'The Big Short' - Review

Director: Adam McKay
Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Release Date (UK): January 22

Although a film about the housing market and economic bubble may not sound like the most exhilarating of viewings, McKay's direction and the razor sharp cast prevent The Big Short from diminishing its appeal.

The Big Short depicts Dr. Michael Burry (Bale), Mark Baum (Carell), Jared Vennett (Gosling) and Ben Rickert (Pitt), four experiences professionals in the finance industry who pre-meditate the collapse of the housing market years before the financial crisis of 2007/2008. As they delve deeper into the world of modern banking, their startling revelations lead them to question the entire system and question everyone they encounter.

The film is based on the book of the same name by Michael Lewis, and af
ter watching the film you can only assume that adapting the material for the big screen must have been a mammoth task. The writing and dialogue exchanged between the characters is fired fast and requires and audience's full attention. It's evident that McKay and co-writer Charles Randolph not only respected the source material but also the gravity and importance of the subject matter and it is most certainly reflected in the screenplay. For all the reverence that the film is treated with, McKay still includes inventive and original ways to bring levity to the material - most notably with the use of celebrity cameos. Through Gosling's character's narration, McKay throws over to celebrities including Margot Robbie to explain to the audience financial concepts, allowing us to process the flurry of information we have been confronted with and indulge in the humour.

Whilst the celebrity features are designed to help the audience understand and keep on track with the narrative, the financial jargon is extremely complex and specialised and often left me feeling bewildered and confused. Terms such as subprime loans and CDOs (collateralised debt obligations) made little sense to me and I was itching to reach for the nearest Google search bar. Those who are familiar with the subject matter or financial world in general will thrive in the environment created by McKay whereas those who aren't may often find themselves struggling to keep their head above water. In spite of this, the film's energy ensures that the stakes still feel incredibly high and there are surprising and unexpected emotional notes.

Despite the serious and complicated issues raised in The Big Short, plenty of laughs are to be had (unsurprising, given that this is an Adam McKay film). However, the humour never feels forced or synthetic and it is weaved completely naturally into the film's tapestry. A large part of the joy and entertainment value of watching this film has to be attributed to the cast; it truly is an ensemble and everybody delivers. Carell arguably conveys the most effective and interesting character as he plays a man who is in the corrupt business of banking but clearly feels the responsibility to set the world to rights, all the while struggling to overcome issues in his personal life.

Overall, The Big Short is funny, informative and tragic all in equal measure and will keep you gripped from the get-go. However, as soon as the lights go up in the cinema, you will most likely hurry home to clarify and gather as much information about what you have just watched as you can.

'The Revenant' - Review

Director: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter.
Release Date (UK): January 15

The process of making The Revenant has been highly publicised, with the actor's endurance in the harsh weather conditions and unforgiving all - natural environment highlighted especially. However, no discussion about the production of the picture can prepare you for the incredibly immersive experience and depiction of the true reality of nature - it has to be seen the be believed.

The Revenant follows a group of fur trappers and hunters who are confronted by the Arikara and are forced to abandon their position and track a new course whilst still being pursued. The group are slowed down when the group's guide, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), is horrifically mauled in a bear attack. After being left for dead and witnessing the death of his son in the hands of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), Glass must overcome his substantial injuries and navigate the treacherous terrain and environment to exact his revenge.

The immersive and wholly visceral experience of The Revenant is largely due to the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki. The opening sequence in which the hunting party is ambushed is truly a sight to behold, and reminiscent of Lubezki's work in Birdman (also directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu) where the impression of a long, continuous take is given. The camera swoops amongst the action, effortlessly gliding between one depiction of violence to another and encompassing the scope of the location and brutally capturing the events. However, the most brutal scene in the film is the attack on Glass by the grizzly bear who was protecting her cubs. The sequence is a cinematic landmark and will certainly develop a legacy in its own right. DiCaprio's performance is nothing short of brilliant in this sequence, especially taking into consideration that his screen partner was a CGI creation.

