The Movie Club

Twilight Saga Review-Breaking Dawn Pt 1

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Breaking Dawn, Part 1 is the 4^th film in the tween romantic fantasy Twilight saga directed by Bill Condon and based on the novel by executive producer Stephenie Meyer.

Plot

We meet Jacob (played by Taylor Lautner) when he receives and invitation to Belle Swan and Edward Cullen’s wedding (played by Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson respectively). Following an angst inspired topless werewolf transformation, we are a part of said celebrations. We then travel to a private island off the coast of Brazil for the happy couple's honeymoon, where the two differing species cautiously attempt to consummate their marriage. Soon however, Belle is convinced she is pregnant, something that Vampire husband Edward didn’t even believe was possible, where wackiness ensues…….

Review

The Twilight Saga has always gained the ire of generations X’s, probably to the confusion of current Tweens. Vampires and such fantasy creatures were always served up in straight horror films, with villains showing uncontrollable sexual urges, preying on virginial characters, usually to be slain by the straight-shooting leading man. The Lost Boys is a fantastic movie which first successfully combined the vampire with teenagers: sleeping all day, partying all night, dressing in black leather and sunglasses, and being cool and young forever. We then had Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, which explained to a generation the reality of being an immortal; forced to live forever, outliving loved ones, forever feeding on blood and never being able to see the sun. That doesn’t stop Christian Slater’s journalist’s pursuit of Rock-God Lestat, who advises Christian’s character of making this choice, complete with sunglasses while taking control of a convertible and playing the Rolling Stone’s Sympathy for the Devil (on a cassette!).

Such was this advancement in vampire lore, that it is not surprising that Gen-X was given Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a play on the last girl staple, Buffy was a sexually confident alpha female, taking the fight to the vampires backyards (albeit grave-yards). Buffy’s escapades and romances were quite comedic, but also surprisingly violent and horrific: characters were killed off, vampires where described as demons and got up to horrible acts, and sometimes even Buffy made serious mistakes, lakes in judgement or complete character changes. After Buffy and fantastic spin-off Angel (a vampire searching for his soul) ended, a slew of popular teenage novels filled the void, and it was only a matter of time for the vampire to rise again.

It may have been a shock and\or a disappointment for lovers of Gen X vampires then, that the re-imagining of the Vampire Lore would be so steeped in Romeo and Juliet romance; where vampires ‘sparkle’ in the overcast day, and werewolves transform from large, hairy wolves to hairless, muscle-bound tweens. Here we have emasculated, non-threatening males turning into creatures of the night, doing battle for the affections of an 18 year old girl, and Buffy she ain’t.

Belle is lead into the warring world of lycans and vampires not due to any sort of oath or life mission to rid the world of evil. Belle is simply following her heart, come-what-may, with extremely traditional and some-may-say sexist ideals. Is Belle a weak-willed woman, simply a pawn in a man’s world as she risks life and limb to be with the man that she loves, or is she a female powerhouse for doing the exact same thing: being strong enough to endure the possibility of death to achieve what her heart desires?

Written from a mormon’s point of view, the Twilight movies explore interspecies chaste love, betrayal, heartbreak and, in Breaking Dawn, Part 1, the pro-choice debate. Yes, the key-target audience is for 18 year olds, but these themes are Shakespearian in their appeal, and the dedication that has been put into telling these stories in a straight, honest delivery to be enjoyed by an audience of any age is to be admired.

Rating

With the Twilight Saga film series improving in each installment in regards to direction and production values (including the increasing complexity and brilliance of its CGI SPFX), I give this first part of the Twilight Saga's finale a reserved 3 pangs out of 5.

Check out the movie and its trailer at the International Movie Data Base (IMDb)

Luke McWilliams, December 2011

The Ides of March Review

The Ides of March is a political dramatic thriller directed by its leading actor and co-screenplay writer, George Clooney based on fellow screenwriter Beau Willimon’s play Farragut North.

Plot

We meet Junior Campaign Manager Stephen Meyers ( played Ryan Gosling) as he sets up a debate for boss Mike Morris (played by George Clooney), Governor of Pennsylvania who is on presidential campaign in Ohio. Up against his main competitor Senator Ted Pullman, the win in Ohio will guarantee Morris the election, however there is a threat that the endorsement from Senator Thompson may sway the tide.

After a debate, the optimistic and possibly naïve Meyers is contacted by Pullman's Campaign Manager, rival Tom Duffy (played by Paul Giamatti) to meet with him in secret. Meyers chooses to attend this seemingly harmless meeting, where wackiness ensues!

Review

The Ides of March has a great cast, strong acting and very authentic and fascinating environment. We are introduced to the very top of a presidential campaign, allowing us to be privy to the inner workings of the social environment of said campaign; from managerial staff, junior staff and the interns. We are quickly and simply brought up to speed on the importance of the campaign team’s Ohio win, and its’ strategy should things head north. The pace at which the campaign team works in, especially whilst advising the presidential nominee, is fast paced and high pressure, with no room for error and always with the threat of failure, and therefore demotions and unemployment, hanging in the balance.

Like a computer system, it is only when human errors come into play which damage this smooth and tightly wound system, as if the main players objectively recognize that human emotions such as love, greed and revenge are poisonous to the process. The business of politics is shown to be transparent and impersonal in the face of wiping out such imperfections of the system, with mutual respect, but subjectively damning consequences.

The stakes to the main characters who inhabit this world then are quite high: they are fighting for their own political careers, and, perhaps naively, the chance to change the world for the better. In this world, at this point in their campaign, issues and emotions are magnified, as they are responsible for the well-being of their nominee, staff and country. It is Marisa Tomei’s reporter however, who makes the observation that the general Joe, the citizen who wakes up, goes to work, sleeps and pays his taxes, who won’t even notice the difference if Mike Morris wins or loses. On that level of reality, the world simply keeps on rolling, regardless who is on the top.

In this sense, it is difficult for a viewer to regard the main player’ stake in these events to be as big as they feel they are: to empathise fully with the campaign is a bit of an effort, especially since we have seen so many political scandals in film and real life: Watergate, assassinations, infildelity and so on. Zack Snyder, director of The Man of Steel has said that a Superman movie has to deal with a threat to mankind itself, and every Mission Impossible has stakes so high, that it endangers the IMF team if not the world at large as well. In The Ides of March, the stakes are the failure of a campaign team, and the reality that, if they fail, they can lead a very comfortable life, working in a consulting firm for other presidential hopefuls in the future. Nice work if you can get it.

Rating

The Ides of March is an intriguing look at the inner workings of a presidential campaign, using Shakespearean motives to show the corruption of a young hopeful. George Clooney’s very intelligent and restrained story telling however may be too subtle for audience’s expecting more earth shattering consequences to the parties’ actions.

3.5 senators out of 5

See what David and Margaret have to say and check out the trailer!

Luke McWilliams, December 2011

The Debt Review

The Debt is a drama-thriller film directed by John Madden (of Shakespeare in Love Fame) and is a remake of the 2007 Israeli film of the same name.

Plot

In 1966 we meet Israli agents Rachel Singer (played by Jessica Chastain), David Peretz (played by Sam Worthington) and Stefan Gold (Marton Csokas) as they return home to Israel after a mission in East Berlin.

We flash forward to 1997 where Rachel (now played by Helen Mirren) is being honored by her daughter during a release party for Sarah's book, recounting the 1966 mission. Rachel is given the opportunity to read an extract of the book detailing her team’s capture of The Surgeon of Birkenau, Nazi war criminal Dieter Vogel (played by Jesper Christensen). After her account, we go back once again to the events in 1966, where wackinessensues…….

Review

Its actually very rare for someone passionate about movies to have a movie come along under their radar, with very little information about it. In the age of digital social media, with information coming thick and fast of upcoming blockbusters and the like, sometimes a small nugget (usually an art-house film) slips through the media cracks, with an air of mystery that actually entices one to see it. Therefore I pleasantly knew very little about The Debt and was engaged throughout. The historic set-up soon plays into a Rashômon syle of narrative, where truth and lies are served up amongst the rippling consequences of such actions.

The Debt is a thriller in every sense of the word: a very evil master manipulator versing off against a three person team who carry their own fragile dynamics, set in a threatening environment and time not kind to our three jewish protagonists.

It is when we learn the consequences of the trio’s decision where the movie gets a strong elevation, which really plucks us out of our comfort zone: no longer are we watching a 1966 Mission: Impossible, safe in the knowledge that all the main players have obviously survived, succeeded and are know living a life of national heroes. Mistakes made in the past surge ahead decades later to once again pin the trio together, in an almost Stephen King tale of a deal with the devil. The movie keeps on escalating in thrilling fashion and was actually a real joy to watch.

The atmosphere of 1966 Berlin is suffocating: three Israeli spies in the thick of enemy territory, only venturing off during the day to complete their missions, and held up in their apartment with only themselves and a piano for company and entertainment. A jolly time in a pub soon turns sour due to the weight of the mission at hand.

Jessica Chastain is fantastic as Rachel, a soldier who must attend gynecology appointments with the trio’s prey, playing hunter and the hunted concurrently. The emotional strain of the job leaves her emotionally vulnerable to those around her, which leads to devastating turns. Marton Csokas’ Stefan is charismatic and oozes leadership. With a cool head and slightly sleazy approach it is he who is the unofficial leader of the team.

Sam Worthington’s David may be the slightly weaker of the three. David has a very uncomplicated world-view, sustained and propelled by vengeance, while being hindered by shyness and love. Worthington’s delivery is not as layered as his teammates, not-withstanding his breaking accent.

It is when we get to the character’s older selves where things look a bit shaky. Fantastic actors Tom Wilkinson and Helen Mirren are ten years too old to play their counterparts, with Tom and Ciarán Hinds looking far too different from their younger counterparts to convincingly portray the characters. This is opposed to the very chilling Vogel, who simply has aged make-up applied. Perhaps this would have been an option for the rest of the cast.

Rating

Apart from such quibbles, The Debt is intriguing stuff, in the line of Courage Under Fire. 4 our of 5 I.O.Us.

Check out what Margaret and David have to say, and have a look at the trailer!

Luke McWilliams, December 2011