Lost River- Review

Lost River- 'Dark, twisted, electrifying, fantasy'

Lost River gained negative reviews at the Cannes festival. I had medium expectations for the film. Despite all the backlash from festivals. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a great cast Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Iain de Caestecker (who I use to watch in the UK series 'The Fades') and Matt smith and Eva Mendes. A really interesting cast all filled with such character. I was so surprised by the spectacular amounts of effort and thought it must have taken to create such a story and little sentimental touches within each scene for example where Rat (Ronan) was singing on her synthesiser and sang beautifully, to the Bloody Burlesque (the story behind it Parisian Horror burlesques) and Ronan's nan played by the glorious Barbara Steele known for starring in black and white Italian Gothics. 

The only problem I had with the film was the dialogue it could have been a little more exciting at times and the length of the film. The cinematography was beautiful the colours were well thought out the neon lighting similar to 'Only God Forgives', 'Place beyond the pines' and 'OldBoy'. 

I loved how some scenes were like moving images and collages of videos overlapping, it really brought a unique perspective on how the characters were experiencing the moment. I felt like I was a voyeur in one of my dreams the whole film was very dream scape and nightmarish at times. Some of my favourite scenes were when Christina Hendricks character begins her performance in the burlesque show, Matt Smiths gas station and car scene, and where Rat and Bones dance and talk in the tainted street lights along the road. 

The film had its only little twisted genre a romanticised, violent, beautiful sick fantasy in which Goslings head is the meat grinder of all fantastic dark ideas. The acting was incredible and I particularly loved bones little side story of going to Lost River and Rats side story where she repeatedly plays the same bleak VHS tape for her grandmothers wedding day as she mourns her husbands death many years ago.  

It was very Lynchian and Kenneth Anger which makes sense because Ryan Gosling used Angers 'Scorpian Rising' as inspiration for his characters jacket in 'Drive'.

I was a little disappointed at the length of the film as I felt just as I was being drawn into Goslings wonderland of warped characters and blissful dream like landscaped it ended. I was drawn back to reality, but maybe that's what he was trying to imply that you do wake up from dreams and return to reality which at times can be just as twisted. It was filmed in Detroit and the derelict urban landscaped contrasted beautifully with the costumes and lighting from the barbed wire fences and sunken street lights to Bully's glittery statement Jacket (which I loved.)  I noticed it had a Terrence Malick touch,  the romantic story line was very lets runaway together, 'Badlands' feel and some scenes like the more landscapes shots and the opening shots reminded me of shots similar to Malick's 'The Tree of Life'. 

 I hope to see more of Goslings warped fantasies and masterpieces in the future. The dark twisted American dream (scape) was electric and I thought it was superb and have already watched it twice I highly recommend.

Rats song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx83owWT5Ck

Trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ngDiG9V8w

twitter: https://twitter.com/LostRiverMovie

Mommy Xavier Dolan- Review

'Mommy'

The French Canadian actor/director had his first feature length film at just aged nineteen called 'I Killed My Mother' it sold to twenty other countries. I'm a big fan of Dolan's work 'Laurence anyways' and 'Tom at the farm'. These two films and 'Mommy' are by far my favoured of his films, the colour palettes and the cinematography is spectacular. I believe Dolan is a force to reckon with and his films will be cult classics. He has is own individual approach on how he wants each film to be perceived. I wont expand too much on the two films mentioned Ill leave them for another time. Ill start of by saying that the cast was incredible he used two actresses he previously casted for 'Laurence anyways' both Anne Dorval and Suzanne Clément he also cast the incredibly talented Antoine-Olivier-pilon who was in a music video he directed for Indochine's College boy (ill link below) which is very hard hitting portrayal of bullying.

'Mommy' was shot in a 1:1 aspect which is super peculiar in modern day cinema. Dolan felt that by doing so you were closer to the actors their expressions, movements and living the scenes as they do. Personally I really liked it but at times it did get a little frustrating because you wanted to see more. There was one scene however when Steve (Antoine-Olivier-Pilon) pulls the screen wider just for a while unfortunately the scene was pretty magical and breathtaking and obviously suggesting it was a very symbolic scene of the bond of all three main characters relationships.

