Film review: Batman v Superman

I’ve always found it easy to criticize a play or movie but rarely been able to pinpoint exactly why/where it went wrong and how I would ‘improve’ it if asked (however unlikely). I’ve seen several things recently that have just left me disappointed so here are my attempts to evaluate why.

 BATMAN V SUPERMAN 2016

I’m not a comic book fan so will never fully understand the anticipation and excitement that surrounds the many superhero films that are released each year. I find them very repetitive and can never grasp the strange humour that comes at odd points during the films (for example during an epic fight scene someone will say something sarcastic like ‘nice one marvelman!’). 

However last night I saw Batman v Superman with my boyfriend (I admit I was a bit begrudging but he would see anything with me if I asked so its only fair…) and it wasn’t until seeing the film did I realize how remarkable Christopher Nolan’s Batman films had been and how much I’d relished them. Nolan’s Batman trilogy had been insightful, believable and tragic with fully formed relationships, villains and motives thus I never found myself asking ‘why would he do that?’

There were so many points in Batman v Superman where I questioned why a character was behaving in such a way?? The brooding Batman of Christian Bale was replaced with a spoilt, sulky Affleck Batman stomping about in a ridiculous robot suit with glowing eyes and platform boots. Jesse Eisenberg’s contrived villain felt very much like ‘an actor playing a deranged character’ lacking any truth or agony but following a formula promised to convey what was needed.

Perhaps more time could’ve helped him fully realize the character, more studies of human behavior or just more exploration of backstory? I only felt this way because again, Nolan set the standard for strong villains with thorough motives and backstories. Nolan not only gave us an intimate insight into his heroes and villains but he also kept us on our toes, refusing to signpost ‘important plot points’ or treating us like idiots.

In comparison, Batman v Superman treated the audience like we were pretty thick and here are some examples:

1.     When Superman mentioned his mother’s name was Martha I quickly remembered the first scene where we’d learnt Bruce Wayne’s mum was also called Martha and thought to myself ‘aw they have the same name’… But just incase anyone in the audience hadn’t made the connection we are shown a flashback of the first scene again! We are shown Bruce Wayne’s dad slowly mouthing ‘MARTHA!’ as she lies dying (with the pearls in her necklace bouncing around) then shown Bruce visiting his mother’s grave where the name MARTHA is boldly engraved. Only now, once we’ve all made the connection can we watch Affleck’s face attempt a sad expression that turns to one of compassion/forgiveness for poor Superman lying at his feet (his cape arranged beautifully around him).

2.     The employee who lost his legs manages to climb onto the statue and deface it by writing ‘False God’ (if I remember correctly). A policeman shouts at him to ’get down’ just as he starts his graffiti message yet we don’t see him being led away until the entire message has been scrawled. We cut to Clark who is watching the news of the defacing on tv, which shows the defaced statue with a broom visible at the side feebly cleaning the statue. I don’t know why that shot annoyed me (haha) I think it was because the broom wasn’t really moving but it was there to show the city was already ‘on it’. 

3.     When ‘Wonder Woman’ joins the fight near the end she is given her own theme music. It is a poor excuse to add ‘girl power’ to the film with this cheesy rock music as up until now she has just been some chick with backless dresses (and a nice back). Saying that, there had been a moment of anticipation when a black and white photo featuring wonder woman leading a ‘revolution style’ gang had been shown. That photo showed a lot of promise for a strong, wild female character who unfortunately never showed. Instead all Wonder woman contributed to the fight was a series of highly sexualized poses concluding in her holding/pulling on a rope that happened to fall between her open legs! In 2016 is this really all the female superhero can offer?

It wasn’t clear for me why Batman wanted to kill Superman other than the fact Superman made a mess of the city during the first fight scene, was I missing something or is that just why he was mad? I feel Batman has made messes as well, he’s always involved in car chases that leave multiple vehicles overturned and crashing through windows so its not something he can be sulky about?

Batman felt sulky throughout but not in the thoughtful/broody way, the spoilt billionaire way that was jealous someone else in a cape was stealing the spotlight.

There were several attempts to show Batman as a two dimensional person but they were so cliché: Bruce Wayne hugging the little girl who stood amongst the rubble left by Superman, Bruce Wayne carrying flowers to his parents grave or Bruce Wayne’s greying hair (two symmetrical streaks either side). The latter I am actually fond of because grey hair should be embraced and it suited Bruce’s character!

This brings me to the conclusion of my piece where I will highlight the few things I did enjoy about the movie despite its flaws. I wouldn’t see this film again and hope to avoid the sequels (which I’m sure there will be many, many more to come!).

 Here are some things I enjoyed in Batman v Superman:

As mentioned, Bruce Wayne’s accented grey hair.

Speaking of grey hair I was not expecting Alfred to have got so sexy! He was also a little more catty than usual so I thoroughly enjoyed everything Jeremy Irons did with the role. Michael Cane will always be the better butler for Bruce, Jeremy is still in his manly prime so would probably bring men/women back to the bat cave to impress them but this dashing Alfred character definitely brought a bit more eye candy to the viewer (aka me).

