Incredibly, the earliest notable uses of mockumentary conventions can be found only a few years after the term ‘documentary’ was coined. Going back as far as the 1930s, filmmakers were taking a medium largely used for the informative and ‘mocking’ it as a way of providing entertainment to a wide audience. Many would agree that the finest spoof-satire is that which fools a section of the audience into believing what they are seeing and hearing. This, of course, is virtually impossible in the modern era. Celebrity culture and the internet all but prohibits it. But in the earlier years of the 20th century, the moving image was still an exciting new development that found it easy to fool people.

Luis Bunuel’s ‘Land Without Bread’ was produced at a time when the word ‘documentary’ was barely a whisper, but Bunuel was bold enough to make a documentary about something entirely unfascinating (the poverty and culture of the Las Hurdes region of Spain). Coupled with a blasé yet somewhat sarcastically exaggerated narrative voice over and the use of Brahm’s 4th, Bunuel was able to entirely confuse audiences who could only have left screenings pondering the earnestness of the piece. So offended were the Spanish upon discovering the film’s parodical nature, they banned it for three years following the film’s release in 1933.

Almost 75 years later, documentary filmmakers were still causing a stir with the way they played on non-fictional situations. Sacha Baron Cohen in particular, has become a superstar as a result of his individual take on the documentary/mockumentary genre, for the paramount reason that the only entirely fictional element of his films is the central characters that he himself portrays. While his almost entirely improvised content is often funny in itself, the biggest laughs come in the form of the reactions of the ‘real’ people with which he interacts. The mockery of modern society is something that has been existent in comedy for decades, but Baron Cohen individually triumphs in the way that he toys with the comfort zones of others, often forcing members of the public into the most awkward conversational spots imaginable through a well-read use of sociocultural opinions and taboo violation.

The character of Borat and his skewed views of religion and politics was thrust into middle-America in the film, ‘Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan’ over the course of which he commits various solecisms; all caught on camera and all exposing of the stereotypical middle-American standpoint on God, homosexuality, and social status. So much so, that by the end of the the film it is difficult not to feel as if you have been somewhat educated to the ridiculousness of core groups of the American public, their beliefs, opinions, and the way they live their lives. It is this point in particular that forces one to consider Baron Cohen’s films as a credible form of documentary filmmaking as well as a box-office comedy smash.

Bill Nichols comments on documentary story telling in his book, ‘Introduction to Documentary’. He states that ‘to the extent a documentary tells a story, the story is a plausible representation of what happened rather than an imaginative interpretation of what happened’. While this statement separates documentary storytelling from other filmic forms, it isn’t able to define the sub-genre that Baron Cohen’s works belong to. ‘Borat’ cannot be lumped into the mockumentary genre based purely on the fact that the only thing fictional in the film is the central character; the definition of mockumentary being ‘fictitious events presented in the documentary format’.

A more definitive example of the true mockumentary format would be the works of Christopher Guest who over the years has created endless memorable, lifelike characters and realistically imagined worlds for them to reside in. As an esteemed artist himself, Guest has scripted, directed and starred in a variety of films that satire musicians (‘This Is Spinal Tap’, ‘A Mighty Wind’), dramatists (‘Waiting For Guffman’, ‘For Your Consideration’) and even proud dog owners (‘Best In Show’), all through what has become a trademark use of the mockumentary form. The difference between Guest’s mockumentaries and others though, is that he never intends to fool the audience into believing the film to be anything other than a form of entertainment that uses the documentary format as a comedic device.

Based on Guest’s firm grasp on the mockumentary and Nichols’ definition of what constitutes documentary, it almost humourously leads one to assume that the likes of ‘Borat’ (and more recently ‘Bruno’) lend themselves more to the documentary genre than any other. If we are to conclude this though, it cannot be without acknowledging the fact that Baron Cohen’s use of a deeply thought out but fictional central character is almost entirely individual to his films alone.
More so with Borat than Bruno or even Ali G, an entire biographical back story is given to these characters. Why this is so integral to Baron Cohen’s comedy is for two reasons. Firstly, by writing and then (in front of the camera) diligently living by the history of the character, it enables Baron Cohen (as an actor) to be able to form a continuous cohesion with regards to the humour of the character, committing the beliefs and practices of his comic creation to any social situation he might find himself in.

Secondly, when performing the character as a relative unknown outside of the UK, it made Baron Cohen dreadfully difficult to ‘catch out’. Though most of the people he found himself in contact with were more often than not less intelligent than he, on frequent occasions he was forced to defend himself with the sharpest of wit and most inescapable conviction. This mechanism is most evident in his portrayal of Ali G, a seemingly unintelligent character who would often interview politicians, clergy, and other intellectual figures. Baron Cohen, under the guise of ignorance, used his own intellectuality against his subjects who consistently took the ‘interviewer’ for granted. Just like the American public found themselves treating Borat like a toddler for the simple reason that he was ‘culturally different’, Baron Cohen allowed Ali G’s lack of intelligence to be taken advantage of until the point whereby he (Baron Cohen) could embarrass his subject into an awkward conversational corner from which there was no escape.

Should one not want to categorise Baron Cohen’s films as documentaries, it should be noted that these films draw parallels with modern reality programming; series such as ‘Jersey Shore’, ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ and ‘Made In Chelsea’. In programmes such as these, as impossible as it is to defend them, they are known for prefacing episodes with a caveat that reminds the viewer that although all the people in the show are ‘real’, some of what they do and say has been set up purely for entertainment. In a way, this is the artistic opposite of what Baron Cohen does, but in terms of realism probably the closest in comparison. The difference being that in films like ‘Borat’, all but one of the people on screen are ‘real’, and the scenes that are ‘set up purely for entertainment’ are only known to the actor portraying the fictional character while the rest of the cast (if you can call Baron Cohen’s unaware public that) are forced to partake and react in a way that is entirely unrehearsed and in no way predetermined.

The reason for the unprecedented success of films like Borat and Bruno may well be down to the same factor that makes these types of television series such massive hits. The viewing public enjoy watching a live reaction. Whereas reality programming has evolved from the likes of ‘Big Brother’ and now seems to predominantly focus on groups of rich youngsters and their playground romances, Baron Cohen has adopted and confirmed the notion that it is far more appealing to use this unrehearsed format as a means for comedic exploitation. Despite the fact that Borat is an entirely fictional character with an entirely fictional set of beliefs and opinions, if we are comparing this film to the likes of ‘Made In Chelsea’ et al, you would be hard pressed to argue that the former is in any way less real in its depictions of actual people. While the entire cast of a reality show are forced to enter certain predetermined situations and say certain things, Baron Cohen enters conversations as a lone wolf and uses his fictional portrayal to coax an honest reality out of his unsuspecting subjects.

In recent history, other satirists that have risen to popularity as a result of this type of reactional comedy include Chris Morris and Paul Kaye. Like Baron Cohen, they used the documentary format as a front to such an effective extent that over the course of the only season of ‘Brasseye’ (a nightly news parody) Morris was able to convincingly trick a range of respected celebrities into supporting varied causes such as a crackdown on a fictional drug from the Czech Republic and even a spoof charity organisation called ‘Nonce Sense’ that was ‘set up’ to protect children from paedophiles. Kaye similarly was famous for disguising himself as celebrity interviewer Dennis Pennis and crashing red carpets and press junkets at venues as reputable as the Cannes Film Festival where he managed to gain access to the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.
It is probable that Morris especially was a hefty influence on Baron Cohen’s work. Morris’ willingness to destroy taboos at Channel 4 (where Ali G first appeared) tore the wall down in terms of what comedians could get away with presenting, and also highlighted a type of comedy that not only attracted viewers, but caused media controversy. Never one to shy away from controversy himself, Baron Cohen has used controversy to his ultimate advantage, using it to create a media buzz around his films before they are even released. Whereas controversy surrounded Morris following the airing of his content, Baron Cohen is known for using it as an advertising ploy. Most recently, he appeared on the Academy Awards red carpet as his newest character ‘Admiral General Aladeen’ where he proceeded to spill an urn onto television personality Ryan Seacrest which Aladeen said contained the ashes of form North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il.

While Sacha Baron Cohen is not the inventor of his specific comedic craft, he has certainly refined it in the last ten years. He would probably be the first to admit that he owes much to those that came before him, but through an informed and effective use of delivery tactics, improvisation and strategic situational positioning (Borat’s venture to middle-America being the best example of this), not to mention his brash, in-character advertising stunts, he has made a name for himself not only in the realms of modern comedy, but in the smallest sub-genre of amusingly exploitive documentary filmmaking.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
With a very specific nine nominees in this category it’s easier to rule pictures out than in. Firstly, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is without question is one of the most divisive films of the year and was openly booed when it’s nomination was announced. It, along with The Help, The Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris and The Descendants have picked up under five nominations in total so it’s safe to rule them out. Similarly, Moneyball and Warhorse have amassed only six. This leaves only two possible out comes; Scorsese’s Hugo or The Artist. Both films are love letters to the medium itself so there’s the chance of an upset, but with award show momentum in it’s favour, not to mention the ‘gimmick factor’, I think producer Thomas Langmann will walk away the statue.

Head – The Artist
Heart – Hugo

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
When the nominees were announced people were frantically IMDbing Demián Bichir, and I think recognition is the real prize for the Mexican actor. A lot of chatter around Brad Pitt’s nomination relates to why he was nominated for Moneyball rather than The Tree of Life , and with that in mind it’s unlikely Pitt will accrue enough votes to win. Gary Oldman was unable to pick up the BAFTA despite the home advantage, so his chances in Hollywood look slimmer than ever. That leaves Clooney vs Dujardin in a straight up Hollywood vs Europe fist fight. Personally, I think Clooney has the more challenging, nuanced role and to say he knocked it out of the park is an understatement. That’s not to say Dujardin wouldn’t deserve the award equally. His dialogue free performance brings with it it’s own challenges, I just think Dujardin had a template from which to work.

Head – Jean Dujardin
Heart – George Clooney

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
This is certainly one of the tighter categories. Personally I’d rule out Rooney Mara purely for the reason that if Noomi Rapace was overlooked surely Mara cannot be awarded for what is, let’s face it, a solid, but fundamentally inferior performance. On the surface Michelle Williams is an outsider but when you consider that this is now her third nomination in six years, it would seem that she is destined to win a statue. Of course, she won’t win this year because if nothing else she’s up against five time loser Glenn Close. Despite picking up five nominations in the eighties Close is yet to win and unfortunately, unless the Academy is feeling controversial she’s probably going to fall at the sixth hurdle as well. Hilariously though, despite having two Awards on her mantle piece already, Streep is in fact the categories biggest loser having missed out on no fewer than fifteen separate occasions. In contrast, Viola Davis has only lost out once. In 2009, both Davis and Streep were nominated for Doubt and both lost out (to Penelope Cruz and Kate Winslet respectively). Although it’s undoubtedly going to be a close run thing this year, I think the previous awards shows have signalled the over riding consensus.

Head – Viola Davis
Heart – Viola Davis

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
This category it would seem, is another two horse race. Christopher Plummer and Max von Sydow are two of cinema’s elder statesmen. Both 83 and both with one previous nomination to their name, it would seem they are leading the pack this year. Everyone knows that Hollywood loves a good come back narrative (see Micky Rourke in 2009) but more often than not, a nomination is all the rejuvenated actor can hope for. Nick Nolte returned to the fold with a solid performance in Warrior but it certainly wasn’t enough to take home this award. Like Oldman, Kenneth Brannagh failed to pick up the BAFTA in his homeland so he’s unlikely to cause an upset here. If anyone was a revelation this year it was unquestionably Jonah Hill who’s responded to his various nominations with an impressive display of humility and if that was the deciding factor, he’d certainly be in with a shout. Unfortunately it’s not, but it’ll certainly be interesting to see where his career goes from here.

Head – Christopher Plummer
Heart – Christopher Plummer

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Like the Lead Actress category this had the potential to be a close run thing. Melissa McCarthy’s ‘surprise’ nomination is testament to her performance in the brilliant Bridesmaids , but it’s unlikely the Academy will break the habit of a life time and commend such an openly comedic performance. Janet McTeer was another surprise nomination, and if Glenn Close doesn’t win for lead, she’s unlikely to win for supporting. This is also likely to be one of the ten nominations where The Artist doesn’t come out on top. Despite arguably being equally as good as Dujardin in the film, Bérénice Bejo has missed out at previous award shows due to the sheer quality of her rival performances. It’s The Help that makes up the other two nominations with Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer both up. When you consider that Chastain could conceivably have been nominated for three separate performances (The Help, The Tree of Life and Take Shelter) you’d think she’d be a shoe in, but like cast mate Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer has been cleaning up in the run up to tonight and it’s unlikely anything will change in the next twelve hours.

Head – Octavia Spencer
Heart – Melissa McCarthy

Best Achievement in Directing
If you ask me, and by reading this far you technically did, Terence Malick’s nomination is a joke. Of course I’m being somewhat polemical but that doesn’t detract from the fact that The Tree of Life was the kind of product I’d expect from a first year film student with rich parents and a new digital SLR. Woody Allen has also been nom’d for one of the prolific directors better outings in recent years however, he’s much more likely to take home a writing award. The same can be said for Alexander Payne who’s also unlikely to come out on top of Hazvanavicius and Scorsese. In the past this award tends to go hand in hand with Best Film so really, there’s only likely to be one winner. Whilst Scorsese should be awarded for his fusion of nostalgia and technology (Hugo demonstrated that 3D can enhance the story telling process as opposed to just the money making process), you cannot deny the gutsy drive of Hazanavicius’ silent movie.

Head – Michel Hazanavicius
Heart – Michel Hazanavicius

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
This is one of the harder to predict categories of the night. At the Golden Globes, Woody Allen walked away with best Screenplay but he’s nominated in the ‘Original’ category so he’s not a contender. At the BAFTAs, the home bias worked in the favour Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy despite the films somewhat incomprehensible plot. I suspect that this will work against Tinker tonight and I think it’s also safe to rule out the underachieving Moneyball and The Ides of March. Whilst both Hugo and The Descendants are worthy adaptations it’s likely that the Academy may just lean in favour of Alexander Payne’s movie in light of the fact that it is likely to have pipped in a number of other categories.

Head – The Descendants
Heart – The Descendants or Hugo

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
What this category comes down to really is semantics. Can a dialogue free movie really be awarded an Oscar for Best Screenplay. Obviously, to anyone who’s ever written a screenplay, the answer is yes. Margin Call and A Separation were both deserved nominees but don’t realistically stand a chance. Bridesmaids is also unlikely to come out on top but if McCarthy gets a shock win in the supporting category we could potentially see a shock here as well. Realistically though, this is between Midnight in Paris and, you guessed it, The Artist. Woody Allen won the Globe and is little less than an American institution but only time will tell if that’s enough to topple the seasons dominating picture.

Head – The Artist
Heart – Bridesmaids

Other Tips
Best Animated Feature – Rango
Best Foregin Language Film – A Separation
Best Cinematography – The Artist
Best Editing – Hugo

First of all it doesn’t matter if you have zero knowledge or interest in American football. I knew very little about the sport when I started watching the show, and five seasons later I know not much more about the rules of the game. Take it like this; you don’t need to be an expert in drug distribution or police surveillance work to enjoy The Wire and the same goes for the American football backdrop in FNL. It is part of the fabric of the show but it isn’t necessarily the real focus; the community, the kids in the team and family life is what matters here.

Friday Night Lights began as a book that tells the story of a high school team in Odessa, Texas in 1988 that was then adapted for the big screen by Peter Berg in 2004. The film scored an impressive five stars from Empire Magazine but didn’t even make $1 million in the UK (it made $61 million in the US). This is likely through poor distribution thanks to the American sport centric theme and a similar pattern can be seen with the recent baseball movie Moneyball, which despite awards buzz and a big name star with Brad Pitt, only made just over $1 million in the UK (and $75 million in the US). Sports themed movies are a hard sell if the sport isn’t popular, and this is probably why it has taken so long for FNL to properly hit UK screens at primetime. The show struggled for ratings in the US even, despite being a critical darling. It was only in its fifth and final season that the award nominations finally starting coming in, with Kyle Chandler (Super 8, King Kong) winning Best Actor at the 2011 Emmys for his role as Coach Eric Taylor.



At the centre of it all is Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tami Taylor (Connie Britton -Spin City, American Horror Story) who are one of the best representations of a married couple to grace the screen, big or small. They fight, they laugh, they talk like real people and they also care about their jobs and the kids that they work with. Connie Britton played the role of the coach’s wife in the film Friday Night Lights and didn’t want to initially take the TV role, as her part in the film had been cut to shreds. Creator and director Peter Berg assured her this wouldn’t happen again, and he was correct as Tami Taylor is one of the strongest female characters that TV has ever seen. Coach Taylor is often a man of very few words, but when it comes to inspirational speeches he is king, and they will possibly leave you a little misty eyed.

The show is shot in a somewhat documentarian style, with the first episode really evoking this method. It’s not all shaky cam though so don’t worry about that. It is just something that adds to the realism. Shot on location in Austin, Texas, you get the sense of what this community is like and several of the minor speaking roles are played by non-actors; including the pastor and a jewellery shop owner adding to the authentic Texan feeling.

As it is set in a high school, you would expect a roster of stereotypical characters; the lead quarterback douchebag, the head cheerleader bitch, the bad boy, the arrogant one, the arty one, the one who doesn’t care about football, the slut and the nerd. While elements of all these characters exist, they play on these stereotypical elements; turning them on their head rather than having it as a central characteristic. Certain high school experiences are featured such as first loves won and lost, as well as social issues such as racism, financial woes and abortion. Don’t worry, it’s not an after school special and doesn’t lean towards the preachy.

Will you be watching? Have you seen the show before and want to watch it all over again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Friday Night Lights begins on Sky Atlantic Tuesday, February 14 at 8pm and you can watch the trailer here.

“Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose!”

So, let’s take a break from the awards season fare and look at what might feature in next year’s race or what either way will be hitting screens later this year. The nine films that I have chosen to showcase stood out for a variety of reasons and include comedy, drama and documentary. I have not seen trailers for any of these movies and was drawn to them because of the cast, the story and from festival buzz.

The Surrogate

The Surrogate stars Sundance favourite John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone and Martha, Marcy, May, Marlene), as disabled writer Mark O’Brien who is bed ridden and reliant on an iron lung. The writer who suffered from polio is also a virgin, and with the blessing of his priest (played by the always brilliant William H. Macy) he sets out to find a surrogate to do the deed. Step forward previous Oscar winner Helen Hunt (for As Good as it Gets) as the hired hand, and we have a personal tale that won over the Sundance audience thanks to be being both heartfelt and funny. The film won both an Audience Award as well as one for the ensemble cast, and has been picked up by Fox Searchlight. Don’t be surprised if people are talking about this film when awards season rolls around next year, especially if you take into account that it is based on a true story.

