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New Releases, Oscar Bingo, Reviews

Cinema Review: A Complete Unknown (2024) – an electric but over-polished cover version!

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CINEMA REVIEW: A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2024)

Directed by James Mangold

Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks

Based on Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald

Produced by Peter Jaysen, James Mangold, Alex Heineman, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, Timothée Chalamet, Fred Berger etc.

Main cast: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Scoot McNairy, Dan Fogler, etc.

James Mangold is rarely mentioned as one of the best directors around. Probably because he is not a flashy cigar-munching quote machine or a even a household name. Yet, he has consistently delivered a series of extremely entertaining genre films over the past few decades. These include: Copland (1997), Identity (2003), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Walk the Line (2005), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Logan (2017) and Ford v Ferrari (2019). His films always feature solid characterisation, compelling conflict and well-structured plots. They also have a pristine and attractive look and style. Further, they always attracts impressive A-list actors and striking ensemble casts. His cover version of the music biography, Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald is no different.

A Complete Unknown (2024) showcases events from the era of 1961 to 1965 where Dylan rose to major stardom delivering stunning and poetic lyrics with hypnotic melodies. This period culminates in his movement from acoustic guitar to full electric band, causing controversial and violent reactions from the audience and organisers of the Newport Folk Festival. This furore may seem mildly inconsequential in today’s social-media digital coliseum where intellectual debates are fought with emojis by individuals with nano-seconded attention spans. But for many, Bob Dylan’s perceived treachery of moving from the purity of folk over to the dark side of rock was a significant event of the epoch. Having said that, Dylan was always an enigmatic maverick and genius who marched to the time of his own drum. Thus, such audial rebellion was no surprise, especially when looking back at it now.

As a tribute to the incredible musical and writing brilliance of Dylan, A Complete Unknown (2024) is definitely worth a watch. Timothée Chalamet does a sterling job with the musicianship, mannerisms and vocal duties. He even brings a suggestion of character to someone who isn’t just a musician. Dylan’s a shape-shifter, a poet, a myth, a paradox wrapped in a harmonica riff. To play Dylan is not to “become” him but to capture the way he constantly eludes being known. Personally, I enjoyed Chalamet’s charismatic performance in Wonka (2023 more, but he is commanding as Dylan nonetheless. The supporting cast are terrific too, notably Edward Norton as the affable folk singer Pete Seeger and Boyd Holbrook as a muscular Johnny Cash. Mangold deserves much praise for getting so many consistently fine performances, even if the script could have been punched up with more drama throughout. Dylan being a bit of a self-driven “arsehole” and slight philanderer hardly raises the pulse.

Overall, Mangold directs with a sure hand and there are many fantastic musical set-pieces, gigs and recording sessions. But the film’s glossy sheen feels at odds with the grit of the 1960’s Greenwich Village folk scene. The world Dylan emerged from was smoky, messy, and filled with hungry artists scraping by in dimly lit coffeehouses, where folk music wasn’t just a style but a battle cry. A Complete Unknown (2024) captures the aesthetic—the period costumes, the dimly lit clubs, the jangling guitars—but everything feels just a touch too manicured, too cinematic. Dylan’s rise was not glamorous and the film makes the counterculture movement feel almost nostalgic rather than revolutionary. It’s an engaging snapshot, and Chalamet’s performance is undoubtedly compelling, but much like a pristine re-recording of an old folk song, the imperfections—the very thing that gave the music its soul—are missing.

Mark: 7.5 out of 11

Cinema, Reviews

CINEMA REVIEW: INDIANA JONES and the DIAL OF DISNEY (2023)

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CINEMA REVIEW: INDIANA JONES and the DIAL OF DESTINY (2023)

Directed by James Mangold

Written by: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp
and James Mangold

Based on Characters by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman

Produced by: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel

Main cast: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, Mads Mikkelsen, etc.

Cinematography: Phedon Papamichael

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) was one of the most memorable cinema experiences I ever had in my early life. Myself and my younger brother went and watched it at the ABC Cinema Fulham in 1981. I was eleven and he was nine year’s old. After the film ended, we were exhilarated and hungry. We decided that rather than spend our remaining money on bus fare, we’d prefer to walk home to Battersea and share a bag of chips in the rain.

The three mile walk lasted no time at all as we were full of excitement about the incredible film we’d just witnessed. Gigantic rolling balls, snakes in cockpits, treacherous monkeys, villainous Germans, a hard-drinking heroine, unforgettable fights, shootouts, chase scenes galore, and a whip-cracking, charismatic, never-say-die archaeology Professor as our leading protagonist. Those Nazis never stood a chance chasing the ultimate McGuffin in the lost Ark of the Covenant.

My brother and I bounced out of the cinema wishing we were Harrison Ford. He portrayed the world-weary and intelligent man of action, Indiana Jones, superbly. After Ford’s star-making turn as Han Solo, here he was doubling down and cementing his place as one of the most charismatic screen actors. Fast-forward forty-two years later and Ford is back for the fifth outing of “Indy” in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). After the disastrously poor Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), could ‘Dial’ redeem the franchise? Well, given they spent almost $300 million dollar on it, I would say, no!

The story, if you can call it that, finds a grouchy and retired Indy, literally now a crumbling fossil himself, dragged into the murky shenanigans of his god-daughter, portrayed by critic’s darling, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She’s looking for an ancient artefact that also happens to be sought by nefarious agents, led by Mads Mikkelsen. He is flanked by evil ‘Laurel and Hardy’-type henchmen and the ensemble hurtle around the world, travelling by map, all trying to out-do and kill each other. Apparently the ‘Dial of Destiny’ has magically temporal abilities which can blah! blah! blah! Of the main cast Waller-Bridge is okay, but her character arc is confusing as we never quite care which side she is on. But, Mikkelsen impresses as the villain whose fiendish plan is frankly preposterous and revealed way too late into the final act.

Maybe I am just a grumpy old git, but I did have real issues with the story and screenplay of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Oh, and the characterisation, darkly shot set-pieces, choppy editing, and gigantic plot-holes. James Mangold is a fine genre filmmaker and has made some terrific films during his career, but this is not one of them. It just smacks of another cynical money-making exercise by Disney, with little or no respect for the original’s legacy. Worst of all it was predictable, overlong and tedious. Having said that Harrison Ford is absolutely fantastic as Indiana Jones. He brings a real gravitas and emotional depth to the character. His physical stamina, given his age, is admirable too. Unfortunately, the screenplay should have been locked away with the Ark of the Covenant and never seen the light of day.

Mark: 6 out of 11

Cinema, Great Ensemble Film Casts

GREAT ENSEMBLE FILM CASTS #5 – COPLAND (1997)

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GREAT ENSEMBLE FILM CASTS #5 – COPLAND (1997)

Directed by: James Mangold

Produced by: Cathy Konrad, Ezra Swerdlow, Cary Woods

Written by: James Mangold

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Peter Berg, Janeane Garofalo, Robert Patrick, Michael Rapaport, Annabella Sciorra, Noah Emmerich, Edie Falco, Deborah Harry etc.

*** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***

James Mangold is rarely mentioned as one of the best filmmakers around. Probably because he is not a flashy director or a household name. Yet, he has consistently delivered a series of extremely entertaining and inventive genre films over the past few decades. These include: Identity (2003), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Walk the Line (2005), 3:10 to Yuma (2007) and more recently, Logan (2017). His films always feature solid characterisation, compelling conflict and well-structured plots. Above all else, Mangold always attracts A-list actors to his film projects. None more so than in the urban neo-Western, Copland (1997).

Copland (1997) is a thriller which still resonates today with themes that focus on corrupt cops conspiring to control crime from the town of Garrison, New Jersey. Drug deals, racial profiling, murder, larceny and perverting the course of justice are all in a day’s work for the crew led by Harvey Keitel’s alpha cop, Ray Donlan. The Sherriff of Garrison is half-deaf and lumpy, Freddie Heflin (Sylvester Stallone). He is so in awe of Ray and his crew that he is prepared to turn a blind eye to their crimes. However, after a series of brutal incidents which bring heat and Internal Affairs onto Freddie’s patch, he must decide whether to take a stand against the bullies.

Copland (1997) is both a fine character study of a downtrodden man finally standing up against those keeping him down, and a searing damnation of the dishonest nature of American police enforcement. Moreover, Mangold has assembled a hell of a cast. Stallone has never been better in his role of Freddie Heflin. He is a sympathetic character, but frustrating as one wills him to fight back. Robert DeNiro attempts to help him as the Internal Affairs officer, Moe Tilden. While slightly over-the-top here, DeNiro’s scenes with Stallone really sizzle. DeNiro spikes with energy as Stallone offers silent awkwardness.

Ray Liotta almost steals the show as the coked-up-copper-on-the-edge, Figgis. While Robert Patrick, unrecognisable from his performance as the T-1000, shines too as nasty piece of work, Jack Rucker. Add Keitel, Michael Rapaport, Peter Berg, Janeane Garofalo and Cathy Moriarty into the mix and you have one cracking ensemble. Interestingly, Stallone said the film hurt his career. However, he received much critical praise and I wish he’d pursued more character-heavy roles like this rather than films like the forgettable Expendables trilogy.

Cinema, New Releases, Reviews

LE MANS ’66 (2019) – CINEMA REVIEW

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LE MANS ’66 (2019) – CINEMA REVIEW

Directed by: James Mangold

Produced by: Peter Chermin, Jenno Topping, James Mangold

Written by: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason Keller

Cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, John Bernthal, Catriona Balfe, Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe etc.

Cinematography: Phedon Papamichael

**MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**

Le Mans ’66 (2019) — AKA Ford versus Ferrari (2019) — is a historical sports biopic centred on the desire by Ford Motors to take on and beat Ferrari during the legendary Le Mans 24-hour race. Now, I’m not a massive fan of motor racing itself. I mean I admire the sports men and women who compete, but it’s not one of my favourite sports. Having said that, due to the speed, visuals, action and rivalry involved, car racing lends itself to tremendous cinematic possibilities. Films such as Senna (2010), Rush (2013) and the hilarious comedy, Talladega Nights (2006), are testament to that.

Arguably the best sports films, e.g. Rocky (1976), Raging Bull (1980), The Wrestler (2008), A League of Their Own (1992), Remember the Titans (2000), Field of Dreams (1992), Moneyball (2011) to name a few, are not just about the sport, but the heroes, flawed characters or underdogs seeking to achieve victory or overcome adversity. Le Mans ’66 (2019) follows a similar pattern, but here the cars and racing scenes are very much to the fore. This is where the film really hits the mark with incredible direction, cinematography, visuals and editing style on the road and racetrack. Moreover, the costumes, locations, cars and rendition of the 1960’s era are all perfectly captured.

Off the track, the characters and emotional aspects are pretty strong too. They are led by the tremendous casting of Christian Bale as the driver, Ken Miles, and Matt Damon as salesman and car designer, Carroll Shelby. Bale is one of my favourite actors, and here he eschews masks and flashy prosthetics from previous roles, to present a volatile eccentric who is also an incredible mechanic and driver. Further, the ever-reliable ‘everyman’ actor, Matt Damon, produces another likeable and energetic performance as Shelby. The double act repartee between the obsessive Brummie, Miles, and smooth-talking Shelby, allows the narrative to cruise along splendidly.

One of the films’ weakness is that arguably the stakes aren’t particularly high. Of course, racing drivers are at risk of crashing, burning and losing their lives, so there is drama there. But, in essence, the filmmakers are asking for us to root for a billion-dollar company in Ford, against another big company in Ferrari. The excellent script however, by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth cleverly positions Miles and Shelby as outsiders attempting to overcome the obstacles put in their way by Ford’s corporate suits. These money-men are ably represented by Josh Lucas, Tracy Letts and the more sympathetic, John Bernthal. Ultimately, Miles and Shelby are car purists and technicians interested in the drive for perfection, rather than marketing, image and profits.

Overall, the film could have been trimmed for pace, ironically, in terms of running time. However, Le Mans ’66 (2019) works as a fine tribute to both Miles and Shelby’s talents and as a cinematic extravaganza. Indeed, James Mangold and his production team have produced some of the best driving scenes I have ever seen on the screen. What the film lacks in deep emotional impact is more than made up for by the kinetic velocity throughout, putting the film firmly in the leading pack of sports films.

Mark: 8.5 out of 11