Rev Stan's film blog

Review: Historical drama Belle

Synopsis: Based on a true story, it is 18th Century England and Belle (Gugu Mbatha Raw) is the daughter of an Admiral (Matthew Goode) and a black slave. Belle's father asks his uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) to bring up Belle and as she reaches the age of 'coming out' into society she discovers her uncle, who is the most senior judge in the country is presiding over an important insurance case involving a shipment of slaves who were thrown overboard.

Stan's thoughts: This film is a wonderful and disturbing mix of love story, prejudice, racism and history. Belle is brought up as one of the family, almost. In certain social situations she is kept apart so as not to cause social upset but is otherwise loved and cared for as the equal to the Mansfield's other ward their niece Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) with whom she forms a strong sisterly bond.

As the girls reach marrying age their cosy life is challenged. Elizabeth must marry for money. Belle's father has left her a substantial sum but is at best described as 'exotic' by the society she was born into. As she is exposed to more of the world and the case her uncle is involved with, her position in society and her own sense of self are challenged.

Beautifully acted Belle has a dual power of love story and historical drama (with all the usual dramatic license of course), I enjoyed this very much.

Ratings

• Stan’s 80%
• IMDB 73%
• Metascore 64%
• Rotten Tomatoes 82%
• RT Audience Rating* 88%

Recently seen

Edge of Tomorrow

Two Face of January

Maleficent

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Frank

Blue Ruin

Godzilla

Ilo Ilo

Calvary

Pompeii

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

Review: Colin Firth and Jeremy Irvine are The Railway Man

Synopsis: Another film based on a true story, this time it's about Eric Lomax who 30-odd years after the end of the second world war is still suffering terrible post traumatic stress because of his experiences as a prisoner of war working on the construction of the Thailand/Burma railway. When he discovers that one of the those involved in his treatment is still alive he decides to settle the score.

Stan's thoughts: Colin Firth plays the older Lomax and Jeremy Irvine plays the younger and this is another distressing and difficult film to watch (probably best not seen as a double bill with 12 Years A Slave as I did).

Lomax's story is a difficult one to tell because essentially he's a man who won't or can't talk about what is distressing him and Firth does his best at showing a man with inner turmoil. What did pack the punch were the flash back scenes to wartime which finally do reveal the extent of what he experienced as POW. Irvine's performance as the quietly brave and somehow the least likely of heroes was a pleasure to watch.

I wasn't aware of the real story on which the film is based but the ending wasn't really a surprise and therefore probably didn't quite have the impact it was suppose to.

Ratings

• Stan's: 70%
• IMDB: 73%
• Metascore: 70%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 69% 
• RT audience rating: 81%

Recently seen and reviews available here unless otherwise indicated

12 Years A Slave

Mandela: Long Road To Freedom

Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Saving Mr Banks

Philomena

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

American Hustle

 

Review or did it live up to the hype: 12 Years A Slave

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Solomon Northrup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a black violinist who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in 19th Century America.

Stan's thoughts: There are lots of hyped, award-nominated films coming up what with it being Oscar season and all and sometime that taint judgement. Steve McQueen's latest certainly packs a punch and is, not surprisingly given the subject matter, often uncomfortable and distressing viewing.

Fantastic performances but then there are some of the best of Britain's acting talent - Fassbender and Cumberbatch - and the likes of Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano and Brad Pitt popping up briefly.

Must also mention Lupita Nyong'o as Patsy and Sarah Paulson as Mrs Epps who were probably the most interesting and fully fleshed out characters. And that is where I have to deduct points because I don't feel the film really got fully under the skin of the protagonist Solomon and what was going on in his head throughout it all.

12 Years A Slave almost lived up the hype and certainly did a better job than Gravity or American Hustle on that score. I was a little bit of an emotional mess at the end so for that it definitely gets the thumbs up.

Ratings

• Stan's: 80%
• IMDB: 86%
• Metascore: 97%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 97% 
• RT audience rating: 93%

Recently seen and reviews available here unless otherwise indicated

Mandela: Long Road To Freedom

Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Saving Mr Banks

Philomena

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Butler

Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

American Hustle

 

 

 

Review: Mandela - Long Road to Freedom

Synopsis: Based on Nelson Mandela's autobiography this follows the late South African leader's life from teenager to anti apartheid campaigner, imprisonment, freedom and election.

