FILM OF THE WEEK
WEST SIDE STORY
When Steven Spielberg first announced he was remaking Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise’s much loved 1961 musical many people, including me, were appalled at such a sacrilege. How can anyone touch a perfect film, a sacred classic? Well, Spielberg loves a challenge and he wisely recruited award winning playwright Tony Kushner to freshen up the screenplay and thankfully he still sets the action of this modern day Romeo and Juliet love story in 1957 New York City. But above all the film also works thanks to Rita Moreno’s striking presence. She won an Oscar for her Anita in the original and she now plays Valentina, the shop owner where Tony (Ansel Elgort) works. She is the re-imagining of Doc, the Friar Laurence of the story and is the real heart and soul of this deeply moving film. She is already a strong contester for this year’s Oscar and I defy anyone not to be touched by her rendition of “There’s a Place for Us”.
Elgort also excels as Tony, the troubled boy from the Jets, who falls for Maria (Rachel Zegler), the sweet Puerto Rican sister to Bernardo (David Alvarez), the tough leader of the Sharks.
There is a genuine chemistry between the lovers but the king of the castle is of course Leonard Bernstein for his timeless music!
BEING THE RICARDOS
Aaron Sorkin is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent writer/directors working in Hollywood today and his latest rates amongst his best. Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) is at the peak of her career and her show “I Love Lucy” along with her husband Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) gets the highest ratings. However, an event from the past threatens to ruin their careers as well as their fragile marriage…
It is hugely enjoyable thanks to a cleverly constructed screenplay which suitably recreates the forties and the fifties to great effect. Kidman is amazing as the beloved Lucy and literally shines especially when she performs the classic show sketches. Bardem is also dream casting and their pairing is made in heaven.
Time for Oscars!
RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRLWHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT
This incredible documentary celebrates the life and career of a living legend – Rita Moreno, a worthy Oscar winner for WEST SIDE STORY, whose life is the ultimate American Dream. She arrived to New York when she was very young with her mother and soon after began dancing lessons. Early on in her career she was typecast as an exotic performer before she landed a small but important part in THE KING AND I. But after her Oscar glory she was forced by circumstances to reinvent herself on many occasions.
A true survivor and a shining star. This is the perfect companion piece to her current triumph in Spielberg’s remake.
LAMB
A remarkable directorial debut for Vaddimar Johannsson, who sets the action of his deeply atmospheric feature on a remote farm in rural Iceland. Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snaer Gudnason) live a quiet existence on this serene landscape until one of their sheep gives birth to an extraordinary lamb…
The less one knows about this intriguing film the better. It is creepy and unpredictable while the performances are outstanding by both protagonists and Rapace’s best role since THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.
Premiered at the recent London Film Festival and one of the most original films currently on release!
HOPE
Swedish director Maria Sodahl brings to the screen a Christmas story with a twist. Anja (Andrea Baein Hovig) is a loving mother to her three children as well as to her three stepchildren, so her priority when she receives a devastating diagnosis is how to tell this dreadful news without distressing the children but giving them hope instead…
Hovig delivers an amazing performance as the wounded protagonist and is superbly supported by Stellan Skarsgard as her husband.
A harrowing film, but as the title suggests curiously optimistic like a faint, distant light at the end of a long tunnel.
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG
The story of Clifford the Big Red Dog was first published in 1963 and since then over 500 of his adventures have been printed. The story in this amicable film is told by Bridwell (John Cleese), an animal rescuer who after saving a little red puppy gives it as a gift to Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp), a lonely girl living in a small New York apartment with her single mum Maggie (Sienna Guillory). Emily adores her little puppy and her love makes it grow to an enormous size…
Clifford’s body change was probably the first before the popular genre peaked during the seventies and eighties with films like BIG and FREAKY FRIDAY. Decent but not that memorable!
CINDERELLA: Last year writer, director and panto dame Peter Duncan presented his alternative pantomime JACK AND THE BEANSTALK in cinemas and now, more ambitious in style and with stronger production values, he brings to the screen his own version of Cinders. Duncan, of course, is one of the ugly sisters in this entraining panto. The acting this time round is stronger, the songs better and the dancing, deep in a South London forest, more impressive.
ENCOUNTER: An utterly gripping thriller with the highly watchable Riz Ahmed, as a war veteran with top secret information regarding an alien invasion. He believes his estranged wife is already contaminated and races against time in order to take his two sons away to safety…Michael Pearce’s cleverly constructed film is strong on atmosphere and benefits tremendously from a remarkable central performance from Ahmed.
SILENT NIGHT: This is a daring debut from Camille Griffin, who as the title suggests sets the action during the festive season. A group of old friends gather to celebrate Christmas. The usual petty arguments amongst the group are flying until it is revealed that something more sinister is happening…The three boys played by Camille’s own sons Roman, Gilby and Hardy, swear in front of the adults as if there was no tomorrow while the rest begin to fear what will happen next. It is engaging and harrowing but also uneven!
THERE IS NO EVIL: A powerful film from Iran’s Mohammad Rasoulof, a lighting beacon amongst his country’s dark regime. He tells four seemingly unconnected stories about men and their families hiding deep secrets from their past and present. “There is No Evil, She Said”, You Can Do It”, “Birthday” and “Kiss Me” are all complex, mesmerising dramas that deserve full attention with fully fleshed, intriguing characters.
