The Movie Club

Plot

We meet successful banker Johnny (played by Tommy Wiseau), as he comes home to his beautiful San Francisco townhouse apartment to give his fiancée Lisa (played by Juliette Danielle) a red dress. Johnny has a fantastic life: he loves his fiancée Lisa, he has adopted and protects Denny, a neighbouring college student, and has a plethora of friends, Peter a psychologist, some random guy and, most notably his best friend Mark. Lisa however soon confesses to her mother Claudette that, apart from the financial security that Tommy gives her, she finds him incredibly boring. Soon, Lisa seduces Tommy’s best friend Mark, where wackiness ensues!

Review

I have known about the Room for some time now, however I was ill-prepared for the massive turn-out at a late-night showing on a Saturday no less! Lining up amongst a crowd wearing black wigs and sporting footballs, I went into the cinema with my friends, collected a fistful of plastic knives and spoons, a brochure of things to yell at the screen and settled in for a quite a unique experience.

The Room is known as the worst movie ever-made and it is quite obvious to see why. What is an obvious vanity project from the movie’s director Tommy Wiseau, Tommy has micro-mismanaged every aspect of the movie while also giving himself all the credit!

Originally written as a play, Tommy Wiseau.developed and raised funds for the film version of the Room himself over a period of 5 years, raising 6 million dollars that went to the film’s production and marketing, and also for the rotating cast and crew. Buying a ‘complete beginning director package’ the movie is similar to Rebecca Black’s Friday: a packaged, ready to go product available for anyone who can afford it.

Unlike the super-low budget The Evil Dead which had its Director fundraise on nothing more than his perseverance and obvious talent, Tommy had millions at his disposal, which in better hands could have gone quite far. Drive for example was produced on a budget of 13 million.

The movie limits itself in terms of locations around the rented soundstage and of course, the Room. Characters spend time outside throwing a football around, upstairs having a chat and walking into Tommy’s apartment quite freely, one couple even coming in inexplicably to have sex.

Where The Evil Dead lost many of its cast during its overlong production, Sam Raimi had ‘Shemps’step into place, albeit under layers of prosthetic make-up. The Room made no allowances for actors leaving. Instead, the dialogue would be given to a new character without bothering to introduce them!

The movie has a number of plot-inconsistencies, continuity errors, bad dialogue and horrendous acting, mostly from Tommy himself. It is a vanity project in every way. Tommy’s on screen character is selfless: he has adopted a child, treats his ‘future wife’ as a princess, and helps his many friends out in any way he can, even grabbing a drug dealer and giving him over to police. Like the Mark Zuckerberg character in The Social Network, it is Tommy then who seems so out of place in this world that he created: amongst a roomful of young, flawed characters he is the sore thumb, with his acting being easily the worst amongst them.

Rating

The Room deserves the ire of an audience throwing cutlery and insults at the screen!

0 out of 5 spoons!

Luke McWilliams, December 2011

Moneyball is a biographical sports film directed by Bennett Miller, based on the book by Michael Lewis.

Plot

We meet Billy Bean (played by Brad Pitt) who is the general manager of the Oakland Athletics. Billy is listening to his team lose to the New York Yankees via a radio and becomes devastated. As a result of this loss, three of his star players leave the team, leaving Billy and his team of scouting recruiters with very big shoes to fill with very little money to help them do it. At a recruiting meeting with the Cleavland Indians, Billy meets Peter Brand (played by Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s Jonah Hill), who denies Billy from trading seemingly ordinary players. Billy learns from Peter however that he has devised a statistical system to devise a players true value based on their on base percentage. Armed with his new assistant general Manager, Billy starts to recruit his new team from under appreciated players using this sabermetric approach, to the opposition of his traditional scouts and the team’s couch (played by Phillip Seymore Hoffman), where wackiness ensues! 

Review

Moneyball is shot like a real time documentary with real footage of baseball games. This is not a shiny sports film but rather a realistic view of a world that is run in cars, small offices, and with horrible coffee. There is no real over-the-top romances or stand-out crowd pleasing moments: this is the world of Moneyball, where statistics on simple computer screens and white-boards dominate and back-up decisions that can cost millions of dollars.

Although Brad Pitt’s star power makes it unlikely to believe him to be a blue-collar working everyman, much like Tom Cruise’s, turn in War of the Worlds, Brad is likeable and empathetic while being grounded in the reality the movie serves up. The scouts seem like real people, with real frustrations that are born of their perceived expertise in character analysis: while others may not understand their judgement calls, information such as a player’s unattractive girlfriend can lead to a direct correlation to his supposed lack of confidence in such an expert’s hands.

The pleasant surprise of the movie however is Jonah Hill. Famous for playing an overweight loser in films such as Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s and Get Him to the Greek, here Jonah delivers a quiet, understated performance exuding intellectual confidence in a nervous delivery. His relationship and chemistry with Brad Pitt is a pleasure to watch, especially when they are working together with nothing but a few phones at their disposal.

Where Drive had very little actual driving, Moneyball lacks the visual treat of a baseball match, concentrating instead of the world where Brad and Jonah’s characters inhabit: offices, dark computer dens and meeting rooms. Brad’s character superstitiously avoids watching or following any of his teams games, going so far as not to even meet his players for fear of complicating their relationships: Brad trades and lets go players at a drop of a hat, as all they are a composit of skills represented by numbers. Like the documentary on the World Financial Crisis, Inside Job, Moneyball has a lot of statistics and baseball references which fly thick and fast. The specifics of such information thankfully is not relevant to the atmosphere of the film or purpose and politics of its players. I have no idea about sports of anykind, however I could follow this movie so you should too!

Rating

An interesting and groundned movie about a little-known but very important factor of all modern day sporting, I give Moneyball 3.5 bases out of 5

                                                                                       Luke McWilliams, December 2011

Drive is a crime drama directed by Danish film director, screenwriter and producer, Nicolas Winding Refn, adapted from the novel by James Sallis. The movie won the best director award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Plot

We meet the Driver (played by Ryan Gosling) as he goes about his everyday life as a mechanic and movie stunt driver managed by his boss Shannon (played by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston). We soon see him at his moonlighting job however, where he provides a service to criminals as a getaway driver, promising them that he will do anything for them in the time limit of 5 minutes. Things get complicated when he becomes involved with his beautiful neighbour Irene (played by Never Let ME Go’s Carey Mulligan) whose husband has just come back from prison. Owing protection money he asks the Driver for his help, lest his family receives the wrath of the mob, where wackiness ensues!

Review

Drive actually begins at a smacking pace. We are introduced to the main character’s lifestyle which is palpable with texture and atmosphere. He lives a comfortable day-to-day life working with cars as a mechanic, stunt driver, possible racing driver and get-away driver. The first time we actually see him in action is fantastic: we are in the passenger seat, experiencing the tension of the burglar-passengers in the backseat. We also feel firsthand the Driver’s anticipation of the surrounding police force. There is no CGI present at all in such a scene, nor are there any ridiculous stunts: its pure street racing, filmed in an uncomfortably intimate setting.

The tone of the movie is quite interesting: the music, fashion and title font and colour scream retro 80’s for no real reason. One could be forgiven thinking that the movie is set in that time-frame if not for a character referencing his past ‘in the 80’s. There are even subtle surreal moments typical of 80’s films at the time: slo-mo in accordance to synthesizer music, dimming of lights to enhance the attraction of two characters while eliminating the background. This is all done to have the audience view the film from the Driver’s point of view: how he views the streets in LA as noir, and how he is a knight in shining armour, relying on his nature to help others, symbolized as a scorpion on his shiny white jacket.

The movie unexpectedly turns ultra-violent however, betraying the sleek, unattached and unaffected set-up. Where the Driver gets more involved with those around him, conflict arises and he becomes a Terminator, doing everything he can, his way, to resolve the conflict. Such is the tonal shift that a viewer has famously sued her theatre for misleading her into believing that Drive would be more akin to the The Fast and the Furious film series

Wheras the Driver is simply a man-with-no-name, existentially coasting along until love-led circumstances call him into action, the antagonist mobsters led by Bernie (played by Albert Brooks) and Nino (played by Hell-Boy’s Ron Perlman) exhibit well-rounded characters: mobsters who do not enjoy killing, but find it their only means-to-an end. There are background linking them all with real emotion and feelings as opposed to the Driver, a man with very little words and a mysterious past.

The two leads, Carey Mulligan and Ryan Gosling do share a very sweet and tender chemistry, with restraint and heavy subtext showing, not telling us, their every thought and feelings. It is great seeing Christina Hendricks in a feature, although she is heart-breakingly underused.

Rating

Drive  is a relatively small budget movie with a lot of research behind it that actually serves up a solid movie that we actually have seen many of times in the late 70’s and early 80’s: a hard-boild neo-noir pulp-fiction, complete with a synth soundtrack. The plus is, like Robert Rodriguez’s, and Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse, such movies where never made with such focus and expertise that hindsight can afford.

4 kilometres out of 5

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

Luke McWilliams, December 2011

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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 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 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

Join Luke McWilliams and Katy Haynes as they review new to cinema releases;

The Debt; and

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt 1

The Duo also have a retrospective look at the Twilight series to date!

• Drive; and 
• Moneyball

The duo also review the season of the worst movie ever made, the cult-classic The Room.

Join Luke McWilliams and Katy Haynes as they review new to cinema releases;

Join Steven Robert and Marisa Martin as they review new to cinema releases;