There is something about small towns which seem to bring out odd behaviour in people. But perhaps that is because they are easier to detect in a small town as opposed to big cities where it is easier to hide.
Bernie Tiede is a fascinating character. A man who is incredibly sweet and charming and nice to everyone he meets. His major fault is that he can see only the good in people. Bernie became friends with Marjorie Nugent, a woman who was widely disliked by everyone in the Texas town of Carthage. Despite that Bernie managed to ingratiate himself into her life in a big way. He got power of attourney on her life and would make decisions on her behalf. Bernie's niceness meant that Marjorie trusted him with her life. So it was a pity when he decided to terminate it. But there was the advantage that his trustworthiness meant he could pretend Margorie was still alive even after he had killed her.
A story like this could have been told in many different ways. I can imagine many of the details being changed to make it appeal to a broader audience and made to be a farce or broad comedy. However in the hands of Richard Linklater it has become an excellent black comedy. I am a huge fan of the black comedy genre and the darker side humour. Richard has used a kind of docu-drama approach to this story. The film is punctuated with testimonials from the real people of Carthage. This may have been because Bernie feels like a character that is too good to be true. This is an excellent technique which Richard uses because it lends weight to the story. The only problem with that is that it is only the public image we see and not the private one. We don't see how Bernie managed to become so ingrained into Marjorie's life. Why she trusted him so much. It may have been because she was so hated by everyone that here was a man who liked her despite her nasty personality. The story is the films highlight and because it comes from the behavior of the characters, that makes it so good.
If there was ever a perfect marriage of an actor to a role that would be Jack Black and Bernie Thiede. Some comedy actors like Jack do so many questionable comedic roles that people often over look them when they do something a bit more sensible. This is one such case. Jack Black is brilliant in this role. He is far more subtle in his approach than in most other roles he has taken. It definitely suits the character of Bernie. Shirley MacLaine is also nicely subtle in her performance as Marjorie. She plays the nasty character really well but does not always resort to over the top antics which mostly happens in this type of role. Equally as brilliant is Matthew McConaughey. Matthew keeps getting better in each role that he does. He does run the risk of being over shadowed by his hair in this role though.
There may not be many laugh out loud moments but this is still a brilliant comedy. For those who like their humour a bit dark
The films of writer/director David Cronenberg have had a certain degree of grotesqueness to them. Lately he has toned down his approach.
I am quite fond of films that use a limited amount of locations to tell their story. 'Cosmopolis' mostly takes place in a limoisine as a guy travels across the city to get a hair cut. The film is based on the novel by Don Delillo and to me comes across as one of those books which would have been a challenge to adapt. There is not a lot that happens in the story except the guy, Eric Parker, is visited by various people in his life and he makes a few stops along the way. It is more of a character study and commentary of modern life. This is not only a positive for the film but a negative as well. The people that Eric picks up along the way are used to express various philosphical points of view. We learn about Eric and his point of view as a way of discussing broader views. This has a downside in that there is a lot of information to take in. You have to really pay attention to what people are saying and think about what they are saying. You have to be in right frame of mind to absorb all of what is being said. It may warrant a second viewing to fully appreciate what is being said.
I admire Robert Pattinson for using his fame from the 'Twilight' series to become part of a diverse range of films rather than sticking with the same type of film that made him famous. He is however not the greatest actor around and usually comes across as quite bland. He seems to have the same mood and expression in all situations. That suits his role here as Eric is not the most emotive person around. The rest of the cast are mostly cameo appearances as Eric meets people along the way. I was quite impressed with Samantha Morton, Philip Nozuka and Juliette Binoche.
The simplistic nature of the films setting is offset by the complex nature of the material being expressed. A thought provoking film about today's society that maybe trying to say too much.
It does not happen very often, but 'The Campaign' was one of the few occasions where I laughed at the film's trailer every time I saw it. Considering how often I go to the cinema and have seen the trailer, that is an amazing feat.
