Valentines Day

Where to begin with this one? I should probably start with Miranda and try not to get lost on the way. Miranda started out as my penpal and quickly became one of my best friends. She was one of the most uniquely quirky, wonderfully weird people I have ever had the pleasure to know. She was beautiful, funny, smart and one of those people who usually knew exactly the right thing to say in any given situation. And even when she didn't, saying the wrong thing usually turned out to be right. 


In 2008, at the age of 25, she killed herself.


*I want to stress at this point that this is not going to be an upsetting post. Or at least I'm going to try and not make it an upsetting post. I just need to explain a little of the back story here.*


February 14th this year would have been Miranda's 28th birthday. In order to remember Miranda in a not-so-morbid way, my best friend (who I met because of Miranda) and I decided to go to London for the day, and do things she would have done if she were here. Like going to the cinema, seeing an exhibition, wandering around the shops etc. 


I found out the night before that the Prince Charles Cinema was showing a special double bill of Labyrinth and The Princess Bride. For those who didn't know Miranda, this choice of films could not have been more appropriate for us to see on this day if she had chosen them herself. The only snag was that Labyrinth was sold out.


On the off chance that Labyrinth tickets would somehow become available in the 24 hours that followed, my best friend and I headed to London on Valentines/Miranda Day anyway. Once at the PCC (after we were told there were categorically no tickets left for Labyrinth) we decided to see the imminent showing of Blue Valentine. It seemed an oddly appropriate choice seeing as it was Valentines Day. 

I won't go into details (as these are on my review blog) but it was a suitable mix of sweet love story and depressing bitterness. But it also left you with a sense of hope. No bad thing on Miranda day. 


After trying our luck for Labyrinth tickets again - and being told there were none - we went to one of Miranda's favourite London haunts (is it politically correct to say haunts when now refering to someone who's deceased?) The Cinema Store. Now, normally I would keep such gems as this place to myself, but to be honest I think they could use all the custom they can get these days as they have closed one of their 2 stores. If you're a film memorabilia fan and you happen to be going to London please pop in and have a look around, they're on Upper St Martin's Lane. Or go here http://www.thecinemastore.co.uk/. 


Anyway, following our brief shopping spree, we had a lovely dinner in 50's style American Diner Ed's and then headed back to the PCC for The Princess Bride. 

One of my all time favourite movies. I honestly don't think there is any better cinema experience than when you are part of an audience who all love the film you're watching as much as you do. As this was also the first time I'd seen The Princess Bride on the big screen it was a wonderful end to an almost perfect day.


The only way it could have actually been perfect is if Miranda had been there to celebrate with us. But for all I know, maybe she was.

Blue Valentine

http://www.bluevalentinemovie.com/

As mentioned previously, I am a big fan of The Notebook. In developing a love of that film I also developed a fondness for it's stars Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. And as such I tend to look forward to their up-coming projects. Blue Valentine is no exception to that rule. 


Blue Valentine had the added bonus of also starring Michelle Williams, who I've been a fan of since her Dawson's Creek days. I was eagerly anticipating the film's release when I read a fascinating interview with Ms Williams in Empire Magazine (http://tinyurl.com/6hq9toh). In the interview Williams talks about how committed she'd been to telling this story, ever since she first read the script when she was in her early 20s*. The interview also sheds light on the director's methods of enabling his actors to get to know each other well enough to hate each other. Williams explains how she and Gosling prepared for their roles by living together for a month, in between filming, in order to find out what would annoy them about each other if they were a real couple. For example, what would make them argue etc.


By the time the film's release date came around, it was obvious that none of the cinemas in my town (or surrounding area) were going to be showing it. I find it's always the way with the ones you REALLY want to see! Thankfully I have an amazing best friend who not only wanted to see the film, but also didn't mind taking time out of her Valentines Day plans to go to London, and see the film with me at the delightful Prince Charles Cinema.


The film flips between present day bitterness and the bittersweet early days of Cindy and Dean. They met by chance when he was working for a removal firm, moving an elderly man into a home. She happened to be visiting her grandmother at the same home on the same day. As Cindy had a boyfriend, she turned down Dean's offer of a date. They meet again a month later when Cindy has become disillusioned with said boyfriend and decides to give Dean a chance. In between these flashes of the past we also see Dean and Cindy as they are now, embittered and worn down by life, family, jobs and each other. The film continues to switch between Cindy and Dean then, getting to know each other and falling in love, to now, knowing too much about the other person and falling out of love. 


While I concede that this is not the cheeriest of films, I thought it did accurately portray the way that people drift apart and how sometimes, love just isn't enough. The interwoven flashback scenes of how Dean and Cindy met and fell in love are so believable. So much so that I felt a little uncomfortable watching the more intimate scenes, as though I were peeking into a real couple's private life through a keyhole. This only speaks of how good Williams and Gosling are, and how much they put themselves into these characters. Their director clearly had method to his madness in having them live together during filming, as I'm sure it was this prolonged time together that made their performances so grounded in reality. 


I can't go so far as to say that the film was enjoyable, as watching two people fight for their love rarely is. But I will say that it was a fascinating insight into the lives of a realistic and thoughtfully portrayed (dis)functional couple. 8 out of 10.

*For the purpose of grasping how long writer/director Derek Cianfrance has been trying to get Blue Valentine made and released, Michelle Williams is now 30.

Viewing Date - 14th February 2011

UK Release Date - 14th January 2011

Cast Overview:

Ryan Gosling ~ Dean

Michelle Williams ~ Cindy

Faith Wladyka ~ Frankie

John Doman ~ Jerry

Mike Vogel ~ Bobby

Director/Writer ~ Derek Cianfrance

Writer ~ Cami Delavigne

Writer ~ Joey Curtis