page is through to the final.
5/10
evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
Dark Water (2002), The Ring.

Review - Tsotsi (2005 - Dir. Gavin Hood)

When South African street hoodlum Tsotsi pinches a car from a well-to-do suburban couple the last thing he expects to find on the back seat is a baby. From this point on our hero’s life changes on a variety of levels as caring for the infant conjures up feelings of empathy, memories of his past and his hopes and aspirations. Yes it’s a little like a gritty version of 'A Christmas Carol', but how could that ever be a bad thing?

The film has its wince inducing moments, firstly as Tsotsi and his gang rampage around Johannesburg and latterly as he clumsily attempts to care for the baby. Any new parents could do a lot better than ignoring Tsotsi’s guide to looking after infants, especially nappy changing, feeding, transporting in a carrier bag and insect infestation. Ultimately, however the film leaves you with a lovely warm feeling as if you are soaking in a lovely warm bath of hopefulness for humanity, but without the candles and Lush bath bomb filth.

The lead, Presley Chweneyagae, deserves credit for producing this feel good factor as he struts around the township eliciting feelings of both fear and sympathy. Like the rest of his gang, he’s believable, detailed and likeable. Also worthy of special mention is the lovely Terry Pheto, who portrays a single mum who befriends Tsotsi. She oozes positivity, love and wholesomeness as if she’s some kind of supernatural South African earth mother on a mission to save the lost boys of the township.

It’s a great film without ever reaching the heights and complexities of City of God. South Africa has so much potential for gritty offerings and I’ll definitely be looking up other options from the country over the next year. Some lovely imagery, a great soundtrack and a meaningful story means that this is certainly worth a couple of hours of your time.

7/10
Doccortex

If you like this you could also try:
City of God, Gomorrah. 

Review - Let's Talk About The Rain (2008 - Dir. Agnès Jaoui)

We return to rank outsider Jamel Debbouze who managed to impress with his first round effort, Outside the Law, in this year's FA Cup of Actors. He is up against some stiff opposition in this match though (James Stewart) so he better be on top form if he wants to be a giant killer. Here he is then in Let's Talk About The Rain.

Agathe Villanova (played by the director) is a politician being interviewed for a documentary by Michel (co-writer Jean-Pierre Bacri) and Karim (Debbouze). Agathe's sister and her husband, plus Karim's mum, get thrown into the mix and the relationships get increasingly complicated due to numerous affairs. None of the characters are particularly happy throughout the majority of the film but will they attain a greater level of contentedness by the finale?

The first half an hour or so is not that engaging and, as you've probably guessed, it takes a while to work out who's who and what their initial relationships are to each other. But once everyone has been identified things start to improve and it develops into a pleasant little tragicomedy that manages to raise a few smiles.

One of the most amusing characters is the sister's husband. His son is choking so Michel deals with it with a good hearty slap to the back. Problem solved. But no. Laddo complains that he did it wrong. He should have used the Heimlich manoeuvre. Brilliant idea mate. Give him serious internal injuries rather than try a less harsh method first. Top parenting. He also moans at his wife for that most heinous of crimes: reading in bed. They really should bring back the birch. Okay, so maybe he's more irritating than amusing, but I laughed at him regardless.

A slightly more traditional comic figure is Michel, who makes documentaries for a living. He is truly a premium quality professional; he doesn't press record before the interview starts and misses getting some cracking footage and has a tendency to be generally incompetent. But at least he's got the cheeky fellow Debbouze to help him out.

He's his usual likeable self and shows that he has a wider range than just war films. Subtlety is the key here as he contemplates having an affair with his co-worker. He is completely believable and is in good company with an equally impressive cast. I wasn't looking forward to his films at the start of this competition but he's managed to get past my gruff miserable shield and be adopted as one of obscurendure's favourite actors.

The film deals with the lofty themes of depression and the role of women but it still manages to throw in a sheep gag. And no, not a dirty one. Dear me. The comedy here comes from the noise they make and their ability to follow people down country lanes. I did say that it was a pleasant little film.

