The Ciné File Vol. 18

This week has been a really, really poor one for film for me. I sadly haven't managed to go to the cinema despite having a list of new releases I want to see longer than my arm, and I've only seen a couple of movies at home that ended up being horrendously disappointing.

It's not all bad though, as my week was saved by truly great television in the form of Series 1 of Broadchurch. I've finally jumped on the bandwagon, and I couldn't be more impressed. What a series!

THIS IS THE END

* *

Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD

"While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse."

(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.imdb.com)

Erm, I think I'm missing something here. I've read reviews of it and they seem - on the whole - overwhelmingly positive, calling This is the End "the wildest screen comedy in a long time" and "just about perfect at executing its mission". Also apparently "there's no way you won't have a blast". Well, sorry, but I disagree.

I found it to be an embarrassingly unfunny 100 minutes of self-indulgent rubbish. That may be harsh but I just don't understand the hype! While the core concept of the film might be an intelligent assessment of celebrity culture that pokes fun at Hollywood, it buries this under crass 'jokes', poor CGI and more bizarre celebrity cameos than is really necessary. If someone could explain to me why this is such a successful film and why it's reportedly so hilarious, then I'd appreciate it!

THEY CAME TOGETHER

* *

Netflix // 2014 // DVD

"A small business owner is about to lose her shop to a major corporate development."

I really, really wanted to like this. On paper it ticked all the boxes, and given the fact that I'll watch anything with Amy Poehler in I knew it was worth a shot. Unfortunately They Came Together turned out to be so disappointing. The whole film mocks romantic comedies, deliberately employing every cliché in the book, and using a stellar cast with an absurd amount of cheesy one-liners to highlight how ridiculous the genre can be. The theory makes perfect sense - and it should work wonderfully given all of the individual components - but for the majority of the film the joke is taken too far, past the point of it actually being tongue-in-cheek funny and instead it's just plain bad. I cringed more than I laughed, which I assume wasn't the reaction the film-makers were looking for.

I hate that I'm saying this and that I didn't like it, but I can fully understand why it wasn't in cinemas long and seemed to appear on demand and in shops so quickly after its release last year.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

* * *

Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD

"When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined."

If you're prone to wanderlust, then this is the film for you. Ben Stiller (directing as well as starring in the titular role) has created a gloriously beautiful vision of an ordinary man turning his bland, forgettable life inside out by finally acting on the brave, roguish fantasies in his head and embarking on an adventure that changes his life. Stiller really steps out of his comfort zone here, not relying on comedy and cheap laughs but instead crafting a quiet, timid character who lives a wild, secret life in his own head, prone to zoning out of reality as he succumbs to his involved and bold dreams. As an actor he seems to be in his element, relishing in both the stillness and deeply hidden confidence of the character, juxtaposing the frustration of Walter's ordinary life with the brash Bear Grylls style world he wishes to inhabit. As a director, on the other hand, he combines small character driven scenes expertly with huge action sequences; moments of superhero magic; and the sweet elements of a romantic comedy. Before watching the film I wasn't convinced Stiller could pull it off, but it's clear this labour of love was worth all of the Night at the Museum films and jumping through studio hoops.

The main appeal here, has to be the beauty of the locations. As Walter's journey to recover a lost negative and find the famous photographer (Sean Penn) that took the original picture unfolds, the locations become more and more stunning. Sweeping shots of the Greenland landscape are utterly breathtaking and cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh ensures that the film is a visual wonder.

For those of us stuck in the mundanity of everyday life The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the type of film that could persuade you to give everything up and travel the world. After all, it's important not to spend so long making a living that you forget to actually live. There's a whole world out there, so why not make like Walter and actually see it?

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

* * * *

Sky Movies // 2014 // DVD

"Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government."

I remember watching The Wolf of Wall Street on the day it came out last year, and it was one of only a couple of films I've seen at the Barbican where every single seat had been sold, filled with (no joke) groups of bankers on a post-work evening cinema trip. Watching a film like this surrounded by such people turned it into more of an event, and so seeing it at home was an entirely different experience altogether. It's still a stylish and incredibly smart film, but there's something about watching it in a room of people that understood the in-jokes and kept giving each other knowing glances at certain points that elevated it to a rather special level.

