The Best Film Moments of 2013

2013 has been a veritable feast for brilliant moments in film, regardless of the quality of the overall motion pictures themselves. It's hard to pick just a few moments that stand out from the bunch, particularly as the undeniably greatest moment I've witnessed in the cinema this year belongs to a film that isn't actually out until 2014, (three words - Please Mr Kennedy) but here is just a small selection of the moments that have kept me laughing, crying, or simply glued to the screen this year. (A few spoilers ahead, obviously)

Song and Dance - I'm So Excited!

I've already charted my love of this film in my review earlier this year, so instead of gushing over how much I enjoyed Almodovar's latest bonkers and hilarious offering, I'll skip to straight to the brilliance of this clip. It's probably obvious by now that I have a penchant for song and dance numbers in film, and this scene really is one of the best. The dance is absolutely hilarious and oddly riveting, and is brilliantly juxtaposed by the looks of absolute horror that the plane's passengers give their air stewards.

Modern Love - Frances Ha

If I had my way, this list would be comprised solely of clips from Frances Ha, but I've forced myself to show a little self restraint and just pick the one. This scene, a loving ode to New York and Greta Gerwig's wonderful awkwardness is also an accidental homage to an equally brilliant scene in Leos Carax's Mauvais Sang - allegedly he chose Bowie's Modern Love to score the scene and only afterwards realised the connection. This scene provides just a small glimpse into one of the most sincere and wonderful films of the year... and conveniently enough, isn't even available on Youtube. 

Look At My Shit - Spring Breakers

I wasn't actually a fan of Harmony Korine's hedonistic latest release, (but read our review here for a different opinion) but even I can see that James Franco's monologue here is an absolute masterpiece. Is it satire, commenting on how much we treasure our possessions, or is the scene used just to show off how cool Alien's pad is? Who knows. I'm not even sure Korine does. But this scene is so gleefully over the top - Franco must be having the absolute time of his life - that it's hard not to watch it in a state of slight awe. After watching Alien cooing over his shell-shaped base board and aftershaves, the films we've seen this year seem pale in comparsion. Jay Gatsby, eat your heart out. 

Ending Scene - Drinking Buddies

Joe Swanberg's departure from low-budget mumblecore into... slightly higher budget mumblecore may have been well reviewed, but it was heinously over-looked this year. The film's naturalistic approach to male/female friendship that could at any moment bloom into something more (and, judging by the film's ending, does, if you're one of those people who reads the ending of The Apartment as the start of a beautiful relationship) is so well written and well acted that it's incredible it never got more attention. Aside from this lovely, simple scene in which the two main characters silently reconcile after an argument through food and beer, it also features some of my absolute favourite dialogue of the year - "What the theme of our bar going to be again?" "Reservoir Dogs meets Casablanca, I've told you a million times!" It's impossible to watch this film, and especially this scene, without a wry smile on your face.

Marcus's Rap - Short Term 12

Here, technology has failed me somewhat, because the rap that Keith Stanfield performs in this scene (or at least, a remix of it, the original the features in the film is far more stark and stripped back)  is on Youtube, yet the powers that will be will not allow me to put it in this actual post. Short Term 12 is a film full of brilliant little moments, some of them funny - such as the monologues about his time working at the facility that John Gallager Jr's character uses to bookend the film - and some of them utterly powerful and heart-wrenching, such as this scene. Short Term 12's oldest resident, Marcus, is leaving the facility in a few short weeks, and has been acting out. Through a rap that he performs with careworker Mason accompanying him on a basic drum, he vents his frustrations and also reveals his past to the audience. So good is the rap that it has been (unless I'm making this up out of sheer will) put on the longlist for Best Original Song at 2014's Academy Awards. 

I Follow Rivers - Blue is the Warmest Colour

Blue is the Warmest Colour is now infamous for a set of scenes that are very different in tone to this one, but this very short scene shows a side of the main character Adele that we do not see often in this illuminating but at times very hard to watch film - we see her as the teenager that she is, laughing, having fun and dancing with her friends. While the performances of the film's lead actresses, Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos, the film's director makes it clear here the the true subject of the film  is Adele. Although in a group of people, it is possible not to notice her presence, and the camera is constantly drawn back to her face in a moment of rare unadulterated happiness. 

Piano Scene - Stoker

Stoker was an hour of a half of surreal madness, (although, who expected anything less from the director of the dark and twisted Oldboy) some of it, such as the cringe-worthy shower scene, perhaps not paying off. But this rapidly paced scene in which India duets with her Uncle on the piano - OR DOES SHE?! - is wonderful, and shows just how good a director Park Chan-Wook can be if he's given the right scene to direct. 

Turbulence - Flight

Everyone seems to have forgotten about Flight - mainly because it really wasn't the great - but it's worth refreshing your brain with this scene towards the beginning of the film, in which Denzel Washington's inebriated pilot manages to drive a plane through turbulance and safely land it... upside down. The film's by the director of Forest Gump, so anything goes here really. After the plane's landed, the film begins to tail off, but these ten minutes show just how good it could have been. 

Opening Shot - Gravity

Yet another reason that nobody remembers Flight anymore is due to just how tacky and dreadful it would look in comparison to Gravity's masterful and breathtaking opening shot. I've ooh and ahh-ed over this shot already, as have about a thousand other people, but this unbroken 13 minute long shot really is the pinacle of modern filmmaking, and will definitely still be discussed in 10 years time when talking about the best film openings of all time. 

The Gimp - This is the End

I confess somewhat guiltily, This is the End was one of my favourite films of the year. I've always been a sucker for initally awful looking but surprisingly good "bro" comedies, (such as last year's 21 Jump Street) and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's directorial debut did not disappoint. Well, apart from the special effects. More on that over here. As all the actors in the film played themselves, there were cameos aplenty, making it very hard to choose just one - it was a tie between this and the "is this amazing or the weirdest thing ever?!" ending - but Channing Tatum suddenly popping up for a minute long cameo as Danny McBride's love gimp was perfect. 

