Mustn't mention the conspiracy theories when I go see the re-release of 2001!
2001: A Space Odyssey relaunched into cinematic orbit last week. Mostly restored in high definition by the BFI, Kubrick's enduring masterpiece is as striking and inspiring as it was in 1968. It was cultivated (as are all of his movies) for the biggest screen possible, and it was a truly magnetic experience to see it up there, as I was drawn to 2001 more than ever before. The classical soundtrack, in particular Gyorgy Ligeti's haunting 'Atmosphere's', will always stay with me. 2001 makes me proud of cinema.
Must dance to Starship's 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now', as it will be the perfect remedy to my horrible day!
The Skeleton Twins is a dark yet comically observed tale of two sardonic siblings who re-establish a bond after ten years apart, due in large to a suicide attempt. This was an undertaking of Milo (Bill Hader), a gay aspiring actor, who suffers from bouts of depression. His twin Maggie (Kristen Wiig) is married, yet takes birth control, cheats on her husband with her scuba instructor, and also suffers from bouts of depression. Suicide attempts bookend the movie, in a well-woven narrative that rivals the best original screenplays of the year. At times Skeleton Twins has unnecessary Apatow esque moments, such as a selfish young boy sticking his middle finger up to his mother, and the mother replying in the exact same manner. This is punch-to-the-gut humour, which frankly does not work here, and is nowhere near as witty as the wry back-and-forth between brother and sister. I expect both Wiig and Hader to receive Golden Globe Nominations this week for Lead Actor and Actress in a Comedy/Musical. Skeleton Twins is funny and slightly twisted, though it is equally as affecting, and its cathartic ending absolutely translates from screen to viewer.
Must give British films a chance (even if they sometimes lack superheroes, ninja turtles and transformers)
The Imitation Game is the story of a code-breaking war hero, Alan Turing, who was later condemned for being gay, and chose chemical castration (oestrogen injections) over prison in 1952. In 1954, he would go on to take his own life. He was later pardoned in 2013. It is a shameful part of our history. A story that is so important, and it is a story that has been given light on screen with meticulous direction and touching performances. Benedict Cumberbatch is a cert for an Oscar Nomination, every tremulous vocal tone and quiver of the hand describes in great depth the personality of Turing. Not just his socially-awkward exterior, but his self-doubt of his inner-self and his determination, which are exemplified in finite detail. Keira Knightley must be mentioned too, she shows Joan Clarke's journey from an uncertain girl to a composed young woman with great care and precision. In every scene she has, there is a progression, a growth, and this comes from someone who I believe is one of our best younger actresses. This is the type of film that could sweep the board at the Academy Awards, though with such a diverse year in cinema, and the plethora of quality that has come out, The Imitation Game might not win all the awards. The espionage elements involving Russian spies might have come from a quill wired up to a membrane with some creative freedom, though this film is an elegiacal outpouring of human rights, underneath the surface of the failure and success at Bletchley Park in World War Two.
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