I thought the bat mansion and caves were beautifully executed; the view from Bruce’s bedroom was stunning with the misty lake adding beguiling mystery. 

Superman’s flying was beautifully done he ascended swiftly into the air, occasionally hovered but always landed with a grace and stillness. Henry Cavill’s sensitive features and mannerisms contributed to the ethereal and God like portrayal of Superman and I discovered a new fondness for his character. I enjoyed Superman’s interactions with ‘normal’ folk that further highlighted his uniqueness, visually his courtroom entrance and Mexican day of the dead rescue were very strong and ones I’m likely to remember. I’m glad the flying sequences were done so well as made to look so effortless, in this way it almost makes us believe flying is possible for humans!!!

'Stoker' 2013

STOKER

I watched 'Stoker' last night, I hadn’t heard much about it but had been interested in the poster and usually enjoy Nicole Kidman films. The director of photography was Chung-hoon Chung and I’d loved his work on the movie ‘I’m a cyborg but that’s ok’. The look of ‘Stoker’ was very striking from the start. A colour palette was quickly established with a vintage, polaroid feel that used a lot of rich mustard colours and greens. The look reflected nature and suited the moody far-off personality of the main character India. The film was  very beautiful, I did feel quite disconnected to the characters at times but it felt fitting to India and Charlies strange nature which makes them unreadable. It makes us feel more like spectator to their ‘secret connection’ and strengthens the gifts and secrets they share. One thing I really enjoyed was how Charlie an India were connected visually. The scenes where India lies on her bed making ‘snow angel’ movements is echoed in young Charlie when he lies on top of the sandpit (after burying something). I was apprehensive Charlie would be revealed as some kind of alternate personality for india and felt this would’ve been too similar to other films, even though this is still a possibility, the fact it is subtle is more fitting. 

 I found some intresting posters for the film on pinterest. This black one based on India's shoe collection is a favourite. I really like how her progression into womanhood is shown through shoes and emphasizes the strange period of being a hormonal teenager girl.

Romantics Anonymous

Romantics Anonymous (2010)

(Les émotifs anonymes)

            Director Jean-Pierre Améris 

                    

This film is cute in every way. Not only is it charming like 'Amelie', but it is also very funny.

Loving anything sweet and all things Parisian, the fact this film is set in a chocolate factory in France certainly suggested this would be my type of film! I was right!

Yes, it is a little sugary in the extremities of how timid the two characters Angelique and Jean-Rene are, but I could accept the extremes because it was portrayed with such delicate humour.

Essentially, this was a simple idea about two awkward people, burdened by their insecurities that try dating. Angelique and Jean-Rene's inability to express emotion and intimacy, forces them to use chocolate as a way of communicating with each other. Drawing such passion from the way a fine chocolate is assembled and daring to use this passion to ignite a romance.

A classic romance but told in a refreshing way. Showing how difficult portraying ones feelings can actually be. The story is nothing new but the way it was told was incredibly coy and sweet.

 Doux comme le sucre! 

“Sweet as sugar”

Daisies: film review

Daisies (Sedmikrásky) (1966)

I had read a review that had said ‘daises’ was an a film full of ‘nonsense’ that featured nothing more than ‘ two girls dressing up, being silly and jumping around being cute’.

it all sounded like my type of film. Generally I find anything cute, decorative and dream-like irresistible and dressing-up is a favourite pastime of mine. 

 I was left very disappointed by the movie. It was quite sickly actually.

The two girls were incredibly bored… so decided to spend/waste their time by dressing up, running around with apples and going to dinner with different men.

The dinner parts could’ve been quite fun if that silly girl had stopped showing off and ordering too much food. The ‘playful’ acting was gross. The type you see at the theatre when 25 year olds are playing Wendy, John and Michael and Peter Pan is nearing 40.

 The baby voices that the 2 girls adopted irritated me as did the silly cross-eyed expression the brown haired one would pull. The choreographed way they would skip around, giggle and play fight…it was all rather embarrassing.

I allow this film to be bad for two reasons.

One, In spite of the two characters, it did have some lovely visuals. I have included some screen captures because they really were very nice. Some animation was used and it felt really fresh and exciting. I really liked the palette and experimentation of colour

 Two, it was made in 1966 but it didn’t feel at all dated. It all felt very contemporary 

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

  The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, 2010

  Director: Luc Besson

 

 

Set in Paris with beautiful sets and costumes, this film was a sheer delight.

Witty and silly- Anything goes.

 Foolish detectives circling the city on the trail of an escaped prehistoric bird. 

An absurd display of Egyptian mummies admiring the architecture of Paris

 The smart, feisty and very beautiful Adele on her quest to save her sister

 adopted many different disguises to fool her way into places. 

Adopting the persona of each disguise was most fun to watch

The only thing I disliked about this movie was the over use of special effects in some scenes. 

Especially when Adele mounts the bird, I'm not sure if it was intended to look so unrealistic,

 but this scene felt unpleasantly digital.

 

The prosthetics worked really well to enhance the strange features of the characters. 

Simply making the detectives ears larger made him look more goofy 

and more like a man of another era; almost creating a new kind of species. 

