Spotlight Review- Submarine (2010)

'My name is Oliver Tate..'

Like a snail cuddled into it's shell, 15 year old introvert Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) feels at home snuggled into his beloved navy duffle coat - an object of comfort and protection from a world he feels so disillusioned and lost in. Believing himself to be widely adored and a undiscovered genius  Oliver is blindly unaware that he is actually just a pretentious pariah.  Like many British youths (yes, we aren't all gangsters living it rough on the streets of Camden) Oliver still longs to find something....anything to make him feel alive.

It is this whimsical little oddball who serves as both our unlikely hero and narrator...we follow his quest to find purpose and fulfillment  within the vast blustery realms of a sleepy seaside town. His mother and father (brilliantly acted by Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor) are also stuck in a passionless marital rut and the arrival of his mother's eccentric ex flame (Paddy Considine), who moves in next door, does much to rouse Oliver's suspicions. With his parent's marriage at stake and his non-existent social life tipping off the edge Oliver feels perpetually trapped.

Life, however, starts to look up for our awkward hero when he exchanges glances with fellow outcast Jordanna Bevan- a pyromaniac with a dry sense of humour and a taste for polaroid pictures. Together they embark on a tentative romance, with Oliver vowing to be the perfect boyfriend. As they chase each other round a deserted fairground, setting off fireworks, the audience gets the sense that this quirky couple has a bright future...just waiting to explode.

The gloriously subdued soundtrack composed and sung by Arctic Monkeys heartthrob Alex Turner adds to the warm atmospheric tone and provides the perfect backdrop for sweet drama that ensues. As Turner croons his trademark nonsesual lyrics: 'i etched the face of a stopwatch on the back of a raindrop...' Oliver's life begins to unfold. He has the girl... but now he has to try and keep her. After adopting some seriously unorthodox methods to ensure his parents stay together and that Jordanna will still like him, Oliver is set to learn some tough lessons in life and love..

Littered with unexpected pleasures, this quirky venture by Ayoade breathes fresh air into a stagnant genre, proving coming-of-age flicks need not be riddled with cliches. Originality certainly triumphs. The comedy is silky smooth, while the fresh acting talents of the young leads (Roberts and Paige) guides the narrative steadily to its brilliant conclusion. Another must for any indie cinema fans!

Spotlight Review- Vicky Cristina Barcelona

As I am currently melting into my short shorts I had a sudden rush...(an epiphany perhaps?) to write a review of a gloriously summery film to get me in the mood for holiday season! Woody Allen's 2008 perky offering, set against the beautiful backdrop of Barcelona, is so wonderfully balanced and provides such easy viewing for a hot summer afternoon. Pour out the Pimms and snuggle into a comfy sofa because our director wishes to take you on a journey.

In Woody Allen's Barcelona... the people are amourous and seductive, the food, scrumptious and tempting, while the the sights are..well, beyond glorious.  He plans to entice you in... encouraging you to become enamoured by both the characters and their surroundings.

   The narrative follows two best friends, vacationing in Barcelona, eager to have a break away from their hectic city lives. Vicky (Rebecca Hall) is engaged to the reliable Doug, and is a firm realist, whose aspirations in life are down-to-earth and traditional, while Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), is far more fanatical and spontaneous, refusing to be tied down by love and commitment. *Enter* an bohemian artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem- YES PLEASE) who attempts to sweep both girls of their feet, by offering to accompany them to the cultural city of Oviedo, where (in his words) 'they can take photographs and make love'. Eager to explore life as a free spirit, the charismatic stranger induces stirrings of curiosity within the impressionable Cristina while Vicky, is impassive to his request, sensing his interest towards them is little more than empty lust. Nevertheless, against Vicky's better judgement, the girls do eventually follow him to Oviedo; a trip that results in both of them falling for him (its Javier. Lets be honest..who wouldn't?). 

With the two ladies smitten, it's a waiting game to see which one is destined to win the spaniard's affections; a feat further intensified by the introduction of Juan Antonio's strikingly beautiful yet damaged ex-wife Maria-Elena (Penelope Cruz), whom he still feels perpetually draw to. Cruz delivers an Oscar worthy performance as this fragile yet altogether fiery and passionate woman, driven mad by her search to find the 'missing piece' in her past relationship ('We came so close to perfection you and I' she hisses).

In short, it's a film about fidelity, love and passion all wrapped up in the gorgeous exterior of it's Spanish setting. Passionate encounters are given vibrancy by the beautiful plucking of spanish guitars and orange-filtered lighting, while dramatic showdowns are skewed by the beauty of their location into being philosophical and deep. Definitely a film to add to any summer watchlist, as it marks a sensational return to form for veteran director Woody Allen. 

Has anyone else watched it? Please comment below! :)

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*looking at some of these stills made me tempted to add my own spin! {Just a humorous bit of mid-week fun!)

Alternative Film Quotes 

'B*tch please. Everyone knows I'm the baddest chicka in town'

'He redecorated. Oh God. The. Mess.'

'What can I say? I'm just totally fab-ulous darhhhling'

Spotlight Review: In Bruges

Been dying to see this! As a massive Ralph Fiennes fan, I was intrigued by the notion that the oh-so-very-prim and proper polite English gent would take the role of a foul-mouthed cockney gangster. Ralph, you 'avin a mid-life crisis, bro? 

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The tagline reads 'Shoot First, Sightsee Later'. From this little nugget we should already presume that this is not a conventional gangster film. No, screenwriter Martin McDonagh is far too clever for that. Instead he has created a wonderfully tempting potion of  
cutting wit and cobbled street cat-fights (between grown men)...all paired with a cracking plot, that holds your attention firm in it's grasp.

    Defying convention, gone is the dirty city underbelly, and greasy gangster mobs...in it's place is remarkably human tale of two hitmen forced to hide out in the beautiful historic city, of Bruges [It's in Belgium...apparently], after a job goes wrong. With nothing left to do but wait, the two go to sightsee, with Ray (played by Colin Farrell) being bored out of his brains ['Bruges is a shithole'] while the older, more mature veteran hitman Ken (Brendan Gleeson) happily takes in the culture ['Bruges is NOT a shithole']. It is not until the elusive and beautiful Chloe saunters onto the scene, that Ray finally starts to embrace the city, striking up a sweet yet edgy romance. This much-needed happiness is short lived, however when news arrives that his boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes) has come to the city to take him out, for good. 

Farrell is sheer perfection, in his best role to date, as an immature and rude young man, who at his heart is still innocent and good-natured. Throw in a midget, a belfry tower and a whole lot of f-words, here you have one of the finest modern British {independent} films ever made. It's cheeky, it's crass, it's unrestrained...but most of all it's deeply honest and touches upon the fragility of human nature.

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**Farrell's eyebrows do deserve a special mention seeing as throughout the film they work like little furry caterpillars up and down Colin's face, providing a range of amusing poses. LOVIN' HOW YOU WORK IT COLIN.

The Faces of Farrell {Lookbook}:

'I haven't the foggiest'

'This ice-cream tastes of sh*t, man'

'F**king Bruges'