The year so far

So, I'm hoping to get a little more writing done this year and keep track of the films I've watched. Reviews for every film will not be possible, however, I will be listing all the films I've watched with a sentence and a score out of 10 - that way, my films of the year will be much easier to identify too! Although we are not far into the year, I've been catching up on films, so here's the list so far....

The Martian: Matt Damon on top form in this Mars based Robinson Crusoe, but the book is much better. 6/10

Everest: Interesting factual story with breathtaking scenery, but not at all memorable. 5/10

Carol: A beautiful love story and an homage to 1950s cinema. 8/10

Mistress America: Refreshing to see Greta Gerwig play a different character and collaborate with Baumbach to create an enjoyable New York tale. 7/10

Sleeping with other people: Amusing rom-com with a slight difference and far more risqué. 6/10

Joy: Joyous rags to riches tale with charismatic Lawrence running the show. 8/10

The Danish Girl: Period transgender piece with incredible acting and a fascinating story - I would love to watch this one again already. 9/10

The Diary of a Teenage Girl: Great 1970s teen drama with mesmerising performances and a lot of sex. 8/10

Room: Claustrophobic character study with astounding acting and an original perspective. 9/10

So currently in the lead spot are The Danish Girl and Room. But films that may knock them off are Love and 45 Years which are next on the pile to watch...

Room (2015)

Selected by both the Golden Globes and the Baftas (and therefore more than likely the Academy Awards) as a contender, will no doubt ensure audiences go and see this fascinating character study piece.

Kidnapped and imprisoned in a high-security adapted garden shed for seven years, we meet Ma (Brie Larson) and her five year old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) in 'Room'. The world of Jack is a small one, where the confines are four walls with a skylight and TV is magic. He has named all the objects in the room and talks fondly of the toilet and wardrobe, anything outside of 'Room' is space. But Ma (we later learn her name is Joy) wants a way out and devises an escape plan to get them away from the monster that is regularly raping her and punishing them by cutting off the electricity.

The less said about the plot for this film, the better, but rest assured it is gripping at its very best, as we watch the two trying to escape. What then follows is a fascinating character study, mainly on Jack, of the psychological repercussions of only knowing 'Room' from birth. We remain with the two characters throughout the film, with other characters loitering on the periphery.

Room is a film driven by the acting, which is absolutely astounding. Brie Larson is incredible as the mother who wants the best for her son born out of the situation, but it is Jacob Tremblay who steals the film, and our hearts, as Jack. Deeply attached to his mother and only knowing life in 'Room', Jack's resilience is tested to the limit at an extremely young age.

With more and more stories like this one being revealed by the media in recent years, the film raises a lot of interesting issues without trying to shock its audiences with gratuitous scenes. Room feels real and believable and has many moments of tenderness and poignancy. I wish the actors and the filmmakers all the luck for the upcoming awards season; this is a film that deserves to win.

The joy of 'Joy' (2015)

The true sign of a great film is when the credits roll and you feel deeply disappointed that the film is over; you have been violently forced out of the world you were so happily inhabiting. In other words, a David O'Russell film. Yet again, he confidently blends comedy with drama, tackling real issues that everyday people can relate to - this time a woman who struggles out of poverty by inventing a new wonder mop, yes, really, a mop! The emphasis  being on 'struggles' here, as she faces many setbacks and backstabbers, including family members, along the way.

But this isn't any ordinary rags to riches tale, as O'Russell brings together the magical dream team of Jennifer Lawrence, in the titular role of Joy, Robert De Niro, as her 'needs to be in love' father Rudy, and the charming Bradley Cooper, as Neil Walker  - a QVC tycoon. The first half of the film develops Joy as a dreamer from childhood, a strong woman who sees more for herself than getting abuse from behind an airport desk, a kind person who puts up most of her family in her ramshackle house (including her ex-husband she is divorced from) and most importantly, but sometimes overlooked in the film, a mother. The remaining half of the film establishes the invention and her development into a strong and successful matriarch, skipping through some of the details and showing us years ahead, as the resolution.

As with Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and American Hustle (2013), the dialogue is witty, believable and dense - in a good way. The characters are well developed and costumes, props and music are all thoughtfully used to embellish the film's period (1970s) vibe. Time flies with Joy and this is a delightful and enjoyable film. A couple of scenes, a funeral being one, feel like unnecessary emotional fodder and the film is by no means as memorable or charming as Silver Linings, but this is Lawrence's time to shine and that she does. It is unusual for me to say,  but it would have been nice for the film to be a tad longer and show a little more of Joy's tenacity to reach to the top, but that really is just me being greedy. It is not a perfect film but it isn't far off and definitely invites further viewings.

Joy is a character we root for and care for and I found myself smiling and really feeling for the character along the journey. Inevitably, as the title suggests, this is a feel-good film that will leave you wanting more.