This has led to Chappie (horrendously disappointing artificial intelligence caper); Still Alice (yes, Julianne Moore's good but she's not great); and the utterly stunning and hugely overlooked X+Y. It's one of the most touching and beautiful films I've ever seen - so much so that the lack of buzz surround the film is completely baffling to me. Run and see it: it's a stunning British film fully deserving of everyone's attention, regardless of your feelings surrounding mathematics.
CHAPPIE
* *
2015 // In U.K. cinemas now
"In the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself."
(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.imdb.com)
So much of the concept for Chappie was intriguing: a police force replaced by robots; the development of artificial intelligence; and Hugh Jackman with a mullet. Unfortunately I really, really didn't like it, and I can't pinpoint exactly why. Like all films it has its triumphs and its faults, but honestly Chappie's not terrible, and it's certainly not boring or offensive or particularly poorly made. Annoyingly, I just can't for the life of me put my finger on the specific aspect I wasn't a fan of - but the overall effect didn't sit well with me at all, and it feels like I wasted 2 hours of my life suffering through it.
A couple of problems lay in the fact that Chappie feels very clunky, the characters aren't really developed properly and an awful lot of the script feels very familiar. For me it's virtually identical to Elysium, South African director Neill Blomkamp's last film: full of promise and good intentions but ends up languishing in endless missed opportunities.
STILL ALICE
* * *
2015 // In U.K. cinemas now
"A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease."
With all of Julianne Moore's success over awards season, my expectations for Still Alice were exceptionally high. Sadly, in the same way that Cake was a merely a mediocre vehicle for a terrific performance from Jennifer Aniston, Still Alice is a wholly unremarkable film lifted purely by Julianne Moore. On the whole the rest of the film is average at best, and it's only when Moore is allowed to dominate the screen that it gains traction and starts to soar. That being said, it never quite achieves excellence, and in my opinion Moore also isn't half as good as critics have made her out to be over the last few months.
Any film that portrays a highly intelligent, successful and beautiful woman devastatingly diagnosed in her early 50s with early-onset Alzheimer's is textbook Oscar bait, and when combined with the casting of an enormously well-respected and talented actress at the helm (who had four Oscar nominations to date but no win) the aim of the film is so glaringly obvious that it's a little embarrassing. It's ridiculously hard to look past the fact that Moore finally gained the highest accolades available for her job for this particular project, and as brilliant an actress as she is it's a little baffling as to why critics praised this performance quite so strongly. Maybe if it had had an earlier release date then the pressure to like and appreciate Moore in Still Alice - because of the numerous wins - wouldn't be quite so overwhelming. Even so, the narrative that's built up around the film has made it almost impossible for me to actually admit that I didn't think she was that magnificent. I feel bad saying it, but I wasn't overly impressed.
There were sparks of absolute brilliance. In one scene as Moore's condition begins to deteriorate she can't remember where the bathroom is and wets herself in the middle of the hallway, and her reaction of disbelief and humiliation is heartbreaking. Alec Baldwin does a stellar job as Alice's husband and Kristen Stewart is simply superb as the edgy youngest child exploring a career in acting in Los Angeles. Scenes between the two of them - father and daughter - as Alice's Alzheimer's gets worse are extremely touching. However, these moments are fleeting and sadly stand out quite prominently as the rest of the film doesn't match up. If anything, the whole film came across as exceedingly safe. The cast, Moore in particular, seemed to be holding back and it was possible only briefly to see through the glossy veneer of a textbook perfect Hollywood-approved life to something better: finally something raw, personal and believable.
For a story depicting such a serious and heart-breaking subject matter and portrayed by a superb cast, Still Alice was more than a little disappointing. Even trying to ignore all the hype surrounding the film - and thus removing any expectations from the equation - it still wasn't spectacular. It's worth a watch merely to see Moore's Oscar-winning performance, but don't expect to be blown away by the rest of the film too.
MAN OF STEEL
* * * *
Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD
"Clark Kent, one of the last of an extinguished race disguised as an unremarkable human, is forced to reveal his identity when Earth is invaded by an army of survivors who threaten to bring the planet to the brink of destruction."
Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a good comic book film. I saw Man of Steel twice at the cinema (in IMAX no less) two years ago, and while it's not the most groundbreaking and astonishing superhero film out there it's still enormously enjoyable to watch. On a scale of superhero movies, it's not as witty and fun as pretty much every offering from Marvel, but nor is it as dark and serious as Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy at the other end of the spectrum. In true recent DC fashion this Superman origin story from director Zack Snyder is worlds away from the previous incarnations of Christopher Reeve's red-pants-over-tights spectacle and Dean Cain's mid-90s television series hero. Everything about the film is darker, successfully moving it away from the outright ridiculousness of the character in the twentieth century and trying to ground it in some form of bizarre reality.
Make no mistake, this is not Superman as you might expect. Henry Cavill may appear like he's just walked off the pages of a comic book - he looks more perfect for the role than any other actor before him, probably due to his conventional (albeit a little boring) good looks - but that's where the similarities end. The bright ostentatious costume is no more and instead resembles armour even while retaining the iconic red cape; Amy Adams wonderfully ensures Lois Lane is less of a simpering girlfriend and significantly more badass and memorable in her own right; and the whole concept of a Superman origin story on earth is totally back-to-front (well it seemed to be for me anyway!). However, it works well. Man of Steel manages to both establish the superhero for a new generation of fans unfamiliar with reruns of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and enjoyable enough to please those already well-versed in the story of the man from Krypton.
