In celebration of the Oscars ceremony being held yesterday, here is Part 2 of my Best Picture movie reviews. You can find Part 1 of here.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino's tenth film. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio who plays a faded television star and his stuntman, Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt. Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) lives next to Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Roman Polanski, the former of whom was tragically murdered in real life by the Manson Family. In classic Tarantino fashion, the story diverts from history and poses an alternate reality involving Dalton, Booth and the Manson Family.
OUATIH is a movie where you get to hang out with the characters- it is not a plot driven narrative neither does it feature dramatic character arcs. It's about the era, the last years of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and the larger than life people that lived through it.
My biggest praise for the film is its effortless ability to encapsulate the '60s. The costumes, music, cinematography and performances are masterful. Simple scenes like watching Brad Pitt drive around Los Angeles feel so thrilling to watch. Living up to its title, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood feels like a cinematic fairy-tale.
Where the movie falls down for me is its length- it is 2 hours and 40 minutes long and feels it. Though I enjoyed watching scenes such as conversations between Dalton and a precocious child actress or Sharon Tate going to watch one of her own pictures, there are other segments where I found myself losing interest in the story.
Additionally, I had been familiar with the controversy surrounding Robbie's limited screen-time, and whilst I was surprised to see that she had more to do than expected, I did think her story ended very abruptly. Robbie's performance is angelic, bringing a real down-to-earth charm to her portrayal of the late Sharon Tate. Her performance is a wonderful homage to the actress, I just wish the resolution to her story had been focused on her rather than the male leads.
Other random thoughts:
- Some of the snippets of Dalton's previous Westerns, whilst fun, ran on too long and began to feel self indulgent.
-DiCaprio, Pitt and Robbie all give fantastic performances
-A few problematic elements like the 'bare feet fetish' and the Bruce Lee scene that I am still unsure about
-I could watch Pitt driving to '60s tunes all day
TL;DR- Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is an achievement in period film-making, capturing the ambience of '60s Hollywood with so much love and skill. Whilst the characters can be fun to watch on screen, the film is in desperate need of editing to make the narrative feel a bit tighter.
Parasite
(review by Ishani S)
“Jessica, Only Child, Illinois, Chicago”
Parasite is a film which rewards those who enter the film with a blissful ignorance as to what it’s truly about. The film is almost Shakespearean in nature: the first part of the narrative is playful, comical and mischievous, endlessly entertaining, and the audience are charmed by the deceptively cunning Shakespearean fools. But the peripeteia – the sudden reversal of fortune – must inevitably occur to our tragic heroes and it is hereafter that the complex themes of the narrative are explored, with our heroes embarking on a tumultuous journey to overcome their misfortunes. Its climatic last act keeps the audience guessing about the fate of the characters and the conclusion leaves the audience chewing on its themes and perhaps reflecting on their own character for a while.
Director Bong Joon-Ho has gradually been emerging as one of the most unique filmmakers out there, having delivered distinctive films like Memories of Murder, Okja and Snowpiercer, the latter of which also delves into class and wealth. What makes Parasite a ‘masterpiece’, as many critics have hailed it, is the combination of a highly intelligent script, excellent characterisation, expert film-making and an exploration of relevant issues in modern society that leave the viewer thinking for a long time. The film achieves a thought-provoking commentary on class disparity, privilege and wealth inequality – what makes Parasite, in my opinion, enter masterpiece territory is this sometimes-overt, sometimes-implicit commentary on issues which modern audiences can resonate with. The imagery in the film oozes with ideas which can be endlessly analysed and stays with the audience long after its viewing (particularly one image of a character ascending from a staircase…). Bong tackles many genres effortlessly, with the editing creating a pace which never slows and crescendos to an impactful and earned ending.
The characters are excellently realised too – the genius and charming son, the cunning sister, the sympathetic and blithe father, and the aloof mother. What is refreshing too is the lack of clarity as to who the antagonist is. Is it the greedy and deceptive Kim family? Or the uppity and wealthy Park family? Or is it something wider than the players of the narrative – is it Macbeth’s hubris, the witches, Macduff or Lady Macbeth who is truly the villain? Conclusively, in classical Greek tragedy fashion, is for the audience to decide what they wish to take away from the story.
