The purist cinema: the tearjerker

Tearjerker: a sentimental story, film, or song, calculated to evoke sadness or sympathy.

For a filmmaker, to reduce an audience to tears is quite possibly one of the most sought after reactions. It shows that the spectator has believed in the characters and truly invested in the film world that has been portrayed. I recollect when I was at school, Titanic was released at the cinema, and every teenage girl went to see it, at least twice, and boasted about crying at the end as a result of Leo/Jack's demise. So, when I finally went to see it, I waited and waited, but no tears came and I felt like I had been cheated of the full experience. I began to think, was there something wrong with me for not crying? Had I failed to understand something? However, what I missed at the time was the fact that the film had actually failed me - possibly one of the most tragic stories that have been depicted on the big screen and it did not move me. Mr Cameron, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was far more of an emotional rollercoaster than Titanic, I'm afraid!

Suffice it to say that many factors are involved in order to create this desired effect: environmental, personal experience, emotional, physical, company and so on. But regardless of these factors, one thing we all have in common is we want to be moved by a film, we want to believe in the characters and we want to invest ourselves fully. For some people they actively seek out this tearjerking experience again and again.

So, why do we subject ourselves to these emotional ordeals time and time again; is life not difficult enough? Cinema is cathartic, for both the filmmaker and the audience, and having a good cry can go hand in hand with this. Some films are designed specifically for this, whereas others, feature just a single scene which manages to reduce its audience to an emotional mess. I personally do not tend to seek out typical tearjerker dramas but I have still managed to come up with many films that 'get me' every time.

Obviously, this is an extremely personal list and one person's Achilles' heel is another person's Herculean strength! However, these are the ten films that have managed to reduce me to a quivering wreck, time and time again.

10. Dumbo (1941) /Bambi (1942)

In joint position at number 10 are these two famous Disney tearjerkers; a baby animal each losing their mother, struggling to survive and finding their way and identity in life. Disney being Disney means we all know it ends well, but I defy anyone to not feel incredible emotion during those early scenes of loss and vulnerability.

9. Up (2009)
One of the best opening sequences in film ever, Up boasts the most heartfelt montage of a main character's journey and loss. Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn't live up to the magic of this opening but it's still an enjoyable ride.

8. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
The outsider is often at the heart of a tearjerking storyline and Edward Scissorhands recycles the famous Frankenstein's monster tale to new emotional heights. When Burton's small town society reject Edward due to a 'misunderstanding', we cannot help but feel his pain. Depp's portrayal is truly heartbreaking.

7. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) / Midnight Special (2016)
These two films are in joint place due to the huge similarities in the type of emotions the films evoke. Nostalgia, an alien race and an incredibly strong bond between two characters are found in both films and they do both successfully achieve what they aim to set out to do. E.T. has many tearful moments, not just surrounding the character of E.T but also Elliott's coming of age tale is extremely moving. Whereas Midnight Special slowly builds until the tears flow during the spectacular climax.

6. My Girl (1991)
An extremely popular choice, particularly for my generation, My Girl shocks every time; I always watch it thinking that he won't actually die and especially not in such a horrific way, but of course he does, cue the tears.

5. Blue Valentine (2010)
A very real portrayal of the evolution and decline of a young couple's marriage told in a fragmented, non-linear narrative. The first time I watched this film I wasn't affected by it and not overly impressed, but a second viewing completely changed my opinion of this film and I was really moved by it - proof that there are many variables that affect a person's interpretation of a film.

4. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Bleak and depressing pretty much sums up the ending to Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece. The combination of story, characters, shot type (see the famous high-angle foetal positions below) and the dramatic music result in a culmination of emotions during this tragic climax. Filmmaking at its most poignant and thought-provoking.

3. Amour (2012)
The clue is very much in the title here; this film is all about love, in fact the love of an ageing couple and what happens when one of them suffers a stroke. Amour is a carefully crafted film that explores true love with a level of realism that few films achieve, making it all the more emotive.

2. The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012)
Anything to do with the big 'C' and it's a guaranteed cry-fest. But add in a beautifully developed relationship between two likeable and fascinating characters and then a child and you are going to be emotionally battered by the end of it. An alluringly poetic love story with a tragedy that is difficult to truly comprehend, this film will stay with you for days after.

1. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Dancer in the Dark explores the antithesis to the Hollywood dream. I think I probably cried for the whole of the last half an hour of this film; it is absolutely devastating. Lars Von Trier is one of the most interesting filmmakers working today and this film belongs to his body of work of more overtly emotional experiences. Words cannot get across the sheer emotional impact it had on me when I watched this film for the first time - a feeling that will stay with me for the rest of my life and therefore this is cinema at its purist and most affecting.

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.

2015 - the year to get excited?

