filmbore pick of the week - Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Director: Benh Zeitlin

Screenplay: Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin

Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Gina Montana

Year: 2012

Language: English

UK rental release: February 2013

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

As promised last week, I'll be looking at a few of the films recognised in the recent awards ceremonies that hail from an independent and world cinema nature. Following the highly enjoyable Rust And Bone last time round, this week I'll be looking at my second choice from the nominations frenzy, Beasts Of The Southern Wild.

Hushpuppy, (newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis) lives in a small bayou community, one a delta in Southern America fondly called The Bathtub. Living separately from the "dry world", in this tight-knit neighbourhood, she's blessed with a freeing life. Her sense of awareness appears heightened, through her lifestyle in The Bathtub, seeing the world around her through the eyes of of a believer in magic; beseeched from her own imagination and noticing the beauty in how everything is connected.

She is also brave and steadfast - a fiery young girl, stronger than her years. This is down to the tough love dealt out by her father, Wink (Dwight Henry, also a newcomer), in his methods to prepare her for tough times ahead. He is resolute in his survival instincts and expects only the most most rugged and staunched responses from his daughter. 

Hushpuppy's mother is not around however. She pines for her, still talking to her in her absence, but stays strong like her father thanks to his tenacious parental skills and her own resilience. This ensures an incredible relationship with her father. As tumultuous as it appears, there's a powerful bond between them, simmering under surfaces that safeguard inner fear.

Still, there is a form of matriarch in Hushpuppy's life. The Bathtub's teacher Mrs Bathsheba (Gina Montana) warns of a potential apocalyptic event, where ice caps will melt and flood the lands, releasing an ancient race of giant beasts known as the Aurochs. The looming storms, due to increased environmental changes, bring alarm to the inhabitants of the bayou, but Hushpuppy is unfazed. 

Her unyielding upbringing will soon be put to test though. Wink is not well, his health withering every day, spelling a bad future for them. An incident in Hushpuppy's trailer, and the subsequent fight with her father, set the course for an unexpected change in her life...then the storm arrives!

Adapted from Lucy Alibar's one-act play, Juicy and Delicious, Beasts Of The Southern Wild is an brilliantly unique picture. Don't let the noticeable independent production fool you...there are a lot of subtly genius elements at play, combining in a presentation both poetic and elegant.  

For a start, you'll notice some of the beautiful camera work involved, thanks to the cinematographer, Ben Richardson. Lots of handheld operation, using 16mm film fills your screen with eclectic depth paired with natural grain. Richardson has stated that he tends to light environments and settings as opposed to actors, and then allowing the performers to step into the lit arena's, which is very noticeable in the darker scenes.

This helps with some of the more intense scenes too like when the storm arrives, for instance, where the sporadic use of both movement and sound help to give the impression of a terrible calamity. Even the director's own sister, Eliza Zeitlin, had input, turning her hand at some of the homegrown artwork and animals you see in the film, adding an earthy personality to the habitat of The Bathtub.

There is a real unique use of sound throughout too, even down to the smaller moments, like Hushpuppy listening in to the heartbeats of the animals on her land, assisting in demonstrating her connection to the natural world around her.

This takes us to Quvenzhané Wallis herself.  She is wonderful as Hushpuppy, absolutely stealing the show, displaying incredible depth for a child of her age. It's a tough job leading a film at the best of times, and when a nine year not only manages to succeed at this but astound you as the key cast member, it's no surprise that she received an Oscar nomination. She's a name we will not forget and I expect a promising future for the young star. Dwight Henry is great as Wink too. A newbie to acting just like Wallis, he displays incredible natural presence, and forms a strong pillar of strength as a father to Hushpuppy. Together, they have wonderful chemistry, which is difficult when considering the nature of the character's relationship. Perhaps their fresh approach to such a career has allowed them to form a more realistic connection, but however they've achieved this it truly works.

Part of what buys you into their relationship and the impending events is the minimal narration set out for Wallis. Along with the director, Lucy Alibar adapted the screenplay from her own play and there's some great dialogue moments (especially the "Beast it" moment) but it's the voice-over that gives real body and being to the whole picture. The simplicity behind this narrated text, spoken from the mind of a child, carries its own sense of sentience and enlightenment, and grants Hushpuppy with a wise, reflective view on her existence.

Of course, a lot of this weight is elevated by the gravitas behind the story. It stands as a reference to the recent disaster laid in wake of the infallible Hurricane Katrina and how such a real life event could manifest itself in the fantastical mind of a child. You question whether she is just allowing her younger, creative mind to draught a reality to shadow her from the truth or that she actually see things how they truly are in this, potentially, slightly futuristic world. Either concept works, and you can apply your own spin on it, but there's no disputing the impact that Katrina has had on the inspired sources for the tale.

Not only this, but thematically we question some of the other possible metaphors. For example, following the possibility of ice caps melting (is this in Hushpuppy's mind or relative to The Bathub's residents' experiences?) are the Aurochs really charging their way across the continent,or do they maybe represent a finite outcome to Wink's dwindling health? And is the world really ending, or are we made to feel that the chance of this occurring represents the state the bayou's community following years of neglect? These options are never thrown at us, however, but gently poised within the ongoing story if you so choose to perceive them in more detail. It's delicately handled, making the movie more approachable to a wider audience, and may be one of the reasons that it featured in so many award ceremonies.

But the question at the forefront is surrounding the Beasts, referred to in the title. Dismissing the Aurochs, all the inhabitants of The Bathtub are the true creatures of the southern wild,. This perspective forms due to views held by Hushpuppy's - that nature applies to us in the same way as it does for the remaining animals on Earth and we should remember how fragile our connection to this world really is.

Beast Of The Southern Wild gently raises issues surrounding the aftermaths of some of the catastrophes we've seen more frequently over the recent years. It helps to remind us of the impact we have on our planet through our effects on global warming in an imaginative way. But most importantly, it reaches into the heart of a child to show us how she deals with calamity and death, in turn helping us see our place in the world.

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 pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore pick of the week - Rust And Bone

Rust And Bone (De Rouille et d'Os)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Screenplay: Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Céline Sallette, Bouli Lanners

Year: 2012

Language: French

UK rental release: February 2013

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

Following the active awards season some of you may have a long list of films to watch that you hadn't considered before. And are any of these films foreign or independent, I wonder? Well, actually for once they may be, as the smaller movies of the year had been celebrated as much as the big blockbusters this time around, hopefully shaping the Academy and some of the other awarding bodies to show a wider regard in years to come. If I get my hands on any of these (and I plan to) I'll review some as my "pick of the week" over the coming months to help you figure out whether any of them figure on your watch lists. To start, I'll be taking you through the emotional and uplifting picture, Rust And Bone.

Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts, Bullhead, Black Book), along with his his son Sam (newcomer Armand Verdure), is broke and travelling to Southern France to stay with his sister in Antibes. Louise (Céline Sallette) has a stable job at a local supermarket while her husband drives his own delivery truck; it's enough to pay rent on the flat they can all stay in while Ali and Sam get their feet.

Ali gets a job bouncing at a nearby nightclub. One night, a fight breaks out where a woman has been hit. After breaking up the scuffle, Ali goes to help the fallen lady and offers to take her home. Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose, Inception, Taxi) refuses at first, but finally relents. On the drive home they clash a little, but there an honest chemistry between them. She invites him in for an ice pack to cool his fight damaged hand and it's hear he discovers her trade.

Stéphanie has the breathtaking job as an Orca trainer. She thrives on working with the whales, guiding them through incredible moves through her body movements. This phenomenal skill however doesn't give her the foresight for what's coming: a shocking incident when a show goes horribly wrong injures her to such an extreme she loses her legs, changing her life forever. Her new disability breaks her, washing over her with self pity and depression.

Four months on, and Ali has moved into a new position as a security guard. On a night watch, he gets a surprising call from Stéphanie, deciding that he should go and visit her, even if he hardly knows her. Maybe her brief and obscure connection him drove her to reach out? On arrival he sees her condition, but his concern is elsewhere. Even though people come to see her and take care of her, she is clearly lonely. But he sees through her disability, inspiring her to leave her apartment and encouraging her to swim again.

