Film Review: Relative Values (2000)

Director: Eric Styles
Screenwriter: Noel Coward (play), Paul Rattigan
Main Cast: Julie Andrews, Sophie Thompson, Jeanne Triplehorn, Edward Atterton, William Baldwin, Colin Firth, Stephen Fry
Runtime: 87 mins
Certificate: PG (UK)
Brief Summary: A man returns home with his bride-to-be, an actress, who turns out to be the sister of his family's maid.

(source:IMDB).

Considering how many of my favourite actors and actresses feature in Relative Values, I'm surprised I hadn't heard of it before. Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to receive it in the post and I'm very glad I added it to my LOVEFiLM list on a whim! The film is based on the 1951 Noel Coward play of the same name. I always enjoy films based on plays (counting The History Boys as one of my all-time favourites), despite the usual lack of hard-hitting drama. Luckily, I was not disappointed with this gem.

Relative Values is utterly charming, and completely British. Right from the off we are treated to dialogue filled with dry wit and just gets funnier as the film continues. However, it is the individual performances that really give this film the edge. Andrews plays the role of the matriarch perfectly, whilst Firth is by far the funniest character in his role of the cousin. Fry and Thompson put in brilliant performances also. Production-wise, it's fairly simple but I really enjoyed the opening montage.

The film could have been better if we had more of an insight into Moxie and Miranda's background or why Miranda and Don broke up. This is never fully explained. However, this is still a decent film and I recommend it to anyone who particularly enjoys British humour.



My rating: 3/5

Book Review: The Lucky Ones ~ Rachel Cusk

Title: The Lucky Ones

Author: Rachel Cusk

Year of Publication: 2003

Genre: Fiction, Short stories

Blurb: A young pregnant mother wrestles with an utterly changed life; a new father searches for a sign of the man he used to be; a daughter yearns for a lost childhood; and a mother reaches out in bewilderment to a child she can't fully understand. A rare novel that illuminates "the bustling concourses of life" without sacrificing emotional depth and complexity, The Lucky Ones confirms Rachel Cusk's place among our most incisive writers.

Opening Sentence: Michelle had to get up with her now when she had to go.

[source: Goodreads.com]

Now, I really enjoyed Arlington Park, so had high hopes for The Lucky Ones. Unfortunately Cusk's earlier novel did not elicit the same response. Despite having a different subject matter, the layout was a bit too similar to AP, yet not as enjoyable a read. Whilst Arlington Park had subtle touches of humour, The Lucky Ones was just a bit too dreary and the characters aren't particularly believable or likeable.

That isn't to say it isn't well written, because I want to make it clear that it is. Cusk has a natural talent for really grasping emotions and atmospheres through the power of words, but that didn't seem enough to keep the book flowing. The chapters were meant to interweave, with the constant of lawyer Victor Porter and his journalist wife Serena running through it, but if anything, it seemed to be just a collection of five short stories. It was very sporadic, there didn't seem to be any links between the characters, despite being led to believe that there were. And the importance of Victor and Serena just wasn't made clear enough. I guess the chapters link thematically more than anything. The disappointment and confusions in relationships, particularly parent and child.

If The Lucky Ones had been marketed as a collection of short stories, then perhaps it would have worked better. (Not that it didn't work; the author was nominated by Granta magazine as one of 20 'Best of Young British Novelists', in the same year as The Lucky Ones was released).
As a full novel however, it wasn't for me.


My rating: 2/5

Film Review: Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich

Screenwriter: John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton (story), Michael Arndt (screenplay)

Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Michael Keaton, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark

Runtime: 103 minutes

Certificate: U (UK)

Brief Summary: The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.

(source:IMDB).

It's been nearly 10 years since we last caught up with Woody, Buzz et al and the gang have grown up a lot since then, much like their beloved owner, Andy, and, most importantly, their original audience. The creators are cleverly aware of their main audience, the young adults who grew up with the first two films and can shamelessly indulge in the nostalgia of the final movie in the trilogy. Andy's journey almost parallels those viewers who have equally moved on to college (university) and/or left home for good. (Although... it may just be me, but when I went to university, there was no need to strip my room completely bare and sell all the contents, especially as I was back within mere months for Christmas). I watched through misty eyes as the toys came to terms with the notion of moving on and parting from those they know and love, and recognised it as my own journey from the past few years, both leaving home for university, and then leaving university itself.

Poignancy aside, Toy Story 3 could easily sit alongside The Shawshank Redemption and The Great Escape as one of the best prison escape films of all time. The action is executed BRILLIANTLY, and includes a perfect mix of hilarious and heartbreaking scenes, keeping audiences of all ages entertained. The new characters are excellent, my personal favourite being Ken (voiced by Keaton), a true metrosexual and portrays his relationship with Barbie the way that everyone secretly believed it would be. On the other hand, Big Baby will give me nightmares for years to come. In that sense, Toy Story 3 definitely deals with slightly heavy themes, but children are still able to understand and perhaps even relate to.

The animation is, as expected, beautiful, to the very detail of the texture of the toys and I think is best demonstrated with the scene with Mr 'Tortilla Wrap' Head. A special nod must be given to the Pixar short which plays before TS3 starts. I've always enjoyed Pixar Shorts (and would highly advise others to purchase the Pixar Shorts dvd) but Day & Night has been my favourite by far.

There are lots of subtle references to the first film which ties up the last in the trilogy nicely. We see Andy driving and are reminded of when he helped his Mum fill up the car outside Pizza Planet all those years ago. The final shot of the film is of white clouds against a blue sky, exactly the same as Andy's wallpaper - the very first shot of the first Toy Story film. And did anyone notice the music playing through the end credits? A Spanish version of Randy Newman's 'You've Got A Friend In Me'.


Whilst the final act is still as hilarious as the rest of the film (mainly attributed to Buzz Espanol) but the furnace sequence is both devastating and heartfelt, when all characters join hands marking true friendship. The finale can be described as nothing more than tear-inducing and is an emotional end to a 15-yaer long series.



My rating: 5/5

I've been waiting 11 years for this....

I've been counting down the days to Toy Story 3 ever since I learnt of the release date a year ago and the abundance of Toy Story-themed adverts are merely fuelling my excitement.

Here are some of my favourites...









And while I'm at it, here's a montage of the best TV spots for the film...



Eeeeeeeeeee!

Book Review: Uglies ~ Scott Westerfeld

Title: Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Year of Publication: 2005

Genre: Fiction, YA, Sci-fi

Blurb: "Tally can't wait to turn sixteen and become Pretty. Sixteen is the magic number that brings a transformation from a repellant Ugly into a stunningly attractive Pretty, and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be Pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the Pretty world - and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever."

Opening Sentence: "The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit."

[source: Goodreads.com]
 

Whilst I wouldn't necessarily class myself as a science fiction fan, I do enjoy a good YA novel about dystopian worlds and Uglies is undoubtedly my favourite so far... despite the fact that I am technically classed as a 'rusty'.

Uglies is a really fun read, and a change from Westerfeld's previous work, which was predominantly aimed at adults. He seems to be just as comfortable writing for a younger audience and creates completely likeable characters and an exciting plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. An important aspect of dystopian fiction, for me, is the little details that epitomise the futuristic element of the novel - they show much thought the author has put into the story . In this instance, it was how the characters travelled via hoverboards and I loved the idea.

As you can expect from any young adult novel, there are morals and lessons to be learnt. Predictably, this one is that there is more to life than being 'pretty'. Westerfeld also emphasises the importance of individuality in a beauty obsessed world.

When I first started the book I wasn't that attached to it, but I'm glad I stuck at it, because by the end I was hooked and there followed a mixture of emotions at learning it was just the first in a trilogy. I was excited that it continued, but at the same time, impatient at the prospect of having to wait until the next book to discover what happened next...  

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Book Review: Lipstick Jungle ~ Candace Bushnell

Title: Lipstick Jungle

Author: Candace Bushnell

Year of Publication: 2005

Genre: Fiction, chick-lit

Blurb: The "Sex and the City" author's fourth novel follows three women who are among New York City's movers and shakers: a movie executive, a magazine editor, and a fashion designer.

Opening Sentence: "September is glorious in Manhattan, and this year was no exception."

[source: Goodreads.com]

As with Sex and the City, I watched the tv series version of Lipstick Jungle before being inspired to pick up the book. However, whilst I preferred the television adaptation of Sex and the City, I definitely favoured the Lipstick Jungle novel to it's predecessor. It was easier to follow and there was a lot more scope for plot and character development. There is less of an emphasis on relationships and more on career ambition and progression, although, like SaTC, ultimately it is a story of close female friendship.

This is definitely Bushnell at her best, from her evocative descriptions of New York's ever-changing scenery throughout the seasons, to her almost anthropological depictions of New Yorkers.

On a more negative note, there is the depressing, but perhaps truthful, notion that you can't maintain a steady career and happy relationship together. Nevertheless, the portrayal of three career-driven women definitely gives the female readers something to aspire to, and I finished the book feeling incredibly ambitious!

A perfect summer read.


My rating:4/5