For the majority of the picture, DiCaprio's character is in the sole company of the wilderness, and Lubezki's inspired and ambitious creative decision to shoot the film using entirely natural light only enhances the feeling of the audience experiencing Hugh Glass' turbulent journey. The use of natural light allowed Lubezki to simultaneously capture the beauty and harshness of the environment and conditions that Glass (and DiCaprio) had to endure.

As previously mentioned, DiCaprio spends a great deal of time without a screen partner, resulting in a very physical as opposed to verbal and dialogue driven performance. However, he is nevertheless effective in communicating every human's basic instinct to survive and commands every single frame he is in; his performance here will most likely garner DiCaprio his long overdue and allusive Academy Award for Best Actor. Tom Hardy is also impressive as John Fitzgerald, the film's antagonist as he proposes the reasoning behind his character's actions and offers complexities far beyond the tropes of the moustache - twirling villain. For example, with the threat of the Arikara ever present, Fitzgerald's every-man-for-himself approach isn't hard to fathom. The film also has strong supporting performances from Domhnall Gleeson (Captain Andrew Henry) and Will Poulter (Jim Bridger), although their character's naive nature and evident lack of experience makes it too easy for Fitzgerald to succeed and deceive.

Although Hugh Glass' physical pain is thoroughly explored, his emotional pain as a result of losing his son is never fully realised - perhaps this is because the relationship and connection between the two wasn't written effectively, or arguably because DiCaprio's youthful appearance prevents him from convincingly playing the father of a young adolescent. Additionally, extensive portions of the film see Glass suffering from the elements and recovering from his wounds as he valiantly makes his way back to base. As previously stated, DiCaprio has little dialogue and is alone through long stretches of the film, resulting in occasional bouts of the audience's patience being tested as they will the action on.

Despite the long running time and the film's infrequent indulgent nature, the breathtaking cinematography and memorable performances ensures that The Revenant is one of the most truly cinematic films that you will ever experience.

'Room' - Review

Director: Lenny Abrahamson
Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers, William H. Macy
Release Date (UK): January 2016

Although the film's stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay and the director Lenny Abrahmson may be relatively unheard of talent, after watching Room, their presence will be firmly on your radar - and it's there to stay.

Held against their will in a single - room shed in a man's garden for years, a woman (Brie Larson) and her son 5 year-old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) conceive a plan to be free of their captor and Room. They succeed and both mother and son have to adjust to the world as Ma struggles to acclimatise to freedom and Jack experiences interaction with other people (besides his mother) and much more for the first time.

As alluded to in the introduction, the performances of Larson and Tremblay are the heart and soul of the film. Larson, brilliant in Short Term 12, continues to astound with her raw honesty that she has demonstrated so many times. Her internalised and layered performance never falters as she plays Ma, the resilient woman who finds the will to raise her son under unfathomable circumstances with such valour whilst battling engrossing sadness and fatigue. Having recently won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama, the Oscar statuette is firmly within her grasp and rightfully so, as she gives one of the year's best performances. However, Larson is never better than when she is sharing the screen with Tremblay. Tremblay gives one of the finest performances by a child actor in recent memory as Jack as his innate natural instincts and energy seeps from the screen. You don't feel like you are watching performances from either Larson or Tremblay - you feel like you are watching the truth.

The film is deftly directed by Lenny Abrahamson (director of Frank) who handles the subject matter with such regard whilst adding his own artistic flourishes. Like the novel of the same name, Room is largely told through the eyes of Jack. However, Abrahamson also goes to greater efforts to see Larson's character as more than just Ma as she reconciles regaining her freedom with the feeling of being more isolated than ever; as it develops, the film sees Jack blossom with his new surroundings as Ma (her name is revealed to be Joy) regresses into an almost childlike state.

The screenplay (written by the author of Room, Emma Donoghue) was incredibly faithful to the source material, ensuring fans of the book will be thrilled with the final result. Whilst some scenes are omitted, others are harrowing with their visual realisation. Surprisingly, one of the film's most traumatic scenes is when Joy gives her interview about her experience in Room. The line of questioning and manner in which the interview is conducted is infuriating to witness and highlights the media and public insensitivity and feeling of entitlement to survivor cases. In addition, the fact that Joy has to participate in the interview to pay her legal bills is sickening, and evokes such a strong and visceral reaction, both from Joy and the audience.

