War

War. What is it good for? The great philosopher Edwin Starr would say 'absolutely nothing'. which is especially true if you are a pacifist. But does this view on violence mean you are unable to serve your country? This is Hacksaw Ridge.

Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) is a Seventh-Day Adventist who holds the Lord's word as law and takes that seriously. After the outbreak of World War II and the United State's battles with Japan, 'Do Not Kill' becomes a conflicting ideology when you have a desire to serve your country alongside your fellow men. Desmond signs up as a medic but refuses to pick up a gun, earning him the label of a conscientious objector. The army hierarchy, primarily Sgt Howell (Vince Vaughn) and Captain Glover (Sam Worthington), try to encourage Desmond to leave the military, going as far as court marshalling him. But this is the story of Doss' bravery, of how, despite the opposition he faced, he saved 75 men's lives without ever firing a gun. 

Hacksaw Ridge explodes onto the screen and rattles along with an astonishing handle on its pacing, never dragging for a second. Garfield is phenomenal and his performance is the glue that holds the film together; his Southern charm and humble faith contrast the blood shed of war and Garfield is absorbed into his character completely. Another stand out is Vince Vaughn. Far away from his comedy roots, but clearly drawing from and influenced by it. He plays the sharp-witted and hardened drill sergeant Howell and its unlike a lot of his other roles, yet here he is perfectly suited. His background in comedy gives him an edge with his insults to the privates but beneath his hardened exterior there is a tenderness to the performance; he truly cares about his men and their lives, their success.

There's always a battle (no pun intended) between realism and watchability when filming war and Mel Gibson does a remarkable job. Never sparing the gritty reality of war, Gibson tells a story of real heart and soul with one of the most likeable solider protagonists to date. War is brutal, but balanced with Desmond's faith in God (emphasised in the film no doubt due to Gibson's own faith) and his hope, determination, and compassionate selflessness, Hacksaw Ridge never falls into the trap of being violence oriented. Some have criticised the movie, stating that its violent portrayal of a non-violent message is counter-productive, but its not. Doss shines against a backdrop of carnage, his acts of bravery made more mammoth by the circumstances surrounding them. Whilst some films seek to express the darkness of war - think Apocalypse Now's 'The horror. The horror' - Hacksaw Ridge seeks to emphasise the good in man.

Hacksaw Ridge boasts stunning cinematography and an incredible visual landscape - the sheer extremity of the ridge itself is a sight to behold. It also has the most powerfully constructed World War II fighting since Saving Private Ryan. Make no mistake, this film hinges on the atrocities of war and does not pretend it doesn't, however it does not glorify the fighting, but condemns it. It offers hope, faith, and courage, and in a world that can often seem bleak, perhaps we could all do with a bit more those three things.

Computers

Around awards season, inspirational true stories are often in abundant supply telling the tales of those people in history who, despite the odds, rose up against societal oppression and made a name for themselves. Sometimes, however, they help make history from behind the scenes. This is Hidden Figures.

In the 60s, the Soviets and the USA were racing each other to put a man in space. The problem for the USA was that they were stuck on the ground whilst the Soviets had cracked the equations needed to get them into space. What the geniuses of NASA needed was something different and in a time of racial segregation and gender inequality, you cannot get much more different than a small group of extremely intelligent black women. Enter mathematician Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), engineer Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), and not-quite-a-supervisor Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) who step up to the plate despite oppression and the egos of their white male counterparts to change the face of American history forever.

The film may be Hidden Figures in name, but not in nature. In fact, Hidden Figures' greatest strengths lie in its talented cast who dazzle throughout. The standouts come in the form of lead Taraji P. Henson and Kevin Costner who are the spearheads of the work at NASA. It is Harrison who makes movements to remove the segregation from NASA to allow his top computer to not have to run across campus to the bathroom, and Costner plays it with a cool authority; he is likeable and determined. Henson's Johnson, too, fights fearlessly for an equal workspace where her mind can be recgonised.  Unlike other films this year (cough Suicide Squad cough) who let their supporting cast get absorbed by the background, Hidden Figures lets theirs shine. Monáe and Spencer are both delightful additions to the film and make it what it what it is. They balance the tone and add comic relief to an otherwise heavy subject matter.

