Films That You Should Have Watched Yesterday - North Country (2005)

Blind Obedience; This Ain't No Way to Make a Living: Finding The Courage to Distinguish Between Charity and Justice in the Fight for Gender Equality    

          After taking a trip to Minnesota, borne through the silver screen into a tale based upon the pivotal true story of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States of America, known as Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, one may never observe women and debate surrounding women's equality in the workplace and beyond through quite same shade of lenses so comfortably worn heretofore. Now, returning to reality, lost in a moment, with a swiftness and a capacity for enlightenment of heavenly proportions, through looking directly into the eyes of that girl, whether she is significant in one's personal life bubble or otherwise, affords a glimpse that sufficiently warrants at least a small degree of tender, passionate optimism for the notion that she, without question, deserves to know equality. That girl, whether she be one's mother, one's wife, one's partner, one's sister, one's daughter, one's co-worker, one's friend, or nothing more than just one's fellow human being, deserves to know justice. Justice in such a way that is graciously granted, without being attached, in any manner, to the expectation of lucrative returns, which might often be said to ostensibly enhance but all too often ultimately corrupt acts of charity in all of their guises. For the two concepts, justice and charity, in this instance, are indeed not the same thing. If just one movie could be said to all but guarantee a shift in attitudes towards such matters, even more effectively than the still fairly recent picture exploring similar, ceaselessly current themes, Suffragette (2015), while of course remaining an entertaining and well-crafted film, then that movie, without dispute, is North Country (2005).

          A courtroom drama seamlessly weaves with plenty of briskly-paced, at times emotionally turbulent flashbacks and, in doing so, gradually raises the stakes so high for the genuinely charismatic protagonist that the cause for which she stands appears ethereal. That is to say, her declaration that all she wants to do is go to work and make a living like everybody else appears to be an impossible outcome, caged in by determined oppression from all sides into the traditional domestic sphere, for not infrequently do even those closest to her at least betray her faith in a fashion not dissimilar to that breaking of trust written of in holy scriptures between Peter and Christ.  

   

          Now that the movie is over a decade old, its star-studded ensemble that includes Charlize Theron, Jeremy Renner, Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sissy Spacek, Richard Jenkins, Michelle Monaghan and Sean Bean, all at least once illustrate during the feature that they were all inevitably going to enjoy long, prosperous careers and remain current in Hollywood's mainstream cinema for years to come. The last of the aforementioned cast, revealed without noteworthy risk to ruining the total engagement in the film by audiences, does not perish - hopefully a relief for those wishing that his often brutal departures from stories told through the moving image should be made illicit, particularly after Game of Thrones (2011-Present). Better still, while playing more of a supporting role in this adventure, his presence, like most of his fellow dramatic players, is no less felt in the protagonist's struggle for a final, ideally peaceful resolution, which might hopefully end or certainly ease the trauma felt by so many before and and after her in similar circumstances, both in America and around the world.

          It is written that many of the horrific acts of harassment and abuse depicted in the picture actually happened at least in part within the true story acting as the film's source material. These actions that may not quite scar but definitely demand a permanent place in the long-term memory of the collective psyche of those in society who witness them. In the wake of such a shocking viewing,  temptation suggests a need to focus solely on issues like sexual harassment in the workplace and domestic violence as if they experienced by women alone. Yet, by the film's conclusion, it becomes about so much more than that, as it goes on to demand that a genuine state of sonder be willed from within by all in the inevitably uphill skirmishes against those in positions of absolute power claiming to be beacons of righteousness while behaving, often in the darkest, coldest of shadows but sometimes even more boldly under the brightest rays of burning sunlight, in a manner that highlights beyond reasonable doubt an all but total lack of empathy and a complete disregard for those around them, especially the little people, men and women alike, whom they seem to thrive on torturing, unchecked and unchallenged, for profits of varying kinds. Even with all of the laws, rules and regulations put in place to end issues like sexual harassment in the workplace, recent reports in the mainstream media suggest that they remain as current as ever. North County offers, through a superbly-made, entertaining work of drama, no clear answer. However, there is at least one clear, intriguing starting point, even if not a terribly eloquent one with great depth to it at first. As one character out of new-found courage asserts at some point in the movie - "What are you supposed to do when the ones with all the power are hurting those with none? Well, for starters, you stand up. You stand up and tell the truth. You stand up for your friends. You stand up even when you're all alone. You stand up."

     

Finding Dory (2016) Movie Review

The Prodigal Fish Returns

          Disney Pixar loyalists, animation buffs and fish enthusiasts, in the wake of well-received sequels for Toy Story (1995), Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Cars (2006), might have justly deemed it utterly tragic that the artists behind some of the most iconic Disney pictures and characters in the world had not dived in to waters of boundless possibilities for story and character development gracefully but teasingly left uncharted by the end of Finding Nemo (2003). Thirteen years later, risks have been taken; courage has paid off. Dreams have come true and hopes have been realised with the return of some of the most adorable animated characters in cinema history.    

