BAFTA 2012: and the winners are...

The stars were out in celebration of the last 12 months of film at London's Royal Opera House in Covent Garden on February 12th 2012 for this year's BAFTAs. First and foremost, Stephen Fry has risen in my estimation. As the host for the evening, his one-liners were spot on, his dry delivery perfectly timed and his enthusiasm for film clear for all to see.

After a rousing entrance number from Tom Jones, belting out the classic Bond theme Thunderball to celebrate the Bond series' 50th anniversary this year, the awards got under way; the first of which a deserved triumph after 10 years of nominations for the Harry Potter series. Deathly Hallows Part 2, the final film in the series, picked up Special Visual Effects. Outstanding British Film went to Tomas Alfredson's adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a film that had 11 nominations at this year's ceremony and would pick up a further award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Rango took the Animated film award home and Scorsese's Hugo won Best Sound and Production Design, as well as the BAFTA fellowship award for the brilliant director.

Meryl Streep's depiction of Margaret Thatcher earned her Best Actress - if she also wins the Best Actress accolade at this year's Oscars it will be the first time she has won the award since Sophie's Choice in 1983. Christopher Plummer took home Best Supporting Actor for Beginners, Octavia Spencer took home Best Supporting Actress for The Help and perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night was that Gary Oldman lost out on Best Actor to Jean Dujardin for The Artist.

In the end, the night firmly belonged to Michel Hazanavicius' remarkable silent film The Artist. Receiving 7 BAFTAs including the Best Film gong, it goes to show that original and audacious concepts are becoming ever more welcome in an industry permeated with sequels. The results of this year's BAFTAs should leave film lovers eager for the Oscars ceremony which can be seen in the UK on Sky Movies Premiere/Premiere HD on Sunday February 26th 2012.

One for the Weekend...

It's February meaning that once again the Awards season is upon us, the time for the stars to shine and the deserving films to get the gongs. First up it's the Baftas, hosted by Stephen Fry. They can be seen on BBC One and BBC One HD from 9pm this Sunday February 12th 2012.

Below are the nominations for this year's awards.

Best Film

• The Artist


• The Descendants


• Drive


• The Help


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Outstanding British Film

• My Week with Marilyn


• Senna


• Shame


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy


• We need to talk about Kevin

Outstanding debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer

• Attack the Block (Joe Cornish, Director/Writer)


• Black Pond (Will Sharpe, Director/Writer)


• Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes, Director)


• Submarine (Richard Ayoade, Writer/Director)


• Tyrannosaur (Paddy Considine, Director)

Film not in the English Language

• Incendies


• Pina


• Potiche


• A Separation


• The Skin I live in

Documentary Film

• George Harrison: Living in the material world


• Project Nim


• Senna

Animated Film

• The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn


• Arthur Christmas


• Rango

Director

• Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)


• Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)


• Martin Scorsese (Hugo)


• Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)


• Lynne Ramsay (We need to talk about Kevin)

Original Screenplay

• The Artist


• Bridesmaids


• The Guard


• The Iron Lady


• Midnight in Paris

Adapted Screenplay

• The Descendants


• The Help


• The Ides of March


• Moneyball


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Lead Actor

• Brad Pitt (Moneyball)


• Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)


• George Clooney (The Descendants)


• Jean Dujardin (The Artist)


• Michael Fassbender (Shame)

Lead Actress

• Berenice Bejo (The Artist)


• Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)


• Michelle Williams (My week with Marilyn)


• Tilda Swinton (We need to talk about Kevin)


• Viola Davis (The Help)

Supporting Actor

• Christopher Plummer (Beginners)


• Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady)


• Jonah Hill (Moneyball)


• Kenneth Branagh (My week with Marilyn)


• Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March)

Supporting Actress

• Carey Mulligan (Drive)


• Jessica Chastain (The Help)


• Judi Dench (My week with Marilyn)


• Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)


• Octavia Spencer (The Help)

Original Music

• The Artist (Ludovic Bource)


• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)


• Hugo (Howard Shore)


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Alberto Iglesias)


• War Horse (John Williams)

Cinematography

• The Artist (Guillaume Schiffman)


• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Jeff Cronenweth)


• Hugo (Robert Richardson)


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Hoyte Van Hoytema)


• War Horse (Janusz Kaminski)

