Monsieur Lazhar

I like the trailer for this movie, because it doesn't give anything about the film away. I mean what the film is really about. All the trailer presents is a To Sir With Love type romp except set in Canada and in a primary school. Which, while it kinda is, it's a lot deeper than To Sir With Love, and raises a lot of issues, that if you just saw the trailer you wouldn't have picked up on. And of course, if you haven't seen the film, I will now spoil any surprise that was held for you!

When a primary school teacher hangs herself in her classroom, the school is thrown into chaos. The teachers are unsure how to help the children with the grief while also struggling to cope themselves. The principal (Danielle Proulx) is also having trouble finding a replacement for Martine, until Algerian Bachir Lazhar (Fellag) turns up and offers his services as a teacher after seeing the suicide in the paper. With no other option, he is hired right away. Gradually, we see how the children adapt to the new teacher, and how he bonds with them and helps them with his grief. Along the way, we learn about his violent past, while he is opposed by the other teachers and some of the parents who find objections in his rather old fashioned way of teaching.

This is a very satisfying film, and I don't mean that it is competently made with very little else to it. No, there is plenty to this film. So many issues ar available to be looked at and talked abou, but almost all of them are left unanswered. This is the main problem with the film. Yeah, I'm starting with the problem rather than the good stuff, but there is a lot of good stuff. So, for discussions this is a good movie. It will leave you thinking about it for a long time afterwards. And also brings forth a lot of themes for critics to cite and drone on about. Which is what I will do, though I can't offer any real resolutions. How perfect for an ex-Lit student.

So, the main thing I got from this film was the difference between the adults and the kids. I know it sems like a weird thing to hone in on, but for me it was the most important part. The adults are so scared that they will traumatise the kids if they talk about Martine's death, that they never confront it except with a school psychologist who makes visits once a week to every class to check on the kids for a few months after the suicide. Lazhar actually tries to talk his class about it on several occaisions, but every time he is then reprimanded by the principal. The way chilren are treated in this movie is like atomic-bombs, all the teachers are too frightened of lawsuits to make sure that they are fully okay. One of the best quotes from the movie is from one of the students, "They think we are traumatised, but they are more traumatised than us."

The film is also about violence, though it is not a violent film. The act that Martine commits, the way one of the students, Simon (Émilien Néron) gradually becomes more and more violent to his fellow classmates because of the guilt he feels. Even Lazhar's himself comes from an extremely violent background. His family is taken from him in such a tragic way, and it is through this that he is able to connect with the students and understand their pain. My favourite scene is when Alice (Sophie Nélisse), another student, presents a speech about violence to the class, and expresses her doubts about Martine, and questions why she would kill herself in a classroom. It is the most powerful part of the film. Alice doesn't break down and cry, doesn't even shed a tear. Just presents her speech formally and honestly, then sits back down again.

This brings us nicely to the acting. The two main child actors, Émilien Néron and Sophie Nélisse, are two of the best child actors I have seen in too long a time. They outshine their adult co-stars so brightly (scuse the pun), and they are so real with their reactions. Fellag is also excellent as Lazhar, who's intentions and approaches to teaching clash with what the kids are used to , and the modern curriculum. But the kids are really the stars here. It's so refreshing to see something other than the Disney-esque cutesy stuff we normally get. And considering the subject matter, they all do exceedingly well to convey the complex emotions that normal people go through when something like this happens.

 
This review doesn't really express how incredible this film is, but then again, no review ever can. It was Canada's entry for Best Foreign Language film at the Oscars, and actually made the short-list. But awards shouldn't be what makes you go see a certain movie. I hate the word heartfelt, but that is what this film is while I try and think of a better adjective. It's emotional yes, and a little sentimental, but done in a naturalistic way that isn't exactly meant to inspire, simply meant to show us a moment in a mans life. I'm sorry this is incredibly rambling, and that it took so long to come out. I am now proudly two weeks behind schedule, but I will try and get the next review, which should be Beasts of the Southern Wild, within the next ... whenever. Until next time, readers. Those school-girl days....

MIFF: ParaNorman

Due to unforseen circumstances, this will be the last film from the MIFF this year that I will be talking about. I was hoping to see The Suicide Shop as well, but that sold out for some reason. And not this amazing film. They must've had a smaller cinema. Oh well, Melbourne is a weird place, with very tiny cinemas it seems. This film is rather weird too. For starters, this is incredibly dark for a kids film, which makes it a risk. But they managed to pull it off. Hey, they did more than pull it off! This is pretty incredible (and I will go into why soon), but the best way I can describe it is a coming of age story, with zombies. That's it in a nutshell. Out of a nutshell, and this film is so much more.

