Wednesday 3 October 2018

So long...for now...

Well, there we have it. 

This filmbore will (for the time being, anyway) be putting his pencil and pad in his desk draw, removing the batteries from his DVD remote and locking his film collection in his vault. For it's time to say goodbye.

For the beady-eyed, you may have noticed the recent lack of content. There have been some incredible changes in my life over the last couple of years. I married Mrs filmbore. I've said goodbye to loved ones. And I'm soon to meet my own mini-me...

I've made a little filmbore!

And now, I need to ensure that I focus my efforts on some of the next phases of my life. My unprecedented geeky-ness and over-analytical methods will be re-purposed to great effect. This does mean, sadly, that i cannot apply the bore to films in the way I have since my first film review in June 2012.

I'm not giving up the pen completely. I may venture into writing my own stories in the near future. Plus, the site will stay open. The reviews, top tens and other special features will be available for anyone to peruse. 

Also, I'm not going to leave you empty handed. I've put together one last hurrah of a Top Ten...of the most emotional goodbyes in cinema history. I hope you enjoy it.

I'm so grateful to all of you who has shared, commented and appreciated my articles over the last six years. It's been a wonderful journey, only truly enjoyable because of you. You're the real reason I do this. If there was nobody on the other side of the screen, I'd have no reason to bore you. So thanks for your patience, interest and, most of all, your support. 

It's been amazing!

Thank you



Top 20 Most Emotional Goodbyes

This is my last post, my loyal filmborians. And it's a sad one, I'm afraid.

I've had to say goodbye to a dear loved one myself these last few months. And with a pending mini-filmbore on the way, I'm in a bit of a whirlwind of emotion. So, let's take one last foray into the world of cinema geekery, stick on Andrea Bocelli's 'Time to Say Goodbye' and reminisce on the following moving moments

This was a very hard article to write. With re-watching some of these moments, while knowing this is my last piece, it's been quite overwhelming. So, I'm not going to put too many big explanations here (well...I've put a few!). The scenes speak for themselves. I'll mainly be just adding a line from the scene, or a comment about it. Otherwise, I'll get too emotional myself.

The criteria…simple. My favourite goodbyes in film.

This is a very personal top ten. Full of moments that have meant a lot to me over the years. You may not fully agree with this list, and that's fine. That's part of the fun!

But why make my last one a list of ten films. Let's make it a Top 20! Go out with a bang, eh.

So, for the last time...WARNING! Major spoilers and the odd tear lie ahead!




20. Gone with the Wind (1939)


"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn"



19. Withnail & I (1987)


"What a piece of work is a man!"



18. Forrest Gump (1994)


"Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest..."

There are many goodbyes in Forrest Gump ("I wanna go home" still gets me) and plenty of emotional moments (Speaking to Jenny's grave being the most potent) but it's Forrest's goodbye to his mother that carries the most heft. It's this moment where his mother utters the legendary phrase that has stuck with is all. She was the backbone to his incredible life, and it's this moment that has led Forrest to regale to a number of strangers his beautiful story.





17. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)


"Now we can make it, Mac"



16. Cast Away (2000)


"I'm sorry, Wilson"



Mrs.filmbore's choice

15. Monsters, Inc. (2001)


"Kitty has to go"



14. Good Will Hunting (1997)


"Do you know when the best part of my day is?"

What I love about this goodbye is that it's a reserved one. Not just in its tone, but Affleck's Chuckie has banked a goodbye before it ever even has to happen. Or never, in this case! It's a sweet and generous offering to a lifetime friend. It's powerful, understated and an example of great writing. This is rare to see in cinema and it's still gently moving to this day.





13. Dead Poets Society (1989)


"Oh Captain, my Captain!"



12. The Iron Giant (1999)


(You are who you choose to be...) "Superman"



11. Casablanca (1942)


Undoubtedly one of the most quoted conversations in cinematic history. This farewell speech is so iconic. parts of it are often quoted separately, sometimes without any awareness that they are connected. I forget how famous these lines are myself sometimes.

