Tag: Cara Delevingne

PAPER TOWNS (2015)

~ jbg ~ Leave a comment

Directed By: Jake Schreier
Written By: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
Based on the Book by: John Green
Cinematography By: David Lanzenberg
Editor: Jacob Craycroft & Jennifer Lame

Cast: Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Austin Abrams, Justice Smith, Halston Sage, Jaz Sinclair, Cara Buono 

*Please note that some trivia and facts have been republished from imdb among other sources In this review

Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green, PAPER TOWNS is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin and his enigmatic neighbor Margo, who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears – leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship – and true love.

This reminds me of a John Hughes movie at least the closest modern equivalent. The next generations model. That doesn’t speak in stereotypes and generalities. It also doesn’t feel disposable and plastic. Made purely for entertainment value. Rather than a film that will stick with you.

This film feels like the kind more can identify with for the good and the bad things that the characters do.

How there is a natural mystery to life and in life, but also how we look for things or put various things together that might not even go together or are just various mistakes that happen to fit together and can create their own narrative.

A movie of the generation after mine that feels familiar while having it’s own quirks and points of view. While also playing by it’s own rules.

It stays inventive and charming yet cute. 

What I lie a it the film is that I like about John Hughes films that they are smart, reserved and fun. They educate while telling a entertaining story. It tackles serious subjects lite but responsibly.

Luckily it never passes itself off as deeper than it can handle as it isn’t.

Cara Delevingne’s character is largely absent as she is at the center of the mystery and while her character is mystical there is also a sense of irresponsibility and pretentiousness about her that makes her come off as more manic pixie dream girl. As she has little qualities a young man might wish for in a girl who acts too cool for school. Yet also always seems to try things out to discover. As she has yet to define herself it wants to. Which you can see coming. So when that comes into play you are not that surprised and understand why it must be done. Though seems rather dramatic.

Cara Delevingne wasn’t the only person considered for the role of Margo. Shailene Woodley was originally cast, but had to drop out due to clash of filming schedules with Insurgent. John Green said he would have chosen Emma Blackery, a fellow YouTuber, for the role, but he admitted the casting wasn’t up to him.

I like that the ending shows that it necessarily isn’t meant to be more about learning and bonding with those who care and truly love you.

So that the journey was more important than the goal and have a true adventure. For those who can’t see the obvious. As it is the same lesson told to a new generation in their own language.

Though the film doesn’t hold into account her characters selfishness. Though it does shed light on something women have to go through. Instead of being looked at for themselves, personality and talents. Instead they represent what others choose to put on their shoulders jewel, fantasy, sex object, miracle, and that hey are nothing more the. A guns being a person who has flaws and doesn’t have everything figured out. Falling in love with their without really knowing them.

A teen, free spirit who while admitting guilt at least apologizes and proved to be a convenient to freedom at least from a mind state or sense of being. Also away from your parents.

While I am not necessarily a big fan of John Green’s books. Of which I have only read one and really enjoyed it. As i find his writing somewhat truthful, well researched, quirky and touching as he doesn’t paint his characters as saints and actually has sexuality and language. That most books of that type seem to avoid to be more universal and safe.

In the book, Angela does not (and is never asked to) go on the road trip. Does not have the same ending as book

If you like coming if she movies or teen films. This will be a nice film to check out. Time nothing special but it is a good time.

Grade: C+

HER SMELL (2019)

~ jbg ~ Leave a comment

hersmell2019_feature

Written & Directed By: Alex Ross Perry
Cinematography: Sean Prince Williams
Editor: Robert Greene 


Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Dan Stevens, Cara Delevigne, Ashley Benson, Agyness Deyn, Gayle Rankin, Virginia Madsen, Dylan Gelula, Hannah Gross, Eric Stoltz, Amber Heard, Keith Poulson, Kentucker Audley, Alexis Krauss 

A self-destructive punk rocker struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success.

Now with a film such as this one the title will either turn away potential audience members who might end up really digging this movie or attract others intrigued by what the title could mean.

This film takes place over 5 important days in a band’s life and career all after they have made the big time. As an all female independent band. Basically we watch them in the middle, them in the studio which is also their break up. Her meltdown before a concert. Her trying to get better and a kind of reunion of the band.

As we go through each of these days there are little hone video snippets of the good times when they are just beginning. Each day except really Recovery are all claustrophobic as they are usually in the studio it backstage all on top of each other with plenty of close up’s so that even when the camera roams it is on someone or is following someone. So that we are always with a character and can never escape or really back up.

Elisabeth Moss gives another stunning performance in this movie as an addicted rock star acting out all her emotions it seems all at once. She shows all sides of the character and is fearless. As she is not afraid to look and or show the monstrous side of this character. While her performance is overshadowing and great. The rest of the cast is strong and memorable also.

What is so powerful about the film is that this is a story we have heard about with various bands but here we are given unlimited access to all of the emotions and breakdowns as well as some music. It’s a film where the story could have taken over but instead the characters carry the film and all feel true to life. Which is usually one of the strengths of writer/Director Alex Ross Perry’s films. That whole they might be easy to breakdown in a story sense that comes across more as generalization. They are usually powered by the characters and the decisions made by them and often don’t end up with necessary happy endings or even with everything resolved. Though they manage to always be felt and leave some kind of impression on you.

The Recovery scene is certainly a change of pace where it slows down the intensity of the movie and grazes for a bit while still being true to itself and staying strong in it’s rhythm. Though being light in it’s process. It is revelatory and keeps her performance from being too one note. Or just repeating the same ones.

The film is hard to summarize completely though it is an experience that is braining but feels worth it by the end. As nothing is tied up in a neat bow but also doesn’t give off false promises that some films of this nature can offer up. Though by the end you feel like you are at the completion of a journey.

The music in the film fits the times and the types of bands that are featured. So it feels authentic but also nostalgic

Also feels like a film that could only have been made after those times. As it offers a window but also a bit of nostalgia. As people of a certain age can imagine any of the bands they remember who might have suffered the same fate due to an unstable center and/or lead singer who is a legend to the audience but a wreck to all of those around them. As they believe all the hype about themselves and are dealing with issues never really revealed.

The film feels like classic filmmaking that seems renegade but gives it’s all to an experimental style that is technical from but also feels challenging in trying to get the most out of the form and actors. Where it feels like Elisabeth Moss’s character is going through her own REPULSION performance only instead of being alienated and alone. She is surrounded by others and we get to know each of the characters point of view and their dealings with her, but no matter how off the wall she acts. She never becomes a caricature and we slowly get to know her and her circumstances.

This movie is so raw in It’s emotions.

It’s really different and an accomplishment from Alex Ross Perry whose films have been hyperverbal and full of unsavory characters and dispicible injured leads but here there is a sense of loss, pain and hurt and feels dramatic and has a certain depth we might not have seen him use before or explored previously

This is not a film that can easily be tied into a bow but it is definitely effective and something original. Though some might have a tough time sitting through. Think of The Julianne Moore Character from MAGNOLIA and build a film around her as the lead and those who have to deal with her from a sense of dependence, duty and love.

Grade: B

VALERIAN & THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS (2017)

~ jbg ~ Leave a comment

valerian

Written & Directed By: Luc Besson
Based on the Comic Book Series “Valerian and Laureline” By: Pierre Christin & Jean-Claude Mezieres
Cinematography By: Thierry Arbogast
Editor: Julien Rey 


Cast: Dale DeHann, Cara Delevingne, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Alain Chabat, Rugter Hauer, Louis Letterier, Benoit Jacquot, Olivier Megaton 


In the Century XXVIII, the space station Alpha is a city where beings from different planets live together exchanging their knowledge and culture. Peace is granted by a human force, including Major Valerian and his partner Sergeant Laureline. They are assigned by the Defence Minister to retrieve the last species of converter in a dangerous mission. They succeed and back to Alpha, unknown humanoids abduct Commander Arun Filitt expecting to steal the converter. They head to a forbidden area that is infected but Valerian and Laureline follow them and disclose a hidden secret about the race and the infected area.

The film might have played better as an animated film. Which would have saved on the budget. Though As the Live action element is what brings the audience in. It also exposes the weaker and more ridiculous elements of the film.

The one thing I can say positively about this film is that it is very beautiful and very colorful.

The film seems more hellbent on truly creating and immersing you in it’s world. Then adding a plot line they relied heavily on a conspiracy. As it will leave the audience confused with action sequences that are exciting, but we wonder not only what it the point as it serves as a distraction or sidebar to the main story. Which only comes into focus later in the film. As at times you forget what is the main point of the film.

The film is filled with side characters galore. Who are great in small doses and would work as recurring characters. You want to see come into the film if it became a franchise.

The film reaches for epic heights as it desires to explore a galaxy and feels way too long. As often the film ends up being confusing for the audience and it seems to be confused itself.

Rihanna’s scenes are one of the only time the movie becomes lively and truly alive. Even with the thinness of the writing for her character and making it obvious it was written for a star to play.

The two leads are miscast and have absolutely no chemistry or believability in their roles. Dale Dehann is usually a good actor but a heroic action lead does nothing for him. He never comes off as dangerous or authoritative.

Cara Delevingne has the look but for such an unorthodox character. She lacks any charisma or signs of life for her character. So she comes off as stiff and non-exciting. Though most of the cast plays it as seriously as they can but at least with flair.

Even the humor throughout the film comes off as stilted and is never as funny as it thinks it is.

You can see the budget of $200 million independently financed dollars on the screen. As the film is definitely audacious. Yet it feels rather formless and is after an experience more than just a plotted film narrative adventure.

It does feel more like a comic book type movie as the adventures seem to come and pile up on Top of one another. Which is what leads to the confusion.

The opening scene works as a prologue with great silent filmmaking that ties the majority of the rest of the film together, but could have been a great short film itself and shows what the film could have been.

Director Luc Besson is a success and has made enough movies through producing and either screenwriting it story by credits. Though as a director his career started off well and seen as a major force of French filmmaking behind the camera. His later more modern projects have proved to be more disappointing and rather commercially bland (THE FAMILY) This project like his previous science fiction film THE FIFTH ELEMENT Seemed to have both sides working together when it came to artistic and commercial filmmaking.

While this is a beautiful film to behold. It feels like an amusement park ride. Exciting while here as it fills you with joy and opens plenty of distractions. Once it’s over you leave with an empty feeling and a sensitivity to lights as the move is really about nothing and seem to have no point or heart. Even though it’s supposed to be about humanity.

I realize this is a popcorn movie, but you leave with barely anything to hold on to. Barely even the filmmaking. Only the special effects.

This is what I mean when I refer to this film as a digital movie. It seems more made on a computer rather than physically. As this movie is a prime example of DIGITAL MOVIES.

These are films that are supposed to be live action but seen more animated. Truly dependent on special effects more than anything not necessarily movies like THOR: RANGAROK but more films like WARCRAFT that are based on videotapes which these digital films more remind you of as everything is more photorealistic then real. Except for some live action filmed.

As sometimes depending on the source material that is the only way it seems to be able to make them

Not necessarily films like POLAR EXPRESS which despite using motion capture technology is still considered an animated film overall more like something and where at least I began to notice it heavily a movie like VAN HELSING.

Now with studios having more of a desire to make live action renditions of traditionally animated tales. It seems unavoidable as technology has caught up but the reasons these tapes were animated to begin with seems to be that they were so hard or expensive to make love action on the first place.

Now of course more and more films use CGI for or instead of special effects but these specific films are just filled with so much digital in that you can barely tell what is physical and real.

I decided to address this phenomena or type of film as it is not totally a genre. After watching this film and having recently seeing the trailer for Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the book READY PLAYER ONE. Which has so many pop culture references that it seems needed for a film of that magnitude where you get to rewrite and reenact so many classic moments.

These films are pure imagination as they are on another level of things we can never love or envision. Which was also thought of movies and film at certain points. I don’t know if it’s good or not better for the future but I believe it to be a new medium and reality to a certain degree we will have to get used to. Less human and more artificial and stylish.

Films such as AVATAR and VAN HELSING, This film comes off as an less balanced AVATAR

I will give the film points for what it tried to achieve, but needed more balance and a more steady tone.

The movie feels like a WATERWORLD esque fiasco without the star power or ego to blame it on. It is similar seemingly singular grand epic vision that no one in particular asked for or even requested or thought needed.

Though have to give it up for trying something so big and somewhat experimental.

Grade D+