Mini Review: Frost/Nixon (2008)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Released: 2008

Rating: 4.5/5

Frost Nixon is a historical drama from 2008, based on the 2006 play by Peter Morgan of the same name. The film is directed by Ron Howard, it stars Frank Langella and Michael Sheen.

Essentially it’s a dramatization of the story behind the Frost/Nixon interviews of 1977; which were a series of taped interviews of former United States President Richard M. Nixon conducted by British television broadcaster David Frost.  

What I love about this film is the build-up to the eventual interviews. There’s a good amount of time devoted to character development, we learn their personalities and what their intentions and expectations are in regards to the interviews.

The interviews themselves are like verbal boxing matches, particularly in the way it’s sometimes shot, I thought that was really clever.

Langella as Richard Nixon is excellent; he manages to do Nixon’s voice without getting into parody which must have been very difficult. And he plays the character quite well, giving the audience mixed emotions. I didn’t really like him yet I often felt sorry for him.

Michael Sheen as David Frost is very charming; he’s confident, very likeable and from a very different world as Nixon, which makes their more personal scenes together work so well.

The film also boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt as two investigative journalists who assist Frost in preparing for the interviews; also there’s Rebecca Hall as Frost’s love interest and Kevin Bacon as Nixon’s fiercely loyal personal aid.

Frost/Nixon is a riveting and intelligent drama that’s skilfully directed, it’s easily one of Ron Howard’s strongest films. 

Here's the video version if you're too lazy to read.

Blu-ray Review: Christiane F. (1981)

Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo

ORIGINAL TITLE

Director: Uli Edel

Starring: Natja Brunckhorst

The Film:

Released in 1981 Christiane F. is the true story of Christiane Felscherinow. She is 13 years and living with her mother and younger sister in a concert high rise apartment building in a dull and undesirable neighbourhood on the outskirts of West Berlin during the late 1970s. She is bored with nothing to do and is unsatisfied with her home life. She learns of a new disco night club called ‘Sound’ Legally she is too young to go so she dresses herself up and goes with a girl in her class who is a couple of years older.

It is at Sound where she is seduced by the wild night life; and where she meets a group of teens around her age who experiment with various drugs. Desperate to fit in and to be accepted she succumbs to the pressure of taking drugs herself. By by the time she is 14 she has started using heroin, where she rapidly descends deeper into the terrifying abyss of addiction and as a result resorts to degrading acts like prostitution in order to maintain her habit. Much of this takes place at Berlin’s largest railway terminal known at the time as Bahnhof Zoo.

I’m not easily shocked but this very graphic and confronting film managed to do so a number of times. Films like this appeal greatly to me as I value and appreciate realism. I like to see things how they truly are, as graphic as it may be; which this film managed to accomplish very well.

Director Uli Edel holds nothing back; the film is shot in a way that gives a real feeling of authenticity, presenting a very raw depiction of the drug culture of that era. And capturing to great effect the bleakness and despair these young people go thorough on a daily basis trying to get that fix at whatever cost.

Natja Brunckhorst who plays Christiane gives a very convincing performance in her first ever film role. She does appear to be a little awkward in some scene but it’s understandable given the subject matter. The young cast consists of mainly unknown actors who give fine performances which is a huge credit to them all.

One of the film’s most appealing qualities is the amazing soundtrack provided by musical icon David Bowie, who Christiane is a huge fan of. He makes a pretty spectacular guest appearance in concert held in the city where Christiane and her friends all attend. It’s kind of ironic that Bowie provided the soundtrack to this film being that during the late 70s he was at the lowest point of his cocaine addiction and decided to move to Berlin kick the habit a revitalize his career, which he did with great success.

Christiane F. is such an intense and powerful film. At just over two hours long I was at no point board with the plot, I found it captivating, unable to look away. Although it is over 30 years old I think these are the types of film that should be shown in high schools as part of anti-drug programs, as it’s an in depth look into a dehumanizing world that most of us can’t even being to imagine being a part of.

The Blu-ray:

After I first watched this film two years ago my first thought was that is a film that is in dire need of a Blu-ray release as the DVD which I own is quite poor despite is being from a popular distributor. Even the subtitles were at times distorted and grammatically incorrect. So I was quite surprised to say the least when I saw Christian F. on Blu-ray listed on Amazon Germany. I believed it was released late last year but I do not have the exact date. It’s a welcome release however it does not include subtitles and I don’t speak German, not nearly well enough anyway. But as I’ve wanted to learn the language for a while now I take this as a good incentive to finally do so. Although I have been quite surprised as to how much I’ve been able to pick up while watching certain scenes.