Here's the full monologue in all it's glory…


RICK
Last night, we said a great many things. You said I was to do the thinking for both of us. Well, I've done a lot of it since then and it all adds up to one thing. You're getting on that plane with Victor where you belong.

ILSA
But Richard, no, I've...

RICK
Now, you've got to listen to me. Do you have any idea what you've have to look forward to if you stayed here? Nine chances out of ten, we'd both wind up in a concentration camp. Isn't that true, Louis?

RENAULT
I'm afraid Major Strasser would insist.

ILSA
You're saying this only to make me go.

RICK
I'm saying it because it's true. Inside of us, we both know you belong with Victor. You're part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.

ILSA
What about us?

RICK
We'll always have Paris. We didn't have - we'd - we'd lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.

ILSA
When I said I would never leave you...

RICK
And you never will. I've got a job to do too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of. Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Now, now. Here's looking at you, kid.





10. The Champ (1979)


"The Champ...always comes through"



9. The Remains of the Day (1993)


"It was so nice to see you again"



8. Toy Story 3 (2010)


"So long partner"



7. Schindler's List (1993)


"This pin..."



6. Terms of Endearment (1983)


"And you're gonna realise that you love me. And maybe you're gonna feel badly, because you never told me. But don't. I know that you love me. So don't ever do that to yourself, all right?"



5. Rain Man (1988)


"I like having you for my big brother"



4. Sophie's Choice (1982)


"Don't make me choose! I can't!"

This may be the most heartbreaking goodbye. 'The Choice' is kept from us until near the very end of the film. When it happens it's shocking and heartbreaking. It's as if she has responded on instinct. But the goodbye is filled with terror and regret. I am, like many of you, still haunted by this to this day. Nothing can prepare you for what could be the hardest choice any parent would ever have to make.





3. Blade Runner (1982)


"All those moments will be lost in time…like tears...in rain"



2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)


"I have been, and always shall be, your friend"




...and before the top choice is revealed, take a breather to wipe your eyes and look over those honorable misses...


Just missed out:


"I know." - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)



"If you'd die, you'd forget me. I want to be remembered." - Brief Encounter (1945)


"I know know why you cry." - Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)



"Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight" - The Truman Show (1998)


"I love you forever. And I'm coming back" - Interstellar (2014)


"I'm a leaf on the wind..." - Serenity (2005)






And the winner is...





1. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)



It's poignant that the last film I mention on my site is the first film that I ever saw in the cinema.

This is the most emotional and beautiful moment ever captured on film. Especially given that it mainly stars children and a puppet. It's so delicately balanced in this final moment that it works for children and adults alike. It reminds us what film can do to us. How it forms us. How it widens our imagination. And how it helps us to understand the beauty in sadness and loss. 

I'll leave you with the immortal line...


"I'll be right here"



Goodbye

Monday 21 August 2017

filmbore picks Wild Tales

Wild Tales

Director: Damián Szifron

Screenplay: Damián Szifron
Starring: Erica Rivas, Ricardo Darin, Leonardo Sbaraglia
Year: 2014
Language: Spanish
UK rental release: June 2015

IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes


The hiatus is over!

It's time for filmbore to reemerge from hibernation and return to the fold. It's been a crazy year and a half, with many events and goings-on, the finale of which was marrying the most beautiful, intelligent and hilarious person in the world...Mrs.filmbore!

Therefore, it's relevant that I talk about a wedding movie, such as the Oscar nominated Wild Tales. And who knows...maybe I'll experience a few things I missed in my own adventure into wedlock...

Welcomed by a low shot of a rushing airline passenger, we're invited to join them on an exciting journey. Famous model, Isabel (Maria Marull, Before Opening Night, Primavera), is unaware of the flirting charm about to be bestowed on her by her neighbouring passenger, classic music critic Salgado (Dario Grandinetti, Talk To Her, The Dark Side Of The Heart).

After some coquettish chat, something peculiar happens; another passenger overhears the mention of a mutual acquaintance. When the three of them discuss this, another traveller realises that they have the same connection. This continues, starting a chain reaction through the whole plane. How can they all be connected by just one man? Is the flight a ruse, with a deeper meaning at hand?

But this is just the first story in this compendium of revenge, as further tales of tension await us.  Like the waitress, startled by appearance of a demon from her past. The pain he has caused her family beyond humane, he now sits in her restaurant, unaware of her vengeful presence.

Or Diego (Leonardo Sbaraglia, Intacto, Burnt Money), cursing a reckless driver intentionally setting out to annoy him. He speeds ahead to leave the scoundrel in his wake, only to suffer the bad luck of a flat tire shortly after, fearful for the reappearance of his antagonist. Inevitably turning up shortly after, this tarmac tyrant proceeds to attack Diego's vehicle. Will he attack him next? Does Diego escape or does he retaliate?

Then we have Simón (Ricardo Darin, The Secret In Their Eyes, Nine Queens), an explosion specialist on his way to pick up his daughter's birthday cake. Alarmed at the price of the cake, he's even more startled that to find his car has towed away. Now running late for his kid's party, met with obstacle upon obstacle, he becomes convinced that the 'system' is against him as events escalate; his own inner explosions to a self generating conspiracy.

Or even our unforgettable finale, which opens with jubilation at the entrance of our bride and groom. Romina (Erica Rivas, Incident Light, Lock Charmer) sees her new husband chatting to a mystery lady. They seem a little too close. She begins to suspect unfair play. How should she deal with this on her special day?

As our six protagonists are left to deal with their circumstances, we lay waiting to see how wild they should truly go.


Before watching a film, I try to avoid any plot lines, like the ones you see on the back of DVD covers. They can implant preconceptions that can affect viewing. After reading the above synopsis you may have realised that this is not solely about a wedding. Only one of the stories is. It dawned on me at about 20 minutes that the wedding shown on the front cover of the DVD was just a small part of this entire story. So much for my plan on avoiding the plot here then!

The marriage-factor may be the reason I chose this feature but, even though this isn't the focus, I'm not disappointed at all. The entire picture is a constant stream of canapés, subtly satisfying your appetite through it's well balanced journey. It's no wonder it picked up the gongs that it did (including BAFTA's and Goya's). It was optioned for the Palme d'Or at Cannes too, where it debuted, helping the feature garner some well deserved attention.

The beginning of this adventure, 'Pasternak', demonstrates a different kind of attention. After a young gentleman ogles over our model, Isobel, much to her discomfort, it is in fact the older gentleman she meets next who flirts with more success. By showing here that it's not age that's attractive but charm and sophistication, this creative picture immediately grounds itself in reality. It's a smart move that few films manage to do so delicately and simply.

Such wit and allure can only be carried by a cast that has the talent to bear it, and it's in these performances that Wild Tales really shines. All players involved are truly superb. In fact, it's quite difficult to pinpoint specific performances with so many involved. They are all truly outstanding. You're likely draw out your own favourites, dependant on your taste. If I had to select my standouts: Oscar Martinez (Empty NestThe Distinguished Citizen) in 'The Deal' really moved me, as did Julieta Zylberberg (The Tenth ManThe Invisible Eye) in 'The Rats'. The most exciting performers, however, have to be both Ricardo Darin in 'Bombita', and the unforgettable Erica Rivas in 'Til Death Do Us Part'.

This latter chapter is welcomed and much needed after some of the gloom, deftly delivered in the previous acts. There are small nuggets of humour and lightness strewn throughout the whole picture, even if these morsels struggle to hold ground amongst all of the drama. This is a movie that knows when to take itself seriously and it doesn't falter in getting your attention while doing so. Yet, this wedding based finale re-balances the gravitas of the previous vignettes while still retaining the level of darkness required to justify it's existence in this compendium.

To be honest though, this is not a true portmanteau movie. Each vignette could stand alone as a short, and maybe this was purposeful. Nevertheless, while fantastic, all the tales don't operate as a whole. They seem a little disconnected. Disjointed, even. You may be wondering what the link between the segments is. You may start out, as I did, thinking there's a connection about travelling, until you realise that it's not.