          Not infrequently do fears of déjà vu rise above the waters that share much in common with all sequels past and current, from Jason Bourne (2016) to Bridget Jones's Baby (2016). In the end, however, these concerns are fortunately almost always swept away within moments by unstoppable tides, rising in the form of the sheer eloquence and magnetism of sympathetic but nonetheless genuine adoration of Dory's more prevalent presentation under the spotlight this time around. Ears may be flooded by the distinct qualities of Thomas Newman's emotionally-charged musical score that never fails to demand tears of both joy and sadness at its leisure, with the sprinkles of magic that have consistently oozed from his works, which include other Disney treasures like WALL.E (2008) and Saving Mr Banks (2013). Moreover, eyes may be excessively indulged by the vibrant and masterful animation that successfully conveys the emotional turbulence of the cranky but not quite heartless octopus in particular, not dissimilar to the alluring facial expressions, underpinned by amusing eye movements especially, of another vibrant animal in Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out (1990). Ultimately, there are plenty of buried treasures uncovered throughout the well-paced adventure to warrant a great number of relieved breaths.     

          By comparison with previous summers, 2016 has frankly been a much less explosive and memorable one as far as the roster of blockbuster movies is concerned. mainly because the standard has been set that high in the land of the silver screen. Therefore, Summer 2016 has by no means been a bad one. Thus, while the competition might not have been as fierce as it has been in the past for the top prize in audience minds as their favourite summer chill-out session, Finding Dory (2016) remains, with all but total certainly, a worthy winner of that honour in audience hearts, not least for the film's ability to break and fix them in an instant with notions of unbreakable family bonds and undying family love as its key ingredients, bearing fruits far better than even its most hardcore fans could have anticipated. On this occasion, it is perhaps not a cheap marketing ploy when artists behind the movie state in interviews words of assurance for the notion that you are allowed and indeed expected to cry, for you may, without a doubt, at least want to, after seeing sides to a beloved sapphire-blue fish, which, while clearly familiar, remain as inspiring as ever before.

THE VERDICT: 9/10 

Eddie the Eagle (2016) Movie Review

Separating the Men From the Turkeys

          The long, perilous pursuit of ineffable desires and the defiant, ceaseless hopes for finally satisfying them remain as powerful within the human heart at present as they have been for centuries passed. Thus, while a cynical melody screams for Reason to wake up and switch off the moment that the scent of a familiar story, telling the tale of the fight for mountainous ambitions to be totally and unquestionably fulfilled, looms with unapologetic blatancy upon the silver screen, ultimately, that great, undying beauty of plum-scented, sparkling optimism tenderly puts Reason at ease, soothingly asserting that to witness and hear of such journeys over and over again, albeit they are almost always draped in previously used guises, is as essential for a sustained, healthy life as food and water.

          Thus, Romantic Comedies, no matter how unbelievable or otherwise they appear, continue to be at least one of the popular options on the cinema timetables just about every week, in spite of their consistently brutal assessments from ostensibly bitter-hearted critics. Similarly, so-called ‘feel good’ bromance scripts shedding light upon the already mercilessly exposed world of sport in order to celebrate poignant achievements of a different but equally gratifying nature, no matter how predictable, may never, ever grow old. Like Space Jam (1996), with its pleasant likening of its protagonist to that fierce but nonetheless majestic bird of prey, courtesy of its employment of a classic Seal track, Eddie the Eagle (2016) charms with an assortment of likeable qualities that illustrate why its own main character deserves to be compared to such an inspiring creature. The complete package of treats may be forgotten soon enough, in part due to not quite enough freshness or feelings of shock encouraged by the sequences of events in play, but the brief moments of joy sparked within viewers serve up a dish that certainly warrants their money’s worth.  

                 

         A better double act could not have been summoned. Taron Egerton, fresh in memory from his surprisingly superb breakout performance in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), alongside Hugh Jackman, who performs in front of the camera in such a way that holds back the Wolverine-style rage, refined during the X-Men film series (2000-Present),which has come to define his career in cinema, while maintaining impressive levels of infectious positive energy, together create a compelling chemistry that testifies to their breath-taking versatility as actors, which is particularly exciting for the former star when rumours bloom across the internet suggesting that he has been considered for the next Han Solo. Whatever role Egerton takes on next is likely to only further enshrine his name upon potential casting option lists for future blockbusters, for he appears to suit both ‘cool’ and somewhat less conventionally ‘cool’ courageous characters very well. Meanwhile, Jackman remains one of those artists growing ever more worthy of an Oscar win, even if not quite reaching the hype generated surrounding Leonardo DiCaprio’s recent attainment of such recognition. 

       

          Eddie the Eagle may fail to be remembered by Christmas because of a lack of originality linked to the plot, which has plagued films of all genres for decades, especially if the manner in which the plot unfolds is equally far from new. Concepts including virtually nobody sharing the protagonist’s belief in the plausibility of success, or the endurance of often life-threatening punishments for mistakes made during the journey, or even the well-acquainted techniques by which clear links are established between the movie and the source material that inspired it, are all present in this picture. Yet, they are all delivered through uniquely coloured lenses, thanks to an upbeat soundtrack and strong emotional performances from everyone involved that aid in elevating the two principle artists. The nefarious odds that Eddie is up against and the high intensity encouraged by the payoff when his moment to shine arrives are consequently believable and alluring, often successfully addressing any sudden leaks of boredom that appear in many major scenes.  

          Considering that much of the movie takes place in settings covered entirely by alabaster-white snow, the colours and the emotions become that much more vivid, allowing for Eddie to command a presence upon the ski slopes that inspires limerence among avid dreamers. While the impact felt by Eddie the Eagle might be ephemeral at best, so long as the path to success in all forms fails to run smoothly in reality, in the end, cinema lovers will appreciate, as they did with Million Dollar Baby (2004), for instance, another much-needed, exciting reminder that success, even if not quite in the form that one expected initially, is, indeed, perfectly possible.

THE VERDICT: 7/10

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) Movie Review

Compassion, Patience and Panda Power

          In the midst of the various and ceaseless controversies raging throughout the world, few ever disagree over the breath of fresh, soothing air and the re-injection of joy in its purest form offered whenever an panda video goes viral across the internet, for all to celebrate, as an infectious source of endangered innocence. Not quickly forgotten is the scene of care-free panda cubs in China; gleefully ascending to the top of a sleek wooden slide and then descending down the slope, with admirable enthusiasm and feather-like grace, into an unforeseen but nonetheless well-received bundle of fellow players. Not immediately melted away are the moments of optimistic bliss captured on camera, courtesy of a fully-grown panda bear cheering up a frustrated Washington DC community by attempting to create a snow angel, in a bid to highlight the hopes for happiness buried beneath a rather harsh amount of linen-white winter powder. Both displays ooze with adorable energy in equal measure and the collaborators behind Kung Fu Panda 3 confidently take full advantage of that very a sentiment, which, quite mercifully, in the grand scheme of the world's turmoil, the tragically endangered creature appears to be eternally blessed with. The result is a bright, comely and colourful animated adventure that provides both a fitting conclusion to consistently amusing trilogy and an ending that just might allow for a continuation of the protagonist's story, so long as such a project was clearly warranted by a great degree of fan-fuelled demand.

          The dialogue, by all but via Jack Black in particular as the charismatic Panda protagonist, Po, who even now in his third outing remains a heart-warming reminder of Black's live performance of comic passion in School of Rock (2003), is always delivered with such superb conviction that even familiar sentiments are received with total engagement from audiences, young or otherwise, as if this animated feature was indeed their source of origin.

          The gorgeous imagery is heightened most by the sheer variety of locations, ranging from vicious, snow-covered mountains, to more tranquil, lush green landscapes. At times, the aesthetics and the design of the natural world scream out resemblances with more modern classics. A frozen and fortified dividing line between two settlements, which co-exist at a vast distance apart from one another, provides a clever, fairly amusing reference to Game of Thrones (2011-Present). A gradual emergence of desperately-needed reinforcements through the fog recalls to mind a similar gathering of brave, good individuals against a formidable faction of evil in The Patriot (2000) and a scene depicting a tragic family loss, heretofore completely unknown by Po and the audience observing him, blends possible inspiration from Ice Age (2002) with enough originality to subdue its viewers with teary eyes and swelling hearts. Fortunately, humour and elegant pacing immediately but gracefully relieve the audience of such saddening emotion. Thus, they now hold on to Po for the rest of his quest with amplified eagerness.

          The fight sequences are fast, funny and presented with a lilt-like quality. Never crossing the boundaries into untoward territory; they are frequently supported by witty, often last-minute instances of humour, thrown into scenes and particularly the longer conversations through Jack Black, James Hong and Seth Rogen's respective roles especially.  



          Kung Fu Panda 3 is caught off guard during its commendable fight for the constant engagement of the audience by a nervous and slow opening that for a brief instant looks set to collapse under the weight to too much back-story but quickly picks up with a great pace that goes on to to spread such knowledge more evenly throughout each major act of the tale, ultimately justifying that opening, which turns out to be assertively unhurried rather than sluggish. The comedy rarely results in laughter on the scale of hilarious but the aforementioned excellent pacing of the story means that one soon loses count of the sheer volume of genuine giggles enjoyed by journey's end. Finally, some characters could have had slightly bigger parts to play, most notably Jackie Chan's character. However, to include a great number of parts on the platform where they are able to share out equal portions of significance remains no easy undertaking in film to this day. Chan's level of screen-time clicks well enough within the plot and he no doubt enjoyed a little more dialogue and action in the previous instalments, kindly making way in this one for new additions, such as the characters wonderfully voiced by Bryan Cranston and Kate Hudson.

