Rev Stan's film blog

Review: Teacher vs talent in the thrilling Whiplash

Synopsis: Andrew (Miles Teller) enrolls as a prestigious music school where he comes under the tutelage of Fletcher (JK Simmons) who will stop at nothing to get the performance he wants out of his pupils.

Stan's thoughts: Fame this isn't. There is no dancing in the corridor and friendly pep talks just a teacher who walks into a room and everyone immediately stands up and is silent, a teacher who is a perfectionist and will use whatever means necessary - psychological or physical - to get what he wants.

As a result Whiplash is a tense, nerve jangling psychological study and not what I was expecting. It is gripping battle of minds, personality and talent that keeps you on the wrong foot until the very end at which point you just want to stand up and applaud.

A worthy best film Oscar nomination and likewise best supporting actor for JK Simmons but a shame Miles Teller isn't getting recognised. This is an unexpected gem of a film, powerful, disturbing and thrilling to watch. And that's all I'm going to say because anything else would spoil it.

Ratings

• Stan’s 86%
• IMDB 87%
• Metascore 88%
• Rotten Tomatoes 95%
• RT Audience Rating* 96%

* Number of people rating 3.5/5 or higher

Catch up review: The Imitation Game

Synopsis: Biopic of Alan Turing, secret hero of the second world war who built the machine the broke the Nazi's Enigma Code but suffered tragically at the hands of homophobic legislation.

Stan's thoughts: Lots of hype about this one but it lived up to it as I was in bits by the end at the bitter tragedy of it all.

It is a film that makes spods doing maths and building a machine nail-biting but it is the human story of Alan that elevates this. A man caught up in secrecy through his work and private life because of societies prejudices. He is a man for whom nature has made so brilliantly intelligent it's left little room for social skills but again this is another thread to his story, another battle he faces.

Superb performances all around. Loved the enigmatic and charismatic Matthew Goode and of course Benedict Cumberbatch is superb. Alex Lawther plays the young Alan and in his few scenes delivers a performance that will haunt me for a long time. He's been on my radar since I saw him on stage in South Downs.

My only slight quibble with this otherwise perfect drama is I'd have like to have seen a little more reference to Alan's homosexuality, a glance or something. It isn't hidden but it is referred to rather than seen. It is only a slight quibble though, I've been back to see it again and it was just as affecting. Will be making it into my Sunday night weepie DVD collection when it is released.

Ratings

• Stan’s 90%
• IMDB 84%
• Metascore 72%
• Rotten Tomatoes 89%
• RT Audience Rating* 95%

* Number of people rating 3.5/5 or higher

Quick review: Helen Mirren is stern and French in The Hundred-Foot Journey

Synopsis: An Indian family set up a restaurant in France opposite the Michelin starred eatery owned by the formidable Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren) which causes friction.

Stan's thoughts: Bit behind with reviews (again) so some even quicker thoughts than usual... This is a lovely gentle Sunday night type of film. Don't watch it if you are hungry because it is laden with food porn.

It's basically a story about people from very different backgrounds but equally passionate and skilled in cooking who clash but in the end learn something from each other. I don't think that's a plot spoiler particularly because you can see it coming with a blindfold on and it's the journey, as the title suggests, rather than the destination which gives its warmth and humour. There is also a nice romantic sub plot. 

Drags its feet a little bit but a film that leaves you with a warm fuzzy glow, a smile on your face and a raging appetite.

Ratings

• Stan’s 60%
• IMDB 75%
• Metascore 55%
• Rotten Tomatoes 68%
• RT Audience Rating* 74%

Recently seen

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

Night Moves

Obvious Child

Two Days One Night

Welcome to New York

What If

Lucy

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

Review: Marion Cotillard shines in sluggish Two Days One Night

Synopsis: Sandra (Cotillard) is a young mother who has been suffering from depression. Ready to return to work she discovers that her colleagues have been told that if she is dismissed the company can afford to give her a bonus. She has a weekend to convince them to vote to keep her on.