The Irishman
The Irishman is the latest Scorsese American crime film, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Anna Paquin. Based on the book 'I Heard You Paint Houses', it uses de-aging visual effects to tell the decades-spanning story of a mob hitman (De Niro) and the disappearance of his friend, Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino).
The Irishman is a slow burn of a movie. It is pensive, reflective and sombre. Scorsese seems to be responding to his earlier works, such as Goodfellas, which glorified the life of a mobster, portraying the world that they live in as dangerous but also glamorous. The Irishman, however, tells its story as a cautionary tale against such a life. My favourite scenes in any crime film involve the relationships that these mob members have with their family. The contrast between their lawless lives and strict code of honour when it comes to family is a fascinating dichotomy. In this film, this dynamic primarily comes in the form of De Niro's relationship with his daughter. That particular story thread is one that I found the most compelling within the film.
I may be a bit biased against this movie because crime movies are not (to quote Spike Lee) my cup of tea. As mentioned previously, I find the conflict between the mobs personal and crime lives to be far more fascinating than the intricacies of the underhand dealings and mob dynamics and I therefore found a lot of the scenes involving, for example, Al Pacino's narrative to be slow.
Other random thoughts...
- Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci give really powerful performances, only slightly hindered by some shaky de-aging technology near the start of the film (but otherwise flawless as the film progresses).
-Interestingly, one of two Best Picture nominees that had a wide release on Netflix, along with Marriage Story.
TL;DR For those who love American crime films, The Irishman is a perfect reflection of the tropes established by Scorsese's own filmography. Perhaps slow for some, this film features great performances, visual effects and editing, and an impactful ending.
Joker
Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character, Arthur Fleck, and follows his gradual descent into the man who would eventually become Joker, Batman's greatest nemesis and an unhinged criminal genius.
For a film that has been built on controversy from its release, Joker is not a very controversial story. Perhaps the most bold thing going for it is the dark, gritty take on a famously outlandish comic book character. Joaquin Phoenix gives an undeniably magnificent performance, for which he has won an Oscar, and director Todd Phillips and cinematographer Lawrence Sher's work makes this a gorgeous film to look at. Hildur Guðnadóttir's music gives the film a haunting quality that stays with you long after you watch the film.
Fans of the film call this bold, original and fresh, whereas others hate the film for its shallow message. In the age of internet opinions, it seems as though you have to lie in either/or camp. Personally, I lie somewhere in the middle. Joker is a direct derivative of Scorsese movies like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, but it is a far more superficial version of the story. The film-making makes it seem as though something deeply profound is occurring but when you strip away the aesthetic the story left is a straightforward 'spiral into descent narrative'. For example, on its surface, a city full of people being incited into rebelling against the rich and powerful by wearing masks (ahem V for Vendetta) is powerful, but Joker's story does not take the time to set up why people want to rebel nor why they would follow Fleck in rebellion. V For Vendetta and King of Comedy implemented the same ideas to much greater effect.
However, that is not to say that Joker is a complete misfire. In an age where superhero movies are becoming more derivative by the second, I am always glad to see comic book based films that feel like a vision rather than a product. DC, for all its misfires, at least seems to be heading in that direction (for more on this, check out my upcoming review for Birds of Prey) and Joker is definitely unlike any other comic book movie thus far.
Other random thoughts...
-11 Oscar nominations feels a bit excessive but I am glad to see Phoenix being recognised for his performance (even if it means Adam Driver missed out for Marriage Story).
-De Niro has come full circle, playing the late night TV show host to the obsessive fan (see King of Comedy)
-Though I loved the idea of the Joker laugh being a psychological condition, I was absolutely sick of all the laughing and dancing by the end of this film.
TL;DR Joker is a derivative of a few superior films. However, Joaquin Phoenix's stellar performance carries the entire movie, making it one of the better comic book based films.
Ford V Ferrari
I wrote a whole review on Ford V Ferrari which you can find here)
TL;DR Ford V Ferrari/Le Mans '66 is an immensely enjoyable movie for everyone in the family to watch. Bale and Damon make a great pairing that are easy to root for and the racing scenes, particularly the third act finale, are incredibly thrilling to watch and mostly make up for the slightly stale movie tropes and under-developed supporting characters.
Thanks for reading this article! I am still to watch Parasite, but overall this year had a solid set of nominations.
Follow me on Twitter (@filmdomblog) or Instagram (cinematicwallflower) to find out when I post my next article (a review of Birds of Prey).
Comments