The film was set in a a fictional Canada with mixed styles and fictional laws. From the trailer and all the hype about the film before hand I would never in a million years would have guessed the story line and how in depth and how heart breaking the story would be. I felt like when ever you got attached to the characters they would do something to make you change your mind about them constantly deciding whether you love them or despise them. Its breathtaking to see characters as real people Dolan's characters aren't two dimensional they are alive and they are neither good or bad but honest and recognisable. Throughout the film without giving away to much I definitely picked up on the oedipus complex between Dorval and Antoine's characters without it being to in depth or gross it was simply easy to watch and it seemed reasonable very strangely enough. Antoine described he wanted his character to be similar to Brad Pitts character in 'Twelve Monkeys' he is refreshing to watch such grittiness on screen and a very believable character and yet you fall in love with him but are afraid of his violent outbursts and strong personality.

I'm from London in England and I was surprised on how funny the film was in certain scenes and how the humour was actually very similar to British humour even the dialogue and phrases used for example in one scene Dorval's character says 'Bobs your uncle fannys your aunt' which is very common in England. The fashion in the film was very nineties esque and little objects like a radio in the film and the necklace Steve gives to his mother which I own and the dialogue used. The characters are very similar to people I know and family members, making the film that little bit more sentimental and direct. I absolutely adored this film and for sure is in my list of favourite movies, I even own a poster the same height as me (I'm 5 foot seven) of the film on my wall. I'm looking extremely excited for his first American debut film starring the spectacular Susan Sarandon and Kathy Bates and can't wait.    

music video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp5U5mdARgY

Soundtrack link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWxbjAwCp2U&list=PLmMRtoMbjO6I45oynEswyUxHilpRL-OKJ

trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcmueTy2FoM

Films I watched this March 

I watched so many films last March but these are the very few I remembered but obviously left a mark because they were all brilliant in their own unique way.

1.Bringing rain 2003, starring Adrien Grenier and the spectacular Paz De La Huerta a film about a group of teenagers who are mourning and in denial about a car accident some of them suffered and the people they lost it is set in a boarding school and the troubles they surround them.
2. Wetlands 2014 based on the acclaim novel (will do a review soon as it was amazing) about a girls sexual experiment in how much dirt her vagina and butt can stand until a traumatic but kind of funny event occurs.
3. Low Down 2014 a biopic surrounding the Jazz artist Joe Albany its spectacular and not to be unnoticed.
4. La Haine 1995 social realist France three boys who are best friends and their lives.
5. The boy who Smells Like Fish 2014 recently after I watched it they have changed the title of the film to 'Treading Water' I guess its more attracting bus personally I thought the original titles was more quirky its about a boy suffering from the rare condition Trimethylaminuria and his search for love.
6. Betty Blue 1986 is well the clue is in the title a women who is pretty reckless and blue.
7.Trainspotting 1996 cult classic one of my many favourite films basically about a group of guys on heroine based upon the novel by Irvine Welsh.
8.Richhill 2014 a documentary I was anticipating and lived up to its beautiful depiction of the working class in the place of Richhill
9.Yves Saint Laurent 2014 this is not the Louis Garrel version but is very beautiful and insightful depiction of the designers life and the sadness that surrounded him also.
10. The Road Within 2015 Robert Sheehan, Zoe Kravitz and Dev Patel beautiful story of three friends suffering from O.C.D, tourettes and an eating disorder go on a trip of recovery and self discovery.

Trailer review/ film anticipation - THE GOOB

'The Goob' - Trailer Review

'The Goob' as soon as I heard and watched the trailer for this film. I instantly new it was going to be one of the films at my top of my to go see list this year. The colours and themes very similar to the beautifully talented directors of www.somesuch.co. The film is set in Norfolk and surrounding topics of social realism. Social realist is a theme I'm very aware of and fond of in a film. It portrays the gritty reality of a lot of peoples lives and the people surrounding them like myself. Films such as the 'Selfish Giant', 'Fishtank' and 'Catch me Daddy' who portray their story's with such beauty and truth and execute them with such passion and force.