          To dip into an animated China filled with lively animals voiced by a committed, star-drenched cast, most likely for one last time, will be enough to laugh well but not excessively. Eyes shall moisten but tears may not pour from understandably sore eyes. However, ostensibly tired and clichéd elements of animated films, whether they are aimed towards didactic intentions or pure entertainment purposes, are employed with enough novel variations of flavour that the messages presented, principally about self-confidence, persistence, family and love, are more than worthy of and essential for children of all ages.

THE VERDICT: 8/10

Films That You Should Have Watched Yesterday - Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Straight, or Gay, I'll Love You Either Way: Opening Your Heart in the Wake of the Brokeback Legacy 

          Picture two men dressed, from hat to boots, in cowboy outfits. Paint a backdrop of still, lush green trees surrounding snow-topped mountains of majestic porpoise-grey that all stand spectacularly tall without obscuring the view of a royal blue sky or the pearl-white clouds above. Sprinkle the scene with the accessories of recently popped, shiny glass bottles of chilled beer in hand and fine, youthful, stainless steeds stationed with admirable obedience nearby and marvel at the sight of one specific flavour of pure pleasure heightened by an innocent relishing of the present moment, welcoming, with doors gracefully swung wide open, the light, cool breeze of the wind and the ceaseless but gentle roar of the dodger-blue rivers and streams forever flowing forwards, over and under hard, sharp and immovable rock formations of many intriguing shapes that do little more than provide necessary challenge by not quite discontinuing the water's flow. There was a time when such a vision warranted envy from even the most privileged citizens of worldwide society. That was until the vision and the way of life that it depicted became forever tainted at the very thought of a word that was intended only to establish a fictional location in Wyoming, USA, for a love story but ultimately also presented an opportunity for prejudice towards homosexuality to fester, resulting in one of the most frustrating illustrations of blissful ignorance, ecstatically fuelled with jokes rooted in terrible untruths regarding that love story's events and always refusing to accept its own inevitable diminishing, which would take place once reason finally prevailed over mocking fantasy and those concerned were persuaded to give the tale a chance. That word, known very well but understood barely a little, was Brokeback.

          In spite of the glowing, gold-scented knowledge that Brokeback Mountain was inspired by a remarkable short story by Annie Proulx, or that it was directed a Ang Lee, a film-maker who had already been hailed for leading a masterful adaptation of a famous literary creation, Sense and Sensibility, which testified to a love so strong that it effortlessly breached class barriers, the notion that another socially-charged barrier in the form of sexuality was being tackled caused a great deal of discomfort and controversy among audiences who clung, in many cases, to the fear of witnessing a 'tent scene' that had been grossly twisted by unkind rumours into a fantasy that fed off words and images of the most distasteful sort. Thus, occupied so completely by a false synopsis of the film's principle didactic and artistic intentions, audiences to this day have absolutely refused to watch the film, unwilling to hear reason that is supported by caches plentiful in credible sources of evidence, fit for the purpose of unbiased justification, for the proposal that Brokeback Mountain is, in truth, a love story of Shakespearean proportions. The American Cowboy Culture, one that so many thrive upon yanking from the horse by the neck with a rope repeatedly in order to expose the real practices behind the sermons claiming moral superiority on love, life and the vast landscape in between, is once again, with no apology offered or even conceived in advance of the bold endeavour, exposed to its supposedly well-intended but undeniably outdated and hypocritical core in a tale of forbidden love.

A Star That Will Never Grow Old - Heath Ledger's portrayal of Ennis Del Mar is tragically overshadowed by his Oscar-winning, breathtaking interpretation of The Joker in The Dark Knight. However, the phenomenal former role, in spite of being in comparison forgotten, ignored and prejudice-whipped by audiences who willingly surrender to corrupted images that revel in making a mockery of a love that is misunderstood but no less pure than the other, more familiar and socially respectable guises, grants an even greater degree of praise for the latter performance. The two characters in combination contrast so starkly, in facets ranging from tone of voice, to gait, to mannerisms, to principle sensibilities and most obviously aesthetics, that they consequently testify to Ledger's incredible versatility as an artist of the acting craft, long before and long after his poignant passing just over eight years ago.   

          The scenes of sexual intimacy so often infamously alluded to as the perilous, filthy terrain upon which the film gallops towards traumatising unsuspecting audiences serve only to support the assertion of the two protagonists, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, establishing a connection that once seemed impossible. Those scenes form part of an apparent end to soul-numbing loneliness and the acceleration of love to which all witnesses could fully comprehend, or at least, supported by cautious estimation, assert an awareness of, the fullest extent of its rapture, whether or not the personal experiences that heretofore informed them have involved someone of the same or the opposite sex. Even the seed of the film, the original short prose composition, gives cause for more graphic imagery than what is actually recorded on camera, by hinting at more aggressive, more vivid love scenes taking place in broad daylight. Such scenes are not brought to light in the film. Instead, the embraces each last barely three to five minutes in their entirety. Furthermore, in those spaces of time granted for such developments in the protagonists' relationship, limits are notably conservative in the degree of flesh exposed, or the instinctive pleasure-induced movements and melodies expressed by both characters. Never does the story linger for the intention of shock. Nor does the camera or the lighting ever provide a close up intended only to instil discomfort. There will always be somebody whose face might turn vermilion during the scenes in question, even if that anxiety is not at all rooted in homophobic prejudice either within or without. However, even the most traumatized viewers have every chance of remembering this film for more than a few brief physical encounters.