Stan's thoughts: Marion Cotillard I could watch all day. Her performance in this is incredible in its understatement but, and I feel I have to apologise, I just found the film a bit dull. It is pretty much as described: a depressed woman travelling from door to door asking her colleagues to chose her over a bonus. The conversations go pretty much the same with each one and I just wanted to fast forward to the vote.

Be warned that right at the beginning, when the film certificate is displayed, it does give you a spoiler and that particular event, I think is unsatisfactorily glossed over. It feels like 90% of the film is at one pace then the final 10% is a resolution at another.

Sorry Marion you were fab but the film wasn't, for me, and I normally love this sort of subtle, quiet, human drama. Everyone else seems to have adored it though so probably best to just ignore me.

Ratings

• Stan’s 50%
• IMDB 75%
• Metascore 94%
• Rotten Tomatoes 94%
• RT Audience Rating* 82%

Recently seen

Welcome to New York

What If

Lucy

The Rover

Guardians of the Gallaxy

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Begin Again

Boyhood

Jersey Boys

Bright Days Ahead

Fault of Our Stars

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

 

Review: Richard Linklater's 12-year film drama Boyhood

Synopsis: As the headline suggests, filmed over 12 years with the same cast Boyhood follows the life of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from boyhood to High School graduation.

Stan's thoughts: Read somewhere that the film makers were claiming this is the first time a project like this has been done and that isn't quite true. Michael Winterbottom's film Everyday did something similar but over the course of five years and that did have it's problems.

Putting that to one side what Richard Linklater has created is something that is fascinating, engaging and quietly dramatic. He resists the temptation to pepper Mason's life with high drama instead concentrating on an ordinary story of a boy growing up in a modern family.

There is divorce and step-siblings, parents and step-parents trying their best, succeeding at times and failing at times. The drama is seeing it through Mason and his older sister Sam's (Lorelei Linklater) eyes and what impact it has on them. Then there is the drama of growing up, first love, finding your place in the world, deciding what you want to do and becoming independent.

I wondered how much the story was influenced by Ellar's personality - in the film he's a gentle, quiet contemplative boy - and subsequently have seen Richard Linklater talking about how it did shape the story.

Boyhood was a lovely, warm film that perfectly captures the everyday struggles and triumphs of family life. Such is its pull it left me wanting more - another 12 years perhaps?

Ratings

• Stan’s 85%
• IMDB 89%
• Metascore 99%
• Rotten Tomatoes 100%
• RT Audience Rating* 89%

Recently seen

Jersey Boys

Bright Days Ahead

Fault of Our Stars

The Young and Prodigeous TS Spivet

Belle

Edge of Tomorrow

Two Face of January

Maleficent

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Frank

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

 

Review: The warm and heart-wrenching Fault of Our Stars

Synopsis: Two teenagers meet at a cancer support group and fall in love.

Stan's thoughts: I'm a sucker for this sort of thing, I'm drawn to things that I know will make me cry and this certainly did that but it also made me laugh and smile quite a bit too.

It's the ultimate in doomed teen romance. You know it isn't going to end well right from the start but boy they take you on a roller coaster of emotions on the way.

What gives this the extra emotional depth is in how the teenagers cope mentally and emotionally with their cancer. While the film probably does shy away a little from the ugliness of cancer treatment it doesn't and can't really shy away from the issue of mortality.

While the focus is very much on Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) you also get a sense of what it must be like for Hazel's parents.

Fabulous central performances from Woodley and Elgort as the star-crossed lovers; they have an amazing chemistry once you get over the fact that they played brother and sister in Divergent earlier this year (wonder if they did this first or second?). There is  a lovely wit and humour to Hazel and Gus that you can't help but enjoy. And most of all the film is perversely life affirming: Life isn't always fair and is uncertain so make the most of the moments.

This is definitely going into my DVD collection when its released, filed under 'Sunday night weepies'.

PS It's a small thing, but great to see the leads looking natural, with the occasional spot and without obvious slaps of make up. Shame they couldn't have replicated that for Divergent.

Ratings

• Stan’s 87%
• IMDB 85%
• Metascore 69%
• Rotten Tomatoes 80%
• RT Audience Rating* 91%

Recently seen

The Young and Prodigeous TS Spivet

Belle

Edge of Tomorrow

Two Face of January

Maleficent

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Frank

Blue Ruin

Godzilla

Ilo Ilo

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

Review: Two Faces of January

Synopsis: An American couple travelling in 1950s Greece befriend a young American tour guide who is also a small scale swindler but proves invaluable when the husband accidentally kills a private detective.

Stan's thoughts: From the same pen as The Talented Mr Ripley this is like TMR-light. It has enough twists and turns and surprises to entertain as a psychological thriller but it doesn't quite grab in the same way.

It is beautifully shot and the costumes are worth the price of the cinema ticket alone but despite great performances from the leads - Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac - this will never quite live up to the comparison of its predecessor.

Ratings

• Stan’s 58%
• IMDB 67%
• Metascore 69%
• Rotten Tomatoes 81%
• RT Audience Rating* 56%

Recently seen

Maleficent

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Frank

Blue Ruin

Godzilla

Ilo Ilo

Calvary

Pompeii

The Other Woman

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

 

Review: Did The Book Thief live up to the book?

Synopsis: Based on the best selling Marcus Zusak book it follows the story of Liesel who finds solace in 'borrowing' books and sharing them with the Jewish man her adoptive family are hiding in the basement in second world war rural Germany.

Stan's thoughts: Always slightly nervous of adaptations of book I love and this one seemed to have captured the essence of what I loved about Liesel's story. Sophie Nelisse as Liesel is key. She is a magnetic presence on screen and gives a beautifully understated performance. 

A film is never going to get under the skin in quite the same way a book can and there was something missing which I can't quite put my finger on but it succeeded in moving me to tears so thumbs up for that.

Ratings

• Stan's: 70%
• IMDB: 70%
• Metascore: 53%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 46% 
• RT audience rating: 76%

Recently seen

Stranger By The Lake

Only Lovers Left Alive

Her

The Invisible Woman

Dallas Buyers Club

Jack Ryan - Shadow Recruit

Inside Llewyn Davis

August Osage County

Nebraska

 

 

Review: What Maisie Knew

Synopsis: Young Maisie is caught in the middle of a bitter divorce between her fading rock star mum and travelling art dealer dad.

Stan's thoughts: Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan play repugnant, self-obsessed people showering their daughter with a superficial love and treating her like an object, a weapon in the divorce battle.

Such is their behaviour that there was at least one audible tut in the cinema and you knew everyone else was mentally tutting. The victim of the piece, Maisie, is beautifully and subtly played by Onata Aprile. She never complains or throws a tantrum she just loves being with her mum and dad - when the are around. Pushed from pillar to post eventually she makes a decision that serves as a harsh wake up call for her mum.

This film isn't subtle in its message but makes for an interesting and satisfying character piece. My only grumble is that dad seems to come out of it better than mum, partly because he disappears off the scene about two thirds of the way through.

Ratings

• Stan's: 70%
• IMDB: 74%
• Metascore: 74%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 87% 
• RT audience rating is 83%

Recently seen

Kick Ass 2

Bling Ring

Wadjda

Frances Ha

Breathe In

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The World's End

 

 

Review: Side Effects

Synopsis: Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara) struggles to cope when her banker husband Martin (Channing Tatum) is released from an insider trading jail sentence, spiralling into depression psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) prescribes her with anti-depressants which have dramatic side effects.

Stan's thoughts: Difficult one to write about without giving away too much of the plot. There is a lot of great stuff in here but maybe there is just one too many twists and it struggles to stay credible towards the end, although I did walk out with a smile on my face which is a good sign. It does carry you along easily with plenty of ambiguity to keep you guessing. Some interesting ideas and themes although nothing groundbreaking. Great performances from Mara and Law.

Ratings

• Stan's: 59%
• IMDB: 75%
• Metascore: 75%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 85%

Recently seen

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