Hotel Room Fight - Before Midnight

Before Midnight was a film of two distinctive halves: (oh, and what wonderful halves they were - and you don't believe me, here's our review) the "before" and the hotel room. While I may have preferred the breezy and humorous tone of the first half of the film, showing Jesse and Celine as a family after 7 years (!!!!) of viewers not knowing what became of their relationship. But the film's dialogue, co-written by the film's stars, truly comes into it's own in the second half, a bitter, painful fight that the couple shares in the hotel room that has been gifted to them by their friends for the night. There are still comic moments - Celine storms in and out of the room in fits of rage - but it's definitely more serious, and subtly reveals what's been happening for the past 7 years without the dialogue ever become too wooden. Because we've invested so much in these characters in their relationship over three films, this scene is painfully tense not just for the characters but for us too. After all these years, after finally getting together, are they really going to throw away their relationship? The scene leaves you on tenterhooks. 

Opening Shot - The Place Beyond the Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines didn't do too much to impress me after it's first "act" starring the always swoon-worthy Ryan Gosling - a pity considering how in love I am with Derek Cianfrance's wonderful Blue Valentine - but the 45 or so minutes that open the film really are wonderful, particularly the film's opening shot, a long unbroken take of Gosling walking through a fair, preparing to perform his cage biking act. It's inexplicable to say why (although perhaps it's due in part to the menacing looking knife that he performs a trick with at the beginning of the scene) but there's something ominous about the scene, as though - while not explicitly - it foreshadows the grim nature of the events that will follow. It really is a wonderful shot, and an even better way to open a film, even if the rest of it is perhaps less wonderful.

Do you agree with my choices? What would you have chosen? Let us know in our comments box. 

Grace Barber-Plentie

Review: Gravity

There seems to be an unwritten rule for batshit crazy films about space - if it's got one syllable, you've got a winner on your hands. Moon, Sunshine, Solaris, Alien, the list goes on and on. Obviously not all of these films are seminal classics, (and sadly only one of them contains a naked George Clooney) but one thing that they all have in common, aside from the names, is the inventiveness of each film's director to strive to show a side of the space experience that hasn't been seen before. But despite how good some of these films may have been, Gravity well and truly topples them all.

I wrote in my preview of the Autumn's cinema that I was terrified to see this film, and really, I was quite right to be. Space is generally a terrifying thought, and Gravity comes along and proves that we were right all along to harbour grudges against the millions of galaxies that are out there. There are very few nice things that happen in this film. Just when we, oh foolish audience, think that finally everything is safe, something catastrophic will happen, and set us back to square one. If you're a nervous person, or are easily invested in characters and their survival then be warned - this is not an easy film to watch. You, just as I did, will most likely have at least 30 minor heart attacks throughout this film. But in a weird and twisted way, it's all part of the fun.

Here comes the obvious part of the review, the part that has been repeated countless times in countless reviews since Gravity's debut at Venice a few months ago - the film is absolutely, unquestionably, almost shockingly stunning. From the 15 minute-ish long unbroken opening shot, it is a film that will make you ooh and ah in awe. What Cuaron has achieved with this film is simply incredible. While I'm not usually an advocate for 3D, if you're planning to see this film in 2D then I urge you to reconsider, and experience the film to the fullest. 

With a film this technically brilliant, it does seem like a lot to ask Gravity to be as incredible in other areas, and as many other people have commented, the script is perhaps not that great. Sandra Bullock's character is fairly rudimentary, and spends the first 3/4 of the film overwhelmed and screaming, throwing in some emotional (and what some people have called unnecessary) backstory. However in order for the audience to truly put ourselves in her shoes, she needs to be a fairly simple character. And asking for a story as complicated as say, Moon's, seems like asking for a lot, considering how complicated some sequences are. Though perhaps a little weak, I was still engaged with the story for the whole of the film, and even found myself coming out of the cinema ruefully shaking my head and saying "I can't believe Sandra Bullock nearly made me cry".

Whether or not you're interested in space, whether or not you enjoy Sandra Bullock as an actress, Gravity is definitely a film that you need to see, as soon as possible. Every so often a film comes along that is described as "THE film experience of the year", and Gravity more than qualifies as 2013's.

Grace Barber-Plentie

LFF Review: 12 Years a Slave

It seems almost redundant at this point to compare Steve McQueen's third film and potential breakthrough into Hollywood to Quentin Tarantino's blood-spattered "Southern" Django Unchained, and yet, it also seems impossible not to. After all, the films are so similar, and so very different. Having watched Django just a few days ago, it remains all too fresh in my head. And while, at the beginning of the year, I was very much sold on Django as a film that managed to combine both the suffering of slavery with unmistakably Tarantino-ish gestures, (blood, feet... more blood...) 12 Years a Slave without a doubt is greater than Django (and this comes from an undying Tarantino fan), and, in all honesty, most films that have so far been released this year.

The film tells the real-life tale of Solomon Northup, a freeborn black man and classical violinist, who is unwittingly kidnapped on a trip to Washington. From here, Northup is sold into slavery, and is put through a series of harrowing ordeals as a slave. For TWELVE WHOLE YEARS. So far, so white guilt, but unlike pretty much every director who's made a film about slavery, McQueen (who is himself black, though really his race should be irrelevant with regards to this film) is surprisingly unsentimental. He doesn't need to be. The thought of slavery alone is a horrible one, and there are scenes in this film that had me crying without the saccharine melodrama of Hollywood. So while, with all slavery films, we can see that the white slave owners are of course in the wrong, we don't cheer when wrong befalls them like we do when Django shoots someone in the genitals. Probably because everybody is too busy sobbing into their popcorn.

One thing that has been universally heralded are the performances. You may hear the words "power-house" thrown around in the next few months, and these descriptions are completely accurate. Chiwetel Ejifor has always been a remarkable actor, from Love Actually to the brilliant Dirty Pretty Things, and now finally comes the time for him to be revealed as the star that he really is. If he doesn't receive Best Actor come January, I'm sure a lot of people, myself included, will be eating their proverbial hats. Also astonishing and award-worthy is newcomer Lupita Nyong'o as fellow slave Patsey, the unfortunate object of her master's lust and mistresses hatred. In fact, it feels a little mean to draw just those two actors out of an ensemble who are all at the top of their game. I've had many reasons to be angry at Michael Fassbender over the years, (the domestic abuse claim, the time he ordered his drink wrong in Inglorious Basterds...) but working for the third time with McQueen and back in the crazy zone, he is brilliant.

I feel a little cruel writing this review as I remember that this film isn't actually out in the UK until 2014. But I haven't felt such a strong sense of passion, a sense of "everything about that was perfect" about a film for a long while. It seems incredible that such a film about slavery can really have been made by a British man, but it's true. When we come to look back on slavery, when children are educated and we come to reflect on 2013/14 in film, 12 Years a Slave will, I'm sure, instantly jump out. McQueen has added yet another classic to an ever-flourishing career.

Grace Barber-Plentie

Review: Filth

Filth is an example of an alright film that is elevated to a great one due to a brilliant lead performance. The film tells the story of Bruce Robertson, the cocaine snorting, self-destructive detective sergeant who is hell-bent on getting promoted whilst dealing with his own demons in very fucked up ways. The film never condones his horrifying behaviour and yet manages to evoke some sympathy for what is truly an unlikable characters. It really is James McAvoy’s show: the scenes without him just don’t stand up to the same level and the other actors are elevated when they’re opposite him. McAvoy revels in the hilariously shocking scenes and well as dealing with the emotionally shocking ones.

However, it does end up a bit messy in the third act, then tries to redeem itself with a twist that isn’t quite executed well enough. From that point onwards, the structure seems to fall apart and its shock after shock that leaves you walking away from the film trying to work out if any of it was really necessary. Not all of the surreal scenes work either. Although funny, Jim Broadbent’s role seems superfluous as did the car sing-a-long.

That said, I really did enjoy the film. It balances the funny and the harrowing well and at only 97 minutes, it never overstays its welcome. Eddie Marsan as Bruce’s best pal Bladesey and Shirley Henderson as his wife Bunty are brilliant. Imogen Poots and Jamie Bell also hold their own as his rival colleagues. If you’re from Edinburgh, you’ll also get all the extra references that may pass over other audiences’ heads and it’s exciting to see your hometown on screen – even if it makes us look awful. It’s also a nice change to see a film made specifically for a Scottish audience instead of catering to an international market. Because of this, and also the pretty disturbing nature of the film, it may never receive American distribution which really is a shame as McAvoy deserves at least a nomination for his work.

Overall, it may not be perfect, but for wee Jamesy boy alone it’s worth it.

Beth Johnston

LFF Review: All Cheerleaders Die

I don't know how it happened but, through begging, borrowing and stealing (joking about the latter) I have acquired a delegate pass to London Film Festival. This means that, for the next month or so, I shall be posting a lot of reviews of the content of the festival, (but sadly not mingling with Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock) letting you know which films you should flock to, and which you should definitely avoid in the coming months.

It's been a very good year for very bad girls in cinema. From the silent, sinister girl who goes from outcast to cold-blooded killer in Park Chan-Wook's Stoker, to the gun toting, beer guzzling girls of Spring Breakers and the clueless criminals of Sofia Coppola's Bling Ring, teenage girls both solo and in new rebellious gangs have been proving how much fun it can be to be a bit bad. We may not approve of their actions, but that doesn't make them any less fun to watch. All Cheerleaders Die gleefully follows in this tradition, keeping the sense of rebelliousness and bitchiness, but upping the buckets of blood.

The feel of the film is clear from the off - we follow cheerleader and general Queen Bee Alexis, star of her ex-best friend Maddy's documentary project around school as she drops life tips such as "Always take remedial classes, that way you can always get straight A's" and simpers over her boyfriend, the equally popular Terry. So far so idyllic, until Lexi ends up breaking her neck during an ambitious cheerleading stunt. Three months later, Maddy is more than happy to fill her friend's shoes, and all hell breaks loose.

All Cheerleaders Die has an "anything goes" feel to it, gathering (and on occasion subverting) teen film cliches with glee. Obsessive wiccan ex-girlfriend? Sure thing. Douchey jock who thinks he rules the school? You bet. Enough curses to fill up a swear jar? Of course. Unlike a lot of recent films (Kick-Ass 2's painful teen girl subplot immediately springs to mind) these characters are, for the most part, broad stereotypes whose backgrounds are gradually and briefly filled in. But for a film whose plot increasingly picks up speed and keeps adding in different elements, this oddly works, especially when directors McKee and Silverston move away from teen bitching and towards straight gore and horror. It's predictable, but that doesn't make it any less fun. Like with any good horror film, the audience knows what's going to happen, and is kept in anticipation of it. 

All Cheerleaders Die may perhaps not go on to be a definitive classic of the teen genre the way Heathers and Mean Girls have, rather instead it is the sort of will that could (and should) go on the gather a cult following around it. It may not be perfect, and it may be steeped in tropes, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter because it's just so much fun! McKee and Silverston have created a film that can happily sit side by side with films like Spring Breakers, The Craft and Jennifer's Body in a marathon of good films that are about very bad girls. 

Grace Barber-Plentie

Still to Come: 15 Films to Look Out for During the Remainder of 2013

2013 is, in my eyes, almost over. Awards season has (sadly, oh god I miss it so much) been and gone, and we're gradually leaving the Summer Blockbuster period and edging into Autumn. Which, in my eyes, is only a good thing. Aside from being the best season, Autumn always offers two distinctive types of film - nice little indies and big, heavy Oscar contenders. While of course there are many, many films still to be released throughout the remainder of the year, existing in many different genres, here are a few of the gems you can look out for in your local cinema in the months to come.