In time, they grow closer, with their companionship pushing Stéphanie through her troubles. They aren't a couple, but their friendship seems vital to them. Ali gets his kicks sleeping around with different women, but doesn't see any relationship potential with them. Does his friendship with Stéphanie carry more strength?

As Stéphanie strives through, Ali starts to neglect this son. He is exhausted, fending for his son with little means and with no mother in sight. Yet, he could fix his money issues through a work connection, getting involved in underground fighting. Using his experience from in boxing and kickboxing bouts from his younger years, the fighting could be the answer to all of his troubles. 

Even with Stéphanie resilience firing him to succeed in his matches, he will have to be pushed to his limits in order to truly fight.

Jacques Audiard, writer and director on A Prophet, rightly received plaudits for this piece across the numerous film festivals and award ceremonies (shockingly, no Oscar nod though!). Some great choices were made in the moulding of many different elements, in order to subtly portray certain factors. For example, for most of the score well known English language songs were chosen, creating an interesting juxtaposition against the french dialogue in the film (trying to promote it to a wider audience perhaps?) and carrying a sense of both familiarity and disconnection vital to the plot line. The biggest winner of the inconspicuous detail award however is Mr. Computer Generated. This is due to the effects laid out for the amputated legs of Cotillard's character of Stéphanie, á la Lieutenant-Dan-of-Forrest-Gump style, and very impressive they are too. There are various scenes where the none-legs get a lot of screen time and I was unsure if they were visual effect shots or some clever prosthetics until I checked the special features afterwards. 

Also, the same care was taken for the incident near the start of the film that caused Stéphanie's disability, which isn't handled like a disaster movie but with the artistic bent a director of Audiard's talent brings, commencing with some crisp slo-mo shots of the whales turning tricks in the pool. The same diligence is applied to the camera work throughout as well, with some gentle pans and wide shots, paired with some handheld close-ups. Natural light, including that from the Riviera sun, is used through most of the film to enhance the shots and taken advantage of at points to create great lens flares and back lighting.

Audiard's other ace card is the story. Along with his writing companion Thomas Bidegain, who also penned A Prophet with him, they have crafted a brave but refined tale. Relying on the plot's strength's the dialogue is minimal when required, giving space for the actors to play the role through expression, which is a hard balance to achieve against some of the more meatier chapters of the script. It brings an air of distinguished emotions, and is incredibly moving, especially the unforgettable scene halfway through where Stéphanie decides to return to the water park, which elevates the whole picture.  No longer is a drama of troubled companions but an example of potential triumph against all odds. Within this structure, relationships and aspects do tend to jump a little, yet this reflects the journeys our two leads are taking as they readjust to their new lifestyles.

Relationships, in fact, are the key themes in the whole tale, having impact on other elements. There is considerable strain on the connection between Ali and his son Sam at times. We're never really sure what is happening regarding the boy's mother; we can only assume that she has passed away. The effect of this on Sam rears it head from time to time, like when he coops up in the dog house, amidst all the excrement, as an allegory for him hiding from the truth of his mother never returning to him.

The relationship that pins the entire piece together, of course, is that between our leads. Their re-connection after the accident helps to drive them both to overcome their woes. It is a confusing relationship and it raises many questions on the sensitivity of companionship in such a scenario when considering love and the practicality of disabilities.  It's extremely blunt in its method while quite relaxed, which I feel is a strong approach to the material and one of the reasons the film excels. What's strangely impressive however is that it appears that it's Ali that needs this relationship more than Stéphanie. There is a vibrant flip between fight or flight with him; he'll fight men, but flea from responsibility, yet she'll fight on even though her career and mobility are stolen from her.

All of these kinships are held together by an divine cast. As Ali's sister Louise, Céline Sallette stands out in what is a small role when considering her screen time. Her dialogue is minimal but her storyline has real impact on Ali's outcomes. She is the rock that Ali cannot be for his son and her execution of the character really accentuates this. 