That being said, I still think it's deserving of 4*. Leonardo DiCaprio is perfectly cast here as the endlessly irritating and smug Jordan Belfort, the corrupt stock-broker living a drug-fuelled life of money, alcohol and cheating on both his first and second wife. His moral compass is well and truly shattered from the moment he meets Matthew McConnaughey's Mark Hanna, and his drive for riches and the lifestyle that accompanies it sends him along a path of law-breaking and corruption in order to achieve it. Martin Scorsese creates this world of disgusting, illegal excess with a distinctly stylish flair: each scene is sharp, detailed and bursting with wit. It's all 90s suits, garishly enormous yatchs and fast cars, accessorised with lines of cocaine, piles of money and rooms full of naked women.

It's an incredibly long film at 180 minutes but Scorsese makes every second count. It's bold and over-the-top at every turn, but I suppose that's part of the genius. It wouldn't have worked if he'd have held back, and the ridiculousness of the performances (Jonah Hill is particularly brilliant) just adds to the charm. You see everything from Belfort's point of view, bulldozing the effect his actions have on the victims by instead focusing on his wild ride, the editing ensuring the pace is a million miles an hour and drags you along too. Once you're in the wolf's clutches it's impossible to step back and take a breath, but when the experience is so visceral, thrilling, and hilarious, why would you want to?

BROADCHURCH

* * * * *

ITV // 2013- // Series 1 - DVD // Series 2 on ITV now
Series 1 also available on Sky Go, Series 2 available on ITV Player

"The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart."

Rather annoyingly, I missed Broadchurch when it first came on television in August 2013. At the time I didn't own a TV, and as I was in the middle of a Breaking Bad Netflix binge it never crossed my mind to catch up on the 8-part ITV drama. Since it aired the show has been drowning in praise, sweeping up awards (including 3 BAFTAs) and garnering a huge following. In all honesty, it got to the stage where I was embarrassed to admit I hadn't actually seen it, and avoiding spoilers was turning into a major ordeal. As soon as Series 2 began to air a few weeks ago I knew I was going to have to bite the bullet and catch up, and my god, doing so has been the best decision I've made so far this year.

Broadchurch is astonishing. When it comes to television I'll nearly always pick comedy over drama, as I rarely have the patience to make it past the first few episodes of a drama no matter how good before getting bored or doing something else while it's on. It takes a lot for a drama to hold my attention, but I willingly switched off my phone, left my laptop in another room and lost myself in the idyllic seaside town of Broadchurch for 8 hours this week. Every single episode left my heart quite literally pounding; I was constantly sat on the edge of my seat; and could often be found flailing my arms and gripping anything in sight in a ridiculous effort to release a build up horrified tension. This is British television at its absolute best, and I genuinely don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that.

At its core this is a 'whodunnit' mystery, and the genius way in which the episodes are both written and shot ensures that the spotlight is on virtually every character at some point, leaving you constantly guessing as to the identity of the murderer. More often than not, just as you start to think you know who did it, another piece of evidence is revealed that turns every theory you've spent the last several hours developing on its head. Honestly, by episode 5 I was beginning to think that I might have been the person that killed Danny Latimer.

The cast is brilliant: it's like a who's who of British acting talent. David Tennant and Olivia Colman have excellent chemistry as the mis-matched detective partners trying in vain to solve the case before time runs out. Colman in particular is spectacular - the woman really is a national treasure. David Bradley broke my heart, and Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan are exceptional as the parents of murdered 11-year-old Danny. As ensemble casts go it doesn't get much better than this, and when coupled with such exceptional scripts from creator Chris Chibnall it makes for brilliant television.

In a poor week for film, Broadchurch rescued my disappointment and once more showed me how good television can be. I think I've now got to come to terms with the fact that I can't keep saying I prefer film over television when I'm repeatedly blown away with what the small screen has to offer. Bravo, ITV, you've created something wonderful here. Now, I need to start Series 2, so no spoilers please!

[One quick tip: if you're yet to watch Series 1 then don't read this month's Vogue interview with Olivia Colman. They reveal the killer near the beginning of the article. I unwittingly read it before I started watching which ruined my experience slightly (even more so because I'd successfully avoided spoilers for nearly 18 months only to be spoiled 2 days before starting Series 1), however I stand by everything I've written above. Even knowing who did it from the beginning I was still tense and gripped the whole way through, and at times seriously questioned whether I'd read the correct name in Vogue. I imagine the series is more powerful if you know nothing going in, but if you're aware of major plot points before you begin it's still utterly brilliant.]

So what have you watched this week? Are you a Broadchurch fan too? Do let me know in the comments below!