James' Talk

Inland Empire

An actress's perception of reality becomes increasingly distorted as she finds herself falling for her co-star in a remake of an unfinished Polish production that was supposedly cursed.

After watching Lynch's Blue Velvet and Muholland Drive, I gave up hope of ever liking one of his films again. Boy was I mistaken. Inland Empire offers a world into the subconcious of the main protagonist...which, by the end of the film, feels like your own. With the stunning colours, which Lynch often uses, you start to relate the images to the dreams and imaginations that you might have had. You travel with Niki and feel the same thoughts as she does, which is a must for a film for me. Inland Empire is an absolute bloody masterpiece for me. For once the errie storyline I understood, and every segment which was switched at the beginning to another part of the film made abosolute sense. I still feel wowed and in or of this film which was truly mesmerizing stuff.

Some of the scenes, would otherwise have made me clueless, inabled me to follow the film perfectly and understand it. The camera work, done almost hand held and almost with a documentry like feel...makes it all the more realistic. You can see much more movement in this film than his others, giving an almost voyeuristic feel. He also uses many close shots, and as always, obscure framing allowing ambiguity and confusion. The sudden moments of suspense and shock are done so so well that it will make you jump our of your seat-which is what happened to me. Almost a Hitchcock feel it it all.

The three hour lenght makes no differance at all because the film moves in an out of itself with no regard for time. As each character questions time, so do we as the viewer-which is what I mentioned before. This film had made me realise how great Laura Dern is. She's in 95% of the film and beautifully plays her character well and morphs in and out of each state of the character so so well. Also a notable mention to Jeremy Irons who also played his character well.

The narrative is one psyholological journey as the main protagonist attempts to explore the reaonsing behind the clues around the environment. From the people with rabbit heads to the switching of the narrative, you're feeling the journey with her and forgetting th three hour time.

If there's one David Lynch film that you should see....Inland Empire is the one. If you haven't got round to watching this incredible man's work start with this one and work your way backwards. Lynch may not be the easiest filmaker to comprehend but for sure there's a films of his that you will understand.

A modern masterpiece and one that's gone straight into my top 30 films. Still thinking of it now.

*Highly Recomended*

Atonement

Based on Ian McEwan?s award wining novel of the same name, Atonement tells the story of A British romance that spans several decades. Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit.

I?ve waited several months to see Joe Wright?s second feature film ?Atonement? and it did not disappoint. For an only second feature film by 35 old Joe Wright, it?s absolutely astonishing. Directed superbly on all levels. From the stunning Dunkirk visuals, to several Point of view shots empathising each character?s need and feelings at that point, you can?t help but feel intertwined in the story and with the characters. I haven?t seen such an epic of a film since The English Patient, I hope it continues to do well at the box office and worldwide, as it deserved to. I haven?t read the novel, so I will do soon.

There are many sensational tracking shots in this, which I loved. For instance, in the Dunkirk scene, we walk with Robbie and see the devastation through his eyes, just amazing. At the beginning, Briony?s view of Robbie and Celia is done through two perspectives. One being what Briony believe has happened and two the real truth, this creates a dilemma for the audience as you don?t really know who to believe at that point. One shot I loved was of Briony?s eye, an extreme close-up almost giving a clue to the viewer. As I mentioned before, I can not believe that Wright has produced such a masterpiece of a film, in only his second feature.

The Dunkirk, scene is something to be remembered. Watching it at the cinema, I was so taken aback by the extraordinary beauty of the scene. The cinematography is sensational. It captures the mood of that time, so well that you can put yourself in there. What works is that you think what you?re seeing is real, and everything in every frame of that scene. I can?t really describe the words, as it won?t really doesn?t do justice to what I thought of the scene but let?s just say I?m still thinking about it now and will always. Subsequently that scene has to be up there with some of the best war scenes ever created for the silver screen, and I don?t often say that unless it?s seriously something that has left me speechless beyond any recognition- that hasn?t happened. Some other scenes to mention are; Celia and Briony?s estate like house and the scenery and the wartime London are also sensational. Plus, there done in such a way you wouldn?t expect a 21st century film to make.

FULL REVIEW HERE

American Gangster

In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East

First things first I have to admit that I didn't think of this film before I watched it. However once I watched it I throughly enjoyed it and unexpectidly. For a start I don't think I've ever seen a Ridley Scott film as good as this, since.....well the sensational Blade Runner.

Scott produces a well structed film, with a well thought out feel of the 1970's, almost makes me feel like I was there. What I loved was the overlapping of many scenes, with the historial events of that period for the Americans(for instance; America's entry to Vietnam, Nixon's claim that America's biggest problem is drugs.) It was just perfect. The soundtrack blended brilliantly, with the events on screen and didn't feel over-thetop at all, or in your face. Done exactly right.

American Gangster also works because of the star power; The great Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe. Also a notable mention to Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is popping up in my hollywood films these days. Washingtonplays him as classic family man, cold businessman, and charming man-of-the-community. But what is amazing is he does it so naturally, with presense, which is why I'm sure he'll be receiving an oscar nod come next year for one truly amazing performance. Crowe is also great is this film, but just not to the standard of Washington. I'm sure he'll get a best supporting nod aswell.

American Gangster is one of this year's. It is inpeccably directed and acted. Contains some brilliant cinematography, a great script.

*Recomended watch*

Wild At Heart

Lula's psychopathic mother goes crazy at the thought of Lula being with Sailor, who just got free from jail. Ignoring Sailor's probation, they set out for California. However their mother hires a killer to hunt down Sailor. Unaware of this, the two enjoy their journey and themselves being together... until they witness a young woman dying after a car accident - a bad omen

It's been a few months but now I've finally been able to write a review and a long one. I can now officially say I'm now able to write long detailed reviews...wohoo!

Now it's now news that the last two films of Lynch's that I've watched; Blue Velvet(1985) and Muholland Drive(2001) I did not like or just thought they were incredibly overarted. I just couldn't see how they were masterpieces as some people have often said on here. Wild at Heart on the other hand is just perfect for me, close to excellent. There's just something about this films that I loved more so than the other two, for a start i didn't expect to like this one bit. The relationship between Lula and Sailor is possibly the key to the film, you can't help but feel for each of the two characters.

The acting in this is just brilliant. Nicolad Cage is possibly in the best role that I've seen him in and Laura Dern is proving to be one of my favourite actresses. Hard to believe the first time I saw her in a film was Jurassic Park(1993)! I also loved the addition of Diane Ladd, Dern's real-life mother. That added that extra "spice" to their relationship and make it that more believable. William Dafoe, also in a role that is that more freakier than I've seen him before.

Wild at Heart has some fabulous symbolsim. For a start the signficane of The Wizard of Oz, which is shown in various sigmnts of the film. For instance, " Yellow Brick Road is often mentioned and Lula wears red on most occasions. at one point there is a camera shot of her shoes, red shows, clicking them together like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Lula's Mother seems to be a mirrow image of Lola, as at the end of the film, she dies and Lola blossoms. In other words the Intertexuality in this film is aboultly everywhere.I also loved Lola's visons of "The Good" and "The Bad" witch, which evidently symbolises the two character's conscious or indeed what they want to do.

The opening I loved. The fact it was totally unexpected and that more shocking made it just brilliant for me. Lynch has porved with this film, that he had made films which I can watch.

NEXT: Lynch's Lost Highway

*Highly Recomended*

Leolo

This is a film that's oddness is only matched by its sheer poetic beauty. Its nice to watch and offbeat movie that has a clear point of what its doing; and this did exactly that. I can easily recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a deep and complex film. Grows on you after viewing too. Simply put, its a must see for anyone aching for something unique... like a breath of fresh air.

La Sconosciuta, (The Unknown), (The Other Woman)

It's amazing how 2006 turned out to be one of the greatest years for foreign cinema and the proof for that; my top three of that year is formed of three European movies and The Unknown is without any doubt one of them. Guiseppe Tornatore always waits for some years to release a new movie and he has always proved that it is worth waiting. But never was I so impressed by his movies as much as I was now. This is his best masterpiece to date. It's rare to find movies like that and here's why the movie was so great. The movie didn't appear much in any festivals coz it's still not released in the US but I'm sure it will be one of the strongest contenders this year at the Academy Awards.

The Unknown talks about a Ukrainian woman who is searching for a job with this certain family and is willing to do everything and I mean everything to get it. And she does, and with time she gets closer to the family and very close in a very special way to the young daughter but then people from her past starts to show up in her life and dark memories of a violent life starts to affect the course of her new life. Along with directing, Guiseppe has written this wonderful screenplay and he has done an outstanding job. Usually all his movies deal with dreams of the future and growing out of age. Here it?s a whole turn coz the movie deals with past memories and flashbacks. He shows different sides of the human spirit when it has passed with a lot of awful experiences. No character in the movie was just put there to fill a blank. Everyone had a turn and each one of them made a huge change in the movie.

What's so great here is that it might take you back to the old golden days of the film noir style where nothing is certain. From the beginning we see lots of changes in the lead character's life. You don't know what's coming next or what she might do and that's what keeps you so thrilled to watch the movie. She is one of the most unpredictable characters ever written. Her path through the movie is always filled with new twists and turns. And the way they were affecting her was very peculiar. This is not just your typical dark story. It's way much more, it digs deep into psychological theories bringing the most real and affecting emotions. As I already said there is no place for you to feel bored coz there is always something new presented to the story if it was on the present or the past level. I watched the whole movie and looked to find a flaw in it but I couldn't find not even a single flaw in it. It is one of the few movies I call perfect. You just don't pass by such psychologically moving stories like this one everyday. It represents some of the deeply hidden categories of our modern societies and makes people hear their cries. The lead character does a lot of horrible stuff but you can't help but sympathize with her and her cause. And the growing relations we see through the movie were just wonderful. And arriving to the ending the movie gets a full treat with a flawless perfect one of a kind ending which raises the movie to a better level.

Now of course the movie wouldn't have been the same without Guiseppe Tornatore's outstanding directorial job here. I have always thought that his best was Cinema Paradiso but this movie has changed my mind. For me, his work here was a pure salute to the master himself Alfred Hitchcock. First the story is very similar to the style Hitchcock held during his days and the directorial style was just very well done like the master used to do. We can clearly see that Tornatore has done his studying very well. Unlike his previous movies, visually the movie is darker and much more obscure. One of the much great stuff he has done here is that he transformed this psychological drama into a thriller. You just sit there on the edge of your seat with your heart pumping fastly needing wanting to get to the next scene to know what will happen next. The thrill he delivers flows smoothly under your skin taking you into the world of the movie making you a part of it. But of course no Tornatore movie is complete without a wonderful score by the genius Ennio Morricone who has done again with a wonderful score different from his previous works. And it too has taken me back to the wonderful Hitchcockian classics and I think this is why I loved this movie a lot.

Kseniya Rappoport playing the lead character here gives a career defining performance from the heart. I don't know anything about her previous movies but this movie alone is enough to make me a fun coz her work was simply phenomenal and worth a worldwide acknolodgment.