          Like many timeless love stories, the audience might recall from Brokeback Mountain the questionable moral decisions made in the pursuit of love and the surrender of that pursuit to fear. Fans of the source material will appreciate the use of key dialogue delivered with superb emotional depth and control. Hardcore movie nerds who have a tendency to latch onto their favourite building blocks of the final product and so will add, for instance, the music that takes full advantage of and in turn produces the best prominent employment of the guitar in the orchestra ever heard from a film score, to their stockpile of cinema memories to share with friends for many years hence. Acting, costume design, imagery of nature and so many other elements making up the movie rival one another in impressive quality, indicating that the sex scenes, while important for the story, do not define it. That reality has been true for a countless number of productions that have been made since Brokeback Mountain. Fewer than expected have appeared put off by often far more striking, intense homosexual love scenes in I Love You Philip Morris, Milk, Shame, Bruno, Blue is the Warmest Colour, Spartacus, Game of Thrones and Mr Robot, which are all examples that form a list not close at all to completion. In many of the examples but especially Brokeback Mountain the film is more about love. It is more about connection than what some might perceive as mindless acts of homosexual fornication. Looking back on the film over a decade after its release, Jake Gyllenhaal best summarised the public attitude towards the work as a whole by addressing the conversations around a famous line from the picture, highlighting that the significance of the movie is far greater than those who would quickly dismiss it on cruel grounds might admit. The line in focus was "I wish I knew how to quit you."

"That line has moved, it has been mocked, it has been everything in between, but I remember coming out of that scene, off that ridge of the hill and seeing a number of the the crew, some of whom didn't even know what the movie was about, crying. When I first read the line, I was like, What is that? Now I realize that anybody who has loved knows what that feels like." - Jake Gyllenhaal

The Angel's Right Hand - Jake Gyllenhaal won the BAFTA for the Best Supporting Actor category in 2006. Not uncommonly does the British equivalent to the Oscars, along with every other major award ceremony, such as the Golden Globe Awards, essentially appear to copy another awarding body by granting the same awards to the same artists, resulting, more often than perhaps desired by any respectable voting collective, in the ceremony concerned becoming a cheap imitation of the ultimate event - The Academy Awards. Here, on the other hand, was one of the few occasions, albeit such events have become more frequent in recent years in response to the ever-increasing quality of film-making on parade, where the BAFTAs didn't just copy the Oscars or, put more accurately, attempt to predict whom that Hollywood ceremony would crown the victors and respond accordingly, desperate not appear as the inferior judge of the best talent riding upon the saddles of nominations. Gyllenhaal took the opportunity presented by his acceptance speech to assert that "this movie means even more to me socially than it does artistically." There can be no greater proof, beyond, of course, watching the movie, that Brokeback Mountain is about far, far more than homosexual fornication between cowboys in one of nature's more secluded settings. In fact, the role of physical intimacy melts away like snow in a desert at the height of summer once the brutal repercussions of a doomed love, all of which unsurprisingly too relevant for audiences of all sexual orientations, are realised. The wings that allow this story to soar across the lands of utterly captivated attention are not propelled from without by the turbulent winds of mindless profanity, unrestrained nudity or a nasty demonization of the American Cowboy Culture but rather from within by a cry for equality for homosexuals in particular, as well as a celebration of love's unconditional, magical and in turn life-affirming quality for all. Thus, Brokeback Mountain rides among the finest feature-length productions illustrating the power of film for tackling and helping to change outdated but unfortunately entrenched social attitudes for the better.     

