The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (Film)

Last year I had high expectations going into The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey having recently re-watched the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, and upon seeing the trailer; which seemed to promise a return to the Middle Earth I remembered so fondly from a decade prior. Sadly my expectations were not met, as the film relied far too heavily on CGI, contained a lot of sub-plots which resulted in many deviations from the main story, and a lot of shoehorning-in of characters and plotlines from the original trilogy, just because they could. It was nice to see familiar characters again, but completely unnecessary (and at times it made for uncomfortable viewing, as Christopher Lee looked almost like a cadaver which they had wheeled onto the set, en route to the morgue). I found the film to be incredibly frustrating, because I really wanted to like it – after all, the story is there and the world is there, so it should work, but it just doesn’t. 

My biggest issue is the same one shared by many of the film’s detractors, and that is that the films should not be a trilogy. It should be either two 2-hour films, or just one film; and after seeing The Desolation of Smaug my feeling is that the filmmakers should have gone with the latter option. My feeling is that, once this trilogy has finished, there will be enough solid content to make one really great film. But as things stand, we will have three (very long) films that are just okay. A year ago I didn’t think I’d be saying this, so it is a sad thing to admit (I still love the Lord Of The Rings films, in fact these films serve as reminders of how good they are).

But it’s not all bad news, because there are some salvageable elements within The Desolation of Smaug. Once again Martin Freeman gives a very strong performance as Bilbo, often a humorous and identifiable presence, but there are some scenes where the character is taken to extremes, which really stand out. Early on there is a scene in which the affects the ring is having on Bilbo are shown in his actions, followed by a moment of realisation at what he has done. There is also a wonderful dialogue between Bilbo and Smaug (more on the dragon in a moment) in which Freeman shows the Hobbit’s absolute horror at the magnitude of his situation. Generally speaking, any scene centred around Bilbo is usually a good scene. However, it dawned on me as I was leaving the cinema that he wasn’t in the film anywhere near as much as I thought he would be, and quite often when he was around he was just hovering on the peripherals.

Ian McKellen also gives an enjoyable performance as Gandalf (I would expect no less by this stage) although he separates himself from the rest of the group very early on, and is used sparingly throughout the rest of the film. There are also elements of his storyline which create inconsistencies with the storyline of the original trilogy. This is why I have such an issue with all the needless shoehorning-in of characters and plot-lines from The Lord Of The Rings, it creates problems where there doesn’t need to be problems (not to mention the sheer extent to which it draws out the running time). 

The other big positive that I can take away from this film is Smaug. The character has been built up since the prologue of An Unexpected Journey and finally makes his appearance within the final third of this film, and it does not disappoint. The design of Smaug is fantastic, the best mythical creature-design the studio have created since the Balrog in The Fellowship of the Ring, and he gets a decent amount of screen-time so the audience can take it all in. Benedict Cumberbatch provides the voice of Smaug, and it works really well; it could be very easy for a voice to sound forced and unnatural within such a role, but here it is very effective. These scenes are probably the best thing about this film (which only serves to justify my theory that within this trilogy of films, there is enough to make one really great film) and although they take a long time getting there, it is worth the wait.

Unfortunately there are things that I didn’t enjoy so much. I won’t go banging on about the CGI, because I was already prepared for it this time around, but I will say that it had a dire affect on the action scenes. Everything looked so flashy and unbelievable that it was impossible to become invested in the drama of any of the fights, and most of the time things moved so quickly I couldn’t make out what was happening anyway. There was also no stakes in any of the fight scenes: the previous film established that this band of dwarves are so uncanny, they will easily break free of any danger without getting so much as scratched. At the start of the trilogy it was mentioned that they aren’t all fighters, but that doesn’t prevent any of them from being able to dispatch untold numbers of ‘supposedly’ deadly orcs with ease. There was a scene in which the dwarves are floating down a river in barrels which demonstrates this issue very strongly. 

There is also an entire section of the film (I’m not sure how long it was exactly) in which the plot stops altogether, in order to familiarise the audience with Lake-town and its residents. I like Stephen Fry just as much as anyone else, but I didn’t want to see him in this film. Luke Evans does a fine job in the role of Bard, but unfortunately his efforts don’t count for much as the surrounding scenes are overly long, and filled with uninteresting characters. The confrontation between Bard and Thorin was the highpoint of this section, but the film would have been a lot more engaging if the whole Lake-town section had been omitted. 

