Jim Sturgess

Blu-ray Review: Ambitious ‘Cloud Atlas’ Falls Just Short of Heights to Which it Reaches

BrianTT — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:36:52 -0400

CHICAGO – There’s a large part of me that wants to wholeheartedly recommend and embrace “Cloud Atlas” for two reasons. One, it’s based on arguably the best book of the millennium so far, David Mitchell’s stunning masterpiece. And if more people see the movie, more are likely to read a book that everyone should experience. Two, I do agree with those who love the film that Hollywood doesn’t take risks like this often enough, and if we don’t encourage risks, we won’t get rewards. However, “Cloud Atlas” still frustrates me more than it thrills me. Maybe the book was simply un-adaptable as so many have theorized. But I think mistakes were made on top of the inherent difficulty in Mitchell’s novel.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

I stand by what I said in my theatrical review, “It comes down to this — “Cloud Atlas” is a book that possibly never could have worked as a film. So should we give the Wachowskis and Tykwer credit for trying at all? I do believe they made some smart choices but they also could have done a number of things differently. So, while they undeniably swung for the fences, to use a critical cliche about works this ambitious, they also undeniably didn’t hit a home run. As much as I hope they take another ambitious swing in the near future, I can’t help but be disappointed by their inability to connect here.”

However, watching the film again in a glorious HD transfer and with a perfect sound mix, I do realize how much I dismissed the technical accomplishments of the film the first time. The fact that “Cloud Atlas” wasn’t nominated for either Best Score or Best Editing by the Academy is a crime. Especially the music, which really shines on Blu-ray. And the film plays well overall on repeat viewing, perhaps due to the immense expectations I had for it in theaters. Give it a chance. You may love it more than I do and I wouldn’t blame you in the slightest.

As for special features, the featurettes on “Cloud Atlas” are frustratingly arranged in 7-8 minute mini-featurettes. It’s a structure I hate. Just give me a 40-minute making-of instead. Also, Mitchell, the Wachowskis, and Tykwer prove to be such interesting interview subjects, enlightening viewers on many of the complex aspects of the film, that one wishes they did a commentary track. I believe “Cloud Atlas” will find a loyal, devoted audience. Maybe they’ll do an audio track for an inevitable Special Edition.

“Cloud Atlas” available NOW on Blu-ray Combo pack, DVD and Digital Download
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Synopsis: Six stories spanning centuries. One soul. Tom Hanks and Halle Berry lead an all-star cast in interwoven tales as time shifts between past, present and future. As characters reunite from one life to the next, their actions generate consequences: A killer evolves into a hero. An act of kindness inspires a revolution. Cloud Atlas combines science fiction, drama, mystery, action and romance into a film that’s “utterly, wonderfully epic” (Solvej Schou, EW.com).

Special Features:
o A Film Like No Other: See How Three Visionary Directors Come Together, Divided Their Tasks and Created a Cohesive Masterpiece
o Everything Is Connected: The Cast And Filmmakers Delve Deeper Into The Connections That Tie The Story Together
o Spaceships, Slaves & Sextets: Unravel the Mysteries, Themes and Subtext Of Cloud Atlas With The Cast, Filmmakers, Author And Producers
o The Bold Science Fiction Of Cloud Atlas: Explore The Film’s Cutting Edge Future With Tales Of Cloning And Extraplanetary Exploration

“Cloud Atlas” stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, and James D’Arcy. It was written & directed by Tom Tykwer, Andy & Lana Wachowski. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on May 14, 2013.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Film Review: Odd Fairy Tale of ‘Upside Down’ is Also Inside Out

PatrickMcD — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:51:15 -0400

CHICAGO – Definitely one of the strangest films so far in 2013 is “Upside Down,” featuring a dream pairing of Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess. The problem is they exist as disparate lovers on opposing planets, with opposite gravitational pulls. Thus what is up for Kirsten is down for Jim, or vice-versa?

Rating: 2.5/5.0

With an opening prologue that tries to explain it all, it’s best to go with the easy of flow of lovers who are “upside down” from each other. Yes, this is shown on screen in vertigo inducing special effects. The planet that the Dunst character resides on is rich and powerful, which makes handsome Sturgess left with the dregs of the “other” planet. With elements of “Brave New World” and “1984,” there is also a corporation who wants to control this set-up, and only allows downers from Jim’s world to come “up” if they can profit from an invention. There are a lot of hoops to jump through and logic holes to venture into to grasp the story, which is basically a fairy tale featuring star-crossed lovers. The vagueness of it all is the subtracting factor, and the bizarro up-and-down head trip of the film may be a journey that only science fiction nerds can enjoy.

Two worlds, which rotate together, have polar opposite gravity. For example, a look to the sky is to see the other world upside down. The upper world is occupied and controlled by an international corporation, which controls all employment and exploits the lower world by taking its resources. The lower-world boy named Adam (Jim Sturgess) is an adventurer, and climbs to the peaks of his earth to meet with Eden (Kirsten Dunst), even though there are warnings of spontaneous combustion when opposites attract.

They are pursued by the “big brother’ authorities – who want to prevent such couplings – and Eden is injured in the escape. Ten years later, Adam gets an opportunity to work in the upper world, with his main motivation to find and connect with Eden again. Luckily, he has an upper world ally in Bob (Timothy Spall) and Eden just happens to work for the same corporation. Despite their gravitational obstacles, love can prevail.

“Upside Down” has a limited release, including Chicago, on March 15th. See local listings for theaters and show times. Featuring Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst, Timothy Spall and Agnieska Wnorowska. Written and directed by Juan Solanas. Rated “PG-13”

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Upside Down”

Lovers Adam (Jim Sturgess) and Eden (Kirsten Dunst) Reunite in ‘Upside Down’
Photo credit: Millennium Entertainment

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Upside Down”

Film Review: ‘Cloud Atlas’ Reaches For the Sky But Loses Its Way

BrianTT — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:46:53 -0400

CHICAGO – Not all great works of literature make great works of film. David Mitchell’s “Cloud Atlas” is a masterpiece but Tom Tykwer, Andy & Lana Wachowksi’s “Cloud Atlas” is definitely not. It is an ambitious work with many of Mitchell’s fascinating ideas about the ripple effect of emotion through time left intact but it is a work that frustrates as often as it thrills. Too much of what unspools in this epic experience is technically remarkable and thematically engaging to dismiss the film entirely but it’s an undeniable disappointment in comparison to the work that inspired it.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Mitchell’s book is a Russian nesting doll of ideas – six short stories written in different genres and set in different time periods. The first half of each story is presented to the reader and then the second half in snake order – 1-6 and then 6-1. As the book reaches its ending and all of the stories have been intertwined, the true power of Mitchell’s work resonates. The film works in the opposite direction in that the Wachowskis and Tykwer put all their cards on the table from montage one. We see all six stories in the opening scenes of “Cloud Atlas” and are instantly told – “All of these people are at the very least thematically intertwined.” From the beginning, the film version of “Cloud Atlas” is connecting dots for you in a way that Mitchell allowed you to connect on your own. And that significant flaw of the film will only become more pronounced as it goes along. Every theme is underlined, highlighted, and bolded to the point that the work never sweeps you away organically as great epics do.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Cloud Atlas” in our reviews section.

Six stories might lead some directors to find dozens of high-profile actors but in keeping with the themes of Mitchell’s work, the team behind “Cloud Atlas” chose to use primarily the same players across each of the arcs. So, Tom Hanks plays a character in each time period/story, as do Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Jim Broadbent, etc. It’s a daring move that works on a very basic level but also somewhat plays into the main problem with the film – “See! They’re all related to each other! We’re all living the same human experience! Tom Hanks in different makeup makes that clear!” It’s letting makeup work (some of which is good but some of which is truly awful) do the thematic highlighting for you.

The basic outlines of the six stories in “Cloud Atlas” are as follows. A young man (Sturgess) exploring the South Pacific in 1849 becomes a target of a cruel doctor (Hanks) and befriends a runaway slave as he struggles to survive long enough to get home to his true love. In 1936, a talented composer (Ben Whishaw) works with a music legend (Broadbent) while maintaining a series of letters with his true love. A journalist (Berry) investigates the criminal dealings of a major corporation and risks her own safety in the process in 1973. In present day, a publisher (Broadbent) is committed by his nefarious brother (Hugh Grant) and forced to deal with a sadistic nurse (Hugo Weaving). Way in the future, a clone (Doona Bae) becomes self-aware and leads a revolution. And, way, WAY in the future, a villager (Hanks) works with a traveler (Berry) to possibly save humanity.

Continue reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Cloud Atlas” review.

Cloud Atlas
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Blu-ray Review: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess Lend Humanity to ‘One Day’

mattmovieman — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:27:17 -0500

CHICAGO – Director Lone Scherfig has a keen eye for observation when charting the coming-of-age and disillusionment of characters awakening to life’s injustices. Her superb 2009 film, “An Education,” followed the painful yet vital journey of a young woman who discovers what she truly wants out of life. “One Day” is a more pessimistic film, since it focuses on the various obstacles preventing one from living the life they desire until it’s too late.

It’s also an unabashed melodrama in the tradition of “An Affair to Remember,” aiming directly for the tear ducts of sentimental viewers. Just as “An Education” greatly benefited from Carey Mulligan’s star-making turn as the intelligent yet naïve protagonist, “One Day” is enhanced by the enormous appeal of leads Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. It’s a good thing they’re so likable, since their characters are not only incompatible but also less than sympathetic.

Blu-ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

Based on screenwriter David Nicholls’s bestseller, the film centers on Dexter (Sturgess) and Emma (Hathaway), two friends who spend a meaningful yet chaste night together after their college graduation in 1988. Emma had always harbored a crush on Dex, though her attraction seems to be no more substantial than the lustful yearnings of the countless other women intent on throwing themselves at his vain mug. It’s clear from the get-go that Dex is a womanizing cad who treats his female counterparts like consumer products more disposable than his treasured Armani suit. Yet the scattered nuggets of warmhearted encouragement that Dex offers Emma are meant to be representative of a deeper connection between the two characters.

Like Nicholls’s book, the film peeks in on the would-be couple during every July 15th for the next two decades, thus examining their relationship through a fragmented series of vignettes. Obvious comparisons could be made to Drake Doremus’s superior indie romance, “Like Crazy,” which had a similarly unconventional but less rigid structure, and was far more emotionally resonant in its subtlety. Nicholls’s narrative gimmick results in a series of trite scenes and dramatic gestures that often aren’t backed up by the necessary character development.

Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess star in Lone Scherfig’s One Day.
Photo credit: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

With different actors, the film may have derailed entirely, but Hathaway and Sturgess anchor their scenes in enough richly conflicted nuances to make the film effortlessly watchable throughout, leading to a final act that does manage to pay off in spite of itself. Sturgess’s genial screen persona allows Dex to be more sympathetic than he has any right to be, while Hathaway effortlessly eases into the skin of yet another self-deprecating, earthily radiant everywoman. Her problematic British accent notwithstanding, Hathaway does a fine job of allowing her character to grow and mature purely through behavioral changes, since her face proves nearly impossible to age. Sturgess is more convincing as his slick playboy finds himself facing an eternity of loneliness after years of thoughtless missteps. He shares some genuinely painful moments with his ailing mother (played by the consistently sublime Patricia Clarkson), who becomes increasingly disappointed by her son’s susceptibility to sleaze.

One Day was released on Blu-ray and DVD on Nov. 29, 2011.
Photo credit: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Yet perhaps the most tragic element in the film is not Dex and Emma’s consistently unrequited love, but the casualties that their indecisiveness causes along the way. Witty character actor Rafe Spall is assigned the thankless task of playing the kind but nerdy man whom Emma conducts a long, drawn-out relationship with despite the fact she has no real feelings for him. Spall’s character may be a sad sack, but he has a late scene of beautiful selflessness that may be the most moving moment in the picture. “One Day” is no instant classic, but it’s infinitely preferable to contrived weepies like “Twilight.”

“One Day” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio), accompanied by English, Spanish, French and Descriptive Video Service audio tracks, and includes a pocketBLU app. The superficial, super-brief featurettes skim through the clothes, hair and makeup changes used to age the actors for each successive year. Sturgess says he gauged where he was in the story by how big the shoulder pads were in his suit, while Spall insisted on wearing a rust-colored jacket in the majority of his scenes, much to the chagrin of Scherfig (though she begrudgingly admits that it added to his character’s lovability). In her diverting audio commentary, Scherfig reveals that she wanted good actors for even the smallest roles, and went so far as to cast the French star Joséphine de La Baume (“The Princess of Montpensier”) as the nude woman standing atop Sturgess’s bed in a fleeting shot. Her choice of large typeface for the opening titles was meant to signify the film’s status as a classical melodrama aiming for a direct emotional (rather than intellectual) connection with viewers. On that level, the film works.

‘One Day’ is released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment and stars Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Rafe Spall, Patricia Clarkson and Jodie Whittaker. It was written by David Nicholls and directed by Lone Scherfig. It was released on Nov. 29, 2011. It is rated PG-13.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

Film Review: Romantic Coupling of ‘One Day’ Rises Above Average

PatrickMcD — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:30:41 -0400

CHICAGO – In the sure hands of director Lone Scherfig, the underrated film “An Education” brought Carey Mulligan to full light. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess generate similar radiance in Scherfig’s new film, “One Day.”

Rating: 3.5/5.0

The narrative does apply some clichés of romantic comedies that could best have been avoided, but it also challenges those conventions with a shocking turn of events that deepens the emotional landscape. It is split into two halves, even though the more serious portion is only about a quarter of the proceedings. The low-key skill of Lone Scherig in mining new depths of purpose from her direction makes One Day a cut above the usual.

Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) are university classmates who have a close encounter on graduation day. They agree to continue their friendship, and the date the story drops in on them is July 15th, depending on the events of the particular year. Emma is a confused writer, who starts out as a waitress, and Dexter is a nascent television personality who morphs his small celebrity into a modicum of success. Their different directions challenge the friendship, but they manage to keep it going.

Dexter has to deal with the pain of his dying mother (Patricia Clarkson), and Emma sets up residence with Ian (Rafe Spall). While life happens when they’re busy making other plans, they maintain the connection that can’t seem to be broken, even through domestic partnerships, marriage and Dexter’s daughter. They are destined to be together, but in that destiny lies a poignant truth about the feelings among soul travelers.

”One Day” opens everywhere August 19th. Featuring Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Patricia Clarkson, Romolo Garai, Rafe Spall and Ken Stott. Screenplay by David Nicholls from his novel. Directed by Lone Scherfig. Rated “PG-13”

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “One Day”

Anne Hathaway as Emma in ‘One Day’
Photo credit: Giles Keyte for Focus Features

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “One Day”

Interview: Lone Scherfig Directs Anne Hathaway in ‘One Day’

PatrickMcD — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:13:14 -0400

CHICAGO – Director Lone Scherfig has a rare delicate touch when it comes to portraying the subtlety of human relationships in films. After a triumph in 2009 directing Carey Mulligan in “An Education,” Scherfig returns with Anne Hathaway in the new film “One Day.”

Again, Lone Scherfig is a Danish director guiding an American actor (Hathaway) as a British character (she similarly worked that way with Peter Saarsgard in An Education). Both films feature women in transition having to do with relationships, but in One Day the story is as much about the male lead (Jim Sturgess) as Hathaway’s character.

The title One Day refers to July 15th, the designated day that Emma and Dexter (Hathaway and Sturgess) get together through the years from their college days to middle age. In that interim they experience many stages of their relationship, coming in and out of their coupling in various degrees of importance. Scherfig creates a connection between them that seems inevitable, but life is what happens when they’re busy making other plans.

