Change Your Image
letrayas
Reviews
Another Year (2010)
An uncomfortable but rewarding experience
My immediate reaction at the end of this film was that I wouldn't trouble myself by watching this again, but the more I thought about it the more impressed I became. Nevertheless, this is not a film that anyone will walk from the cinema feeling an inner warm glow.
Another Year, ostensibly, is about the happy marriage of Tom and Gerry (is this supposed to be a joke?) However, the underlying story is actually about Mary and her continued self-destruction. Through Tom and Gerry's kitchen pass a series of friends and family, each carrying their own burden of unhappiness.
The story is divided into four sections – each taking place in successive seasons. For the first quarter of an hour or so nothing seems to be happening and it isn't until the end that the plot – such as it is – can be assembled by the viewer.
As an ensemble piece this film is superb. The cast, including the magnificent Jim Broadbent, provide a masterclass in acting. As is Mike Leigh's practice, the action on the screen emerges from prolonged sessions of improvisation and attention to detail.
This film may not be comfortable to watch but it is rewarding.
Taken (2008)
Poor excuse for an action film
I have just spent 93 minutes watching the most one dimensional film I have seen for many years. Thank God I didn't actually pay to see it. It is so full of cliché as to make me wonder whether or not it had been written by a computer program. I can only imagine that Liam Neeson needed the money.
Polanski's Frantic has a similar plot (and location) and is a far superior product (whatever you think of the man's morals).
Noble estranged father, rich stepfather, spoiled daughter, corrupt French policeman, Albanian gangsters, Saudi Mr Big, car chases, gun battles ... they are all in there together with the revelation that Charles de Gaulle Airport is the world centre for white slaving.
Having said that, with its cardboard characters and puerile plot, this subBond action fest reminded me of the Saturday morning serials when I was a child. Every episode ended with a certain death cliffhanger, always resolved in about 30 seconds with an action sequence from which the hero emerged without a hair out of place.
Umi ga kikoeru (1993)
Good - but not up to Ghibli's usual standard
Two observations about Ocean Waves: The first is that it comes from Studio Ghibli – and it shows. The second is that it is not the work of Hayao Miyazaki or of Isao Takahata – and that shows, too.
Ocean Waves was made for TV and released in 1993 by young staff members of Studio Ghibli as a kind of apprenticeship piece. It was directed by Tomimo Mochizuki. The technical quality of the film maintains the high standards expected of the studio – animation and design are exemplary and the film is a visual feast. However, the storyline is rather slight and characterisation is not as well developed as would be expected from Myazaki.
The story is largely told in flashback as Taku flies back from Tokyo, where he is a university student, to his home in Kochi. It concerns his relationship with his high school friend Yutaka, and their rivalry for the affections of Rikako, a beautiful but rather condescending and manipulative girl who has transferred from a school in Tokyo following the breakup of her parents' marriage. One of the major problems of the film is that there does not seem have been any real attempt to present the protagonists in any depth, their personalities are shallow, almost caricatures.
Other Ghibli films which have explored the world of school days and coming of age are Only Yesterday and Whisper of the Heart. In no way does Ocean Waves approach the complexity and subtlety of these beautiful films. That does not mean that this film is bad, it isn't by a long way, but we do expect rather more from this studio. Having said that, this film is still far ahead of anything Hollywood produces.
Summerhill (2008)
A delightful film for children - which adults should see
For me, A S Niell's Summerhill school concept always seemed rather strange - schoolchildren have complete freedom to what they want rather than what they should, even to absent themselves from any class if they wish. They also have equal voting rights in all matters of school government.
This film was produced for the BBC's children's channel CBBC and is a pure delight. The lines between Good - everyone associated with the school and Bad - the Ofsted inspectors, and by association, the Government, are drawn very clearly, to the point of caricature. The children are charming and fun loving, the teachers are warm and caring. The inspectors are rigid, disciplined and humourless. There is also a clear political agenda behind their actions.
The inspectors condemn the school, but the school appeals and goes to law. Their counsel turns out to be the renowned human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson. Even the judge is humane and generously gives over his courtroom for a meeting of the school council.
The only part of this film which - for me - was weak was the medieval visualisation by one child of the court procedure. But then, I'm not a twelve year old child, I'm not in the audience the film is directed to.
I hope it gets a wider showing and a DVD release.