Lion
Simple without being simplistic, the story presents us with no villains; the drama here is about people killing each other with kindness.
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Tag Archives: Biopic
Testament of Youth
Words cannot describe just how incredible Vikander is in the lead role. The film takes the time to stick close to Vera during her solitary moments, and really lets us see inside her head.
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The Wind Rises
It feels like Miyazaki’s most mature film, and the effortless way it manages to hold back, avoiding melodrama whenever it can, is impressive.
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The Imitation Game
Even when he’s having an in-depth conversation, his mind is elsewhere, either because of his obsession with creating his machine, or because of the secrets he’s being asked to keep.
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Reaching for the Moon
Otto proves yet again that she should have the lead role in more feature films, whilst Pires’ approach to Lota seems so gloriously effortless.
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Hitchcock
Crucially, the film is pitched as an underdog story, and whilst the man did indeed face battles with studios and censors, its hard to believe that this really is a story of the ‘little guy achieving greatness in the face of adversity’, even if the likes of Vertigo weren’t appreciated until years later.
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Mozart’s Sister
Whilst the historical buildings may be impressive, there’s certainly nothing to feast one’s eyes upon. It feels like the filmmakers chose only to use natural lighting, and thus the nighttime scenes are almost entirely indiscernible. The camera itself never does anything exciting, either.
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The Social Network
I’ll be curious to see how this film fares in the long run, as it’s impossible to say just how significant the social networking site will be in a decade or two. Imagine if a Myspace film had been made – copies of the DVD would be clogging up the bargain bins right about now…
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Sagan
The lead character, brilliantly played by Sylvie Testud, is quite abhorrent at times, yet one cannot resist watching her stumble through life seemingly without a care for anyone around her – and this is before she gets addicted to cocaine and prescription drugs.
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Creation
Paul Bettany is stunning as Darwin. As a man tormented by loss and torn between science and notions of faith, he cuts a tragic figure. The fact that such a significant discovery is told in such a personal manner is incredibly touching.
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