Editing

• The Artist (Anne Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius)


• Drive (Mat Newman)


• Hugo (Thelma Schoonmaker)


• Senna (Gregers Sall, Chris King)


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Dino Jonsater)

Production Design

• The Artist (Laurence Bennett, Robert Gould)


• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Stuart Craig, Stephanie McMillan)


• Hugo (Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo)


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald)


• War Horse (Rick Carter, Lee Sandales)

Costume Design

• The Artist (Mark Bridges)


• Hugo (Sandy Powell)


• Jane Eyre (Michael O'Connor)


• My week with Marilyn (Jill Taylor)


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Jacqueline Durran)

Make up and Hair

• The Artist (Julie Hewitt, Cydney Cornell)


• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin, Nick Dudman)


• Hugo (Morag Ross, Jan Archibald)


• The Iron Lady (Marese Langan, Mark Coulier, J. Roy Helland)


• My week with Marilyn (Jenny Shircore)

Sound

• The Artist (Nadine Muse, Gerard Lamps, Michael Krikorian)


• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (James Mather, Stuart Wilson, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener)


• Hugo (Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley)


• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (John Casali, Howard Bargroff, Doug Cooper, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley)


• War Horse (Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Richard Hymns

Special Visual Effects

• The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (Joe Letteri, Keith Miller, Wayne Stables, Jamie Beard)


• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery)


• Hugo (Rob Legato, Ben Grossmann, Joss Williams, Alex Henning)


• Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White, Daniel Barrett)


• War Horse (Ben Morris, Neil Corbould)

Short Animation

• Abuelas


• Bobby Yeah


• A Morning Stroll

Short Film

• Chalk


• Mwansa The Great


• Only Sound Remains


• Pitch Black Heist


• Two and Two

Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award

• Adam Deacon


• Chris Hemsworth


• Chris O'Dowd


• Eddie Redmayne


• Tom Hiddleston

BAFTA Fellowship this year will be awarded to Martin Scorsese

Outstanding Contribution award will be awarded to John Hurt.

Where possible, I have highlighted in blue the ones that I think are the potential winners.

In many ways the shape of the outcomes of the BAFTAs often pre determines the winners of the Oscars. Tune in on Sunday to find out if your favourite is the winner.

The Artist review

At the top of the critics' lists and the biggest Oscar bait for 2012's awards season is Paris born director Michel Hazanavicius' sublime film The Artist. Shot entirely in black and white, the story follows George Valentin, a cock sure, hugely successful silent film star in Hollywood in the late 1920s. Valentin's conflict comes upon the advent of talkies in the motion picture industry. Younger stars are hogging the limelight and Valentin is reduced to a has been; a personification of the destruction of silent cinema and artistry on the screen.

It is for newcomer Peppy Miller, played with grace and sincerity by Argentinean beauty Berenice Bejo, to help Valentin to overcome his hubris at being rejected from the industry and shine once again on screen in a new age of cinema. Arguably not since Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's Singin' in the Rain 60 years ago has a film about dance, artistry and the history of the cinema left such an indelible, lasting image on the screen and in our hearts. From Ludovic Bource's beautiful score, both uplifting and melancholic in equal measure, to the faultless performances of the film's leads, including an extraordinary Jack Russell dog, to the sumptuous cinematography that paints an incredible picture of the passion of filmmaking and originality in 1920s Hollywood, it is easy to see why people are falling for The Artist.

In an industry saturated with endless sequels and tired cliches, here is a reminder not only of the beauty and effectiveness of a simple narrative, but of the reason why we love going to the movies. A welcome and long overdue return for the silent era, arguably the most audacious and original period in the history of film. Hollywood, take note. Let's have more of the same.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Review

When it was decided that Hollywood were to get their hands on Stieg Larsson's conspiracy thriller novel and translate it into the English language, there seemed to be only one director to handle this kind of material. After his success with films like Seven (1995), Fight Club (1999) and more recently with The Social Network (2010), David Fincher seemed the ideal choice to bring the raw violence and intensity of this story to audiences. He hasn't disappointed. From the hypnotic, Bondian title sequence to the abrupt editing and stark cinematography, Fincher's Dragon Tattoo excites and engages the audience from the get go.