Hidden Figures tells a nice story. It's a feel-good narrative of the underdog fighting oppression and segregation that appeals to our humanity and our morality. However there is little new or exciting about it. Whilst the performances are powerful and the film is well constructed, it often feels like we are hearing a story we have heard before and director Theodore Melfi plays it safe, keeping the story accessible and familiar. This has its advantages: the story is an important one, and its crucial that as many people as possible can enjoy it so that these women can be remembered. The disadvantage of course is that it doesn't feel special, courageous, or different and these are all adjectives that describe the protagonists; rather than embrace what made these women great, Melfi tells a great story with as little risk as possible.

Enjoyable but forgettable, which is a shame. A typical film for this time of year: a well produced, socially challenging piece of cinema that does a bit of everything, but not quite enough of anything. Its cast pull the film out of the realms of mediocrity, but not enough to excel it to greatness.

Hollywood

Hollywood. The land of dreams is no stranger to appearing on the big screen and being presented from many different angles, but it has been a long time since it was quite so colourful and quite so musical. This is La La Land.

Seb (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are both dreamers. The former longs to own and manage his own jazz club, the latter sees her name in lights, her face on the big screen. Their paths are interwoven and they can chase their dreams together with encouragement and support but the world we live in isn't easy for dreamers. There are expectations to live up to, finances to organise, and the proverbial 'man' keeping our protagonists from their ultimate success. Also, the film teaches us that sometimes success and dreams do not come hand in hand, that one does not necessarily equate to the other. This is not just a story of Seb and Mia, of their love and dreams, this is a story of how Hollywood engulfs those who wish to chase their dreams, how it forces compromise and conflict, how small decisions can change everything. And this story is told through song and dance.

The film opens with a traffic jam - welcome to Hollywood. But one by one, the commuters begin to sing; they step out of their cars and dance down the road in a spectacularly flowing set piece. Welcome to La La Land. The tone is apparent and the stage is set; we are thrown into a two hour rush of colour, music and movement. Director Damien Chazelle glides through his narrative with confidence, the film dancing along with its stars, helped in no small part by cinematographer Linus Sandgren. Chazelle and Sandgren choreograph each scene to the beat of the film, their camera as one of the performers. It weaves in and out of cars and bars, it swings around the piano that Seb plays, it circles Mia as she sings her heart out; it captures every ounce of emotion and, more importantly, soul that the film has to offer. If Chazelle's last feature Whiplash embodied the intensity of jazz, La La Land captures its warmth.

That warmth is amplified by the charisma and chemistry of the two leads. Both Mia and Seb are instantly and overwhelmingly likeable and their pairing slowly builds, eventually blossoming into love. From the gentle touch of finger tips in a cinema to helping plan each other's visions, their relationship is electrifying and full of life. The two powerful performances from Stone and Gosling over the course of the film culminate in a riveting and emotional climax with one of the most charming sequences in the film, leaving you smiling despite being metaphorically punched in the gut. The talent of the whole cast cannot be overstated with cast members learning new instruments (for their roles, Gosling learned piano from scratch and John Legend learned guitar), as well as dancing and singing live onset. No doubt you will be leaving the cinema tapping along to the catchy songs now permanently etched into your brain.

La La Land is a musical adventure into fantasy. It's more universally appealing than Chazelle's Whiplash, it's more charming and a lot less bleak, and also harks back to the golden age of Hollywood. This is almost a guaranteed formula for critical success (see The Artist's Best Picture win in 2012), but it also makes for a wonderful piece of cinema. It lacks the depth and power of some arguably better films, but it is inoffensive and totally captivating. It is a glimpse of what happens when a skilled film-maker decides to create something joyous; La La Land does not need to be dark to be brilliant.

Jaws: The Female Edition

Back in 2010, Ryan Reynolds starred in a particularly good claustrophobic thriller called Buried where he was trapped on his own for 90 minutes and survival seemed unlikely. Now, in 2016, his wife is doing a similar thing. This is The Shallows. 

On a travelling holiday, Nancy (Blake Lively) finds herself on a beach that her late mother visited many years before and the beach is home to one of the most phenomenal surfs around. Grabbing her board, Nancy hits the waves, makes some friends, and catches some waves. As the sun begins to set she decides that after the next wave, she will call it a day. That is, until a great white shark knocks her off her board, bites her leg, and leaves her stranded on a small rock with no rescue in sight. With the tide against her, and having invaded the shark's territory, she will have to get inventive in order to survive.

Solo movies are hard work. The lead performer has to be captivating enough to hold the audience's attention between the action and engaging enough for us to care about them when danger approaches. If you fail in this respect, the film will instantly fall flat. Fortunately, Blake Lively is in fine form. She's smart, strong, and resilient, and whilst the filmic landscape around her may lack clarity,  she performs with all of the conviction required of a leading role. In this day and age, it is so crucial to portray women in a way that does not treat them as secondary to men and if The Shallows has one major success, it is Blake Lively. Whilst some of the early shots are not dissimilar to soft-core pornography, as the film progresses Lively overpowers the male gaze of the camera. Not only does her character, Nancy, fashion her own tourniquet out of a wet suit, she also demonstrates a far greater survival instinct and understanding of her surroundings than any of the men that appear throughout the film.

One part 127 Hours, one part Jaws, but not quite living up to the standard of either,  The Shallows struggles to balance realism or logic with the story the film makers want to tell. Whilst the action is consistently exciting and suspenseful, characters' reasonings get lost at sea. From inexplicably located flare guns to straight up strange decision making, from disappearing dead bodies to never-turning tides, the film suffers from a sloppy approach. A few extra hours editing the script and a bit more focus in shooting and post-production would have helped hugely. The essentials of a great film are all there but it feels like they've been torn apart by the film's aquatic antagonist and messily pieced back together by Jaume Collet-Serra, the film's director.

A sloppy script and a lack of care has left The Shallows feeling a bit washed up. It is not beyond redemption - the keen survival film fan will find plenty to enjoy - but for the rest of us, the film is little more than shallow entertainment.

Dead Dan

Sometimes in life, there are things that are difficult to comprehend and events that are almost beyond words. Today's film is one of those occurences. This is Swiss Army Man.

Hank (Paul Dano) is at the end of his tether. He is marooned on an island with no food, nowhere to go, and no sign of rescue. The camera pans down a rope to his face, a noose fastened around his neck, and he surveys the hopelessness of his situation. Then just before he kicks the stool out from beneath him, he notices a corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) on the beach which is passing wind powerfully enough to propel it through the water. Cue an ingenious plan to use the corpse as a jet ski and as Hank hurtles forward on the corpse, the narrative follows suite. We follow Hank and the corpse (later named Manny) as they discover new things about Manny's exceptional body and then bound, roll, drag, and fart through the forest trying to find civilisation; the results are spellbinding.

It is hard to know where to start with Swiss Army Man; there is something special and unique about it whilst also being hugely referential with massive pop-culture influences. It seamlessly blends together crude comedy and heartfelt moments that are exceedingly touching. Dano, known for his strength as a troubled individual (Little Miss Sunshine), really shines here. This is, after all, his journey and we instantly captivated by his story. He is the worm and Radcliffe's Manny, with his limitlessly skilled body, is the hook. Together, they drag you into their tale of friendship, fellowship, of life and death. Radcliffe's performance too cannot be understated. This is one of the finest physical comedic performances in years. The strength of the two leads may even force you to shed a tear of sadness, and they are guaranteed to bring on fits of laughter.

Swiss Army Man is gloriously grotesque but disgustingly delightful. Chuckles turn to belly laughs, belly laughs turn to tears. For a film about a farting corpse that wants to understand pooping and masturbation, Swiss Army Man is surprisingly philosophical and thought provoking. Veiled beneath the crude humour is a deep analysis of societal norms and the nature of life and living and, strangely enough, it is almost impossible to imagine a better vehicle for the topic at hand. Directors Dan Kwan, and Daniel Scheinert take films like Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life and, along with their superb script, drags them through the digestion track of cinema and excrete something magical and special. With a powerful and moving acapella soundtrack, often originating as diegetic singing, the film overwhelms the senses in the best way possible. It is hard to imagine anything like Swiss Army Man  existing again and it's difficult to recall anything like it existing before. 