There is also a dull romantic sub-plot between one of the dwarves: the good-looking one, (now the reasoning behind that casting decision becomes clear!) and Evangeline Lilly’s elf Tauriel. Not only is this sub-plot uninteresting, but it also takes up way too much time; I don’t know enough about either character to become invested in this romance that literally came from nothing. An Unexpected Journey provided the Middle Earth-based films with their most underwhelming villain, in the form of The White Orc. I assumed that he would get killed off in the first film but he’s back, and now he has another big bad Orc take over his role (because that’s what these films needed). To be fair the design of this new villainous Orc is more impressive and sinister than the other one.

I don’t want to complain too much, because I didn’t hate the film and I will go and see the third instalment when it comes out, but I just find these films frustrating because they should be better than they are. At least Sylvester McCoy was only in this one a little bit!

My Favourite Christmas Films and Specials

Throughout my teenage years my attitude towards Christmas became increasingly jaded, and the excitement surrounding it diminished. However these past few years in particular have seen me become a great deal more excited about the holiday season – and I like to make the most of the build up to Christmas day, just as much as the actual day itself. One of the most significant ways in which I do this is by watching as many of my favourite Christmas films and specials as I have time for. Each one of these gets me excited about Christmas in different ways, appealing to the many different emotions that Christmas provokes in me. There are many other films and specials that I like to watch around Christmas time (I always enjoy watching the first Harry Potter film, as well as the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, even though they aren’t Christmas films, in addition to many others) but these are my personal favourites.

The Muppets Christmas Carol

Unquestionably the best adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved story (and there have been a lot of adaptations). The key to its success as an adaptation is that it follows the story very faithfully, and manages to integrate the unique quirky charm of the Muppets in a manner that doesn’t compromise the integrity of the story. The moments of comedy are well distributed throughout the film, but they know when the story needs to be serious (in particular during the ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ section) and so they lay off the comic relief as appropriate. The film is filled with likeable characters, entertaining set-pieces and memorable songs. My personal favourite song being “It Feels Like Christmas” sung by the Ghost of Christmas Present. Michael Caine gives a wonderfully sincere performance as Scrooge, not going through the motions at all. One final factor that works in the favour of this film is that I genuinely become emotionally invested in the Tiny Tim storyline; the same cannot be said for other adaptations of the same story. There’s something about those Muppets!

Miracle On 34^th Street (1947)

A couple of years ago I watched this film for the first time, and followed it up be watching the 1994 remake as a point of comparison. As with a great many films, the original is the best version. At the heart of the film is Edmund Gwenn’s portrayal of Kris Kringle (Santa Claus) which is wonderfully sincere. It is very easy to become invested in the character and his plight concerning non-believers. He is always optimistic, even when confronted by blunt scepticism from Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood’s characters. There are some great comic set-pieces involving the business rivals Mr. Macy and Mr. Gimble, and the success that Kris brings their respective stores. The film also creates some genuine drama during the trial of Kris Kringle – having built up the stakes by showing the way the trial effects the lives of those involved – and the happy ending certainly feels earned when it arrives.

Father Christmas

While a lot of people rate The Snowman more highly than this feature, Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas has always been my favourite of the two. The now late Mel Smith provided the voice of Father Christmas, making sure that this much grumpier interpretation of the character is always likeable, as Smith’s voice has a lot of warmth to it. I love the artwork in this feature, the pastel drawings, and the slightly wavy manner in which things move. I really enjoy the detail that has gone into creating the different places visited by Father Christmas (both during his holiday and during his busiest night). I grew up with this story, and so it appeals to my love of nostalgia, but it has endured for me and I always feel happy when settling down to watch it, even years later.