Director Jay Roach has been working in television lately, directing films about real life political events. Therefore it seemed appropriate that he direct this film about a political campaign. Jay's knowledge of real life politics makes this film seem so real despite all the silly behaviour that is going on. The plot of politicians trying to get cheap Chinese labour to be used in the USA may seem outrageous, but with the way some politicians behave it seems totally plausible. The film brilliantly uses this plot to parody the way corporations influence government to help increase their profits. There is lots of crazy behaviour by the lead characters but underneath is a very clever message about the state of the American government. Jay manages to keep the film moving along a nicely brisk pace so it does not seem to drag. Something that lot of comedies are guilty of these days. I also liked how he changed some of the funny lines used in the trailer so you don't have them repeated in the film. Which means that not all of the good stuff was used in the trailer.
Stars Will Ferrell and Zac Galifianakis were both producers of the film which indicates that they had a hand in the film's development and the creation of their characters. I think that is the secret to its greatness. The plot might be fairly conventional and one which we have seen countless times before in films about the race for political office, but in this film it is the great characters which makes it funny. Cam Brady is a typically pompous politician that you see a lot of in real life. There are certain exaggerations made for comedic effect but he still feels fairly real. You can imagine a few real politicians behaving the way he does behind the scenes. Marty Huggins is his polar opposite, not being from the political sphere and in public life. So far away to the point of being very introverted and socially awkward. Which is why the clash of these two polar opposites is so hilarious. I particularly loved the voices Will and Zac use for their characters. They helped add an extra bit of silliness to proceedings.
Will Farrell is not only one of the best comedic actors he is also an excellent actor as well. While not all of his performances are great, he does quite a lot of good ones. For me this is one of his best. He knows how to play over blown characters that think they are better than they are really well. While he does resort to many of his trademark moves it is still hilarious. Zac Galifianakis is also a great comedic actor and I loved him here too. He is hilarious and he plays Marty so well. There is one scene where his family are making confessions to him which gave me the biggest laugh I've had in a film in a while. The rest of the cast do an excellent job as well but are mainly there as straight people to the silliness of Will and Zac. I particularly liked Katherine LaNasa as Cam's wife. She had so many little subtleties to her performance which made it that extra bit funny. I also liked Karen Maruyama as a maid in a very racist situation.
I saw this film with only a few people in the audience and I still laughed out loud quite a lot. I think in this day and age that is a great sign for a comedy that you don't need the support of anyone around you to find something funny. Highly recommended.
With Universal Studios celebrating its 100th Birthday this year, a selection of their films have been screening at Sydney's State Theatre.
It was some time in 1982/83 that my grandmother took my brother and myself to the State Theatre to see 'E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial'. It was one of my earliest film-going memories. So it was very exciting to be able to return to the State Theatre to see the film again.
Except for a few pieces of technology the film holds up quite well after all these years. Most films these days that involve aliens coming to earth are all about and invasion with big ugly creatures. You very rarely get a an alien that looks as cute as E.T. The story's focus is small and intimate which makes it more emotional. Melissa Mathison has written an excellent film with great characters which you really come to care about over the film. It helps that E.T. was abandoned by his fellow aliens as it makes his plight all the more emotional. There is a very universal theme of someone (or something) being trapped in a strange place far from their home. E.T. has a very simple mission which is to get back home. It is a very sweet story too but Steven and Melissa manage to keep it from getting to saccharine. An effective technique is the way the government is handled. Keys is the government character who we only see from the perspective of his key chain. They are a shadowy presence who are only seen sparingly and so it makes them all the more menacing.
The kids in the film were all fairly unknown but all give excellent performances. They feel like real kids, their performances were that natural. Henry Thomas was very relatable as Elliot. We all felt as Elliot did because we were an outsider always trying to get in on the action. Then we find something which puts us into the action. Henry makes you want to be Elliot and help him get his friend rescued. Equally as realistic is Drew Barrymore. She is so sweet and adorable as Gertie. Robert MacNaughton is excellent as the bullying older brother. The adults play a very supporting role in the film. The only one we see a great deal of is the kid's mother played by Dee Wallace. As a single mother trying to look after her kids and juggle work she is wonderful. Peter Coyote is also excellent in a role where we hardly see him. He jiggles keys very effectively.
