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Compared with the steady trickle of semi-opinionated, semi-relevant, semi-cinema, that seemed to be so de rigeur last year, No Country for Old Men feels as refreshing as a cold shower after a day on the sun-baked Texan plains amidst which the film is set.
Compared with the trickle of semi-opinionated, semi-relevant, semi-cinema so de rigeur last year, No Country for Old Men feels as refreshing as a cold shower after a day on the Texan plains
Whilst the plot is simple on one level, it is also pretty unconventional on another. We’re in West Texas, 1980s, when Llewellyn – a tough ‘Nam veteran – happens upon two million dollars of drug money whilst out hunting. He takes the cash (despite the obviously dangerous nature of the people to whom it belongs) and runs. One near-fatal moment of altruism later, and like the deer he was tracking, he becomes the hunted. Always slightly behind the carnage left in the wake of this chase follows Sheriff Bell. Bell is a man who feels that he has become disconnected from the violence-saturated world he must police, and his voice-over ruminations frame the action. And when the story one initially expects (and continues to expect until well into the film) does not develop in the way we imagined, Bell’s concerns about evil, change and endurance are allowed to resonate. It is a film that might well have you thinking for some while – not so much about what happened as what it means that it happened. Without giving too much away, if you like your films perfectly wrapped up by the time you walk out of the cinema, then maybe stay home and watch Pirates of the Caribbean on DVD.
So whilst the screenplay is faithful to Cormac McCarthy’s (brilliant) rugged novel, the triumph of the film is its subtext; the tone captures the inevitable shadow that evil casts, and the burden of living in moral twilight. With well-weighed dialogue, smart editing and camera work so subtle it could probably sneak up on an antelope, the Coen brothers (who between them direct, produce and edit the film) allow everything the camera sees to speak in its own voice. Nothing is coercively boxed into well-worn generalisations; the devil is firmly in the details.
And talking of the devil… Anton Chigurh (almost like “sugar” – but not quite), the main figure from whom Llewellyn is running with the cash, must surely rank right up there with cinema’s most armrest-clenchingly chilling figures. Think Dr. Lecter with more hair (terrifyingly comical hair at that) but less camp quipping and cannibalism. “Just how dangerous is he?” asks one character. The answer: “Compared to what? The bubonic plague?” These odd moments of comedy are black as pitch and laced with menace, but they do offer your fingernails brief respite as you open your mouth to half-chuckle.
In turns chilling and beautiful, intense and subtle, poetic and violent, No Country for Old Men is also bone-rattlingly gripping. If you haven’t made a new year’s resolution yet then go and see this… and if you have already made one, well, you can always cut back on that smoking habit next January – watch this film instead!
"No Country for Old Men" directed by Ethan and Joel Coen are currently showing at City Screens.
Adam Chidell
Juno is the type of movie that could be paired up with any number of romantic comedies that tackle the topic of an untimely pregnancy, such as Knocked Up. Besides Juno and Knocked Up many different films have taken on this challenge of exploring the world of unplanned pregnancy, but Juno does something very different.
In most stories revolving around this subject, the protagonist is the male character. The focus stays with the man and how he must cope with the pregnancy, while the woman is left to tend to her pregnancy and deals with it in a more personal style. Juno reverses this popular cliché and delves deep into the quirky world of the young high school girl, Juno.
The film begins with Juno finding out that she’s pregnant. Even before this moment you realise that this young girl is much more mature than the average high school aged teen. As the film progresses and Juno goes further along in her pregnancy, she takes a beautiful approach to it and often makes light of the situation. In these scenes some of the funniest moments of the film occur where Juno sarcastically remarks to ridiculous questions and remarks. The majority of her friends expect her to change in a way where she has become a different person now that she has become pregnant.
The movie then takes a turn towards a coming-of-age style film, but not in the conventional sense. The beauty of this movie, and yes this movie does make teen pregnancy beautiful, appears as Juno quickly grows up and deals with problems that no child should. Her inner child and light-hearted behaviour quickly emerge as a way for her to deny her situation.
Juno’s parents provide excellent comic relief throughout the film, especially the father, and are surprisingly supportive of their daughter’s situation. Comments from Juno’s father like, “I never thought I’d be wishing she was on drugs,” are perfectly placed and delivered.
Juno’s boyfriend, played by the rising comedic star, Michael Cera, plays his typical awkward young teen character, but still provides for a good amount of humour. The fact that he is supportive, but rarely seen also adds an interesting dimension.
The general presentation gives the viewer quite a nice feeling, come from the interesting colour scheme of the film. Using mainly earth tones and various monochromatic outfits for the general population provide a nice contrast for the humble and unique demeanor of Juno.
A topic that often is bet with murmurs and shuns finds a blend between humour and a youthful innocence that is not often seen in comedies. The result of this unique mixture leaves the viewer satisfied and with a smile on their face as the final credits role and the young Juno returns to her innocence.
"Juno" directed by Jason Reitman comes out in the UK February 1st.
Albert Testani
Initially, I was seduced by Charlie Wilson's War. On balance, however, although I like it, it has left me feeling a little uncomfortable. It tells the true story of the biggest covert war in history. In a nutshell the '80s saw the Soviets invade Afghanistan, the Afghans or specifically Mujahedin drove them out with semi secret aid of billions of dollars from America wanting to stop the spread of Communism. This was facilitated by the combination of Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks); an unimportant playboy Texas congressman whom happens to sit at the funding intersection of the State Department and the CIA, Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts); a glamorous Texas divorcee and staunch anti- Communist and Gust Avrakotos (Philip Semour Hoffman); a CIA employee.
The film is high spirited, fast, glib and well written and also seemed nostalgic for a less politically correct time, when the President couldn't nearly get indicted for blow jobs, state meetings of the utmost importance could be conducted in front of belly dancers and only the libidos were bigger than the shoulder pads. Actually Julia Roberts never wears shoulder pads and is really quite funny. She and Tom Hanks have good chemistry and good southern drawls. He can yes ma'am me in his cowboy boots any time--but there is something a little bit cartoony about both of them, that, despite their combined star-power, doesn't quite work. The star of the show is undoubted Philip Seymour-Hoffman as the maverick, world-weary, quick-tempered Russian-hating CIA nobody Gust. He is a lord of misrule with the pick of Aaron Sorkin's lines and killer timing.
The film intends to make us uncomfortable. Wilson's quote, "We fucked up the endgame," is the last image we see. Of course, the twist is that the Mujahedin, whose cause he is championing, go on to become the Taliban. The thing that sits uneasily for me is how to take, in the midst of the quick wit, sparring, non-stop jollity and the can do American attitude, the suddenly earnest and harrowing scenes in the Pakistani refugee camp with the limbless children and mourning mothers. They seem to be there to fulfil the story-telling function of how Wilson came to defend their plight, but rather fall flat and feel sterilised, because they seem so at odds with the tone of the film.
On the whole though, it's a thought-provoking and solid film.
Charlie Wilson's War" directed by Mike Nichols is showing at City Screens.
Alice Bushell
comment deleted by a moderator Juno isn't out until 8th Feb
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