Lincoln

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

With the most Oscar nominations of the year, 12 in total including best picture, Lincoln was always going to be one to see...once...just to say "yeah I saw that." In the words of Tom - "it is one of those movies which will be very good but I won't enjoy it." Let me explain.

I personally felt very ill whilst watching this so perhaps I would have enjoyed it better had I been well. However this film did nothing to elevate my mood. Set in dark rooms with atmospheric piercing rays of light shining through open windows; the film was comprised of many little interview scenes which I felt would be better placed on the stage.

Set in 1865 It is a heart wrenching story depicting President Lincoln's struggle during the last months of the civil war and his fight to pass the 13th Amendment of the American constitution. It was very interesting yet baffling to see the mind set of people who refused to banish slavery.

The highlights for me where the supporting roles of Mary Todd Lincoln brilliantly played by Sally Field. Her passionate and brilliant portrayal of the presidents wife was fabulous. Truly remarkable. She's nominated for the Oscar and she truly deserves to win it. And Thaddeus Stevens played by Tommy Lee Jones. He played the quiet hero with dignity and respect. At his finest hour I might have have given a silent applause. And obviously Daniel Day Lewis played Lincoln fantastically well too. What was also great was the costume and production design. Everything was perfect down to the finest detail.

So it's a conundrum: every part of this film is perfect but all together it wasn't a particularly satisfying experience due to the loooonnngg dialogue and lack of action. If your not a particular fan of the actors or a big cinema goer I think this is a film to watch if you are interested in the civil war. I learnt a lot about it and have a much better insight into the politics of the time. I predict this movie will be a great learning resource in schools when it comes out on DVD... "watch this and take notes."

Year: 2012
Certificate: 12A
Length: 150 minutes
More info at IMDB

Pans Labyrinth

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

I loved this film so much I watched it twice at the cinema... why?? because it is a really interesting premise and highly enjoyable.  It's in Spanish but I love that, having to read the subtitles does not annoy me at all. For me being in a foreign language only adds to the story. Through me not understanding Spanish I already am alienated and removed from the action; thus making the fantasy element present itself as so much more fantastical and the violent and dramatic scenes and the antagonists are so much more hated and satanic because I do not relate them at all, not even on the basic level of language.

Now this is a fairy story for adults. The best kind in my opinion. It has such a great fantastical element but that is twisted around a very cruel and nasty core. The story revolves around Ophelia, who is forced to live in a remote house of the fascist Spanish 'Capitan' and her step father, in 1944. In the grounds lies an old stone maze and within this Ophelia meets with a fawn; who sets her three tasks in order to make herself worthy as the spirit of the long lost princess of the underworld....

It is filmed in eery, gritty, dim light and doesn't hold back the punches on violence and cruelty thatpeople show each other. It is the multi-layering of the story that makes it so interesting. There is also the inkling of doubt, throughout, as to whether the fantastical elements to the story are actually happening or are a poor oppressed girls way of escaping her unhappy reality.

Pan's Labyrinth can be hard to watch at times as there are a substantial amount of graphic violent scenes so be warned. But if you can perceive this gritty realism as a tool to heighten the alienation of the bad guys and push Ophelia into the hands of a suspect Fawn, who may be not all who he seems it sort of makes it OK. Overall this is just a great film experience if your the type to look for hidden meanings and are ready to go on a fantastical, double jeopardy, adventure with a 12 year old girl.

Year:2006

Running time: 119 minutes

Classification: 15

check out more info at the IMDB website