The Grinch

I know that this is a film that is hated by many, but that does not affect my opinion of it. Over the years I have become more aware of its faults, but unlike the feature length adaptations of Dr Seuss novels which would follow, The Grinch – for all its additions – did keep the original story largely intact, and the film has its heart in the right place. Jim Carrey is at his most over-the-top, but this is a role that suits his performance style, and he has many great lines and scenes which I still find funny. The flashback sequence can easily be skipped (it’s a section of the film that I never much cared for) and there are some undeniably stupid moments here and there, but they are outweighed by the good moments (most of which come from Carrey’s Grinch). I also support the fact that the Whos are materialistic in this version, as it makes the story identifiable to contemporary audiences, before having them receive a reminder about what Christmas is really about. The film is undeniably flawed, but it has heart and humour in plentiful amounts.

Blackadder’s Christmas Carol

This alternative telling of A Christmas Carol sees the protagonist altered from ‘the nicest man in England’ into a mean-spirited villain – and with a character like Blackadder this idea is perfectly executed. This extended standalone episode is filled with great lines, especially the fact that when Blackadder is ‘nice’ he is constantly being passively rude to people. The episode makes use of the settings from Blackadder II as well as Blackadder the Third in order to demonstrate how villainous behaviour yields greater rewards than being good. All of the scroungers who exploit Blackadder’s good side all get a very satisfying comeuppance at the end, which is delivered with hilarious venom by Rowan Atkinson. 

Holy – ‘Bottom’ Christmas Special

One of the best episodes from Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson’s anarchic sitcom (and there are a lot of great episodes). From the opening scene in which Richie sneaks into Eddie’s room in the middle of the night dressed as Santa, only to fall victim to an elaborate trap, to the final scenes which revolve around a misinterpreted ‘second coming of Jesus’ – Holy is an episode stuffed full to bursting point with memorable lines, hilarious visual gags and a wonderful lack of sentiment.

Joyeux Noel

I saw this film in the cinema on Christmas Eve back in 2005, and once it was over I had that rare feeling leaving the cinema that I had seen something truly special. The 1914 ceasefire is an incredibly profound moment within human history, and this film does a very good job of capturing it. A moment in which soldiers within opposing armies realised that the men they were fighting were just as eager to return to their normal lives as they were, and the shattering tragedy that they could easily have been friends in another time. The film has a feeling of authenticity to it, performed in three different languages (English, French and German) and also has a highly effective soundtrack, which unfailingly gets to me each time I watch it.

It’s A Wonderful Life

This is a film that deserves all the praise it gets, because it is so well constructed, so well paced and so well realised, that it will surely live forever. I watch this film every year around Christmas time, and always seem to notice something new, or see something in a different light. The film has such a strong ensemble cast, and manages to make an entire community of characters entirely relevant (even those who barely appear, or only have one scene) such is the quality of Frank Capra’s direction. But the key to the film’s profundity is Jimmy Stewart’s performance as George Bailey. Jimmy Stewart is an inherently likeable presence in many films, but here he represents something very sympathetic and relatable. George Bailey is a man who devotes his entire life to helping the small-town community of Bedford Falls, and yet constantly falls victim to bad circumstances. A man who gives everything he has to help others, and yet never seems to gain anything in return (supposedly). He is a compelling character, and when he reaches the ‘end of his rope’ it is genuinely hard to watch: a strong case of ‘bad things happening to good people’. If George Bailey were played by a lesser actor, the film would not work anywhere near as well as it does. 

This list is something I will likely return to in time, I'll make additions, and add extra bits and pieces to each section. But for now, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Good Morning Midnight (Album) - Richie Syrett

A couple of years after the release of his self-titled debut (thanks to Richie for confirming that fact) came the follow-up album Good Morning Midnight. It fittingly continues to build on the foundations established by its predecessor, and showcases a nice steady progression in Syrett’s songwriting, as well as the arrangements. Consequently the album is more varied, but it retains the style and signature feel of the first one.

The album starts with ‘Wax On The Melt’ which continues the established trend of a slow build, leading into the first verse. Lyrically the song finds the narrator in a bad way, deprived of sleep and surrounded by his whole record collection, describing himself as a “vagrant” being discovered by someone who is “disappointed, not surprised though” to find him in such a state. Bass guitar adds a drone to the arrangement, which fittingly complements the moody lyrics.

