Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Directed by: Matthew Vaughan
Country: UK

Movie Review: “Kingsman: the Secret Service” is an action-packed espionage thriller directed by Matthew Vaughan (“Kick-Ass”, “X-Men: First Class”) and starring Colin Firth, Taron Egerton and Samuel L. Jackson. The film, bestowing a lot more action than really espionage, also presents more chaff than wheat, never reaching high levels of satisfaction but showing enough competence in order to be considered entertaining. Vaughan and Jane Goldman joined efforts to write a script, based on the comic book “The Secret Service” by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar, which relies on familiar structural methods and formulaic details instead of adding something extra to win our recognition. This doesn’t mean that “Kingsman” isn’t capable of offering a few interesting characters, putting face to face the elegance/snobbism of the members of a British intelligence agency, and a freaking tech-tycoon who endangers the world with his self-centeredness. All starts when Harry Hart (Firth), decides to give an opportunity to Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin (Egerton), the son of a former agent who had been killed in duty by the lethal legs of Gazelle, shield of a mad Internet entrepreneur, Richmond Valentine (Jackson). The latter carries out an evil plan to annihilate great part of the population, watching them kill one another through a device that causes uncontrolled rage - 'as in the movies we both love’, he says to Harry. “Kingsman: the Secrete Service” is acceptable, even with a few holes in the plot and repetitive action scenes occasionally detailed in slow-motion. This is the kind of film in which the fans of raucous action will thank, while the ones looking for something else might leave the theater disappointed.

Miss Julie (2014)

Directed by: Liv Ullmann
Country: UK / Ireland / others

Movie Review: Liv Ullmann, former muse of Ingmar Bergman during years in masterpieces such as “Persona”, “Autumn Sonata” or “Cries and Whispers”, directs her fourth feature film, “Miss Julie”, which was adapted from August Strindberg’s play of the same title. For this theatrical drama, Ullmann picked a trio of actors that guarantee credibility: Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton. They performed with conviction and it was not because of them that “Miss Julie” didn’t have the desired influence on me. Beyond being excessively wordy, the film occasionally plays with an emotional hysteria, becoming excessively dramatic, stuffy and for several times unnatural. Set during the midsummer night of 1890, the drama follows Julie (Chastain), the spoiled daughter of the wealthy Anglo-Irish Count of Fermanagh. Bored with her daily life, she insists to seduce John (Farrell), her father’s valet, in a disrespectful way in regard to her servant, Kathleen (Morton), who was committed to him. Julie reveals an overbearing and cruel side, but ultimately her emotional fragility and solitude is uncovered. She starts playing a defiant game that is sexy and contemptuous, pushing John to the limits of his sanity, since he is unable to control his impulses but also gets mad when treated as an inferior. All these postures torment the tired and devastated Kathleen, condemned to be on her own. Among confessions, accusations and lots of changings in attitude, “Miss Julie” can never be called a romantic film. Fear, disquiet and prejudice take control of this battle of love and hate that had its funniest moment when Julie states about Kathleen: ‘a servant is a servant’, to what John promptly retaliated: ‘and a whore is a whore’. The truth hurts! Immediately, she fell in tears.

Appropriate Behavior (2014)

Directed by: Desiree Akhavan
Country: UK

Movie Review: Charming, funny and extremely entertaining, “Appropriate Behavior” marks a delightful directorial debut on feature film for Desiree Akhavan, an upstate New Yorker from Iranian descent who had directed the lesbian-themed short TV series “The Slope” in 2010. Akhavan also stars here, keenly giving life to Shirin, a Brooklyn-based bisexual Persian-American video artist who is trying to adopt the correct postures in life to avoid embarrassing her Iranian parents and traditions, at the same time that nourishes her joy of life and seeks the proper confidence to accept herself as she is. These goals, complicated by themselves, get even more compromised when Shirin breaks up with her girlfriend, Maxine (Rebecca Henderson). Feeling dead inside, she finds some solace in talking with her friend, Crystal (Halley Feiffer), while the new job as teacher of young kids seems not to suit her at all. The character of Shirin is very well observed and portrayed, especially by genuinely trying to pass a false assurance in her actions when in fact she’s just trying to gain confidence to move on. Open to new experiences, Shirin will embark in a few weird encounters while the story occasionally winds back to let us know what led to the rupture with Maxine at her birthday party. Smartly, Akhavan embraces a concise humor by making use of efficient jokes in a straightforward manner, but actually the story puts a nervous tension in almost every scene where intense feelings and an associated discomfort can touch sadness. It was indeed an appropriate approach. I’m eager to see in what direction Akhavan will move next; will she keep this creativity within the sexuality theme? For now, it’s proved she swims comfortably in this pool.

