Tag: Amy Adams

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

Hillbilly Elegy is based on the memoir of the same name by J. D. Vance (Gabriel Basso) and follows his story as a Yale law student who faces issues when he is called back to his childhood home in Ohio after his mother, Bev (Amy Adams) overdoses on heroin. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker, Ron Howard with the screenplay written by Vanessa Taylor (who has received an Oscar nomination for co-writing The Shape of Water). The film flits between the present day J.D. who is having to travel to Ohio to help get Bev back on track and flashbacks showing J.D. as a child growing up in a broken home as Bev’s lack of stability leads to him being put in the care of his grandmother, Mamaw (Glenn Close). Hillbilly Elegy has been the subject of much controversy from the release of the book and even more so with the release of the film.

Ron Howard is a director who has a clear passion and love for filmmaking. His strongest deliveries are when he focuses on biopics with Apollo 13 (1995), A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Frost/Nixon (2008) proving to be his most successful. What makes these films so strong is the connection Howard brings with the source material. On paper, Hillbilly Elegy should have proved to be a success for Howard and bring him his most critically successful film since Frost/Nixon. The memoir contains a lot of political subtext as it delves into his own Republican tendencies and attacks on Democrats, particularly under the Obama administration. This is where much of the controversy lies and with Howard being hugely Democratic himself, he decided to take any political context out of the film altogether. I think this is a huge mistake and a reason why the film doesn’t reach its full potential. Of course Vance and Howard clearly have different political values which is absolutely fine, but taking away Vance’s own political point of view in a story that is hugely ruled by its politics is taking away a big part of his own identity and characterisation. Howard needn’t direct the film in a light that “favours” the political party he opposes but I think the context should have been included even in the background.

Now to discuss the acting performances. Amy Adams has been touted as the lead in this film and I have to say that in my opinion, that is purely a tactic to win more awards. Do not be fooled, Amy Adams is in a supporting role in this film and it should be categorised as such. This isn’t anything against Adams or her performance but it is a very misleading top billing. The true lead performances in this film come from Owen Asztalos and Gabriel Basso as young and adult J.D, respectively. Both do a really decent job capturing J.D’s struggle to fit in and his determination to do well in school and work towards a career in law. Asztalos, in particular, does a great job with the conflict scenes in which he sees his family life breaking apart without fully understanding what is going on.

In support, we have Amy Adams as Bev and Glenn Close as Mamaw. Clearly the stars of the show, both give it their all and do their best with the script. However, I do think Adams was miscast (a statement I never thought I would ever say). Adams is clearly trying so hard to convey Bev’s drug addiction and inability to lead a sober and stable life but the writing doesn’t do much for the character. We don’t feel any sympathy for Bev as she succumbs to her addiction and her behaviour seems to come across as erratic without reason or explanation. In the end, she is dropped off at a motel by J.D who has to leave to attend an interview. There doesn’t seem to be any closure to her issues in a way that feels substantial enough. Close, on the other hand, pulls off a more convincing performance that is subtle and captivates when she is onscreen. She isn’t onscreen a lot but I do think out of the two, she does give the better performance. Gaining a lot of favour for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, my personal support for now is actually going toward Amanda Seyfried in Mank. Close is going to get her Oscar but I really hope it is for an even better performance.

Overall, Hillbilly Elegy is a film that does fall into the Oscar bait category. With Adams and Close being the living actresses with the most Academy Award nominations without winning one, the film is clearly driving the agenda to add that Oscar to their collections. However, I am a firm believer in giving awards to the performances that deserve it and both women have carried off performances that should have won in my opinion (Amy Adams for Best Supporting Actress in The Master and Glenn Close for Best Leading Actress in Fatal Attraction). I think giving either one an Oscar for their performances in Hillbilly Elegy would be a huge disservice to the phenomenal careers the two of them have had. They do the best with the material and direction they have been given but neither performance is in the top 5 (even top 10) for either actress. When summarising Adams or Close’s careers, it’s highly doubtful that Hillbilly Elegy is going to be discussed among their greatest films.