This life affirming and suspenseful story of survival reminds us how time and circumstance can turn us all into a captive, resulting in one of the most powerful and emotional films in years.

'The Hateful Eight' - Review

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern, Demian Bichir, Channing Tatum
Release Date (UK): January 8

Whilst promoting The Hateful Eight, Quentin Tarantino has expressed a keen interest in adapting his latest writing/directorial effort into a stage play. After watching the film, I can only support Tarantino's desire as the almost lyrical dialogue and tense atmosphere would no doubt transfer seamlessly into a theatre production. However, as this development does not seem to be taking place any time in the foreseeable future, the masterful and impeccably crafted film will fortunately have to suffice.

After convincing John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell) to board his stage coach along with his bounty Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), later joined by the new Sherrif of Redrock Chris Mannix, head to the renowned Minnie's Haberdashery. Upon arrival, they find four eclectic men in residence. As ferocious weather conditions force the group to spend three days together, Warren plays Poirot as not everyone seems to be who they claim, increasing the suspense to Hitchcock - esque levels.

Due to the Hitchcock-ian vibe the film boasts, the 167 minute running time flies by as the shocking potential twists and turns of the narrative ensure the audience's attention is planted firmly on the screen and don't dare risking a glance at their watch in fear of missing a crucial plot point. Despite the film's gory and violent elements and categorisation as a drama, The Hateful Eight elicits laughs from the audience larger than the laughs that would typically be produced by a straight comedy; this only further exemplifies the strength and diversity in Tarantino's writing that he has proven time after time.

Not only does Tarantino write humour incredibly well, he casts impeccable actors, each of them incredibly worthy of assuming his creations, Although Jennifer Jason Leigh is garnering the most attention in the awards circuit (deservedly so), Walton Goggins is a revelation and equally deserving of critical recognition. The Hateful Eight also reminds you of how criminal it is that Samuel L. Jackson (a Tarantino staple) has never gotten an Academy Award - after acting professionally for over 40 years, Jackson remains just as committed and enigmatic as ever. Other notable standouts include Kurt Russell as John "The Hangman" Ruth, the no-nonsense but largely naive bounty hunter and Tim Roth as Oswaldo Mobray, the chipper Englishman who happens to be the town's hangman. Oswaldo proves to be one of the most amusing characters and increases the levity and energy of the picture every time he is on screen. Every single one of these actors depicts disgusting and, well, hateful characters - however, they were some of the most enthralling individuals I had witnessed in a long time.

Although incredibly well-realised, there were some occasional character moments that felt more for the audience's benefit than to serve the character. For example, there is a brief and fleeting moment with Roth's character that goes entirely unexplained once all of the twists in the story have been revealed. Additionally, Russell's John Ruth is immediately suspicious of the inhabitants of Minnie's Haberdashery and believes someone is not who they claim to be. Arguably, there are no grounds for these suspicions other than to inform the audience and make them aware of the complexities and potential deception going on.

Overall, The Hateful Eight is a suspenseful, violent, engaging and well acted picture, indicating the director at the helm is at the peak of his film-making prowess. Tarantino has claimed that he will only write/direct two more films, but The Hateful Eight only increases my need for more of his work, because simply, there is no one like him.

'The Danish Girl' - Review

Director: Tom Hooper
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw, Amber Heard, Matthias Schoenaerts
Release Date (UK): January 1

Never has a film felt more timely or potent in regards to social matters than The Danish Girl. With Caitlyn Jenner and Orange is the New Black's Laverne Cox propelling transgender issues into the mainstream, The Danish Girl continues to bring the transgender community to the forefront of conversation.

The beginning of the film depicts Einar and Gerda Wegener, a married couple who are both artists living in Copenhagen. Although a talented portrait artist, Gerda has not garnered the same success and acclaim that her husband has. After the subject of a painting that she has been working on fails to show, Gerda asks her husband to stand in. However, posing as a female figure leads to the unveiling of Einar's true identity that he had been struggling with his entire life; a woman called Lili Elbe. This incident is the catalyst for the rest of the film's events as both Lili and Gerda struggle to cope with the realisation.

The performances given from the film's two leads, Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, are extraordinary. Redmayne so viscerally conveys the pain of being born into the wrong body; in the moments where Lili is forced into returning to the identity of Einar, her discomfort and desire to transform back into her true self is almost tangible. Although his performance is arguably perhaps too external, Redmayne's work in The Danish Girl and 2014's The Theory of Everything establishes him as one of Britain's finest talents.

Whilst Redmayne is excellent, Alicia Vikander gives the finest performance in the picture and continues her winning streak; whether she's playing a double agent in The Man from U.N.C.L.E, a manipulative A.I in Ex Machina to her role here as a woman conflicted between supporting Lili throughout her transformation and being unwilling to let Einar go. It seems Vikander can do no wrong.

The audience are certainly positioned to care deeply for and sympathise with both Lili and Gerda as the film proposes an interesting and mirroring journey for the two characters. As Gerda and her art career begin to succeed, Lili descends into turmoil as she can't reconcile her real identity with the body she was born into. Alternatively, as Lili embraces her true self, Gerda increasingly struggles with her husband's transitioning.

Whilst the themes and issues raised withing The Danish Girl are arresting, the exceptional film-making and cinematography elevates the picture where the script fails it. Hooper and cinematographer Danny Cohen make the entire film feel like a painting as they echo Einar and Gerda's profession and create a visually immersive experience for the audience, demonstrating the level of thought and intelligence put into the picture. However, the film occasionally feels slightly too calculated and polished, resulting in moments that are robbed of their emotional weight.

Although not a perfect film, The Danish Girl will hopefully continue to provoke conversation regarding issues faced by the transgender community and further encourage Hollywood to tell bold and inspiring tells.

'Joy' - Review

Director: David O. Russell

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini.

Release Date (UK): January 1

Cert: 12A

Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro re-team with auteur David O. Russell once again for the director's eighth full-length feature film. However, the dynamic group continue to surprise audiences and tread unfamiliar ground as Joy is O. Russell's first film featuring a female lead and is "inspired by the stories of daring women", as seen effectively in the opening credits.

Joy tells the story of, well, Joy Mangano, a budding inventor who finds herself the victim of societal conventions and a dysfunctional family who seem to quell the fire simmering within Joy - an ex-husband and father living in the basement and a soap opera obsessed mother don't exactly sound like the most supportive bunch. However, after cutting her hand on a glass whilst wringing out a mop, Joy's creativity and ambition is reignited and she designs her finest invention - the Miracle Mop.

Although significantly younger than the real Joy Mangano, Jennifer Lawrence provides a mature and controlled performance as the unlucky and downtrodden housewife turned business powerhouse. Even in the most subtle and muted moments, Lawrence is able to convey the conflict within Joy; the position of passivity and duty placed upon her and her passion and desire for something greater. Lawrence once again proves to us why she is the most sought after star in Hollywood and will more than likely receive her fourth Academy Award nomination.

Lawrence particularly shines during the films more emotional and serious moments which only enhance the audience's investment in the narrative. We are positioned to defiantly root for Joy and celebrate her triumphs and commiserate with her downfalls. For example, the scene in which Joy and her family gather around their television and witness their financial investment fail is utterly heartbreaking, demonstrating the film's unflinching look at the business world. In comparison, the sequence where Joy becomes the face of her own product at QVC and sees her Miracle Mop sell by the thousands is fist-pump worthy.

Whilst the emotional moments in Joy are sublime, the more quirky and experimental elements don't connect as effectively. The opening scene depicting a soap opera is a disconcerting way of beginning the picture, and Joy's nightmare sequences are jarring and perhaps too unconventional. Although they are interesting notions, they never really seem to gel with the more poignant moments throughout the rest of the film, creating an uneven and unpolished first third act.

Additionally, not all of the characters are given as much development and nuance as the titular character. Joy's half-sister Peggy is merely portrayed as a jealous sibling whilst only Joy's relationship with one of her children is realised, reminiscent of Christoper Nolan's Interstellar.

Joy may be the weakest installment of the O. Russell/Lawrence/Cooper/De Niro collaboration thus far, its stellar performances and emotional hooks should keep you talking about Joy's extraordinary story long after you've left the cinema.