The holiest of Holy Days is upon us once again.  Now I know most of you will be celebrating with a good ole session at mass, but spare a moment this coming St. Patrick’s Day to reflect on some of the cinematic gifts that have bestowed stereotypes upon our nation and countrymen for about a century now.  Hollywood, like Americans in general, loves a good Celt.  Anyone who is anyone craves a bit of Irish ancestry.

The Irish have featured in many a film.  I am not simply speaking of a fellow Paddy who has experienced a breakthrough role in the latest mega blockbuster.  The concern of today is to celebrate the Oirish representations that both engage and plague our screens.

The Good:

Fergus ‘Fergie’ Colm in The Town

For those without sense and have not seen Ben Affleck’s The Town, I can assure you that this character has in no way been modelled on Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas. The late Pete Postlethwaite takes on the fighting Irish persona with a subtle charm rather than reverting to exaggerated pugilism.

Veronica Guerin

As if one needed further proof that Cate Blanchett is one of the great actors of our generation, she not only perfected the accent to boot, but she portrayed the deceased journalist with incredible integrity.

Roux in Chocolat

It is impossible to criticise Depp for lacking versatility.  The one true chameleon acting today, Pirates of the Caribbean endowed him with a lease of creative recognition.  Before Pirates, there was Chocolat.  Any crime against ethnic representation can be forgiven.  Depp plays the affable gypsy Roux who woos Juliette Binoche into his boat even with that struggling lilt of his.

The Bad and the Ugly:

Kitty Kiernan in Michael Collins

Her performance begs me to query; “Why the fuck couldn’t they have just hired a native?”  Considering Julia Roberts was by 1996 the queen of the rom-com genre it was difficult and a little unnerving to see her in a role as a lover of a tragic Irish revolutionary hero.

Sean Connery

Though he is guilty of two offences of slaughtering the Irish accent in both Disney’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People and The Untouchables, Charlie Sheen would probably call him a winner.  Scotland is just over the there.  How on earth did he get it so horrendously wrong?

Matthew Goode – Leap Year

Judging purely from the trailer alone, shame on you Matthew Goode!  Yet another instance of a British neighbour mauling the accent.  As well as that he betrayed us by consigning to a Yankee-tinted Ireland.  In a world where if the potato crop suffered blight, we would see the Famine 2.0 and Amy Adams’ Blackberry short circuits an entire village… Begorrah begosh.

Seamus O’Grady in Charlie’s Angels:  Full Throttle

As if the first Charlie’s Angels failed to produce enough cringe for the world, Full Throttle brought Cameron and co back for more mundane frolics.  This time they were armed with Justin Theroux as Seamus O’Grady, presumably some sort of warped hybrid of a 70s punk-rocker and a ‘RA vigilante.

Jenny Everdeane in Gangs of New York

Cameron Diaz is the most overpaid swindler in Hollywood, just throwing that out there.  Martin Scorsese has a bit of an Irish-infatuation going on this last decade or so.  As an avid enthusiast he should have known better when casting his spunky pickpocket.  Red hair doth not an Irish woman make.

Politician David Norris (Matt Damon) is a front runner in the upcoming election for the United States Senate. Once praised for being one of the youngest ever candidates, Norris’s campaign goes the way of Fianna Fáil when a childish prank of his hits the papers. Norris loses the election, but on the night of his concession speech he happens upon a woman in a bathroom which will change his life for, you guessed it, ever. Norris finds dancer Elise (Emily Blunt) immediately captivating, but what he doesn’t know is that their relationship, if they are to ever have one, is doomed.

Here’s the good news: director George Nolfi must be a trained carpenter, because when it comes to Damon and Blunt, he pretty much hit the nail on the head. The chemistry between these two is so good it could only have happened by mistake. That, or first timer Nolfi is more talented than I gave him credit for.

The bad comprises pretty much everything else. The Adjustment Bureau is made up of a group of radicals who go around ensuring things go according to ‘The Plan’. In the case of David and Elise, The Plan is to keep them apart. If the two become an item, David will never succeed in politics and Elise’s destiny of becoming a world-renowned dancer will never be fulfilled. David, however, decides to ignore all of this and fight off the group at every turn, all in the name of new found love. Aww.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that The Adjustment Bureau is based on a short story. The idea, while admittedly fun, isn’t meaty enough to handle the conversion to screen. The result isn’t a proper sci-fi movie, but rather a “light” version that everyday cinema-goers can enjoy.