What did you think of Hillbilly Elegy? Let me know in the comments below!

Hillbilly Elegy is available to view on Netflix.

Uncategorised

Paul Thomas Anderson: Film Ranking

Post author By Nicola
Post date 14 November 2019
1 Comment on Paul Thomas Anderson: Film Ranking

Paul Thomas Anderson is known for his experimental and fearless quest into exploring characters in ways that are unflinching and at times, uncomfortable.

With the exception of last place (I really struggle with the age-gap in the relationship), I’ve watched these films multiple times and some of them are among my favourite films of all time.

Here’s my ranking for the filmography of Paul Thomas Anderson:

Which PTA film is your favourite film? Let me know in the comments below!

Tags 1970, 1970s, academy award, academy awards, adam sandler, adapt, adaptation, Amy Adams, anderson, boogie nights, burt reynolds, california, character, characters, cinema, cinematic, class, coen, coen brothers, composer, couture, cult, daniel day-lewis, daniel plainview, debut, dillon freasier, directing, direction, director, directorial, dirk digglers, don cheadle, emily watson, epic, fashion, femininity, film, filmmaker, filmmaking, filmography, films, frog, frogs, gambler, gambling, gaze, gender, gwyneth paltrow, hard eight, high society, identity, industry, inherent vice, jason robards, Joaquin phoenix, john c reilly, Jonny Greenwood, julianne moore, katherine waterston, kubrick, las vegas, lesley manville, licorice pizza, magnolia, mark wahlberg, masculinity, modern, movie, movies, music, no country for old men, novel, oil, one Battle After Another, original, Oscar, Oscars, paul dano, Paul Thomas Anderson, phantom thread, philip baker hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, plot, postmodern, postmodernist, PTA, punch-drunk love, pynchon, robert elswit, russell harvard, saga, samuel l. jackson, score, screenplay, screenwriter, screenwriting, sex, society, stanley kubrick, the master, there will be blood, thomas pynchon, tom cruise, upton sinclair, vicky krieps, writer, writing

Uncategorised

Top 5 Viola Davis Performances

Post author By Nicola
Post date 11 October 2019
2 Comments on Top 5 Viola Davis Performances

A reigning Queen of the Silver Screen, Viola Davis is a titan of acting who shows us time and time again that she really is among the best of the best. She is also the first black actress to receive the Triple Crown of Acting. She is renowned for her grace and poise, she fights for what she believes in and only takes on roles that she wants. She is an icon in a number of different ways but for me, it is her passion for acting and determination to get to the heart of her characters that really stands out for me. You can tell that she truly loves what she does and that she puts herself into the characters whether it be an FBI agent in Suicide Squad, the mother of a missing child in Prisoners or a woman broken by a society that cripples her family because of the colour of their skin in Fences. I can’t even begin to say how much I love VIola Davis as an actress and activist

As ever, these posts delve into film performances so even though her inputs in projects such as the TV series How to Get Away With Murder are incredible, they won’t be added in the list. This also makes it a bit easier when picking the performances for my list.

Here are my top 5 performances in chronological order:

Doubt (2008)

The breakthrough performance that cemented Davis’ career onscreen, Doubt is a star-studded film that features iconic stars Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who all received Oscar nominations for their performances. Following Sister Aloysius (Streep) and Sister James (Adams) as they plot to bring down Father Flynn (Hoffman) who is suspected of molesting the school’s first black student. What was the most heartwrenching scene to come from this film was the performance from Viola Davis, an actress who had made her name on TV and the stage but had not broken into the film industry just yet. Her performance as Mrs. Miller, the mother of the abused child, is small but captivating as she struggles with the truth and her faith. It’s a pained performance that holds its ground against three of the best actors in modern times. Davis’ character admits that she would overlook the abuse if it meant that her son could still attend the school and escape from the socioeconomic background that he would be subjected to were he not attending. In one scene she becomes a parent torn by the abuse of secular and religious authorities. She knows that it is a world where they cannot win without suffering and the heartbreak of that realisation sits with you for the duration of the film.