Jim Sturgess as Dexter and Anne Hathaway as Emma in ‘One Day’
Photo credit: Giles Keyte for Focus Features

This is Scherig’s second interview with HollywoodChicago.com. I noted that she likes to take distinct pictures with her film posters, so she accommodated me again, after this intuitive interview.

HollywoodChicago: You are taking a love story and turning it into a different direction, one of reflection and a soul’s attempt to purify itself when things change. What attracted you to David Nicholls’ story that made it appropriate for your style of directing?

Lone Scherfig: When I first start reading the script, I liked the characters, the jokes and the idea of checking in on them once a year. But it wasn’t until I reached page 75 when I was overwhelmed and moved and realized it was something I wanted to do. I remember Jodie Whittaker, who plays Tilly in the film, she was reading the script on The Tube in London, and when she got to that point she said ‘NO!” really loud in front of everyone. During the period that period where people in London were reading the book, there would be that reaction all over the place. It becomes very emotional, and the theme changes. And that is what I liked.

HollywoodChicago: With this film and ‘An Education,’ it feels like you’re formulating a series of films about women falling in love in different times and circumstances. What fascinates you about how and why women fall in love? What, in your observation, is the difference between men and women in that connection?

Scherfig: I thought Emma’s [Hathaway] insecurity is important in this film, all the detours that she takes because he self esteem is so low. She is the first in her family to go to university, and she is hard-boiled as she is because she lacks confidence. That was very sweet, to have a character like that. Growing into a woman that lands on both feet and finds out what she likes, and starts to respect herself over the years. That I thought was a worthy cause.

But it is Dexter [Sturgess] that I’m more interested in, and I probably would have answered something similar as to who interested me the most in ‘An Education.’ It was the villain, David [Peter Sarsgaard]. Dexter isn’t a villain, but he is much more complex and undergoes through a bigger drama. And so I think where David Nicholls has written a book where he has so much affection for Emma, and portrays Emma very well, I think the film tends to be more Dexter’s story. And I think that Jim Sturgess does a phenomenal job.

HollywoodChicago: Again also, you are a Danish director guiding an American who is playing a Brit…

Scherfig: [Laughs] Yeah, that’s not a very good cocktail, is it?…

On Set: Lone Scherfig Directing ‘An Education’
Photo credit: Kerry Brown for Sony Pictures Classic

HollywoodChicago: No, it works! What was the difference between how Saarsgard and Hathaway approached the challenge, and who seemed more conscious about how they embodied it?

Scherfig: They are not that far apart in accessing character and I think in both cases they would have been a little inspired by the British way of acting, where you find your way to the character through the way they talk. American method tradition is to find the character within yourself, while the British tradition is to find it outside yourself. It seems to be a fruitful combination, and I think in Anne’s case it may be that she didn’t have to be overemotional, but more craft oriented and more technical. She’s so experienced, and a very good craftsman. It’s a good combination that she practices both techniques, and she invests so much time in her work, in order to be behind every line and do her very best. She has a really high work ethic and it’s all about the result and character.

HollywoodChicago: Jim Sturgess seems like one of the purest and nicest actors rising above the show business fray. How did you guide him to the depths of playing a 42 year old, given all the circumstances of his character’s life. How did he find that older soul?

Scherfig: He just doesn’t have that big of an ego. He is one of those actors who is inspired by what is surrounding him and when he played opposite Anne, a lot of it was to act with her and the way he cares for her. So I think some of it comes from trusting that the moment will give what he needs once his research and physical preparation is done, which included the helpful make-up. Anne and Jim would sit in the make-up room every morning and adjust to the scene and the period together. They would sit in the chair and see the physical change, and that helped them to whatever age they were playing.

HollywoodChicago: I am interested on how you handle the sex scenes in One Day and An Education, there seemed to be much more respect for the woman’s side of the equation, then you see in other films. I was wondering if you approach it differently with women actors, being that you are a woman director?

Scherfig: I wouldn’t know. [laughs] The only thing I can tell you is that I had read an interview with a Danish actress whom I’ve worked with on several films. When the journalist asked her what she wasn’t good at, straight away she said sex scenes. I thought to myself maybe I should work on those scenes. [laughs]

With Jim and Anne, they are so confident in their own skin, that the only challenge would have been if they didn’t like each other at all. And I know that for me the sensuality is more important than how much you see of the body. I can look the actors in the eyes and promise that we won’t see anything that they don’t want to show. What I generally mean that in this kind of film, the power of suggestion works. That’s a genre issue, because I might do a film where they need to be much more exposed.

HollywoodChicago: There are lessons in this movie about never taking love for granted. When a break up occurs, and that special love is given up by either party, what factors do you believe determines a regret for that loss later?

Scherfig: Because it’s a love story, you just based the plot on the fact that they do love each other more than other people. Because dramatically, it’s tricky to understand why suddenly Dexter cannot live without Emma. And because of the nature of the film, when you check in on them every July 15th, there are big turning points in their lives that you don’t see. There is a very important night where there was too much drinking and more sex that we didn’t see, which clearly influences Dexter. The fact was for Emma that he’s suddenly there for her, that makes her rewind the film in her head and decide to act.

The Poster Poser: Lone Scherfig for ‘An Education’ (left) and ‘One Day’
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

HollywoodChicago: Your bio on IMDB says that you’ve called ‘Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself’ your most complete work. Have you surpassed that yet, either with the subsequent films or in anticipation of what’s coming up next?

