Tuesday, 31 December 2013

2013 - A Retrospect

My first post for a while! Been busy busy rehearsing a new play (all welcome to attend!) but thought with only a few hours until we hit the climax of what's been an up and down 2013 I would have a look back at my top 10 picks from the world of film over the past 12 months!

Here goes! (Not in order of preference)

Django Unchained

Way back at the start of 2013 we were treated to Quentin Tarantino's latest - this time an out and out homage to the genre that has influenced all of his movies - the Western. The story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a freed slave, attempting to rescue his enslaved wife with the help of bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (the Oscar-winning Christoph Waltz - we salute you, sir) from the malicious plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Filled with the traditional Tarantino viloence, an Oscar-winning script, and a rousing sountrack, Django Unchained will undoubtedly be looked back on as a classic.



Lincoln

Oscar number 3 for Daniel Day-Lewis was served up for his portrayal of one of America's most popular presidents. Dealing with Lincoln's campaign for the abolishing of slavery, Spielberg's film is a beautifully scripted and sublime example of film-making, with beautiful cinematography, as well as being a masterclass in acting with Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field proving equally competent next to Day-Lewis, who is without doubt, a genius.  



Cloud Atlas

Completely insane and spanning centuries, the Wachowski's (The Matrix Trilogy) adaptation of David Mitchell's (no, not the one from Peep Show) novel is both visually spellbinding and soul-searching. Exploring the lives of various characters loosely linked throughout the years, the film is a delight and features its actors taking on multiple parts. Jim Broadbent, Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Ben Whishaw and Hugh Grant, to name a few, take us on a journey throughout the years that will stay with you for a long time. Completely bizarre at times, but that;s what makes the film such a delight.

Philomena

Oscar number 2 may well be on its way for Dame Judi for Philomena, the story of an Irish woman, now in her dotage, attempting to track down the son that was taken away from her when she was under the charge of nuns in one of Ireland's Magdelene Asylums (Peter Mullan's excellent The Magdelene Sisters is also worth checking out). Based entirely on a true story, Philomena is aided by journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan). Coogan, who also wrote the script, is brilliant as Sixsmith and shows a hitherto unseen dramatic side to his acting. Witty, moving, and incredibly powerful - a triumph.

Blue Jasmine

Giving Dame Judi a run for her Oscar money will be the ethereal Cate Blanchett, also in line for her second Oscar. Woody Allen's film shows a return to form the genius that has brought us a film a year for the past 40 years. The story of a New York socialite, Blue Jasmine, tells us of Jasmine (Blanchett), who must deal with the fallout out when her stock market fixing husband commits suicide. Forced to head east to San Francisco to stay with her blue-collar sister (the amazing Sally Hawkins), the at time neurotic Jasmine must try to forge a new life for herself whilst dealing with the consequences of her past. A true masterclass from Blanchett - if she doesn't get an Oscar, I'll wear odd socks for a week!

Rush

Pulse-racing, sexy, and blooming electrifying, Ron Howard's film tells us of the famous rivalry between Formula One legends James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Though set in the world of Formula One, the film is not merely for petrol heads but instead deals with the competitiveness of these two larger than life characters - the playboy Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and the fiercely dedicated Lauda (Daniel Bruhl). The film is excitement from the offset and its set-pieces on the race track really are exceptional. Daniel Bruhl excels as Lauda, particularly in the scenes following the famous crash which left him with severe burns all over his body and his sensational return to the track weeks later.

Captain Phillips

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips whose container ship was boarded by Somali pirates in 2009 and was subsequently taken hostage. Paul Greengrass' (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy) film is an emotionally-fraught and tense thriller with Tom Hanks at the helm. Hanks is sure for an Oscar nod and very deserved of a win. Some of his scenes are truly heartbreaking and shows us what an incredible dramatic actor he is. Sharp editing, cinematography and a great supporting cast, you may finish the film feeling emotionally violated but by God it's worth it.

Le Weekend

Any film that's set in Paris already has me there but a film set in Paris with Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan and Jeff Goldblum in has me banging on the door to get in. Broadbent and Duncan play a couple, both academics nearing retirement, revisiting where they had their honeymoon in an attempt to rekindle some of the old magic - naturally things start to unravel. Goldblum pops up as an old university chum of Broadbent's who's now gone on to considerably more success since they parted ways at Cambridge. A witty and moving film, with a beautiful Parisian backdrop, this is a film about love and never being too old to find it again.

Gravity

When all the critics began to unanimously praise Alfonso Cuaron's film, I went into the cinema thinking this may be as good as they say - and by crikey, how right I was. With Cuaron's 2006 film Children of Men standing high in my list of favourites, I knew I'd be in safe hands. Gravity is his first film since then and you can see instantly how he's been spending the past 7 years perfecting what is quite simply a masterpiece. The story of two astronauts played by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney being cut adrift in space after their station is hit by debris, the film is a claustrophobic and frankly, terrifying foray into mans' struggle for survival in perhaps the scariest and most unknown environments. The first film that has made me believe in 3D you will struggle to find a film more visually and technologically adept. Coupled with the human element at the heart of the story you will emerge from this film speechless, and for me - that's rare.

The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug

I'm a Tolkien nerd so obviously the second film in Peter Jackson's trilogy was going to feature on this list. The first film took a lot of guff last year, many people complaining it took to long to set the story up. Well if that's the way you felt then rest assured the second film plows straight into the action, seeing our protagonists continue on their quest to retake the kingdom of Erebor from the villainous dragon, Smaug. The film moves up a gear this time and has a much more serious tone to it, feeling more akin to The Lord of the Rings films than its predecessor did. Martin Freeman is hilarious at the titular hobbit, Ian McKellen is forever wondrous as Gandalf and Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect for the dragon, Smaug. An appearance from Stephen Fry as well as the Master of Lake Town - what more do you want, people? Truly eye-popping effects, a lyrical score all tied up in a nice little cliff-hanger leaving us open-mouthed and wanting a time machine to see ho
w it all ties up in December 2014.

See you next year.

Oh, if you did fancy a bit of Liverpool theatre next week - we'd be glad to have you!