Inside Llewyn Davis Movie Review 0 1361

inside-llewyn-davis-movie-review

No one makes movies like the Coen bros. Their innate sense of comedic timing, their ability to create worlds that feel both quirky and real as well as characters and dialogue that stay with you, they are masters of their craft. Their latest singular offering is the music drama Inside Llewyn Davis, a wonderfully melancholic, nostalgic and often hilarious tale of the week in the life of a talented musician in 1960s New York who is on the cusp of making it but never quite getting there.

It stars Oscar Isaac as the titular musician, an inherently unsympathetic character whom we nevertheless care about thanks to the brilliant writing by the brothers Coen and the performance of Isaac, bringing a soulful humanity to the character that makes him as fascinating to watch as he is strangely enjoyable to be around.

Throughout their career the Coens have managed to effortlessly flit between serious and offbeat; from the dark Blood Simple and No Country for Old Men to the more light-hearted Hudsucker Proxy and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, they’re nothing if not diverse. This is perhaps closer to their underrated 2009 effort A Serious Man than anything else they’ve made in terms of tone and its insular, some might even say innately unlikeable leading character who, whether physically or emotionally, seems closed off from the world even as he tries his best be part of it.

Thanks to the Coens’ comfortingly eclectic array of characters – played by newcomers to their films like Isaac, Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan to familiar faces like stalwart John Goodman – and a script that somehow makes something as simple as asking to stay on a friend’s couch or keeping track of a pet cat entertaining, the film is a joy to sit through from start to finish but works on more than just the level of quirkiness for which it so often aims. It’s funny in a way only the Coens can achieve, not only with their inimitable dialogue but their moments of comedic absurdism and even whimsy that, in lesser hands, may come off as irksome.

Much like a lot of their films, it’s one that will lend itself very much to rewatches so that you can pick up on all the little details you can feel are in there but may have missed on first viewing, especially considering how notoriously particular they are with their dialogue. Even so, on first viewing there’s much to love, from its absolutely stunning cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel (Amelie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince) to the fantastic performances, frequently hilarious dialogue and that beautifully achieved vein of melancholia that runs throughout it.

And that’s before we even get to the music. Produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett, its pre-Dylan folk soundtrack – based on the music of Dave Van Ronk and largely sung by the cast in full-length i.e. more than just a bit of the chorus, as we often find – sounds sublime. From the longing and hopeful “Fare Thee Well” to the hilarious novelty song “Please Mr. Kennedy,” it’s one of those films where the soundtrack is just as effective within as it is on its own.

The film takes you on a strange little episodic musical journey, even if its only between the couches of friends and acquaintances, “in the five boroughs who isn’t pissed at me,” as he despondently describes it. Underneath the surface there’s a darkness to the film, a palpable sense of morose disappointment of a clearly talented musician never quite achieving the level of success promised by the American dream.

The Coen bros. have done it again. A magnificent mix of drama, comedy, music, depth and whimsy all rolled up into something that looks beautiful and sounds even better. They’ve created another instantly iconic film that’s somehow intrinsically linked to what they’ve made before but also wholly unique and one that will leave you pondering for days after.

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I'm a freelance film reviewer and blogger with over 10 years of experience writing for various different reputable online and print publications. In addition to my running, editing and writing for Thoughts On Film, I am also the film critic for The National, the newspaper that supports an independent Scotland, covering the weekly film releases, film festivals and film-related features. I have a passion for all types of cinema, and have a particular love for foreign language film, especially South Korean and Japanese cinema. Favourite films include The Big Lebowski, Pulp Fiction and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

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Tolkien Biopic to Be Released in May 0 5292

10th May, 2019 is when Tolkien will be released to the world, an autobiographical film that will revolve around the early days of legendary author J.R.R. Tolkien before he became the literary giant that he is today.

Here on Thoughts on Film we are big fans of his work and the recent films made by Peter Jackson. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (LOTR), are responsible for originating a universe that has gone on to inspire movies, animation, fiction, and modern media interpretations.



