Drive

"Get in, get out, get away…"

The cast of American heart-throb,Ryan Gosling and English beauty Carrie Mulligan is enough to make anyone these days intrigued to see a movie; but I was made aware of this film because of it's beautiful soundtrack. Based on the novel by American James Sallis, adapted into screenplay by Persian Hossein Amini whom you may remember to be the writer of 'Snow White and the Huntsman' and directed by Danish Nicolas Winding Refn, together produced cinematic gold with this 2011 crime-drama.

Unique, mysterious and stoic, this film's message is one of being careful who you do good-deeds for and how much is too much with getting involved. Our main character 'Driver' played by Gosling kept viewers interests peaked because of his darling and gentle personality flipped into one you wouldn't want to mess with. Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Albert Brooks and Bryan Cranston also add colour to this film's strange, dramatic and violent palette. There were so many wonderful and delicate details carefully constructed within like Gosling's 'Scorpion' jacket, and the locations in LA where this film was shot like the small pizzeria and mechanic boss' garage.

Mystery was probably my most beloved element of this film, as there was very little dialogue, but it also is Rated R for its strong brutal and bloody violence, obscene language and some nudity. With an estimated budget of $15 million USD, filmmakers were able to gross not only $35 million USD back, but also an Oscar nomination and another 43 wins and 80 other nominations. This film was intense and not recommended for the faint-hearted; but certainly beautifully shot and thought-provoking story.

The Great Gatsby

And just like that you can make a girl's night - dinner and a movie - but dinner and 'The Great Gatsby' = 10 Brownie Points! Well, what a treat for me, I finally got to enjoy this 2013 film by Aussie master-mind Writer/Director Baz Luhrmann. Based on the 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this cinematic masterpiece is now the holder of 6 nominations and most likely a score of Oscar nominations this year. Starring 'Somebody-give-him-an-Oscar-already' talented and determined Leonardo DiCaprio, English-rose Carrie Mulligan, Scottish A+ drunkard Jason Clarke, Muscatian-born, Aussie-raised Isla Fisher, American mellow-man Tobey Macguire (whom I loved in 'Cider House Rules') and Aussie Joel Edgerton whom you may remember from 'The Thing' or 'King Arthur'. 

This film was 'mind-glowingly good'; it made for an exquisite night of fun, awe and wonder at the greatness that can be achieved with a solid team, real professionals and hard-work. If the soundtrack doesn't get you…the powerful love story certainly will. With a budget of $105 million USD, the film has grossed a cool $128 million USD back within just it's first week. Backed by Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and scores of others, it's easy to see why everyone knew the prize presented to them. It was 142 minutes of unadulterated vivid brilliance! The cars, the wardrobe, the opulence and details down to the coffee pots and flowers were all very precise and thought-out. The audience's jaws' hung open by the peerless cinematography and poetic and tender dialogue. It was a luscious story about hopeless infatuation and longing, excruciating adversity and the sad delusion that comes along with it. It unfolded like a pleasant day-dream and switched to a wistful truth many can relate to.

Our wonderful actors, starring and parading all performed in synchronized symmetry. The direction is undeniably seamless, as it's close-shots, and ebbs melted into our viewer's palettes in the most charming way. This drama-romance is certainly now on 'Journey with Jair''s list of favourite films. It's inspiring, satisfying and magnificently made. Certainly a film to be admired and studied for years to come. Don't wipe away your tears…feel the magic… :))

An Education

I must say anytime I watch an English or Scottish film I feel all tingly inside because the words they use remind me so much of home. True the Caribbean has African, East-Indian, Syrian, Chinese, Spanish, French and Dutch influences; but the Brits and the Scots in most cases ruled us the last and the longest. I smiled when I heard them speak of tea and biscuits; very common in Trinidad & Tobago, and when the girls spoke of nighties', A-levels and wore uniforms, it brought back so many memories.

I have been wanting to see a Carey Mulligan film since the 2010 Academy Awards as she was new on the scene and had many nominations for her films; I found this film An Education a wonderful one to start with, really confirming her brilliant talent. I'd also want to see her because she was the one lucky enough to snatch Shia LaBeouf before I could get to him; no animosity towards her however; only kudos to his good international taste! J

I must admit I was even more thrilled to see that Emma Thompson had a small part in the film as well. She is definitely one of my favourite people to watch; and I absolutely loved her in one of my beloved films entitled Wit. An Education was set in Mulligan's home-town, the United Kingdom, and I must say it was a magnificent cinematic ride that I think all young girls should take. The script/story of films should always be at the forefront, if you get lost in fluff and antics then I believe the film-maker has failed in spreading the main message to its audience. I believe the writer Lynn Barber & Nick Hornby, and director, Lone Scherfig of this film did a wonderful job at making sure to do just that; spreading the message.

There were some superb camera techniques in this film. I always like when camera-men are able to show reflections in mirrors and capture reflections within car windows; not everyone can pull that off. The soundtrack was good too, I found myself singing along to Smoke without Fire written by Bernard Butler and performed by Duffy. Carey's performance was without a doubt marvelous; I must say she did her part great justice. Some of the logic behind the film though didn't make much sense to me; I found her parents; especially her father's behaviour to be completely wild. He was quite adamant in the beginning about her finishing her secondary schooling to begin her tertiary level education at Oxford University, however it seemed as though just overnight he found it acceptable to have her throw everything away to marry a seemingly wealthy man who was thrice her age. I found that move rather poor and baffling as not only for a parent but also as a father knowing what the world is about. I call it a 'Pride & Prejudice' move; I find it always important for a woman to be able to stand on her own 2 feet and accrue her own wealth, that way no-one would be able to take advantage of her or have her helpless if the relationship goes sour.

Although Notes on a Scandal and The Reader had similar disturbing mis-fit relationship attributes, I found the relationship between Carrie Mulligan (Jenny) and Jack played by Alfred Molina to be more absorbing because even though their ages were enormously different, Carrie's character was a bright and clever one and she seemed at times even more mature than her co-stars.

The film ends abruptly and happily but I would have much rather seen her fight harder and deal with more struggles than for her to only shed a few tears, and a year of extra studies before riding around the grounds of Oxford University campus on bicycle. Her character was almost heartless and disrespectful in the beginning and when she found out her first lover was married, I didn't find myself feeling sorry for her character in the least. I only saw how her foolishness took her there in the first place! I would have also liked to see the character Graham played by Mathew Beard, return in a more stunning light. He was a charming and humble boy that didn't have enough play; he certainly needed to have a turn of events in positive karma after the way she treated him previously. I in fact, related more to his character, and although he didn't have as many speaking parts, I felt his pain much more.