So, firstly, it's been a long time since I have written a film blog post. This can be equated with a lack of time and a lack of inspiration film wise. But now it's time to get excited and time to go to the cinema again, hopefully.
In terms of blockbusters to get excited about this year, I give you five words: 'Mad Max' and 'Jurassic World'. Both nostalgic, both non-superhero and both look like their true potential has actually been realised; here's hoping!

The Jurassic Park series is, by far, my favourite blockbuster franchise and I would argue the case that 'Jurassic Park' is most definitely the best blockbuster ever made - but that is for another blog post on another day. The next instalment sees the park open to the public, with high-tech viewing bubbles and genetically-engineered dinosaurs, but will it live up to the hype?

'Mad Max' is an intriguing world and one that perhaps doesn't need reimagining in this day and age, and yet it looks so good now that it has been! Tom Hardy is a force to be reckoned with, doing no wrong in terms of his role choices, so this will certainly be interesting. The vision, the cast, the costume and the style all look impressive, but will the story hold up?

However, there are less mainstream films on the horizon that are also getting me extremely excited. Here are my top 5 anticipations of 2015 at the moment.

1. The Lobster - Yorgos Lanthimos (2015)

One of my favourite contemporary directors, this is exciting! However, the casting of Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz does make me feel nervous about this one, hopefully Lanthimos is not going too mainstream. But, despite all those doubts, there is the amazing news that Lea Seydoux is also starring in it and the plot features people turning into animals if they don't find a mate in 45 days, so, I think we are safe!

2. Youth - Paolo Sorrentino (2015)

Again, an extremely mainstream Hollywood cast (also including Rachel Weisz!), but I am going to stay optimistic; Shia LaBeouf in Lars Von Trier's 'Nymphomaniac' being an impressive example of Hollywood gone Arthouse and doing it well.

3. Carol - Todd Haynes (2015)

'Velvet Goldmine' is probably one of the most underrated films of all time, a film which I watched over and over again as a teenager, and would, admittedly, probably cringe at if I watched now (I might have to re-watch and see if it has stood the test of time). 'Far from Heaven', not so much underrated, but still an undervalued film in the grand scheme of the film world. Recent audiences are probably more familiar with Haynes' work through the relatively recent mini-series for HBO: 'Mildred Pierce', featuring the stunning Kate Winslet. 'Carol' sees him utilising another stunning Cate, and I'm sure it will be a stunning piece of filmmaking.

4. Love - Gaspar Noe (2015)

One of the most unpredictable and off-the-wall directors of recent years, 'Love' will be explicit, but it will certainly be one hell of an experience. If you have seen either of Noe's more famous previous feature films (Irreversible and Enter the Void) then you know what you will be letting yourself in for with this one. Remember, films should be an experience, but watch Noe films with caution!

5. Arabian Nights - Miguel Gomes (2015)

Unfortunately, there is very little information on this one at the moment, and sadly no film poster yet, but it is still hugely exciting; Gomes is another of my favourite directors, with his last feature 'Tabu' reaching my top spot for best film of 2012. Using well-known folk tales as a basis, which links nicely to 'Tabu', this film sounds very interesting and any Gomes film is going to be a real treat.

Top Ten Films of 2012

So, it is that time of year again, and while at first, upon contemplating on 2012 in terms of film, I thought this year was rather weak as last year was so strong, on further inspection there have been some truly original and memorable films released. Credit must be given to The Dark Knight Rises for being a superb blockbuster and Prometheus for being a brave summer blockbuster, but unfortunately neither made my Top Ten. Nor did the latest Bond, Skyfall, or The Avengers Assemble. A Royal Affair was a splendid period political drama and The Raid was a blast of ultra-action but these gems didn't make it either. Let's see which films did.

10. Sightseers

Dark humour, violence, the English countryside, a touch of Leigh and a cracking ending, what more could you want from a film? Solid British filmmaking.

9. Moonrise Kingdom

Gorgeously shot in true Anderson style, this is a delightful and stylish film that will charm again and again. 

8. Holy Motors 

Award for the most unusual and bizarre film of the year would definitely go to this strange yet fascinating offering. Each vignette cleverly offers another layer to the indeterminable chaos.

7. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Featuring the performance of the year, this film is fresh and original with plenty of surprises along the way.

 6. Sister

A standout film at this year's Berlinale, Sister depicts another side to a luxury ski resort and its inhabitants. 

5. Alps 

Unique is certainly one way to describe Alps, equally rewarding as it is baffling. 

4. Amour

Devastatingly beautiful, Amour deserves its place in the top five due to its authentic portrayal of love and loss and the outstanding performances from the two leads.

 

 3. Berberian Sound Studio 

Completely original and harking back to a bygone age in filmmaking, this is the only film you will see that dedicates screen time to vegetables and has good reason to! A film all about sound that utilises visual techniques to perfection.

