Searching & The Children Act

On this gloriously sunny Sunday in September, with absolutely nothing to do, I decided last minute to take myself on a double movie date. Most people would think this was a crazy idea but as the cinema is my second home this doesn't strike me as a weird way to spend my day.

First film of the double bill was Searching. A film I'd only recently heard of and which probably wouldn't have been at the top of my list of films to see, had it not starred John Cho. Cho is someone I always enjoy watching, whether it's in a stupid role (Harold and Kumar/American Pie films), turning an iconic sci-fi character on his head (Star Trek Reboots), or in a more serious role (usually on some ill fated TV series - Kitchen Confidential/Flashforward).

The fact that Searching had Cho as the lead character immediately piqued my interest and I am so glad it did. Not only is he fantastic in this film, easily captivating the audience, it's also a really good film. I might even go so far as to say one of my favourites of the year so far. 

The story is a simple one, and if you've seen the trailer you'll know it's about a father of a missing girl. The question is, what happened to Margot Kim? Did she run away, was she kidnapped, murdered? And if she was kidnapped or murdered, who the hell did it? This is a great whodunit thriller and keeps you guessing right to the end. There are plenty of twists that I didn't see coming, and best of all, it's whole premise is something I had never seen before on film.

So if you're looking for something a bit different, something that will keep you hooked til the last reel, definitely go and see Searching. 

9/10

The second film of the day was The Children Act, starring Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci, based on the novel by Ian McEwan.

I was not familiar with the novel on going to see the movie, and in fact I knew next to nothing about it. I based my decision to see it purely on the talent involved. I mean who wouldn't want to see Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci on screen together? It's an acting powerhouse.

The story revolves around High Court judge Fiona May (Thompson) and the two big events unfolding in her life as we come into her story. One is the breakdown of her marriage to husband Jack (Tucci), and the other is the case she is presiding over regarding the life of 17 year old Jehovah's Witness Adam. Adam is in need of a blood transfusion to save his life, but on religious grounds he is refusing the transfusion. As he is a minor, the hospital seek an injunction to save the boy's life. 

For the most part this felt like a BBC drama, particularly from the point where Adam's story really started to present itself. The actors playing the roles of Adam and his family felt very much like the kind you'd see in a BBC drama. A good one, but still not quite movie worthy. Having Emma and Stanley in the film however was always going to raise it to another level. The sad thing is that I feel like the film wasn't really worthy of them. And without them it probably wouldn't have even had a theatrical release.

That's not to say that they are not both fantastic. I doubt either of them knows how to be anything but that, but sadly even Queen Emma and Superb Lord Stanley have their work cut out with such a dull storyline and bland support. It's a shame because when they are on screen together I could feel so much potential but it just wasn't realised. 

It did make me realise just how much I adore Stanley Tucci though. He's just so damn cool. 

If you're a big fan of the actors you should see it for their performances, but just don't expect to see a life changing film. 

5/10 for film 10/10 for Emma and Stanley (😍)

Saving Mr. Banks

http://movies.disney.com/saving-mr-banks

Those who know me well might be very surprised to see that I saw Saving Mr. Banks, especially if you know what the movie is about. You see I have a hatred for Mary Poppins, and other musicals of that ilk are the reason I have labelled myself as a hater of all things musical for so long.

Of course, I am not immune to the power of a good musical and have since found myself to be quite the fan of musicals when they are done well, or of a subject matter that I can appreciate. But Mary Poppins will always be on my (s)hit list. 

So why did I see a movie about the making of Mary Poppins I hear you cry? Well, after Captain Phillips I was intrigued to see if Tom Hanks could endear me again, but mostly, I just liked the idea of there being a story behind the film and I wanted to see what that was.

The story centers on the negotiations for the film rights for Mary Poppins, between the book's writer P.L. Travers (Thompson) and Walt Disney (Hanks). The film also shows us Travers' young life in flashbacks, living in Queensland, Australia in 1906, as she watches her father sink deeper into alcoholism. The arrival of her Aunt Ellie is what inspired her to write about a nanny that saved the Banks family in her book. As the characters of Mary Poppins and the Banks are so close to Travers (she goes so far as to call them family), she is reluctant to let the rights go, especially to a man like Disney, who's films are bright and gaudy and rarely show things as they are. Can Walt convince Mrs Travers to let go of her book and allow him to create an unforgettable movie?

Well of course he can or I would not have been forced to endure Mary Poppins on every bank holiday as a child! Despite my loathing of Poppins, I did enjoy Saving Mr. Banks. I thought Thompson and Hanks were both excellent, although I wish the character of Mrs Travers had been a little more accessible. She's the central character and for most of the film she's quite unlikable. You know she must have pain in her past, but I don't think it makes her behavior forgivable. And I would have liked for her to be someone the audience could connect with, which I didn't feel she was. It's still an exceptional performance from Thompson that she makes you feel this way, but I like Emma, and so I would have liked to have liked Mrs Travers too, and I didn't until the last couple of scenes.

It did give me a better understanding of Mary Poppins, and although it's not made me want to see that movie again, I did enjoy the scenes with the Sherman brothers creating all of the songs for the movie. I may have even tapped my feet at that point (and if you see Saving Mr. Banks you will understand that a foot tap is quite significant). 

A good effort by all involved, it just needed Mrs Travers to be a bit less cold in order for me to love it. 7 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 7th December 2013

UK Release Date - 29th November 2013

Cast Overview:

P.L. Travers ~ Emma Thompson

Walt Disney ~ Tom Hanks

Ginty ~ Annie Rose Buckley

Travers Goff ~ Colin Farrell

Margaret Goff ~ Ruth Wilson

Ralph ~ Paul Giamatti

Don DaGradi ~ Bradley Whitford

Robert Sherman ~ B.J. Novak

Richard Sherman ~ Jason Schwartzman

Tommie ~ Kathy Baker

Aunt Ellie ~ Rachel Griffiths

Director ~ John Lee Hancock

Writer(s) ~ Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith