Film Review: The Help

DVD: The Help  9/10
Director: Tate Taylor
Starring: Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer

Plot: a journalist by the name of Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) writes a book detailing the lives of maids in the 1960s, a dangerous however historically important job that Skeeter must fulfil.

Tate Taylor does a fantastic job bringing Kathryn Stockett’s imaginative and  funny  tale to life. Making the town of Jackson, Mississippi in the 60s; a swelteringly hot, sugar-coated place for white men and women yet a different place, for the  black “help”. Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark) steals the show here; she’s one of the warmest characters to have set foot on-screen in recent years. Her character Aibileen narrates parts of the films and keeps the pace going. Davis plays the scenes of emotion so well, she also has a number of comical scenes with her off and on screen friend Octavia Spender (Minnie Jackson). Every part of the film is perfect, the costumes, sets, food and hair all bring the world to life whilst still making sure that the idea of racism and minorities are played throughout. The more violent scenes are dealt with well, Taylor allows the audience to feel terribly fearful for their favourite characters but doesn’t show them in a light too horrifically, perhaps a pro and a con for the film as whether it depicted this particular time accurately enough and scarily enough.

Emma Stone, a rising star in the world of Hollywood does her job well also, playing the budding young journalist Miss Skeeter. She is almost too attractive, and not as tall as described in the book but her personality traits are the same, the general look too (the hair and the makeup). The films running time of 146 minutes feels strangely short; some characters could possibly do with more screen time (the upfront, in-your-face but strangely likeable Celia Foote). The time spent with Minnie Jackson and Aibileen Clark is kept to its maximum though, and is perhaps the greatest on-screen relationship in years with real, heartfelt, cinematic moments towards the end.

In conclusion: Tate Taylor having written and directed the film blends humour, racial discrimination and American culture perfectly, immersing its viewers into the world of Jackson, from the get-go – it’s a real old-school gem that could be viewed and loved by all ages. (also, if you have the DVD or Blu-Ray, check out the deleted scenes, they’re brilliant also).

Film Review: Snow Cake

Snow Cake    7/10  (2006 Film – watched on DVD)

Director: Marc Evans
Starring: Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss

Plot: a fatal car accident leads Alex (Alan Rickman) to form an unlikely friendship with Linda (Sigourney Weaver) who suffers from autism.

Snow Cake is a hugely underrated and largely unseen film. It is definitely one of 2006’s best kept secrets! The films’ most notable aspect is by far its casting; Alan Rickman reportedly ensured that Sigourney Weaver secured the role of Linda soon after reading the script. Weaver - whilst enduring a hit-and-miss career - excels here in an ambitious, wild and at times heartbreaking role. It’s quite an achievement for a famous actor or actress to completely immerse themselves in a role that makes audiences forget their other memorable characters – Weaver is purely seen as Linda here. Alan Rickman excels too, interweaving his relationship with Weaver and Carrie-Anne Moss’ character perfectly. Rickman carries a solemn and lost character superbly, proving extremely convincing during the days after the traumatic car crash.

Marc Evans, director, has had a career consisting of small, independent films. However, he makes such a small, intimate story with few characters such a moving film. The cinematography is gorgeous throughout; most films merely capture the season of winter with wide shots but here Evans uses hand-held cameras, close-ups (and wide shots) to relate the movement of the story with the outside world. Similarly, the film – whilst not giving anything away – seems to start in a very claustrophobic, quiet manner yet as it progresses, the film seems to open up along with the characters (a development which is rarely pulled off!)

In Conclusion: Snow Cake is a film where very little really happens, yet the intriguing script and character development will keep you transfixed throughout. This may well be Sigourney Weaver’s best performance to date and it’s a shame there was no Oscar recognition for it.

Film Review: Pitch Perfect 2

Pitch Perfect 2   6/10
Director: Elizabeth Banks
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks
Plot: The Barden Bellas compete for a second time, but will they succeed in the Worldwide Acapella Championships?

"We're back, pitches"

2012's Pitch Perfect, on its minuscule Hollywood budget of $17 million, managed to reign in a whooping $115 million at the worldwide box office. Not only did the production greatly profit, but it catapulted its leads to super stardom; donning magazine covers and chat shows, Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson have become household names across the globe. Three years on, the Barden Bellas return, yet do they succeed in reaching such sky-high expectations?

Not exactly.

Elizabeth Banks has taken a break from hemming outrageous wigs in 'The Hunger Games', instead directing the Barden Bellas to their next acapella tournament. Now, the first installment (in the now-trilogy) balanced its comedic wit, slapstick humour and musical numbers with a refreshing ease. While it is clear that the sequel strives for bigger performances and more outrageous stunts (queue the opening scene), it all falls a little flat. Banks' direction feels a little chaotic, with the 112 minutes feeling a little tedious at times.

In addition, the first film set the ground work for its characters perfectly. Unfortunately for round two, there's little movement in the way of character development.

While it's easy to pick out the negatives, Pitch Perfect 2 does hit some right notes. The leads are all on top form; Anna Kendrick's lovable goofiness continues to shine, and Rebel Wilson rightfully receives more screen time this time around. Not to forget the final performance, which picks up the entire production and ends the film on a high note.

In Conclusion: Pitch Perfect 2 has clearly suffered from the sequel treatment. The mash ups aren't as fun, there's way too many characters and there's a messy amount of side stories. Ultimately, the leads keep the whole thing stuck together and the occasional giggle will make it worth your time and money.

Film Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2    9.5/10
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Plot: Katniss must kill President Snow for good, otherwise Panem will remain under his rule forever.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you'll be fully aware that splitting a novel across multiple movies has become all the rage. While Harry Potter nailed the split and The Hobbit failed miserably, it's time for Francis Lawrence to send The Hunger Games franchise out with a bang - but is he able to do it with only half a novel?

Following on from the rather dark and morbid final scene of Mockingjay - Part 1, we find Katniss ready for war at the start of Part 2. Jennifer Lawrence is as emotionally captivating as you can imagine (and more). The Oscar-winner masters the pre-battle speeches, moments of loss and gigantic action sequences like a true heroine. It's fair to say that after four giant blockbuster movies as Katniss Everdeen, Lawrence has truly made this franchise her own; and while the remainder of the cast remain very much in support mode, they are not without their standout performances.

Donald Sutherland as President Snow remains one of the most infuriating yet fantastic villains in recent years. Sutherland doesn't need to raise his voice once, as his truly punishing stare and haunting presence fills the entire screen (which has become increasingly rare in Hollywood blockbusters). Josh Hutcherson finally shines as the brainwashed and very much troubled Peeta Mellark. Meanwhile, fan favourites Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, and Woody Harrelson as Haymith Abernathy, return for very sweet but awfully short scenes. With the acting box well and truly ticked for the grand finale, is this the most satisfying conclusion for worldwide audiences? The answer may well be mixed. 

The movie's IMDb rating currently sits at 7.0 out of 10, while RottenTomatoes holds a 70% approval rating. Looking back, Mockingjay - Part 1 forced the franchise to stoop to a new box office low. To counteract this, Part 2 ramps up the action to a whole new level. Director Francis Lawrence has turned the Capitol into a giant arena, with boobie traps around every corner. From zombie mutts to giant machine guns, the final hour plays out like a giant goose chase, as Katniss and co. race to President Snow's mansion before it's too late. Most notably, a sequence involving Katniss and Gale marching towards Snow's Mansion is one of the most intense and perfectly assembled in the entire series.

With all that said, this may not be the conclusion non-book readers were hoping for. With the 137-minute running time dedicating itself entirely to the original source material, moviegoers may well be disappointed with the lack of Return-Of-The-King-styled action. However, for the dedicated readers of the book, the more emotionally charged script leads for a refreshingly different finish, as the action takes a backseat to the story line.

In Conclusion: Though Catching Fire may well be the strongest entry in the series, Francis Lawrence steers The Hunger Games to its truly grand finale, with one of the most faithful young-adult adaptations to date. With its political and cultural backdrop becoming increasingly significant in today's culture, the story of Katniss Everdeen will go down as one of Hollywood's greatest.

“The Divergent Series” – Is The ‘Part 1’ and ‘Part 2’ Craze Dying Out?

The Divergent series is one of those that you’ve either heard of or you haven’t. You’re most probably aware of it if you’re a young adult, avid reader of popular fiction or dragged to your local multiplex by a younger relative. With news that the final novel in the trilogy shall be - once again - split across two, feature-length instalments, it begs the ultimate question… is the series really that popular?
 
The Divergent series of books sold in excess of six millions copies in 2013 alone, topped USA Today’s Best-Seller List and won numerous accolades in the process. Unsurprisingly, before the series grew into the young adult phenomenon it has become, Summit Entertainment had already picked up the film rights back in March 2011. No doubt, following The Twilight Saga’s incredible success, Summit were quick to pick up the new hot topic before the bidding war commenced. Likewise, before fans knew it, Shailene Woodley and Theo James had already signed up as the two leads.

Following its debut in 2014 with an $85 million budget, Divergent managed to draw in an audience of $288.7 million worldwide. Clearly, the numbers show a success story but comparing it to its predecessors? Not so much. The Twilight Saga’s first instalment pulled in a mighty $392 million worldwide on a mightily small budget of $37 million. Similarly, the first outing in The Hunger Games series accumulated $691 million, also on a smaller budget than Divergent. So why, may you be asking, should we be making these comparisons when Divergent is still raking in the cash?

Well, 2015 saw Divergent’s sequel Insurgent smash onto cinema screens across the globe. Now, even after cranking up the budget to $110 million (with marketing and advertising costs not included in this figure), Insurgent pulled in only a slice more than its predecessor, coming in at $295.2 million. While this figure doesn’t take into account DVD, on-demand and television broadcast revenue, it’s very clear that the series has suffered something of a tumbling block – a waning interest, you could say.

Now, this is where the real question comes into place. Following the news that the final novel in the series – Allegiant – would be split into two, only last week did Summit announce the surprising titles of the two final parts. While Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games series have embraced the ‘Part 1’ and ‘Part 2’ titles for their respective final novels, Divergent has decided to change to Allegiant (the title of the final novel) and the newly-introduced Ascendant for the fourth and final part.

Why does a series finale need to create a completely new name? Well, the fatigue surrounding splitting novels was evident in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, which underperformed and took in over $100 million less than its previous outing, Catching Fire. Summit clearly want non-book readers to forget that Allegiant will be stretched across two feature films. Similarly, if the original Allegiant – Part 1 had taken in an even smaller box office than Insurgent, it could prove fatal to the series, especially with the budget likely to balloon for a more explosive and satisfying ending.

It’s also important to note that Insurgent wasn’t as favourable with the fans as hoped. Major changes were made during the adaptation process, with fans questioning where the series could go next. Meanwhile, it’s been proven to be a box office disaster to upset fans in the past (note The Mortal Instruments).

Overall, it’s strange to see a movie series with a moderately sized audience stretch out an additional two films when - taking into marketing and advertising costs – its previous outing barely put any pennies into the profit pot; particularly when there’s two more blockbusters to fund.


As much as we can speculate and question whether Allegiant and Ascendant will satisfy the book fans and pull in those that have only kept up to scratch by screen, only time will tell.
Take a look for yourself at Allegiant’s new and exclusive first-look trailer below.