esthercross

I FINALLY got to catch stars don't die in Liverpool and what an emotionally fuelled story it was. I was swept up in a world dedicated to Gloria Graham's from the first moment we experience her getting ready for a show. Meticulous details are sewn into this crucial and telling sequence like the milk she drinks before a show the objects she cherishes and a music shift that happens when she puts her cigarette into the cradle of an ash tray - this can only be a cue for one thing. I knew nothing about Gloria Grahame before this film but minutes in and the second the camera made a foreshadowing focus on that cigarette; I knew this would be a story about how an actresses glamour and vitality would be punctuated by cancer. Stars don't die in Liverpool isn't afraid to take its own make up off at points as the story takes sharp transitions between the glossed romance of nostalgia and the stark raw light of the present day. The story follows real life romance between a Liverpudlian actor (Jaime Bell) and the much older Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame as portrayed by Annette Benning. The film is based upon a memoir written my Peter Turner and the story is constantly dipping back into the past as the last days of the terminally ill actress are retold. There was a fascinating use of transitions as the past and present would be stitched together by peter walking through a doorway in the present day and arriving on the other side in a memory. Usually this shift in chronology would be triggered by a reminder of an event in the past and Peter would be thrust back into this moment. The story looks at moments when the couple meet and celebrates the unique pairing of the two. The film was more implicit in its focus on the significant age gap as it respected the relationship enough not to let it become a defining feature. Although I found some of the scenes emotionally challenging there where definitely joyous moments to be savoured. When the couple first meet in their shared house Gloria invites Peter in for a drink and they dance exuberantly around Gloria's flat in a beautifully uninhibited way. If the source material is correct then I shall take all my hats off to Peter's family for being such heroes in the story. I think one of the true hero's of the tale is Peter's mother, portrayed by Julie Walters who delivered on her usual stunt of being completely and utterly perfect. You could feel maternal warmth emanating off her every line as if she was giving it to you personally. Walter always gives the most richly sincere performances and in this film it made for some truly poignant moments. this film is a very worthy watch and one of its main delights is how Benning and Bell manage to achieve a rare quality; making a unique onscreen relationship feel real, nuanced and captivating.

For me I didn't immediately click with the story but the quality which caused this barrier early on ultimately became of one the films main assets. This film is unique in its presentation of the events and whilst I tried to catch hold of a thread of narrative I soon realised the film is less of an actual story and more of an immersive dip into a very particular world. Once you become familiar with the films tone it is much easier to appreciate the piece as an observant piece of art. The film follows a community living within a low-cost motel struggling to keep a head above water in a world where the basic needs are met in a haphazard way. More importantly, the film captures the ingenuity from both the children and the adults to create good times and how they relish the freedom within a rule-less micro-society in which they live. The story loosely follows a young mother called Halley (Bria Vinaite) trying to keep up with her weekly rent as her charmingly anarchic daughter Moonee (Brooklyn Prince) turns the run down town into a playground and chance for exploration. A lot of the films energy comes from the exceptional performance by Prince who manages to capture so many qualities of childhood so perfectly that I found her performance to be almost nostalgic. Her performance was not just child-like it also expressed an inner maturity that comes from a challenging upbringing where no hardship is hidden. Halley at one point resorts to taking bikini shots in order to sell herself online and involves Moonee in fun of the photography process. Interestingly when moments like this occur the film doesn't tonally condemn her actions. What is presented is an interesting documentary-style of conveying the extreme and unhealthy parenting methods from mother Halley but without inferring any judgement either way. The film seems to shine a sympathetic spotlight however on all the characters through Willem Defoe's Character 'Bobby' who runs the Motel. Bobby is conflicted through his duty to collect rent and maintain order but is almost a vehicle for the film to express a strong empathy towards the characters who act out against the system but are unable to change their status. I think it is a fascinating element of the film that whilst everything feels uncontrived and raw the action is surrounded by garish colour and quirky backdrops. A lot of the shots in the film where taken from down low and often you where able to take a child's perspective in the scene. The choices made with lurid building colour's and clothes effectively show the world through a child's eye, viewing everything as an opportunity for imagination and adventure whilst remaining oblivious to the hardship of the real world. The detail in this film is breath-taking there are so many small touches made with props or script which make the events feel so real to watch. If this film was a picture you could zoom in for miles and still find details that make up this richly constructed world.

It is one of those marvellous films that place no strain on your focus because it is relentlessly entertaining. It still looks very much like a marvel film but has somehow managed to achieve a superb balance of combining the dry humoured, quirky identity of a smaller Waititi film with the large marvel proportions. There seemed to be a different comedic set up in each scene almost like a sketch show and in general the film felt almost more like a comedy then an action film in terms of genre. It was really great to see Chris Hemsworth showing his skills as a comedy actor and it wasn't just down to the moments of genius within the written dialogue as Hemsworth shows he has a really funny instinct and great use of physical humour. A great quality of the film too was how meta and self deprecating the characters where and it gave the villains in particular more depth. This was particularly in the case of 'Hella' (Cate Blanchett). Hellas darkness and power are presented alongside moments that ridicule her failed attempts to demand respect. The film also uses its special effects in a spectacularly creative ways. When Hellas Hair turns to horns it is a beautifully fluid action that for some reason caused certain people in the screen I was in to exclaim "GO KATE" I don't think they necessarily thought it was the actress's personal skill, but I understand the sentiment. her whole performance was great! there is something about her which really commands your full focus whenever she is on screen. My only criticism would be I would have liked to have seen more Blanchet. I also really felt with this film that the SciFi moments where constructed with great tangibility. Everything in this film looked touchable and correctly weighted which is rare for a glossary high CGI Blockbuster. There is a visually interesting scene taking place in a festival for the Hulk and everything looked like a real life spectacle and yet had the convincing feel of a far away planet. I think what Waititi proves with this film is that he is very accomplished as an action director as well as with comedy as he uses the action sequences to showcase his creative ingenuity. In a flash back scene the texture of the action is that of an old dramatic oil painting in which a fight involving the Valkyries is taking place. The dramatic lighting design in this scene beautifully impressive. Whether a marvel nerd a Waititi fan a comedy snob or just someone who needs escaping into another world for a few hours; this film is well worth the watch!