Picture/Audio Quality:

I was pretty sceptical about the picture and sound as Christian F. is a pretty obscure film that was never really given good treatment even on DVD. But I’m please to say that the video transfer is significantly better, fully remastered to HD 1080/24p. The colour is still a little bland which I think works in the film’s favour but the image overall is much cleaner and sharper with a lot more depth.

The audio is presented in two separate tracks, DTS 2.0 Mono and DST-HD Master Audio 5.1.

They both sound amazing, especially the Mater Audio finally doing justice to the brilliant soundtrack provided by David Bowie.

Extras:

Unfortunately there are no extras except for a number of trailers from Euro Video.

Rating: 4.5/5

Mini Review: Doubt (2008)

Directed by: John Patrick Shanley

Released: 2008

Rating: 4.5/5

Doubt is adapted from John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize winning stage play of the same name; it stars Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffmam. It’s a compelling drama set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964 where a popular and respected priest’s ambiguous relationship with a troubled 12 year-old male student is called into question by the school’s strict and conservative principal.

The plot is nothing short of gripping, it’s quite mysterious and you never really know which of the three main characters to believe, one minute you'll be convinced of something and minutes later you'll begin to have doubts. Which is the film’s main theme, hence the title.

It’s a pretty serious film that for the most part feels quite cold, but Adams and Hoffman’s characters do provide some of the warmer moments. And there are some very tiny moments of dry humour which dose ease some tension which is constant throughout the film. 

  

As for performances, they’re just magnificent and some of the finest you'll ever see. The film received four Oscar nominations for the acting alone and the fact nobody won is pretty baffling.

Doubt is one of those films that you'll be discussing long after it’s over, leaving yourself asking did he or didn't he? 

Here's the same review again but in video form on my YouTube channel.

Blu-ray Review: Argo [M15]

Director: Ben Affleck

Starring:  Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin & John Goodman

The Film:

Ben Affleck’s third and most ambitious feature as director is a dramatization of the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. The rescue mission itself is lead by CIA Intelligence Operative Tony Mendez portrayed by Affleck who plans to get the diplomats out under the disguise of a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a fake sci-fi adventure film called Argo.

Argo is intense! There’s a constant tension throughout almost the whole film. The opening scene was down right frightening, it turns your stomach. And the documentary style makes it feel all that more real. But that constant tension is relieved numerous times very effectively by well timed moments of humour, which is a real credit to Affleck’s directing. And in regards to his directing, what I admired most about this film is that it isn’t bias towards any one of the nations involved. It would have been very easy to portray the people of Iran as the ‘bad guys’ but you’re given such a clear understanding as to why they’re so angry, to the point where to begin to sympathise.

A big surprise for me is that this incredible true story has as a pretty solid connection to my all time favourite film, Planet of the Apes. The connection being that of make-up effects artist John Chambers (John Goodman) who won an Oscar for his work on the film and had previously crafted disguises for the CIA. Chambers along with Hollywood producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) who is based on a number different Hollywood insiders, assist in making the film Argo appear credible should the ‘film crew’ be called into question by Iranian authorities.

Performances are solid from a stellar cast; Bryan Cranston as Mendez’s supervisor who I’ve yet to see a bad performance from, John Goodman and Alan Arkin who both provide most of the comedic relief and of course Ben Affleck, who has never really been regarded as the best action in the world but in this case he absolutely nails it.

I thought Argo was brilliant; Affleck’s direction is flawless and I think it’s his best film to date by a mile. It’s an unbiased portrayal of a horrendous situation that will have on the edge of your seat. I’m sure you’ll utter a great sigh of relief at the film’s climax, I know I certainly did.

Argo definitely deserved the Best Picture Oscar, it just a shame that Affleck wasn’t nominated for Best Director.

The Blu-ray:

The Australian Blu-ray was releases February 27^th. It’s a Double Play release which is becoming pretty standard amongst major Blu-ray releases. The bonus copy is a DVD; I would have preferred a digital copy as I think they’re more practical in this day and age with the wide spread use of devices such as iPhone and iPads.

There is an extended cut of the film which is 9 minutes longer than the theatrical version and to be honest those 9 minutes are barely noticeable. From what I did notice there are just a few extended scene between Tony Mendez (Affleck) and his son which does not add to the overall quality of the film. It’s pretty obvious to me that this extended cut is just a selling point for the Blu-ray. Fortunately we do get the choice between the two versions on the Blu-ray disc. The DVD copy is just the theatrical cut.

Picture/Audio Quality: Argo is presented in 16x9 2.4:1 widescreen and it looks great, not too sharp and with a nice amount of grain which I love. The audio sounds great, presented in DTS-Mater Audio and also Dolby 5.1 for the Theatrical Version only. It’s pretty standard really, nice and clear and well balance.