The tone then shifts into something much lighter as the title track commences. ‘Good Morning Midnight’ sees Syrett’s usually low vocal resonance explore a higher register, which works well as it is accompanied by a much more jangly-guitar and also a harmonica. Although the lyrics themselves are somewhat juxtaposed by the tone, the song is much more accessible to casual listeners than the opening track. Next up is ‘Ten Past Ten’ which takes place during a reluctant travellers’ train journey, and the lyrics paint a very clear picture, conjuring up familiar images. The gently plucked guitar opening seems to emulate the sound of the tannoy systems at train stations, and the addition of a piano during the chorus, really makes for a catchy number that gets your fingers clicking in time to the rhythm.

Elsewhere there are a couple of slower numbers in ‘Sway’ and the broody ‘Sat On My Hands’. The former layers on the instrumentation in the now-conventional manner, while the latter is much sparser and has a very atmospheric feel. It sounds as though Syrett is singing from far away within a large echo-ey room, and the effect is very strong.

At the centre of the album there are re-workings of three tracks from the debut: ‘American Mud’, ‘Slipping’ and ‘Times Long Past’. All three songs have been trimmed down length-wise, and sound much more seasoned and self-assured. I was a little disappointed with the changes undergone by ‘Times Long Past’ but this is because I really like the slower, moodier version from the debut. All three songs now seem more attuned to live performances, so I can’t complain too much.

Then towards the end of the album comes my two absolute favourite tracks: ‘Business As Usual’ and ‘Stones In My Shoes’. Of these two my favourite has to be ‘Business As Usual’ (it was a very exciting day for me when I figured out how to play it). I can’t quite put my finger on why I rate this song so highly, but something about it just ticks all the right boxes with me; it might be the chorus, or more to the point the lead-in to the chorus (especially the drawn out reprise before the chorus comes around for the last time). ‘Stones In My Shoes’ has a much livelier beat, and also boasts a great chorus (and lead-in), whilst lyrically dealing with the unemployed/part-time lifestyle.

This brace of songs sit very well with me, and have ensured that this album continues to get played. The final two tracks are both solid enough, but for me the album has peaked already (not that this is a bad thing). I really enjoy Good Morning Midnight as it develops Syrett’s style very well, and leaves the door open for further development – which will hopefully not be too far off.

Saving Mr. Banks (Film)

Even though it is a landmark in cinema history, I didn’t see Mary Poppins until a couple of years ago. It is a very good film, and in this current CGI-heavy age of cinema, it is unlikely we’ll see a modern equivalent any time soon. The amount of effort that went into its creation is clear when viewing the film, but that only tells part of the story – for the fact that the film was able to occur at all is a minor miracle in itself.

Saving Mr Banks tells the story of the troubled creative relationship (or clash) between author P.L Travers (played by Emma Thompson) and the American visionary filmmaker Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) inspired by the real creative dissention between the two.

There are some really great scenes in this film, in particular the ones that take place in the rehearsal room at Disney studios, as the script and songs for Mary Poppins are being written. There are great performances from Jason Shwartzman and B.J Novak as the Sherman Brothers, as well as from Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi, whose creative processes are all too often at odds with those of Travers. These scenes manage to produce laughs and groans in equal measure, as Travers is very particular about what she does and does not want, and has no qualms about letting it be known. A particular highlight is when she actually appears to be pleased at what the Sherman brothers have come up with, when they perform the newly written finale number “Let’s Go Fly A Kite” and it seems that some form of creative harmony has been achieved, before she manages to draw the ire of the others once more, with a well placed ‘sting in the tail’. 

Thompson plays Travers very well, establishing her as very particular and at times just outright rude to people, but the character is not completely beyond reason. After all, the story being adapted is one that means a great deal to her, and she does not want it to be compromised or made into something frivolous. It is easy to grow frustrated with the character at times, but it is always possible to see things from her perspective. 

The film is often intercut with flashback scenes, which delve into the childhood of P.L. Travers, under her original name of Helen Goff. These scenes generally focus on her relationship with her alcoholic father (played by Colin Farrell) who loves his daughter, but cannot overcome his own personal demons. These scenes are often uncomfortable to watch, as the father is a very unsettling presence, even when he’s being friendly and playful. The only real issue with the films pacing could be blamed on these scenes, as they are very frequent throughout the film, but they never really go on for too long at a time.