Every website I have visited  are comparing the film as the new 'Gummo' and although that's an incredible film to be related too I just don't see it. I know I haven't seen the film as of yet but 'The Goob' seems much more realistic and of gritty nature where as Korine's 'Gummo' is humorous and yet gritty but in a completely different way. As soon as I watched the trailer I was gripped and new that this film is going to be all things adventurous, wild and enlightening. The colour pallet from what I saw from the trailer was everything I crave in films. Personally its one aspect that makes a film so unique and exciting. The film has already had some screenings but isn't set to be released until May the 27th my birthday which gives me something new too see and look forward too. With a fresh new talent casted with displaying such character within their expressions (in the trailer) makes the film even more distinctive and eccentric.  I can't expand any further, other than I'm extremely anticipating 'The Goob' as it looks exactly what a crave within a film.

Im going to be following up on the film until then and so can you:
https://www.facebook.com/thegoobmovie/timeline
https://twitter.com/thegoobmovie
http://www.ifeatures.co.uk/the-goob4.html
Vimeo trailer: https://vimeo.com/121448648

Catch Me Daddy

I have been waiting for what seems like a lifetime to see this film and it was finally released in the UK On Friday the 27th of February and I had to go see it asap. When I first watched the trailer I knew it would be amazing and definitely in my top five social realist British films. I was attracted first and for most to the colours and the pace it was shot at and ever since kept track of the films movement and the short clips released before hand and any other information on it. The Director Daniel Wolfe previously directed many music videos from Plan B to Paolo Nutini. Him and his brother co-created the film, his brother Mathew also composed the films intense score.  Wolfe said he intended the film to be a modern day Western which could come to question with such an infuriating ending, I was craving to know what happened which I guess was the point. The film was so engaging at one point I forgot I was even in the cinema you become so attached to the two characters Aaron and Layla who are so emotionally connected, but be warned don't invest too much into the characters they may be taken from you quite tragically. 

Layla portrayed by the talented Sameena Jabeen Ahmed who had no previous experience acting like many of the characters who were street casted, her performance was impeccably gritty. The film was visually stunning I especially loved the colour pallet the neon lights were mesmerising it sets a euphoric state which intertwines magically with the unexpected score and soundtrack which warped from Nicki Minaj to Patti Smith it almost felt like an intense 109 minute music video you didn't want to end. The director Wolfe explained that the scene where Layla is dancing to Patti smith's 'Land' is the heart of the film. FKA Twigs was brought in to help choreograph Sameena for the heart warming scene, I can see why it is the heart of the film as every event following this scene turns into one big British nightmare.

Even though the film was surrounding a serious topic which lead to violent outbursts, drug enthused events,  there were some extremely funny scenes such as the milkshake scene it had the whole cinema in tears of laughter, I was laughing for a good ten minutes.

British grittiness and at times tackiness enthused with beautiful colours and natural sets really were phenomenal. Its constant ornamental pieces within the scenes such as the butterfly l.e.d lights or the exotic animals and fish tanks really making  each scene a ornamental beauty, you could tell every scene was thought out well down to every little detail to create authorship like no other.  Wolfe made sure every character was anything but 2D and atypical. The relationships each character shared with one another especially, you never knew who too trust in the film. Which was ironic because in one scene thats  the wallpaper on one of the bad guys phones 'trust no one' after being killed by his own sister.

 The aesthetic in some scenes were similar to tacky bits & bob stores you would find in Lewisham 3D hindu artwork and neon street lights, which look tacky but extremely intriguing and beautiful at the same time. Without giving too much away the plot is based around a young girl Layla who has run away with her boyfriend aaron too get away from her what seems a controlling father it is set around West Yorkshire. At times many seems would contrast with the past a  run down village to a beautiful shot of the Yorkshire moors which almost looked like an inviting postcard. After being away for a while Layla's father sends his sons to find her and bring her home with help from two other other men coked up the film fused with drugs, violence, great music and pukka performances you really will be happy you ingested the Rare gem 'Catch me Daddy'.

Check out the Catch Me Daddy tumblr for some incredible artwork: http://catchmedaddyfilm.tumblr.com