Seeing this film again in the same place I first saw it was a very emotional experience. This is very much a story that works well on the big screen.
Royalty are a group of people who are held in very high regard. It seems they all have the same sorts of problems regardless of which part of Europe they come from.
Does anyone in a royal family actually fall in love with the person they marry? Because of their high status the person that marries into the family must go through a lot of scrutiny and so meet with high standards. This can be very intimidating for people. 'A Royal Affair' follows the pretty cliched story of a person forced into a marriage with the hopes of greatness and their lives being far from it. Caroline Mathilde was nervous about her marriage to King Christian VII but she was optimistic that she would come to love him. But as is common in these situations her life is not what she expected. What is also common is that she falls in love with someone who shares her views more closely. The love affair is dealt with nicely I thought. The two lovers do not jump into bed right always as they normally do but there is a bit of subtle flirting before they fall in love. The other cliche the film has is a mentally unstable member of the royal family. But what I liked about this film is that it presents all these cliches in a fresh way. The writers and director Nikolaj Arcel have managed to make the story really interesting a gripping despite all these familiar aspects. The one aspect they handle really well is the Kings mental instabilities. His mental illness is portrayed with a great deal of dignity and respect, rather than as a comedic punchline like it can be done in some films. To me the King is not really mentally challenged just someone who is unable to handle the pressures of high office and so acts out in strange ways. You come to feel a great deal of sympathy for him. As is the case with most period film it look magnificent with gorgeous sets and costumes.
With his roles in 'Casino Royal' and a few other Hollywood films, Mads Mikkelsen has come to prominence of late. He is excellent in this film and portrays Dr. Johann Struensee in a dignified way. Although he has political aspirations and uses the King to get them he does not do it in an obvious way. Alicia Vikander is also wonderful as the badly done by Queen. You feel bad for her and her situation, which helps when she has the affair. Mikkel Boe Folsgaard is brilliant as the mad King. As mentioned above I did not feel he was typically insane and this has a lot to do with Mikkel's brilliant performance. Also great is David Dencik as one of those opposed to the Kings' new found rebellion. He is suitably creepy and slimy.
The story might be familiar but the way it is told is not. Well worth seeing for not only a great story but for excellent performances from a wonderful cast.
"Women are silly, frivolous, empty-headed creatures. I admit their useful and decorative, like a teapot. But you wouldn't let a teapot decide who it goes out with."
Women have not always been given a fair go. Even today there are places where women are not equally treated. These types of things amaze me. Men have always been confounded by women's health. It is because of this that, in the past, they have not always been as fair in their judgements of a woman's health. Like men women get horny. They have sexual urges like all humans. However in 1880 when a woman acted strange because she was horny it was considered a mental condition. It took a forthright doctor to realise that pleasuring a woman would help cure them. It then took another doctor to create a devise that let women cure themselves. The vibrator is now one of the most popular and widely used sex toys in the world. It is amazing to thing that it started out as a medical device. But would only have been invented because of the shortsightedness of the men in the medical profession. This film convincingly presents how men were arrogant and ignorant of some of the most basic medical facts that we take for granted these days. It is amazing to think they were so ignorant. The writers have made a nicely humorous film about this true story. The humour mostly comes from the outrageousness of the story. It is a serious subject but told in a nicely lighthearted way.
Hugh Dancy does a nice job as the under appreciated doctor who makes this simple discovery. Hugh plays Dr. Granville as charming and sweet so that despite the unsavory nature of the material you see him as real crusader of women's health. Maggie Gyllenhaal once again is the headstrong female character she plays so well. Jonathan Pryce does an excellent job as the stuffy doctor. Although he has managed to find a way to help these women he has not been able to take that final step to make it a little bit more dignified. Rupert Everett is his usual hilarious self.
The amazing true story of the invention of one of the world's most commonly used devices which we never really talk about.
