Review - An Affair to Remember (1957 - Dir. Leo McCarey)

Less than a week to go to the celebration of all things bloody, dirty, greasy and a little bit spurty that is Celluloid Screams, I thought I better watch something pleasant before I get pummelled. An Affair to Remember it is then. (And yes, that is an excessively airbrushed DVD cover.)

Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) is a renowned gigolo but - much to the distress of ladies across the globe - he's finally settling down and getting married. On a cruise to meet up with his fiancee he meets up with Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) who's not interested in his winking and clicking antics. She's got a partner too, you see, and she's always been very faithful. Once you know that, the title tells you pretty much where this is all going. 

Now, I know I keep banging on about stories in films but the first half is a prime example of good storytelling. It may initially seem to be slow but every scene takes our two main characters a little step closer to falling in love. So even though the editing is laid back and the scenes are quite long, the story driving the film cracks along at a fair old pace. Once they're in love at around the halfway point, the story has to throw a problem at them, a pretty big problem, and it manages that with ease.

Saying that, the second half isn't quite as engaging. There is the small issue of Terry's partner being far too understanding about her indiscretion. But the main problem is how it morphs into a musical at certain points, the most irritating event being when a sugary-sweet band of children appear who overact and oversing their hearts out as if they're on Songs of Praise. My gran would probably have liked these bits. I hated them. Thankfully, they only murder two tunes and the final one is sweetened by a little girl almost tripping up and smashing her face into a bed. Oh come on, everyone's laughed at way worse on You've Been Framed. 

The final scene is another lesson in how to write something that absolutely drips with subtext. It gives Grant and Kerr loads to work with and they positively shine. The two main actors perform admirably throughout. Cary Grant is his usual Cary Grant persona and is as charming and likeable as ever. I'm not as familiar with Deborah Kerr, but based on her performance here - anyone who can match Cary Grant is doing well - I'm going to have a look at some of her other stuff. As a bonus An Affair to Remember does the usual polite thing beloved of old films. It gets to the point, then finishes. No messing about. 

Edit out the musical scenes and this would gain a much higher rating. But for a slice of pleasantness you could do far worse: two great actors, a touching story and one of the most unexpected ways to film a screen kiss that I've seen. Now that I'm all cleansed, I'm ready for some serious horror...
6/10
evlkeith



If you like this you could also try:
The Philadelphia Story, From Here to Eternity, Black Narcissus, The Grass is Greener.

Review - Sideways (2004 - Dir. Alexander Payne)

Sideways is a quirky, unpretentious alt-romantic comedy that sits comfortably alongside Garden State, Waitress and Lars and the Real Girl. It tells the story of two dysfunctional forty something fellows as they tear across Santa Barbara County for a week of riotous excitement including golf, fine food and wine tasting. Admittedly it’s not sounding that high on the hell raising Richter Scale, but it's both geeky and entertaining at the same time.

The success of the film relies on an excellent and often funny piece of scriptwriting. The story takes the form of a journey into the hopes, fears and inadequacies of our middle aged heroes as they tour vineyards as a last act of freedom before Jack’s impending wedding. It won’t change the world, but as a portrait of male midlife crisis, it hits the nail firmly on the head. There’s also some cracking pieces of humour involving motorcycle helmets, ostriches and breaking and entering.

The two lead characters manage to be obnoxious and loveable simultaneously, with Paul Giamatti suitably introverted and repressed as the wine loving divorcee Miles Raymond, and the legendary Thomas Haden Church (George of the Jungle!) resplendent as the rampant womanising actor Jack Cole. Virginia Madsen (Candyman) also deserves special mentions for her subtle and understated portrayal of upwardly mobile waitress Maya.

It’s not the standard Hollywood rom-com by any means. It’s darker, scuzzier and truer to life, but that only makes for a more engaging experience. Definitely worth ninety minutes of anyone’s time.
8/10 
Doccortex



If you like this you could also try:
Any of the films mentioned in the review. Except Candyman. And George of the Jungle.

Review - Waitress (2007 - Dir. Adrienne Shelly)

It’s got Nathan Fillion in it. It can’t be all bad. 

