One Day

3/5


"I love you Dex, I really do. I just don't like you anymore."

One Day is filmed with a lot of beauty and manages to evoke plenty of emotion and heart, it’s just a shame that some of the character’s bring the whole ensemble down.

Based on David Nicholls best seller, One Day centres on the lives of Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) and Emma Morley (Anne Hathway) on the 15^th July of each year. The first thing I will mention is that this book is by far my favourite of this year. It is so wonderfully written with very real, relatable characters that spark emotion at each turn. I obviously didn’t love the film in the same way, but nonetheless I very much enjoyed it. 

Director Lone Scherfig managed to really capture the essence of the book, projecting the same heart that Nicholls created.  The story itself is a genuinely original and beautiful idea. Seeing two friends live their lives through a series of portholes each year is a really clever way of shifting time but allowing us to still keep close and up to date with the characters relationship. Although Dexter and Emma deeply care for one another, their paths move in very different directions through the trials and tribulations of life. It is this turbulence that keeps up desperate for the characters to stay connected with each other.  It’s an important empathetic aspect that the audience can’t help but feel which really allows us to deeply involve ourselves in both Emma and Dexter’s life. We need to possess this in order to gain the full impact of the film.

 The acting is probably the worst part about this film. On the whole, Jim Sturgess did a fantastic job. He is a very attractive male and looks-wise is everything Dexter should be. I thought he played his part well, he was pompous and arrogant to start with which rightfully made us dislike his character, but later managed to mature into a character most women would love to have in their life. My only qualm with him would be the accent he put on in his younger years. He came across as an upper class snob which I felt didn’t particularly suit his character.

 Anne Hathway however was something else.  There is no way in hell this part should have been hers. Physically, she is everything Emma Morley should be and in hindsight, that is probably the only reason she got the role.  Her attempt at a Yorkshire accent is possibly one of the worst things I have heard in my life. She starts off with a really posh southern accent with American twinges, and occasionally throws in a really broad Yorkshire sentence. It is physically impossible not to notice this and as a result is really distracting to the rest of her performance.  This is such a big disappointment to me mainly because I related to Emma’s character so much in the book and completely loved her because of it, but I struggled to keep that same level of affection for her in the film because of Hathway. Why they couldn’t have cast a British actress I really don’t know.

  Rafe Spall who played Ian Whitehead, Emma’s love interest, really surprised me. He really stood out above the rest with his genuinely great performacne. He was nothing like I had initially imagined him to be, but that didn’t seem to matter when watching the film because Spall managed to make Whitehead better.

I’ve got to give a lot of praise to make up team as well. The transformation they gave Dexter throughout the 23years was just brilliant. The change each year was subtle enough that it didn’t feel like a big deal but it effectively managed to demonstrate the state his life was in. As I’ve stated before, Jim Sturgess is a very attractive man, and for them to make him seem unappealing in a really slight way is truly remarkable.

The ending of the film is very true to the book. Although it didn’t spark as much emotion as the book (I sat and cried for 10minutes straight after I had finished it) it still generated a pretty hefty amount – my mascara stained tissue is proof of that! The ending moved me in a similar way to the book which in my experience of adaptations is a hard thing to recreate.  I think a lot of the reason this adaptation felt like it worked, was because David Nicholls wrote the screenplay himself. I think that was a really smart move because he obviously knows the essence of the story more than anyone.

Whilst this isn’t your usual love story and probably will never make it into your favourites. It is still a very worthy effort.  I really don’t think this will appeal to everyone but it won’t disappoint those who have read the book (shame the same can’t be said for PS I Love You and The Time Traveller’s Wife...) It’s an emotional story and one where you’re willing things to work out for the characters you like so much.  A good effort by Scherfig and a good watch. 

Exit Through The Gift Shop: Street Art.

Watching Exit Through The Gift Shop has really opened my eyes to the new craze that is known as street art. Prior to watching I had heard a little bit about Banksy and seen some of his work, but this has really made me more aware of the actual talent that is involved in the art form.

A lot of hard work and risky dedication goes into making this graffiti so wonderful. As well as Banksy, there are many artists out there who have made a name for themselves stamping their trademarks all around the world.

Space Invader uses old pieces of Rubik Cubes to create images form the classic arcade game. His pieces can be found on buildings, walls and bridges everywhere.

Shepard Fairey's 'Obey Giant' campaign has become a national phenomena, intended to raise curiosity and make people question the relationship they have with their surroundings. His trademark piece has taken the basic outline of Andre the Giant and simplified it down to give it the menacing, intriguing attire that Fairey has become known for.

The work of MBW or Mr Brain Wash - the man that Exit Through The Gift Shop centres around. Thierry Guetta is a man obsessed with filming everything. He has no purpose or reason for this, he simply does so because he likes to capture the moment. Cousin to Space Invader, he soon becomes fascinated with his art and the work he does throughout the city. Thrown into the world of street art, Thierry is obsessed with the workings and technicalities that take place in order to ensure the piece is displayed in it's fullest form in various places throughout the city. After capturing several renown artists, Thierry becomes obsessed in his mission to track down Banksy and capture the makings of his work. Call it luck, fate or coincidence, but the two just so happened to be magically thrown together.


Banksy encourages Thierry to showcase some of his own works (above) in a gallery show, which proves to be an instant success, making MBW the new must have piece for any contemporary art collector.


Exit Through The Gift Shop is a very fascinating documentary. The footage that Thierry has collected makes for excellent viewing. It is really special being able to witness the making of some of these contemporary artist's greatest works. Although the form of art is obviously sketchy in terms of legality, the documentary really helped to highlight the dangers the artists are faced with and the serious risks should they get caught. Even though Banksy helped make the documentary and featured in it...he was very cautious at concealing his identity, facially and vocally.

Through the means of one man and his camera, we really are able to see a charming insight into the intrinsic and amazing world of street art. There can be no qualms as to why this saw a nomination at the Oscars, however I do believe that it's more of a one trick pony. It is a documentary that I found insightful and enjoyed to some degree, but one that I am not likely to view again in the near future. It by no means is my favourite of the year. I would regard Catfish much higher, but perhaps that's because the medium behind that are more accomplished in film making and so were able to produce a more elegant, well rounded piece.

My eyes now on will be peeled for the works of street artists. I hope to see a Banksy in real life one day. A very unusual talent that is heavily under appreciated by the masses. I give the documentary overall a 6/10.

Moon (2009)

My rating: 6/10

After having heard a lot about this film, I was very intrigued to watch it. So when I saw it on TV I thought I'd give it a go. Whilst I wasn't blown away by this film, I still found it pretty good.

Moon offers a very original script, we are shown our protagonist Sam maintaining the computers for a new source of energy found on the moon. His contract lasts three years and he is up there by himself with the exception of his computer companion Gerty. After suffering an accident, Sam wakes up to find things are strange, he encounters another form of himself who claims to have only been on the project for a week. With a lot of confusion both Sam's start to try and figure out what is going on.

So as you can see, the premise for this film bares no similarity to anything else we've seen. A lot of dependence is placed upon our lead Sam (Sam Rockwell) but luckily that pays off. Rockwell keeps our attention and focus without making us ever feel the need for any other stage presence. Kevin Spacey (Gerty) provides us with a very creepy form of a robot, he is very reminiscent of HAL (2001: A Space Odyssey) We immediate gain the sense of distrust from him.

While on the surface, Moon appears to be a big Sci-Fi mystery thriller, it beholds a lot of darkness about it. Issues of mistrust and anguish bubble deep below and come out in the physical demonstration of the two Sam's fighting. It seems like this could be construed as a metaphor for insanity and what being completely isolated for that amount of time can do to your mind. Another example of this would be right at the beginning, Sam sees something that isn't actually there. Although because it is very insignificant to the rest of the plot, it is easily brushed over and forgotten about.

The music gives way to the eerie atmosphere of the film as well as the loneliness. Many of the notes were single crotchets played by themselves which creates a direct parallel to the Sam's situation and feelings. As well as loneliness, it almost felt creepy which highlighted the substance in the plot.

This film was rated a lot higher by the majority than what I have given it but I feel I have my reasons for this. Although original and engaging, like I mentioned before - it didn't blow me away. There were moments I felt like I should be emotional but just didn't feel anything for the character or situation. The ending for me felt messy and rushed, but maybe that was just me not liking the mystery aspect that was retained until the end. As well as this, I felt it had it's flaws. (SPOILER...) Sam had been through all this anguish to find out the truth, and once he'd found it out he wanted to go back to earth and uncover the lies. But he was willing to leave another clone behind doing the job he'd been awoken to do. Why does he not think that clone will uncover the truths like he did? Surely that would create EVEN more mess?
Another reason why I haven't rated it as highly as most others is the fact I don't really want to watch it again. It's not a film I would buy on DVD or look forward to a second viewing of, a first viewing was enough for me. But it entertained me and so I feel it did its purpose. I would truly rate this a 65% although obviously that isn't possible!

Last Chance Harvey

My rating: 6/10

Last Chance Harvey is a very endearing film. The Director/Screenwriter Joel Hopkins has quite a sparse repertoire but that aside, he is able to create a film that beautifully responds to the obviously great performances of Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson.

The film itself is fairly simplistic. We are introduced to both our leads Kate (Thompson) and Harvey (Hoffman) separately and are given the necessary background of their life. The main point that is vital to come across is that they are both very lonely people. Kate receives regularly phone calls from her mum and is only too willing to talk, and Harvey is clearly still at a job where his presence is no longer required. Harvey flies to London for his daughters wedding and realises that his presence there no longer seems required since his daughter's Stepdad has replaced that role in her life.
Although Kate and Harvey have had a couple of minor encounters before, they meet properly at the airport bar and form an unlikely friendship.

So the film as a whole is nothing spectacular or amazingly exciting, but like I said before it is endearing. Hopkins script is charming and witty in a nice subtle way. I think the characters are charming and intriguing. This mainly has to do with both of their age. Neither of them are young, or have had great experiences with relationships and so the development of this one with each other makes an interesting watch.
Hoffman and Thompson are able to portray a great kind of awkwardness which is another element that adds a real charm to the film. It is a nice quality to see on screen as this kind of awkwardness is usually depicted most in teen romcoms. Harvey and Kate's first kiss for example is the epitome of an awkward first kiss. But this is nice as it shows how inexperienced and out of touch the two character's are at forming a romantic bond.

Hopkins has chosen some very pretty settings for this film which just adds to the whole appealing nature of the film. Dusk is a common setting, where the sky is pretty. The background often shows a wonderful shot of a beautiful scenery which provides the feeling of romance. The music adds to the charm and gives the film a very uplifting, happy feel. Although a different composer, it is very reminiscent of The Holiday, probably because of the feel good and endearing vibe that it sends out.

The small sub-plot that is included featuring Kate's mum and her Polish neighbour provides a lovely essence and break point to the main. It is a nice layer to add that shows your time for love is never over. This being a message I think is emphasised throughout this films entirety. The wedding of Harvey's daughter demonstrates the ideal path and age of love, Harvey and Kate provides a longer path, and Kate's mum shows that there may be a few wrong turns but affection can still be found.

(Spoiler..)
For me, this feels like a tamer version of An Affair to Remember. The vibe of the film feels the same, especially with the obvious snatch of idea where Harvey tells Kate to meet him in a certain place at a certain time, but doesn't show up due to an accident. I say tamer, because the distance, time and heartbreak that follows in An Affair to Remember is quickly brushed over in this film, providing a quicker ending. But the relationship before this happened hasn't developed that deeply and so seems probable that these things would happen quicker.
Although I enjoyed this film and loved the emotion and charm that it brought, I do feel that it could do with being longer. It felt like it was over before it had really began. The relationship didn't seem to have been given enough time to develop properly and it all seemed like it was forced to happen too quick in order to fit a specific time span (exactly 90mins).

Overall though, it is a lovely film. Hoffman and Thompson provide their typically good performances in showing us two older people finding love later in life. Although the script is not spectacular, it has a nice unique wit and allure to it that simply provides a smile. It's a nice story with nice characters and overall it just makes you feel nice inside. Although I may not be rushing towards a second watch, it is definitely worth a first!