Having not completed Larsson's first novel I admit coming into the film a little clueless as to what to expect, but my nerves were unnecessary. Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara in particular are inspired casting for Blomkvist, a shamed journalist who is given the task of discovering who murdered a teenage girl 40 years ago, and Salander, a sharp, intelligent, socially and mentally unstable reporter who eventually assists Blomkvist in solving the mystery. The film is dark because the subject matter upon which it is based is dark; therefore there is both a rape and a torture sequence, both of which are thankfully not prolonged, yet still difficult to watch for those with a nervous disposition. Don't let this put you off if you are intending to see the film. These scenes make up roughly 10 minutes of screen time in an otherwise highly watchable and intriguing film.

What Fincher does particularly well is stylishly deviate from the violence in order to flesh out the characters. In Seven the crimes committed are vital to the narrative but it is the relationship between Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman's private detectives; the pro and the rookie, that is afforded the greatest depth and audience investment. Similarly with Fight Club, it is Edward Norton and Brad Pitt and the conflicts of personality that capture our attention over the physical violence of the fight club itself. Here, Fincher gives our protagonists more than adequate screen time in order to flesh out their characters.

Mara's Lisbeth may be anti social and dangerous but she is an asset to Blomkvist in solving the case. She is tenacious, she stands up for herself and her body image and we are engrossed in her ability to convey so much with just a glance. Short cuts between the narrative - of Salander being mugged in the underground and overcoming the mugger, and being raped and getting her revenge on the rapist, develop this character to the level that although she is one of few women in the story, she is the strongest character.

Craig's Blomkvist begins by jeopardising the future of his company and his reputation but ultimately redeems himself by solving the case, though crucially with the help of Lisbeth. Craig and Mara spark off each other brilliantly and their relationship seems entirely plausible. Some of the casting is questionable - Joely Richardson as one of the central characters of the story seems an offbeat choice - and a fair amount of back story and explanation is cut to quicken the pace of an already long film, but this is ultimately another impressive film to add to Fincher's catalogue. This could be the first of I hope many films in 2012 that make you go "I need to see that again."

One for the Weekend...

My choice for this weekend is another network premiere on Channel 4, of Danny Boyle's follow up to the Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire... 127 Hours. Nominated in 2010 for 6 Academy Awards, it tells the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco) who whilst canyoneering alone in Utah has a boulder fall above him and trap him. What measures will Ralston take in order to free himself? Gripping drama.


The film is showing at 9pm on Channel 4/4HD on Sunday 22nd January 2012.

The Iron Lady review

Having previously worked with this actress on 2008's summer hit Mamma Mia, director Phyllida Lloyd sure knows how to exact a rousing performance from Academy Award winner Meryl Streep. Nominated more than almost any other actress working in the business today, it has been almost thirty years since Streep took the Best Actress crown for her work in Sophie's Choice (Alan J Pakula, USA, 1982) but it is looking likely that she may have a third golden statue to add to her mantle this season as her performance in Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady is nothing short of remarkable. From Consolata Boyle's exquisite costume design to Thomas Newman's subtle score, the film is simultaneously a delicate portrait of a frail old woman and a biography of an undeniably powerful leader with an even more powerful public presence.

Whatever your opinion of Thatcher's regimes and her miscalculated decisions during her 11 year reign in office between 1979 and 1990, she carried a heavy burden. She was the first female Prime Minister in this country in a government dominated by masculinity and she overcame adversity and misogyny in order to stand up for her beliefs. In this respect she was every bit the leader a nation could hope for. Just contrast this with the pitiful attempts of David Cameron and there is no argument as to who has made the bigger difference to this country, albeit for good or bad. The film thus presents Thatcher as both a woman who stands by her morals and begs to be heard at the same time as generating audience pathos for a woman who, in old age, reminds us all of the futility of life. She made decisions that cost lives, she brought economic destruction but she will be remembered.

It is in Streep's heartfelt declaration to husband Dennis, (played with great comic relief by Jim Broadbent), that she wants to make a difference in her life and does not want to die in the kitchen washing up a tea cup, that the human being emerges. Thatcher is such a duplicitous character and as such the film will seem controversial to many. I am in agreement with critics that praise Streep's meticulous mimicry of Thatcher from her speech to her body language, yet at the same time the story seems to be a little choppy. The narrative seems to dispense wth much of Thatcher's actions during her time in office and only sporadically uses actual footage to highlight the effect that her irrational decisions had on the United Kingdom and the world.

