Aquamarine Valentine

Ok, so although last time I commented on how long it has been since I last made a post, it has definitely been longer this time. I can assure you that this is purely down to my own laziness. Coming up to a new year though, an in keeping with all that 'new leaf' rubbish, I will try and keep this a little more of a regularly updated thing in the future!

Well, on to the good stuff, chatting amateur about films I have watched. In preparation for this post I thought I would go outside of my standard horror film rant (totally in keeping with my new leaf) and check out recent film with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine.

Now it has been quite some time since I have seen a film which is so simultaneously uplifting and depressing about a romance. It essentially tells the tale of the relationship between the two main characters at the very beginning and end of their relationship, which spans about a decade. As you can imagine the beginning is all romance and grand gestures. The type of thing that you are looking from a life affirming romance film.

At the beginning, Gosling is characteristically believable as the charming New Yorker from the wrong side of the tracks trying to impress a girl from classes above his station, and Williams plays a very convincing girl-next-door type, and her struggles at home with her family turn Gosling from gritty underdog to a knight in shining armour to rescue her. So far, so Pride and Prejudice.

In the sections covering the latter days of their relationship, the pair manage to portray a loving home for their child together, whilst also making it abundantly clear that any spark they may have had in their relationship has gone out the window many years ago. Gosling is believable as a solid father and friend to their daughter, willingly crawling around on the floor with her and playing animals to make sure that she is entertained and not subject to any arguments he and her mother might be having. Williams manages to completely flip her vision of the younger version of her character, and comes across as a world weary and strung out mother who is struggling to come to terms with the reality of her life many years down the line.

Jump back to the initial meeting, and despite the obvious chemistry between the two leads, their courtship comes cross as very twee and sometimes like the screenwriters are trying too hard to make a quirky/indie romance story. One scene in particular is Gosling singing and playing his conveniently stashed ukulele whilst Williams tap dances in a shop door way.

This difference between the beginning and the end are essentially juxtaposing the differences between the perception of love and a relationship, and the realities that need to be considered. Making the tag-line 'A Love Story for Anyone Who's Ever been in Love' all the more appropriate. The difference is also presented to us in even subtler ways. The camera work in the early years is a lot more dynamic, and almost comes across as handheld, which carries with it the nostalgia of a home movie. Contrasting this is the smooth more even shots of the latter years, showing a more realistic and sombre toned depiction of the realities of a long term relationship.

The films isn't all about bunches of flowers and "our" songs though, as both time lines dip their toe in some darker territory. The young Williams has to deal with the idea of having an abortion and making a decision during he procedure whether to go through with it or not. While the future couple have a tense encounter after trying to spice things up by visiting a sleazy sex motel, where they have a choice of staying in the 'Cupid's Cove' room or the 'Future' room. The lack of sexual drive between the couple is distinctly contrasting to the lustful throes of their youth, and casts into doubt the stability of the paid as a couple.

The film is carried by its two leads, who managed to make the characters they are showing at different stages in their life seem like completely different people, but with hints of their old selves shining through. Despite drunken bursts of rage, Gosling still manages to bring a tenderness to his older character, which makes him more endearing tat your would think. He is in essence the type of person who believes in the early years of the narrative, and is struggling to come to terms with the reality of the final result.

So as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the best way I can describe this film is to be simultaneously uplifting and depressing. Despite how thickly they lay it on at the early stages of the relationship, when this is contrasted with how things turn out, it actually comes as a relief and a brief reprieve to what could have been a thoroughly feel-bad film. So if you're not sue what kind of film you are in the mood for, this might be a good shout. If you don't enjoy all of it, you may enjoy at least half of it.

Also it is worth nothing, that despite 'old' Gosling having a terrible receding hair line, there seems to be little Hollywood can do to bring him out the top ten movie heart-throbs...lucky bastard.

Happy viewing...

Brothers in Arms

Sooooooo, it has been quite a while since my last post on here. I have had some difficulty accessing the internet for the past few months as I have moved out again, and taken an inordinate amount of time getting my connection sorted out. Then there was the issue of trying to remember my password! Which took me at least half an hour to log in tonight. But now that we are here, let's chat about a film!

Today's cinematic tidbit laid on the table is the 'fighter-film' Warrior. The story of two brothers, struggling to come to term with their own issues whilst being estranged from each other, comes to a head when they end up fighting each other in the final of the Sparta fighting final! I know what you are thinking, what are the odds! Two brothers who haven't seen each other for fourteen years, just happen to be at all the odds and face each other, and their demons, in a cage for a winner takes all brotherly bout.