Matthias Schoenarts is strong as the male lead. Pensive throughout, he displays a strong core to prevent stressful elements of his life from breaking his spirit, while defensively preventing himself from opening up for the same reasons. He handles the role with confidence and some charm, not so much as to be a lovable rogue but as a confused man, younger than his years but with the ability to force through life's obstacles if inspired to.

The pillar to the cast of course is Marion Cotillard who is incredible, as always, in a heartbreaking role that can only be handled with the delicate grace and actress of her calibre can provide. Her character has such an unusual journey, not only through the her accident and aftermath but in the courage she builds from the incident and substance she brings from fuelling the determination in Ali. Something she is forgotten for is her sophisticated approach to how she portrays a role, sometimes with such subtlety you don't notice and it's her nomination which was missed the most from this year's Oscar ceremony.

There are some foreign films that are unique and alien to some, yet there are others that are great entries to the less initiated. Rust And Bone fits into this latter category without forgetting it's European cinematic roots. With brilliance in the cast, effects, plot, camerawork and directing, this left field love story is both a warming and chilling story, with a few surprises along the way.

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 pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

February Overview

Award season done, spring on the way...

Following the Globes in January, both the BAFTA's and Oscar's have been distributed amongst the selected few: some choices you agree with, some you abhorrently don't, some you're like...meh! However, with awards season passed, and Spring slowly peeping out of it's warren, we'll have some exciting movies to look forward to leading up to the summer season.

Pixar's wonderful 'Paperman' takes Best Animated Short

While we peer forward, let's take a brief look back to February at the news and reviews that took place on filmbore...

Pick of the week - Recap

First review of February was for the surprisingly excellent Belgian film JCVD, with the owner of the title's moniker showing the world that without the Hollywood pressure, some good material and some history behind him, he's a fine actor after all! This beautifully shot and very small European comedy drama is a must for fans and non-believers in Van Damme.

One of the finest and fulfilling documentary films I've seen in years, Searching For Sugar Man is an outstanding appealing look into the mysterious artist known as Rodriguez, further investigating the background to his untimely and rumoured death. There was great award success for this film (as you'll see below) so it comes highly recommended.

Shane Meadow's films are always incredibly British and outlandishly enjoyable, but none more so than, the still underrated, Dead Man's Shoes. Paddy Considine and Toby Kebbel are both exceptional in this brutal, but moving revenge thriller that glides through your consciousness to start with and takes you to a stark end that leaves hell of an aftertaste!

Leos Carax's welcome return to feature length film making couldn't have had a bigger impact than this. Holy Motors is an example of one of the reason's why I love cinema...it's exuberant, brave, gripping, eccentric and grotesquely wonderful. There's a little something for all in this multi-layered tale of a man who's whole life and world is his performance.

Lots of news!

For those that are fans of the hyper-crazy action flick phenomenon that is The Raid (see my review of it here) you'll be pleased to know that Gareth Evans' sequel, Raid 2: Berendal, is currently underway through principal photography. Click here to link through to my article on this, where you'll be treated to some behind the scene shots including a moody looking Iko Uwais!

Also intriguing is an article I located on a new concept in film entertainment which I have commented on myself in my account "It's Your Choice" here. A short film called many worlds is driven by biological connections to a compact audience, where certain responses determine specific outcomes. It's a refreshing look at the future of cinema and one I wholefully advise investigating further on. Randy Astle article details the method a little more clearer, so that's a good place to start.

And to head this all off, the amazing documentary film (mentioned in the "pick of the week" recap above) Searching For Sugar Man has received some incredible success over February. At first, it won a BAFTA for its efforts, which I was clearly pleased about. And then, as if to just maintain momentum, it swooped through the Academy Awards and took a gong there too. This is a great outcome for what could have been a lesser-known film, recognised even less over time, as this exposure will ensure follow-on rentals of this fantastic documentary feature.

Finally, I have some Top 10's on their way, but I still need some ideas from you all. Comment here, or on the filmbore facebook page, of the wackiest, most bizarre, peculiar, most left-field Top 10 concept you can think of and I'll put my geek head to it.

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

Or, you can email me directly at overview@filmbore.co.uk.

filmbore pick of the week - Twin Town

Twin Town

Director: Kevin Allen

Screenplay: Kevin Allen, Paul Durden

Starring: Rhys Ifans, Llyr Ifans, Dougray Scott, Dorien Thomas, William Thomas

Year: 1997

Language: English

UK rental release: August 2002

IMDb

LoveFilm

Rotten Tomatoes

As today is a special day for the patron saint of one of the UK's countries, I felt it necessary to pick a film from my neighbouring state in honour of St David. Also, I have an affiliation to Wales from living there through my teenage years and the connections in my family history (including the newest addition to the family, my niece Harriet), so it seems right to step over the border for a brief visit and pick a key film from the land of the dragon.

Before I start this review I do need to point out that this picture has split audiences in the past; those taking a negative approach through either the breadth of swearing throughout, or lack of cultural respect (or both), I ask you to watch this indie comedy with an open mind and appreciate it's bravery, tuning in to the fact that a lot of welsh people aren't offended by this film...in fact, they adore it!

We open on the revving of a car, said vehicle leaping over the camera, then fed a vista of the Swansea coast line. Julian Lewis (Llyr Ifans, welsh TV star for many years) is at the wheel of a stolen vehicle, careering around the streets of the Swansea suburb of Mount Pleasant, taking the steep cobbled roads with no fear. In the passenger seat is his brother Jeremy (Rhys Ifans, Mr. Nice, Enduring Love) screaming in enjoyment of Julian's maverick driving skills. They're a couple of tearaways, unrelenting of the law, taking life at their own pace.

A brief knock on a parked Mercedes-Benz riles up corrupt police detective Terry (Dougray Scott, Enigma, TV film United), an antagonistic individual with an eye on the Lewis brothers. His partner, Greyo (Dorien Thomas, another welsh TV star) is his more sensible, cautious partner, but still finds amusement in the damage to Terry's car.

But the inevitable clash between the two duo's comes to pass with a nearing dilemma. The Lewis brother's father, Fatty (Huw Ceredig) has taken on some labouring work at a nearby rugby club. Club owner, Bryn Cartwright (William Thomas of TV series Gavin & Stacey fame) is getting him cheap and wants his roof work completed sharpish. He adores his club, and he pumps a good chunk of his cash and love into it...but he's not all generosity and heart. An accident involving Fatty falling from the club roof starts a spiralling plot which will bring all of our protagonists into a pot of revenge and resentment.

Bryn won't pay any compensation for Fatty's fall, which angers the Lewis boys. When they take this up with Cartwright and come up short they take an alternative approach, setting up a prank to embarrass Bryn's daughter Bonny (Jenny Evans). This sets off a chain reaction of retaliations between them, with Bryn employing Terry and Greyo in his share of the revenge. As each act gets darker and more twisted, inevitable danger is afoot, leading to an event that could change the lives the brothers forever.

As mentioned above, there is a mixed reaction to Twin Town. This, I feel, is unfair but I'm not one to alter a personal opinion of a spectator, as I have strong views of my own. But, if you are new to the film I advise to take a step back, open a beer or pour a wine, and make sure you keep a fresh mind in watching what is, clearly, a great black comedy. 

This genre applies perfectly to the piece, as there are vibrant differences between the moments of out-and-out humour and surprising deep drama that, at times, jump up out of nowhere. It does have a disjointed feel at parts, which actually tends to benefit the frenetic bleak comedy and odd skits between key story moments. Please remember, however, that this is a low-budget, small film with local talent in front and behind the camera (including, then newcomer, Rhys Ifans) so the deft care in balancing the light and the dark is where the film truly succeeds, through some choice comedy vignettes (especially the delightfully hilarious cameo from Keith Allen) and thanks to some great directing choices including the managing of the relentless, controversial script.

One half of the writing team, Paul Durden, is someone I am familiar with through a friend of mine when I lived near Swansea. During my days as a rapper, with my "partners-in-rhyme", we would regularly hire out a rehearsal room that he owned, called The Purgatory, which we'd jam in until the early hours. One time he popped by and, through a beer influenced conversation, I vaguely remember him telling me how the film came about. However, if I'm wrong, Paul - I apologise for my error...this was many years ago, and many beers ago too!