There are also scenes involving Walt Disney, played very well by Tom Hanks (I’d actually quite like to see him play Disney again). The American business tycoon aspect of his character is there, but there are also moments of sincerity which are really engaging. A nice moment takes place in the studio late at night when Walt wanders in to hear “Feed The Birds” being played – which was Walt Disney’s favourite song in real life. The scene unfolds slowly, and the response from Walt is nicely understated.

There is also an endearing performance from Paul Giamatti as Ralph: P.L Travers’ chauffer throughout her time in America. I usually find that Paul Giamatti can be relied on for great performances, even in bad films, and since this is a good film it works even better!

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and unlike the real P.L Travers, who was not a fan of the eventual film of Mary Poppins, I felt like watching it again upon seeing this.

Frozen (Film)

My interest in Disney films has increased significantly over the last six months – largely due to a blog I am currently co-writing which chronicles every Disney animated classic, which has afforded me a fascinating insight into the history of such a famous film studio. If you have any interest in this, then follow this link to the blog: 

http://thedisneyodyssey.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/the-disney-odyssey-an-introduction/

It may seem strange, but the last time I saw a Disney film in the cinema when it was originally released was back in 2005 (and I wasn’t even aware that the film in question was amongst the ‘animated classics’ at the time). Needless to say I had much higher expectations for Frozen than I did for Chicken Little, and with my newly enhanced knowledge of Disney Studios I was pretty excited about seeing it.

The film adheres to the tried-and-tested Disney format of adapting a fairy tale – Hans-Christian Anderson’s ‘The Snow Queen’ – and uses the same animation style as 2011’s Tangled. Visually the film looks very impressive, and the use of ice and snow is both creative and believable (the image of snow covered clothing as characters hike through the mountains looks real). Having recently been watching films from Disney’s financially strapped package-film era of the 1940s, it is really great to see what the animators are capable of when given free reign over their resources. 

The characters are good as well; the story centres around two sisters – Anna and Elsa – which is actually quite a rarity (but the Princess-format tends to work well, so why not have two?). Anna, the protagonist, manages to come across as likeable and sympathetic without being too cutesy, and is given some amusing quirky moments as well. Elsa – the Snow Queen – is a more brooding and tormented character, but one who lets loose during a very impressive song-sequence, which could very well become a landmark scene for this film in years to come.

Speaking of the songs, they sound very impressive – like something out of a large-scale Broadway musical – although for me personally there was a bit too much of a  “like totally”-style to the lyrics, which jarred with me a bit and may prevent any of these songs becoming timeless classics. But I could be wrong about that. I will most certainly come to review this film in more detail, and will give everything (including the songs) a much more thorough analysis. The film actually starts with a good song-sequence, which certainly has a Les-Mis quality to it.

Perhaps something I’m a little ticked off about is the lack of a proper villain song, which is usually a highlight of many a Disney film (at least from the late 80s onwards). The film breaks quite a few of the established storytelling conventions with which the studio is synonymous, and this actually leads to a couple of genuine surprises, and culminates in a very impressive showdown, which doesn’t end in the most typical way. The storytelling can seem a little unclear at times, but praise has to be given for trying out something new and unexpected.

The film also manages to produce a few decent comedic moments, notably a very funny line from Kristoff (one of the two love-interests) when he loses his sledge. Kristoff actually gets quite a few funny lines, and shares a nice friendship with his reindeer Sven. I didn’t find Josh Gad’s snowman Olaf to be as annoying as I thought I would, although his voice did grate on me at times. I think I may have liked the character more with a different voice actor. 

The film also pays homage to a number of the studio’s previous classics, which leads to some very nice visuals – keep an eye out for them!

Overall I enjoyed Frozen and I’m glad I saw it in the cinema, breaking a lengthy streak of animated Disney films that have passed me by. I have heard people make comparisons with some of Disney’s most beloved classics such as Beauty and the Beast although I’m not sure I would go quite as far as that. It is however a very good film and I look forward to eventually reviewing it again as a part of my Disney blog.