Save the Date

This is one of two wedding related comedies that screened (the other was Bachelorette and also stars Lizzy Caplan) and the obvious reference point would be Bridesmaids. I’m sure that any comparison to last year’s monster success will be splashed across the poster (see The Five Year Engagement, which looks great and also stars Alison Brie).  Caplan and Brie play sisters who are dating guys in the same band (a two-man band to be precise), and things turn awkward when one sister breaks off her relationship while the other is planning her wedding. Both Alison Brie and Lizzy Caplan have shown comedic talent in other projects such as Community and Party Down , and the guys in the cast also have fantastic comedy resumes; including more Party Down, Freaks & Geeks and (500) Days of Summer. This is one rom-com that I am definitely saving the date for (terrible pun alert).

Safety Not Guaranteed

What happens when a classified ad is placed seeking out a time travel companion? In this movie, we have three journalists who seek the person who placed this ad who all have very different agendas that range from cynical and hopeful. The ad was genuinely placed 15 years ago, and the filmmakers were able to successfully track down the real author and reveal who he was at the festival. The film stars some of my favourite faces from TV comedy at the moment with both Jake Johnson of New Girl and Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation, the latter show appearing to be a running theme through the festival this year ( two of my other choices star Parks and Recreationcast). What this film does is take an ad that seems ludicrous and uses it to tell a much larger and heartfelt story making this film one of the Sundance successes; leaving with a distributor and winning a screen writing award.

Smashed

Smashed is a comedy of sorts about alcoholism. Yep, bet you weren’t expecting that to be the subject of a funny film. Probably better to call it a dramedy as this film explores what happens when a married couple who both drink too much decide on very different paths for their partying ways. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (who should be a bigger star) is the one trying to get sober, and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) is her drunken counterpart. The supporting cast is strong and includes Octavia Spencer who is riding high with several awards for her performance in The Help, and real-life married couple Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation). Alcoholism is a tricky subject without going full-on dark, but Smashed sounds like it treads the line between the good and the bad without revelling in the behaviour of the characters.

Arbitrage

Margin Call was one of the success stories from last year’s Sundance, and Arbitrage is another film about Wall Street and the cost of big financial errors. Consequences of your actions on the small and grand scale is what the film focuses on with Richard Gere in the central role as a billionaire hedge funder who is trying to sell his company before his dodgy dealings are discovered. Gere has received high praise and his performance has been lauded as his best; it’s very early but can we expect to see his name doing the rounds this time next year? Supporting players include Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth and Brit Marling in this timely thriller, one which has been reportedly purchased by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.

Celeste and Jesse Forever

A romantic comedy that looks at the end of a relationship rather than the beginning of one seems like a hard sell, but Celeste and Jesse Forever is selling just that. Andy Samberg (SNL) and Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation) play the titular couple who are separated and are dealing with the pieces of their relationship. It looks at what happens when a break-up isn’t full of screaming and shouting; how can you move on if you still get on? Ari Graynor (who I will be talking about below), Eric Christian Olsen, Elijah Wood and Emma Roberts round out the cast in this movie that is about letting go of what is comfortable, and moving on. Rashida Jones also co-wrote the film and the sharp wit that we have seen in her performances thus far is hopefully evident here.

The Queen of Versailles

A family decide to build the biggest house in America (inspired by Versailles), and then the economic market collapses; sounds like it could make for a good movie right? Well, this documentary follows the Siegels both before and after their financial strife that impeded this project of building a 90,000 square-foot mansion. Showcasing all that is good and bad about the American dream, especially in light of the economic crisis, the Siegels are a warm family who might be a tad out of touch with reality.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Fox Searchlight has already purchased what has been described as one the big surprises of the festival, one which received the top grand jury prize. Starring a host of unknowns, the film follows Hushpuppy (Quevenzhane Wallis), a girl who is trying to survive in her flooded Louisiana town. The film has been praised for the excellent and beautiful cinematography (which it also won a prize for) and is one that I am definitely excited about seeing.

For a Good Time Call…

Ending my selection of Sundance films on a lighter note, this comedy sees two roommates who don’t seem to like each all that much but start a phone-sex line from their apartment. Ari Graynor (Celeste and Jesse Forever, Whip It) plays the feisty one of the pair, with newcomer Lauren Anne Miller (co-writer of the film and wife to Seth Rogen) getting the uptight role. The comedy focuses on female friendship through some smutty jokes as it is a film about a phone-sex line after all. Justin Long co-stars and is always a welcome sight.

So, what do you think of this selection of films? Any that you want to see? Any that I haven’t included from Sundance that you want to hear more about?

It’s hard to fathom that Roman Polanski has been making films for 50 years now. His early output was a revelation, making a name for himself with a unique brand of taut claustrophobic thrillers (See Knife in the Water/Repulsion). Seething with a palpable sense of anxiety, Polanski pushed his subjects to psychological breaking point with the enclosed surroundings amplifying the tension to almost unbearable levels. In short, they were bad places to be, especially if you happened to advocate bourgeois values. Downton Abbey, had it been made in 1960′s Poland probably would have had the entire cast holed up, soiled knickers and all, in the study with wolves roaming the corridors. It was in its mockery of the Bourgeoisie that European cinema was in its element. While never overtly political, Polanski revelled in using them as fodder. Even through visions of the American dream in Rosemary’s Baby & Chinatown, widely considered all-time greats, many of the hallmarks of his previous work shine through.

However, since that 1960′s/1970′s golden period; whether making conspiracy movies with Harrison Ford, big budget pirate adventures or dodgy horror flicks, his output has ranged from the strange to the down right awful, picking up a best director Oscar for The Pianist along the way. He seemed out of sorts for such a long time. So it was a surprise to hear that Polanski was seemingly revisiting his roots with an ensemble character study in Carnage.

If walking into the experience blind, you could look at the ingredients; a Polanski film, based on a play called ‘God of Carnage’, with the single apartment setting playing host to an all-out bourgeois smack down. You would be forgiven for expecting a world of pain, and upon seeing the film you wouldn’t be far off, except that you’re going to laugh. A lot. In fact, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more satisfying comedy all year.

Set over the course of a single afternoon, in the aftermath of a playground scuffle between two 11 year-old school boys, the Cowans (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) visit the Longstreets (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly) to discuss the problem between their respective sons. What begins as a straightforward social courtesy develops into polite finger pointing and before long, prejudices slip out, the veneer of civilized discussion fritters away, and that’s when things well and truly kick off. A barking dog, a bottle of whiskey, a ringing cell phone, some not-so tasty left overs; all at some point seem to conspire, almost supernaturally to pour gas onto the fire.

Not unlike Luis Bunuel’s 1962 masterpiece The Exterminating Angel the Cowans find that they’re bound to the apartment, except this time not by a mysterious unspoken force, but by invitation of the Longstreets. Neither able to let it drop. This is something Polanski could have possibly made 30 years ago. Like Repulsion, the downtown Brooklyn apartment is a black hole. The irresistible pull of psychosis replaced with one of egocentric stupidity. Even the opening scene, in the context of a Polanski film (a static shot from behind the trees), showing a peripheral conflict in the scope of a wide shot encompassing both the playground and the Hudson river could be viewed with a more sinister connotation if it weren’t for the Alexandre Desplat score which appears straight out of a feel-good 80’s comedy.

Despite the films origins as a stage-play being entrenched in its DNA, this is a dynamic film that is unflinching in its moments of tension whilst allowing for larger than life, eccentric performances from its cast. Huge credit of course has to go to the screenplay which reduces the concerns of adults in modern society to schoolyard triviality. Considering the setting is restricted mostly to one room, the pacing is perfect. With a simple symmetry to the composure of the shots, movement between rooms is expressed with a roaming handheld camera style familiar within Polanski’s early work.

Waltz and Reilly are in their anarchic element as the sneering egotistical attorney and the blue collar blunt tool. It is Foster though, as the anthropological writer; the sanctimonious, emotional ticking-time bomb, and Winslet as the elitist, emotionally sterile investment broker who, playing against type, really let everything hang out and provide the film’s funniest moments. Their group breakdown is a gleeful crescendo of farce and political incorrectness. And as none of the characters have much in the way of redeemable personality traits, all four collectively make up the ultimate toss-pot. You enjoy their descent into hysteria like watching animals on a wildlife documentary or ironically small children in a playground.

I have to admit my first thought as the credits rolled, ‘I can think of a handful of situations in my adult life, which I would look back on with a much greater fondness if they went a little more like that’. One interpretation is that Carnage is a comedy for anyone who has had to bite their tongue. It is also Roman Polanski in his element; society eating itself under the stress of its own vanity.

A very funny film, with excellent performances all round.

First up this week is Nicholas Winding Refn’s 70’s throwback Drive.


For a man whose name sounds very much like a font, Winding Refn is fast grinding out a rep as one of the most promising directors of the moment. Drive, which sees man of the moment Ryan Gosling channelling the likes of McQueen and Eastwood, is unlikely to derail the Dane’s upward trajectory. Despite a top notch cast which also boasts Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks, it’s the style of the film which sets it apart from similar pictures. Set in the seedy, neon, Hollywood underbelly, ‘Driver’ as he is simply known is a man out of time; figuratively speaking only. A stoic protagonist with an unyielding moral compass, Gosling traverses between heartfelt tenderness and unspeakable brutality. Both are filmed bravely; Winding Refn knowing exactly when to cut away and when to linger. Though not one of the most prolific award season nominees, Drive is picking up the odd nomination here and there and everyone of them is deserved.

In contrast Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is arguably one of the most over hyped films of last year. That’s not to say it’s without merit. On the contrary, it was an expertly crafted film in almost every way. Gary Oldman is certainly an outsider for a Best Actor Oscar and there is some great support work from hot properties like Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch. Like Drive, Tinker Tailor comes to us courtesy of another Scandinavian director, Tomas Alfredson. Like his contemporaries, Alfredson is a master craftsman when it comes to ‘show, don’t tell’. There’s certainly no unnecessary monologuing in the film which affords you the opportunity to really take in the expertly recreated cold war setting. The film’s weakness however, lies in it’s complicated, in places convoluted story. As is often the case with adaptations, the density of the original novel is simply not transferrable to the screen. Often at times, key plot points are sacrificed in favour of a more palatable running time and unfortunately in this case, it felt like key elements of John Le Carre’s seminal story were lost on the cutting room floor. With that in mind, home entertainment may in fact be the film’s saving grace. Repeat viewings coupled with the supporting features may just be enough to clear the fog.

In the barrage of mindless, plotless ensemble rom-com flicks that seem to be the trend of the moment, everyone was glad to see a date movie that might avoid the same trappings. Crazy Stupid Love was off to a flyer even before it was released with one of the most likeable cast lists ever put together. With Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling all starring, it’s no wonder that the movie went down well with both genders, and although not exactly a classic, it does have a lot going for it. At the centre of the story is a Hitch type story where Gosling’s suave womaniser coaches a post-separation Steve Carell in the art of seduction. Carell and Stone are as good as ever, but the real revelation is Gosling as a comedian. If we didn’t already hate him enough the triple threat proves that he’s got the comedy chops to rival the best of them, even picking up a Golden Globe nomination in the Comedy/Musical acting category. Releasing two weeks before Valentine’s Day is no doubt a savy move by Warner Bros. who are no doubt banking on its ‘snuggle up on the sofa’ factor to shift shed loads of copies.

In terms of re-releases, it’s a good week with three classics getting the Blu-ray treatment. First up is the multi-Oscar winning Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Whilst personally I’m sceptical as to how much difference Blu-ray makes to a nigh on fifty year old movie, the epic scale of a Joseph Mankiewicz movie might just warrant the upgrade.

Also released is James Cameron’s Aliens.

With Prometheus looming ominously on the horizon like an abandoned interstellar transporter of mysterious origin, chances are that interest in the original quadrilogy is likely to peak over the next few months. There’s every likelihood the four movies will be all over TV as well, but probably not in the quality of a nice, crisp Blu-ray. This will prove a decent investment, especially if there’s that annoying guy in your office who won’t shut up about how Avatar is the greatest science fiction movie ever made. You can lend him Aliens and prove to him that Avatar isn’t even the greatest science fiction movie James Cameron has ever made.

It’s a quieter week for TV releases this week. The only real release is the first batch of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. Rather than housing an entire series the Blu-ray contains the pilot episode along with two other classic episodes so not really one for the casual Trekkies (or Trekkers, as they prefer to be called).

Special mention must go to the release of season asix of The Office (US). Although to the best of my knowledge the series is not getting a Blu-ray release (makes sense when you think about it), season six is arguably where the series peaked.

With a cast most movie producers would kill for (Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Ellie Kemper and Kathy Bates) the sixth series brings with it closure to one of the love stories of the decade, and en route Steve Carell falls into a Koi Pond. If you’re yet to discover the wonders of The Office, then go back to the beginning (by which I mean season 2, episode 1). For those of you Dunder Mifflin devotees, this might just prove to be the last Office box set you choose to take home.

In conclusion, my recommendation for the week is clearly Drive. Having gotten up early on pay day to pre-order the very reasonably priced Blu-ray, it’d be hypocritical of me to suggest anything else. Yes, there’s no denying the ‘classic’ status of James Cameron’s Aliens however, the savvy consumers should know that you can find the complete quadrilogy online for less than a fiver more than the stand alone release.

Of course, fifty percent of that last paragraph was bull shit but I promise that what follows will be a combination of facts and personal opinions that will hopefully allow you to optomise your spending in this period of economic crisis. As you might expect, the weeks directly following the festive period tend to be a little thin on the ground regarding big releases but there is at least, this coming week, a vast cocktail of titles coming your way.


The two biggest releases this week are two comedies that enjoyed mixed receptions at last year’s box office. First up is 30 Minutes or Less. Ruben Fleischer’s follow up to Zombieland should have been a smash. Danny McBride is fast becoming a household name, and Jesse Eisenberg was the geek of choice following his Academy Award nomination for The Social Network last year. Unfortunately, the film failed to live up to expectations and lukewarm early reviews killed it off in well under thirty minutes. Second, we have The Change Up; the body swap comedy which sees Jason Bateman’s family man swap lives with womaniser Ryan Reynolds. Despite its strong cast (Olivia Wilde and Alan Arkin also star) the ‘writers of The Hangover’ failed to sprinkle their box office magic over this one. The film itself is bland and formulaic and if it were not for two leads would have very little going for it.

Of course, it’s not just comedies that are trying to replicate the success of The Hangover. Hostel 3, which was spared the embarrassment of a comprehensive theatrical release follows an almost identical set up as the 2009 comedy but finds its four hapless protagonists at the mercy of some nefarious Las Vegan’s even more sadistic than Ken Jeong. If you’re interested in that, you might also be interested in the release of schlock horror, Shark Night 3D. I’d probably excuse you purchasing this if you are the proud owner of a 3D TV but failing that, there’s really no excuse for wasting your hard earned dollar on a film where cartoon sharks terrorise a group of bikini clad, inexplicably deficient University students.

In contrast it’s a strong week for British TV releases. Both Misfits and Merlin release their latest series (three and four respectively) this week but both are usurped in terms of anticipation by the release of the impressive second series of BBC’s Sherlock.

With audio commentaries for all three episodes and a featurette entitled ‘Sherlock Uncovered’ the likelihood is that this may well be the biggest seller of the week.

The previous releases getting the Blu-ray treatment this week are certainly also worth a look. The film that saw Denzel Washington pick up his third Oscar nomination, Malcolm X , is released this week, whilst the lesser known Roger Dodger also gets an upgrade. Another title looking to capitalise on Jesse Eisenberg’s newly earned celebrity, Roger Dodger stars The Social Network star as a young teenager sent to stay with his ad exec uncle Roger (Think a late-Nineties Don Draper). With the grossly underrated Campbell Scott (soon to be seen in The Amazing Spiderman) Roger Dodger is not necessarily going to test the limits of your HD TV but as a performance driven film, it’s certainly a cut above most of the other fodder churned out this week.

Although I have only a limited selection of concert DVDs (I don’t really see the point in most of them), I’d no doubt get in serious trouble if I fail to mention this week’s releases. As well as Doors: Mr Mojo Risin’, a documentary about the making of The Doors final album Monday also sees the release of Radiohead: Live from the Basement. A straight up live performance of album The King of Limbs, this particular music Blu-ray is probably only a must have item for those unnaturally obsessed with the Thom Yorke as it’s pretty much vanilla.

With all these factors taken into consideration I have reached a split conclusion. My recommendation for this week would be two fold. Firstly, go and rent Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia.

Let’s face it, you may not find it in your local Blockbuster so you might be better off checking in out of your local library. The film is visually and aurally stunning and whilst it may not burn into you a desire for many repeat viewings it’s worth checking out at least once in the highest definition. Once you’ve watched Melancholia in all its glory go out and buy Rodger Dodger. It may not have the scope and scale of Von Trier’s film but it also doesn’t have Kirsten Dunst in it.

The summer big noises speak for themselves;
Early glimpses of The Dark Knight Rises and Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien universe with Prometheus in IMAX & 3D respectively, look certain to be the years most complete cinematic experiences.
Elsewhere, you have a bumper fix of Marvel comic book action as the superhero equivalent of The Breakfast Club finally arrives in the form of The Avengers ,as well as a reboot of the oh so profitable Spider-Man franchise. Autumn/Winter will bring us Sam Mendes’ contribution to the Bond series in Skyfall, Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth in The Hobbit, ‘Tarantino does a western’ in Django Unchained and Baz Luhrmann’s intriguing 3D take on The Great Gatsby. There is plenty more to be excited about in 2012, but here are my ones to watch in the coming year:

5. Mama

Andres Muschietti’s 2008 short film Mama, was a nerve shredding 3 minute crescendo of gilt edged tension. In the tradition of the great recent Spanish-language horror hits (The Orphanage, Devils Backbone, Julia’s Eyes), two young sisters, home alone, decide to leave when they hear something making a noise downstairs. A masterful exercise in suspense, it must have impressed someone as it is currently being expanded into a full length feature, with Muschietti again directing from a script he co-wrote with Luther creator Neil Cross, under the guidance of Guillermo Del Toro. The very in-demand Jessica Chastain & Game of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldu will play the couple who take in their two young nieces who after years of being missing, are discovered living alone in a forest…assuming they were actually alone. Likely to be 2012’s scariest …

4. Gravity

I have to admit, when I heard the premise for Alfonso Cuaron’s long awaited follow-up to Children of Men, the idea of Sandra Bullock being sent up into orbit with nothing but the Hubble space telescope to hold on to, seems a fair & proportionate punishment for that 2 year period of cinematic gastroenteritis that incorporated Premonition, The Proposal, All About Steve & The Blind Side…but not such an easy sell for a film, with its entire success resting on Bullock’s one woman show (a la Silent Running/Moon).

But this has long been a labour of love for its director, with Cuaron also writing, editing and producing the picture with Harry Potter mastermind David Heyman and with the help of superlative cinematographer Emmanuel Lubeski, who did some great work on the scarily-near dystopian Britain of Children of Men. If they get this right and Bullock gives the performance of her career, it will no doubt be one of the year’s best.

3. Cogan’s Trade

It feels like its been far too long since we were treated to the breathtaking Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford but fear not… director Andrew Dominik and star Brad Pitt are back again with this Boston gangster thriller following Pitt’s titular mob enforcer who is given a license to kill after a gunpoint heist on a mafia protected high stakes poker game. Amongst those with whom Cogan will be having a ‘quiet word’ are Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Monsters star Scoot Mcnairy and Ben Mendelsohn who stole the show as the dangerous Uncle Pope in Animal Kingdom. Expect a dialogue heavy gritty urban noir, like The Departed …but without the good guys.

2. Wettest County

…most exciting reunion of the year? Anyone who saw John Hillcoat & Nick Cave’s work on The Proposition will know what to expect. A gritty, poetic examination of the brutal morality that exists in the harsh pre-colonial Australia, it was a strikingly fresh take on the Western, with a brilliant original screenplay by Nick Cave.
This prohibition era crime-epic is based on Matt Bondurant’s semi-biographical novel of his family’s operations in 1920’s Virginia. The story follows the three Bondurant brothers (Tom Hardy, Shia LeBeof & Jason Clarke) as they navigate an illegal alcohol bootlegging operation through the great depression as well as trying to avoid the unwanted attention of police deputy Charley Rakes (Guy Pearce). An excellent supporting cast comes in the form of Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain & Noah Taylor. Along with most of the original creative team behind The Proposition, another Nick Cave/Warren Ellis score and master editor Dylan Tichenor (Magnolia, Assassination of Jesse James and There Will Be Blood) putting the whole thing together, this has all the hallmarks of a big contender for the upcoming festival season & can hopefully be Hillcoat’s Godfather.
Imagine John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath…but heavy on the wrath…

1. Seven Psychopaths

To pick a most anticipated film above all others in a year this strong is surely impossible, you would say? But then you think back to any number of instantly quotable moments from 2008’s In Bruges and naturally get rather giddy at the thought of a follow up.
Seven Psychopaths is playwright Martin Mcdonagh’s second full length feature and reunites him with In Bruges star Colin Farrell, who plays a screenwriter, struggling to finish his latest project ‘Seven Psychopaths’ when he is unwittingly roped into an ill-advised dog napping venture by low life buddies Sam Rockwell & Christopher Walken. Unfortunately they find themselves in hot water when they abduct the prize pooch of local gangster Woody Harrelson. Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko & the one and only Tom Waits fill out the cast. Expect laughs, violence & misfortune in abundance

‘Shame’ is the second feature from maverick director and Turner Prize winner, Steve McQueen CBE. Like his debut film, ‘Hunger’, it stars current Hollywood golden boy Michael Fassbender, and in many ways his female counterpart, Carey Mulligan. Considering both of their ever rising statuses in the game, the roles undertaken by the pair are staggeringly brave.

Fassbender, in the midst of another stellar year, continues to shine in the role of Brandon. Brandon is 30-something, moderately successful in the NYC office game, with a cool white, modern apartment in Manhattan. Externally, he is a catch (Bateman, anyone?). People want to know him, and people want to be around him. Women, namely. Is this because he is able to offer them something more than they are accustomed to? The answer is yes, simply, in the short term. Playing off the failures of his sleaze bag, family man boss’s tequila fuelled attempts to lure pant-suited blondes back to his penthouse, Brandon is able to charm (the pants off) the same blondes by simply identifying the colour of their eyes (a first hurdle at which his boss David (24′s James Badge Dale) falls flat on his face) before proceeding to literally eyef**k the s**t out of them from across the room. David is in awe. How?

By all accounts, Brandon is a master of seduction. To a point, this is true. He knows how to get what he wants, which in most cases involves convincing his prey that it’s what they want as well. I use the word ‘prey’ for a reason. While Brandon doesn’t necessarily victimise his sexual conquests, they certainly fall victim to his obsessive influence whether they realise it or not. This is where the torture of sexual addiction becomes a more complicated affliction than say, alcohol or drug dependency. The latter are harder to keep a secret as they outwardly affect the people around you. Family and friends are able to easily identify the noticeable changes in appearance and behaviour, and the addiction is able to be confronted head on. As mesmerisingly addressed in ‘Shame’, sexual addiction is a wholly inner struggle that can only be reckoned with upon exposure.

Cue Sissy, Brandon’s equally but indifferently troubled younger sister uncharacteristically but unbelievably well portrayed by Carey Mulligan. Until her reintroduction into his life, Brandon has been able to comfortably satisfy his urges without consequence. There has been a substantial lack of guilt, and a definite lack of shame up to this point, it seems, as Brandon has isolated himself into a world without intimacy, dominated by pornography, prostitution and one-night stands. He continually ignores her attempts to contact him, culminating in a desperate answer phone message in which is she attempts to get a rise out of him by claiming she has a week to live. That being what it is, a grotesque use of falsified disease in order to hear his voice, what choice did he really leave her with? As we come to learn, she is a sufferer of her own afflictions, namely depression, and is desperate for the intimacy that Brandon could not care less for. Before he knows it, she has moved in and onto his couch via a strangely comfortable welcome that is passed over in the most uncomfortable of fashions courtesy of a Steve McQueen trademark single take, single shot scene in Brandon’s bathroom.

It is upon Sissy’s arrival in Brandon’s life that we are able to see his addiction for what it is; an emotional numbing of the heart driven by denial, hypocrisy and selfishness. As if he had spent all of his available energy on feeding his addiction and keeping it a secret, his forced awareness of Sissy’s own struggles and shortcomings moves him to, for the first time, show cracks in himself. For starters, he overlooks his use of pornography at work, only for his buddy-boss to end up ignorantly blaming an intern and getting him off the hook. Where he once selected partners based on sexual attraction, he begins to inadvertently entertain himself with the idea of genuine affection. The result being, the inability to perform, and having sex with a loveless prostitute just to get the taste out of his mouth.

This slow transformation is presented stunningly by McQueen in a series of visually arresting sequences that can last for minutes at a time without a single cut or line of dialogue. He invites you to understand Brandon’s world without ever being forced to feel uncomfortable within yourself. What you see is certainly graphic and over extended periods of time, but it is all integral to the characters and their progression through the story. McQueen’s cinematic techniques strive to create a realistic sense of discomfort for the characters, not the viewer. Without these scenes of destructive realism, the theme of sexual addiction would become completely redundant, and the film itself, pointless.

It is not simply Sissy’s presence that plays on Brandon’s consistency though. Sure, without her on his couch he would never be caught masturbating by anyone, nor would his online sex chats ever be discovered. These are all elements of his continual exposure that he is able to deal with through a variety of outlets and resolutions. If anything, it does him good. What Brandon is unable to cope with is another person’s dependancy on his company and support. Sissy’s insecurity and acute depression has eventually led her back to him, her apparently only available lifeline. From the sounds of things, their parents are either dead or entirely estranged, though it is never mentioned. All we know, is that the tormented pair come from ‘a bad place’.

If we are to imagine that Brandon’s own personal battles mean that his head is only slightly above the water, the addition of Sissy’s need to be recognised as important to someone else’s existence is the heavily weighted sinker that proceeds to drown him. While he will never admit it to himself, he struggles so hard to be responsible for himself that being remotely responsible for someone else’s emotional health, even a family members, is completely out of the question. His addiction drives him to be outwardly angry with Sissy in such an unconscious way that through his attempts to debase her, he in turn is able to further deny himself. In this new found proximity, he finds further cause to defer concern away from himself by way of embellishing the struggles of his sister. When she begins to question him, his immediate defence is to hypocritically force her to question herself. In the end, this continued act of blind selfishness proves to be more of a reckoning than Brandon could have ever imagined.

In a year full of overwhelming performances, none are as bold or as raw than that of Fassbender and Mulligan. Fassbender is all but assured an Oscar nomination for his pained performance, and judging by the current five frontrunners, I would say with confidence that this is the standout male performance of the year, on a level par with Tilda Swinton in ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’. He encapsulates Brandon with such beautiful honesty that it’s hard to imagine the likes of Pitt or Clooney topping him. Unfortunately for Fassbender’s film, it is up against the much more academy-friendly ‘Moneyball’ and ‘The Descendants’. Two films that are no less impressive, but staggeringly less controversial. Whether he can achieve what he deserves all depends on the balls of the voters. Being recognised by the Hollywood Foreign Press is a start; a controversial nomination by all accounts, no doubt in response to Fassbender’s unrelenting success with the critics’ associations. My allegiances now lie with him though, and I will be crossing my fingers from now until February 26th.

Carey Mulligan’s turn as Sissy is simply another level of outstanding. I suppose what’s most impressive is the fact that it is completely outside of the comfort zone that she has established for herself over the last three years. ‘Drive’ was somewhat of a departure in terms of the type of film she was featuring herself in, but the role selection was typical as far as what we’ve come to expect of her. Sissy is a fragile, distressful character, and in her first stab at the psychologically gritty, she absolutely nailed it. Flexing her expressive dramatic muscles for the first time, she latches onto Fassbender from the first second she appears on screen, not loosening her grasp on his psyche for the remainder of the film. Little screen time as she may have, it is more than enough time to affect the story in the most incredible way of any supporting character in film this year (2011).

Looking at the list of Supporting Actress hopefuls, I would fully expect to hear Mulligan’s name announced on January 24th. As someone who has witnessed a great deal of impressive performances throughout the past year, I would hope that she will surprise the masses and take home her first of prospectively many Academy Awards when the winners are announced next month. Again though, it comes down to the film itself, and whether the Academy can bear to bestow greatness on a film as aggressively honest as ‘Shame’. It’s a funny old game, the Oscars, with undeserving winners walking away with gold year after year. I find that part of the fun though. When your deserving underdogs come through and upset the masses, it’s a fist pumping moment for any serious film lover.

‘Shame’ is certainly not for everyone, it’s true. Some will argue that it’s not for anyone. What it absolutely and unequivocally is however, is an astonishing piece of visceral storytelling from a truly gifted artist brought to life by the two best dramatic performances of the year. On that merit, it is well worth your time even if you’d rather not experience it in a crowded auditorium on a first date.

The ironically much talked about silent movie tells the tale of fictional silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) an egotistic showman who’s life force is the spotlight. Valentin is at the top of his game and on the cusp of an affair with up and comer – Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) when Hollywoodland turns its ear towards ‘talkies’. Refusing to move with the times, Valentin soon finds himself on the LA breadline, mocked at every turn by the bill-boarded visage of Peppy, Hollywood’s latest darling.

Over the next month or two you’ll hear a lot about this picture as the awards season kicks in but I would wager now, that on the morning of February the 27^th The Artist could be empty handed. That’s not to say I didn’t like it; on the contrary I loved it. Dujardin and Bejo are magnificent and the score, as you might expect, is second to none. The trouble is, whether or not the Academy deems the film too derivative. Obviously that is the point, it’s tribute, it’s romantic. Hazanavicus has crafted a clever little piece which encapsulates all the charms of the silent era right down to the heroic dog.

There’s the old adage, that you have to know the rules so you can break them. It’s clear that Hazanavicus has done his home work and the moments in the film where he cleverly exploits the restrictions of the medium are what sets this above a simple homage. Like Scorsese’s mastery of the third dimension in Hugo, The Artists mastery of sound and music makes it paradoxically old and new at the same time and it’s here where the films best shot at Academy recognition lie.

Granted Jean Dujardin has already picked up Best Actor at Cannes. However, this year stands to be ultra competitive with big hitters like Clooney, Pitt, Gosling and DiCaprio all the mix for Best Male Lead. The likelihood is that Dujardin will pick up the Golden Globe from the lead male, comedy/musical subcategory but the cynic in me thinks he’s more likely to be the ‘wildcard’ nominee than a serious contender (unfortunately) for the Oscar.

When it comes down to it though, the real triumph here is that this film even exists. It’s black and white, it’s filmed in the long forgotten 1.33:1 Academy ratio and it’s silent. The fact that a film as subversive as this has fought its way into multiplexes around the world is testament to all involved and it reveals much about the quality of the story at its heart. In a year in which you’ll be bombarded with big budget sequels, prequels and reboots it might just be good for you to watch something that speaks to the soul.