It all adds up to a well-made subtle film that is quietly entertaining. But for me, the spark that takes it into the above average category just wasn't there. For you, it may well be. I enjoyed it but it's not a film that I'd watch again. James Stewart will be raring to go and donning his shin guards when he sees the rating this one's been given (if he was still alive, admittedly) and I'm doubtful that Jamel can pull off anything better than a draw in this match. It's a shame. But you never know...
5/10
evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
Look At Me, Two Days, One Night.

Review - A Scanner Darkly (2006 - Dir. Richard Linklater)

Having never read Philip K. Dick’s novel, I came to A Scanner Darkly somewhat cold. It’s visually stunning, with a semi-animated style that feels like you’re watching a graphic novel that has come to life. The colours are rich, the effects are impressive and the acting shines through the stylised video filters. In short it should be a great film, but this science fiction adaptation left me feeling strangely empty and unfulfilled.

There’s some big hitters on the acting team; Keanu, Woody and Robert all put in suitably quirky, edgy shifts. And Rory Cochrane’s mentally tortured character steals the show at times with a sweaty, itchy performance perfectly in keeping with the story. His insect plagued introduction is the best scene in the whole film. Lovely Winona is her usual exemplary self and so much more natural and assured than that critically acclaimed show off Natalie Portman (Winona better than Portman!? No way! - evlkeith). Even in animated form, she’s a sensual, detailed and engaging character.

So what goes wrong in this tale of near future clandestine observation and designer drug culture? In some ways it’s a triumph for style over substance. The film looks and feels so great that the story seems a tad plodding and predictable by comparison. Basically, we’ve heard it all before; totalitarian states abusing our personal liberties and freedoms and it’s done so much better in both 1984 and A Brave New World.

As a graphic novel it would work perfectly; that slow release story unfolding before your eyes. As a filmic version of a graphic novel it all happens just too fast and the plot seems weak as a result. It’s a great and unusual experience and those more familiar with the novel may have taken more from proceedings than my limited grasp of the ‘Scanner World’, however it feels like a case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. In so many ways a classic film, but just like Substance D it ultimately leads you nowhere.

 5/10
Doccortex

If you like this you could also try:
Renaissance, Cypher.

Review - The Girl on the Train (2009 - Dir. André Téchiné)

Back to the FA Cup of Actors again and here we are with the odds on favourite Émilie Dequenne. She faces Barbara Crampton in this match so surely she's got it all sewn up already. Let's see...

The Girl on the Train is similar to films like The Child and The Son in that it sets up a situation and then sees how people would behave in that given situation. This is a film of two halves even to the point of being broken down into two chapters. The first part shows what has been happening in the life of Jeanne (Émilie Dequenne) as she finds a new boyfriend (Nicolas Duvauchelle) and moves in with him as part of a caretaking duo. But there's something a bit suspicious about him. Maybe she should have worked this out when he plays a particularly nasty practical joke on her - I'd have been out of the door like a shot - but she sticks with the shifty little guy. Suffice to say things go wrong and Jeanne pretends to have been part of an anti-semitic attack on a train.

The second chapter deals with the consequences. At one point a young lad asks Jeanne why she did what she did. She doesn't know. I can't say I do either. I don't think that it would have been my course of action if I'd been in her position (if I was seeking attention I would buy a wide-brimmed pink felt hat, a fur coat, cigars and a chihuahua and then prance about, to a suitable disco soundtrack, through the back streets of Grimsby, that'd get a fair bit of attention) yet her choice to be a total liar does tie together lots of things that have been happening in her life. It's a shame that the boyfriend thread of the story seems to get lost though.

You then get to see people being people and dealing with the predicament they're in. It's interesting in its own way but is never convincingly gripping. There is a fair amount of following Jeanne around, she's normally rollerblading so the camera looks back at her as she skates along, but it's not quite as much fun as following a woodwork teacher around for ages and ages. And ages (The Son). 

I've got quite a binary character, 0 or 1, on or off, right or wrong, but this film actually managed to throw up some interesting grey areas: Is the boyfriend really that dodgy? Is it better to keep quiet about it all being a lie? And is Jeanne really to blame for the way that the incident is sensationalised? If you watch it, you can make up your own mind.

So what we have here is a well-acted (it's got Émilie Dequenne in it, what were you expecting?) slice of understated French drama set against a backdrop of anti-semetic attacks. I still find it quite hard to buy into Jeanne's actions, but seeing as though it's based on a real-life incident, people can obviously be driven to do these things. I found it entertaining enough and thought-provoking at times but it's not one of my favourites, although due to the quality nature of the film-making on show, I'm sure that there will be people out there who like this a lot more than I do. Maybe you are one of those people?
6/10
evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
The Child, The Son, Rosetta.

Review - Hulk (2003 - Dir. Ang Lee)

I'm becoming increasingly doubtful that Requiem For a Dream will ever come up as a random choice for Jennifer Connelly in this year's FA Cup. When Hulk cropped up I can't say I was that enamoured. I have seen it ages ago and all I can remember are some really stupid CGI dogs. Apart from that it made no impact on me.

Let's give it a try anyway. I actually found it more entertaining this time. I think that with low expectations it was a lot more fun. Well, kind of. It's by Ang Lee, so it's a really weird mixture of characters chatting about important stuff in a drama based fashion and then a portion of Hulk smash. Bizarre is not the word. But 'a bit of a mess' could be the phrase. Even so I couldn't help enjoying it.

Surely everyone knows the origin story of The Hulk so I won't bother going into it too much apart from there is a slight change in the form of Bruce Banner's dad, played by a wild haired Nick Nolte, who has been naughtily experimenting on himself and passing on his altered genes to his unborn son. It doesn't really add anything apart from giving the film its CG based villain for the final act. Regardless of the details, Bruce soon turns green (and not through a tequila binge) and hits things. Hard.

As a one off the comic book style employed is actually pretty non-irritating with some interesting transitions between scenes and it suits the smashy side of the film well. Split screen features at times and again is non-irritating in this context. It's a good thing that other superhero films haven't adapted this style though or it would have got very tired very quickly.

Iron Man, Superman and Captain America work well on film whereas other superheroes don't. Batman hasn't yet worked nearly as well, apart from in animated form (and yes that does include the vastly overrated The Dark Knight, I've just never been able to get over Bale's ridiculously stupid gravel voice and the fact that, despite having seen it recently, I can remember virtually nothing about it). Thor? Daredevil? Not really. The Hulk started off firmly in this camp. But he's not as bad as I originally thought in this version, although still nowhere near great. The Edward Norton version improves matters a tad but it's taken The Avengers to bring him into the A-list of screen superheroes. Still not convinced he can hold a full film on his own.

Jennifer Connelly is well cast as Betty Ross. I can completely believe that she would be able to do all of those scientifical things. She also makes the drama based scenes with Bruce (Eric Bana) bearable amidst all of the comic book mayhem. It's just a shame that Betty Ross doesn't go out on a date with Freddie Prinze, Jr so that the Hulk can have a good old rant about him and maybe cave his face in.

The Hulk himself looks a bit like he may take up flower pressing. They've obviously gone for the emotional approach but I couldn't really take this seriously when he's chinning a demented poodle. Things definitely improved in the 2008 version with him looking a lot more savage. The Avengers version goes back to being a tad more friendly looking but it keeps the olive green from Norton's version. Judge for yourself:

I still wish Requiem For a Dream had come up but never mind, it's not as painful as I remembered. I actually enjoyed it in an average kind of better than I was expecting kind of way. Connelly is up against Marc Singer in this round of the cup so what will he be able to pull out of the bag. I've got a suspicion that he may be out (unless by some miracle he randomly gets The Beastmaster).
5/10
evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.