The Riot Club (2014)

Directed by: Lone Scherfig
Country: UK

Movie Review: Laura Wade’s film adaptation of her own play “Posh”, wasn’t so successful as expected, since “The Riot Club”, handled by Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig (“Italian for Beginners”, “An Education”), couldn’t trigger neither sympathy nor startling reaction in regard to the wild behaviors of a bunch of upper-class students attending Oxford University. Miles (Max Irons) and Alistair (Sam Claflin) are two very different aristocratic freshmen who don’t get along, having in common the fact that they became members of an exclusively male ‘dining club’ with years of tradition in Oxford, known as ‘The Riot Club’. While Miles seeks a normal life with his girlfriend Loren, Alistair can’t avoid showing his ostentation and bad nature. Being the younger brother of a legendary former member of the ‘Riot club’, Alistair will show during one single night of drinks, cocaine and destruction in a local restaurant, how much his soul is corrupted and ill-founded, fact that leads to thoughtless, savage behaviors. The film takes a long time to warm up, and when it does, lets us down quite immediately, since the extreme situations depicted never seemed totally convincing to me, but rather overdone. Dialogues and behaviors fell on banality for several times and no novelty is drawn from the outcome. Wade and Scherfig tried to make of this club of punishment and self-degradation an intoxicating drama, occasionally wild, taking the opportunity to introduce a bit of bitter romance. The result, a mix of grotesque “Dead Poets Society” meet a pretentious “A Clockwork Orange”, wallows in the mud, providing a threadbare experience.

The Duke of Burgundy (2014)

Directed by: Peter Strickland
Country: UK

Movie Review: For me there’s no doubt that “The Duke of Burgundy” is the best film from cult British filmmaker Peter Strickland. If his debut “Katalin Varga” surprised me in a positive way, “Berberian Sound Studio”, presented as an aesthetic exercise on audiovisuals, was a sort of disappointment. His latest work is a peculiar love story between two women, filled with eroticism, humor, and intrinsic tension in every move. Cynthia (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and Evelyn (Chiara D’Anna) are lovers who inhabit a fantastic medieval villa somewhere in Europe. Both nurture a special taste for embellishing their relationship with repetitive rituals of humiliation and pleasure, where the former plays the dominant housemaster and the latter always impersonates a submissive maid. In the course of time, Cynthia starts to show a certain discomfort with her staging character, giving signs that she wants a more conventional and stable relationship. Evelyn, in turn, seems more and more addicted in these little representations, which always end the same way. Besides their private secret life, both are entomology enthusiasts, having very few contacts outdoors. However, in one of those contacts, jealous will put their relationship in jeopardy. Like as in Strickland’s previous films, the style adopted and atmosphere created are of great importance, bringing to my mind Jacques Rivette’s “Celine and Julie Go Boating” for a couple of times. Expressive performances and cinematography, in addition to the amazing score by Cat’s Eyes, are other factors that contributed to turn “The Duke of Burgundy” into a sensual, audacious romantic-drama of elegant articulation.

Pride (2014)

Directed by: Matthew Warchus
Country: UK

Movie Reviews: In his sophomore feature film “Pride”, the British filmmaker and dramatist, Matthew Warchus, gracefully composes a lively picture based on the real events that took place during the UK miner’s strike in 1984, where the small mining village of Onllwyin, in south Wales, decided to open their doors and accept the support of an activist group composed in its majority by lesbian and gays. The movement, entitled LGSM (Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners) will prove their dedication and competence, showing at the same time that they don’t ‘bite’ whoever is straight. United against the government of Margaret Thatcher, both gays and miners will embark in a successful cooperation never seen before, going even further later on, and promoting the ‘Pits and Perverts Benefit Concert’, an initiative that definitely conquered the miners, bringing some more inhabitants to fight for the cause. The characters are stereotyped but sympathetic, and “Pride” works more as a crowd-pleaser than a faithful portrait of the events. However, Warchus was able to create an entertaining, feel-good atmosphere by putting heart and soul in the right place, promoting a salutary coexistence, and trying to sensitize and open the minds utilizing effective humorous strategies. Although not totally surprising, “Pride” is an agreeable hymn to friendship and solidarity, taking well the opportunity to pass on the message that is urgent to abolish hate among people whose differences have to be respected. The fantastic soundtrack from the 80’s was mind blowing, while the cast responded accordingly to the demanding challenges proposed.

The Trip to Italy (2o14)

Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Country: UK

Movie Review: Michael Winterbottom’s docu-style comedy, “The Trip to Italy”, stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, the same actors-comedians who have made of its predecessor, “The Trip”, a feel-good success. In this second trip to transalpine lands, the duo will take the opportunity to enjoy beautiful wine, beautiful food and beautiful landscapes, traveling onboard of a convertible Mini Morris, at the sound of Alanis Morissette. On the contrary of the first film, the cheerful conversations weren’t so consistent and engaging as expected. The film relies mostly on dialogues in tones of gossip, casual behaviors, and a lot of impersonations – from Tom Hardy to Al Pacino and Robert de Niro. Visually, only the well-composed Italian dishes had some impact, in a comedy where the occasional funny moments were completely obfuscated by the considerable number of unsuccessful ones. It seemed more like a wordy TV show with culinary presentations than really a theatrical release with a consistent plot. Winterbottom’s direction didn’t excel either, and not even the arrival of other characters and family, by the end, brightened up this unnecessary road trip. As the pair of friends, I felt not only lost in the outskirts of Rome but also disappointed with the way “The Trip to Italy” was carried out. Long, pointless and often adrift, this is a reunion that gets stuck in the limits of watchable. I really didn’t find many motives to follow these two fellows in their talkative little adventure.

Mr. Turner (2014)

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Country: UK

Movie Review: Beautifully conceived and thoroughly engrossing, “Mr. Turner” is a biographical drama about the Romantic landscape painter known as ‘the painter of light’, J.M.W. Turner, brilliantly impersonated by Timothy Spall who is habitual presence in director Mike Leigh’s films (“All or Nothing”, “Topsy Turvy”, “Secrets & Lies”). Turner, being recognized as a talented painter, suffers a lot after the death of his father who had been working as his studio assistant and lived with him for 30 years. Criticized by many, Turner was a music lover and an interested learner in general. However, his behavior baffles us with frequent rude manners and particularly a total contempt about his daughters, opting for painting shipwrecks instead of going to his daughter’s funeral. In the other hand, he gets deeply touched by a 22-year-old whore who lies down on a bed, not for sex, aspect reserved for his maid, but for posing for his new painting. Mike Leigh, as usual, takes us into Turner’s life with rigor and an accuracy on details that makes all the difference. It might seem exhaustive or overzealous to some viewers, but Leigh’s great deed was to make such an attractive biopic of a repulsive character who spat in his paintings, emitted grotesque noises, and evinced a lot of reproachable behaviors. “Mr.Turner” benefits from an immaculate direction, outstanding production design, dazzling cinematography, and the excellence of Spall’s performance, fact that gave him the prize of best actor at Cannes. Avoiding sentimental tricks and other eccentric schemes, this is a film that Turner himself would classify as ‘exceedingly compelling!’ in its overall simplicity.

The Imitation Game (2014)

Directed by: Morten Tyldum
Country: UK / USA

Movie Review: Norwegian filmmaker Morten Tyldum has in “The Imitation Game”, biopic thriller set in WWII about the British mathematician, cryptanalyst and pioneer computer scientist, Alan Turing, his first cinematic experience in American soil. The film was written by Graham Moore based on Andrew Hodges’ book, being set up with an advantageous dosage of humor but lacking the thrills or excitement of “Headhunters”, Tyldum’s successful Norwegian crime thriller that boosted his career in 2011. There’s no question about the interest and importance of what is depicted here. Our hero had a bright intelligence, an obsessed determination and the patience required to break the ‘unbreakable’ Nazi cipher machine called Enigma. To achieve that, he created another machine, which he baptized as Christopher, homage to a very close friend from High School times (presented in recurrent flashbacks). He also became the scientist to receive highest praise by Winston Churchill for his contribution to the Allies and its victories against Germany. However, his assumed homosexuality, despite of seeming completely swallowed by work, was punished in the UK at the time, forcing him to cope with a hormonal treatment that will lead him to ruin. Tyldum scrupulously followed the Hollywood conducts in a drama that many accuse of being an Oscar-bait. We can’t deny Turing’s merit but “The Imitation Game” never rushed to fill our eyes or touch our deep feelings. A very consistent performance by Benedict Cumberbatch, makes it acceptable, but in my opinion and regardless the efforts, Oscars shouldn’t come in this direction.

Jimmy's Hall (2014)

Directed by: Ken Loach
Country: UK / others

Movie Review: As an admirer of Ken Loach’s past works, I must say that “Jimmy’s Hall” doesn’t totally let us down but also doesn’t have the importance and beauty of some of his realistic works from the past. The film tells the true story of Jimmy Gralton, Irish communist and political activist in the 30’s, returned to his rural hometown after ten years in New York. Jimmy (Barry Ward) left due to political divergences, but this time he says he just wants quietness and to help his mom in the family farm. With the support of Oonagh (Simone Kirby), a former lover who still has feelings for him, and the aid of his old chaps and some new young followers, he decides to reopen ‘the Hall’, a place where people could talk freely, learn music and boxing, and especially dance. The town’s priest, Father Sheridan (Jim Norton), who will be joined by other conservative fanatics, saw this act as a sacrilege. Sooner than expected, church, politicians and army will start to stalk Jimmy and his friends, resolute fighters of a different battle, this time not against the English or their supporters, but against the overbearing, strict hands of an old-fashioned church. “Jimmy’s Hall” doesn’t have the thrilling intensity of Loach’s awarded Irish classic, “The Wind that Shakes the Barley”, and its words are not so inflamed that touch our souls, but on the other hand, it provides us with pertinent questions, allying festivity ambiances to the complex worlds of religion and politics. The performances were just regular, yet a word for the appealing cinematography of Robbie Ryan, who already had worked with this director in “The Angel’s Share” and in two modern indie gifts by Andrea Arnold, “Fish Tank” and “Wuthering Heights”.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

Directed by: James Marsh
Country: UK

Movie Review: James Marsh (“Man on Wire”, “Shadow Dancer”) gives an admirable biographical portrait of the theoretical physicist Stephen Hawkins, diagnosed with ALS since an early age. The film focuses in his successful work, the struggle against a lethal disease that was supposed to take his life in only two years (Hawkins is 72 years old), and especially in the relationship of respect, understanding, and sacrifice he had with his wife Jane, whom he met in Cambridge while student. It was in this particular chapter of relationships among the characters that “The Theory of Everything” most succeeds – the acceptance of a good-hearted man, Jonathan, who would become Jane’s new husband; the importance of Elaine (later would become his second wife), the woman who took care of him, giving him the strength he needed in a complicated phase of his marriage; or both families’ interaction. The subtle theme of religion with allusions to a universal creator was also very well approached, representing one of the many points of interest of the film. The story flows always in a good pace, never losing the appreciable broadminded mood, while the sentimentality presented was felt like genuine and never forced. I found this film very particular, despite the possible comparisons with “Brilliant Mind” or “My Left Foot”. The performances by Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones were mind-blowing and Marsh’s direction, using lots of close-ups, easily brings the intimacy and emotions to surface. I cannot tell if the story is 100% accurate, what I can tell is that “The Theory of Everything” was a delicate, inspiring and constructive drama that worked pretty well within its genre.

Fury (2014)

Directed by: David Ayer
Country: UK / USA / China

Movie Review: Finally a decent WWII movie coming from Hollywood, “Fury” stars Brad Pitt (also co-executive producer) as Sergeant ‘Wardaddy’ Collier, the man leading a Sherman tank and its five-men crew, with an obsessive determination of spreading terror in German territory and drive the Allies to victory. His mission will become even more complicated when a rookie soldier from Chicago arrives to join the team. Wardaddy forces him to experience the coldness of killing and presents him the general horrors of war. Director David Ayer gets back on track, giving continuity to the good work done two years ago with “The End of Watch”, after an unsuccessful experience with “Sabotage” last year. Brutality and tension are everywhere, while a very sarcastic humor draws giggles from the crowd, especially in the moments when the experienced crew is reunited. Regardless its stereotypes and familiarity, “Fury” depicts these men’s bravery with a pungent realism, and the power of its score and images cause us both amazement and anguish. The hardening, meanness, and bitterness caused by the war are perfectly noticeable here, but in the other hand we can also witness slight occasions of tenderness and humanity. “Fury” doesn’t have the visual beauty and claustrophobic intensity of the Israeli “Lebanon” (2009), or the supernatural mysteries of the Russian “White Tiger” (2012), but is still sufficiently implacable, unsentimental and devastating. Fantastic cast also includes Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, Logan Lerman, and Jon Bernthal.

20,000 Days on Earth (2014)

Directed by: Iain Forsyth / Jane Pollard
Country: UK

Movie Review: British artists and documentary filmmakers, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, bring us an interesting look on Australian musician, songwriter and author, Nick Cave, who celebrates on the screen his 20,000th day on earth by sharing some of his personal life and the creative process that followed him along the years. Cave, as an open book, seemed to have made everything easy for the filmmakers, since he talks without reservation or concerns about his relation with his wife Suzie, his twin sons, his beloved hometown – Brighton, early memories of his first sexual experience, his childhood and particularly his father, his past on drugs and brief interest for religion, and his past days in Berlin and how he was influenced by the weather in England. This is what concerns his private life, but then comes the explanations about how a big transformation occurs while performing live, the interaction and commitment in studio, telling us amazing happenings in weird concerts and how his first band, The Birthday Party, attracted all the type of psychopaths and weirdoes. His writings are also referred, his fertile imagination that creates worlds of violence, monstrous creatures and odd characters. Conversations with his friend and band mate Warren Ellis, as well as with Kylie Minogue, among others, can be followed. At the sound of intense songs (most of them performed live) loaded with nostalgia and feverous, creepy stories, “20,000 Days on Earth” is certainly a treat for Nick Cave’s fans but can also be a mild experience for the others. Never exploitative, this work was done with smartness and accuracy.

Jimi: All Is by My Side (2014)

Directed by: John Ridley
Country: UK / Ireland / USA

Movie Review: André Benjamin’s magnificent performance doesn’t hide the weaknesses of “Jimi: All Is by My Side”, a British-Irish biopic that I expected much more about the legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. The film was burdened in controversy since the beginning, since it couldn’t count with any Hendrix song, denied by the company that owns the rights, Hendrix Experience LLC. Director John Ridley (sceenwriter of “12 Years a Slave”) did what he could, deciding to tell Hendrix’s story before he attained fame, between 66 and 67, in the period after he left New York to go to London. In this city we can see Hendrix devastating Eric Clapton on stage under the astonished look of his manager, being victim of racism by the British police, but also using of physical violence to keep his girlfriend Kathy Etchingham in order. Kathy publicly denied Jimi’s violent actions depicted here, sinking the film in more polemics. The structure is floating, and the introduced characters are so many that sometimes is hard to focus. In truth, we sense that some scenes are fabricated, as a pretext to fill the gaps of a period that failed to show the real explosion of the guitar master. Charming images pictured the cool waves emanated by Jimi Hendrix, but “All By my Side” never sets us on fire, probably because our hero, victim of sabotage, was inaccurately portrayed and relegated to a phase of his life, which doesn’t represent the best he gave us.

Lilting (2014)

Directed by: Hong Khaou
Country: UK

Movie Review: “Lilting”, the debut feature film from Cambodian-born filmmaker Hong Khaou, is a British drama with Asian connotations, following Junn (Pei-pei Cheng), a Cambodian-Chinese mother who doesn’t cope with the fact of having been placed in a shelter home for elders by her gay son, Kai (Andrew Leung), recently deceased in a car crash. Junn fantasizes with her son’s presence when she’s not with her new friend, Alan (Peter Bowles), another shelter dweller who nourishes strong feelings for her. The problem of communication between the two is going to be eased when Richard (Ben Whishaw), Kai’s former boyfriend, hires a meddler non-professional translator, Vann (Naomi Christie), in order to allow them to express their feelings. However, what we thought it would be helpful to get them even closer, drifts them apart, showing that sometimes the communication and verbalization of ideas can be a deterrent. “Lilting” was impeccably shot, denoting a simplistic way of processes that make the film flow without a fuss, but its pace didn’t always seemed self-assured, trying a timid humor and a warm interaction among the characters that were sparsely succeeded. Khaou’s effort in trying to extract the best of each image was a relevant factor to praise, whereas the story is presented in a sensitive manner, with a sort of languidness that sometimes was felt dragged and other times too mellow. Amongst all its irrelevant flashbacks, the low-key “Lilting” never freed itself from what was established since the beginning: a web of relationships lost in translation.

God Help the Girl (2014)

Directed by: Stuart Murdoch
Country: UK

Movie Review: The lead singer of the Scottish indie pop band ‘Belle & Sebastian’, Stuart Murdoch, makes his directorial debut with “God Help the Girl”, a musical drama written by himself, starring Emily Browning, Olly Alexander and Hannah Murray. Murdoch already had contributed for the soundtrack of several movies including “(500) Days of Summer” and “Juno”. The story turns around Eve (Browning), an anorectic teenager with aptitude for songwriting, who escapes the hospital facility where she was being treated to go to a concert in Glasgow. She easily becomes friends with guitarist/songwriter James (Alexander) who in turn, introduces her to Cassie (Murray), his music student. The three become good friends and the possibility of forming a pop band starts to take shape. Meanwhile, Eve starts a relationship with Anton (Pierre Boulanger), the selfish singer of a successful rock band, making James jealous. Lumbering and focusing on irrelevant details, “God Help the Girl” was quite monotonous along the way, never hauling articulated emotions from its characters to gain our sympathy. I just couldn’t be entertained with a story whose depicted problems never seemed to be real problems in my eyes. Even the sweet songs became pretty boring after a short time. Flaccid and far from innovative, Mudoch’s drama aimed a feel-good posture that annoys more than it is cool. Its ambition felt short, and God, help Murdoch in his next move because this one wasn’t so considerable.

The Two Faces of January (2014)

Directed by: Hossein Amini
Country: UK / others

Movie Review: “The Two Faces of January” is the debut feature-film from Iranian-English Hossein Amini, most known as a screenwriter, with works such as “Drive”, “Snow White and the Huntsman”, and “The Wings of the Dove”. This thriller was adapted from Particia Highsmith’s 1962 novel of the same name. Viggo Mortensen stars as Chester MacFarland, a con artist who ends up involving himself in an accidental murder of an intimidatory man when he was on vacations in Athens in the company of his wife, Collette (Kirsten Dunst). A tour guide and scammer named Rydal (Oscar Isaac), who followed Chester due to his semblances with his father, will help him to get rid of the body and get new passports through the black market. On the run, the trio tries to escape the Greek authorities, but the relationship between the two men deteriorates along the time, mainly for two reasons: different opinions on how to handle the situation, and jealousy since Rydal and Collette dangerously admit to nurture a special admiration for each other. I was supposed to be seduced by the way this thriller was conceived, but the truth is that the film never bestowed what it promised, not even in its final part where we have a bit more agitation and suspense. It didn’t take me beyond my expectations, and there’s absolutely nothing here we haven’t seen before. In its pretty familiar tones, we can feel a sense of tragic that was never enough to hold my attention. Solid in the technical aspects, the half-hearted “The Two Faces of January” lacked power in depicting the fatal crossed paths of these two men.

Soulmate (2013)

Directed by: Axelle Carolyn
Country: UK

Movie Review: Belgian actress-turned-director Axelle Carolyn brings us a mystery tale, involving humans and ghosts, which effectively catches the eye but heavily disappoints as a story. Audrey tries to cope with the death of her husband and finds a secluded cottage in rural Wales to recover from a suicide attempt. At night, she starts to hear unusual noises and witnessing unexplainable occurrences that lead her to conclude that there is a presence in the cottage. She resorts to the only people she know in the nearest village, Theresa and her husband, who evasively try to convinced her that there are no ghosts and the problem could be just in her head. Actually, the ghost of the former owner of the cottage, Douglas Talbot, starts to appear in a human form and talk to her. A beautiful friendship begins when they find several pains in common, but the melodramatic tones and boring conversation never awoke me from its melancholy, and not even the pale face of the ghost was sufficient to stir the insipid developments. What caught my attention were the beautiful shadowy images and autumnal atmosphere outdoors, sometimes well combined with the score of violins and cellos. A nearly perfect atmosphere that became worthless, given the dull story and failed attempts to create humor, thrills, seduction or anything else. Anna Walton’s performance was far from authentic, but nothing compared to the lousy presence of the unconvincing ghost. “Soulmate” lacked intensity, and was nothing more than a naive exercise on horror/thriller that doesn’t take us to any part of this world or the other.

Belle (2013)

Directed by: Amma Asante
Country: UK

Movie Review: “Belle”, written by Misan Sagay, is the sophomore feature film from the Londoner Amma Asante, former TV series’ actress. The story is set in 18th Century England, a colonial empire and slave trading capital, where the illegitimate mixed-race young girl, Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), born in the West Indies, is entrusted by her father, Admiral John Lindsay (Matthew Goode), to his aristocratic uncle, Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson). In times of great prejudice against black people and mulattos, Dido will be raised properly but her lineage falls in a social condition that prevents her to have all the privileges as any white woman. She’s too high to be with the servants but too low be with certain members of the family. These restrictions get her disgusted and concerned about love and marriage, despite the big inheritance left by her beloved father. Dido will find the love of her life, John Davinier (Sam Reid), a vicar’s son whose conviction is to fight for equality, but eventually ends up engaged with Oliver Ashford, brother of her cousin Elizabeth’s fiancé, the vile James. In parallel, we follow a polemic slavery case, which is in the hands of Mansfield, the Lord Chief Justice. Dramatically compelling, “Belle” turned out to be a gentle period drama that triggers some indignation, most of the times inherent in several situations and scarcely bursting out. Its cadenced pace flows smoothly with graciousness, enhanced by the splendorous settings and elegant costumes. The only mishap has to do with Mr. Davinier who looked and sounded too dramatic in his interventions.

Starred Up (2013)

Directed by: David Mackenzie
Country: UK

Movie Review: “Starred Up” depicts a violent action-drama focused on a father-son relationship, with the particularity of being depicted inside a prison. When the super-violent Eric Love (Jack O’Conell) of 19 years old is transferred from a young offended institution to an adult prison, he bumps into his long-lost father, Neville (Ben Mendelsohn), a respected veteran convict who, despite estranged, tries to protect his son from the other inmates. The problem is aggravated when the hostilities come from the responsible for the security of the facility. After an accident, the untamed Eric will be given one last chance, having to behave correctly and attend a group therapy lead by the psychotherapist Oliver Baumer (Rupert Friend) in order to learn how to control his raging anger. After being informed that Eric is marked by trauma and abuse, his father will try to join him in the sessions. Jack O’Connell’s performance was tightly convincing, in an explosive mix of madness and fury, and one of his best so far, making “Starred Up”, directed by the English filmmaker David Mackenzie (“Young Adam”, “Perfect Sense”), more than just an ordinary prison drama. The story never loses grip, and in any occasion slows down. Even when the quietude reigns, we have the perfect sensation that someone is up to something, and most of the times we think it might be the unpredictable Eric himself. The script was written by Jonathan Asser, based on his real experiences with the most fearful inmates of the HM Prison Wandsworth, located in the Southwest London.