This is why Tolkien is regarded by many as the greatest fantasy author of all time. His creative stamp can be seen nearly everywhere in modern media. There’s the direct reinterpretation of his work in the recently released action roleplaying game Middle Earth: Shadow of War, where players are thrust into a major role in Tolkien’s literary canon. George R.R. Martin, who originated the now globally-popular Game of Thrones series on HBO, openly reveres LOTR as the inspiration for his work, citing the early death of Gandalf in Fellowship of the Ring as having a profound effect on his “own willingness to kill characters at the drop of a hat.” On the web, more Tolkien-inspired work can be found on leading slot portal Slingo and its many online titles dedicated to the fantasy genre, including Amazon Queen, Fae Legend Warrior, and Magic Castle, all of which feature elements that can be traced back to the author’s massive body of work. Technically speaking, the same can be said of nearly every major fantasy brand out there today, from Dungeons & Dragons to Magic: the Gathering. In short, almost every type of entertainment that features western fantasy can be traced back to the works of Tolkien.

In the upcoming Tolkien movie, the man will be played by Nicholas Hoult, whom is best known for Mad Max: Fury Road and Hank McCoy in the most recent X-Men movies. And now, the actor’s versatility will be tested as he steps into the shoes of the most iconic fantasy writer of all time. Starring alongside Hoult will be the actress Lily Collins as Edith Bratt – the woman whom Tolkien loved above all and is reportedly the inspiration for all “elven princess characters” in the LOTR series.

Helming the film is director Dome Karukoski whose CV includes 2017’s Tom of Finland, a critically acclaimed chronicle of the life and works of the controversial artist of the same name. And while media outlets haven’t yet heard from either the cast, director, or crew of the film, an official synopsis of the movie has been released via Collider. “Tolkien explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “Fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels.” It sounds like a real treat for film, literature, and Middle Earth fans.

Feature: 2019 Oscar Predictions 0 4032

I think it’s fair to say that the run up to this year’s Oscars has been a little messier than usual, from unexpected and bizarre wins at other awards shows (Vice winning Best Editing at the BAFTAs, anyone?) to ridiculous decisions by the Academy to change the show around.

The latter has proved a particular point of contention with both those in the industry to onlookers on social media, with choices such as not letting all the songs be performed to introducing a Best Popular Film category (whatever that means) to not airing four categories live; Editing and Cinematography proved a particular issue, sending the folks of Film Twitter into a Hulk-like rage.

Thankfully all of these decisions except for the one to not have a main host have taken the walk-back of shame; I look forward to Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair again. Of course there’s still the issue of plenty of thoroughly deserving films, filmmakers and performances not being up for any Oscars at all (*cough* Toni Collette! *cough*) but of course that’s not an issue unique to this year.

The show must go on, as they say, and I thought a week out from this year’s ceremony I’d throw my hat into the ring as far as predictions goes. Below I’ve listed what I think will win in each category, as well as what I personally would like to see pick up that little gold man come next Sunday evening.

Best Picture

Want to win: A Star is Born
Will win: Green Book

Lead Actor

Want to win: Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born)
Will win: Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)

Lead Actress

Want to win: Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
Will win: Olivia Colman (The Favourite)

Supporting Actor

Want to win: Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Will win: Mahershala Ali (Green Book)

Supporting Actress

Want to win: Emma Stone (The Favourite)
Will win: Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Director

Want to win: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)
Will win: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)

Animated Feature

Want to win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Will win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Adapted Screenplay

Want to win: BlacKkKlansman
Will win: BlacKkKlansman

Original Screenplay

Want to win: First Reformed
Will win: The Favourite

Cinematography

Want to win: Roma
Will win: Roma

Documentary Feature

Want to win: Free Solo
Will win: Minding the Gap

Foreign Language Film

Want to win: Roma
Will win: Roma

Film Editing

Want to win: BlacKkKlansman
Will win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Sound Editing

Want to win: A Quiet Place
Will win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Sound Mixing

Want to win: A Star is Born
Will win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Production Design

Want to win: Roma
Will win: The Favourite

Original Score

Want to win: If Beale Street Could Talk
Will win: Black Panther

Original Song

Want to win: Shallow (A Star is Born)
Will win: Shallow (A Star is Born)

Makeup and Hair

Want to win: Mary Queen of Scots
Will win: Vice

Costume Design

Want to win: Black Panther
Will win: The Favourite

Visual Effects

Want to win: Avengers: Infinity War
Will win: Ready Player One

Animated Short

Want to win: Bao
Will win: Bao

Live Action Short

Want to win: Marguerite
Will win: Marguerite

Documentary Short Subject

Want to win: Black Sheep
Will win: Lifeboat

Do you agree? Disagree? Feel free to leave your predictions/wishes for the winners below or tweet @TOF_UK or @rosstmiller.

Roll on Sunday!