Scherfig: Now there are seven films, and it’s more personal, has more logic and is more simple than the other films. It’s also like the neglected child, because so few people saw that film that I love it more.

HollywoodChicago: What historical events in your lifetime influences your filmmaking? Given the social and cultural changes from the time you were born to now, what are you most grateful for in being born in your generation and period in World History?

Scherfig: I was young in a time and place where it was very liberated, and there was free access to education. I could choose whatever I wanted and do whatever I wanted. That I can see now is a huge privilege. My parents generation still had the shadow of World War II, which gave them high ethics and they fought for values that were a lot less materialistic. I want to make sure that doesn’t disappear from my life, now that a new generation is becoming more influential.

HollywoodChicago: What elements and colors have stayed with you from Danish Film School days to ‘One Day’? What is the prime directive that has stayed with you in your attitude as a filmmaker from your student days?

Scherfig: Because of the nature of One Day, where you have so many locations and so many different stylistic inspirations, the director of photography and I really used classic film craft, but then combined it with something much more spontaneous. There are scenes where you have two hand-held shaky cameras in order to get authenticity and other scenes where there are much more classic, equipment heavy and planned, epic style. One facet of my job is to make all these eclectic types of film vocabulary to work as one organic creature. And that started in my film school days.

One of the reasons I did like Wilbur so much is that it was right after my Dogme95 days [’Italian for Beginners’], it was like going back to playing the full piano rather than just the middle of the keyboard. One Day was a fantastic challenge to find solutions that felt right for each of the 20 little films that this one film consists of, and it was enjoyable because I felt like all the experiences from all the old commercials, television and films I had done previously was all necessary, in order for the film to work and be cinematic.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Peter Weir Presents Human Fortitude of ‘The Way Back’

BrianTT — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:08:56 -0400

CHICAGO – “Nature is your jailer, and she is without mercy.” So says the guard at the Siberian prison that houses the leads in Peter Weir’s harrowing true story of escape, pain, and survival, “The Way Back.” It’s so desolate, freezing, and dangerous in the wilds of Siberia, that prisons barely need walls or guards. Where would people go? A group of seven men were willing to find out and their story has been documented in “The Way Back,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

Peter Weir is one of the best directors that ever lived. There’s no debate about it. He first gained international prominence by leading the Australian New Wave with films like “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “Gallipoli,” and “The Year of Living Dangerously.” He parlayed that success into a series of films, most of which were nominated for at least one Academy Award (a trend that continued with the Makeup nomination for “The Way Back”) — “Witness,” “Dead Poets Society,” “Green Card,” “Fearless,” “The Truman Show,” and “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.” It was seven years between “Master” and only the second film he’s made this millennium, “The Way Back.”

The Way Back was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 19, 2011
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Home Video

The world of cinema would be a better place if Peter Weir directed more often. There’s a craftsmanship on display in his work that’s simply remarkable. Like many of the greats, he’s clearly detail-oriented (as the period elements of “Master” and “The Way Back” prove) but he also never loses the human element of his stories. Mere moments into “The Way Back,” it’s clear yet again that he is one of our best.

Sadly, “The Way Back” is not one of HIS best. It’s a good film that falls short of great; a movie that looks very good in HD and features a few strong performances but still sags a bit and fails to make the full impact of his best work. Still, lesser Peter Weir is more worthwhile than the best films of some of his peers.

The Way Back was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 19, 2011
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Home Video

Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe”) stars as Janusz, a Polish POW sent to a Siberian Gulag in this true story. There he meets a group of men who will become his fellow escapees and partners on a journey that spanned thousands of miles, including the stoic Mr. Smith (Ed Harris, who also starred in Weir’s “The Truman Show”) and criminal Valka (Colin Farrell). After a few harrowing encounters, including the loss of one of their own to the elements, the group stumbles upon a Polish girl who has been following them played by the spectacular Saoirse Ronan. Once again, the young star of “Hanna” and “Atonement” proves that she may be the most interesting actress of her generation. She gives this old critic the same feeling as early performances by Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet — you can tell the well of talent is deep.

Harris and Ronan are two of my favorite actors working today and their efforts alone make “The Way Back” worth seeing. The dialogue scenes between the two of them are my favorites in the film. Sturgess and Farrell aren’t bad here although I’m still not convinced by the former despite his interesting career decisions and the latter seems a bit miscast (although, speaking of career decisions, I’m not sure anyone has made better ones over the last half-decade as Farrell has chosen the more-rewarding projects over the more high-profile ones). As I mentioned, there’s also a technical artistry here that’s remarkable — effective without being flashy. Cinematographer Russell Boyd brought a similar look to “Master and Commander” and the design is impressive on multiple levels.

It’s easy to admire “The Way Back” but it’s not as emotionally compelling as one might have expected. I never felt fully engrossed in the storytelling, something that perhaps Weir has lost by taking so much time off from behind the camera. “The Way Back” is a movie that one is more likely to respect than to truly love or get lost in like they could have with such a compelling story. The film mustered only a miserable $2.7 million at the domestic box office and it deserved a better fate. Hopefully, you’ll help it find one on Blu-ray and DVD.

The Blu-ray from Image features a solid-if-unspectacular HD transfer and matching audio mix. Only one special feature is including about the making of the film but it is a sizable one at just over half an hour.