About Time - 4th September

For some reason, I feel like I should apologize about wanting to see this, and I'm not sure why. Richard Curtis, director of two of my ultimate guilty pleasure films, gives us his third offering, a nice, cute little English film about a man who can time-travel and (obviously) uses it to manipulate his lovelife. I'm not saying that this is a mindblowing film, far from it in fact, but it looks sweet and the trailer makes me laugh, and sometimes that's all I look for in a film.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints - 6th September 

I'm a little wary about this one, for one reason and one reason only - the Terrance Malick comparisons. Ever since this film previewed at Sundance, it's been laden down with comparisons to Malick, man of the trees. As long as they're not comparing to it To the Wonder, which was absolutely dire, I'm sure I'll get along just fine with it. And judging by the film's trailer, it certainly seems to have a lot more in common with Malick's debut film, Badlands, which as we all know, is a beautiful film about a young couple on the run. And, on the plus side, there aren't too many trees in it. Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck play this film's star-crossed lovers, cruelly separated after a run-in with the law. Years later, Affleck's character, Bob, has escaped from prison, eager to be reunited with his wife and infant daughter that she was carrying when he was arrested. Even if this isn't up to scratch plot-wise, it looks absolutely stunning, and, more importantly, has a really really good title.

Blue Jasmine - 29th September

Ah, Woody Allen. Once king of films about the bourgeoisie white American, your crown is certainly slipped in recent years. (Although I will defend Midnight in Paris to my grave if I have to) Yet here, perhaps, is a chance for a comeback. Starring Cate Blanchett (so you at least know the acting will be good) as the titular Jasmine, a washed-up and depressed woman whose husband has just been sent to prison for fraud and so ends up living with her estranged half-sister and husband in San Francisco whilst sinking into an ever-deeper funk. So far, so Streetcar Named Desire, but according to critics, this is Allen's return to the A-game, so I'm willing to give it a try. Plus, the cast is so utterly eclectic and bizarre that I'm intrigued to see if he can pull it off.

The To-Do List - 4th October

This may not be the most sophisticated film in the world, but let's appreciate it for what it is - a rare Cumming of Age (sorry sorry sorry sorry) tale told from a female point of view. DIRECTED BY A WOMAN. Starring Aubrey Plaza, Donald Glover and Alia Shawkat. Set in the 90s for some reason. No matter how bad this film is, I am already sold. From this point in the list, things start to get a bit heavy, so let's all savour this cheery film before we sit down to watch three hour long French lesbian dramas, (no matter how amazing they may sound/look) okay?

How I Live Now - 4th October

Ah, the first film about incest in our list. (Never mind) Meg Rossoff's Coming of Age tale has been one beloved to my heart ever since I read it at an really inappropriately young age, so naturally, I have reservations about this one. But, on the plus side, this film has several things working in its favour. Kevin McDonald is actually quite a good director, just look Last King of Scotland for an example. Saoirse Ronan is always pretty fabulous, no matter what she's in. And, on a more personal level, this was filmed at my friend's grandparent's house, which is pretty cool! This could easily be another dull dystopian lovestory or it could be a lot more than that. Purleeease let this be the latter.

Prince Avalanche - 4th October

I didn't realise that David Gordon Green was the guy who did Pineapple Express and Your Highness, what a bizarrely eclectic list of films to have directed. Here he seems to go a bit more back to his roots (his first film, George Washington, looks a lot more mediative and serene rather than loud and focused on weed-smokers) with this charming tale of two men in the 80s left alone in the wilderness to paint roads. Like a less homoerotic Brokeback Mountain, with Paul Rudd doing fishing. What more do you want, really?

Short Term 12 - 1st November

Okay, NOW we are getting into potential Oscar territory, so one might hope anyway. I only watched this trailer recently but it looks like a proper film, one that doesn't deliberately attempt to manipulate a viewer's emotions in order to pack a punch and win awards (like, say, the films of Lee Daniels) but manages to evoke emotions in a more natural and cathartic way. To put it simply, this looks like the sort of film that will make me cry. Brie Larson looks absolutely wonderful in this, and absolutely unrecognizable from more gimmicky projects such as Scott Pilgrim and 21 Jump Street. This definitely looks like it could be her chance for recognition, and maybe even some awards, but then again people said that about Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Smashed last year and that kinda really didn't happen. So who knows.

Gravity - 8th November

I really want to see this film, but god, just the trailer for this scares the bejesus out of me. And not just because of Sandra Bullock's grunting. So basically, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are lost in space. That's pretty much it, but who cares because look how cool it looks! The opening shot in this film is supposed to be out of this world, (sorry) one veeeery long take, or so I'm told. Plot-wise it looks a bit thin, but hopefully it's all being held under-wraps, and if not, I'm sure the amazing visuals will at least keep people entertained.

The Counselor - 15th November

This is worth seeing for Javier Bardem's latest wacky hairstyle alone, surely? This actually looks great, penned by Cormac McCarthy, bestselling Chick-Lit writer, (author of the books that The Road, There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men are based on) Michael Fassbender (getting a chance to really show off his crazy eyes) plays a counselor drawn into lots of danger and explosions and things I don't really understand in order to afford the money to propose to and marry his girlfriend, played by Penelope Cruz. He soon gets involved with Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt's shady characters, and everything kicks off basically. I'm sure it ends well though.

Don Jon - 15th November

Apparently bored of being able to act, write, sing, dance and speak fluent French, (I was a tad obsessed back when 500 Days of Summer came out, I'm afraid) Joseph Gordon-Levitt has now turned his hand to directing. Don Jon, his debut, features JGL as a modern-day Don Juan, who, despite falling madly in love with his new girlfriend, suffers from a hidden porn addiction. Unlike most addiction dramas, especially those veering into the sexual side of things, this doesn't look too heavy, and seems to be offering a fresh and modern perspective into both romance and porn.