It's just as difficult to pin down it's thematic approach. There's a chance that I just missed it. I played with a number of ideas, including unpredictability, antagonism fuelling revenge (too obvious!), even the detrimental outcomes of making the darker choice. None really fit though. If the core themes were more recognisable, I feel they would help solve the issue of the picture's connectivity and making it a proper portmanteau flick instead of a fortunate compilation.

A benefit of taking this approach does allows for a plethora of different filming styles though. We're presented with a noir, a thriller, a car chase and many more. It brings a wonderment of variety and floods of creative filming and editing techniques; you'll forget that this was made by one director. 

Cinematographer, Javier Julia, takes advantage of this, dressing the picture with all manner of angles, while allowing hints of the unconventional. Take the opening cowboy shot of Isabel running through the airport, or the claustrophobic shots in the car chase of the third tale, 'Road To Hell' to marry up with your usual collection of POV's and low angle shots. With experimental shooting and some delicious framing, it's a visually brave film.

All of these methods deliver some delicious imagery; a hand clasped across a lady's face, gripped for abuse, slowly withers as her attacker perishes, embracing the victim in his own blood. The camera pans up to an aerial shot of our two victims, lying in the wake of their battle, fixed in posture like silhouetted dancers. It's a strangely pretty film, finding beauty even within its more darker edges.

It doesn't hold its punches either. Take the in-car fight scene in 'The Road To Hell': it may not have the level of choreography but it's got enough gusto to challenge the now infamous car scene most will have seen last year in Deadpool (2016). It's nowhere near as clipped as it's Marvel counterpart, but it's just as funny, end even more claustrophobic and brutal! 

Not afraid to show some 'claret'  and ferocity when necessary, Wild Tales is full of surprises, and heavy ones too. It drags you through its rough-and-ready journey but not reluctantly. It teases your intrigue, enticing you to join the ride. Just be prepared...this road's a little bumpy!


So, did I find anything new that could have improved my wedding? Did it garner any life lessons to take on my own adventure of marriage? Absolutely not. The wedding in this is an absolute shambles!

Thankfully though, the film isn't. Yes, the tales do feel a little disparate to each other but they certainly live up to the garb of 'Wild'. Each story is eloquently crafted, deserving award and praise in their own right. We're just fortunate enough to get to see all of these wonderful pieces in one gloriously delivered whole.



Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk

Monday 12 June 2017

filmbore reflects - the filmbore manifesto

It's been a long hiatus. A lot has happened. 

Now the blogging recommences. Filmbore returns!

For any of you that have followed my 'filmbore reflects' posts on Facebook over the last few months, you'll be aware of the little journey I've been on. When I originally set out to do these reflections, they were meant as warm ups to a new wave of articles. I've neglected my previous pieces, so I felt a re-visit to them may reignite my 'inner-critic'. 

What's been surprising is that they've been quintessential into exploring my way of writing, where I have come out of the other side with some lessons learnt...the biggest lesson of which is how much I've missed doing this!

For example, on my last 'filmbore reflects', where I talked about my review of Paprika, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed writing these. It really shone through in the text. Revisiting my Top Ten Scary Rabbits post, I could see how I had fun being more playful with the article and it reads so much better because of it. These are important factors that will keep me invested in filmbore

I used to spend a lot more time on the articles too. My earlier postings were shorter, so easier to manage but, as the reviews got bigger, my time got squeezed. In future, it would be prudent to show patience, making sure I spend enough time fine tuning each piece.

Overall, I'm just aware of overlooking the site entirely. There are many justifiable reasons for this: 

  • an over-saturation of independent and foreign cinema, leading me to watch a lot more commercial films
  • catching up with lots of anime series
  • playing too many computer games
  • experiencing major changes in my work life
  • experiencing even bigger ones in my love life
  • plenty of much needed chilling

...but the biggest impact was my social life! 

Meeting and getting to know my incredible wife (that's right...there's a Mrs.filmbore now!) and spending a lot of time with my friends, I've spent the last year and half catching up with my world. Being sociable is a massive part of my life and that's not going to change, but certain elements can...

Hence the following manuscript. With a recent peak in interest in British politics, I felt the best way of presenting my new-found approach to filmbore would be through a manifesto of my own.  The following items are a list of policies, in tune with the above lessons, that I will adhere to meet in order to allow filmbore to flourish once again:


    1. Reinvigorate my passion for independent and world cinema, including involvement in local projects and artists.
    2. Don't let this become a chore or job. I do this because I love it. Too regimented dampens the enjoyment.
    3. Actively allocate writing time for both filmbore posts and to sate my cravings for writing my own stories.
    4. Less social media interaction. Great for promoting my work and getting in touch with all you lovely, dedicated followers.  However, constant checking of Facebook , for example, holds little value.
    5. Ensure my focus on filmbore doesn’t impact on my social life. There's room in my life for both. Keep momentum in my social life while embedding filmbore into it. Writing-Life balance is vital!
    6. Less time on games, random TV shows and anime. I love them all but I've had my fill. Less of these and more filmbore-centric stuff needed (some anime films count though!)
    7. Spend more time on editing my work. Take my time. Exercise patience. Post when perfect.
    8. Have a little more fun with some articles. No need to be so formal with some of these. Be creative and silly.
    9. Ensure I discuss thematics of films. Not all critics do and this is something I like to explore. May not always be relevant but where it is...delve deeper!
    10. Write shorter reviews sometimes. They are punchier and easier to digest. Not every article needs to be an essay.
    11. Keep writing. Keep posting. Keep challenging. This is supposed to be enjoyable but there's a purpose here.

                            filmbore started with:

                            "I take pride in recommending lesser known films to my friends and colleagues. I'd like to use this knowledge to help promote indie and foreign films as much as possible. These will always be decent movies from the past and present, so please re-post this wherever you can and tell your friends on all your networks.
                            Let's give these films a better platform!" 

                            And I will continue to help give lesser known films a better platform.

                            Thursday 5 November 2015

                            filmbore picks Two Days, One Night

                            Two Days, One Night

                            Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
                            Screenplay: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
                            Starring: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée, Christelle Cornil
                            Year: 2014
                            Language: French, Arabic
                            UK rental release: October 2014

                            IMDb
                            Rotten Tomatoes

                            This time around, we're paying a visit to the Dardenne brothers once again. For years, they've continued to deliver stunning, intimate dramas (for their beautiful pastiche of childhood rebellion, check out my review of The Kid With A Bike).  Yet, with Two Days, One Night, they're taking a slightly different approach...

                            While resting, Sandra (Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose, Rust And Bone) is awoken by an alarming phone call. She finds out that her job is on the line due to a secret ballot taken up by each of her colleagues at her place of work: either they all take a bonus of €1000 with Sandra being laid off, or they choose to keep Sandra on but loose that tempting cash prize in doing so.

                            Sandra has been off sick for a while with depression and anxiety. Her absence has put her in the firing line and allowed the ballot to occur. Immediately, she is worried that she'll begin to suffer again as a product of this surprising election.

                            She tries to stay strong with help from her partner, Manu (Fabrizio Rongione, Rosetta, L'enfant), who strives to support her, reminding her that she has a right to fight for her position. She goes to see her boss, M. Dumont with one of her colleagues, Juliette (Catherine Salée, Keeper, Blue Is The Warmest Colour). As one of her only workmates who voted for her to stay, Juliette wants to do everything she can to help.

                            From speaking to M. Dumont, they learn that their foreman, Jean-Marc, has been leveraging the votes. Scaring staff members into electing for bonuses, he's been telling them that they could lose their job soon anyway so may as well take their bonuses. His effort makes the election sway 14 out of 16, in favour of Sandra losing her job. In light of this, and the knowledge that Sandra wasn't present at the ballot, M. Dumont agrees to a re-election.

                            Having only till Monday to succeed, Sandra must use her weekend to convince her work colleagues that her worth is more vital than their wallets.



                            Naturally lit through most of it, with lovely handheld lens work, Two Days, One Night is pleasant on the eye. Unusually for the Dardennes, there's very little on scenery and more focus on close-ups, making the picture feel a little claustrophobic. However, if you can see past this, appreciating the intimacy of the people as opposed to the environment that surrounds them, you'll sense how this emphasises the core plot and drive of the film. 

                            For example, during a brief reprieve from their many visits our two leads sit in a park, enjoying an ice cream, discussing whether to continue on this saga. Hearing a bird's song, Sandra says "I wish that was me". In previous Dardenne movies, the camera would have mainly shot the bird, with Cotillard's dialogue off camera, sun shining through the tree, illuminating the leaves, illustrating an artistic eye. 

                            Instead, the lens stays fixed on the pair, as Sandra longingly glares off camera at the easier life. Simplistic. Direct. Gently impactful. It's a template for the entire piece and the effect is gentle yet stunning.

                            Her reaction during this scene is a product of Sandra's evolution through the story so far, learning more and more each time she's faced with confronting a fellow employee, as she both strengthens and crumbles through the experience. This is beautifully encompassed by Marion Cotillard, as she proves yet again that she is one of the finest actresses of our generation (read about her stunning performance in Rust And Bone here).

                            Little-or-no make-up, vest tops, tied back hair - still with such a simple costume, Cotillard proves her talent by delivering a performance with colour, turmoil, panache and vibrancy. Once more, she elevates a film with her subtle and dexterous approach to a role of a troubled, interesting soul. Such a character would have been saturated with cliché by many others, heavily handled with little regard for realism, where Cotillard handles Sandra with careful finger tips from a thoughtful veranda.

                            And, with confident execution from the array of actors to bolster her delicate portrayal, it allows us to peer into the world that suffocates Sandra. What this piece manages brilliantly is bring new insight into how somebody under sever pressure, with familial responsibilities, has to manage the feud between their pride and their integrity.


                            At first, Sandra is both loathed and embarrassed to beg a colleague for their vote. Yet, how she handles this plight, struggling through the experience, is a tenderly presented view into the emotional strengthening someone goes through while battling the remnants of mental illness. Her anxiety and depression is represented tastefully, respectfully; so pleasing considering such subject matter is generally misunderstood in most cinematic sittings.

                            It has the desired effect, raising questions as to whether she is fit enough to return to work. It also makes you question what it is that Jean-Marc is up to. The mystery of her foreman's "treachery" (although not entirely revealed) is a nice MacGuffin, yet it's not that which drives the film...


                            How do you ask somebody to give up their gift of €1000? It's an intriguing prospect for a movie and, as you see Sandra's journey unfold through each moment, the alternate reactions from each of her colleagues will take you in all different emotional directions.

                            For example, if someone desperately needs their bonus through their own despair, they're left to feel uncomfortable when learning that others are siding with Sandra. Their sympathy is empty as, if the vote goes in her favour, they lose the cash that they so rightfully need, in some cases. Out of respect they feel that they cannot show their disdain. Some even happily give the address for the next person on her list, even though this gives her the opportunity to canvass more voters.

                            Even if they raise the chance of swaying the votes back, how can they not help someone else who has needs like themselves. Such confliction between what's right to survive and what's humane is what illuminates the picture. Watching each meeting is so gripping, purely in the underlying complexity of the conversation. It's a fantastically simple mechanism for each actor to play with on screen. 

                            Wondering whether she'll plant enough seeds to keep her job fuels your desire to see each outcome, enhancing the calm pace of the film to one of intrigue and allure. It proves the genius of the overall concept and of the Dardennes. 

                            The brothers strike again!



                            A wonderful portrayal of family and friends clubbing together to support one of their tribe, Two Days, One Night does wonders at handling the struggle of overcoming anxiety and depression. It's such an incredibly tense and moving tale set over a relatively short period of time. Yet, it's the originality of the concept that thrives in this touching and reinforcing tale.



                            Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

                            Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk