Sunday, October 30, 2005
The London Film Festival is well under way; somehow more subdued this year - I can't say why, perhaps because I've got other things on my mind at the moment.
After the usual scuffle (I'm not sure why, since all seats are numbered anyway) to get into the cinema and delayed by a special screening of the new Harry Potter thing, I was today treated to Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash biopic that is already generating Oscar-buzz.
Bad news first: this is not an unusual story (listen to the sound of hard-core Cash fans collectively posting me death threats and setting fire to their hard drives). I am not a hardened fan, although I appreciate the voice and the iconic stature of the ultimate Alpha male. I have seen this story in different guises many times before. Man experiences childhood trauma, man has a dream, man neglects family in order to realise dream, the gift becomes a curse, drink and drugs take over, redemption or at least rescue turns up, end on high note.
What is spectacular about this film is not so much the story of J R Cash - it is the charting of the relationship between John & June Carter and the extraordinary chemistry between Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. Singing each and every song themselves - very well, I might add. From afar, it looks like a made for TV special, but it is incredibly moving, all the way through. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, so whenever it opens (States November, here January) try to give it a go. And Joaquin, if you are reading this (and I don't see why you wouldn't) - I am open to suggestions, I am really very nice and my husband needs never know.
Last week was a different kettle of fish, what with the Belgian Dardenne brothers' lastest film L'Enfant. As per usual something rather gritty and handheld and slightly depressing - plenty of black humour giggled over mainly by Belgians and genuinely scary parts - mainly scary because it all seems so real. However it is incredibly engaging and again, like Walk the Line, extraordinarily moving.
Tuesday I'm off to see Colin Firth make out with Kevin Bacon (or so I've been lured) in the new Atom Egoyan which should be no less interesting than the Cash biopic or the Belgian realist extravaganza, although Colin touching Kevin's bits (and vice versa) doesn't promise to be quite so moving.
After the usual scuffle (I'm not sure why, since all seats are numbered anyway) to get into the cinema and delayed by a special screening of the new Harry Potter thing, I was today treated to Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash biopic that is already generating Oscar-buzz.
Bad news first: this is not an unusual story (listen to the sound of hard-core Cash fans collectively posting me death threats and setting fire to their hard drives). I am not a hardened fan, although I appreciate the voice and the iconic stature of the ultimate Alpha male. I have seen this story in different guises many times before. Man experiences childhood trauma, man has a dream, man neglects family in order to realise dream, the gift becomes a curse, drink and drugs take over, redemption or at least rescue turns up, end on high note.
What is spectacular about this film is not so much the story of J R Cash - it is the charting of the relationship between John & June Carter and the extraordinary chemistry between Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. Singing each and every song themselves - very well, I might add. From afar, it looks like a made for TV special, but it is incredibly moving, all the way through. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, so whenever it opens (States November, here January) try to give it a go. And Joaquin, if you are reading this (and I don't see why you wouldn't) - I am open to suggestions, I am really very nice and my husband needs never know.
Last week was a different kettle of fish, what with the Belgian Dardenne brothers' lastest film L'Enfant. As per usual something rather gritty and handheld and slightly depressing - plenty of black humour giggled over mainly by Belgians and genuinely scary parts - mainly scary because it all seems so real. However it is incredibly engaging and again, like Walk the Line, extraordinarily moving.
Tuesday I'm off to see Colin Firth make out with Kevin Bacon (or so I've been lured) in the new Atom Egoyan which should be no less interesting than the Cash biopic or the Belgian realist extravaganza, although Colin touching Kevin's bits (and vice versa) doesn't promise to be quite so moving.
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