Author Archives: The Red Dragon

Life of Pi  (2012)    76/100

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Rating :   76/100                                                                     127 Min        PG

A visually rich and remarkable tale with more philosophy to it than is immediately apparent. The visuals had to be great for this to really succeed, featuring as it does our young hero Pi (played by Suraj Sharma doing a very good job for his very first acting role) trapped on a lifeboat with a tiger, adrift somewhere in the Pacific ocean. Maybe about two thirds of the story take place on the lifeboat, so there is a certain drag element, and the film could have done with a little more trimming perhaps losing around fifteen-twenty minutes or so. This is made all the more problematic by the fact that we know Pi will survive this ordeal as he himself is retelling it to us, via the acting talent of Bollywood superstar Irrfan Khan.

Despite all this, the mystery over what the movie may be trying to tell us (we are told that it is a tale that will make us believe in God) together with the central performance and the abundance of wonderful cinematography, should be enough to stave off the occasional pang of boredom and bring the audience, mostly awake, to the author and director’s conclusion. Based on the Man Booker price winning novel from Yann Martel, and directed by Oscar winner Ang Lee (he won for 2005’s ‘Brokeback Mountain’), ‘Life of Pi’ has been nominated for several Oscars itself, including best picture, and best director again for Lee. Interestingly, at one point in the story the lifeboat comes ashore on an island which has a wondrous pool that fills with a deadly acid at the onset of night – this may seem fantastical, but there are colourful pools in the Galapagos Islands that are indeed full of acid, whether or not they function as the ones in the story is another matter…..

Pitch Perfect  (2012)    71/100

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Rating :   71/100                                                                     112 Min        12A

Surprisingly good. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t afraid to make jokes at its own expense. The Red Dragon despises X factor and the many similarly styled heads of the same monster and considers them, and crazy teenage girls, to be responsible for the continued decline in the quality of the music industry in Britain, and indeed further afield. So to enjoy this, a comedy about an all girl singing group entering competition as the unlikely contenders, was unexpected. Excellent singing quality and a good selection of music, including The Proclaimers ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ mixed with David Guetta’s ‘Titanium’, ensures an enjoyable couple of hours of light relief.

Quotes

“Nothing makes a woman feel more like a girl than a man who sings like a boy.”   Elizabeth Banks/Gail

The Girl  (2012)    71/100

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TV Movie

Rating :   71/100                                                                                        91 Min

A curious little number about the relationship between Alfred Hitchcock and one of his leading ladies, Tippi Hedren, perhaps especially so as it comes at the same time as another biopic of the famous director – the aptly titled ‘Hitchcock’. Here, Toby Jones stars as the man himself, looking to cast someone for the now famous role of Melanie Daniels in ‘The Birds’ (63). Enter Sienna Miller as Miss Hedren, a model whom Hitch had seen in a commercial and asked someone to go find ‘The Girl’. He would also use Hedren in his next film ‘Marnie’ (64), which The Red Dragon considers to be one of his very best, ranking alongside ‘Frenzy’ (72) and ‘Vertigo’ (58) – in fact, whenever I think of Hitchcock’s work it isn’t the image of a girl in a shower being brutally stabbed that comes to mind, nor James Stewart being dragged into a whirling vortex, but rather the image of Tippi Hedren walking consciously along a train platform sporting a suggestive bright yellow purse, one which contrasts starkly with the dark shades of grey around her. The story of ‘The Girl’ provides invaluable insight into just why ‘Marnie’ feels so unique, and dangerous; far scarier than ‘The Birds’ or ‘Psycho’ (60).

Alfred Hitchcock’s work is studied in film schools the world over, indeed it has been claimed more so than any other artist in the history of film. Yet, the details of this film are revelatory to say the least, not to mention highly controversial, with several of his previous leading ladies decrying the piece as false. None of those actresses, however, can really speak about the events mentioned here themselves, and the screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes spoke extensively with Tippi Hedren herself (as did Sienna Miller) and several surviving members of Hitchcock’s crew. Indeed, Tippi Hedren has publicly endorsed the film as accurate in its portrayal of events and persons. This fact alone makes it an absolute must see for fans of Alfred Hitchcock and indeed for anyone with an interest in film history.

Both leads are very well cast, and interestingly just as here Toby Jones, an extremely versatile and talented actor, is playing a role for which someone else (Anthony Hopkins in the aforementioned and yet to be released in the UK ‘Hitchcock’) may very well get an Academy Award nod, so too did he play Truman Capote in 2006’s ‘Infamous’, hot on the heels of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Oscar winning 2005 interpretation.

Quartet  (2012)    80/100

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Rating :   80/100                                                                       98 Min        12A

Dustin Hoffman’s first time behind the camera is an adaptation of Ronald Harwood’s play of the same name. Harwood wrote the screenplay, and also wrote that of ‘The Pianist’ (02) and ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ (07) amongst others, and the two artists seemed to have gelled well together, producing a sentimental, reflective piece on the vagaries of growing old. It follows very much in the same vein as ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ (11), and those who enjoyed that will not be disappointed here. However, by focusing on four main characters, and two of those a little more intimately, this has a neater, more personal feel to it.

It centres on a retirement home for musicians, and the four in question are played by Tom Courtenay, Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, and Pauline Collins. All of the cast are fantastic, indeed much of the support is made up of actual musicians and a nice tribute to them all plays during the credits. A little bit of a fuss has been made over this film being a fairly small scale one going on a wide cinematic release and going toe-to-toe with blockbusters, but frankly if a film has an engaging story and good performances then it is entirely justified in being given a wide release in theatres, and it’s a little misleading to suggest this is the only film out there doing just that.

If I was to criticise something, then it would be that some of the comedy feels a little too obvious, and perhaps the delivery on occasion could have done with a couple of more takes but it’s a small quibble really. Hoffman’s direction feels a little off kilter in places but seems to settle as the film goes on, and his use of classical music and the instruments themselves as a fifth main character, splicing everything together, works well. A certain decision was made toward the end, which makes sense in terms of the filmmakers’/writer’s options, but nevertheless will disappoint audiences a little. Not withstanding that though, it’s the main cast’s ability to engage our empathy that really make this an emotional gem.

Midnight’s Children  (2012)    3/100

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Rating :   3/100                                                                       146 Min        12A

Based on his novel and produced, narrated, and written by Salman Rushdie, this fairly epic in length and scope tale follows the woes and fortunes of children born on the stroke of midnight as India gained her independence from the United Kingdom. This historical event occurred on the 15th August 1947, and on the preceding day the independent Muslim states of East and West Pakistan were created, with predominantly Hindu and Sikh India atwixt the two, all from territory previously controlled by the British. Thus the birth of these children occurs at a unique moment in history, and the story revolves around a special spiritual significance given to their inception.

Which is all fine and well. The film begins in a traditional way, telling the back story of the narrator’s family (he is himself one of these children) and it’s quite a nice, gentle introduction. Then, however, one of the secondary characters does something so horrendously evil, with so little reasoning behind it and, as we will come to learn, so hopelessly out of character, that a palpable break in the story is created. As we realise this evil deed was pure narrative artifice, the break becomes an ever increasing abyss between the audience and the whims of the storyteller, as he introduces ever increasing layers of whimsy and mysticism surrounding the birth of midnight’s children. Their arrival on the earthly plane at the time of India and Pakistan’s new dawn invites legitimate questions over what the author is trying to say, what the overall message may be, or whether or not there are simply several undercurrents all with some sort of legitimacy of their own. As the story continues to degenerate into an almost Bollywood version of ‘Heroes’, we realise that it’s just complete nonsense.

The tale would have been much more effective, not to mention meaningful, with the simple evisceration of all the spiritual mumbo-jumbo and a focus on the real gritty and fascinating history. The complete and dismal failure of the movie is by far and away the fault of Salman Rushdie himself, although the filmmaking does begin to falter and let itself down in the last third as well, which doesn’t help. A few points for simply illustrating some of the history, though complaints have been raised over the depiction of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and it will be interesting to see how it’s received in India upon its general release there later this year. A Canadian/British movie, filmed in Sri Lanka under a false title to avoid protests from extreme parties in both India and Pakistan, the novel it’s based on won several prestigious accolades, one can only assume most of its content was lost in translation.

Lay the Favorite  (2012)    53/100

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Rating :   53/100                                                                       94 Min        15

In all honesty, the trailer featuring Rebecca Hall gaudily showing lots of flesh was what first attracted The Red Dragon’s attention to this film. Wondering if this was quite merit enough for him to sit and watch it, he was further intrigued by the fact that her accent and entire demeanour were both entirely contrary to anything she has done before. It’s from director Stephen Frears (‘Dangerous Liaisons’ 88, ‘High Fidelity’ 2000, ‘The Queen’ 06) and Ms Hall plays the central character of Beth Raymer, whose autobiographical novel of the same name the film is based on. It follows her story, from casual sex industry dabbler in Florida to professional bookie in Vegas and Central America.

Hall’s performance is a very convincing one and she deserves a lot of credit for daring to take on the role in the first place. Her American accent is unwavering and markedly different from her natural English one, as she fully inhibits the free spirited and talented with numbers Ms Raymer. Indeed, her performance would by itself rate very highly, although some may be put off by the character and the film’s heavy and unfair reliance on her to carry the whole, as it meanders through the story in a fairly messy way. We aren‘t really invited to invest in her as a character as, right from the offset, too much emphasis is placed on her as an object of sexual attraction, almost to the point where she‘s cinematically fetishised. Interesting that this follows on the back of Frear’s ‘Tamara Drew’ (10) and there too a highly sexualised main character, played by Gemma Arterton.

The film does pick up a bit, before degenerating into dull, dangerously close to day time soap opera territory. Bruce Willis is OK in support, and Catherine Zeta-Jones gives a much needed injection of comedy and drama. Indeed, perhaps making more of her character would have added something of more interest to that of the film. In general very average, and probably best left for fans of Rebecca Hall and/or Stephen Frears.

Age of Consent  (1969)    73/100

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Rating :   73/100                                                                       98 Min        12

Great little film from master director Michael Powell featuring an early starring role for Helen Mirren, and based to a large degree on the novel of the same name by prolific Australian artist Norman Lindsay (who also wrote the classic children’s work ‘The Magic Pudding’, published in 1918). James Mason attempts an Australian accent, with varying degrees of success, as Bradley Morahan, an artist looking to get away from the stifling constraints of urban life who relocates to an idyllic island (specifically Dunk island, in the Great Barrier Reef region of the Coral Sea). In the beginning the pace is a little too slow, as the artist meanders around, his inner turmoil matched by angry and frenetic snapshots of the natural world surrounding him. Enter the beguiling water nymph of Mirren’s Cora Ryan, whose determination to save money and leave the location of his self imposed exile creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; he pays her to model for him, and much as the artist has to make use of the light before it fades, the opportunity to appreciate the rare creature he has before him rekindles his passion for life and art alike, whilst she playfully revels in the mysterious appreciation. This forms the core of the film, as we see him produce colourful and soulful work, almost like a cross between Van Gogh and Gauguin, whilst the other characters are given to share that sense of vibrancy in their varied distinction, and several dogs are tossed around for comical effect (sometimes by each other).

The film is sadly not yet available on DVD in the UK. It was recently restored by Martin Scorcese’s The Film Foundation and his long time editor Thelma Schoonmaker (the former is a long time admirer of Michael Powell’s work, the later was his wife at the time of his passing in 1990) as part of their worthy project to protect the work of the auteur. Just as their successful restoration of Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s ‘The Red Shoes’ led to it becoming a favourite of an entirely new audience and generation, so too might Film 4’s decision to air this restored gem spark more interest in the director’s work, and in this, his last ever feature film (though he would do one more as part of The Archers with Pressburger again). James Mason also met his future wife Clarissa Kaye (who plays his character’s old flame in the early part of the movie) on the shoot, and the two remained together until his death in 1984. Interestingly, it’s mentioned in the cast list at the end that Helen Mirren is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, a nice plug for her early career, and something which I don’t believe I’ve ever seen done in the credits to a movie before. An, at times, mouth-wateringly bright and infectious piece, and a fantastic way to bow out of an eclectic career in film.

Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings  (2012)    67/100

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Rating :   67/100                                                                       75 Min        U

Fast and fun, Tinker Bell flutters again in this, her fifth film instalment as part of the Disney Fairies franchise. Aimed at younger children, girls primarily, like its predecessors it retains the same colourful (computer generated) artwork and general feel of fairy goodness. Although the story is a little whimsical – introducing the mirror realm of the winter fairies and a never the twain shall meet parental warning, until Tink decides to eschew the ruling fairy law and go adventuring, almost causing global fairy annihilation, but ultimately alluding to the wisdom of co-operation and invention. It should be easy enough to follow and engrossing for its target audience – with Angelica Huston and Timothy Dalton in fairy voice support.

Disney have the following website to support the franchise, and it’s a pretty comprehensive site. The opening short entitled ‘How to have a snowball fight’ is actually quite amusing and The Red Dragon did appreciate the line ‘I love the smell of snowballs in the morning’ (if you are not aware of the reference then you are in immediate need of an injection of classic war films). However, this also seems to be a portal for a kids MMORPG (massively multi-player online role playing game) and based on the game’s description it seems, like many of its kind, to be designed purely to keep youngsters playing and immersed in the Disney fairy world. If it was also educational then maybe it would be a good thing, but as it is The Red Dragon would strongly advise parents to have their children stay clear of it, avoiding the possibility of a primary school aged generation of gaming zombies (I believe it also costs real world money to play).

Great Expectations  (2012)    63/100

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Rating :   63/100                                                                     128 Min        12A

The audience’s over familiarity with the subject matter was always going to be a big stumbling block with this latest film interpretation of Dicken’s penultimate novel, considered by many, including himself, to be one of his most artful and mature. Though this problem can be overcome, as shown by Andrea Arnold’s very fine indeed version of ‘Wuthering Heights’ last year, and to a lesser extent ‘Jane Eyre’ also from 2011, the issue is compounded by the fact a televised version of ‘Great Expectations’ with Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham was aired for the festive season only one year ago, and one of the most famous and deservedly well liked British films of all time is David Lean’s version of the story, which despite being released in 1946, still gets shown on the big and small screen on a semi-regular basis. Comparing that version to this, there is a famous with scene with a young Jean Simmons that universally gets a laugh in response, the same scene here never even registered a titter with the audience.

Although you can’t really go too far wrong with Dickens, there is nothing in this film that makes it stand out at all and money would be better spent simply renting the Lean version. Here, the quality of the acting varies drastically, with it being the third mild mannered role in a row for lead Jeremy Irvine (after Spielberg’s ‘War Horse’ 11 and ‘Now is Good’ 12 – a fantastic film incidentally) which may not bode well for his future career, although he does seem the right age for the role, unlike John Mills in Lean’s film. Holliday Grainger looks resplendently radiant when she is revealed as the grown up Estella, but Miss Havisham is played by Helena Bonham Carter, who is perfectly capable of doing the role justice but instead decided to go with ‘I get to dress up like a Goth and act all crazy again, yay!’, it’s like watching Miss Havisham as played by Johnny Depp and, frankly, how many more times do we have to watch the same charade of meritless self indulgence. Robbie Coltrane, Ewen Bremner, and Ralph Fiennes all give wonderful turns to provide a balance to some of the others, resulting in an unmemorable and limp, but not wholly unenjoyable, final rendition.

So Undercover  (2012)    65/100

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Rating :   65/100                                                                       94 Min        12A

Be aware that this is a very much aimed at teens film, but with that in mind, and dire opening sequence aside, it’s actually reasonably fun. It stars Miley Cyrus as a private eye, hired by the FBI to infiltrate a college sorority house and spy on the people inside. It’s very much in the vein of ‘She’s the Man’ (06), ‘The House Bunny’ (08) and to a lesser extent ‘Mean Girls’ (04). Not withstanding The Red Dragon’s opinion, early feedback has led the US distributors to plonk it onto the straight to DVD shelf, which is a little unfair on the film (the danger of ‘amazeballs’ slipping unconsciously into your vocabulary aside) and poor ‘Starter for Ten’ (06) director Tom Vaughan, especially when ‘The Last Song’ (10), Cyrus’s biggest release not surrounding her alter ego of Hannah Montana, was painfully bad but likely had the backing of millions in advertising.

One of the most interesting discoveries whilst watching this was that Miley Cyrus has a large scar on her forehead – is Miley Cyrus in fact Harry Potter in female form? Very curious as to how she got it, but good for her for not letting it stand in the way of becoming a global icon in her own right. Her iconic status is always going to be a bit of a problem when it comes to her transition from pop music to film, but lots of people have done it successfully and it’s worth remembering that she has been regularly acting for television since the age of nine or so (she’s just turned twenty). Someone in a similar situation possibly looking to turn to the big-screen (he’s been given a role in next year’s ‘Can a song save your life?’ alongside Keira Knightley) is Maroon Five’s Adam Levine, which, as anyone who has seen his music video when he saves the day from bank robbers will conclude, can surely only be a bad thing (Update: he’s actually really good in it. RD 3.12.14). It reminds The Red Dragon of Gary Oldman’s take on basketball players straying into acting, which you can listen to here…