There is something special here. It is stupid but intellectual, crude but beautiful. Whilst some have found the ending a bit jarring, the journey more than justifies it. You have to see it to believe it.

The Best of the Rest

In case the Best Picture Nominees don't quite fulfil your Oscar needs, here are all the other films nominated for more than one award tonight - and then some!

Carol (Nominated for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Music)

Carol portrays two women who fall in love in 1950s New York. Carol (Cate Blanchett) and Therese (Rooney Mara) come from conventional backgrounds and after an innocent meeting, a connection forms between the two which grows deeper and more passionate as society tries to stop it. Whilst the intensity and pace of the film can drop, it offers a stunningly shot and truly touching story. Held up by absolutely stellar performances by Blanchett and Mara, Carol is a beautiful and heart wrenching tale that takes the viewer on a roller coaster of emotions, good and bad. It is an engaging and powerful piece of cinema.

The Danish Girl (Nominated for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design)

Tom Hooper shot to stardom with the excellent drama The King's Speech, followed up by musical drama Les Miserables. Now he presents another emotional drama. It never quite reaches the likability of his dabble with royalty, nor quite deals with hardship as movingly as his musical outing, but there is still something compelling about The Danish Girl. The film is the story of Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander) as Einar struggles with his gender identity and life is pumped into the narrative by the sensational chemistry between Redmayne and Vikander. Individually they both put in incredible performances but Vikander particularly shines. A beautiful story told in a beautiful manner.

Ex Machina  (Nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Visual Effects)

Alex Garland's directorial debut is a bold adventure. Not only was he behind the camera for this gritty sci-fi thriller, but he also wrote it. It tells the story of Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) who is invited to work alongside tech billionaire Nathan (Oscar Issac) to test the AI he has created. The AI is Ava (Alicia Vikander), but can she convince Caleb that she has conciseness in the ultimate Turing Test?. Ex Machina is dark, claustrophobic, and utterly compelling film making. Every second keeps you on your toes right up until the nail biting conclusion. It adds to an already excellent year for all three leads, and promises great things for Garland's future as a director.

The Hateful Eight (Nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Music)

There is always added pressure when a film's runtime exceeds three hours; the film has to justify its length . Fortunately, Tarantino is still on top form here. The Hateful Eight follows Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) as he hitches a ride with bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his prisoner Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to try and keep ahead of a blizzard. What the film does so masterfully is to keep the film constantly engaging for the entire runtime. Every time Tarantino is about to reach the climax of one narrative, he cuts away to build the suspense as long as possible. He creates an intimately intense piece of cinema with some typical Tarantinoisms. Fans of the director will not be disappointed, even if the ending leaves a little to be desired.

Joy  (Nominated for Best Actress)

Jennifer Lawrence continues her successful partnership with David O. Russell, though that relationship may not be mutual. Whilst Lawrence is in fine form as Joy Mangano, the inventor of the miracle mop, the rest of the film falls short. Whilst she shares the screen with Bradley Cooper as Neil Walker, master of the QVC shopping channel, the film is at its strongest. The pair bring a charisma to the film that O. Russell struggles to replicate at other points. The editing in the first quarter of the film is awkward and there are jarring dream and flashback sequences that simply do not fit.

Sicario (Nominated for Best Original Music, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Editing)

Sicario picks up its nominations primarily in technical categories, but this is one of the most thrilling films of the year. Quite literally opening with a bang, Sicario throws the audience straight into Kate Macer's (Emily Blunt) world as she gets hired to help take down a cartel. From tense set piece to tense set piece, we are taken on an action packed and suspenseful journey into Mexico and back. An astonishing achievement in modern thrillers that is relentless in its shockingly realistic depiction of the violence involved in the drug trade.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (Nominated for Best Original Music, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing)

When Star Wars first came out in 1977, the world went wild. Over the past forty years, Luke, Leia, Hans, Vader, and their universe have become cultural icons. The Force Awakens is a welcome return to form after the questionable prequels, with new icons being created in the form of Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and BB-8. The old faces of Fisher, Ford, and Hamill are all present also in what is just as much a throw back to A New Hope as it is a contemporary revisiting to a galaxy far far away. It is accessible to a whole new fan base whilst building on the already existing Star Wars universe. It is a fun filled ride with gloriously constructed action sequences, stunning special effects, and a John Williams score to die for. It all feels a bit familiar, but perhaps that just the feeling of returning home.

Steve Jobs (Nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress)



The late great Steve Jobs was undoubtedly one of the biggest influences in the world of technology of all time. It is not just his technology that catches eyes, but the man himself. Steve Jobs tells the story of that man through his product launches - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Be focusing in on the big stage moments of the career, Steve Jobs takes the image we know of Jobs (Michael Fassbender) and shows us the behind the scenes moments. Behind the black turtle neck and small circular spectacles is an emotional tale of an incredibly intelligent, passionate man who struggles to fit his personal world into his professional plans. With Fassbender putting in a brilliant turn as Jobs and a stunning performance from Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman, Steve Jobs is a brilliant, if not occasionally disjointed, film, brought to life by another fantastic screenplay by Aaron Sorkin.

Straight Outta Compton (Nominated for Best Original Screenplay)

Straight Outta Compton tells the story of notorious rap group N.W.A., detailing their rise, their fall, and every thing in between. A brilliant and compelling piece of story telling. The first half is a completely engaging, new-school musical, dropping some dope beats and underlined by the gritty life coming from the back allies of Compton.With stunning turns from O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Ice Cube), Corey Hawkins (Dr Dre), and Jason Mitchell (Eazy-E), three unknown actors who come from obscurity to build one of the strongest ensembles of the year. Whilst the second act loses some pace, the performances remain strong and the narrative becomes more intense as well as more moving.

The Cold War in Warm Rooms

The Cold War. Courtroom Drama. Spies. Individually, these elements have each produced some great works of cinema. We make think of Dr Strangelove or A Few Good Men or even Skyfall, but what happens when you take these three aspects, roll them all together, and put Spielberg behind the camera? This is Bridge of Spies.

When Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), a Russian spy, is captured by the FBI, it is extremely important for the image of the United States of America that he gets fair representation at trial and therefore someone must be appointed the lawyer for the most hated man in America. The lawyer that gets appointed is James B. Donavan (Tom Hanks), an insurance lawyer, and he has to convince the country not to kill his client. His argument begins to hinge on the notion that, should it be required, Abel could be used to trade for any similarly captured Americans. When a U-2 spy plane and its pilot are shot down over Russia as well as an American student getting arrested after crossing the Berlin Wall, suddenly having Abel alive becomes an appealing idea.

Abel (Mark Rylance) and Donavan (Tom Hanks)
 in the court room

Over the years, Tom Hanks has developed from a loveable young, romantic comedy star, into a serious award winning actor, and then into some sort of friendly and yet exceptional everyman. He continues that trend here in Bridge of Spies. Donavan is a family man who works in insurance and he is suddenly thrust into an extraordinary  situation and Hank's performance reflects this. He is charming yet firm and powerful. He is warm and loving, yet determined and authoritative. It is a hard balance to strike, but not for someone as accomplished as Hanks. Rylance, already an established presence on the stage, is the standout performance here though, and the film rests on this. The success on how the audience engage with the film's narrative is dependant on how they relate to Abel. As the soft spoken Russian spy, Rylance is absolutely delightful and, despite being a traitor to the United States, we root for him and against the American government.

Tom Hanks as Donavan's world begins to change

Spielberg's influence over Hollywood is vast. Year after year he makes brilliant, award-winning films. With Bridge of Spies, he continues in excellent form, but the film is undoubtably improved and made whole by Joel and Ethan Coen's tinkering with Matt Charman screenplay. In a film that is centred around talking and negotiating, the Coens pump life into a dialogue-heavy second act. They bring warmth to the Cold War in the form of Hank's Donavan, though never letting the intensity of the situation slip away. Accompanied by small yet spectacular set pieces, brilliantly captured by Spielberg's camera, the film's visual construction sometimes says more than the Coen's words ever could. A gentle foot chase through the rain, a train carriage of staring faces, a snowy and still Glienicke Bridge scattered with shadowy figures.

Whilst there are dips in pace, Bridge of Spies seamlessly combines several genres and exhibits some of the finest performances of the year. It also proves that Spielberg may not be revolutionising the cinematic world with the likes of Jaws and E.T., but he has not lost any of his film making power.