Review: Sound of My Voice (2012)

Release date: April 27th 2012 (US), August 3rd 2012 (UK)

Running time: 1 hour, 45 mins

Rating: 15

Directed by: Zal Batmanglij

Written by: Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling

Stars: Brit Marling, Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius

Synopsis: A journalist and his girlfriend get pulled in while they investigate a cult whose leader claims to be from the future.
Average rotten tomatoes rating: 6.9/10

Average IMDB rating: 6.9/10
My rating: ★★★★★

★★★★★ 

❝ To see her is to believe her. ❞

Initially when I mentioned this was one of my most anticipated films of August 2012, I was expecting a simple analysis into the way people can be drawn into cults and how it affects their states of being when done so via a dramatic screenplay. Instead, I got so much more than I bargained for - I left the film realising and learning more about myself than anything else. The suspense and creepy ambience is unparalleled in this low budget debut from Zal Batmanglij and the premise of the film is excellent.

What the film is really setting out to do is present a series of questions about your own way of thinking and your own belief system (as opposed to testing it altogether). How well do you know yourself? Peter and Lorna are the two characters here who carry us through the journey of unravelling the truth of the mysterious cult. Peter begins as a much logical thinker than his partner Lorna, who is a little more open to the possibilites of there being a visitor from the future. The more that Maggie begins to interact with the group, the more that we are taken by the hand and forced down a skewed path - being taken one way, and suddenly being presented with a crossroads and being launched down a completely different path. Peter instead, is the one that becomes unraveled, being taken apart bit by bit until all of his fear to believe in the possibilities beyond his understanding is removed. Lorna instead, goes in the opposite direction. She begins to question the real purpose of the cult once Maggie makes an alarming request of Peter and suddenly Lorna is launched back into the 'real world', for a lack of a better saying.

As for the cinematography, it fit in perfectly with the tone of the film. The handheld shots were needed in a story as unsettling as this and the choices for songs on the soundtrack were ample for enhancing the chaos of what was going on in both the protagonist's minds. The team used the budget wisely; there was no need for any more than what they had. Too much may have thrown this piece into the realm of absurdity.

The film relies on the audience to tell the story. There are no set facts in this film other than the characters believe what they believe. We see what Lorna and Peter see. We watch them both change, and fundementally, when they have a complete role reversal half way through the film, we are supposed to have made our minds up by then too. It's a playful narrative, deceitful at times. The twist at the end is the kicker - it's here that you know what just happened depending on how you viewed the story. Since I'm a non-spoiler blog I can't give too much away; but I think I knew what I really wanted to believe had just happened in those last 30 minutes. More so, I didn't realise how scared I was to believe in such a thing - that this woman could be from the future. Why is that an impossibility after all I'd been shown? The presence of a certain authority figure in the film is sure to send alarm bells ringing but for me, I didn't buy what they were saying. My mind had been exposed to too much at that point. What about yours?

Independent Film Spotlight: Shades of Blue

Shades of Blue (Kelly Daniela Norris, 2012)

This beautiful trailer for Shades of Blue (2012) comes from writer/director Kelly Daniela Norris.
Synopsis: In the wake of her brother’s suicide, a young Mexican woman, Maribel (Seedne Bujaidar), books a one-way ticket to the place he'd always dreamt of going – Cuba. Wandering the streets of Havana, Maribel attempts to escape her grief, but the city’s rhythms and strangers just serve to trigger tortured ruminations and memories of him. It is only when she bonds with Eusebio (Yasmani Cancio) a petty thief and skilled woodcraftsman – that Maribel begins to face her demons. As the two leave Havana to traverse Cuba, Maribel recognizes a growing attraction between them, and must decide whether to open herself up to love and loss once again.
Norris' own grief with her brother's passing is what spurred her on to complete the script of this film and get it funded (which she has managed to do, with an impressive kickstarter campaign). The elegant dialogue and personal touches in the script leave you with a taste of something sweet; something you definitely want to come back for. Kelly Daniel Norris has done a brave thing, especially for a feature film, a debut nonetheless - she has shared her own personal truths about life, love and death and laid herself open for critique. Respect must be given where it is due. How many filmmakers will go so deep into their own grief knowing the risks these days? With a trailer and script as impressive as this however, I don't think Norris will have to worry too much about any negativity. I can only see this being the start of a wonderful career for all involved in this production.
After viewing the trailer, I was left feeling like this wasn't just any other aspiring filmmaker trying to 'make it' in the industry. I was left feeling like we were getting a genuine story that she wanted to share with the world. No catches, no strings attached - just watch it and listen to what she has to say. It reminds me somewhat of a Sofia Coppola film: airy, dreamlike and filled with charming subtleties.  Check out their website, like them on facebook and be sure to add them on twitter to keep up to date with more news!

August 2012 Giveaway: Pixarpedia & The Art of Brave

Following the successful release of Brave (2012) and to celebrate Pixar's upcoming releases (Monsters University (2013), The Good Dinosaur (2014), Finding Nemo 2 (2016)) I'm giving away two books (brand new) that every Pixar fanatic needs to own to one lucky person. Suitable for both adults and children!