As a character study, this is Streep's film. As the eponym of the title she puts her all into the physicality and the emotion of the character and the moment that she finally lets Dennis go reminds us that this is a woman who, despite being power hungry and neglecting her children in favour of this power, has a heart and a voice, whether we choose to listen or ignore.

One for the Weekend...

Continuing my look at the best on the box this week with Stephen Daldry's The Reader (2008) which gets its premiere on Channel 4/4HD this Sunday January 15th 2012 at 9pm.

This drama, set in post-war Berlin, focusses on the story of Michael Berg (David Kross and Ralph Fiennes) as he begins a secret relationship with an older woman, living alone, who seeks company and his storytelling. After going off to study criminlogy years later and observing the Nazi War crime trials, Berg learns the shocking truth of Hanna Schmitz' (Kate Winslet) involvement in the concentration camps. A powerful drama with unsurprisingly brilliant performances particularly from Winslet who, after having been nominated 5 times for various Best Actress Oscars, was finally granted with the golden statue for this film. Highly recommended.

If you're looking for something a little lighter, you can't go wrong with Entrapment (Jon Amiel, USA, 1999), a cat and mouse thriller with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones which, though often implausible, is great entertainment. This can be seen on Channel 4/4HD on Sunday 15th January 2012 at 3.15pm.

Failing that, if screwball comedy is your cup of tea, give one of Jim Carrey's zaniest films a whirl. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (Tom Shadyac, USA, 1993) is full of laughs and good Sunday afternoon fun. This is showing on Sunday 15th January 2012 on Channel 5/5HD from 5.00pm.

2012 Preview

2011 saw a fairly mixed bag of film releases - from the fantastic (The King's Speech, True Grit, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2) to the downright ugly (Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1). Thankfully, things are looking generally more consistent this year. The following are my picks for awards glory and general entertainment for the next 12 months. This year I'm going to make an effort to see as many of the new releases as I can and report my opinions right here.

1. The Iron Lady

Director Phyllida (Mamma Mia) Lloyd reunites with Meryl Streep to portray the life of Margaret Thatcher. Whatever your opinion of our former Prime Minister and her methods, you cannot deny by looking at the trailer that Thatcher's mannerisms and the look have been mimiced beautifully by Streep. Best Actress at this year's Oscars seems firmly set already. On UK release from January 6th 2012

2. War Horse

Spielberg's motion picture adaptation of the book and play focusses on the emotional connection between a young man and his horse set against the backdrop of the First World War and the horror of the Battle of the Somme. Have the tissues handy and get ready for some Oscar wins once again for the esteemed director. On UK release 13th January 2012.



3. Coriolanus

Ralph Fiennes' dark adaptation of one of Shakespeare's most complicated plays could prove to be one of the standouts of the year and certainly one of the best directorial debuts in years. On UK release 20th January 2012

4. The Muppets

With such critical praise to date, it looks as if this could be a triumphant return for the Muppet clan to cinemas. On UK release 10th February 2012

5. The Woman in Black

James Watkins' horror update of the famous play is also Daniel Radcliffe's first feature film post-Potter. This could provide the best movie jumps for your bucks in 2012. On UK release 10th February 2012.

6. Into the Abyss


Controversial, left field director Werner Herzog returns with a documentary in the same vein as Nick Broomfield's tracking of serial killer Aileen Wournos as he returns to the roots of a triple homicide committed in Texas 10 years ago and talks to the relatives of the victims and to the perpetrators themselves who are scheduled for execution. Likely harrowing but also insightful. On UK release 23rd March 2012

7. Dark Shadows

It's a Tim Burton film so a kooky script and a superb cast are almost second nature as Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Michelle Pfeiffer join forces in this update of the cult US television series about vampires and monsters. On UK release 11th May 2012

8. The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan's vision returns to the big screen this summer with his final installment in the Batman franchise. Inception's Tom Hardy is the mighty Bane, one of Batman's most deadly, physical antagonists and Anne Hathaway is attempting to outdo Michelle Pfeiffer's portrayal as the feline fatale Catwoman. If this gets even half of the box office reception that predecessor The Dark Knight received then this could be another great summer for Warner Bros. On UK release July 20th 2012