Through watching the special features

 I gained more of an insight into the adaptation of the film. 

The film had been adapted from the comics of Jacques Tardi

 (which I hadn't previously heard of). 

The special features showed the intricate process of making the environment 

resemble that of the comics. No detail was ignored. 

Paris was transported back in time and through costume, 

set and pallette this could all be achieved

I'm so glad I found this film

I loved the mix of Egyptian history with early 20th Century Paris!

The fact an egg in a museum could crack after all these years

Simply from the power of the human mind who awakens the egg

now I will check out the comic it was adapted from by Jacques Tardi,

I don't usually like reading comics, 

but the illustrations of Paris look very nice indeed

5 films for March

Either renting them from lovefilm or borrowing them from the uni library, I am taking out numerous amounts of dvds. Watching them all in quick succession, absorbing all I can; I regularly find myself forgetting what I watched, when I watched it or if I even liked it.

So I shall keep tabs here. Some recent movies I have watched

Naked Lunch

Director: David Cronenberg, 1991

 

  

This really was one of the weirdest films I have ever seen. 

I’m not one to shy away from strange and surreal but this was extremely bizarre! 

An exterminator becomes addicted to bug powder and starts seeing phallic creatures in strange places and objects. 

The man's own typewriter turns out to be an agent,

 it warns him against other typewriters which are spies absorbing secrets. 

The typewriter is a strange mutation, half mechanic half sexual organ. 

 

The anus was referenced a lot in this film and appeared regularly 

in the set and creatures: Quite disturbing.

but the film had lovely green hues, exciting creatures, prosthetics and themes and is probably why it slightly reminded me of 'delicatessen'.

Cronenberg's 'the fly' is another classic I have yet to see!

Malèna

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore

 Monica Bellucci was so elegant and alluring.

 She was silent for most of the film but it didn’t make her scenes any less pleasing 

to watch. The women of the town had such disdain for this woman 

because of her aloof beauty. I found the scene where the women 

attack Melena horrible to watch. It really showed how monstrous women

 can be towards each other. I also assume this had a lot to do with the 

nature of fascism, considering Malena had moved to this town from another 

part of Italy. I’m sure the film was symbolic of a lot more, 

I just do not know so much about Italian history during the war.

 Its quite shameful for me, I really want/need to know more history. 

When the women gave guilt offerings to Malena at the food market, Im sure it was reference to something more.

 I loved the film on the level I understood, but with further research hopefully I will understand the films symbolic references to history 

I loved Renato and his new found exploration of manhood. 

His first female fantasy. 

 

 

The way he tears the undergarments from Malena's washing line and scurries home to sniff them. Eww!! 

His fathers outrage when he discovers his sons crime. 

The hysterical scenes that follow in the Amoroso household. 

Renato's scenes were very witty. 

 

 Though this film was very powerful, 

it was also very dear, sweet and suprisingly witty

 

What's eating Gilbert Grape?

Director:  Lasse Hallstrom, 1993

It was brilliantly acted. Leonardo was very believable and moving as the young brother with autism. Though the film does not say Arnie is autistic, I gather he is from the mannerisms and behaviour patterns. With his childlike trusting and playful nature, Leonardo portrayed this beautifully. 

 The scene with the burning house was really nice visually. Especially the way all the furniture was gathered in the field around them. The collection of their belongings scattered around them in the field, as they silently watch their house ablaze.

Even though the film had a lot of heart, It wasn't something I could watch again.

I wanted to be moved, but I couldn't help feeling depressed and dispirited. I find films set in desolate towns have such a feeling of hopelessness and I felt so drained by the sadness of Gilbert’s situation. 

                               I didn't really enjoy it, but I could appreciate its heart 

Some other films:

 'Withnail and I' 1987

 Richard E Grant was very funny as the out-of-work actor who takes a trip to the countryside. Plenty of drinking wine, smoking cigarettes and dramatic speeches about the dire situation he is living in

Beautiful Lies, 2010

 De vrais mensonges (original title)

On the poster it promised “matches the heights of amelie”

foolish of me really to expect this film to be anything like Amelie. 

Just because it stars Audrey Tatou doesn't mean it will be anywhere as good....

and it wasn't 

 It was mediocre

nothing special

A nice idea about a hairdresser who writes anoynmous love letters to her mother in order to cheer her up....but I found Émilie's character too rude. 

she wasn't cheeky in a playful way, she was just really unmannerly...and it wasn't likeable.

Sleeping Beauty, 2011

 

 

This film was quite dull.

There were some interesting ideas but they didn't have much impact.

The fairy tale element could have been pushed further, 
something more could’ve happened.

A lot of people have said the film was a waste of time.
 If Emily Browning had not been the main character perhaps this would’ve been so.

However, Emily Browning was so beautiful, it just made the film very easy to watch. Her nude scenes exposed her perfect porcelain skin, she was the perfect choice. If you watch the film just for her beauty, it is enough.

Emily didn’t have a chance to do much acting because her character was so dull. Except for in the last scene which had a lot of impact on me.

This film is like a beautiful painting and nothing more- but I didn't mind that