Being John Malkovich (1999)

From the ever-so-slightly twisted mind of Charlie Kaufman comes an incredibly inventive and innovative film which was also the feature debut of director Spike Jonze, previously a director of music videos and commercials. The result is a film that still feels incredibly fresh twenty years after its initial release.

Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is a puppeteer who performs on a street corner in New York City. He is married to Lotte (Cameron Diaz) who works in a pet store, due to her incredible love of all animals. In fact, her love of animals is so strong, they have a veritable menagerie of animals living with them, including a chimpanzee, a parrot, a dog, a cat, an iguana, and many, many more.

As you can probably imagine, there isn’t a lot of money in puppetry, particularly in the incredibly lifelike - and at times a little risqué - marionettes Craig builds and performs with. Lotte suggests to him he find some more stable, paid work.

Craig (John Cusack), working on one of his puppet creations.

He answers a mysterious ad in the newspaper, calling for a short-statured filing clerk. Arriving at the building, he learns the company is on floor 7 ½ (which is reached by pressing the emergency stop button in the elevator between levels 7 and 8). The ceilings are low - low overheads, as everyone says - and the staff are all a little strange.

From receptionist Floris (Mary Kay Place), who can’t seem to understand what anyone is ever saying to her, to boss Dr. Lester (Orson Bean), who speaks and acts in an incredibly cryptic way at all times.

Craig also meets co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener), with whom he becomes instantly smitten.

While trying to retrieve a file that has fallen behind a filing cabinet in his office, Craig discovers a small door that leads to a dark tunnel. Crawling through the tunnel, he discovers it is actually a portal that transports the ‘crawler’ into the mind of actor John Malkovich for fifteen minutes at a time, before spitting them back out beside the New Jersey Turnpike.

Lotte (Cameron Diaz).

Craig and Maxine quickly see the money-making potential from such a tunnel, and it isn’t long before they are selling tickets into Malkovich’s head to people who are unsatisfied with their own lives.

Everything seems to be going fine, until John Malkovich gets wind of what is going on, and shows up at their office, demanding they let him have a go. The results, of course, are at once fascinating and incredibly disturbing.

Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay is incredibly clever, with plenty of twists and turns throughout. All the characters are filled to the brim with both internal and external conflicts. I even find that each time I watch this film, I seem to notice new and different things every time, and it becomes even more incredible with each viewing, too.

Maxine (Catherine Keener).

The original score, by Carter Burwell, doesn’t have a lot to it. Music isn’t used much at all in this film, but when it is, it is near-perfect. The instrumentation is reasonably traditional throughout, but the music never overpowers the action, seeking only to support it, which it does well.

What really makes this film great, however, is the performances. Cusack and Diaz in particular are fantastic, as is Orson Bean as the eccentric Dr. Lester. All of the puppetry in the film is done by Phillip Huber who, as those who have seen the film can attest, is a genius in the truest sense of the word.

Director Spike Jonze, who has gone on to make several other equally-great films, has made a true gem here. I would definitely recommend this film if you haven’t seen it yet, and even if you have, check it out again; you never know what you might discover this time around.

8 out of 10.

The Good Liar (2019)

Based on the novel by Nicholas Searle, this film is a thriller of epic proportions.

Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) and Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) meet up for a drink after meeting each other online. They both admit to smearing the truth a little on their online profiles, in particular, they have both given false names, a little reticent to share anything too personal on the Internet.

But the two of them seem to connect to each other emotionally, and what starts as a friendship soon moves on to something more, initially companionship, but it looks like it might progress even further.

The only problem is, Roy is still not who he seems. Working with his friend Vincent (Jim Carter), he has been scamming people out of large sums of money for years.

Roy (Ian McKellen) and Betty (Helen Mirren).

When he discovers that Betty is in possession of a pretty sizeable fortune, he and Vincent decide that they are going to take her for everything she has.

However, there is another complication going on at the same time. Stephen (Russell Tovey) - who Betty introduces to Roy as her grandson - is highly suspicious of Roy from the beginning, and is undertaking his own investigation behind the scenes, trying to expose Roy for the fraud he is certain he is.

I won't say any more than that at this point, because there are so many twists and turns - all of them unexpected - that to go any further would spoil it.

Roy (Ian McKellen).

The screenplay, written by Jeffrey Hatcher from Searle's novel, is absolutely brilliant. I have sadly not read the novel, so I don't know how good an adaptation it is per se, but the characters and plot are so intricately woven together to tell a story that will have you on the edge of your seat for the majority of its nearly-two-hour running time.

Carter Burwell's original score is equally as impressive, from the opening orchestral strains over the opening titles - with a featured clarinet solo - right through the entire film, where music is used only to highlight the tension and emotion of some of the more intense scenes. (A quick note on the opening titles: There are several - clever - clues as to the deeper hidden meanings of the film contained in the titles, so pay close attention!) At no point does the film feel overscored, but the aesthetic quality of the score is truly magnificent.

The cinematography is in the perfectly able hands of Tobias A. Schliessler, who possesses a good working knowledge of light, dark, shadow, contrast, framing, and all the other things you would want in a cinematographer.

Betty (Helen Mirren).

A big part of this film - which takes place not only in the recent present (2009) but in various periods of recent history (most predominantly the 1940s) - is of course the production design and costume design, which go a long way to setting the scene, and creating a reality that transports the viewer into the world of the story. And both John Stevenson and Keith Madden respectively have done an amazing job, perhaps even worthy of Oscar nominations (watch this space!).

However, as you might expect with the incredible amount of experience between the two leads, it is in the performances of the cast that this film reaches new heights. Both McKellen and Mirren are absolutely amazing in their roles. The supporting cast are also good, but it is definitely these two who make the film what it is. Again, I wouldn't be surprised if there were Oscar nominations in the pipeline; they really are that good.