9. Skyfall

Despite MGMs bankruptcy issues, the 23rd James Bond film is now full steam ahead. Daniel Craig's back for his third appearance as 007 in the series' incredible 50th year. We are told that this film has all the perfect Bond elements and is akin to the early 1960s films such as From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. Sam Mendes seems the perfect choice to steer Bond in the right direction as the series reaches such a huge milestone. October can't come soon enough. On UK release October 26th 2012

10. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson returns the story of the little Hobbits to the big screen in the first of a two part adaptation of Tolkien's The Hobbit, the pre cursor to The Lord of the Rings. Martin Freeman looks like the perfect Bilbo Baggins and from the looks of the trailer it looks like we have another Christmas cinematic treat in store for 2012.

One for the weekend...

Welcome to 2012, and the first of my One for the Weekend sections of the blog. Keeping it simple, this is where I post my pick of the films to watch this weekend. First up is quirky, engaging rom com 500 Days of Summer (Marc Webb, USA, 2009), making its premiere on Channel 4/4HD on Sunday 8th January 2012 at 9pm.

Teaming two of the best young talents, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Webb's film is simultaneously a brilliantly insightful outlook on modern relationships and an inversion on the stereotypical boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after fantasy. Gordon-Levitt's comic timing is superb and Deschanel just has to walk into frame and the film shines that little bit brighter. The film is also notable for making a name of rising star Chloe (Kick Ass, Let Me In) Moretz, who plays Gordon-Levitt's wiser than her years sister in the film.

Bolstered by an eclectic soundtrack and one of the best sequences in recent years set to the upbeat "You make my dreams come true" from Hall and Oates, this is a refreshing rom com that provides the perfect antidote for a couple of hours away from the humdrum of daily life.

Merry Christmas from Film Fanatic!

My apologies that once again I have been slack with the up keep of my blog but this is my chance before the new year to wish those that visit the site for film inspiration a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, with a promise that I will be giving the blog the attention it deserves in the new year 2012.

James

As a parting note for 2011, here are the 5 festive films I recommend for viewing this Christmas in between bursts of Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody, Shakin' Stevens and The Pogues and plenty of christmas nibbles and tipples.

Enjoy and feel free to leave any comments or additional suggestions...

1. It's a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, USA, 1946)

Always at the top of my list and celebrating 65 years this year since release, this is still one of the most heartwarming stories of the everyman's struggles to find meaning in his life. What appears at first to be cliched reveals itself, in fact, to be a beautiful premise given more gravitas due to the casting of the late James Stewart as George Bailey; one of cinema's greatest heroes. Essential viewing and incredibly remastered in high def on Blu Ray.

The film is showing at 2.00pm on Sky Movies Christmas on Christmas Day

2. Home Alone (Chris Columbus, USA, 1990)

Second on my list of essentials is this 1990 family comedy "without the family". It is clear to see why director Chris Columbus was chosen as the director of the first two installments in the Harry Potter franchise after his superb work on films like this. A beautiful score from John Williams and a lot of fun to be had.

The film is showing on Channel 4 on Boxing Day at 7.05pm

3. A Christmas Carol (Robert Zemeckis, USA, 2009)

Charles Dickens' age old classic has been told numerous times on screen but Zemeckis' fascinating deployment of 3D and Motion Capture animation coupled with his casting of Jim Carrey as the miserly Scrooge, who has to change his ways for the good of mankind, presents audiences with a vibrant new spin on the timeless tale. Highly recommended though some of the ghostly apparitions may be a bit scary for younger children.

This film is showing at 8pm on Sky Movies Christmas on Christmas Day

4. Love Actually (Richard Curtis, UK, 2003)

Yes it's schmaltzy, yes there's a few too many narrative junctions for its own good but there's little not to like about this funny, touching romcom. A star studded cast including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightley and genre stalwart Hugh Grant ensure this isn't a convoluted, sentimental mess.

This film is showing at 9.45pm on Sky Movies Christmas on Christmas Day

5. The Holiday (Nancy Meyers, UK & USA, 2006)

A rom com to leave you with a tingly feeling or two during the festive season. Lots of laughs and another great cast of UK and US talent including Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and the ever brilliant Eli Wallach. A beautiful score from Hans Zimmer compliments the film well.

This film is showing on ITV1/ITV1HD at 10.15pm on Friday 30th December 2011.

"As Tiny Tim observed, "God bless us, everyone!""

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 review

"Why are you here, all of you?"

"We never left"

So we approach the end of the decade long record breaking film franchise and it's time to say goodbye to Harry and company and Hogwarts. It is a shame therefore that Warner Brothers' tired, cliche ridden marketing campaign "It all ends here" does little to enthuse and satiate this feeling for moviegovers as we say adios to the boy wizard. Promotion aside, this is the final stand, and if you have found Harry's transition from page to screen somewhat lacklustre over the last 10 years, you might be in for a pleasant surprise.

Part 2 begins where Part 1 left off. Voldemort has secured the elder wand, one of the three Hallows of the title, and our trio are still hunting the remaining horcruxes that hide fragments of our snake snouted antagonist's soul. Our first reminder of the bleak state of the wizarding world is of Rickman's Professor Snape, the new Headmaster of Hogwarts, surveying marching students in the school courtyard as the clouds roll over ahead. As Neville announces upon our trio's return to the magical haven, "Hogwarts has changed". We fade from this to a sombre moment of Harry surveying Dobby's grave at the idyllic shell cottage. Though we are unfortunate enough not to have a scenic tour of the cottage's interior (screen time constraints and all that...) we get straight to the dialogue. John Hurt is suitably frail and ambiguous as wandmaker Ollivander but it is Warwick Davis as goblin Griphook who elevates the character from Rowling's novel and personifies him superbly on screen as the conniving creature we have come to expect.

The film's first set piece is Gringotts, the wizarding bank. The descent to the vaults seems as if it has been lifted straight from the notion of theme park rollercoasters (the wizarding world theme park which opened to the public in Florida in 2010 was the clear inspiration) and is one of the few moments that benefits from the 3d transfer planted onto the film. The sequence is well realised and Helena Bonham Carter has Emma Watson's Hermione mannerisms down to a tee. The first evidence of Alexandre Desplat's captivating melodies for the final film comes from the swelling instrumentation of John Williams' signature theme for the series as the Gringotts' dragon soars out of the bank and flies across the clear blue London skyline. The attention to detail of the CGI in moments like this make you applaud the fastidious filmmakers.

The supporting cast, including some newcomers even at this late stage in the series, are largely terrific. Ralph Fiennes plays the rage and the vulnerability of Voldemort effortlessly, as if he wrote the character with his own hand. His slaughter of many at Malfoy Manor when he learns of Harry's escape is haunting, particularly in the short but effective shots of his bloodied bare feet and the striking use of subtitles as Voldemort converses with his snake. This is a man not to cross and in this final film Fiennes really demonstrates this antagonism well. Ciaran Hinds is welcomed to the Potter family as Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. Regardless of the regrettable fact that there is little screen time for this character and the Dumbledore family back story, he portrays the bitterness over his power hungry brother well and joins the fight for the wizarding world in style.

Within half an hour we have made it back to Hogwarts, once a safe sanctuary, now a battlefield, where the rest of this epic finale will unfold. Learning that Harry has been spotted around the Hogwarts grounds, it is once again Rickman's chance to stay centre screen and frown as the indecipherable Snape. Let battle commence. A sweet addition to the film is having Voldemort's echoing voice permeate the ears of all staff and students. The music is silenced, the air is still and there is a chilling sense of foreboding for what is to come. Though brief, the scene works brilliantly in capturing these characters' nerves and anxieties. Maggie Smith shines once again as Professor McGonagall and the moment that she brings the stone statues alive to guard the school with a smile is terrific.



The battle itself is played out on screen in a grand scale but it does not undermine character development. As we have discovered with the previous three films in the series, director Yates' interest is in the character development and the emotion of the story and without these elements and this focus we would not have a final product as engaging as this. For all the giants and dementors and wand battles there has to be sacrifice, loss and empathy with these characters that we have followed for the last 10 years. When characters lose their lives in battle we stop with Harry and their survivors to reflect and share their pain. It is these short bursts of emotion that put this kind of fantasy adventure series above the emotionless, bang for a buck Transformers movies, for example.