Blue is the Warmest Colour - 15th November

Ah, the aforementioned three-hour long French lesbian romance. When I heard about this film before Cannes, I really reeeeally didn't think this would be my cup of tea, but after hearing amazing reviews, it's actually become one of my most-anticipated films of the year. Supposedly made strong by an absolute powerhouse performance from the lead, Adèle Exarchopoulos, (this year's Quevenzhane Wallis in terms of unpronounceable names?) the film could perhaps reach the level of acclaim that Brokeback Mountain has in terms of a deep and meaningful portrayal of a gay couple.

Oldboy - 6th December

This sits on this list more out of pure curiosity than me actually wanting to see it. I was forced to watch the original Oldboy by my drama teacher towards the end of Secondary School (so very very inappropriate) and, after a subsequent viewing, I'm not sure that I like it, but would definitely recommend it to friends as a film that you have to see before you die, for all its tricks and turns. The film is pretty much everything that Spike Lee isn't - subtle, mysterious, horribly violent - but in past years, Lee has experimented more with other genres, so there is a very slim chance that he may pull it off.

Anchorman: The Legend Continues - 20th December

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I literally haven't been able to talk to anyone about this film this year without screaming, no matter how well I know them. I think Anchorman is my most-watched film of all-time, and I am beyond excited. It will probably be shit but still. STILL.

American Hustle - 20th December

Considering Silver Linings Playbook, which was nice and all but not really Oscar-worthy, I am very surprised by how good this looks. I don't know who edits trailers these days, but somebody is doing a fine job. Then again, there is next to no dialogue in this, so all the scenes with actual talking in, may be terrible. But I feel like this will be worth it just for how dramatic it looks/ridiculous beards/fabulous outfits on Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence.

August: Osage County - 26th December

This looks like Oscar-bait, pure and simple, but I couldn't really think of anything else to put on this list, and it has Meryl Streep in, so it will at least be vaguely decent, and will probably involve Meryl bringing her A-game acting wise. Do we really need any other reasons to see it?

Grace Barber-Plentie

Review: The Way Way Back

While it may not be the most exciting or even original of films, there is something about a good independent Coming-of-Age film that will always draw me in. From the classics of John Hughes, to Terrance Malick's beautifully haunting Badlands to the more recent The Wackness and Adventureland, these films are able to perfectly capture the highest highs and lowest lows of being a teenager and finally finding your place in the world. 

Following the traditions of this genre, The Way Way Back certainly isn't the most original premise, yet it's held together by a nice script, a brilliant cast, and a feeling, even in its darkest moments, that everything is going to turn out alright. Written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, (otherwise known as Community's dressing up fanatic Dean Pelton) who won Best Screenplay at the Oscars for The Descendants, a film which similarly managed to mix sad revelations with moments of pure joy, (although in my humble opinion, The Way Way Back is by far the better film) the film follows 14 year old Duncan as he is dragged on holiday with his mother and her all-round awful new boyfriend (Toni Collette and Steve Carrell, novices of the indie film after Little Miss Sunshine) but manages to find joy through a job in a run-down local water park. If you're thinking that this premise sounds very similar to 2009's Adventureland, then you would not be wrong, however while Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart's romance is a major plot point in the latter, The Way Way Back puts young love more to one side, choosing instead to focus on Duncan's relationship with the park's boss, Owen.

What really sets this film above others and in the same league as other indie hits such as Little Miss Sunshine and Juno (coincidentally, all three films were released by the same studio) is its cast. Carrell and Collette may be billed above the others, but Sam Rockwell is, as usual, the real star, absolutely stealing every scene he is in, flicking between boyish humour, and a caring, more fatherly side as he takes Duncan under his wing. But that's not to discredit the rest of the cast - Carrell is absolutely loathsome, a rare role for one of Hollywood's leading men, but he plays it well. Toni Collette and Maya Rudolph are likeable and natural as ever in their roles, even when they are forced to nag and whine about the immature men that they are with. And Liam James is so understated and toe-curlingly awkward as Duncan that you begin to wonder whether he is really acting. 

It is unlikely that The Way Way Back will be lauded the best film of the year by critics. Nor does it seem likely that it will be rewarded at next year's Oscars. But regardless of this, it is the sort of film that will undoubtedly go on the live the same kind of legacy as the sunshine-filled, bittersweet indie films that it has been compared to. And quite rightly too.

Grace Barber-Plentie

Review: The Bling Ring

Sofia Coppola is a woman who has made a career by telling stories about unlikeable and lost people. Characters such as the spoilt Queen of France and an actor wasting his days in the legendary Chateau Marmont may not exactly appeal to audiences, yet with a mixture of stunning cinematography, clever scriptwriting and perfect musical cues, Coppola presents them in a way that makes us sympathize with, if not even like them. What's noticeable about The Bling Ring is that this ability to show humanity in even the most awful and hopeless people in a flattering light that has run through all of Coppola's films is missing here. Without it, she has succeeded in creating a film that is every bit as hollow and materialistic as the characters within it. 

It's not the topic of wealth that causes Coppola to go astray, as she's dealt with it well in a previous (and unjustly underrated) film, Marie Antoinette. By setting a scene consisting of hundreds of pairs of shoes, mountains of cake and fountains of champagne to Bow Wow Wow's "I Want Candy", she manages to create an image that is both satirical and lustworthy. Rather it's the viewpoint that she chooses to take towards the film's protagonists, the titular Bling Ring, a group of teenage wannabe A-listers turned thieves. Instead of following her usual formula of showing the protagonists at their very worst, wallowing in self-pity or egotistical self-love, before showing us that hey, these are people with neurosis's and weaknesses too, cut them some slack, she attempts omniscience by presenting these the teens and their livestyles to us without passing comment on their actions. In every interview I have read with her proceeding the film's release, she's made it very clear that she doesn't want to pass judgement on the Bling Ring, and would rather the audience make their minds up for themselves. Yet this is exactly the sort of film that needs to be subjective. Without Coppola taking a clear stance against the Bling Ring, telling us whether or not they should be detested or envied, the film has little structure, and becomes simply a series of teenagers breaking into houses, cooing over clothes and getting drunk, before FINALLY getting their comeuppance. 

It's not just Coppola's viewpoint that makes this film weak. Visually, it's lacking the light touch and beauty of her other films. The Virgin Suicides is a film that audiences adore not just for its universal themes of wasted youth, angst and love, but for its dreamy visuals. As Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette are set in the past, it makes perfect sense for them to be filmed in a dreamlike haze of nostalgia. But Lost in Translation and Somewhere, both firmly rooted in the present day, are still endlessly interesting to look at. Bling Ring on the other hand, is as conservative as they come, mainly lacking Coppola's distinctive camera talents. It could almost pass for a standard Hollywood film.

I can without a doubt confirm that The Bling Ring is the weak link in Coppola's otherwise flawless chain of films. While of course the film's point is to question the media-obsessed world we live in, the film's attempts to delve into the world of celebrity, such as a slideshow of images of Paris Hilton, looking as though they were created on Microsoft Powerpoint, fail miserably. Perhaps another year, and another time, and the gang's (admittedly real, and fairly impressive for a group of dumb teenagers) exploits may seem more impressive and dangerous. But compared to Harmony Korine's pastel daze of Spring Breakers, they seem like nothing. The title may be bling, but sadly the film does little to dazzle an audience.

Grace Barber-Plentie 

Review: This is the End

Celebrities are (mainly) pretty shitty people. The apocalypse is a bit of a bummer. Combine these two things and the most obvious outcome is an indulgent circle-jerk of a film, with the occasional pyre of flames and caverns opening to hell. Certainly, this is what the majority of the public expected of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's directorial debut. Yet what they got was something rather different. 

Obviously, the "classic" elements of every film our ensemble (James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson playing allegedly fictional versions of themselves) has starred in feature - weed smoking, masturbation, jokes about masturbation, bromance - yet the obviously sentimental Rogen and Goldberg do allow themselves to throw in a few moments that are fairly emotional, amidst all the chaos. Overall, its the story of the disintegration of Baruchel and Rogen's friendship - it's coincidental that the world also seems to be ending. The film also contains a surprisingly religious core that is rarely - if ever - seen in Hollywood films these days. (probably because most of Hollywood are scientologists?) As the film progresses, the gang realise that they haven't exactly lived the best of lives, and that the hellfire reigning down upon them may be a little more than just a bit earthquake. 

Most of the film can certainly be admirable as an effort from first-time directors, yet there are inevitably a few flaws. Nearly all of the film's CGI elements look pretty shlocky, so much so that it's hard to believe that this is a film released in 2013. Some sections also drag, particularly those where the characters just sit around and talk in Franco's house. Clearly, this is a trait that the two have inherited from their mentor, Judd Apatow, as This is 40 was basically 2 hours of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann sitting around and whining about their "terrible" (pretty great) lives. Rogen and Goldberg also try to counter this with many twists and turns, some of which just feel very strange. The last 30 minutes or so of the film are very surreal, and as I left the cinema, the only thing I could think to remark was "that was a strange film".

Yet, credit where it's due, I haven't laughed as much at a film in the cinema for a LONG time. The humour, unsurprisingly, is not the most sophisticated, and not every joke hits, but when they do, they are golden. Particularly excellent are the Freaks and Geeks references scattered throughout the film ("Freaks forever!" a worringly obsessed James Franco tells Seth Rogen) and a few cameos late in the film that have astoundingly been kept secret from the public. This is the End may be a little scattered, but for some of the jokes alone, it's well worth flocking to like the world is ending. 

Grace Barber-Plentie

Review: Before Midnight

Watching each of Richard Linklater’s Before films feels like visiting old friends, perhaps even more so with his latest Before Midnight. Nine years have passed since we last visited Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) in Paris during Jesse’s book tour and the couple are now married and holidaying in Greece with their twin daughters. This isn’t necessarily a spoiler – these film can’t really be spoiled as the magic of them lies in the dialogue and how these beloved characters deal with their lives at each stage we visit them.

Where Before Midnight clearly differs from the previous two films is that Linklater allows Jesse and Celine interact with other people, both separately and together. Because of this, the film feels more relaxed and casual as they are not dealing with the constraints of time like in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset - they can afford to take their time.

Instead, they are dealing with the constraints of marriage and parenthood which addressed more directly in the second half when they take the night off at a hotel and end up bringing out the worst in each other. Gone are the romantic, hopeful fantasies found in Before Sunrise. Here we are able to see the cynicism and realism that living through previous failed relationships have cost the protagonists. They are mean to each other, insulting each other choices and ideas. “I fucked my whole life up because of your singing” Jesse tell her and we’re unsure whether or not that’s a declaration of love or an admission of bitterness. The second half, where it’s just the two of them talking, feels more natural, like old times, and yet it’s also uncomfortable to watch as they tear each other down.

Although Before Midnight isn’t my favourite of the three, it still feels so authentic and is really just perfect. It’s so strange to see Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke go from their baby-faced twenty-something selves in Before Sunrise, to a married greying couple but both actors are these characters and play the roles naturally. I hope that Linklater, Delpy and Hawke let us revisit these characters again in 2021.

Beth Johnston

Take Two Review: The Great Gatsby

At Real to Reel, we know that if you want to see a film, it's easy to either be completely swayed by someone else's opinions before you've even seen it, or reject their views entirely. Therefore Take Two provides you with not one but two reviews in order to give you two perspectives of the newest releases. The best things really do come in twos. 

Reading The Great Gatsby, I grew more and more excited for Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation: like many, I was excited to see how he’d re-imagine the world of lavish parties, of superficial allure belying deep-rooted, intimate chaos. Luhrmann’s flamboyance bringing Fitzgerald’s words to life - it seemed like a dreamy match. And visually, it was a dream. The cinematography is everything you would expect from a Luhrmann film, taken and then doused in glitter for good measure (this is a good thing). Every single scene is glowing, saturated with showy costumes, fireworks; the reckless fervour of the 20’s is visually encapsulated with eye-watering intensity. There is very little room for subtlety, bittersweet, as this is both Gatsby’s strongest and weakest point.

While cinematographically, Luhrmann’s bluntness is perfect for capturing the wasteful extravagance of the world of Gatsby, from a narrative standpoint it doesn’t translate so well. The original novel is narrated by our protagonist Nick Carraway, and to stay true to this, Luhrmann employs the device of having the entire film be a proposed recollection told by a now alcoholic Carraway. In this way, entire lines of Nick’s inner dialogue are spoken to us throughout parts of the film, which I found pretty distracting. Instead of recreating he repeats - Luhrmann relies too heavily on telling as opposed to showing. Instead of translating the text into acting, the text is simplistically spoken with images playing in the background - giving a hollow feel, and at times robbing the actors of opportunities to fully characterise their roles.

Yet when the actors are given a chance to breathe amongst the overwhelming chaos of Luhrmann’s direction, the film picks up its pace. Perhaps tellingly, the most raptly engaging scene happens to be the fall-out in the hotel, which is carried by the powerful acting rather than flashy theatrics. Leonardo DiCaprio - whose charismatic portrayal of Gatsby draws you in throughout - is especially stellar here, his performance holding you viciously rapt. I have mixed feelings about Carey Mulligan’s performance - she’s good, but never quite captures the spellbinding aura which magnetises people to Daisy in the novel.

While in concept brilliant, and the execution at times engaging, this film is testament of the importance of substance. It touches upon the surface of the world of Gatsby, capturing the extravagance, but leaving not much space for the emotions which are the true compelling factor of this story. Great skill is required to successfully employ a kitsch aesthetic whilst maintaining integrity in the storyline- Luhrmann has pulled this off before in Romeo & Juliet, and Moulin Rouge; but his execution of The Great Gatsby was heavy handed, lacking the depth required to make this work.

-Anita Bhadani

It turns out that sometimes simply dreading a film is a good idea. Like the rest of the Western hemisphere, I'd felt mild curiosity towards The Great Gatsby as it was announced and drew ever closer, watched trailers and listened to snippets of the soundtrack. However the feeling of pure breathless excitement that everyone else seemed to feel just wasn't there in me. I only finished the book a week before the film, so I was never a long-term fan. It's not as if I dislike Baz Luhrmann's films - far from it in fact, I love the surreal, angsty Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge and the small-scale charm of Strictly Ballroom - I just had no interest in any of this lavish spectacle. And as the reviews from the American opening weekend and Cannes preview came in, my feelings turned from mild curiosity to pure dread. And yet, despite my reservations, I went to see it, 3D and all. And do you know what? I (mostly) loved it.

I know, I'm as surprised as anyone else. I was all set to absolutely loathe the thing, (and, for the first ten or so minutes of Nick Carraway discussing an Alcohol problem that Luhrmann has handily fashioned as a framing device, I really did) but before I knew it I was as reeled in as someone who was desperate to see it for the last six months. As Anita mentions above, the cinematography in Gatsby, particularly its first half, was out of this world, like something from a glorious glitter-soaked vision that I'd never recalled having. Every detail, from Myrtle Wilson's kitsch pink apartment to the wonderfully extravagant parties and Nick's flower-filled apartment felt just perfect. It's Luhrmann through and through. Even the anachronistic soundtrack wasn't as awful as I'd thought it would be, as everything was kept fairly brief and discreet.

But, with an adaption of what many hail to be The Greatest American Novel Of All-Time Ever, there are bound to be a few issues, and this certainly proves true. This is a Hollywood film, and so Gatsby and Daisy's love affair is one of snatched rendezvous and murmured confessions of ever-lasting adoration. What in my opinion felt like a doomed love between a hopeless romantic and a girl unsure of what or who she wants is immediately translated into something picturesque. It's interesting that as soon as Gatsby and Daisy are reunited, the story begins to wane slightly, as the film loses momentum (Aside from the well-acted altercation in the Hotel suite).

Another big problem for me is the way that anyone non-white is immediately transformed into some bizarre and exotic creature. True, this is a reflection of the time period, but showing a group of lavishly dressed black people writhing around in a car as a Jay-Z song plays and the film's protagonists gawp at them just feels a little tacky. As for the casting of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan as a Jewish Gangster, I feel that, enough has already been written about that for me to go into it. I know it's mainly Fitzgerald's writing that's at fault, but in 2013 you'd surely think there would perhaps be a more subtle way to depict race in a film like this.

Overall, Gatsby is certainly an admirable effort of translating what is said to be an unfilmable book to a new audience. If you're happy to take it at face value, it's a beautiful film about beautiful people, one that will capture an audience and take their breath away, especially with the enhancement of 3D. It's only if you're searching for a little meaning that it may lose some of its sparkle.
-Grace Barber-Plentie

Top Ten Song and Dance Numbers

Random Song and Dance numbers in film are literally THE GREATEST THING EVER. If you're not up to watching a full-scale musical, (and I certainly won't be for a while after watching the travesty that was - fancy French accents at the ready - Les Miserables) you can briefly see your favourite characters puttin on the ritz for a few moments, before returning to reality. Sometimes these musical numbers might mean something (the dance contest in Pulp Fiction or the New York, New York scene in Shame for example) but, most of the time, they have absolutely no purpose. Which is the main reason why I love them. Below, my fellow writer and I have selected some of the very best bemusing and amusing song and dance numbers to put a smile on your faces. But beware - they may cause you to dust off your tap shoes or grab a microphone.

Do The Right Thing

Ah, Spike Lee. Some may label him as a misogynist, sexist, colourist, general idiot, (I myself have labelled him many of these things after I was foolish enough to do a project about the portrayal of women in his film. Hint: not so great.) but the man knows how to make a good film. And some bad ones. But let's stick to the good ones. Do The Right Thing is almost universally lauded as Lee's best film, and I like to think this is because of its REALLY FRICKIN GOOD OPENING CREDITS. Oh man, I can't describe how much I love them. I only saw this film for the first time last year, but already this youtube video has become my salvation in times of sadness. Because, if anything can cheer you up when you're glum, it's Rosie Perez shakin her thang to "Fight The Power". A brilliant opening to a brilliant film. 

- Grace Barber-Plentie

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle puts us through so much emotional trauma in Slumdog Millionaire that a credit song and dance sequence really seems like the only way to end his Oscar winning masterpiece. I swear, the only reason this film was touted as “the feel good film of the year” is due to this end credit sequence which basically radiates joy. Boyle puts Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, along with hundreds of extras, in an Indian train station and gets them to dance to A R Rahman’s Jai Ho. He then brings in the adorable 5 year old versions of their characters and my heart immediately melts.

-Beth Johnston

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Let's face the the facts here - this is probably the most joyful moment in cinematic history. You may argue, but what's not to love? Parades, balloons, a frickin Beatles song and everyone having a blast? The now-infamous scene catches the essence of John Hughes films, the feeling of rebellion and escapism from your mundane life, not just with normal activities but with stealing your friend's dad's car and ending up in the middle of a parade just for the sheer hell of it. The film is charming enough without this scene, but with it, you just can't help but grin from ear to ear. Honestly, watch the video and try not to smile at least once. 

-GBP

The Fisher King

The Fisher King is definitely one the strangest films I’ve seen and explaining the plot of it to someone usually results in confused looks. But there is no denying the beautiful simplicity of Terry’s Gilliam’s flashmob waltz in Grand Central Station. So, Robin Williams plays a homeless man obsessed with finding the Holy Grail and Jeff Bridges is a guy who inadvertently ruined his life years earlier. Robin Williams’ character then becomes smitten with Amanda Plummer whom he follows through Grand Central, completely in awe of her. It’s a mesmerising scene that is arguably one of the greatest scenes in modern cinema and it’s frustrating that hardly anyone has actually heard of it. So go forth, and prepare to be impressed.

-BJ

A Life Less Ordinary 

A Life Less Ordinary certainly isn't Danny Boyle's most famous film. Nor is it even his best. But there's something about it that really makes me love it. It tries to combine about a gazillion genres into one film, which makes it a little messy, but for the most part, it's cute and funny. Plus Ewan McGregor's in it, back when he was Ewan McGregor, cute shy actor guy, rather than Ewan McGregor MOTORCYCLE/MOULIN ROUGE GUY. This song and dance number, incidentally to one of my favourite songs, kinda sums up the film. It's unpolished, a bit messy, but oozing cuteness. Makes me wish I could do a fantasy song and dance number in an American bar.

-GBP

The Breakfast Club

Following Brian, Claire, Allison, Andy and Bender’s reveal of why they’re in detention (taping classmates’ arsecheeks/skipping school to go shopping/attempted suicide via flare gun etc.), John Hughes lets his characters blow off little steam by dancing to Karla DeVito’s “We Are Not Alone”. There are so many reasons why The Breakfast Club is the perfect teen film and this dance scene really is one of them. Apparently, it was originally meant to just be Molly Ringwald dancing alone but she was too embarrassed and so Hughes made all five of them do it. What’s so great about this scene is that it’s 100% how I dance alone to music, especially whenever this appears on my iPod.

-BJ

The Big Lebowski

Does this really count as a Song and Dance number? I'm unsure. Do I care? Nope. This scene, like the whole of Big Lebowski is the kind of bizarre madness on the large scale that tends to exist only in the world of the Coen Brothers. Bizarre drug-fuelled bowling themed dance number? Heck, why not. It may completely hurt the eyes, but the scene is one that will forever stay in the brain. It's hard to know what's the best part of the scene - from what should have been an Oscar-winning performance from Jeff Bridges, grinning with pure glee, to his stairway dance moves and silver and gold shoes. (Can I have these shoes? Pretty please?) It may not make sense, but that's part of the fun.

-GBP

Pretty in Pink

What would a John Hughes movie be without a song and dance number, am I right? Oh Duckie, Andy may never love you but just know that because of this scene, I always will. This is yet another scene that I will always recreate whenever “Try a Little Tenderness” comes on. It also perfectly encapsulates all of Duckie’s angsty, unrequited, teenage love for Andy as he dances around the record store she works at, thrashing into the shelves before thrusting on the staircase. What an adorable Otis Redding impersonating, beautifully-dressed ray of sunshine he is.

-BJ

Almost Famous

Ask anyone - Almost Famous is up there in my top ten, and I like to think it always will be. Despite the unrealistic expectations of music journalism it gives an audience, (I feel that the disappointment I felt when I realised what an un-Almost Famous life I was going to have if I pursued music journalism as a career was what made me set my sights on film journalism instead) it's a film made by someone who loves music, about people who love music. That's why the scene that takes place on the bus after guitarist and slight douchebag Russell has slinked off to a teenage party and taken acid is so joyful, because these people are united through the music. If they're singing, and dancing, and listening to Elton John, they feel like they can beat anything. Such is their conviction, that we feel it too.

-GBP

A Knight’s Tale

Ok, so A Knight’s Tale might actually be the strangest film I ever seen. Let’s get real here, how was this film ever even made? I’m not saying that in a bad way because whoever pitched this film is my hero, but it makes zero sense – just like its amazing dance sequence. So yeah, Heath Ledger disguises himself as a rich knight in order to make some cash and at a fancy feast he has to perform the dance of his country which is in fact, not real. So, Heath is forced to make it up on the spot and for some incredible reason this dance includes a mash up of old timey medieval beats and David Bowie’s “Golden Years” because, obviously. Ah, remember 2001? Those were simpler times.

-BJ