2. The Master  

Featuring two of the finest actors working in Hollywood today, it is a pleasure to see Mr Phoenix back on form in this comprehensive character study.  Fascinating people dominate this period piece, in an era that is equally fascinating. 

1. Tabu 

Nostalgic, beautiful, melancholic. There are many adjectives that can be employed to describe this stunning film, but none really capture the real essence of this captivating work of art, a must see!

 

Prometheus (2012)

 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/

Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated ‘prequel’ to his 1979 masterpiece Alien is equally mesmerising as it is disappointing.  Immediately Prometheus establishes itself as worlds apart from the claustrophobic womb like environment that Alien offers us. The film opens with sweeping landscape shots of a world not unlike Earth, the bright daylight contrasting with the dark and atmospheric lighting of Alien. The world is beautiful and the being we are introduced to resembles a human but isn’t one. After this intriguing beginning we are transported to Scotland where we meet our main protagonist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), a scientist who studies ancient cave paintings and believes the drawings have an important message about the origins of the human race. After discovering links between a series of images all over the world, Shaw and her partner Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), are employed to go and investigate the meanings behind these images. With a team of other scientists the two travel on the Weyland Industries funded spaceship Prometheus across the universe to a place that may hold all the answers.

As a stand-alone film Prometheus is impressive and distinct but of course it is impossible not to draw comparisons to Alien. The prequel is far more of a science fiction film than a horror film set in space like its predecessor, although there are still horror elements. Prometheus is brave in the respect that for a summer blockbuster it has remained a 15 certificate and rightly so, rather than striving for the all-encompassing 12A certificate that so many films do.

As with all the Alien films there are a diverse group of characters that the story centres around. Shaw is a suitable lead, she is no Ripley but her fighting spirit is reminiscent of the heroine, and Rapace does a great job of portraying a character desperate to know the truth, although she is not the most charismatic. She is however not the best character within the film, that would by far be David the morally ambiguous android played astoundingly by Michael Fassbender. Fassbender’s David echoes David Bowie but with the menace of Ian Holm’s later model Ash, his calm feminine voice, reminiscent of Hal, perfected to sound slightly robotic and all the more eerie. Idris Elba is well cast as the captain of Prometheus and Rafe Spall and Sean Harris have good smaller roles. As with most of the Alien films smaller characters are still developed enough to add depth. Charlize Theron plays icy boss Vickers to perfection, her cynical and robotic nature ruined by an annoyingly sentimental plot ‘twist’.

The plot is at times a little confusing and certain elements feel like they were absent-mindedly thrown in for convenience, such as Shaw’s inability to have a child but overall Prometheus is very enjoyable. It never drags, which considering its runtime of 124 minutes is surprising. The whole Peter Weyland (unnecessarily played by Guy Pearce) plot strand does feel completely redundant and Prometheus could have benefitted from a bit of tightening up. Also the script at times really stands out and not in a good way, but it is still a very good film.

Visually Prometheus is stunning; credit must be given to cinematographer Dariusz Wolski and production designer Arthur Max. The film cultivates its own unique world but with particular elements that are correctly designed in the familiar black bio-mechanic style. The technology within the film and the look of Prometheus does seem light years ahead of what Ripley and her crew have later on, which perhaps makes certain aspects unbelievable and the chronology of the films less flowing. But issues like this can be argued away with explanations such as the fact Prometheus is a well-funded scientific research ship whereas Nostromo was merely a commercial towing vessel. The costume design by Janty Yates is also worth mentioning, the sharp futuristic platinum grey suits and navy piped with orange space suits reminiscent of a high end fashion show and these stylish ensembles will no doubt be imitated by the high street in one form or another in the near future.  

If you are expecting a tense, claustrophobic thrill ride Prometheus will disappoint. There are a couple of relatively tense scenes but this is much more about discovery than an edge of your seat experience. The film successfully explains how the aliens evolved into the familiar form we have come to expect and it does it in an intelligent way, never force feeding information but instead allowing the audience to piece it all together. We are never given all the answers which some might find frustrating but a satisfying amount is given with a suitably open ending.

Even without comparisons to the brilliant Alien, Prometheus is flawed but despite these flaws it is hugely entertaining. It is the most unusual blockbuster you will see this summer and is resilient enough to be viewed as a stand-alone film although the links to be made between Prometheus and Alien just make it all the more enjoyable. The vast themes Prometheus attempts to explore are perhaps too ambitious and fans of the Alien franchise who are expecting another Alien film will no doubt be disappointed. Prometheus has such high expectations from fans that it is no surprise people feel let down. Despite all the frustrations Prometheus remains a thoroughly enjoyable original sci-fi film.