It is Alan Rickman's performance as Snape as Harry and the audience realise Snape's true intentions that provide the emotional core of not only this film but the entire series. In a beautiful eight minute sequence we realise Snape's motivations and share in his heartbreak at lost love. The scene is not only a testament to the remarkable nuances of Rickman's acting but also the power of Rowling's words on the page. The most intriguing character in the series gets the most bittersweet conclusion. Desplat's score, incorporating Nicholas Hooper's Dumbledore's Farewell theme from Half Blood Prince, additionally compliments and heightens the emotional impact of this pivotal scene.

Desplat's score for this final film could have been bombastic, loud and gratuitous and in the hands of an inexperienced composer it likely would have been so. As evidenced in Hallows Part 1 and countless other films however, it is clear that Desplat, like Yates, embeds his music into the emotional core of the narrative and the plight of these characters. Courtyard Apocalypse and the stunningly haunting Lily's Theme demonstrate a master at work and not even series stalwart John Williams could have bettered what we have here.

The principal trio are always scrutinised for their performances in these films. Either Rupert Grint is too gurning as Ron, Emma Watson tries too hard as Hermione or Daniel Radcliffe lacks the acting chops to deliver the goods as the reluctant eponym of the franchise but to give them their credit they are all fantastic in this final installment. Whilst Radcliffe still struggles to portray a multitude of emotions on screen, his performance in the Forbidden Forest scene where he is reunited with his family is beautiful to watch; understated and effective. Watson has little to do in this final film but we feel for Hermione when she hugs her best friend for what she believes is the last time as he walks to his fate. Rupert Grint has always seemed to have the finest grasp on his character and this doesn't wain at the final hurdle. He holds the trio together and is the warm hearted, genuine character straight from Rowling's pages.

As Voldemort fades away after being defeated in again another understated but engaging final battle, it is all about the main trio as the camera delicately pans away, framing them centre screen. When Harry says "together" to young Albus Severus in the film's touching epilogue, we are there with these characters, 19 years later, in bereavement that we will no longer be visiting Hogwarts and revelling in the magical world. The train departs, we wave goodbye and John Williams' stunning Leaving Hogwarts from the first film stays with the audience as they leave the cinema and return to their muggle lives.

Director Yates and the entire cast and crew of the Harry Potter series have ultimately closed the curtain on this magical world in a seemingly effortless, inimitable way. If you've been with Harry since the beginning you'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll wish you were heading on that train to Hogwarts. Thanks for everything Jo Rowling. A spellbinding ending to a memorable franchise.


Don't forget to check out my vlog on my Film Fanatic YouTube page. My video review of Deathly Hallows Part 2 is now available at the following link (please comment to let me know what you think):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I33kPKHQD7s

Oscars blog 2011

James' Oscars blog 2011

The 83rd annual Academy Awards. Hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway. A night of some big surprises, a few sad errors in winners and a night for Britain to triumph!

The 3 hour marathon began with hosts Franco and Hathaway sending up some of the best films of the year in a funny montage - nice to see Inception being the main theme for this. The presenters seemed very natural - well, Hathaway was any way - Franco looked a little wooden for the majority of the time. The important thing was that fresh young blood revitalised this year's Oscars and made for one of the less tedious awards ceremonies in memory.

Original screenplay went to The King's Speech - the big contender in this category being Inception; adapted screenplay went to the film that has put Facebook back on the map - The Social Network, a film that would go on to scoop 3 of the awards at the ceremony.

Inception, joint with The King's Speech in winning 4 awards, bagged the technical awards - Nolan's snub as director is still bewildering - Visual effects, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing and Wally Pfister's cinematography all triumphed for arguably the best film of the last 12 months. It was a great shame to see Roger Deakins walk away empty handed, and True Grit in general, for a beautifully shot film.

Short live action film was won by God of Love, short animated film though it should have been the quite excellent Day and Night from Pixar was actually awarded to The Lost Thing. The 4 nominated Best songs were all performed excellently during the ceremony and Randy Newman took the award for the heartfelt We belong together from the brilliant Toy Story 3. The animated masterpiece also rather unsurprisingly bagged the best animated film - any other year without Pixar's influence the sublime How to Train Your Dragon would have won this. John Powell's stunning score lost out to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' irritating experimental score for The Social Network. This was one of the only awards of the night where I found myself getting angry.

Makeup was awarded to Rick Baker for his realistic work on The Wolfman, Foreign language film went to the Danes for In a better world. The Social Network picked up Best Editing - no real surprise there. Strangers no more took Documentary short subject and the infamous Banksy lost out in Documentary feature to Inside Job.

Costume design bagged a second Oscar for Tim Burton's mish mash of a film, Alice in Wonderland. Its other award of the evening was for Art Direction, an award I thought would certainly have gone to The King's Speech.

Onto the biggest awards of the night, Melissa Leo picked up Best actress in a supporting role for her role in The Fighter - her speech contained the only "Fuck" of the night! Actor in a supporting role went to Christian Bale also for The Fighter. Shame to see Geoffrey Rush not winning this for The King's Speech.

Everyone expected David Fincher to get Best Director for The Social Network but I'm happy to say that Tom Hooper received the award for The King's Speech. It wasn't until the last 20 minutes of the ceremony that The King's Speech found its feet. For a moment it was looking as if The Social Network might bag most of the big awards.

Actress in a leading role went to a fairly heavily pregnant, emotional and beautiful Natalie Portman for her haunting performance in Black Swan. The Oscarshave done away with the sycophantic nomination process of getting 5 actors and actresses to come out on stage and sing the praises of the nominees. This time Mr Cool Jeff Bridges awarded Natalie Portman with the golden statue. Actor in a leading role was the biggest given of the ceremony. Colin Firth triumphed for Britain with his portrayal of King George VI in The King's Speech bagging the award. His speech as always was one of the highlights. Sandra Bullock awarded Colin with the Oscar.

Finally, after a night of lots of glamour and some beautiful stage scenery with backdrops from classic Oscar winning films, The King's Speech beat the odds and won its 4th award - the most important - for Best Picture.

Overall, a night of surprises, loads of glamour and some great achievements for two of the most deserving recipients - Inception and The King's Speech.

The 83rd Academy Awards - February 27th 2011

My blog begins here. My predictions are highlighted in red. The winners will be in blue.

BEST PICTURE

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech - WINNER

127 Hours

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter's Bone

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem - Buitiful

Jeff Bridges - True Grit

Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network

Colin Firth - The King's Speech - winner

James Franco - 127 Hours

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale - The Fighter

John Hawkes - Winter's Bone

Jeremy Renner - The Town

Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right

Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right

Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone

Natalie Portman - Black Swan -winner

Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams - The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech

Melissa Leo - The Fighter

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

How To Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Toy Story 3 -winner

ART DIRECTION

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

Inception

The King's Speech

True Grit

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Black Swan

Inception

The King's Speech

The Social Network

True Grit

COSTUME DESIGN

Alice in Wonderland

I am Love

The King's Speech

The Tempest

True Grit

DIRECTING

Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan

David O'Russell - The Fighter

Tom Hooper - The King's Speech -winner

David Fincher - The Social Network

Joel and Ethan Cohen - True Grit

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Exit Through The Gift Shop

Gasland

Inside Job

Restrepo

Waste Land

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Killing In The Name

Poster Girl

Strangers No More

Sun Come Up

The Warriors of Qiugang

FILM EDITING

Black Swan

The Fighter

The King's Speech

127 Hours

The Social Network - winner

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Biutiful (Mexico)

Dogtooth (Greece)

In A Better World (Denmark)

Incendies (Canada)

Outside The Law ((Hors-La-Loi) (Algeria)

MAKEUP

Barney's Version

The Way Back

The Wolfman -winner

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

John Powell - How To Train Your Dragon

Hans Zimmer - Inception

Alexandre Desplat - The King's Speech

A.R.Rahman - 127 Hours

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Social Network

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Coming Home (Country Strong)

I See The Light (Tangled)

If I Rise (127 Hours)

We Belong Together (Toy Story 3) -winner

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

Day and Night

The Gruffalo

Let's Pollute

The Lost Thing

Madagascar, carnet de voyage

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

The Confession

The Crush

God Of Love

Na Wewe

Wish 143

SOUND EDITING

Inception - winner

Toy Story 3

Tron: Legacy

True Grit

Unstoppable

SOUND MIXING

Inception - winner

The King's Speech

Salt

The Social Network

True Grit

VISUAL EFFECTS

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

Hereafter

Inception - winner

Iron Man 2

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

127 Hours

The Social Network - winner

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter's Bone

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

Another Year

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech