A Single Man

Its hard to think of what has not already been said about this stunning film. "A return to form for Colin First" seems a ridiculous statement. Just because we may have become dissolutioned by his mainstream focus, Firth has maintained a steady balance of acting excellence which has simply been ignored therefore it is refreshing for such a film to gain the recognition and respect it has.

Perhaps distracting is Tom Fords direction at times. Although it is undeniably beautiful as a film, it can't help but be felt that we are watching a Gucci campaign at times. The lingering shots a Firth and Goode on the beach feel as if one of the is going to douse themselves in cologne at any moment. However despite this minor flaw, Ford has accomplished an intelligent and sophisticated film for what is essentially an intense two hours watching Firth's face.

It is a poignant exploration of mortality and our place in the world when the monotony of it all gets too much and at the heart of it is sexuality at a time in which it was a taboo to accept it. Julienne Moore as always provides a gleaming presence as a long suffering friend to Firth, in love with him whilst accepting internally that gay relationship don't actually count to anything. It is a film with a message that doesn't bang you over the head with it, it is not trying to be political, it is not trying to be controversial, it is simply trying to be a good film and it succeeds in copious amounts.

H xx

Precious (based on the novel by Push)

So recently Precious has been shrouded by praise and publicity and recognised for its outstanding performances (and interesting cameos). Therefore, its fair to say that I went in watching the film with a certain level of expectation that sadly was not met. It seems that the film prides itself on grittyness, and the story is clearly an emotionally tortured one. However, sheer grittyness alone cannot justify the shoddy and disjointed direction combined with the feeling that the film never settled, as up until the end I was still waiting for it to properly begin. This is most notibly highlighted in Precious' dream sequences when she escapes the turmoil of her abuse. As much as the relief is needed in the film, such additions felt uneasy and uncomfortable in a production that didn't know where it wanted to end up. It never found its stride and was saved only by the stand out performance of Precious' mother (Mo'Nique) which was portrayed to a hauntingly real degree, with an intent and hidousness that crossed all boundaries. Silmialry, as much as I would like to criticise the concept of celbrity casting, the cameos delivered by Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz were a surpisingly refreshing addition. Luckily the film itself has a strong enough cast to support its juvenile downfalls and it seems a shame that a film with such a powerful message became overshadowed by a dissapointing execution.


H xx