Norman is an 11 year-old social outcast who can talk to ghosts. When his town is threatened by an ancient curse that raises the dead, it causes panic amongst it's residents. It's up to Norman and his associates (his sister Courtney, his friend and fellow outcast Neil, Neil's brother Mitch and school bully Alvin) to try and stop the attack before the town is destroyed. But that's just the main plot. The voice cast includes Kodi Smit-McPhee as Norman, Tucker Albrizzi as Neil, Casey Affleck as Mitch, Anna Kendrick as Courtney and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Alvin, with John Goodman also making an appearance as the town crazy, Mr Penderghast.

I wanted to see this movie from the minute I saw the trailer on youtube. In all honesty, it's one of the best trailers I've ever seen. It gives a perfect depiction of the mood of the movie, using clips that don't give anything away and yet also shows how awesome the film as a whole would be to watch. And it's got the perfect song. (Don't believe me? Watch it here!) So, I watched the trailer about a month ago and have been hyping myself up for this ever since. Was it worth it? Well, in my opninion, this is one of the best (if not the best) kids movies since Monsters Inc.

I'm serious, this manages to be goofy and serious in the right parts, and the message it gives it very relevant and strong. The film is incredibly risky, dealing in all those things that safer studios like Disney and Dreamworks won't even touch. Themes like death and moving on, bullying and the brutal prejudice that comes with fear of the unknown. While many Disney films do deal with death and the outsider trying to fit in, but they never go into death and grief in any great detail, it's mainly used for pathos and shock. And they never examine where this prejudice comes from, or else they just fall into annoying cliches. Laika, the production company for ParaNorman, instead shows a tragicically honest portrayal of those parts of childhood we'd rather forget.

 
This doesn't seem like an anti-bullying film, which is good. Obvious message movies piss me off, I prefer my morals wrapped in pastry. But unlike other movies that simply say bullying is bad and leave it at that, ParaNorman goes deeper and looks into why people will discriminate against those who are different, and also what effects it has on those who are bullied. This makes our main villains, the zombies, more complex than your average douche-bag, and also makes our hero, Norman, so much more realistic. There's also a neat little thing about how prejudice and fear has been around for centuriesand that we are merely repeating the mistakes of out ancestors and that the mistakes of the past will have repercussions in the future. If you watch the movie, you will know exactly what I mean.

But the thing I like most about this film is that it doesn't shove it's message down your throat, it merely presents the story and leads you in the direction they want you to take, but there is no nod to the audience saying "Do this, it's the right thing to do. If you don't, then you're a bad person". Through the characters and their actions do they get the message across. And these characters are pretty amazing. I briefly mentioned Norman earlier, but he really is an excellent protagonist, plagued by a gift he doesn't want and living with a family who find it hard to accept him and connect with him. He gets bullied at school and his only friends (before Neil) are the ghosts that he talks to, including his deceased grandmother. And yet, he is the only one who can save the town because of his gift (ironic, right?), and even though he isn't treated with any sort of respect, he takes on this responsibilty because no one else can, no matter how scared he is. And in the end, his fear drives him to finish his task. The other character I want to highlight quickly is Neil, who is so optimistic despite everything and how he's treated and is the first person to actually try and get to know Norman, yet not out of pity. More out of curiousity, I think, and kindness and empathy. And he stands by him no matter what.

I didn't mean for this to turn into such an essay, but you should know by now that the longer I make a review the more I like the film. So, now let us get on to the animation. So, this is produced by Laika, the same studio that also made the incredible Coraline adaptation. So, you already know that the animation is going to be amazing at the very least. And this is astounding! The character designs are grotesque caricatures of actual people. They look fantastic! They look how real people should look, just not as pretty. And the animation itself is beautifully flawless. This took 4 years to make, and you can really see all the time and love that went into making it. All I have are words of praise and thanks for the animators, so in the unlikely event of any of them reading this, well done chaps!