          There remain individuals determined not to watch Brokeback Mountain, staying all but clueless concerning what the movie is about. On the other hand, more people are persuaded every year to decide upon expanding their horizons, offering their full engagement for roughly two hours in order to give the film sufficient opportunity for a fair consideration. While the result may, but truly does not have to, be the feature attaining another fan, the outcome could be, at the very least, an admission in the aftermath from the viewer of a failure to understand what all of the fuss was about. One wonders, if attitudes towards homosexuality were different even today, if Brokeback Mountain might have made an impression, upon more casual audiences especially, as great as Titanic achieved, not least for its unreserved revelations of the harsh treatment of homosexuals and the furious snubbing of love occurring in just one part of the world, leaving to the imagination what on earth is going on everywhere else, for as it has been plainly but nonetheless eloquently put in the television series, Penny Dreadful, "whatever you can imagine, far worse is possible." Equally, though, far better burns within the human heart with just as much plausibility, if not more so than its darker, depressing alternative. Thus, beyond the celebration of pure, unconditional and undying love, Brokeback Mountain holds audiences securely upon its saddle as a story about standing up for yourself. One that lives on, for it has not too long ago been announced that a theatrical adaptation is planned for London's West End, which will undoubtedly attract a great deal of speculation over how attitudes towards such a production might have changed, for critics will rightly be expecting high quality drama but they might hopefully be less likely to consider the theme of homosexuality as detrimental to that ambition. In the meantime, looking back as far as the première screening of the film in 2005 and recounting the major steps towards equality for the LGBT Rights Moment, including the United States House of Representatives approving a bill that ensured equal rights in the workplace for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in 2007, followed eventually by Barak Obama becoming the first sitting president of the United States to support marriage for gay and lesbian couples in May 2012, Brokeback Mountain clearly achieved not just critical and financial success but also a brave exposure of homophobia, which aided in the prompting of positive political action, particularly against those often hidden illustrations of the sickness present in individuals hitching a ride on the band wagon simply to impress their friends, easily pretending to support LGBT equality on social media but still unwilling to even watch a movie that tells a love story involving homosexuals, deliberately chaining their minds to gross homophobic preconceptions that in all cases are miles away from the town of reality. In the end, finally opening one's eyes and watching the film might yet result in the obtaining of yet another movie setting to associate with romantic refuge and the power of love, joining a poignant collection that features locations like Paris, Rome, and Casablanca, regardless of its, by just comparison, ultimately fictional existence. That location, marked by the clout of cinema for eternity upon the collective psyche of society, albeit yet to be discovered and explored by so many, is Brokeback Mountain.

The Revenant (2016) Movie Review

The Timeless Trials of Cold Beauty

          Loglines and taglines alike suggest a simple revenge plot. Nothing more. After a recent onslaught of films and television shows trying admirably hard to instil within their stories as much unpredictability as possible without looking desperate, most notably through the notion that no one is safe from an untimely death, veteran silver screen viewers need not travel with a protagonist for hundreds of snow-drenched, predator-filled miles before they can predict the final outcome of his quest. Still, no film this side of the new year surprises viewers more expertly with the age-old reality in storytelling: It is not just about what to say, but also how to say it that counts. The latter quality spoils audiences within minutes by rewarding their faith with eye-numbing shots dripping with alluring connotations of various themes of great modern-era relevance. Each marker of thought lingers with no more or less significant than the next, forming a trail of uncomfortably familiar talking points that are consistently deep throughout the brutally freezing and often fiendishly lonely quest of The Revenant.
       
          There is almost no doubt whatsoever, among loyal fans especially, concerning DiCaprio finally winning the Academy Award for the best leading actor of the year. Moreover, no mist or fog, both natural and man-made, obscures the fact that DiCaprio puts his heart and so much more into the role of Hugh Glass. He is able to employ an accent of Southern dialect with which he has total control, speak First Nation languages with evidently well-rehearsed fluency and move violently to the tune of his own screams in a manner that proves crucial for making an encounter with a CGI-fuelled grizzly bear move from a farcical plot necessity into the realms of the most fascinating scenes in movie history. The acting prowess remains outstanding to the end, even in unbearably cold temperatures. He remains captivating over mountains, under water and everywhere in between, leading a cast all eager to also bring their finest dramatic qualities into the frame. Albeit the awards season has been tainted by the #OscarsSoWhite dilemma, rewarding DiCaprio with long overdue recognition for his abilities as an artist will be an result over which few will dare dispute.      

          The Revenant was shot entirely at the mercy of natural light. The phenomenon appears to be no more than a practical short-cut and an industry gimmick akin to 3D in film-making when discussed in interviews. Not a single image throughout the film, however, could have gone without it. Fire, the sun and the moon were just some of the light sources that the crew waited hours for on multiple occasions just to capture at the best, most fruitful moments for the film. That very light became the key to bringing both the Canadian and the Argentinian scenery, which together adopted the role of the early nineteenth century American wilderness, to exquisite, awe-inspiring life. With good reason there are times when even those who enjoy the more artistic style of film-making will lose focus, until they are immersed again into the painting by another breath-taking landscape shot that until its viewing there and then never seemed possible. Nature appears so gorgeous and so stunning that one feels compelled to go to Canada, even if only to celebrate Nature's unrivalled aesthetic prowess with relish for a moment. Fortunately, a moment is all one needs, for the action in The Revenant blasts into audiences sensibilities surrounding a particular fragment of famous Canadian poetry.

"this is a country

 where a man can die

 simply from being

 caught outside." 

- Alden Nowlan, "Canadian January Night"  

          Refusing to accept that the beauty of the unexplored natural world or the exceptionally focused acting would be enough to compensate for a straightforward sequence of story events, the film-makers successfully injected a striking amount of unpredictability and tension into the plot, even in scenes for which the conclusion could not be clearer. Furthermore, throughout Hugh Glass's journey, the film touches upon the First Nations, Nature as an entity that is very much alive and in constant motion, as well as a handful of different human relationships. The Revenant depicts the pursuit of survival at all costs, presenting different forces repeatedly coming into undesired contact with one another but ultimately placing humanity at the centre. Men embrace conflict with one another without remorse. The battles grow only more ruthless as they discover and surrender to poisons of the mind, such as greed, rage and ignorance. On each occasion, humanity is presented as capable of making a choice. While perhaps less well-understood in centuries gone by, that choice to act selfishly, or at least mildly selflessly, in order to stay alive and enjoy a comfortable living, remains as prevalent on this day in the twenty-first century as it did in the American wilderness of the eighteen twenties. For that reason alone, The Revenant will remain frozen in memory as a major movie talking point long after the glamorous excitement of this year's Oscar season melts away. 

THE VERDICT: 9/10

Films That You Should Have Watched Yesterday - Gladiator (2000)

The Gladiator Way: The Script That Became a Bible, the Music That Became an Anthem and the Movie That Defined a Genre

          No greater gift could have been bestowed upon the world of cinema during the millennial year than Gladiator. Rarely, both before and since the historical epic's theatrical début in May 2000, has every element of the film-making process, from the deeply medicinal original score, to the highly motivational dialogue and the breathtaking shots of a journey marked especially by vicious but still exciting combat sequences and gorgeous scenery, clicked together so brilliantly, as if each element was a vital organ, without any of which the movie's enviable and exemplary staying power in the viewer's heart would fade before even the climax was reached. Yet, in the aftermath of the first viewing, there will no doubt be favourite ingredients among different audiences that will remain fresh even if the film were to be watched at least once a year in an attempt to re-capture the magic, re-ignite a passion for life and people, as well as restore faith in the notion that works of historical fiction, at least in cinema, can and do emulate the depth and the sheer variety of sensibilities celebrated by stories with more contemporary settings, with an equal if not far greater degree of emotional accuracy and integrity than one might have heretofore imagined. Whichever quality of the film marches into their minds first, in any case, the victory achieved is in no small part a consequence of a long and difficult quest undertaken by the artists who crafted the film, who all demonstrated perseverance not far apart from that witnessed in the protagonist, forever wavering in strength but nonetheless remaining determinedly present, right up until the journey's end.               

          The screenplay of Gladiator is packed with lines that people recite on various occasions to this day, even if all that remains of the dialogue's significance is the memory of the context for which it was written, which more often than not is a spectacular battle, featuring a character with nothing to lose against a world reigning fire of all guise upon him until the very record of his existence is buried in blood and sand. "What we do in life echoes in eternity" might have recently been heard by someone giving good cause for their generosity to society, if not for some other divine or motivational purpose. "I will see you again. But not yet. Not Yet." At first glance the plainest arrangement of words that a movie studio could have paid millions of dollars for a trio of screenwriters to settle with for a closing line, until heard during a conclusion that marks the end of a struggle resulting in a sheer exhaustion of emotions on the part of the audience, whose ceaseless routing for the hero has lasted by then for well over two hours. Beyond the grief and the joy such a line consistently denotes hope for the future, particularly the ambitious prospect of keeping the connection of friendship everlasting, both in this life and the next. The screenplay also provided a light touch of humour for a post from The LAD Bible when the quote, "on my signal, unleash hell" went viral not so long ago. Appreciated best with an awareness of the source material, words originally spoken on the battlefield were allegedly declared in the bedroom. Adore or despise them, one will likely hear a decent amount of references to the Gladiator screenplay for many years to come. Humble inspirations, the pursuit for story over historical accuracy, as well as an attentiveness to the emotional similarities and differences between men and women rather than a focus on mindless bloodshed, all join forces to produce a motion picture as sweet as a millionaire's desert. And of course the passionate delivery of such a screenplay by the actors provides the ganache to that desert, so that the movie becomes that much richer. 

When All Else Fails, Say It With This Helmet On - The development of the screenplay proved to be a very trying endeavour. Three screenwriters, David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson, were required to contribute and compromise repeatedly until the writing was deemed worthy to be spoken in front of a rolling camera. As late as two weeks prior to filming, actors protested against the script's quality, prompting a determination in  everyone involved to ensure that the plot expanded to become about far more than just a barbarian horde in Ancient Rome. To this end, Russell Crowe was at times requested to improvise lines at the last minute that "just flowed well." In his own harsh but honest assessment, he had to "make even garbage [lines] sound good." The final cut of the film is said to be almost entirely different from Franzoni's original draft dated October 1997. Thus, the collaborative effort behind Gladiator, with all of its clumsy dancing of ideas and bitterly conflicting visions taken into consideration, testifies to the notion that success smiles at all us, following the right mixture of hard work and good luck.            

          No element of the film deserves to have its contribution forsaken. However, the at once graceful and then majestically turbulent tides of the original score are what sweep Gladiator onto the ever-shifting shores of the audience's long-term memory. One reason for the score's quality is that it was composed by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard; musicians whose consistently distinct melodic flavours have saved all of their movie from inciting an incomprehensible feeling of emptiness. A second reason for the score's success also assumes the role of the its greatest curse. Debate has raged to this day over the extent to which the classical greats, Gustav Holst and Richard Wagner, influenced the music for the film, arguably resulting in the formation of the key justification in the minds of critics for why the score has surprisingly often been denied recognition as one the finest compositions ever written. Expert knowledge aside, the music is play from the moment the opening titles are set in motion, captivating audiences with breathtaking excitement during battles of all scales, even with masterfully-placed periods of silence, until playing on into the end titles and inviting audiences to linger in awe of the film's world, at first a living hell but ultimately a light of strength and honour for its inhabitants, until those audiences must, with reluctance, depart from the theatre, switch off their DVD players or exit their online streaming services, in all cases thinking to themselves with joy, "What on earth was that?" As with art in all forms, interpretations will vary enormously among those who come into contact with it. And rightly so, for the art, at least as far as Gladiator is concerned, is intended for pleasure. The depths of pleasure, surely cannot be understood without total freedom from the fear of potentially dangerous repercussions for any facet of the human design. Nonetheless, Gladiator thrives on reaching out to as wide an audience as possible by awakening common motivations and questions from within the hearts of all people, like the wind tenderly flowing through every single grain of wheat in the fields that in turn gently sways from side to side while a rising white sun outlined in bumblebee yellow embraces a tiger-orange sky on all fronts. Courtesy of the music, like the Maximus the Brave, audience members may recall a time during which they felt overcome by immense grief after having ostensibly lost everything, considering with great discomfort that they at some point in their lives had nothing left to live for, only to be retold, through beautiful movie melodies, of the hope that prompted them to keep going, trusting that they remained capable of changing the lives of those around them, even in the most doubtful of situations. Gladiator is the the perfect New Year's Eve movie, for in a charge fuelled by the music, audiences are encouraged to feel proud of others and themselves for the positive differences that they can set in motion. One may tremble. The urge to weep may follow. Crucially, however, even if one decides to watch Gladiator at least once a year, the revitalising passion instilled in the heart by the life-changing victories achieved, in spite of bitterly excruciating losses, will on each occasion be no less genuinely felt than on the last viewing. The longevity of the soundtrack has allowed it to be placed on decent number of lists affirming the top film scores of all-time. An exceptional array of competitors prevented the Gladiator score from making it onto the AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores list of the top twenty-five film scores in American cinema, which was released by the American Film Institute in 2005. On the other hand, the music cheekily reached number three on Classic FM's Movie Music Hall of Fame, thanks to twenty-one thousand listeners' votes. In the end, there will certainly always be somebody whose strongest emotional defences cannot be breached by the music. Additionally, though, there will also forever remain somebody else who will feel the might of the soundtrack so completely that awards and other opinions will not mater at all.

You Against the World -  The music has had such a profound, inspiring effect on people around the world that it has been employed in NFL playoffs during commercial breaks and prior to half-time periods. Moreover, the score has also been a popular choice at funerals and become a guilty pleasure for motivation whilst at the gym, which has spawned a demand for remixes of popular tracks that are now all over YouTube. For avid music fans, the top two tracks are "The Battle" and "Now We Are Free," with the latter track being made even better when played after "Elysium" and "Honour Him." A small fortune could be wagered upon the possibility that one might heard these pieces of music already in a context that was totally devoid of any relation to the music's original purpose. Its versatility for use in a variety of personal and public functions testifies to the music's core message, present with every track: You can do it.   

          Gladiator is a film where everything works. Everything. Even the mistakes. For instance, in the midst of incredible acting in authentic costumes, gorgeous music and catchy dialogue, watch out for the jeans. To save pausing the picture every scene for over two hours, they may be identified somewhere in the first act, reminding viewers that a perfect movie cannot and does not literally have to be perfect. For a time, film lovers will feel compelled to compare the picture with the great number of historical dramas that came after it, particularly the projects for which the principle collaborators of Gladiator reunited. Soon, though, to compare Gladiator with Kingdom of Heaven, Robin Hood, or Exodus: Gods and Kings becomes as pointless and frankly unkind as comparing people to one another. No film is faultless but here, with Gladiator, is still a magical quality that will never be recreated. Here is magic that does not need to be recreated, since it is possible to produce spells of different but equally satisfying flavours. Thus, historical epics of cinema's future need not fear failure because they will be unable to replace the position held by Gladiator, for the artists behind them are capable of and more than welcome to make a movie that justly joins its rank as one of the finest historical films ever made.  

Do I Look Familiar? - Boldly written in the blog somewhere on IMDB is the belief that Joaquin Phoenix "was good in Gladiator; rubbish in everything else." Evidence suggests that such a remark is a little extreme, since his performances in more recent movies, including Walk the Line and The Master, received critical acclaim, even after Phoenix famously declared that the Oscars were "bull****." Furthermore, the legacy of his superb performance as Emperor Commodus lived on into the current decade when Jack Gleeson modelled his portrayal of Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones upon the Roman tyrant. The audience may not like him but they will, without question, be entertained.