On the Wong Kar Wei Express.

Wong Kar Wai's characters are in love. Their world is sweeter than ours. Colors are more vibrant, music more meaningful, and time often speeds up or slows down for emphatic emphasis. It's a sumptuous dreamlike reality. And juxtaposed against this reality is the inescapable fact that there is a problem. For Wong Kar Wai, love is the most universal element of the human experience. But not the sunshine, lollipops and rainbows Hollywood happy ending kind of love. Heck, almost no one experiences that. The part we all know is the sadness. "Love is all a matter of timing," says Tony Leung's character in 2046. It's a telling quote in that it suggests the presence of factors well beyond our control that conspire to control our lives. Love isn't as easy as two attractive characters shrugging of the contrived dramas that separate them as in so many industry films. Sometimes if something as simple as the timing is wrong, then the love hasn't a chance. Wong seems to have an endless fascination with all of the potential factors that can sabotage a person's chances at love, complex as they may be. Consider the neighbors of In the Mood For Love. They connect over the realization that their spouses are carrying on an affair. This connection evolves into deep longing but to submit to it would be to behave no better than their spouses. There can be no happy ending here. A confluence of circumstances including social norms (its the 1960's... in China), personal ethics, and bad timing all compound to keep these characters apart. The lush world they live in isn't a dream. It's a sad prison. But there are more potential saboteurs out there. The one you love may simply not love you back as is evident again and again in 2046. Or the one you love may complicate your life to an unhealthy extreme as in Happy Together.

Let's talk about that beautiful prison (since we're sentenced to live there). The melancholy of love isn't that unusual a topic in cinema history. What sets Wong's films apart is his ability to evoke mood and setting. In large part this is thanks to the contributions of artists like director of photography Christopher Doyle or composer Shigeru Umebayashi (to name just two of many who've worked with the director) who help Wong create some of the most sensuous films being made today. But the aesthetic beauty of Wong Kar Wai movies isn't just superficial. Wong is a visual storyteller. A scene in 2046 finds our protagonist having dinner with a woman he loves, who does not love him in return. Wong shoots the scene through a bent glass window, swaying the camera from person to person, watching their images draw closer and then break apart in the twisted glass; all an illusion. Similarly, shots of the waterfalls that the two lovers in Happy Together hope to eventually visit keep popping up throughout the movie. They are a wonder of nature, both beautiful and violent.

More playing with images

The outliers here are action movies like Ashes of Time that, while not immersed in the wretchedness of love, prove that Wong's style is not bound by any one genre. We'll have yet to see if Wong's next film, The Grand Master (about Bruce Lee's mentor) revisits the action-based reality of Ashes of Time or treads new ground for the director. A remake of The Lady from Shanghai is also slated to be released by Wong Kar Wai in 2010 (though it's still in pre-production) and should give the director an opportunity to marry the romantic and the thrilling into a successful whole. It will be his second English-language feature (his first, My Blueberry Nights is fine if you enjoy looking at beautiful images of Rachael Weisz, Natalie Portman, Norah Jones and pie, but otherwise not noteworthy), and my hope is that (along with The Grand Master) it will rise him back up to the top of the cinematic world where he belongs.

Film Podcasts to make the perfect procrastination.

If like me you are a bus wanker/ train wanker/ general long boring journeys wanker, and you want to pass that time with a dam good film podcast then honey, I have the list for you; these are my top 5 film podcasts:

1. Soundtracking with Edith Bowman - audioBoom

This podcast has become one of my highlights of the week, each week she has a director/ composer/ producer onto the show and they discuss their varying musical influences and behind the scenes stories on how they created the unique soundtracks of some of the most iconic films of the past few years. The episodes cover the infamous soundtrack of Trainspotting with director Danny Boyle, to discovering how Nicolas Winding Refn created the electric soundtrack of Drive. I can't recommend this podcast highly enough, it's informative and gives you such a unique view on the thought process behind the production of these films.

Highlights:Danny Boyle Ep 26, Damien Chazelle Ep 24, Gareth Edwards Ep 20, David Yates Ep17, Nicolas Winding Refn Ep 13, Andrea Arnold Ep 11, Thea Sharrock Ep 9, Ben Wheatley Ep 1.

Soundtracking with Edith Bowman listen link.

Availability : Spotify, audioBoom and Apple iTunes.

2. The Film Programme - BBC Radio 4

I will forever love The Film programme on BBC 4, as they are the ones who taught me the story behind how Gary Rydstrom created those Tyrannosaurus Rex noises on the original Jurassic Park, which is that he trawled through every animal noise on the planet and wasn't happy, so instead he used a recording of his tiny Jack Russel chewing a chew toy and slowed it down, and that's the the terrifying T-Rex noise you hear today! They have various features that investigate and explore different production features in films from over the years, they also have interviews with various directors, actors and producers. I always think that the presenter Francine Stock not only has one of the most soothing voices you will hear, but gives such a different interview to your usual Youtube search interview, she really delves deep into asking about the creation process and influences. Its a really great podcast that doesn't only look into modern day film but how film has evolved since its conception.

The Film Programme listen link

Availability; BBC Radio Player and Apple iTunes.

3. Kermode and Mayo's Film Review - BBC Radio 5 live

Welcome to the world of Wittertainment! I stumbled across this podcast about three years ago and have since have thorougly enjoyed these two men bicker consistently about films (Imagine two dads having a friendly rant at each other, always entertaining). They also make you feel like you are in an exclusive film review club, they take in reviews from the public and the infamous Mark Kermode gives reviews each week . Its funny and entertaining to listen too and contains interviews from many a famous film star.

Kermode and Mayo Film Review listen link.

Availability; BBC Radio Player and Apple iTunes.

4. The No Film School Podcast - No Film School

As my speciality lies on the more technical aspects of film this podcast really pushes all my buttons, it was created by the founder of No Film School- Ryan Koo and differs each week in its subject. Similar in idea to the website nofilmschool.com, which aims to educate people in how to create a film without having the expense of going to film school. Because of this they go over different cameras available on lower budgets that can still achieve a cinematic look, how to get funding, how to enter film festivals and so on. This podcast is a really great informative podcast, that can teach you the basics on how to make a film on a lower budget and has great advice and interviews from people within the industry. Each week they also announce upcoming funding deadlines, festival entries and film competitions which is really great for film makers just starting out.

The No Film School Podcast listen link.

Availability: No Film School Website and Apple iTunes.

5. The Business of Film with Mark Kermode - BBC Radio 4 

This podcast is only a short podcast, only three episodes long but its packed with information. Created by film reviewer Mark Kermode it goes over the business in how a film is created, funded and how filmmakers can then sustainably make money to go on and create more films. It brings up a really interesting argument on if films should be publicly or privately funded? And how much of an influence do reviews and awards really have on a films financial success? It also looks how certain films have become a success on lower budgets than huge Hollywood blockbusters that have flopped and the reason for this. I loved this podcast, even though it was short I found it fascinating and it made me think more about how through all the creativity behind a film, at the end of the day a film still needs to make money to pay its way, and what the financial future of film with On demand and downloading now available holds.

The Business of Film listen link.

Availability; BBC Radio Player and Apple iTunes.

Anna Winstone

What my eyes have been watching - January 2017

This year I wanted to record exactly what I've been watching for the entire year, as I've found I get so lost in binge watching at times that I forget to look back on what I have watched and liked. So I plan to record the entire year of Film and TV shows that I have watched, this is my January watchlist and I'll include my faourite TV Show and film with a mini review at the end, (dates that are missing where days that I was either away or I went into the outside world and did something productive with my life). 

Things I’ve watched in 2017:

01/01 – Insecure, Search Party

02/01 – Atlanta

03/01 – Masters of Sex

04/01 – The Big Lebowski

05/01 – Read - Hero with a Thousand Faces

06/01 – The OA

07/01 – The OA

08/01 – The Crown

09/01 – The Crown

10/01 - The Crown

11/01 – Sherlock

12/01 – Hidden Figures

13/01 – Chungking Express

14/01 – Series of Unfortunate Events (TV Show)

15/01 – 2046, Sherlock

16/01 -  Away

17/01 - Away

18/01 – A Monster Calls, Maid In Manhatten

19/01 – Moonlight

20/10 – The Night Of

21/01 – The Night Of

22/01 – Taboo

23/01 – Jackie

24/01 – American Honey

25/01 – Chi Raq

26/01 – Trainspotting

27/01 – Manchester by the Sea

28/01 – Away

29/01 – Julieta, La La Land

30/01 – Lion

31/01 – Paterson

TV

Atlanta - The writing in this series meant I wanted to give Donald Glover a massive high five after watching this. It follows Earn (Glover) who’s essentially a homeless, broke father balancing his life with his girlfriend Van (Zazie Beetz) while hustling to manage his cousin Alfred aka Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry), an up-and-coming rapper. I loved how he wrote the female and male characters in this with innovative storylines and character traits. Also the cinematography by DP Christian Sprenger is just beautiful he really embraces the Atlanta landscape and kudos to director Hiro Murai. Also if you want to start off your year with a quality soundtrack then the music in this show is the best place to begin.

Film

Moonlight - As you can see my month has had a slight Wong Kar Wei theme to it so when I discovered that Barry Jenkins, the director of Moonlight also had this obsession and had used Wong Kar Wei's films as inspiration for the look of Moonlight, I felt like there was a certain destiny in me having nothing but pure love vomiting from my heart for this film. Hence this being my number one film of this month, not only did the story; based on the play ‘Black Boys look Blue’ Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney, which was so original and beautiful in its writing completely wrap me up in the film, but the cinematography by James Laxton was just a thing of pure beauty.

Top Reccomendations

Film

Julieta

American Honey

Moonlight

Paterson

Chungking Express

TV

The OA

Atlanta

The Crown

The Night Of

Anna Winstone

La La Land making me La La.

I’m not going to pretend that I wasn’t destined to adore this film regardless of its execution and reception. From the minute I saw the first trailer for La La Land, I knew I was going to be completely besotted. Any long time reader of this site will know that, for want of a better phrase, I am a bastard for a musical, from the classics like West Side Story and The Sound Of Music to the guilty pleasures like Grease 2 and High School Musical. The one thing I prayed as I entered the theatre was that, after the whirlwind of praise and awards that the picture has already received, I didn’t create expectations in my mind so high that they could never realistically be reached.

In short, I should never have worried. Quite simply, La La Land has made me fall in love with movies all over again. Set in Los Angeles, the film tells the year long story of a blossoming romance between Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress and Seb (Ryan Gosling), a talented but struggling jazz pianist, whose paths cross amidst the world of Hollywood movie making and downtown music clubs. In terms of a bittersweet love story narrative and old fashioned tap dancing choreography, La La Land offers nothing particularly new or groundbreaking, but when something is done so brilliantly, executed so perfectly, it can feel like the most refreshing and innovative thing in the entire world, and this is exactly the kind of feeling that the film evokes. From the very first song in the opening set piece, I knew I was in for something special, and over the course of two hours the picture takes you on a beautiful, whimsical, at times heartbreaking journey that provides exactly the kind of cinematic escapism that we are in desperate need of at this time. Mia, a clearly talented actress who can’t catch a break, invites the audience to indulge in their love of musical theatre with clear, crisp musical numbers, whilst Seb, a man dedicated to saving the lost art of traditional jazz, manages to teach us about the intricacies of the complicated music whilst delivering songs that are catchy, haunting and simplistic in the very best ways. Together, the two characters weave a tale of love and loss that feels completely universal whether you are male, female, gay, straight or anything else in between.

I don’t tend to use the word spellbinding too much, but there really is no other adjective that seems apt to describe the effect that La La Land has on its viewers. Though musicals like Grease, Cabaret, Hairspray etc., arguably contain more memorable, in your face, stand out numbers, the unique beauty of the film is that although you may not necessarily want pick out a single favourite on the track list, the entire picture sprinkles fairy dust over you and pulls you in for 120 minutes of completely hypnotic cinematic joy. I found myself utterly enthralled and invested in the fortunes of Mia and Seb, my heart simultaneously aching and bursting at the beauty of the story telling, the beauty of the music and the power of anticipation that the film makers created for the conclusion of the narrative.

In terms of casting, the filmmakers could not have got it more spot on. In Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land boasts two leads who are arguably at the very top of their game, both serious triple threats with enough charisma to charm even the most cynical of viewers. As Mia, Stone typifies the spirit of a struggling actress and part time barista, filled with that eternal hope of a big break but also nuanced enough to break our hearts with every cold rejection. As Seb, Gosling gives probably my favourite performance of his career, carrying himself with a delicate swagger that is irresistible to the movie camera. There is no doubt that the musical numbers could have been sung with more precision and gusto by other, more outlandish singing performers, but to have replaced these two would have been to sacrifice the heart and charm of the film. Though clearly immensely talented, the delightful rough edges of both Stone and Gosling’s performances are what make them so human and endearing to the audience, I absolutely cannot imagine any other actors in the roles.

Overall, in presenting such a pure, unashamed version of the original musical game, La La Land has succeeded in completely changing it. Does that make sense? Not for a long time have I felt magic emanating from the screen, and as the minutes went by, as my heart grew bigger and my smile grew wider, I was hit with the realisation that I didn’t want it to end, ever. I defy anybody not to fall head over heals in love with this movie.

Wales in Cinema and Y Llyfrgell - The Library

When you think of British cinema, what do you think of? Is it the London gangster films of Guy Ritchie or Trainspotting or the more arthouse Under The Skin. Very few people think or associate Wales or the Welsh language with cinema I am a passionate supporter of Welsh cinema and Welsh language within cinema. Wales is really under represented in films especially within British cinema, you consistently see the same story lines being used about gangsters in London or musicians in Manchester, but when it comes to Wales there is very little out there. But this in a way is a saviour of Welsh cinema as rather than being tied in with a stereotype of a certain story with a certain location, it  means that there is space for diversity within the stories coming out of Welsh cinema. This could also be seen negatively, as part of the reason you see similar films coming from the same locations is usually because financially they are very successful and their return makes it worth it, because of the successful formula you will see the same stories being told.

But welsh cinema is really producing amazing diversity in storytelling, from one of my favourite documentaries of last year Dark Horse(2015) directed by Louise Osmond, which followed the story of a syndicate formed in a pub by a barmaid in a Welsh mining village, which bought and trained a racehorse that went on to race at Aintree, its one of my favourite films last year and made me cry so hard, not out of sadness just mainly out of the passion from everyone within the film. You also have Welsh language films such as  Hedd Wyn(1992) directed by Paul Turner, which went on to become the first Welsh language film nominated for an Academy Award, Patagonia(2010)directed by Marc Evans which follows the Welsh Argentine culture within Patagonia . Just visit the Ffilm Cymru Wales website to see more of the projects that they have helped to support and create.

The most recent film that I'm excited about is the film Y Llyfrgell (the library) its a welsh language thriller directed by Euros Lyn (Marvels Daredevil, Sherlock and Happy Valley) and written by the novelist Fflur Dafydd, its a tale of revenge that sees twin daughters setting a trap within a library to try and capture their mothers murderer, I love a good thriller so I'm very excited  to see this film and I hope it continues to set a strong path for Wales in film.

Y Llyfrgell - The library Trailer

Please watch and be as excited as me. 'Adult Life Skills' by Rachel Tunnard.

I recently saw this trailer for the film 'Adult Life Skills' and became sweaty and excited, mostly because I secretly love it when film characters have the same name as me (except for Anna in Frozen that's a big no) and also because my own mother is trying to force me to live in the shed at the bottom of the garden. But this film explores the art of a quarter life crisis and that's a subject that I will always support so please watch it and be as excited as me about it.

Also the director Rachel Tunnard has a really cool blog and i think we could be best friends in my imaginary best friend world so please check it out.

Rachel Tunnard Blog

Comedy on film. How do?

Comedy. How do? Comedy and film are a relationship older than the now mouldy tea I left on my bedside table last week.Truly very old and loyal, but not quite so rotten relationship. Its a sweet combination that is very difficult to transfer from what has been written in script to what is on the screen. Many techniques have been used such as slapstick to animation to try and bleed those desperately needed laughs out of their audience. However one technique that is used but consistently overlooked is the art of editing. I am guilty of overlooking editing which is actually the biggest compliment you could give editing in a film or TV show. Editing is a subtle art of placing the shots in order, even switching shots from face to face when characters are talking are a decision that an editor has taken to help, you the audience to concentrate on that particular character talking at that certain time, its such a simple trick, but you don't even think about it until you think about it. They help you to concentrate into different aspects of the story to allow the film flow and the story be seen, the more it fits into and blends with the emotions and story line of the film, the more I want to slap a massive snog on the lips of said editor. 'Step into the ring the all time master of such art Eddddggaaarrr Wwwrrrrriigghhttt (Edgar Wright)' Edgar Wright is one of my all time favourite directors I love how unique his films are and how much thought and care you ca see has gone into each shot, for a bigger explanation please watch the video essay by Every Frame A Painting to further admire such work.