Nocturnal Animals
Directed by: Tom Ford
Starring: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Aaaron Taylor-Johnson
Oh, la, la ... wasn't this a stylized masterpiece. It's obvious every frame of this movie was shot with exacting detail, it looked gorgeous, sumptuous, sexy. Can we expect anything less from Tom? But lets not get caught up in style. This movie also had substance - It's the unique story of a woman (Amy) who is sent a manuscript from her first husband (Jake), and the reading of this manuscript uncovers truths of her own past as she comes to terms with her present. We see modern day Amy reading and unhappy, ruminating on her life. Jake takes on two roles here - the protagonist in his manuscript and his younger self as Amy's husband. Both shine bright. Amy looks luminous (seriously, Tom Ford needs to light our lives as everyone in his movies looks so damn good) and is brilliant as she portrays a victim of her own insecurity who ultimately needs to let go of who she thinks she needs to be in order to be happy. Jake is perfect. Always. CAN SOMEONE NOMINATE THIS GUY FOR SOMETHING FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. That face is ridiculous, but his intensity and range in this film alone are cause for applause. At its heart, Nocturnal Animals is about not ever letting go of that someone who truly understands you (oh, that old chestnut). This was amazing.
Their Finest
Directed by : Ione Scherig
Starring: Sam Clafin, Bill Nighy, Gemma Etherton
I love period pieces. I love all things Brit. I love banter. I love sly humour. Guess what, Their Finest had it all and then some. Telling the story of a group of Brits making a film to bolster British morale during WW2, the film was a meta marvel. It was so charming, and well acted and well, so romantic. My old man crush Bill Nighy was a bright light as usual, but Sam & Gemma were standouts too. We have a bit of a surprise ending - reminding us that we must take our chances when we can as we never know what will happen (this again?!) - but it all works in spades. Loved this.
Arrival
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner
Aliens land on Earth and linguist Amy (it's a two-fer Amy day!) works to translate their language. Admittedly, I'm not 100% sure what exactly happened in this movie - it was kind of a mind fuck in a very good (Inception not Interstellar) way. But if what I think the story was is what the story was: Woah. Oh, man. YES. If not, well, oh well? Arrival's an amazing movie highlighting once again what an incredible actress Amy Adams is. Her face is so expressive, which makes her acting so nuanced, so real. So very good.
Bleed For This
Directed by: Ben Younger
Starring : Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart
Second boxing biopic at the Fest and this one takes top prize. It was edgier, and adds the element of a comeback story, which are impossibly hard to resist. At the hands of Ben Younger & crew, we're all in, 100%. Vinnie Paz (Miles) is a boxing champ who suffers a car accident and is told he will never box again. Undeterred, Vinnie perseveres, training, working, struggling to get back to his former life. Miles transforms himself into Vinnie, much like he immersed himself in Whiplash. Aaron is unrecognizable as his coach - can someone tell me why Aaron Eckhart isn't in more movies like this? Enough playing the President with Gerard Butler, Aaron! You are better than that! We are all at the edge of our seats, right along with them as this comeback story comes to life. Amazing film.
It was a four for four day today ... that almost never happens! Praise be!
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