More sequels and re-imaginings
Movies seen winter 2009.
Originally written: August 2009
State of Play
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I Am Legend
Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium
My mouth to God's ear. No sooner do I mention that animations have been neglected in major awards than Family Guy gets nominated for the best comedy Emmy. It's the first animation to be so nominated. With the expansion of the Best Production Oscar to ten movies, Pixar's latest masterpiece, Up, is more than likely to be on the list, so breaking that drought for animations as well. We've rarely been to the cinema in recent times, because of Cath's illness, but we did make a couple of excursions during the barren movie months of summer when bug-fuck blockbusters dominate the scene. We avoided them all.
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Back in April 2004, I talked about a British mini-series, State of Play, about journalism and politics. That State of Play was written by the reliable Paul Abbott and directed by David Yates, who's gone on to direct Girl in a Cafe and the two most recent Harry Potter movies. Now the Yanks have adapted State of Play into a movie, directed by Kevin MacDonald and told in two hours rather than three 100-minute episodes. Most americanised British shows are not worth much, but this one works - mostly. Admittedly they have had to abbreviate it to fit the shorter time, meaning that some of the complexities of the original, especially in the reporter's relationship with the politician and his wife, have been simplified. And they have changed some of the wider implications by altering the corporation in the background from an oil company to a quasi-Halliburton. However, the essential plot elements remain: two seemingly unconnected deaths, one of a researcher who has been working for (and schtupping) Stephen Collins, a young congressman who heads a committee investigating a mega-corporation, intrigue Cal McCaffrey, an old-time journo, and an old mate of Collins. In the series, Cal was aided by Della (a younger journo who still has some ideals); in the movie Della is transformed into a blogger on Cal's paper, with even fewer ideals, and morals, than Cal. Their editor, Cameron, has undergone a sex change in the translation, and is now played by Helen Mirren. She is still however in conflict with the newish owners of her paper and trying to keep it a going concern. The abbreviated time frame means too that the plot complexities are not teased out with the same precision and it often seems like Cal and Della are jumping to conclusions not justified by the evidence. This is particularly the case as they investigate how the late researcher came to work for Collins. Nonetheless, the combination of Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdam as the investigative journalists, and Helen Mirren as their editor, is strong enough to carry us over some of these humps. Ben Affleck is perhaps the weakest link in the chain. It's hard to understand why his party sees any future in the young thruster, and even more mysterious is why his marriage remains somewhat intact. Robin Wright Penn has almost a cameo role as Anne Collins, a part that was much more vital in the mini-series. Similarly Jason Bateman has to do a lot in very little time with the slimy Domenic Foy, who is the linchpin for a number of the links made by Cal and Della. What is most surprising is that the movie works at all. Not quite as satisfying as the mini-series, which remains one of a small number of truly excellent British television dramas around the turn of this century (House of Cards, A Very British Coup, The Politician's Wife and Me and Mrs Jones are some of the others), the film version of State of Play is nonetheless a pretty good example of the political thriller - and of the slowly dying investigative journalism thriller.
Mixing the right potions
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is really the first of the franchise to leave behind the crutch of the book on which it is based and develop its own feel. And it is so much better than the last couple as a result. While the movie contains most of the essential plot elements required for the transition to the saga's climax, there is a great deal of compression and some changed emphases. So much so that when Snape says his climactic, eponymous, line, as he exits stage right, those who have not read the book would have no clue as to why he has said it or what it really means. Nonetheless, the movie is about three main things - other than transition to the final two movies (for it appears they will be dividing The Deathly Hallows into two, presumably for the most ethical of economic motives) - Harry's adventures with Dumbledore, in tracking down Voldemort's history (although the memories related to the locket, the ring and the cup are not here - and may be revisited in one of the two adaptations of book seven), Malfoy's efforts to fulfil the task that Voldemort has set him (apparently without the assistance of Crabbe and Goyle in the movie) and the various 'snogging' adventures among Harry's cadre as adolescent love rears its head. The way in which the writers have altered the Harry's discovery of his love for Ginny - another change from the book - is done excellently, as is the divide between Hermione and Ron over Lavender Brown. In fact, many kudos to David Yates for this movie. He has distilled the essence of Potter, without the need to add too many of Rowling more cloying touches. Admittedly, the Potter-Dumbledore relationship is somewhat truncated and we do not see the extent to which the old headmaster sees Harry as someone of whom he is immensely proud. The Dursleys, the Potions lessons and much of the Quidditch subplot are omitted in keeping the storyline focussed on the main themes. But what is here is a rollicking good film, that moves at a fast pace, keeping us entertained and amused. A lot could be said about the acting ability (or lack of it) of the various kids who have the leading roles, and of the luvvies that fill in the background. Here Jim Broadbent, Michael Gambon and, especially, Alan Rickman make their presence felt. If The Prisoner of Azkaban remains the best of the films (it is ironic that this episode remains the only one in the entire series that does not end with the death of a major character in the denouement), this is nearly as strong an entry and puts the series in good stead for the climactic episodes. And the box office receipts demonstrate that the series is still popular enough, more especially in the market outside the USA. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is damned good.
Seen on DVD
The third attempt at filming Richard Matheson's story of the last man on Earth, I Am Legend, is the first to appear under the novel's original title. The main plot arc survives, a lone scientist trying to find the cure for some kind of infection that has turned his fellows into vampire-like creatures. Bacterial in the original, and the result of some form of biological warfare in the second movie (Omega Man), the disease is now viral, some unfortunate mutation of an attempt to find a cure for cancer (Emma Thompson gets a cameo as the scientist irresponsible). Will Smith takes the eponymous role this time, treading in the footsteps of Vincent Price and Charlton Heston, and is the best thing about the film. The vampires have morphed into super-zombies, with lightning quick reflexes and incredible strength - although they remain purely nocturnal. It is one of the ironies of modern science fantasy films that the increased sophistication of the sfx has led to a decreased credibility of the films. I am Legend is a case in point: the central plot of a man and his dog seeking to find the cure for the disease that has turned his fellows into maniacal zombies (in three short years, mind you) is well-handled, but every time the critters come out to play, credibility flies out of the film. What might have worked is to have Will Smith replace Heston in the lead role in Omega Man: then we might have a credible actor in a somewhat credible movie. By the time the last man on earth is joined by an uninfected woman and equally clean child, and the concept of a colony of survivors is floated, the willing suspension of disbelief, strained already by some of the ways in which the movie posits the scientist's survival, disappears. Which is a pity because Will Smith is very good and there is the potential for a great movie in this concept.
Zach Helm has had an interesting start to his Hollywood career. His first script, Stranger than Fiction, was directed by Marc Forster, and was one of the surprises of 2006. It was a refreshingly funny and original fantasy idea, well-realised by a strong cast. Helm's second screenplay, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, is equally bizarre in concept but not quite as successful in realisation. In this case, Helm helmed his own script, which deals with the determination of the owner of the world's greatest toy-store to pass his business along to Molly Mahoney, an insecure failed pianist who has been managing the business for some time. Mr Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) is a 240-year-old magician who has decided to move on to the next stage of his existence and Molly (Natalie Portman) is an unwilling heir. The main cast is rounded out by Jason Bateman as the accountant sent in to fix the books, and Zach Mills as Eric, the young hat collector and unofficial store assistant. The real star, however, is the store itself - a place of wonder and magic, which will appeal to the youngster in all of us. It is sad that this movie does not work quite as well as Stranger than Fiction. Perhaps Helm needs to stick to the scripting and let more talented directors bring his ideas to fruition. Nonetheless there are lots of good things in this movie - especially in the acting of Portman and Bateman, and in that magical place, the Emporium. But is could have been so much better.
[Note: Information about the movies mentioned, including cast and crew lists and all sorts of trivia, is available at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb).]