Not only is the idea too sparse to handle the full 98 minutes of run time, but many elements of the plot are simply too ridiculous to believe. Now, I know sci-fi isn’t believable by its intent, but when you give top hats the power to open teleporting doorways you’re going to invite some questions about the reasoning behind it, which of course leads way to the plot holes.

If these hats give The Bureau the power to chase Norris through these doorways, why doesn’t Norris find some way to steal them? More importantly, if The Adjustment Bureau has the power to do all they say they can, how come they can’t get Norris to spill a cup of coffee on himself? How come they fail time and time again to keep him and Elise apart, despite their apparent brilliance?

It’s a shame to see such good actors put to such bad use. David and Elise are immediately and forever fathomable. Their relationship is so intriguing that it saves the movie, turning it from a downright silly excuse for a piece of cinematography to an enjoyable – and sometimes exciting – thrill ride. I am adamant that if the producers hadn’t scored them for the parts, there is no way this movie would be getting the critical acclaim it is currently enjoying. Many members of the Bureau – Harry (Anthony Mackie, Night Catches Us) and Thompson (Terence Stamp, Smallville) – are also spectacular in their role which adds further insult to injury.

Ultimately, you’ll enjoy The Adjustment Bureau if firstly, you don’t watch many sci-fi movies or secondly, you’re a big fan of Matt Damon or Emily Blunt. If neither of these are the case, you’ll be haunted from start to finish by the nagging feeling that this is trying to be something it isn’t. It tries to be as intelligent as Inception but what we end up with is a good thriller-come-romance with a bit of sci-fi tacked on here and there.

Oh, and one more thing: why the hell did they give the main character the same name as that jolly gay senator from the Seanad?

Looking for a good date movie or just something to take your mind off things for an hour or two? One word: Disney.

With all the great Oscar movies out lately, us movie buffs have been spoiled for choice. Black Swan, The King’s Speech, The Fighter; all great films, but this week I decided to go see something a little less award hungry. Disney’s latest foray into CGI, fairytales and princesses offers us Tangled.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Disney junkie. I’m a connoisseur of the House of Mouse. So whenever a new Disney movie comes out, I desperately want to like it. Unfortunately, the last few years have given us such tripe as High School Musical and Hannah Montana so my opinion is tainted. Having said that I went to see Tangled with an open mind, after all Toy Story 3 proved awesome! Turned out, so is Tangled. Glory days, Disney is coming back.

Tangled tells the story of Rapunzel which, as everyone knows, is about a girl who gets locked in a tower and her hair grows to an enormous length, allowing a prince to climb up and rescue her. Tangled thankfully brings a slight change to that story in that Rapunzel is a princess with magic, healing hair and is kidnapped to keep our villain looking young and beautiful.

The prince is turned into a thief who tries to hide out in Rapunzel’s tower after stealing a crown from the royal castle. He meets his match in the young and most naïve Rapunzel who hides his crown and promises only to give it back if he brings her into the real world and away from her tower for a day.

The thing about Tangled that differs from Disney’s usual fairytales is that the emphasis is on the male lead just as much as the princess. Flynn gets as much screen time as Rapunzel and its well deserved. Voiced by Chuck’s Zachary Levi, the character is probably the highlight of the movie. He is, in a word, hilarious. The character of Rapunzel is not really anything new. Charming, beautiful, ambitious but so what? That’s what a Disney princess is!

Tangled also gives us one of the best Disney villains in a long time in Mother Gothel. Not only is she wickedly funny, her strength lies in that she is not very obviously evil. Any Disney fan worth their salt can see that she is definitely homage to Ursula from The Little Mermaid. Even her song, ‘Mother Knows Best’ is the stamp off ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls.’

The visuals of the film are astonishing. The makers planted CGI characters onto painted backgrounds so even though the film looks hand drawn, thanks to CGI, every wisp of hair and blade of grass is stunningly visible. It’s definitely something art students will want to take a look at.

The music is helmed by Oscar winner Alan Menken who has written music for films like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin so you know it’s good. There’s a lot of humour in the movie, mainly from Flynn and it’s the typical ‘it’ll go over the kids’ heads but adults will get it’ style that Disney is expert at.

But overall, the movie has a heart that we haven’t seen from Disney in a very long time. We got it from Toy Story 3 and we got it from Tangled. All I can say is keep going the way you’re going, Disney, and we might just forgive you for setting Miley Cyrus on us.