Extras:

•          Rescue from Tehran: We Were There – 16:51
•          Argo: Absolute Authenticity – 11:19
•          Argo: The CIA and the Hollywood – 6:05
•          Escape from Iran: The Hollywood Option – 47:00
•          Picture-in-Picture Commentary
•          Feature Length Commentary

   

The extras in this Blu-ray are fantastic and would go as far as saying that it’s one of the best releases I’ve seen so far this year. Rescue from Tehran is an interesting and reflective featurette about the many people involved in the rescue operation and features interviews with some of the former hostages or ‘Houseguests’ as well as Tony Mendez himself and even former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.  Argo: Absolute Authenticity highlights the attention to details the filmmakers aimed for in order the make Argo appear as authentic as possible. Argo: The CIA and the Hollywood briefly explores the co-operation between the CIA, Hollywood and the Canadian government in getting the six hostages out of Iran safely. And Escape from Iran: The Hollywood Option is a 2004 documentary outlining the real events that would eventually inspire the film. It also features interviews with the houseguest, Tony Mendez and former members of the Canadian government.

Now if you’re a history buff then the feature length Picture-in-Picture commentary is right up your alley. It’s a series of clips that appear as you watch the film, again from most of the people I’ve mentioned above, mainly the houseguests and Tony Mendez and Jimmy Carter. It’s very interesting and provides a greater insight into the actual operation. And last of all there is a feature length commentary from the film director and star Ben Affleck and writer Chris Terrio.

Rating: 4.5/5

[Review] Days of Wine and Roses

In this harrowing drama Jack Lemmon plays Public Relations man Joe Clay. He’s a nice guy, people like him and he’s good at his job, which often involves entertaining his various high profile clients by arranging lavish parties, supplying the girls and booze. Joe feels a little uncomfortable about this part of the job but carries on despite his feelings, often getting drunk in the process at the many parties he’s forced to attend.

He meets a young secretary named Kristen who he becomes instantly infatuated with. They start seeing each other regularly and Joe introduces her to social drinking in the form of a Brandy Alexander which he knows will appeal to Kristen’s confessed obsessive love for chocolate. She enjoys it very much and later admits that having a drink made her feel good, much to Joe’s delight.

They soon fall in love, get married and have a child. But this point Joe has become increasingly frustrated with his job and his excessive drinking as resulted in a demotion. Not wanting to drink alone when he arrives home from work each night, Kristen eventually succumbs to the pressure of alcoholism. 

This film is an absolute staple in that great genre of drama and one of the most emotional and intelligent portrayals of alcoholism I’ve seen on film. It’s so heart breaking to watch Joe and Kristen sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of addiction. They’re such strong characters with wonderful chemistry and that first act of the film is so nice yet I there is that unsettling feeling of knowing that it’s not going to last.

I really liked how the film explores the psychology behind addiction, not just to alcohol but in general. Like where does addiction come from? Is it hereditary? Or are just some people wired a little differently? One part of in particular really struck a cord with me; in a brief scene where Joe’s AA sponsor points out that Kristen’s love for chocolate could have be considered as a sign on an addictive personality, basically a potential alcoholic. Now I don’t drink, I’ve never really had the desire to. But like the character of Kristen I too have an intense love for chocolate and just thinking about my various habits, such as my compulsive need to collect things, mainly DVDs and when ever I discover a something new that I really like I often over indulge.  So what I’m saying is that deep down I’ve always felt that if I did chose to drink and turned out to really enjoyed it I could easily see myself developing a problem.  And one of the strong points that the film makes very well is that Joe and Kristen’s love for each other is mainly based on their love of alcohol as they spend the majority of their time together intoxicated.

Now if you’re a fan of Jack Lemmon much as I am this film is an absolute must see. In recent months I’ve really been making an effort to see more of his dramatic work and this would be his best performance next to Save the Tiger in which he won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1973.  His performance as Joe is just as powerhouse; he really captures that despair of someone who has reached rock bottom and without giving too much away his withdrawal scenes are brutally realistic, also quite frightening. Lee Remick is excellent as Kristen; she was such a beautiful looking actress back in those days and her piercing eyes are spellbounding. Supporting performances include Charles Bickford as Kristen’s father and Jack Klugman as Joe’s AA sponsor who are both fantastic.

I went into Days of Wine and Roses expecting a fairly sugar coated approach to portraying alcoholism given the film’s age but I found it to be as powerful and even more so than some of the many modern films that tackle the subject. If you can get your hands on a copy of this fine film I doubt you'll be disappointed.


4.5/5


By Kevin Bechaz



The Facts

Director: Blake Edwards
Writer(s): J.P. Miller
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford, Jack Klugman
Runtime: 117 minutes
Release Date(s): USA: December 26, 1962