The special effects are wonderful, and my only criticism concerns the wanton destruction at the end of the film - it just seems wholly unnecessary and although the fight scenes between Superman and General Zod (Michael Shannon) are impressive they do seem pretty out of character for the caped crusader. The highlight of the film for me, though, has to be the score: Hans Zimmer's score is utterly breathtaking. No matter what you think of the film make sure you sit through all of the end credits and just listen to the final section of music - it's astonishingly good. I've rewound and listened to the last 10 minutes so many times this week: trust me, you won't regret it.
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU
* * *
Film4 // 2011 // DVD
"The affair between a politician and a ballerina is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart."
Watching The Adjustment Bureau is like taking advantage of an offer at the supermarket: here you get 3 films for the price of 1 thanks to first time director George Nolfi. In this sci-fi/thriller/romance the chemistry between Emily Blunt and Matt Damon sizzles, and although there are plot holes a plenty it still makes for compelling viewing. It never quite works out which genre it'd rather be, and the action sequences feel like they're only there to fill time rather than contribute to the plot, but it's still enjoyable and rather unique. I don't think I'll ever look at people walking through doors while wearing hats in the same way ever again...
X+Y
* * * * *
2015 // In U.K. cinemas now
"A socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad."
Never in a million years did I anticipate a little film about an autistic maths genius taking part in the International Mathematical Olympiad would have such emotional depth and be quite so touching. X+Y is simply wonderful, and if you see anything this week, please, please, please make sure it's this.
In 2007 director Morgan Matthews made a documentary called Beautiful Young Minds about the International Mathematical Olympiad, and it was the story of a particular member of the British team, Daniel Lightwing, that stuck with him and inspired his debut non-factual feature X+Y. Here Lightwing is transformed into Nathan Ellis, a teenager on the autism spectrum who has an astonishing gift for mathematics. He's played with a subtlety and sensitivity that bellies his years by the wonderful Asa Butterfield: the young actor perfectly conveys Nathan's awkwardness in social situations, and how crippling uncomfortable he is at the thought of physical contact simply with a dart of his eyes or a slight shake of his head. It's a wonderfully understated and intelligent performance.
While maths may be at the heart of the film and provide a structure for the plot it's the way in which the characters deal with Nathan's autism and the overwhelming theme of bereavement that really drives the film. Nathan has a unique and joyously close relationship with his father (Martin McCann) as a young boy, but his world is shattered following a horrendous car crash minutes from the family home that leaves his father dead and his mother (Sally Hawkins) hopelessly alone. As Nathan grows up his mother is left to learn to deal with her son's autism without the support of her husband, and Hawkins is once again on top form as a hopelessly under-appreciated and endlessly patient mother desperately trying to understand her son, nurture their relationship and cope with the challenges his diagnosis brings. She shines in the role, and her final scene with Butterfield is so touching and expertly played that there wasn't a dry eye in the cinema.
The rest of the cast are fantastic too. Rafe Spall is at his absolute best as Nathan's foul-mouthed MS-suffering teacher, and Eddie Marsan's competitive IMO team coach is utterly fantastic. In a poignant yet small scene on the plane to the preliminary training in Taipei a sweet musician on the team tells Nathan that here, among his fellow maths nerds, he is "painstakingly average", and for a teenager whose life has revolved around being the smartest and "weirdest" this revelation must have been a shock to the system. Driving the point home is fellow British hopeful Luke (in a stand out and truly astonishing performance from Jake Davies) - a highly intelligent yet thoroughly immodest genius, so much further along the autism spectrum than Nathan that he stands out for all the 'wrong' reasons, attracting mirth and teasing from his fellow team-mates as they eventually turn on him as the training progresses. Davies' portrayal of Luke will floor you: his assessment of both autism and mathematical genius is so mature and nuanced that it's heartbreaking.
Having an innate knowledge of mathematics isn't a requirement to be able to enjoy and appreciate the sheer brilliance of this film, but as someone who struggled through Further Maths at A Level and can clearly remember attempting the preliminary IMO tests (and failing miserably the majority of the time...) X+Y takes on a whole new level. Many of the references to split infinitives and positive integers made me smile (and almost feel nostalgic?!) and I teared up when Rafe Spall and Sally Hawkins explained a fortnight and love, respectively, using mathematical terms to help Nathan understand. They're excellent scenes in their own right even taking the maths out of the equation, but understanding the theory in the dialogue really did make it even more special.
If it's not already apparent, I simply adored X+Y. It's uplifting and exquisitely touching, and finds a beauty in mathematics that's universally appealing. You don't need a PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge or a formula to fall in love with this film: it tugs at your heart and refuses to let go.
BRIDESMAIDS
* * * * *
Channel 4 // 2011 // DVD
"Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef."
So many iconic moments, so many iconic quotes, so many iconic actresses. There's simply too much to love about Bridesmaids. Let's be honest, if it were a person it'd be more beautiful than Cinderella, smell like pine needles, and have a face like sunshine!
What have you seen this week? If you've seen Still Alice or Chappie do let me know: I feel like I'm a bit of a lone wolf with my opinion of then and would love to hear your thoughts!
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