Father of my Children

Father of my Children 

Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
Written By: Mia Hansen-Løve
Photography: Pascal Auffray 
Starring: Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli, Alice de Lencquesaing
Year: 2009
Country: France, Germany 

 Humbert Balsan may not be a name you know; he was French film producer with a passion for cinema, producing films such as Lars von Trier's Manderlay and many of the later films of Merchant and Ivory. Humbert was also a sufferer of depression and tragically in 2005 was found one afternoon hanging in his office in Paris.

 Four years later film-maker Mia Hansen-Løve created Father of my Children, a fictionalized drama based on the life of Humbert Balsan. Although  I should strictly state that Father of my Children is not a biopic of Humbert Balsan, it's merely inspired by his story. 

 Grégoire Canvel is the name character played by Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, the first half of the movie intersects between Grégoire's business life and his family life he shares with his wife and three children. In these different worlds we see two different Grégoires; In his business life we see a man who is intelligent and passionate, whereas in his family life he see the caring and nurturing side of his nature. We kindle a strong affection for Grégoire right before shocking occurrence that flips the film fifty minutes in. The second half of the picture is how the people around him, especially his family, cope with his death. 

 The thirty-one year old director,  Mia Hansen-Løve, she has great eye and feel for pace. Fortunately, for her more than anyone else, she doesn't have any relation the the British gangster film-maker, Nick Love. 

 Father of my Children is both a touching and engaging drama, and an insightful and look at the film industry.   

Score: 4/5. 
    

Youth in Revolt

Youth in Revolt 

Director: Miguel Arteta.

Written By: Gustin Nash. 

Photography: Chuy Chávez.

Starring: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Ray Liotta. 
Year: 2009.
Country: USA.

 After becoming a household name from the perfect but short lived FOX comedy, Arrested Development, and two of 2007's biggest films, Juno and Superbad, Canadian teen actor Michael Cera became typecast before you could even say Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. 

 When it was discovered that Chuy Chávez was releasing an adaptation of the C. D. Payne novel, Youth in Revolt, about a sixteen year old who creates a separate, evil, personality to impress a girl (Portia Doubleday), it seemed we where finally going to see another side of Michael Cera.   

 Nick Twisp (Cera) is sixteen, a geek and a virgin. Though not the traditional geek that's into Magic the Gathering and Superman, but a more new age geek that's into Jean-Luc Godard and Frank Sinatra, sometimes referred to as "Hipster Geeks" which I object to, liking foreign language movies for their artistic value does not make you a hipster. But I digress. When Nick discovers the charming francophile, Sheeni Saunders, he thinks that Nick Twisp isn't enough to win her heart, so he invents himself an evil alter-ego called François Dillinger. The evil François Dillinger isn't much different from the feeble and awkward Nick Twisp, he just has a pencil moustache and a cigarette. Which is fine, it adds comic value and I like Michael Cera so it's okay, it just doesn't do any favours for his career. 

There are some laugh out loud moments in Youth in Revolt, but it falls short of passing the six laugh test for comedies. Youth in Revolt had the potential to be a film for a generation, but instead it will become forgotten in time. It's inspired me to read the book but I can't see me myself ever watching the film again.     
           
 Score: 3/5 

Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are

Director: Spike Jonze 
Written By: Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers 
Photography: Lance Acord
Starring: Max Records, James Gandolfini, Forest Whitaker.
Year: 2009
Country: USA, Australia, Germany.


 Beastie Boys music video director and Charlie Kauffman collaborator, Spike Jonze, creates an autearistic adaptation of the beloved Maurice Sendak children's book.

 Max is an eight year old with more anger and imagination than he has friends. One night he gets so frustrated with his home life after an argument over frozen corn and learning that his Mum is banging Mark Ruffalo, he runs away and charters a sail-boat to a mysterious island, where the wild things are. The wild things don't take long to crown Max their king and he takes even less time to being the wild rumpus.  

 I did read the book, not in my childhood but, possibly ironically, in my mid-teens. I don't really remember it so I can't say how dedicated the film is to its source material. I would imagine not very

 In the lead up to this film, Spike Jonze was quoted as saying  "I'm not making a film for children, I'm making a film about childhood". As you would expect from the auteur director behind Adaptation and Being John Malkovich, the film takes a melancholic artistic approach, raising questions about its suitability for junior audiences.  If you ask me I think it is, it's not like Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was trying so hard to be a kids' film it had George Clooney contemplating out loud philosophical theories that would go over most adults' heads. 

 Where The Wild Things Are adopts themes that some people may label as 'adult', but I don't think any of these themes will be completely lost on children. You underestimate them too much.   The only fear that you should have as a parent is that some of the scenes are legitimately scary. If I was to give a recommended age it would be upwards of six.  

 The film looks stunning both through Lance Acord's cinematography and these beautifully designed Wild Thing suits with what I imagine are CGI faces to sink up to the voice talents of James Gandolfini, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara and Paul Dano.    

 Where The Wild Things Are is an aesthetically pleasing and sentimental tale of childhood that should tug at the heart strings of anyone, despite their age.   

Score: 3.5/5 

Up In The Air

Up In The Air 

Director: Jason Reitman 
Written By: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner
Photography: Eric Steelberg 
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. 
Year: 2009
Country: USA

 Up In The Air takes American Smart Cinema to a whole new level of class and sophistication. 

 The film starts with a soul/funk cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land by Sharon Jones, which is a song I like, but in the contexts of the opening credits it felt really dreary, so I sat back in my seat expecting a dreadful flight. The first joke of the film is a stewardess saying to George Clooney's character, Jake "Can, Sir?" which he hears as 'Cancer'. 'Oh, God' I thought 'If all the jokes are this bad, I'm going to really hate this film' 

 Fortunately, all the bad jokes were declared at arrival and Up In The Air turns out to be a sweet, enjoyable treat with just that right measurements of comedy and romance. 

 Ryan Bingham is what's know as a Downsizer; he is someone hired by big companies to fire their employees. This profession requires him to fly all across the States and spends most of his life travelling first-class via plane and sleeping alone in five-star hotel rooms - A life he enjoys very much. As well as this he's also a motivational speaker of the Tony Robbins variety. His shtick is that in life you should keep moving, any attachments or possessions you acquire along the way only weigh you down. Ryan's ideal life is in trouble when his company wants to introduce a new GLOCAL strategy, doing the same job, but via webcam in their offices.   

 Jason Bateman plays Ryan's boss in the film. I always enjoy watching Bateman, he's not a great actor but I get some good Arrested Development nostalgia from seeing him. Anna Kendrick fits the role perfectly as a determined post-feminist newbie under Jake's wing. And Vera Farmiga is great too as the love interest, who's basically a female-jake.     

 Zach Galifianakis also makes a small memorable appearance. But the most minor role and possible best performance of the film comes from J.K. Simons. Really makes you question why there isn't an Oscar category for best minor role. 

 Based on a book by the same name by Walter Kim, Up In The Air was co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ghostbusters' director Ivan Reitman.  Up In The Air isn't as indie or pretentious as Reitman's previous film Juno (Which contrary to what i just said, I did enjoy) it's closer to his début feature, Thank You For Smoking. 

 The film loses its nihilistic persona about half way through the second act and starts to grow a heart, which may leave cynics feeling a little cheated.   

With most of the film taking place in Airports, the film looks stylish, clean and modern. Up In The Air is  timely piece that makes for a pleasant flight. Some occasional strong language and some explicit sexting may meet the disapproval of George Clooney  fan club members who have an mean age of 70, but Up In The Air should have something for everyone over the certificated age.    

  Score: 4/5