Anyhow, as I recall the story was initially penned by said local Swansea artist and entrepreneur, Mr Paul Durden, with the original intention of releasing it as a book. Taking into account some of the rumours of corrupt officers around Swansea (part of the controversy of the film's release was down to the local law enforcers reaction to this) and the frequent car theft that still goes on in the area today, of which famously made Swansea the joy-riding capital of Europe in the mid-90s. A good friend to Paul, Kevin Allen, felt that the tale had real strength but belonged to the big screen instead, and suggested that he and Paul re-build the story into a script format, of which he would direct. With some restructuring they formed the unique screenplay that has been pushed into Wales' most successful film to date.

This exposure was a great platform for some previously unrecognised Welsh talent. Casting many local TV stars (most of which have taken a turn on the Celtic equivalent of Channel 4, S4C) there is an evident homegrown feel to the picture. Even the creative team chanced in front of the lens briefly: Paul Durden cameo's as a rude taxi driver near the start of the picture, and Kevin Allen appears as a TV reporter.

But, the real heroes are the real life brother's Llyr and Rhys Ifans. In a tale that has numerous leads, they were rightfully chosen as the poster boys. Their sibling-ship seeps through effortlessly, leaving them to play with their characters with ease, and breathing a likeability to two dysfunctional lads who, on paper, you would find difficult to find affiliation with. Even though, there are some blurred morals to the story for all the roles at hand, you still side a little with the Lewis brothers, and this is due to a great performance from them both. At the film's release, it was jointly felt that these two were destined for bigger things...we've seen the growing success of Rhys Ifans over the years, but I think it's unfortunate that Llyr hasn't been as lucky.

There is one more character that I have briefly mentioned but not fully covered yet...Mr Potty Mouth! If you are easily offended by swearing, you may find Twin Town hard to stomach. If you can bypass the language, however, you'll find real character. Yet, it's important to realise that there is some relevance to the swearing. Some of the cast, including Brian Hibbard (lead singer of the 80's acapella group The Flying Pickets, who only recently passed away in June last year) who plays king of karaoke, Dai Reese, have stated that such frequency of swear words is natural in some area of Wales (I can vouch for this, with my own experiences) so in effect, you could say that it's a realistic, cultural rendition. Also, the placing of the swear words was even discussed and argued at times during production. Choosing the correct moment in a sentence to slip in the "F-word" could change the rhythm of each line's delivery. This is noticeable at points, as the dialogue does tend to hold an iambic pentameter feel in parts, so without the heavy swearing the silent character of the film's overall language would be non-existent.

In fact, as you'll see from this article from two years ago, Twin Town has joined the accolades of swearing royalty due to it's heavy use of expletives. And, when you see the flicks who share this blaspheming neighbourhood you'll find it's in the company of some fantastic films, such as Nil By Mouth, Reservoir Dogs and Goodfellas - so, I suppose it's not that bad to have a vulgar mouth after all!

This picture has been ignored and blasted by many, which is a real shame. It's a great example of a true 90's British comedy drama, with little filtering and a bravery that outshines most of a similar ilk. Over the years, it's evolved into a Welsh cult film classic, and I hope that it retains such status on a wider scale across the UK. But for now, it sits atop it's throne in Cymru which is its rightful place.

Happy St David's Day!

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 pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

Sugar Man Strikes Again!!

Not just a BAFTA, but an Oscar too!

Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn have done it again by successfully taking the gong for Documentary Feature at the 85th Academy Awards this weekend.

It's so satisfying that a film of such joy and independent fervour has raised so much awareness to be granted the coveted award, and this should urge you all to go and watch Searching For Sugar Man immediately!

And if both a BAFTA and an Oscar won't convince you, maybe my pick of the week review will instead? Check out my review of the documentary on filmbore here.

And, more info on the their gong and many others from the ceremony can be found at the Academy's Oscars nomination site here.