The Help (2011)

Now for the film that solidified Davis as a leading star and should have won her an Academy Award (let’s not even get into that one). I am aware that The Help is a controversial film to put in here and it is completely understandable. The film sadly follows white saviour tropes as Emma Stone’s character, Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, helps to expose the abuse that the black maids in Jackson have received. The maids that she initially speak to are Aibileen Clark (Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) who both provide brilliant performances. I know that sadly these kinds of roles feed into prejudice perceptions of non-white actors who are often delegated to subservient characters. I remember watching this film for the first time and absolutely loving the characters and how much they fight back. The film definitely has its flaws but both Davis and Spencer shine and earn their acclaim. Both characters are brilliantly developed and the scenes with the two of them in are fantastic. Davis has such a presence and says so much with a facial expression. Her performance as Aibileen is a masterclass of acting and only serves as a small step in a huge career.

Prisoners (2013)

This may be an unexpected inclusion into the list but I enjoyed this film a lot. Serving as Denis Villeneuve’s English-language debut, I went into thinking it would be a typical action drama but it was so much more than that. Davis plays Nancy Birch, a woman who’s daughter is kidnapped with her best friend. It’s a film that plays out every parent’s worst nightmare and the lengths one will go to to bring back their child. Davis is maternal, fierce and conflicted when Kevin Dover (Hugh Jackman) who’s daughter also went missing finds a suspect, locks him up and begins to beat him. Nancy is a character who refuses to play by others’ rules and does what feels right to her. Although this is a supporting role, Davis still maintains that strong presence onscreen and brings her A-game in a cast that includes Jackman, Terrence Howard and Jake Gyllenhaal to name a few. Much like the conflict Davis brought in Doubt, it’s hard not to feel affected by her performance. Whereas Jackman and Gyllenhaal fit a traditional “masculine” trope, Davis is the maternal heart but brings a strength that is not often given to women in thrillers. Her involvement shows her desire to work with respected directors and actors and also shows her perseverance to choose roles that help progress to women’s roles in films.

Fences (2016)

The one that brought her all the gongs, Fences is an adaptation of August Wilson’s 1985 play of the same name and directed by her co-star, Denzel Washington, who also brings a career best. Washington refused to divert from WIlson’s script meaning that Wilson is credited as screenwriter and received a posthumous Oscar nomination. Admittedly, Washington’s reluctance to divert from the script does make the film feel a bit too stage-like at times but there is no doubt that this is Davis’ film. I honestly think that they should have gone for the Best Leading Actress awards and she would have won it but the Supporting seemed a “safe” category. She plays Rose Lee Maxson, a woman whose life revolves around satisfying the desires of her husband and their son whose goal is to play baseball. Living in a rundown neighbourhood in a deeply racist society where the odds are stacked against them, Rose does not give up and fights while her husband Troy Maxson delves deeper into madness in his failure to succeed in his American Dream. It’s a highly emotionally charged film that sees Davis go into a different league of acting that is rarely seen. She refuses to be put down by the men she takes care of despite their physical intimidation. Rose is another strong woman that Viola can add to her extensive repertoire.

Widows (2018)

The last blockbuster that Viola starred in saw her take the lead as Veronica Rawlings in Steve McQueen’s fourth feature, Widows which follows four women who plot to carry out a heist after three of their husbands died in a botched job. Veronica is the group leader who draws together the plan using a notebook that her late husband, Harry (Liam Neeson) left in a safety deposit box. The other three women played by Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Enviro and the four together have great characterisation and rapport. It’s a film built on the strength on its performers and Davis leads with ease. It’s refreshing to see such a strong action-based role which would traditionally be taken by a white male instead being portrayed by a black woman. The film is fearless and knows its strength. Veronica is one of the best female characters in recent years. She’s deeply complex as a grieving widow, a mother who’s son was wrongly murdered due to racism in authority and a woman who knows what she has to do to survive. She shields her fragility and fuels the operation with her persistence.

I am so excited to see where Viola’s career will go next. Even in films like Suicide Squad, she was a shining star to me. She’s an actress who is consistent, likeable and bankable. She is one of the key figures to pushing for more strong female characters in film and constantly talks about the importance of women in film.