Stan's thoughts: Amazing and moving performances but in trying to cover such a long life this film suffers from a lack of insight and depth. Most of the story is well-trod and familiar - it was in fact Winnie Mandela's story that was the most interesting as that feels less known.

Don't feel I came away knowing much more about Mandela the man but it was engaging enough as a political drama.

Ratings

• Stan's: 65%
• IMDB: 70%
• Metascore: 60%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 56% 
• RT audience rating: 75%

Recently seen and reviews available here unless otherwise indicated

Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Saving Mr Banks

Philomena

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Butler

Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

American Hustle

The Counsellor

Review: Lincoln

Synopsis: President Abraham Lincoln tries to secure the 13th amendment which will abolish slavery in the US while trying to bring about an end to the civil war.

Stan's thoughts: The cast is stunningly good. Lincoln was an incredible man of words and orator and put his speeches into the performance of Daniel Day Lewis and you have something quite stunning happening on screen.

The downside of Lincoln is that it is essentially two and a half hours about a man trying to secure votes. You only get occasional brief insights into the man, the relationships aren't fully explored and the politics isn't quite enough to sustain the drama. When Lincoln is on screen you sit up in your seat and pay attention but otherwise it feels like it plods along and I'm not sure I understand that much more about what was going on at the time than before I watched the film.

I'd happily watch a compilation of clips of Daniel Day Lewis but otherwise it feels good to have ticked off my Oscar contender list and move on.

Ratings:

• Stan's: 70%
• IMDB: 79%
• Metascore: 86%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

Recently reviewed:

Zero Dark Thirty

The Sessions

Django Unchained

 

The Conspirator or perhaps a lesson in how things haven't changed

I probably wouldn't have gone to see this if James McAvoy hadn't been in it as it's essentially a court room drama and they can be, well, dull. But Mr McAvoy is endlessly watchable.

So did his blue eyes add enough sparkle to The Conspirator? Well there isn't a straightforward answer to that. The story is kind of interesting. It's set at the end of the American civil war when enmities could flare up again at any moment. Abraham Lincoln is assassinated and as many of the perpetrators are rounded up as possible and put on trial.

Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the mother of one of the conspirators is also put on trial on the grounds that some of them stayed at her boarding house so she must have known what was being planned.

With people baying for blood and peace hanging in the balance  it is obvious Mary is not going to get a fair trial. Cue lawyer Frederick Aiken (McAvoy) who is persuaded to defend her, reluctantly at first believing her as guilty as the rest.

First War Horse trailer

As a big fan of the play, the jury is still out on whether the film will be quite as good for reasons I've mentioned before.

Of course I'll be going to see it when it's released at Christmas, it's got the wonderful Benedict Cumberbatch in it after all - no glimpses of him in this first trailer though.

  

Lebanon wins over Vincere and gets an award for disturbing film of the year (so far)

Don't think I've seen two films at the cinema in one day before but needs must when there is just too much tempting fodder for the eyes.

First up at the Curzon Mayfair was Vincere an Italian film about Ida Dalser who was an early lover of and mother of Benito Mussolini's first child and possibly his first wife. The couple became estranged while she was pregnant with baby Benito and he married a nurse and had three children with her fervently denying any marriage with Ida and rejecting her completely for the rest of his life.

Ida (played beautifully by the equally beautiful Giovanna Mezzogiorno) was put under surveillance and then in a mental institute for her continual claim to be Mussolini's wife although no paper evidence was ever found of the marriage. Her son was adopted by a fascist but also never gave up using the Mussolini name. (Filippo Timi plays Mussolini the dad and grown up son.)

The film is told from Ida's viewpoint starting with how they met and their relationship through to him going off to fight in first world war. It then concentrates on her internment and continual battle to be believed.

While the film resists taking too much artistic license with the gaps in the story is does make it a little disjointed in places. The breakdown of the relationship seems to happen very abruptly for example with little in the way of exploration of why that might be other than the appearance of another woman.

Nonetheless it is an intriguing story. Ida's continual refusal to deny the marriage at the expense of possible release and being reunited with her son can be a little frustrating but on the other hand in denying it she would lose the last thread of connection she has with the man she loved.

Acted scenes are inter cut with real life footage of events of the time and Mussolini giving it a certain amount of authenticity. Overall an interesting and satisfying film. (Trailer at the end of the post and Lebanon post follows on just click continue reading)