Normally, romantic comedies make me want to violently remove my eyeballs with a melon spoon and syringe my ears with a rotary hand whisk. Amazingly, this one doesn’t. It’s probably because it hasn’t got one of your traditional big name romantic comedy leads. This results in it being far less irritating and more grounded in reality.

Keri Russell plays Jenna, a pie maker who is married to a cringe-worthy, violent control freak, Earl (Jeremy Sisto). When she discovers she is pregnant she visits the nervous new doctor, Dr Pomatter (Nathan Fillion). As you can probably guess, romantic scenes abound. Not many surprises there. The two leads make the film. Keri Russell is believably and understandably miserable for most of the film and the names she makes up for her pie concoctions always raise a smile. Nathan Fillion’s facial expressions are at his best just after a clinch with Keri Russell. Not much nose flaring though, sadly.

The supporting cast are all entertaining. Old Joe (Andy Griffith) is the owner of the pie shop and he’s a right miserable old goat. He also steals every scene he’s in. The rest of the staff in the pie shop all contribute to the tone of the film, all bringing their own love-life problems into the mix.

The plot moves along quickly without any dull moments. There are a smattering of funny lines throughout the film but nothing that makes you cry laughing. But if a grizzled gore boy like me can watch it and enjoy it, I would have thought anybody could. Sadly, the director/actress Adrienne Shelly was murdered before the release of the film, just as she was starting to hit her stride as a director.

6/10

evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
Juno, Little Miss Sunshine, Garden State, Serenity.

Review - Garden State (2004 - Dir. Zach Braff)

I don't normally like romantic comedies. Truth be told, I'd rather have intimate fun with a cheese grater than watch a romantic comedy. But this looked a bit different and had some good reviews. May as well give it a go...

Written, starring and directed by Zach Braff (Scrubs) - again, this didn't bode well - I was pleasantly surprised by it. His direction is of the non-flashy variety. He uses a lot of locked off camera shots. Always a treat. When he does use other techniques, such as varying the speed on the camera, it works in the context of the film; the well-chosen soundtrack, although not to my taste, helps to tie everything together.

Not exactly a big belly laugh comedy, mostly smile humour, but there are a few chuckles to be had. I didn't expect it to be this subtle. Natalie Portman is the love interest - mmm, Natalie Portman, and she's great in this. In fact, she's probably the best thing about the film. She plays a compulsive liar with epilepsy who verges on the quirky side of things. Way better than other romantic comedy leading ladies. Not that I watch any. I just know.

There is a fair bit of cheese involved in the ending but let's face facts, it is Natalie Portman. I'd run back to her if it was me. Cheese or no cheese.

All in all a surprisingly likeable film. At least now I've done my rom-com duties I can get back to horror.

7/10

evlkeith

If you like this you can try:
Waitress, Ghost World, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Antichrist (okay, maybe not Antichrist).

Review - The Science of Sleep (2006 - Dir. Michel Gondry)

The romantic comedy genre doesn't generally hold much appeal for me, but the promise of Michel Gondry's quirky, semi-animated approach fuelled a naive sense of optimism. This was not unfounded as the standard love story plot is pepped up with high levels of leftfield animated fun, original dream sequences and a childlike innocence to the whole concept. Gael Garcia Bernal is suitably gormless and infantile in his pursuit of the equally naive Charlotte Gainsbourg and the supporting cast ratchet up the comedy with Alain Chabat the pick of the bunch.

It's all too sickly sweet for my taste though. It's a sugar coated french pastry when the whole thing cries out for a touch of sourness to balance things up. There are one or two bits that are actually funny, but an awful lot of 'smile humour.' The ending also seems to have been a bit of an afterthought.

It's an enjoyable enough romp for the quirkier minded and so much better than mass produced 'rom-coms' starring Jennifer Aniston, but sadly, it leaves you feeling disappointed and a little nauseous from all that sugary sweetness. A final word of warning for fans of Charlotte Gainsbourg; watch this before Anti-Christ, as you'll never quite look at her the same way again.
5/10
doccortex




If you like this you could try:
Everything is Illuminated, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.