As we all know, the weather is never too kind to us Irish, but recently there have been a few too many of those dreary and grey days. I must admit, I take advantage of such days to watch movies with a nice cup of tea and the fire on, but it got me to thinking, what are the best films for those rainy days? Based on my opinion and having asked around, I found the top 5…

5. Philadelphia. This movie is in here for all those people who like to feel a bit more depressed and sad on a rainy day. Admit it, you sometimes do! It’s about a man (Tom Hanks) who gets AIDS and wants to sue the company who unfairly fired him. Denzel Washington skilfully plays his somewhat reluctant lawyer. It is compelling and incredibly sad but it’s unlikely friendship and the sheer force of human willpower makes this a must see. It’ll definitely bring a tear to your eyes, if that’s what you like in a film. It’s inspiring.

4. The Lion King. For the child in all of us! Nothing really can beat singing along with the infectious songs, having a shiver run through your spine as Scar’s nails scrape the wall or even the tear-jerking scene with Mufasa… but being honest, we all know the shining moments are any scene with Timon and Pumbaa, or Zazu’s song that he sings while imprisoned in his cage. Classic.

3. Jumper. An action movie with the best sights ever! Hayden Christensen was born with the ability to ‘jump’ anywhere in the world. He soon gets caught up in the war between Jumpers and the people who hunt and kill them. There are funny parts, dramatic parts, some love (Rachel Bilson), some loss and a brilliant special effects team. This film can transport you from the wet and cold in Ireland and take you anywhere in the world. Worth watching.

2. Pretty Woman. Julia Roberts. Richard Gere. A killer soundtrack. We all know the story, a businessman hires a prostitute to be his escort for a week and suddenly there’s a budding relationship. For the girls, this is it! It’s one of the finest romantic comedies and even though you’ve seen it countless times, it still manages to make you nervous towards the end, and not many films can do that after the first or second viewing. Put on the popcorn and relax. Rain? What rain?

1. Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It takes you to beautiful Hawaii and is belly-achingly funny. What more could you ask for in your number one? Maybe a loony Russell Brand? Check. A stunning female lead for the guys to drool over? Check. The fat guy from Superbad? Check. And of course starring and written by the brilliant Jason Segel. It’s a recipe for pure laughter and it exceeds at everything it aimed for. The perfect film to watch on the sofa as the hailstones smash against your windowpane. Nothing rains on your parade.

As you’d expect, Gnomeo and Juliet is essentially Romeo and Juliet, but with gnomes. However, there’s a little more to it than that. While still set somewhere in Verona, Italy, the gnomes reside in the gardens of two neighbouring houses; the Montagues and the Capulets. For no apparent reason, the gnomes in each garden – the Montagues in blue hats, the Capulets in red – despise one another. They regularly administer pranks on each other and hold lawnmower races in the alleyway between the two houses.

In the opening scenes we’re introduced to our protagonist, Gnomeo of the Montagues, and the apple of his eye, Juliet of the Capulets. Gnomeo, characterised flawlessly by the wonderful James McAvoy, is your typical awkward yet ultimately loveable main character, and Juliet, voiced by Emily Blunt, is your classic rebellious teenager who wants nothing more than to escape the ties of a caring yet overbearing father. Nothing new here, then.

Gnomeo and Juliet, much like their original counterparts, meet entirely by chance. Here, it’s during an illegal escapade into the others’ back garden. The two immediately fall for one another, and spend the rest of the movie trying to hide their forbidden love from the rest of the blue and red-hat clad gnomes.

Are the little gnomes relatable and endearing? Sure, but they’re one-dimensional, sterile, and as predictable as they come. And this is where the movie’s problems begin. It is faithful to the original and should be commended on that fact, but it fails to break the mould and try something new. Really, it is too self-referential for its own good.

Another deal breaker is the lack of comedy. It is entertaining, but about as funny as a mundane, inanimate garden gnome. There are too many romantic montages and too little laughs. The visuals, whilst being nice to look at, are far from spectacular. That said, the environment is detailed enough that it doesn’t impeach on one’s enjoyment of the movie. The soundtrack is similarly mediocre, consisting of nothing more than a mismatch of classic love songs.

Gnomeo and Juliet could have been brilliant. In an effort to remain family friendly, it ignored the best parts of the story to which it alludes – namely, the comedy and the shock tragic ending – and instead cops out and gives the viewer a predictable and decidedly witless finale, one that not even a talking statue of William Shakespeare can save. While it can be rightfully argued that such an ending is essential for younger views, it makes the movie less entertaining for the rest of us.

Romeo and Juliet may be a tragedy, but the only tragic thing about this movie is that it fails, despite its vibrancy, to achieve the level of brilliance it could have so very easily achieved.

I must implore everyone not to waste their hard earned money on going to see the dribble that is Big Momma’s House: Like Father, Like Son. However if you do find yourself having the overwhelming urge to watch a film which involves men dressing up as women, here are  seven worthwhile alternatives that you can rent/buy/download instead.

7) Breakfast on Pluto (2005)

Directed by: Neil Jordan

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea and Brendan Gleeson

Cillian Murphy stars as Patrick ‘Kitten’ Braden, a young man who has a preference for dressing up in female clothing. The film is based on a book by the same name written by Patrick McCabe. This dark comedy, although it is set in the 1970s, incorporates a lot about contemporary Irish life and is set against the back-drop of the political troubles in Northern Ireland. Cillian Murphy gives a great performance as a troubled young boy searching for the mother who abandoned him as a child. Brendan Gleeson is hilarious.

3/5 Stars

6) Mrs. Doubtfire  (1993)

Directed by: Chris Columbus

Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Bronson

Mrs. Doubtfire is entertaining if not the most intelligent of films. It boasts the comedic talents of Robin Williams who plays Daniel Hillard, a divorced husband who will go to extreme lengths to be around his beloved children, namely impersonating an old English Nanny. Under the alias of Ms. Euphegenia Doubtfire, Daniel Hillard infiltrates his old family home and hilarity ensues. Robin Williams’ brilliance makes up for the annoying and bratty presence of the films younger actors. Guaranteed laughs.

3/5 Stars

5) Flawless (1999)

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

Starring: Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman

This film certainly isn’t flawless but it does brag the incredible acting talents of Oscar winners Robert De Niro (Raging Bull) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote). De Niro stars as the macho, womanising, ex-cop Walt Koontz. Koontz is homophobic and is constantly bothered by the drag queens who occupy his apartment building. Koontz suffers a stroke which brings his way of life to a crashing halt and leaves him with a speech impediment. He must enlist the help of Rusty (Hoffman), a flamboyant cross-dresser and voice-coach to restore his speech. The rest is predictable.

3/5 Stars

4) Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Directed by: Sidney Lumet

Starring: Al Pacino and John Cazale

Based on a true story, Sonny Wortzik (Pacino) robs a bank in order to get money for his lover’s sex change but things do not go according to plan. This is a fantastic drama packed with great acting and fantastic directing by Sidney Lumet who has also directed classics like 12 Angry Men (1957) and Network (1976). The film also won the Oscar for Best Screenplay.

4/5 Stars

3) The Crying Game (1992)

Directed by: Neil Jordan

Starring: Stephen Rea, Jaye Davidson, Miranda Richardson and Forest Whitaker

This film is Neil Jordan’s second on the list and in my opinion the directors most accomplished film. The film again stars Stephen Rea. Jordan and Rea are frequent collaborators with Rea appearing in 10 of the 16 films directed by Jordan. The Crying Game is another film made by Jordan which is set against the backdrop of the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland. Jordan’s brilliant direction bewilders and shocks as the viewer comes to realise that this film is as much about sexual politics as it is about the friction of Irish/English relations. The sexual ambiguity of Dil (Davidson) not only tricks protagonist Fergus (Rea) but has done so with audiences around the globe. Jordan also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this film.

4/5 Stars

2) Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Directed by: Jonathan Demme

Starring: Jodie Foster, Antony Hopkins, Scott Glenn and Ted Levine

Young FBI Trainee Clarice Starling (Foster) is on the trail of a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. She must seek help from the genius but psychotic mind of Dr. Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lector (Hopkins). Buffalo Bill is a cross-dresser with a sinister M.O.; he starves his portly female victims before skinning them. He then wears their skin. Jonathan Demme’s film, which was adapted from Thomas Harris’ bestseller of the same name, is now a classic but has been criticised by feminist critics of homophobia and sexism for its crude depict of homo- and transsexuals. Despite this Silence of the Lambs is one of three films to have won all of the Big Five Oscars i.e. Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay. The only other films to achieve this were Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night (1934) and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). It is a must see for any film lover.

4.5/5 Stars

1) Psycho (1960)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: Antony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles and John Gavin

Hitchcock’s masterpiece is the oldest film on this list. However Psycho’s superiority cannot be ignored. Marion Crane (Leigh) flees from her job after stealing money from her boss. She seeks solace in the run-down and lonely Bates’ Motel run by the mild-mannered Norman Bates. However, as with many Hitchcock classics, all is not what it appears to be. Norman seemingly has ‘mommy issues’.  It is a film that not only tops this list but would also top many critic lists of the best films of all-time!

5/5 Stars

The Coen brothers have staked their claim for 2011 Oscar glory with an ambitious Western remake, True Grit (first adapted in 1969 with the illustrious John Wayne in its lead role). Starring Hailee Steinfield as Mattie Ross, Jeff Bridges as Marshal Rooster Cogburn, and Matt Damon as Texas Ranger LeBoeuf, it tells the story of a young girl determined to exact revenge for the murder of her father.

Together with the drunken but accomplished General Cogburn, she strikes off into lawless Choctaw country, where her father’s murderer is said to have fled to. The Texan LeBoeuf also hunts this outlaw, but on a wholly different pretext. Much hype has surrounded this film ever since its release earlier this year at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.

Once the rather drawn-out exposition passes, three core elements of the film become apparent: the gritty dialogue, the robustly determined acting style and the wonderfully eccentric cinematography. There are many scenes of lengthy duration that consist of two characters discussing, arguing and negotiating various points of view. As can be expected, the Coen’s idiosyncratic dialogue is always on show.

The staccato style dominates, with quick-fire rapid response conversation becoming the order of the day. Jeff Bridges is particularly proficient in this respect. His performance is precise and controlled, while at the same time not failing to elicit comic laughter from the audience. This kind of adept execution is what made Bridges a forerunner in the Best Actor category at the Oscars.

Applause has to go to Hailee Steinfield for her courageous depiction of protagonist Mattie Ross. Barely 14 years of age, she was picked from a list of 15,000 applicants to play Mattie, and boy is this one inspired lead actress choice by the Coen brothers. She plays a tough frontier girl with carefully braided hair, severe eyebrows, and a firm sense of right and wrong.

We sense her earnestness right from the off. The fact that she somehow manages to command the screen, despite the potentially overwhelming presence of two greats in Bridges and Damon alongside her, is testament to her character and also her promising future as a significant Hollywood actress.

In many ways her character is similar to the headstrong heroine played by Claudia Cardinale in Sergio Leone’s classic Once Upon A Time In The West. Weighty comparisons like this are floating around in critic circles, and can only propel her chances of future success. As Yoda might announce: there is much hope for this one!

By now, Roger Deakins has become somewhat of a cinematic legend in his approach to capturing memorable images on film. In True Grit he doesn’t dream of letting up. Throughout the 110 minutes of viewing, a myriad of breathtaking images is brought to our eyes. One such depiction is that of a dead man hanging from an arching tree in the midst of an utterly empty forest.

Deakin’s skilful manipulation of light and the space is on full display here as in other parts of the movie. There is a stunning twilight panorama also (which is nearly worth the admission ticket on its own), where we see the dark silhouette of Cogburn, Mattie and her horse against a perfect velvet-blue sky.

The film is symbolically rich, but only in a directly explicit sense. There is a sense of ‘what you see is what you get’ in True Grit, in contrast to the multi-layered subtleties of flicks such as Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. It is very much a funny film, yet never inviting the description ‘comic western’. The villains were less colourful than expected. Carter Burwell has given a conservative soundtrack to the film. Dominated by 19th century Church music, piano numbers abound, many being repetitively unimaginative.

Surprisingly, the Coens (hitherto noted for their uniquely satirical approach to film-making) have largely adhered to Western genre convention. Deakins’ cinematography provides for a sombre movie-going experience, giving the film a darker and more modern feel. But somehow I sense that the Coens could have injected this film with much more verve. Their usual film-making panache is lamentably missing, providing for at times quite a bland cinema-going experience.

The Golden Globes snubbed this film, incredibly so. The Oscars didn’t however, awarding True Grit with ten nominations, including Best Motion Picture. In the film, Cogburn proclaims “we have entered a wild place”: but their dangerous journey is never cast in as threatening a light as it should be. Something is being repressed. In the end, what we are left with is an enthralling, albeit lean, spare and unadorned production. That extra verve that lends films the status of ‘classic’ is missing. What we really have here is, essentially, a film made up of grit. True grit.

3.5 / 5

Who would have thought that the best bromance of the year would come in the form of a period drama that chronicles the journey of a Royal crippled by a speech impediment?  The story arc of Tom Hooper’s masterpiece revolves not around the controversies of the British Royal family, nor does it concentrate on Britain’s entry into World War Two, but rather revels in the remoteness of the development of a begrudging friendship between two men who, traditionally to the bromance milieu, instantly clash.

One is Bertie, the younger son of King George V, an aristocrat afflicted with a stammer that stands in the backdrop of the national crescendo, but is ultimately destined for greatness.  The other is the unorthodox speech therapist Lionel Logue, a boorish Aussie gent who is passionate about acting.  He is sought by the Duchess Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) to treat the despondent Duke.

The establishing sequence shows Bertie as he is drowned in the reverberation of the microphone’s echoes, overwhelmed by the monumentality of public speaking as a monarchic figure and is physically dwarfed by the microphone.  The man is literally choked by his legacy and lineage.  The subordination he endures by his father and brother ensures that he is wrought by an inferiority complex.

Rather than a clash of personalities, it is Bertie’s (Colin Firth) refusal to acquiescence that causes their initial friction.  His hesitance transcends into fury as the casual Lionel (Geoffrey Rush) insists on calling him by his family name Bertie and dropping the Majesty while in treatment because it is, as he says, “My castle, my rules.”

One instantly equates that the bumbling Brit Colin Firth is perfect for this type of role.  He has after all in the past played the charmer who fumbles for the appropriate words on many occasions, (see Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Love Actually).  If you think you could expect nothing less than the prerequisite “Colin Firth performance”, you my kind audience, are mistaken.

Beyond the awkward persona of yesteryear, Firth’s Bertie is regal and pompous but peppered with the right amount of torture.  He creates an alt-hero in this timid figure, contrasting beautifully to the brother Edward.  Guy Pearce plays the part as the bratty older brother with Great Gatsbyian flourish.  When his brother questions what his time has been spent doing while neglecting his royal duties, he professes that he has been terribly busy, “Kinging.”

Rush though is the main allure, he commands the screen and enlivens Lionel with whimsy and empathy.  Mind you, perhaps he’s a Bolshevik.  Another reason to go and see the film; you will not get that sentence unless you do.

If there was any doubt that the film revolved around the performance of not simply acting, but the performance of daily life, Michael Gambon’s terse, tyrannical patriarch King George V exposes the evolving responsibilities the royal’s must undertake as, “We’ve become actors.”  The performances presented in this piece are both stoic and full of humility.  The flaws and merits of each character are given equal, profound exploration.

As this is being written, it was announced that The King’s Speech had been nominated for twelve Academy Awards.   Deservedly so, it is one of the view award-show-darlings that are utterly convincing.  The King’s Speech virtue lies in its denial of the grandeur and sumptuousness that usually lies within the big-budget fare in the depictions of the privileged.

However, it is anchored by the essentials of contemporary cinema, characters that captivate, and actors who inhabit their roles unabashedly and completely.  The subtle manner of its emotional insurgence is both invigorating and incomparable.

Verdict:  5 stars

Black Swan is the 5^th film by acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky and stars Natalie Portman (Brothers, Closer) with support from Mila Kunis (That 70’s Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Vincent Cassel (La Haine, Oceans 13), Barbara Hershey (Hannah and Her Sisters, Falling Down) and Winona Ryder (Edwards Scissorhands, Girl, Interrupted). The film revolves around the production of the famous Tchaikovsky ballet Swan Lake by a New York ballet company. Portman plays Nina Sayers the protagonist of the production who is terrorised by the psychological difficultly, emotional strain and physical demands of playing the role of both the White Swan and the Black Swan.

After the success of 2008’s The Wrestler it may seem like Aronofsky has taken on a completely different project to his last film. On the contrary, The Wrestler and Black Swan have a lot in common, both thematically and in quality. Aronofsky explains ‘Wrestling some consider the lowest form of art- if they would even call it art- and ballet some people consider the highest art. But what was amazing to me was how similar the performers in both of these worlds are. They both make incredible use of their bodies to express themselves.’ (source: filmonic.com). It is hard to describe a film like Black Swan. The psychological aspects may lead it to be described as a Psychology Thriller or even Psychological Horror.

However, to simplify it down to a particular genre does not do this complex and fascinatingly intense film any justice.  Black Swan is proof that one should never judge a book by this cover. Admittedly I probably would never have gone to see this film if I hadn’t known it was directed by Aronofsky. A film about ballet, who wants to see that?

Brilliant direction and captivating acting on the part of Natalie Portman (who recently won the Best Actress Golden Globe for her part) ensure that this film is a triumph as Aronosfky goes about depicting the brutal…yes brutal, world of ballet. Portman is brilliant as the ballerina who is emotionally and psychologically torn apart as she tries to find her inner dark side, her Black Swan. Lily (Kunis) is the friendly antagonist who attempts to steal her role from her.

Nina is the perfect fit for the White Swan, beautiful, fearful, and innocent. Lily is the Black Swan personified, daring, seductive and free. Thomas Leroy, played by the smooth and suave Vincent Cassel, is the ballets director who attempts to play the two characters against each other for the benefit of his production.

Elements of intersexuality and Freudian psychology cannot be ignored. The idea that there is good and evil in everyone is a strong theme in both Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Nina is sexually repressed and has an over-bearing mother (Hershey). She must break free from these personal obstacles if she is to give the ‘perfect’ performance. Aronofsky often depicts Nina’s psychological instability as manifesting itself physically, which suggests a Cronenberg influence coming into his work.  The sheer intensity of the films score, which was based on Tchaikovsky’s original composition for Swan Lake, will have you on the edge of your seat; it is relentless for the final half an hour of the film.

I strongly recommend going to see this film. It is without doubt one of the best film’s I have seen in a long time. It is hard to find anything negative to say about it. The film opens with a dream and you’ll feel like you haven’t come out of one until the screen fades to white and the final credits show up.

Rating: 4.5/5

Darren Aronofsky returns to the director’s chair, after his successful

movie The Wrestler (2008), for the current silver screen masterpiece

Black Swan.  Natalie Portman, who plays the film’s protagonist Nina

Sayers, has already picked up a Golden Globe for best actress, and has

been nominated for the same title at the Oscars.  Black Swan also

boasts being nominated for best picture and best director at the

Oscars.

Black Swan tells Nina Sayers’ story in a film noir manner with the

added suspense of a thriller.  Sayers is a twenty-eight year old

ballerina that places an awful amount of stress on herself in the

pursuit of perfection.   Her artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent

Cassel) announces that he will be making a change to his production of

Swan Lake: the white swan and the black swan will both be played by

one dancer.  Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) loses her place as Leroy’s

lead dancer and a battle ensues between Sayers and Lily (Mila Kunis)

for the part of Swan Queen.

The acting is first class.  Portman and Kunis represent the battle

between innocence and wildness; good and bad; the white swan versus

the black swan.  The performances of these two actresses present an

amazing contrast of personalities which relates directly to Swan Lake.

Cassel plays an arrogant yet brilliant producer that only a French

man could portray in such a fantastic manner.  Ryder has a rather

small part in the film.  However, her character plays significant

importance in setting an eerie undertone to the movie which Ryder

accomplishes perfectly.

As previously mentioned there is an eerie undertone to the movie.  As

well as the acting, the direction of the camera plays a key role in

achieving this.  Aronofsky uses some classic techniques to create this

atmosphere.  For example, he uses the follow shot to create the sense

that Sayers is constantly being followed by a hidden being.  Another

fantastic direction of camera is the use of focalisation.  This allows

the audience to experience the dizzying lengths at which the

ballerinas must go to in the quest for perfection.

No dark movie would be complete without an equally dark score, and

Black Swan does not disappoint.  Once again Aronofsky has teamed up

with English composer Clint Mansell.  Mansell has taken Tchaikovsky’s

music from Swan Lake and adapted it to set the suspense in the

thrilling scenes of the movie.  It works brilliantly and assists the

great acting and directing to create a cinematic masterpiece.

Prior to my viewing of Black Swan, I knew very little about the film

apart from it concerning ballet.  Therefore it wasn’t a priority on my

to-view list.  After seeing the movie I have now gained a much greater

respect and admiration for ballet dancers, henceforth opening my eyes

to a new art.  Regardless of this, Black Swan creates a world in which

a sheltered twenty-eight year old has to confront the sexualised

environment around her.  This mental strain coupled with the physical

strain on the body from dancing is sure to have profound effects on

the mind and body; Black Swan captures this with sobering intensity.

5/5