“The Way Back” stars Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, and Saoirse Ronan. It was written by Keith R. Clarke & Peter Weir and directed by Weir. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 19th, 2011 and is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: World of Nightmares on Display in Effective ‘Heartless’

BrianTT — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:26:54 -0400

CHICAGO – “Heartless” is a Faustian nightmare, a story of a man who sees behind the curtain of the real world to the creatures of chaos that really run it. It’s a surprisingly riveting and accomplished piece of work, bursting at the seams with attitude and ideas. Many films have attempted to recreate a truly terrifying night vision but “Heartless” finds that dark place between the waking world and that of our worst dreams to become something that deserves (and probably will find on DVD) a wider audience.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Love can never be eternal. Only suffering can be eternal.” There have been films made about selling your soul to the devil and finding something much worse than you can even imagine in return but few have been as brazenly bizarre as “Heartless,” a film that starts with visions of hooded creatures and eventually gets to the point where a talking disembodied head is being eaten. At its best, “Heartless” reminds one of Dario Argento’s work in the way its creators are willing to play with ideas, themes, and concepts more than literal plotlines or characters. The film works best when it is defiantly open to interpretation, whether our protagonist is self-immolating to enter his deal with the devil or speaking to an imaginary Indian girl. It doesn’t need to “make sense” as long as it’s this thematically rich.

Heartless was released on DVD on April 12th, 2011
Photo credit: IFC

Said protagonist is a photographer named Jamie Morgan (Jim Sturgess) with a massive heart-shaped birthmark on his face and arm. His disfigurement has clearly made him a lonely soul and he wanders the streets of London looking for a good shot late at night. He stumbles upon a dark, dangerous world led by Papa B. (Joseph Mawle), a clear stand-in for Satan himself. After his mother (Ruth Sheen) is murdered by the creatures he saw in the middle of the night, Jamie plans to kill himself but he’s pulled from the brink by Papa B., who promises to heal his birthmark in exchange for a few favors.

Heartless was released on DVD on April 12th, 2011
Photo credit: IFC

Jamie finds himself happy and even in love (with the beautiful Clemence Poesy of “127 Hours”) but happiness comes with a price that is called in when the “Weapons Man” (a perfect Eddie Marsan) shows up on his doorstep and tells him he’ll have to kill someone to keep chaos alive. He starts with a male prostitute but the stakes get significantly higher in the final act.

“Heartless” isn’t perfect — it drags a bit and takes some time building up steam, but there are some striking moments in the film that should keep horror fans riveted. I like what director Phillip Ridley visually and conceptually brings to the film more than the lead work by Sturgess (“Across the Universe,” “21”), an actor who often comes off as less than believable. He’s not bad here but not ideally cast either. And the end of the film needed a bit of work, even if it does feature some powerful imagery.

Movies like “Heartless” have a hell of a time finding an audience in the States. They’re too dark to get a wide theatrical release and not indie enough for the art house scene. It’s a perfect film for DVD, where genre fans will surely find it and many will embrace it. This is not your typical straight-to-DVD horror crap. It’s just something that fell through the cracks on its way overseas. You’ll be happy if you take the time to find it.

Special Features:
o Making Of
o Behind the Scenes
o BIFA Awards Footage
o Heartless Audience Reactions
o Jim Sturgess Music Video “Heartless” Live
o Jim Sturgess Music Video “Other Me” Live
o UK Trailer
o US Trailer

“Heartless” stars Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy, Joseph Mawle, Ruth Sheen, Eddie Marsan, and Timothy Spall. It was written and directed by Phillip Ridley. It was released on DVD on April 12th, 2011 and is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’ Wastes Talent

mattmovieman — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 17:17:55 -0500

CHICAGO – The best parts of a Zack Snyder picture have consistently been the opening title sequences, from “Dawn of the Dead”’s apocalyptic montage to “Watchmen”’s brilliant prologue scored to Bob Dylan’s “The Time They Are A-Changin’.” Snyder’s latest problematic novel adaptation, “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” is no exception.

The film kicks off with a promising opening shot from an owl’s perspective, soaring through the air to show off the spectacular work of the animators. Billowing clouds, breathtaking waterfalls, and towering trees provide the photogenic framework for the gorgeously lensed owls, and for a fleeting moment, the film succeeds in capturing the exhilarating freedom of flight. Yet the film instantly falls apart once the owls open their beaks and celebrity voices come tumbling out.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

More than any recent computer animated adventure, “Ga’Hoole” begs the question: why go through the trouble of creating such realistic animals if they’re undermined at every turn by recognizable human voices? Imagine a wordless film utilizing the same animation, and you could easily weep over the lost potential. Based on Kathryn Lasky’s “Guardians of Ga’Hoole” book series, the film is a deadly serious drama that is as laughable as its self-important title.

The hero is a purehearted dullard named Soren (Jim Sturgess), a wide-eyed owl who dreams about mythological “guardians” who could save the world from the fascist control of the Pure Ones, led by Nyra (Helen Mirren) and Metalbeak (Joel Edgerton). Soon, Soren realizes that the myths are real, inspiring him to discover his inner-warrior by following his gizzard (no joke). I think this film breaks some sort of record for the most uses of the word “gizzard,” which is delivered by the actors with solemn reverence. Just try not cracking up when Sturgess, doing his best “Elijah Wood as Frodo” impression, thoughtfully utters, “I can feel it in my gizzard.”

