Showing posts with label peter sarsgaard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peter sarsgaard. Show all posts

9 January 2015

DVD Review - Night Moves (2013)

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Genre:
Thriller, Drama
Distributor:
Soda Pictures
Rating: 15
DVD/BD Release Date:
12th January 2015 (UK)
Running Time:
112 Minutes
Director:
Kelly Reichardt
Cast:
Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard, Alia Shawkat
Extras:
Interviews With Kelly Reichardt, Jesse Eisenberg, Short Film Trailer
Buy:Night Moves [DVD]

Night Moves, directed by Kelly Reichardt, is not a conventional thriller, yet it remains compelling because of its character-driven, slowly-unfolding nightmare. What stood out most for me in this film was the characterisation and acting; each character was written and casted perfectly.

The film follows Josh (Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network), Dena (Dakota Fanning, Twilight Saga: New Moon) and Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard, Garden State), three eco-activists who blow up a dam that they believe is harming the environment. However, their protest with good intent quickly becomes a dangerous misfortune. After they blow up the dam, and return to their ordinary lives, everything carries on as normal, making the situation eerily real – there are no high-octane police chases or fight scenes – these genre standards are replaced with increasing paranoia, guilt and numbness.

Eisenberg’s character is a subdued version of the actor’s typically awkward film roles, perfectly portraying a temperamental and troubled eco-terrorist. As the film progresses, and the suspense builds, he becomes more and more erratic and threatening, executed outstandingly by the actor. Dakota Fanning provides incredible support, as an edgy and unreadable college dropout, whilst still retaining a young innocence. Sarsgaard’s character, an ex-marine, appears light-hearted at first, with a calmer approach to the act of eco-terrorism. However, the actor’s performance becomes more chilling as Horman slowly becomes desensitised after the event.

The character relationships are subtle and implied rather than thrown in your face, with the first hour, seemingly, dedicated to character development – learning about their backgrounds and personalities which influence their roles in the second hour’s conflict. A key scene shows a wide shot with all three activists sitting in the car they used to escape from the imminent explosion. Each character’s face is extremely telling as they wait for the sudden eruption of their plan coming together. These character building scenes, at first, can seem slightly un-engaging however, they are integral for the ensuing tension.

The accompanying music, composed by Jeff Grace (composer for the Lord of the Rings trilogy), is quiet and subdued, consisting mainly of piano and pan-pipes, but is still eerie and, at times, unsettling as the onscreen action can become very tense. It becomes clear that the label of ‘thriller’ is not because of anything particularly action-packed and grand, but rather because of the guilt eating away at the protagonists, until they all become extremely fearful and unconfident in a unique way.

This is not a film for someone expecting to be immediately gripped and thrilled, as it sometimes lacks the ability to engage, however, Reichardt’s portrayal of three people made victim to their own psychological decay stays with its audience long after watching.

Night Moves is available on DVD from 12th January.

★★★ 1/2
Jenn Spiers



7 August 2013

Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine Has UK Trailer, Watch Now

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After To Rome To Love you wondered if Woody Allen has finally lost his unique touch? Fear not next month the old magic looks like it's returning when Blue Jasmine is Released and this afternoon we have the film's official UK trailer.

Starring Cate Blanchett as Jasmine a middle aged New York Socialite whose life has went from riches to rags thanks to the action of her husband (Alec Baldwin). With no Jasmine is forced to move to San Francisco to stay with her sister (Sally Hawkins) to attempt to get her life back together whilst drinking the the remainder of her drinks cabinet.

When you start talking about Oscars when when talking about Woody Allen films you know the film has a sign of quality. With the film already out Stateside some of the reviews are saying Cate Blanchett has delivered one of her best performances in a long time and others are saying Blue Jasmine is up there with the likes of Annie Hall which will please Allen's loyal fanbase.



Blue Jasmine will be out in UK on 27th September,the film co-stars Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay ,Bobby Cannavale , Louis C.K and Peter Sarsgaard.

Synopsis

After everything in her life falls to pieces, including her marriage to wealthy businessman Hal (Alec Baldwin), elegant New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) moves into her sister Ginger’s (Sally Hawkins) modest apartment in San Francisco to try to pull herself back together again.
Jasmine arrives in San Francisco in a fragile mental state, her head reeling from the cocktail of anti-depressants she’s on. While still able to project her aristocratic bearing, Jasmine is emotionally precarious and lacks any practical ability to support herself. She disapproves of Ginger’s boyfriend Chili (Bobby Cannavale), who she considers another “loser” like Ginger’s ex-husband Augie (Andrew Dice Clay). Ginger, recognizing but not fully understanding her sister’s psychological instability, suggests that she pursue interior design, a career she correctly intuits that Jasmine won’t feel is beneath her. In the meantime, Jasmine begrudgingly accepts work as the receptionist in a dentist’s office, where she attracts the unwanted attentions of her boss, Dr. Flicker (Michael Stuhlbarg).
Feeling that her sister might be right about her poor taste in men, Ginger starts seeing Al (Louis C.K.), a sound engineer whom she considers as a step up from Chili. Jasmine sees a potential lifeline when she meets Dwight (Peter Sarsgaard), a diplomat who is quickly smitten with her beauty, sophistication and style.
Jasmine’s flaw is that she derives her worth from the way she’s perceived by others, while she herself is blind to what is going around her. Delicately portrayed by a regal Cate Blanchett, Jasmine earns our compassion because she is the unwitting instrument of her own downfall. Woody Allen’s new drama BLUE JASMINE is about the dire consequences that can result when people avert their eyes from reality and the truth they don’t want to see.

7 June 2013

Watch The Official First Trailer For Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine

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It wouldn't be a Summer without Woody Allen and you'll be happy to know we now have the official first trailer for his next film Blue Jasmine a woman who had every thing financially only for her to go from riches to rags.

Blue Jasmine stars  Cate Blanchett as a wealthy New York housewife who becomes broke thanks to her husbands criminal actions (Alec Baldwin) and is forced to live with her sister in San Francisco.

I've always found it hard to appreciate Woody Allen's films (acting and directed by) his work is a required taste but 40 plus years in the industry he must be doing something right. It's hoped Blue Jasmine will buck the indecisive trend of Allen's recent films with it been back on home soil,New York but mostly San Francisco instead of the usual European city.The film does have the trademark Allen  humour however things do look a little more dramatic and darker in tone too. The story of rivaling siblings is something Allen excels at (Hannah And Her Sisters) really well and we're optimistic this one will follow suit and Cate Blanchett really does look the part and it's nice to see show film fans that she's more than the Elfish queen in Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings/The Hobbit films.

Blue Jasmine does have a UK&Irish release date of 20th September (USA 26th July) and the film co-stars Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay ,Bobby Cannavale ,  Louis C.K and Peter Sarsgaard.



source: Yahoo