January Film of the Month

A new year, a new bunch of reviews! It has been a bumper month of films this January as all the big dramas are released for the awards season. I'll be seeing more of the nominated pictures in February, but let's crack on with the movies opening 2015. 

Here is the all important rating system:

* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!

** = OK. Could have done better.

*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.

**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.

***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.

All movie titles link to their relevant IMDB pages so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew.

The Theory of Everything

Image: en.wikipedia.org

Eddie Redmayne's performance is unbelievably good. Especially after Stephen's diagnosis of motor neurone disease, Redmayne convincingly embodies the Hawking we are all so familiar with. It got to the point where I forgot that Redmayne was acting. His change in physicality is remarkable. What an achievement. Redmayne certainly deserves the Oscar nod and all the award wins and nominations so far. Felicity Jones, who plays wife Jane, is equally as good, though her aging on screen isn't quite effective.

If you are going in expecting a science film, it isn't. Although there are many comparisons to this and The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything is more of a love story. It is therefore rather sentimental and is a bit of a safe movie. We all know that Stephen has exceeded the expectations of doctors who gave him only 2 years to live. It then makes the film less dramatic as we know the outcome and his story. Mind you, it is more to do with Jane's story. It is adapted from her autobiography and deals with the struggles of looking after the physicist and how they met. 

A beautifully shot film and a stellar performance from Eddie Redmayne gives this a high recommendation. Not quite perfect though.

Rating: ****

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Image: tribute.ca

Being an avid theatre goer and performer, I loved the dynamic between the outside world of New York and underground feel backstage at the theatre in Birdman. The cinematography is so clever and a huge technical feat. The film flows as one continuous take, which fits the setting of theatre perfectly, and never drops the momentum. It reminded me of Hitchcock's Rope (1948), but the achievement here is miles better than Hitchcock's attempt ever was - mainly because Rope was contained in just one room for the entire film. Here, we weave through the depths of the dressing rooms and venture out into a busy Times Square, in a fantastic sequence involving Michael Keaton dodging the crowd in his underwear. Keaton delivers a terrific and hilarious performance as Riggan. I wouldn't be surprised if he pips Redmayne to the post for the Best Actor as this year's Academy Awards. Emma Stone is a delight as his daughter and Edward Norton equally puts in a cracking performance. The soundtrack is tremendous too - a drumming jazz heartbeat throughout the film, adding to the chaos of the stage and Riggan's wild imagination.

This off beat black comedy is definitely worth a second viewing. An astonishing, unique and surprising film - a must see for this year.

Rating: *****



The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Image: imdb.com

I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, but I have been bitterly disappointed by The Hobbit series. Firstly, why does it need to be three films? The Hobbit is a super short book, especially when comparing it to the LOTR trilogy. They managed to put each book into one film each, why not one or just two films for The Hobbit? Splitting it into three was clearly decided so the studio could make more money. Indeed, it was #1 at the Christmas box office but I don't think it has paid off in making a quality film.

Compared to the second film it didn't drag as much but the ending could have been edited down greatly. What did I like the most? The fact that the movie went into Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001). We see Ian Holm return as old Bilbo with Gandalf knocking on the door to greet Bilbo on his 111th birthday. Maybe I only liked that moment because it was the end of The Hobbit  and we can all have a wave of nostalgia watching LOTR again.  

An OK film which could have been a lot better with less CGI and a shorter running time. A disappointing series overall.

Rating: **

Into the Woods

Image: collider.com

I am a big musical fan so this is right up my street. I also love Stephen Sondheim's quirky lyrics and scores but had never encountered Into the Woods before. Emily Blunt is the best piece of casting in the film. She puts in a wonderful performance as the Baker's wife. Her on screen husband, the Baker, played by James Corden, equally brings charisma and warmth to the story. I loved the cheeky cameo from Simon Russel Beale - a musical star and Sondheim actor - as the Baker's father. Meryl Streep gives it plenty of welly playing the Witch, however I found it a little too over the top. Chris Pine is utterly charming as the Prince. He and Rapunzel's prince have the best scene in a song called Agony - which has them despairing over the effort they have to go through to win their loves.

Johnny Depp's cameo is brief but very enjoyable as the Wolf. However, you can tell that Sondheim's dark musical has been slightly Disney-fied. Deaths of characters are hinted at and it is no where near as brutal as the stage version. There are only slight suggestions to the dark nature of the film which will probably skim over children's heads. If Disney had not been tied to the film, I am sure it would be darker, and arguably a better movie.

A great entertaining film for musical and fairytale fans. Not a technical masterpiece but with a brilliant cast and exciting plot, it comes with a good recommendation.

Rating: ***

Foxcatcher

Image: cineworld.co.uk

I had high expectations for Foxcatcher having featured it on Trailer Tuesday on Ticket Stub. It is a story worth being told and the performances are very good indeed. I found Steve Carrell really creepy as John Du Pont, and that is not just down to his phenomenal hair and make up. His voice and mannerisms are very well executed - a far cry from the comical performances we are so familiar with. However, Mark Ruffalo deserves more praise for playing David Schultz. Particularly in the scene where he is being interviewed and, through gritted teeth, has to say that Du Pont is a mentor to him. The brotherly relationship between Ruffalo and Channing Tatum, as Mark Schultz, was very convincing too.

This is a slow paced film. I mean really slow. I understand that it builds up the drama, especially towards the end, but it got to the point where I actually got slightly bored. However, maybe it is meant to be like this? Cold, dark and slow to reveal a quick shock and dramatic ending?

A recommended film and story but I probably wouldn't choose to sit through it again.

Rating: ***

Wild

Image: pcta.org

Reese Witherspoon is great as Cheryl Strayed. She gives a stripped back, realistic performance which is instantly likeable, despite her character flaws. Nick Hornby's screenplay works cleverly with flashbacks throughout Cheryl's hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. We learn more about why she is walking and how she is coming to terms with the loss of her mother and break down of her marriage.

Surprisingly, Wild is very funny - especially with tiny Witherspoon attempting to put on the biggest backpack ever! Witherspoon has earned a Best Actress nomination for her performance and it looks like she has a good chance of winning. A very enjoyable film of self discovery and coming to terms with loss. Recommended.

Rating: ***

A brilliant bunch of films from this month. 
Who will come out on top? 

January Film of the Month is....

Birdman or

 (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Do you agree? 

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your favourite film this month.