Jim Sturgess voices Soren in Zack Snyder’s Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.
Photo credit: Warner Home Video

Despite its awesome visuals, the film ultimately amounts to a beautiful bore. The faces of the owls are woefully inexpressive, as if their faces had been injected with avian Botox. Their heads twitch and their eyes shift, while their thin mouths remain fixed in an eerie grin. These facial limitations force the animators to thrust the owls’ heads at the lens, as if that will get the audience any closer to the characters emotionally. It doesn’t.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on Dec. 17, 2010.
Photo credit: Warner Home Video

This is most apparent in scenes involving the alleged comic relief, Digger (David Wenham), who spends the whole time cocking his head to one side while bouncing off the edges of the frame. The audience ends up laughing at him, not with him. Snyder is obviously a gifted visual stylist, but he still has yet to create a character with more depth than the page of a graphic novel. Without a credible story to back up its epic imagery, this “Chronicles of Hedwig” saga is a ga’hoot!

“Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.4:1 aspect ratio), accompanied by English, Spanish and French audio tracks, and includes a DVD and digital copy of the film. The disc’s filmmaker interviews are only available on the sugar-coated “Maximum Kid Mode” visual commentary aimed at younger viewers. Owl Otulissa (Abbie Cornish) attempts to explain the process of making a computer animated film by likening it to “your school working on a giant 3D puzzle.” That’s a typical example of this commentary track’s unhelpful analysis. Co-writer John Orloff says that he wanted the film’s fantastical world to look as real as technology would allow, without realizing how jarring the juxtaposition of his words would be upon this landscape. There’s also two ultra-lame games: an “interactive costume creator” where kids can dress the owls in pirate hats, and a quiz to test one’s animal knowledge by matching the “owl treats” (a.k.a bugs) to the animal that would most likely gobble it up. Fun for the whole family.

A 15-minute “True Guardians of the Earth” featurette attempts to further educate kids about owls by assembling the least compatible duo of hosts in recent memory: the aggravating Digger and (inexplicably) “Modern Family”’s Rico Rodriguez, who seems as confused as we are about his presence on this awkward extra. Equally unwelcome is a music video by the band Owl City, which seems to have been chosen for this soundtrack merely because its name begins with the word “owl.” The group’s catchy, upbeat synthpop rhythms really don’t belong in this moody fantasy. A deleted introduction clearly illustrates the convoluted mythology in the form of a bedtime story, and probably should’ve been included in the final cut. Four artwork galleries allow viewers to take a closer look at the truly stunning visuals, which all belong in a better film. And anyone perking up at the prospect of a brand new Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner cartoon will be sorely disappointed by the three-minute “Fur of Flying.” It brings the beloved characters into the realm of cheap computer animation that doesn’t bode well for a future “Looney Tunes” feature shot in the same style. It may be the first film in history to make one nostalgic for “Space Jam.”

‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’ is released by Warner Home Video and features the voices of Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Helen Mirren, Hugo Weaving, Abbie Cornish, Joel Edgerton, Ryan Kwanten and Anthony LaPaglia. It was written by John Orloff and Emil Stern and directed by Zack Snyder. It was released on Dec. 17th, 2010. It is rated PG.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Jim Sturgess Across the Universe in ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking’

PatrickMcD — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:45:30 -0400

CHICAGO – Although the name Jim Sturgess might not be recognized, his work in ‘Across the Universe’ and ‘21’ has certainly made him identifiable. He is in a newly released film about the Irish Republican Army, “Fifty Dead Man Walking.”

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Sturgess plays real-life Martin McGartland, a stalwart soldier for the IRA in 1980s Belfast who decides to become an informant for Britain’s Special Branch, who were trying to infiltrate the IRA to quell some of the violence in Northern Ireland.

At first lured by money, McGartland becomes more aware of the lives he is saving (thus the title). With help from his contact, Fergus (Ben Kingsley), the conflicted McGartland tries desperately to do the right thing for himself and his family.

Jim Sturgess as Martin McGartland in ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking’
Photo credit: Phase 4 Films

HollywoodChicago.com interviewed lead actor Jim Sturgess. In his spirited perspective, he talks about the historical perspective on the film’s conflict, his characterization and his past films and upcoming projects.

HollywoodChicago.com: Martin McGartland still lives under a threat of elimination. How did you want to honor him through your portrayal?

Jim Sturgess: Just to show him as a real person, I think, instead of a cinematic hero – which would be way to easy to do. He was a very everyday ‘lad around town’ who was pulled every which way. He was conflicted regarding whether he was doing the right thing, and that shows the honesty of it.

He was drawn in by financial gain and as time went on and he started to save people’s lives he certainly came towards a moral perspective. It was important that he was able to be seen as a hero and a dirty rat, all in the same breath.

HC: How does the Catholic faith play into both the violence of the IRA and the hope to do the right thing as depicted through Martin’s actions?

JS: It’s easy to fight for a cause when you have religion on your side. But I really didn’t go down the religious path. Martin wasn’t religious.

There was this great war between Protestants and Catholics, with many people in the middle, in the gray zone. The film focuses on that gray area.

HC: What kind of understanding did you come to know regarding the IRA, the unionists and the wounds of Irish history?

JS: Mostly that it goes back a long, long way. The IRA in the 1980s was a different military organization than it was in the 1970s. What was cool is that Kari [Skogland], the director, spent a lot of time in Belfast before any of us got there. She got among the people there and gained a lot of trust.

We actually had ex-IRA men on set and representatives from Britain’s Special Branch, who set up against them. Amazing that all these people got together to help us tell the story.

Of course I don’t condone the way that the IRA went around and did what they did. But when you speak to someone one-to-one you hear a viewpoint. And whether you believe in it or not it’s a viewpoint. When you see them with their kids and their families, it becomes a bit confusing that these people were able to bring about so much violence.

HC: What fascinated director Kari Skogland most about Martin McGartland? What characteristics did she insist upon from you regarding Martin both from her screenplay and in her direction?

JS: She didn’t insist on anything, she was willing to trust the actors, and she let me and Ben [Kingsley] do our thing.

A lot of it was already there in her writing, from the minute I read the script I got so much off the page. Which came from her ability to write a good story and to write good characters.

Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess in ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking’
Photo credit: Phase 4 Films

HC: You and Ben Kingsley developed a peculiar yet endearing relationship in Fifty Dead Men Walking. What kind of buzz did Ben give you as an actor when doing your scenes together?

JS: Just his infectious enthusiasm for acting. It’s insane – that guy has done so many films – and you’d think it was the first acting job he’s ever had. Here’s guy whose worked with Spielberg and Scorsese, and he turned up on our set just hungry to tell the story and to play his character.

And he put me on a level playing field from day one, which I was so grateful for. Obviously I was a little intimidated and nervous to act with someone like him. Within minutes he made it clear that it was going to be one-to-one, he was asking me questions about the scenes. Just the greatest person that I could possibly work with.

HC: When playing Martin, you had to pretend to be severely attacked. What is your personal views on violence in films and how comfortable are you handling the weapons you used in Fifty Dead Men Walking?

JS: Some of those attacks weren’t so ‘pretend’ (laughs). Kari came about the violence in this film from an interesting viewpoint. There was nothing glamorous about the violence depicted, no action fight scenes. She shot a lot of the violent scenes from a distance, so you don’t quite see everything. Your imagination makes it far more disturbing that way.

As for the gun, it was weird. I’ve never held or shot a gun. Even though I didn’t use the weapon in the film, it’s amazing when someone puts something like that in your hand. The weight of it was interesting.

HC: You’ve now most famously played a child of the 1960s in ‘Across the Universe’ and a political activist in the 1980s in this film. What about your actor’s journey do you think has put you on the path to play roles outside your era? And which of the eras did you find yourself most powerfully attached to?

JS: I don’t know if the era has anything to do with it, a character is a character. The time is just where they exist. It’s not like ‘Jim is good at playing 1960s.’ I’ve just been fortunate to play across that spectrum – ‘60s with Across the Universe, ‘80s with this film and even the Tudor era in the “Other Boelyn Girl.”

“Heartless,” coming up later this year, is really about the world I live in, modern day East London, so I have played a universe and an era which is my doorstep. Maybe next is the future, with a spaceship or something (laughs).

Jim Sturgess and Patrick McDonald in Chicago, August 20, 2009.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

HC: You sang your own songs in ‘Across the Universe.’ As a singer and admirer of different eras of music, how did getting so close to The Beatles and their songs alter your musical landscape and which Beatles album still resonates with you?

JS: I was a huge fan of The Beatles and ‘60s music and culture, so to be in that film was a playground for me.

At first when I heard it was a Beatles musical, I thought, what a horrible idea (laughs). But when I read the script and saw it was about the times of the 1960s, when art met politics, it clicked for me.

I did most of the singing live on the set. It was more bizarre than you could possibly imagine. You had these “earwigs” that you put on your ear, which would play the music so only I could hear it. 400 extras, a whole crew, hears absolutely nothing and I just belt out the singing by myself, in full grandeur, with no musical accompaniment from the rest of the room. I had to get over that self consciousness pretty damn quick (laughs).

HC: You’ve done an American accent for ‘21’ and now an Irish accent for this film. Which one is easier to get away with and why?

JS: Neither (laughs). When you’re doing an American film, it for an industry owned by Americans. There are a lot of people that are going to be watching you from America. And I only had two weeks to work it out. It was a pressure I didn’t enjoy.

For 50 Dead Men Walking, I had more time. And the Northern Irish accent is pretty bizarre, you have to get your mouth around it. I pretty much decided from the day I landed on Irish soil until Ieft I would talk in a Belfast Irish accent. So it became my voice when we began to film.

HC: I noticed on-line that you’re very excited about your uncoming participation in the antimated ‘Guardians of Ga’Hoole.’ Can you give us some buzz on the project and what makes it unique?

JS: Yeah, it’s just phenomenal about this animation. And I’ve just seen it in about 80% form for voice work, there is another 20% to go visually.

It’s an animation project directed by Zach Snyder (”300,” “Watchmen”) who is incredibly visual. For him to work solely on visual, it is an amazing palette for him to play with.

It’s a children’s story that is really powerful and pretty deep. In the vein of “Watership Down.” It has a real sadness and a real weight to it.

I play an Australian Owl.. And it was twelve people watching me in a booth behind glass flapping away (laughs).

HC: Finally, what do you think Americans will never understand about the British and what still perplexes you about life here in these United States?

JS: You had to end with that one. I have no idea (laughs).

’Fifty Dead Men Walking’ releases August 21, 2009, and features Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley and Rose McGowan, directed by Kari Skogland.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com