I really only have one complaint with the film and it's more of a nitpick/personals preference type thing so I'm not even bothering to mention it. This film is amazing, I don't know how many times I've said it, but I will keep saying it. It knows exactly the right moments when to be dark, and when to have a joke, and it treats it's audience (kids) with the respect that they deserve. The dialogue is very naturaland witty, and while it has a few pop culture references, it's not a Dreamworks movie. I'm not going to lie, there are a few gross bits and really little kids may find this scary. But for a slightly older audience this will definitely entertain. The music is also good, but it was when there wasn't any score that the atmosphere really intensified. I've got nothing more to say really, except it's so refreshing to see a smart kids film for one. You should see it. I've used up my entire collection of praising adjectives to describe this movie, and it's one of the rare films that the majority of people will like. Laika took a risk with this, and I'm glad they did. Maybe now a better calibre of kids movies will finally grace our screens. Until next time, readers, tis the season of the witch!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

I can see why people wouldn't like this film. It does go a little CG-I crazy, and some of the action set pieces are a bit far-fetched. And Jimmi Simpson's accent is more than a little bit iffy. But the acting is very solid and it ties in a lot of the things from Lincoln's actual life very well and-... Wait, what was that? This film is too serious? Are you kidding me?! So, Abraham Lincoln destroying vampires with an axe that also transforms into a shotgun is too serious? ... You guys have an odd sense of serious.

Based on the book by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), this basically tells the history of Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker), but with vampires. When he's a youngster, Abe sees his mother killed by a vindictive vampire Jack Barts (Marton Csokas), and grows up harbouring a wish to avenge his mothers death. After almost being killed by Barts, he gains a mentor in Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), another vampire (but a good one, not an evil one) who trains him to be a vampire hunter. Fighting these monsters inspires Lincoln to pursue a political career. Eventually, he puts his slaying days behind him in order to protect his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but is forced back into his old ways as the civil war approaches and the southern forces use vampires to help them, lead by Adam (Rufus Sewell).

I'm sure if you know more about Lincoln's life you will get more out of the way the historical events are portrayed in the story. But even if you don't (and I certainly didn't) you still get a fairly enjoyable and easy to follow story out of this. But really, this is too serious? I think that's one of the weirdest complaints for a movie I've heard. People seemed to think that this was meant to be a tongue in cheek tribute to the man. But the premise is so tongue in cheek already that if it was any sillier then it wouldn't have worked. Instead, they took a slightly silly idea and made it epic! And when a film is filled with silly sounding scenes, like Abe's training montage (a freaking training montage!), and they give them a serious edge, it adds a little gravitas to the occasion, and makes it awesome!

The acting is superb in this, even the slightly odd choices of Jimmi Simpson as Joshua Speed and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Washington (mainly because I've only seen them in teen movies). Everyone is really bloody good, but of course the star is Benjamin Walker as Lincoln, who behind the serious facade you can tell is having a lot of fun. He manages to be an action star whilst looking like he belongs in a period drama, which is the perfect mix! Rufus Sewell as Adam is also good, and wonderfully hammy in some parts, but not so much that he loses his menace. Although the person who steals the film with his performance is Dominic Cooper as Henry. He gives a rather honest performance of a man who has lost everything yet continues to fight against those who must be stopped, and in the end becomes a presence surrounding Lincoln's life.

 
The problems I have with the film are basically the CG-I and the way the vampire lore is handled. Because of budget restraints, most of the action scenes were done with an excessive use of CG-I, and so sneaky techniques with smoke and dust are used to hide this fact. But in all honesty, the fights are choreographed so well that I can forgive the hazy, smoked filled mess it becomes, because depsite all that, we can still see what's happening instead of the usual shaky cam nonsense. The vampire lore is a little harder to forgive, but I do give them props for the changes they made. And it does do the sensible thing of showing us how the vampires are portrayed instead of outright telling.


But it doesn't explain everything. Like why vampires can walk around in the day without spontaneously combusting. I think it's hinted that sunlight is mildly inconvenient due to the fact that they wear veils and sunglasses whilst out and about, but it would've been nice to hear the actual explanation for it. So, instead of sunlight killing them, it's silver, which is used in the story very well, and becomes a really good plot point. The other thing that they changed to the normal lore is that vampires can't kill other vampires, which here is basically used as the reason Henry gets Abe to be his pupil. There isn't really an explanation given for this, the only thing that comes close is a line Henry gives where he says 'Only the living can kill the dead', but that seems a little cliche ridden to me.

Apart from those unexplained phenomenom, I'd say this is a good film. Maybe not a great film, but definitely not deserving of the crap it's been getting. I reckon if people went to see this with a different mindset and not expect a cheeky riff on history, then they may enjoy it more. Not that it's historically accurate at all (Lincoln had three children, not one!), but that has never before stood in the way of a clever story. The best way I can describe this is a historical action movie, and if you remember that all action movies aren't piles of fun then sit back and enjoy an excellent escapist movie with good acting and vampires. What more could you want! Until next time, readers, where I promise it will be zombies!

MIFF: Le Tableau

Oh my goodness! This film is gorgeous! It's graceful! It's glamorous, and many other adjectives beginning with 'g'! It is God! If you are a fan of animation, you have to see this film. If you like fantastical films of whimsy, then you have to see this film. If you like French films, then you have to see this film. In case you hadn't guessed it already, I kinda like this film. No, scrap that. I love this film! I wish it was getting more than just two showings at the MIFF, but hopefully Nova or Palace will distribute it after, though I am very doubtful. This is one that I will definitely be buying on DVD!

So, what is this gorgeous film about? Well, in a painting depicting a palace surrounded by a dense forest stands a rigid social hierarchy between the Alldunns (the finished people), the Halfies (those who are half finished), and the Sketchies (rough pencil sketches). This prejudice comes to a head when the Grand Candlestick (leader of the Alldunns) makes it known that the painter will not be coming back to finish the painting. So, three mismatched characters set off to find the painter and ask him to come back and finish off everyone's designs. Leading them is Lola (Jessica Monceau) a vivacious and thoughtful Halfie, Plume (Thierry Jahn, named Quill in the sub) a Sketchie who is angry at the Alldunns for what they did to his friends, Gom, and Ramo (Adrien Larmande) an Alldunn who is love with Halfie, Claire (Chloé Berthier). Together they escape their painting and go hunting for the painter, encountering his other paintings along the way.

It's quite a simple premise, but I'm surprised that no one else has made something like this before. The only thing that comes close are the talking pictures in Harry Potter and Night at the Museum 2. But this seems to be the first time a film has been devoted to exploring what happens to paintings once they are finished. (I could be completely wrong of course, and if I am please tell me so. And also what films do explore this amazingly simple premise). But I struggle to call this a kids film, it's really too philosophicalfor kids to understand some of the ideas that are represented in the film. Not that they won't enjoy it, or get something out of it. The colours are bright, the music (which I will get to later) is loud and the characters are very memorable, though there are some dark moments. And there is a nude painting, which immature kids will laugh at (I speak from experience, I was unfortunate to see this with three groups of high school kids, HIGH SCHOOL for chrissakes, and they thought a topless woman was hilarious). But her body is very stylised, and, like a piece of art, you can't really object to it.

Anyway, let me get on to what makes this film so amazing, the animation. The film was animated in digital 3D, but it feels like it was rotoscoped. Every characters actions are incredibly fluid., it's so amazing! And the backgrounds are really pretty! It took over 2 years in production, and was made only on a budget of $4 million. There are also little differences between the paintings so that you can tell them apart but still see that they are still by the same painter. And the parts during the real world use real sets with animation over the top of them, all of it just adding to the awesomeness that is this film! The voice acting is also excellent and I do have to give extra credit to Thierry Jahn as Plume for doing an excellent job as an angry and guilty Sketchie, and also to Jessica Monceau as Lola, because she has so much life in her voice.

There are some dark elements in this, particularly when Gom is discovered in the Alldunns palace and they beat him to ... death? It's quite a disturbing part, exaggerated greatly by the music. Oh god, this score is brilliant! There are a lot of scenes without talking and the score is so constant in those parts it's like watching an old ballet. In fact, the score reminded me most of the ballets of Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, especially the Nutcracker and Firebird suites. It was so bombasticand prominent, that the few moments without music were truly magical, like when Lola jumps out of her painting. Best part of the film.

So, because of my laziness, you might be reading this after the second screening of this masterpiece. But if you ever get a chance, see it! A philosophical French animated movie about art may seem pretentious, but because this was made for a younger audience, there is a certain innocence about it that makes the questions it raises a little child-like and he answers easy to find (if you look hard enough). And no, I'm not going to go into what the film means. For a 70 minute film, this is really deep, and one that you really have to find out for yourself. I know what it means to me, but it's hard to put into words. And for you, it may be completely different. Until next time, in which we will explore a stop motion zombie film. Hooray!