Director Bill Condon has made a high-intensity, high-stakes - but at the same time, highly-emotional - thriller here that will certainly keep you enthralled until its brilliant conclusion. While I whole-heartledly recommend you see this film, it is not necessarily essential that you see it on the big screen (but don't tell the marketing department I said that).

9 out of 10.

True Grit (2010)

Just a quick note before we begin: This is not the 1970 film starring John Wayne, but rather the more recent remake. It is based on the same novel by Charles Portis, and is similar enough to the original, but is its own separate film.

Fourteen year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is a young girl on a mission. Initially sent into town simply to recover the body of her recently deceased father, she quickly formulates a greater plan: to bring her father’s killer to justice, albeit her own particular brand of justice.

Enlisting the assistance of bounty hunter Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets off on a cross-country trek into Indian territory to find the man she knows as Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) and kill him.

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld).

The two of them are accompanied by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who is pursuing Chaney for several other crimes.

Cogburn is not the slightest bit interested in Mattie’s plan - he has more humane plans for Chaney - but Mattie is incredibly stubborn, and will not be easily swayed.

The screenplay - written by brothers Joel & Ethan Coen, who also both directed the film - is masterfully crafted and expertly written, as those who have seen any other film by the Coen brothers will appreciate. The characters are all very clearly defined, with plenty of internal and external conflicts to keep things interesting and the plot moving forward. The characters of Mattie and Cogburn are - in particular - very well written and constructed.

Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges).

Of course, writing great characters is only half the battle. And in the hands of brilliant performers, Steinfeld and Bridges, these characters truly come to life. In fact, both of them were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances - awards they sadly did not win - and it is not difficult to see why.

The score, by Carter Burwell, is perfectly suited to the film’s genre and many tropes. The majority of the music is based heavily on Christian hymns - especially ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms’, among others - though the instrumentation changes every time they are heard.

Roger Deakins’s cinematography provides a true masterclass to any student of filmmaking, with plenty of exterior night shoots throughout the film. His use of lighting, and also significant and frequent use of the contrast between light and dark, provides plenty of teaching moments to anyone hoping to pursue such a career.

LaBoeuf (Matt Damon).

I must also mention the production design and costume design, brought to bear by Jess Gonchor and Mary Zophres, respectively. These two elements work hand-in-hand to transport the audience not only to a particular time in history, but also to a very specific place, that of the Old West. Everything about this film - the cinematography and all design elements - look absolutely beautiful on screen (particularly in HD, as I was fortunate to view it for the purposes of this review), and go a long way to making this film the thrill-ride that it is.

The Coen brothers - Joel and Ethan - have made a wonderful film here, that not only showcases their own abilities as true auteurs, but also highlights the talents of their entire cast and creative team/crew. Every time I watch this film, I come away from it having noticed something else about it, and I thoroughly recommend you take every advantage to watch it for yourself.

9 out of 10.

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Have you ever wondered what life was like in the Hollywood of the 1950s, when actors were under contract to the studios, when studios controlled and monitored every aspect of their actors’ lives? If the answer is yes, then perhaps this film will help to answer your question.

Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) has a difficult job. He is the executive in charge of Capitol Pictures, a studio trying to make a life- and world-changing picture called ‘Hail, Caesar!’ among other titles. The majority of his day consists of covering up for his contracted stars’ indiscretions, numerous PR disasters, in other words.

In the course of a single day, so many things go wrong, and he races against the clock to fix as many of them as he can without making too much of a scene for the tabloids in the process.

Firstly, the big star of ‘Hail, Caesar!’, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is missing, believed kidnapped. Next, one of his leading ladies – DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson) is pregnant and unmarried, a scandal for the time. The lead in another film is replaced by a young western star named Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), who struggles with the serious dramatic picture he is completely unaccustomed to, and struggles even more to impress the film’s director, classically-trained Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes).

Add to all this the pressures of home life, and being headhunted by another company, and a communist plot to undermine the studio, and it’s not hard to see how difficult his life can be.

Joel and Ethan Coen, who wrote, produced and directed this movie, have – to use a phrase that is in danger of being overused – done it again. This film is a beautiful homage to the films of the classic age of Hollywood, while at the same time, being made in the very style of those films.

The production design (by Jess Gonchor) and costume design (by Mary Zophres) create an atmosphere that is unmistakably 1950s Hollywood. Add to that Roger Deakins’s cinematography, and it feels like you are actually watching a classic film.

Carter Burwell’s original score is as much a part of the mix and overall ambience as anything else. The music is not overused at all, but is perfectly balanced within the whole undertaking. There doesn’t seem to be a thing out of place about this film.

The performances of the cast are all fantastic. If you’ve seen George Clooney do comedy before, you know that you’re in for a treat. And seeing him in a Coen brothers’ comedy (remember O Brother, Where Art Thou?) again is so enjoyable. The Coens seem to have a love for Clooney’s comedic ability, and it pays off here.

Ralph Fiennes is also a master of timing here; there is an absolutely hilarious exchange between him and Ehrenreich on the set of his film that never fails to make me laugh, despite the fact I know it’s coming, having seen this film a few times now.

The script is very well-written, and expertly crafted. Then again, if you’ve seen any film by the Coen brothers, that shouldn’t be a surprise to you.

Look out for the brilliant dance numbers, one of which features Scarlett Johansson and a beautiful array of synchronized swimmers, and the other showcasing the singing and dancing ability of Channing Tatum. These are both so well executed, and again, are reminiscent of films of the era.

You should definitely watch this film if you haven’t done so yet. No matter what your taste, you will find something to love about it.

8 1/2 out of 10.