What may be seen as just  film for muscle heads and MMA fans (that's Mixed Martial Arts to you and me), actually turns out to be a film about family bonds, skeletons in closets and catharsis. The five million dollar prize is the reward that both fight for, but or very different reasons. Tom Hardy's Tommy is fighting so that he can support the family of a fallen comrade in Iraq. Joel Edgerton's Brendan is fighting so that he can keep his home for his family alive. A very empathetic character in this current financial climate. It is set up early on that these brother's were trained to fight at a young age by their alcoholic father, played by Nick Nolte. This implies that the only way that they know how to communicate and resolve friction in their family is to resort to violence. That is why the fighting in this film is more about an expression of an unspoken feeling of exasperation or resentment, rather than about fighting. and it is the dialogue and the acting in between these massive bouts that give them meaning and hold the film together.

It is because of this that the players in this story are key to how the plot develops and how much more gravitas is given to the battles and how they plan out. The character of Tommy played by Hardy, is the archetype of a mistreated and misled youth, who has grown up into an intensely intimidating yet vulnerable adult. And there is no one better suited to playing a man with that dual persona that Hardy. We have seen from Bronson and the upcoming Dark Knight Rises that he ha more then enough physicality to show that he can appear to be a man made of pure fury. But behind that facade, we can see the tenderness and uncertainty of his movements that belie a far more significant side to his character. The contrast of how he fights, direct and brutal, contrast to his more awkward social interactions with his father, brother and adoring fans. It seems that only through confrontation can he feel truly sure of who is is, and for what cause he is doing what he is doing.

Contrary to the pure animalistic quality of Hardy, Edgerton's Brendon is played far more as the valiant and idealistic hero of the piece. Although by the end fight you really are rooting for both parties to be victorious, there can only really be one victor. Brendon is the perfect combination of the family man and tactical fighting machine. Where-as Tommy is brutal, and most of his fights are over in a matter of seconds due to big well chosen hits, Brendon appears to have a far more enduring fighting style, which sees him take more and more hits from the opponent, as he slowly works out their style, until it is time to strike. He finishes all of his matches with tap outs from crippling holds, rather than plain knocking to the ground with his fists, like Tommy does. By having his fighting style like this, he comes across as far more resilient, and therefore a lot easier to root for, as he is always the fighter making the comeback.

Now the influence the personalities have on the fights overflows into their personal lives. Tommy is a loner, a recluse, who defies the company of anyone, especially his family. He has infrequent burst of insight where he tells of his mother's death, but the majority of his heart ache and anguish comes from his fighting, which is to the point and brutal. Brendon, much like his tactical fighting style, has a far more complex relationship with his family, and is constantly trying to make amends with his brother. Also he is perpetually influenced by his family in the films, and is always trying to keep some form of balance, be it between his fighting and his family's perception of him as a loving husband and father, or between his job and fighting. Though I would have to admit, if my teacher at school was a cage-fighter on the side, I would of paid a shit load more attention in class.

Visually, the film is very engaging throughout. The filter on the lens is gives the entire film a very golden glow to it. Like the entire picture is shot through the vision of what a family photo album would look like. This represents how even the ferocity of the action is all rooted in the struggle to maintain the familial status quo. There is also extensive use of steady cam shots, giving a realistic POV or documentary visual to the film. This grounds the picture in more of a reality, making the hits feel harder, and the arguments more volatile. The realism of the shooting is carried throughout, with many of the shots being taken from odd angles, in which we manage to see everything we need to, but also have some sort of obstacle, be it the tessellation of the cage wiring or members of the crowd obscuring our vision. this creates distance between the audience and the action, showing the fighters in their own wold, and it is something we can only have a glimpse of, but not be involved in.

In all this film is well worth taking some time out to watch. Other than outstanding performance from the two leads, the supporting cast adds depth and character to roles which allow our mains to play off them well, and, again, set the whole story into the realm of the real. The gritty urban setting of Pittsburgh contrasts the warmth of the family and community felt in this film. This reflects the tone of the film in its whole. While the premise is that of a film about two brother locked in a war of muscle and brawn, the back drop and true story lies in the creation of an emotional journey of characters just trying to get by and live in the world that has been created around them.

Happy viewing...