The Art of Brave by Jenny Lerew

Brave is Pixar's first fairy tale, a lush, animated adventure through the forests, heaths, and highlands of medieval Scotland. Featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the film's many artists, The Art of Brave also showcases the gorgeous concept art that went into the creation of the movie, including colour scripts, storyboards, character studies, environment art, sculpts, and more.
RRP: £25 ($40)

Pixarpedia by Dorling Kindersley

A new edition of the best of Pixar...and beyond. Pixar are the animation giants behind incredible movies including Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, Wall.E, Up and now Toy Story 3. Go behind-the-scenes and find out all there is to know about this extraordinary company. Learn about the fascinating rise of Pixar, from their history and creative talent to the secrets behind their unique movie-making process. From Woody to Lightening McQueen, discover little-known facts and trivia about the characters from all their major and short films. Plus, pick up inside knowledge from 'which fishy character pops up in Monsters Inc' to 'why the number A113 appears in all Pixar films'. Packed with timelines, fantastic pictures and movie-stills, this is an essential guide to the ultimate movie-making machine.
RRP: £25 ($40)

HOW TO ENTER

• Submit your entry on the punchtab below through facebook or e-mail. After this you can have FIVE MORE FREE ENTRIES by following the instructions on the tab. You can skip them and move onto the next free entry if you would prefer, or if you do not have a twitter and/or facebook/google+ when asked.
• Anyone from anywhere in the world can enter!
• The giveaway ends on the 31st August. The lucky winner will be announced on the 1st September and will be contacted via e-mail. Please check your inboxes on this date! If there is no response within a week of contacting you, the prize will go to someone else.

Please wait for the tab to load - if it still doesn't load and you've tried refreshing the page, or if you have any other questions please contact me on: afilmjunkie@gmail.com

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.

Review: Brave (2012)

Tagline: "Change Your Fate."

Release date: June 22nd 2012 (USA), 13th August 2012 (UK)

Running time: 1 hour, 40 mins

Rating: PG
Directed by: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell
Written by: Brenda Chapman (story), Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell and Irene Mecchi
Stars: Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters
Synopsis: Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
Average rotten tomato rating: 6.9/10
Average IMDB rating: 7.6/10
My rating: ★★ ★ ☆ ☆

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
❝ Fate be changed, look inside. Mend the bond torn by pride. ❞

I don't know about anyone else, but when I think of Pixar, I always think of it as a more daring form of a classic Disney tale. Pixar's films have always maintained a sense of freedom and independence from the classic Disney brand. So far they have not disappointed and I had high hopes upon hearing they were to introduce a film about a new princess. Pixar's first princess, in fact. My delight soon turned into disappointment however, about half way through my viewing of Brave.

That being said, the film wasn't all bad: if anything, this was probably Pixar's finest feature length cinematography work to date. The visuals were breathtaking and the vibrancy of the piece was astounding. Coupled with some fine voice acting and a beautifully created score, Brave does it's job spectacularly well by inviting the audience into it's mythical world almost immediately. As much as I didn't like the way the film's narrative was carried out, I still teared up in an emotional scene from the past that Merida remembers. I also enjoyed the subtle references to other Disney classics and even the reference to Hayao Miyazaki film, Princess Mononoke (1997) which was a huge part of the story itself. (See if you can spot what that was, Miyazaki fans!) Merida as a character herself was wonderful. She was someone who lived life as an adventure everyday, treating herself as her own knight in shining armour in the face of danger; which is very reminiscent of Mulan (1998). Perhaps not original, but nonetheless, still admirable.

So then, what happened to make me feel so underwhelmed by the end of it? The premise of the film was nothing short of brilliant and brimming with potential but the execution of the story was poor by Pixar standards. I blame that on the script itself. It felt incredibly awkward and so fast paced that there was no time to let anything sink in. Soon, Merida and other characters just began stating the obvious to move on with the narrative. With scenes unusually similar to that of old Disney princess classics, (a scene in which Merida and her mother argue reminded me far too much of when Mulan (1998) was told to learn her place by her father) Pixar struggled to put their own mark on the script and became lost in the search for acceptance of Merida as a Disney princess. It's as if her lack of wanting to be like the other princesses was such an insult, they felt the need to compromise at the end of the film to apologise for trying to be different. Pixar films usually spend time focusing on the side characters and antagonist's backstories, reminding us that each character matters to the development of the plot and exhibits their own complications as these characters, however Brave only focused on Merida and Queen Elinor's mother-daughter relationship. The side character's development became forced and so quick paced, I wasn't really sure how to feel about any of them.

Brave is a good first attempt for Pixar at introducing a fresh princess on the scene. Merida is still a wonderful addition to the Disney franchise as a person herself. Regardless of how much screen time was given to Merida and Queen Elinor's mother-daughter relationship, it was still an issue dealt with in a beautiful manner. However the structure of the narrative seemed to suffer as a result, and the film didn't boast any of that usual Pixar magic (with the exception of the visuals) as a whole. "Change Your Fate" is the tagline for this film but whilst Merida seemed to pave her own path and create her own destiny, she still accepted the conventional princess story as a part of her future. It's not so much a message of "Change Your Fate", but more "Compromise Your Fate".