What Viola Davis film is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

Uncategorised

Top 5 Joaquin Phoenix Performances

Post author By Nicola
Post date 15 September 2019
2 Comments on Top 5 Joaquin Phoenix Performances

Undoubtedly the man of the moment in the film that has the festival circuit buzzing, Joaquin Phoenix is the frontrunner for awards for his titular performance in Todd Phillips’ origin story Joker. During a film climate that seems dominated by superhero films, Joker seems like it is doing something entirely different by twisting the tone and idea of the superhero movie. It feels that after years of playing the underdog in Indie features and his reluctance to entertain the spotlight, the mainstream media has finally caught up. It feels only right that I compile a list of my top 5 performances although it’s very tricky to do so.

Here’s my top 5 in chronological order:

Gladiator (2000)

I never thought Gladiator would be in a top anything list. Truth be told, I find the film overwhelming overall but the one element of it I absolutely love is Joaquin Phoenix’s brilliant performance as the evil Commodus, the power hungry son of Marcus Aurelius who gives power to Maximus (Russell Crowe) until a new empire is formed. His lust for power knows no bounds as he murders his own father and has Maximus arrested. It’s Phoenix’s performance that brings the real depth to this film. He could have easily played this role as a cartoonish villain but instead brings a snakelike presence to the character. His strength comes from the power that others give him rather than strength that he has by himself which comes to fruition in the final fight scene with Maximus.

The Master (2012)

Undoubtedly my favourite Joaquin Phoenix performance, The Master follows ex-marine Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) as he becomes involved with a cult called The Cause, led by Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his wife, Peggy (Amy Adams). I won’t dwell too much on this film, mainly because I have written an extensive review for this film (which you can read here). Phoenix brings his A game to his performance and it truly is a career best. The scene where he initially undergoes “Processing” with Lancaster in which his darkest secrets and even darker past are revealed. It’s a brilliantly shot scene that brings together to titans of acting and should have won both Phoenix and Hoffman Academy Awards.

Her (2013)

Spike Jonze’s romantic Her shows a tender side to Phoenix in the role of Theodore Twombly, a depressed soon-to-be divorcé whose job is writing intimate letters for people who are too afraid to do so. He is so emotionally intense and yet detached at the same time as he begins a sexual relationship with his OS (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Featuring a stellar cast that is rounded off by Amy Adams and Rooney Mara, this was one of the best films of 2013 and brought Spike Jonze a much-deserved Oscar for his screenplay. It’s a saddening portrayal of love and heartbreak in the 21st century. This is a film that easily could have fallen into ridiculous due to its eccentric plot but the sincerity that Phoenix brings to the role allows the audience to become truly invested in the plot.

Inherent Vice (2014)

Phoenix’s second collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson brings renowned author Thomas Pynchon to the big screen in what is the only adaptation to date. Based on the drug-infused novel, Inherent Vice, we follow Doc Sportello, an alcoholic, drug-loving cop in 1969 as he tries to bring down a drug lord. It’s a hallucinogenic mesh of colour, music and Joanna Newsom who stars as a narrator only Doc can see. The film itself is hugely underrated, possibly due to the fact that it is too bizarre for a lot of people. Being a big fan of Pynchon, I was so excited to see how it would work adapting one of his books into film and it works perfectly. Phoenix is perfect casting and carries off Doc’s happy-go-lucky attitude with ease. He heads up a star-studded cast fantastically and commands the screen whenever he is on it. He brings the perfect amount of slapstick while also keeping the character’s dignity intact. It’s truly a brilliant film that I think is wrongly overlooked.

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Lynne Ramsay’s gritty New York City based nightmare follows Phoenix as hitman, Joe, who lives and breathes violence and killing all while living with his elderly mother in his childhood home. He specialises in rescuing trafficked girls. He’s a character who’s backstory is stained with violence and abuse and there isn’t much else that he is capable of doing. He is quiet and alone but happy in his loneliness. When tasked with retrieving a Senator’s daughter from traffickers, Joe embarks on his hardest mission yet. The film is bloody and holds no punches. It’s brutal from beginning to end with devastating results. The direction and writing is super tight and brought both Phoenix and Ramsay prizes at Cannes Film Festival in a rare double win.

With the release of Joker, it seems that Phoenix is going to break into the mainstream and he’s the frontrunner come award season. It seems that these awards are long overdue. If it were up to me, he’d have a couple of oscars in his cabinet already but sadly that hasn’t been the case. I’d hope that those who are introduced to phoenix’s talents as the Joker watch him in other films and see his talents beyond that superhero universe.

I’ll be posting a review for Joker as soon as its released and I’m looking forward to seeing whether it would break into my top 5.

What do you think of my list? Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below!

Tags academy award, academy awards, acting, actor, adaptation, american, Amy Adams, award, awards, best director, best original screenplay, best picture, blockbuster, character, characters, cinematography, classic, comedy, comic, comic book, DC, directing, direction, director, doc sportello, drama, edit, editing, feature, feature film, film, film history, films, gladiator, her, Hollywood, humour, inherent vice, Joaquin phoenix, joker, lynne ramsay, modern, movie, movies, music, original, Oscar, Oscars, Paul Thomas Anderson, performance, period, Philip Seymour Hoffman, picture, pictures, production, ranking, reboot, remake, review, reviews, ridley scott, Rooney mara, russell crowe, scarlett johansson, screening, screenplay, screenwriter, screenwriting, script, sound, soundtrack, spike jonze, the master, thomas pynchon, thriller, todd phillips, writer, writing, you were never really here

Uncategorised

The Sworn Enemy in ‘The Master’

Post author By Nicola
Post date 19 June 2019
1 Comment on The Sworn Enemy in ‘The Master’

“If you figure a way to live without serving a master, any master, then let the rest of us know, will you? For you’d be the first person in the history of the world.”

Lancaster Dodd, The Master (dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)

By the time this statement is spoken, we have seen the relationship between ex-Naval officer, Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) and Master of the Cause, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) flourish and burn. The scene in which this exchange happens is in London. Freddie has travelled the Atlantic to face off The Master once more. On entering The Cause’s headquarters, he is judged by those who know him and ignored by those who do. There is no physical conflict, no shouting, only two men who are saddened by the demise of their friendship and the realisation that they can never see each other again. The Master is the head of The Cause, a cult that believes they are spirits living in a vessel and once life ends in one vessel, they simply move on to the next. Dodd’s mission is essentially one that lasts for eternity. Freddie staggers in a drunken state onto Dodd’s boat after accidentally poisoning a man with moonshine he had made. Freddie is an ex-marine, unemployed, sex-addicted alcoholic, making him the perfect challenge for his new methods to engage with past vessels. Completely unhinged and uninfluenced by society, Freddie refuses to be reined in by the restrictions put to him by Dodd and his wife, Peggy (Amy Adams) resulting in the collapse of the American branch of the Cause and forcing Dodd to relocate to England.

The Master is regarded one of the best films of the 21st century so far and is one of my favourite films ever made (I have written a review which you can read here). Set in 1950, the film follows ex-marine, Freddie Quell, as he becomes associated with the Cause, a cult that believes that the spirit transcends the body (or vessel as is referred to) and simply changes after death. Although the film is set in a particular place at a particular time, its subject matter actually makes the film seem timeless. The characters wear clothes as expected of the time and the treatment of women and sex is reflective of the time but the sentiment transcends its period, much like the spirit, and can be argued as relevant in the 21st century. Of course, this film was made in the 21st century so it has the advantage of hindsight but I think Paul Thomas Anderson’s script captures the idea of the slave and master perfectly. The Cause is portrayed as a small religion, a friendly group of people who channel their past selves in order to eventually see where man began. Freddie is confused by everything and only wants to drink and have sex but these activities are rejected and he becomes uncomfortable and agitated. It is as though he is young again as we see flashbacks of him with his first love, Doris, before he leaves for war. There is hope in the young Freddie of returning home and marrying Doris but this dream is shattered on his arrival as he finds out she is married with two children. The Cause gives Freddie a purpose to live by hoping to engage with his inner self and control it, thus allowing him to become fully subservient to The Master.

The ending brings the film full circle as Freddie has sex with a woman he meets in a pub and thinks about his time on the beach after the war, waiting to go home. The final shot is him sleeping beside a female form made of sand. It is peaceful and serene as Freddie appears comfortable. He has become “the first person in the history of the world” to live without serving a Master. He is the free spirit that Dodd achieves to ultimately control, the “sworn enemy” as he puts it.

Uncategorised

The Master (2012)

Paul Thomas Anderson is known for his track record of spectacular films, never once making a bad film. His filmography includes breakthrough classics like 1997’s Boogie Nights and the iconic 2007 effort There Will Be Blood just to name a few. However, the one film that strikes a cord with me on a personal note is his 2012 star studded cult study The Master in which Joaquin Phoenix plays Freddie Quell, an alcholic, sex addicted ex-marine who struggles to adjust to normal life after World War II. After an unfortunate incident in which he arguably poisons and kills someone with a toxic alcoholic drink, he escapes and sneaks onto a boat that is currently home to members of The Cause, a cult ran by the titular character, also known as Lancaster Dodd (played superbly by Philip Seymour Hoffman). The Master was severely overlooked on release but has gained a reputation in recent years as one of the best films of the 21st century so far and deservedly so. With striking direction and a flawless screenplay, it’s a film that shows the plight to belong and find that place of belonging and where you fit in the world.

Directed and written by Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master is my favourite of his films and is his own personal favourite as well. With the direction having a keen focus on Freddie and his journey to self acceptance while refusing to fully conform to what The Cause expects from him, this is a film that is deep in manipulation and questionable motives. Anderson’s screenplay does a great job of providing the mystique behind The Master and what his motivations are when it comes to Freddie and bringing Freddie in to The Cause. It is halfway through when we find out his real name as the allure surrounding him begins to crumble and Freddie starts to see the reality of The Cause and how society actually views them.

Leading the cast is Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Quell in what is a career best performance. A sex-addicted alcoholic veteran, Freddie is a deeply troubled character who deals with physical and mental illness whilst also being unable to adjust to regular society following the end of the Second World War. He is erratic and unpredictable, making him the perfect guinea pig for The Master’s new techniques. What Phoenix always does so well is really delve into his characters to a point where he can contort his physicality to become that character and we forget that we are watching an actor. Marking the first of two collaborations between Phoenix and Anderson (the second was 2014’s Inherent Vice), The Master was a perfect pairing for this highly intensive study into a character who seemingly has no place to belong.

In support we have Philip Seymour Hoffman as the titular character and Amy Adams as his wife, Peggy. Both deliver exceptional performances and were my top picks for their respective Acadeny Award categories. Hoffman’s performance has helped in making one of the best original characters put to screen. A quiet performance that is heavily layered, we don’t never fully understand why The Master acts the way he does or what his motivations are as his techniques are always changing. Touring the country and meeting followers, his reputation and inability to remain calm towards critics begins to surface and the mask begins to slip. Where Freddie doesn’t know where he belongs, The Master has created his own place of belonging and is determined to thrust his point of view and his agenda onto those who can be influenced, especially in high society.

One of the highlights in terms of the crew is the soundtrack which was composed by Anderson’s frequent collaborator, Jonny Greenwood. Having seen a lot of success for his score for There Will Be Blood, Greenwood takes inspiration from the 1940s and 50s period and incorporates instruments that are reminiscent of the marines such as woodwind which helps to elevate that atmosphere. We can see the film purely through the music because it helps to paint that picture.

Overall, what makes The Master such a brilliant film is the amount of detail that is in the direction and screenplay. The interpretative nature means that you can watch it and come to a conclusion then watch it again and come to an entirely different conclusion. It’s not an easy film to watch but the best films never are. Beautiful and poignant with a timeless quality, The Master is sure to go down as a classic in years to come.

What do you think of The Master? Let me know in the comments below!