Unbroken

"If I can take it I can make it."

Angelina Jolie’s second film behind the camera seems to have Oscar written all over it. Already it’s been nominated for best picture at the Critic’s Choice awards but if you look at its score on Rotten Tomatoes it has a rating of just 51%, a curious rating for a website made of critics opinions on a film nominated for an award based on critic’s opinions. So is there some misunderstanding here?

Olympic class runner Louis Zamperini’s athletic career is put on hold when he joins the US army following the breakout of WW2. After his plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean he survives adrift only to be picked up by a Japanese unit and taken to a POW camp.

Just in case you hadn’t realised, because every trailer hammers this fact into your head, this film is based on a true story. And it is quite an incredible story to say the least. Another big selling point is Jolie as a director and I can say that although there are some issues with the film (we’ll get there later) she has a real eye as a director. The movie is strikingly beautiful to watch and experience, painting a very different picture of combat here that results in a very interesting look and feel to this entire story, it really captured me while watching it.

It also has a good tone for catching the right mood. When we’re in the bomber we feel intense and claustrophobic, when we’re drifting in the ocean we feel lost and dazed, when we’re in the POW camp we feel desperate and exhausted. There’s some extraordinary shots and techniques employed during the stranded section of the film. The actors all give such great performances, first optimistic and then very slowly giving that aurora of dread as their chances of survival lessen by the hour, combined with Jolie’s eye for desolation on this scope allows you to be captivated.

Unbroken also seems to take pleasure in making its audience goes ‘how can someone actually get through this?’ It enjoys responding with ‘well someone really did’. The stress and pain that Zamperini continues to endure is felt by every audience member.

So far so good, but then things start to unravel. As he’s taken to the POW camp Unbroken seems to slow down when you expect it to speed up on some level. It just feels as if by the time it got to this stage no one attempted to alter the tone again. So far we’ve seen action and deprivation, so this section should promise a combination of both, which it does. But then it fails to deliver anything new as well, which is what it really needed. It needed to make a tweak to the scope or imagery or tone in some way to define this section.

The pace also feels slow by comparison, whether it’s because they used all of their tricks on the boat, it appears to be stretched a bit thin in terms of reaching the point that history requires it to. Although I enjoy films that don’t through in violence unless it adds to the scope or suits the tone of the film, in the POW camp there was a slight lack of brutality. Though on paper all of these torturous ordeals sound horrific, they don’t translate to the screen in the same way. When Zamperini is pummelled by guards it needs to have more of a ‘BOOM’ feel. It should be more brutal rather than being drawn out, which is what Unbroken actually does. Short but powerful, and I can’t help thinking that the film might work better in that format.

Though visually stunning, Unbroken doesn’t quite match the physical gravitas to match its unbelievable true story. It’s a beautiful story, but told without a punchline.

Result: 5/10  

Birdman

"You're Birdman, let's go back one more time and show them what we're capable of."

I wonder how long it will take for the phrase ‘I’m Birdman’ to replace ‘I’m Batman’. Let’s face it that will probably never happen, but then again it just might for Michael Keaton.

Riggan Thomson, the former and fading superstar of the popular Birdman franchise, fights to reclaim any artistic respect by staging a Raymond Carver adaptation on Broadway. But it will be a challenging fight, filled with dangers like the battling cast, his sceptical family and his own crumbling sanity.

Keaton is probably paying a role that is much closer to himself than he would like to admit, the Birdman franchise failed in 1992, the same year Batman Returns came out. So a deliberate casting choice it would seem, but my god is it the right one. But first, well, I don’t know. I like to start with the standout feature but it is very difficult to choose between everything in Birdman, it’s all so good.

Okay, remember how you love that scene in Goodfellas where Henry Hill walks through the club and we follow him right through until he sits down. Birdman uses a similar technique for the entire film. It isn’t actually one shot but it’s directed and edited to look that way. It’s something that you can’t quite grasp until you actually see the film, so how Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu envisioned it I cannot imagine. He took what was already an impressive story, something that did not need any fancy tricks to make it stand out, and made it spectacular from a director’s point of view. Watch out Linklater, Alejandro’s (it takes too long to remember how to spell his last name) coming for that director Oscar.

Birdman is visually stunning in almost every way. It defies formula and reduces the highest concept special effects to noting with the use of innovation. Keaton’s inner crisis seems to take place on an epic level and continually astonishes us. It manages to succeed in going against movie law through pure cinematic imagination.

Michael Keaton, no wait there’s supporting characters as well. Half of them also seem to have had some experience in the superhero genre but the lesser side of it take Emma Stone, part of the less popular Spiderman franchise and Edward Norton the lesser Hulk. But they all do such a fantastic job, thanks to their portrayal there was not a single character is disliked, they all interact with our main character so well that it would have been all too easy for him to be reduced to merely an onlooker but he’s still the main character and still the one we empathise with.

Where The Dark Knight is a dissection of the superhero, Birdman is a dissection of films and acting in general. It keeps the story grounded in reality by  throwing in references to Robert Downey Jr and Jeremy Renner but uses the more surreal moments to peep into the mind of Keaton. It’s an internal battle between doing what he wants and what is easy. Should Keaton just go back to the Birdman franchise and sell out, but then again would that reduce his acting credibility. Birdman raises a lot of themes over the conflict of today’s Hollywood. If you star in a blockbuster does that make you  a person who’s only after money, but if you are in an indie film does it automatically make you an actor, or are you a sell-out purely for being in a blockbuster? It deals with a lot of things.

Finally to the man himself, Michael Keaton. Though casting him in the role may be deliberate, it is far from a cheap stunt or just to give a wink to the audience. No, Keaton can draw from personal experience here to play this character, as I said it’s probably closer to himself than he would admit. But that doesn’t matter, he was cast because, believe it or not highbrow critics, Michael Keaton can act, and I mean really, really act. This is an incredible performance playing both a hideous alter-ego and a damaged human. But you care and connect with both of them. Welcome back, you have been missed very much.

Result: 10/10  

Top Ten Movies of 2014

2014 was an amazing year for cinema. At first I considered making a top ten for this year to be relatively straightforward but more than any other year in recent cinema, this the one where I found myself rounding up the biggest amount of contenders. The variety and magnitude of quality cinema made it feel as if we were spoiled for choice, where even the blockbusters manages to raise their standards to compete with the prestige and independent pictures. Whereas previous years have seen a clear distinction between the different products of each section of the industry, 2014 saw them merge to a point where we didn’t have to say “this was great….for a mainstream movie”, we could point to the best of each section and say “this was a great movie”. Before I get into the main top ten of the year I have a few honourable mentions to hand out:

It shouldn't take long to realise that this year was incredible as far as blockbuster action went. The Marvel Cinematic Universe managed to deliver two ridiculously entertaining features in the form of 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. There was also Keanu Reeves' amazing turn as the unstoppable assassin 'John Wick'. Doug Liman teamed up with Tom Cruise to deliver a surprisingly intelligent action spectacle with 'Edge of Tomorrow'. But of all the action movies of this year the best would have to be the truly magnificent 'The Raid 2', a sequel with twice the ambition of the original whilst maintaining the same level of quality.

There were also a number of brilliant biopics that yielded some fantastic lead performances, from Benedict Cumberbatch in 'The Imitation Game' to Eddie Redmayne in 'The Theory of Everything' and not forgetting David Oyelowo in 'Selma'. Even though it's more of an ensemble than one can't go without mentioning Steve Carell in 'Foxcatcher'. Even Mike Leigh threw his name into the biopic genre with the poetic 'Mr Turner' that featured an elegant performance from Timothy Spall. 

But aside from the Oscar contenders there were still plenty of smart, subversive and highly entertaining movies. David Fincher's masterfully crafted 'Gone Girl', Jenifer Kent's 'The Babadook' and 'Two Days, One Night' by the Dardenne Brothers. We also saw Paul Thomas Anderson confuse and amaze us with 'Inherent Vice' (I still like you even if I have no idea why). Lenny Abrahamson made us feel endeared to a musician whose face we hardly ever see in 'Frank'. 'A Most Violent Year' was a thrilling and fresh feeling crime saga, and 'Force Majure' was a wonderfully dark comedy.  

10: What We Do in the Shadows

No one said that in this day and age a mockumentary about vampires had to be this innovative on both a creative level and a humorous one. It is one thing for Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement to put so much effort into crafting a hilarious film, but for its direction and performances to be so wonderfully well-made is another. It is atmospheric and beautifully stylish, balancing its broader comedic strokes with on point satire, parody and some refreshing character based humour as well. Having crafted such oddly endearing characters the film is able to evoke some surprisingly poignant moments, but as I already said, at the end of the day ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ is simply hilarious on a level no other film could match this year.

9: Under the Skin

I think comparing a film to the work of Stanley Kubrick is a dangerous move, firstly for the risk of overusing the complement and secondly for the risk of it being flat out false (after all there was and will only ever be one Kubrick). However ‘Under the Skin’ is probably the film most worthy that comparison in recent memory. Jonathon Glazer’s eerie science fiction arthouse project places Scarlett Johannsson in a role unlike any she’s played before but one that she pulls off with mesmerising results. As well as a terrific score and too many hauntingly striking visuals to count, Glazer’s direction and minimalist script evokes a sense of utter horror that is sure to reach under the viewers skin in a way that few films ever have.

8: Mommy

Regadrless of what you think of Xavier Dolan’s films, one can never deny the boldness of his vision. Despite admiring his previous efforts I have to confess few of them really connected with me, but this year ‘Mommy’ was able to craft such an emotionally intricate and universally compelling story that Dolan’s unique visual style and vision was elevated to new standards of excellence. Boasting a tirade of stunning performances that are all able to bring Dolan’s deeply personal script to life with immense power, ‘Mommy’ reveals itself to be a surprisingly deep and infinitely resonant tale that leaves me excited over what lies ahead for the young auteur.

7: Only Lovers Left Alive

Who knew that we would get not one but two astonishingly brilliant vampire films in the same year (we have come a long way since the dark days of ‘Twilight’)? Jim Jarmusch’s gothic, existential love story is worth seeing purely for the amazing performances of Tom Hiddlestone and Tilda Swinton alone. But when you include Jarmusch’s unique sensibilities on both a written and directorial level that blends his two best traits, the down to earth dialogue that is amusingly complex, with the visual poetry that makes you feel as if you are watching an oil painting come to life. Wonderfully dry yet achingly passionate, the film is an anomaly that despite being for an acquired taste, has to be seen to be believed.

6: Life Itself

It has been a good year for documentaries, but if I were to pick my favourite it would (for rather obvious reasons) be Steve James’ biographical look at the life and legacy of the great Roger Ebert. Given that he remains a huge influence on my own style of writing and outlook on movies, it was beautifully engaging to see Ebert’s life and times examined and relived on the screen, with contributions from the likes of Martin Scorsese and Werner Herzog, in a gloriously detailed and immensely intimate portrait. The fact that during production the film morphed into a documentation of Ebert’s final days as he succumbed to his ten year battle with cancer only made it a more poignant yet joyful tribute, one that spoke of movies but also of life itself.

5: The Grand Budapest Hotel

I keep trying to tell myself that one day Wes Anderson will make a movie I don’t fall in love with, surely it has to happen one day? But as of 2014 I’m still waiting, because ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ stands as not only Anderson’s most ambitious project to date, but arguably his best as well. Every solitary frame of the film is so exquisitely crafted that it defies belief, it makes one wonder how anyone could possibly create a story that could match the aesthetics. But Anderson’s endlessly unique sensibilities, his offbeat humour, surprising depth and bittersweet view of life gives the film such wonderful complexity that you’ll be even happier they assembled such a ensemble cast to bring it to life.

4: Enemy

After such a strong breakout with 2013’s ‘Prisoners’, some were left confused and disappointed by Denise Villeneuve’s decidedly more experimental thriller, ‘Enemy’. In fact I must confess to initially being in that camp as well. But as time has gone by, and I’ve been allowed to ponder and contemplate the movie more, I have come to appreciate it for the masterpiece that it is. It is elusive, layered and mysterious, but these qualities only give the film a lasting effect and compel the viewer to dive into it as many times as possible in order to unravel it. Even if one cannot make heads or tails of its inner messages, the tight construction, pitch perfect direction and disturbingly complex performance from Jake Gyllenhaal make ‘Enemy’ a film that demands admiration.

3: Nightcrawler

Speaking of Jake Gyllenhaal and of the disturbingly complex, within the film ‘Nightcrawler’ Gyllenhaal was able to transform in a way that I have never witnessed from him (or any other actor this year) before. The kind of character study that only comes along once in a generation, with an actor and director who are confident enough to display their main character in all his iunredeeming glory, ‘Nightcrawler’ is a masterclass in dissecting modern media and the kind of people who thrive within it. In his directorial debut Dan Gilroy’s sleek and stylish visual flair shows a lot of promise, as he displays a thrilling and disturbing sensibility that is so perfectly in tune with his leading man that it feels like destiny.    

2: Whiplash

Of all of the up and coming directors this year, there may be no finer artist than Damien Chazelle. His electrifying breakthrough stands as one of the most intense and psychologically riveting films of the modern era, combining a masterful eye for style and rhythm as he guides the viewer through this tightly constructed tour de force. Held together by Miles Teller’s empathetic performance, with J.K Simmons’ astonishingly unnerving role as the centrepiece, ‘Whiplash’ balances its various elements and integrates them with one another so perfectly that by the time you have made it through the intense and stunningly constructed story to reach the inspiring finale, you’ll be wondering where the last 106 minutes of your life seemed to fly by in an instant.

1: Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

In a year where I’ve celebrated the ambition and boldness of each directors vision, none of them seem to match that of Alejandro Inarritu. It is unusual for films with such a clarity of vision and technically ambitious to be as humane and endearing as this. With ‘Birdman’ Inarritu has crafted a masterpiece of stunning complexity, one that manages to be dreamlike but grounded, humorous yet heartfelt and layered in spite of being so intimately focussed. With Michael Keaton at the centre, ‘Birdman’ offers a unique character study that takes the viewer right into the inner mind of its subject, dealing with identity and transformation with such sympathy and accuracy that it becomes near impossible not to fall in love with its characters. Given that the supporting cast are equally magnificent, it’s more than appropriate to say that ‘Birdman’ soars unlike any other film of 2014.

Top Ten Worst Films of 2014

For every exceptional film there is always a bad one. It is just the way of the industry and with this list I am going through the very worst of what has still been a great year. But 2014 was not free of mistakes, and here are the ten worst of them.

Gross Jury Prizes

Most film festivals make a category for films that didn’t quite make their main list but were just as good or in this case bad. My five GJP’s are A Million ways to Die in the West , Into the Storm, Need for Speed, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transcendence.

10: Robocop

Though not as bad as it could have been this remake was still quite miserable, lacking in everything that made the original great, amazing action, dark comedy and men getting soaked in toxic waste. Furthermore, any film that has Keaton Oldman and Jackson together but fails to make an impression deserves to be on this list.

9: The Other Woman

Every year Cameron Diaz seems to get less comical and less serious simultaneously. This poor excuse for a revenge comedy is a prime example of that, filled with uninteresting characters and too many jokes that fall flat.

8: Men Women and Children

What attempts to be a judgemental drama is really a stern telling off disguised as a film. It has a magnet pressed against its moral compass and is as transparent as a sheet of glass.

7: The Legend of Hercules

 Who would have thought that out of two films that are essentially copies of each other the one directed by Brett Ratner would be superior, this one is more of a comedy than an epic.

6: Grace of Monaco

On paper this film should be a riveting historical drama, instead it never finds the right tone or the right severity with its actors. It feels out of touch and disconnected with its subject and drama.

5: Dracula Untold

What was supposed to be a reboot of the classic monster craze has become a parody of everything that the classic genre stood for. Even Charles Dance was disappointing, that says a lot.

4: I Frankenstein

No one wanted to be involved with this film and it’s easy to see why. The plot is ridiculous and unstructured, the special effects are terrible and the acting feels really half-arsed, I surrender.

3: Blended

By this point no worst film list would be complete without Adam Sandler, Blended just feels like an excuse for him to have a vacation with no surprises, laughs or anything else really, what else?

2: Ouija

Take every horror cliché you can think of but remove any amount of fun, cast talent, visual pleasure, suspense or scares of any kind and you have this film, produced by Michael Bay. Speaking of which…

1: Transformers: Age of Extinction

It’s one thing for a film to be bad, but for one of this quality to make more money than any other this year… it annoys you slightly, or a lot. People keep thinking these movies will be good and every time they are complete garbage. The same substitute story for explosion technique is tiresome and ineffective . Any film that has to stop dead to explain why it’s okay to fantasise over an underage girl is naturally terrible. This could also be the start of a very sad and bleak part of the cinema industry, one where films are made to be sold internationally. That means deliberately cutting down dialogue to save translations, where explosions travel further than words and changing locations purely to make it more appealing to communist censors. Why do the Transformers go to China, because Bay sees money there. It’s a painful experience and for me, the worst movie of 2014.
So what's your least likable film of 2014, leave a comment below to tell me and tomorrow the best of the year list is coming.  

Exodus: Gods and Kings

"I came to tell you something is coming that is far beyond you or I."

Biblical films could become the next big thing. The technology we have now can portray all of the Bible’s stories in their full scope and nature. Noah received fairly polarised reviews but most seemed to agree that it tackled the story on an epic scale that had not been seen before. With Ridley Scott’s take on the tale of Moses things are sadly, much the same.

Adopted son of the current Pharaoh and brother to the future one, Moses is forced to sacrifice his life of luxury when he discovers that his true heritage comes from the Hebrew people who are currently enslaved to the Egyptians. He also faces a huge task that has been set for him by God to convince his brother to ‘Let my people go’.

If anyone could tackle this story it would be the director of Gladiator. Ridley Scott specialises in creating entire worlds within his films as we’ve seen with Blade Runner and Gladiator. However in Exodus the ancient Egypt feels relatively small and relies too much on CGI. Though there are many practical effects and on set locations, it fails to leave a lasting impression especially for such a wide scale plot. Though the massive scope of Egypt is captured it doesn’t feel thoroughly fleshed out.

Christian Bale does give quite an outstanding performance as Moses here. The character is written in a unique but very interesting style, being sceptical of religion in general and not only is he not understanding, but also completely unsympathetic and unconcerned with the plight of the Hebrews. There are a lot of human elements added and they are all made believable with Bale’s portrayal, he’s shown as a reluctant hero who has to grow accept his own identity as well as the immense challenge of facing his past that he has been running from. He also doesn’t totally respect or fear god throughout, he wants and tries to defy him, sometimes putting his family and own human reluctance before the demands of the creator. He also shows considerable concern for the innocent people caught in his dispute with Rameses. It helps Bale’s Moses remain relatable and never drifting into wooden territory.

Sadly the supporting cast aren’t as prominent, Joel Edgerton as Rameses fails to make the character menacing or powerful. Ralph Fiennes does a better job in The Prince of Egypt, speaking of which, the character in Exodus could learn a lot from the way that the same man is portrayed and written in Dreamwork’s animated biblical story. Rather than being more of a spoilt brat he’s quite reckless as a child, wishing to break free of responsibility. But under pressure from his father he is hardened into a ruthless ruler who is eager not to be, as his father described him and he later described himself, ‘the weak link’. With this version of Rameses I felt rather undecided over how to feel about him when he’s swallowed by the Red Sea.

Though there are some big players and talented actors in supporting roles such as Ben Kingsley and Sigourney Weaver they fail to register with so little screen time. They do a satisfactory job, but in an epic of this scale there is not enough time or talent shown to make then stand out.

The most impressive element of this film must be Scott’s interpretation of the ten plagues. Here they are brought to life as unstoppable forces of nature rather than a fantasy spectacle. They’re vile and horrific like something out of a disaster film. However the result of this is that the scene that should be the climax, the crowning glory, the Red Sea, feels underwhelming.

Though it understands the scope and intricate emotional trauma of what a tale such as this requires for an accurate retelling, the world lacks heart and detail within, as well as the less than satisfying secondary characters that would make Exodus epic rather than just impressive.

Result: 5/10

Your Guide to 2015

Welcome to 2015, and here is a quick guide to what must be one of the most promising years for films in cinema history. Everything from big blockbusters to indie favourites, this is what you need to look out for.

Blockbusters

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Undoubtedly the current champion of this competition, if this film does not tip the scale to make the Marvel Cinematic Universe the most successful franchise of all time it will be the biggest flop of all time. But we know that won’t happen, the only real question seems to be when will the film stop making money, can it outdo the first (third highest grossing film of all time) and break the record to be the biggest of all time.

Mockingjay Part 2

Starting as an underdog, now a high contender, although Part 1 was not my cup of tea it was a ruthless build up to this finale. If it finds the right audience and despite my problems with the third film it still makes an immensely entertaining series that should end on a high.

Spectre

Riding on the success of Skyfall comes the 24^th instalment. Though we still don’t know much about the plot, but if you believe all the rumours then Craig might be passing the role over after this film, we know the cast with Christophe Waltz’s appearing as the villain and Sam Mendes returning to direct. Things look positive.

Jurassic World

Few films have changed the scope of cinema as much as the original JP. None of the sequels have lived up to the original and today it takes more than realistic effects to stand out. JW will have to pull something out of the bag to impress, but Chris Pratt takes the lead role and we still love the T-Rex.

Terminator Genesis

I know the title is spelt differently but I refuse to spell Gen-i-sys on principle. Whether or not this film is good is a different argument, whether it will make money is a foregone conclusion. Also, a reboot/ sequel could be the Days of Future Past move for this franchise, down but not quite out.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The returning champion, the big contender, if any film has the potential to wipe all others off the face of the planet it’s Star Wars, with the original cast mixed with a new one, original writer meets new director, this will be a hit. It is difficult to see another film this decade that will be more anticipated than this, I view the biggest battle being between Avengers and Star Wars.

Dark Horses

Ant-Man

Marvel’s most troubled production, with Edgar Wright (who I like so I have to be sceptical) leaving the project. Possibly the quirkiest superhero yet, but Strange(r) is to come in phase three (get it).This back to basics story of one man starting his path could be a nice reminder of the Marvel spirit.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Road Fury sounds more grammatically correct, but regardless the trailer alone makes this reboot look spectacular. Admittedly this franchise hasn’t aged well so a new instalment with Tom Hardy may be a real money-maker, attracting old and new fans alike.

The Fantastic Four

Possible the most rushed remake in recent history, some may people may be optimistic but I am really sceptical. It may have a promising cast and director, but the film is eight months away and we haven’t seen anything, no pictures, trailer, footage or even poster, it worries me a bit.

The Hateful Eight

The eighth film from Tarantino nearly never happened, and now that it has I think we should be more excited for it than we are, even with a year of blockbusters a western from Quentin is still a tantalising prospect. Includes more bounty hunters, more violence and more Samuel L Jackson, I like.

A Few More

Teen fiction will explode with the next instalments of Divergent and Maze Runner, a new Neil Blomkamp project CHAPPiE containing more robots, Mission Impossible 5 and Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman could rival Bond in espionage, Fast and Furious 7, Brad Brid’s Tommorowland, the Wachowski’s Jupiter Ascending starring Channing Tatum, can Seth MacFarlane do better this year with a sequel Ted 2, animated features include Inside out and The Good Dinosaur from Pixar and The Minions Movie, Chris Columbus’ Pixels looks interesting and finally a film from Robert Zemeckis and Joseph Gordon Levitt The Walk  based on Phillip Piette’s tightrope walk between the twin towers.

I think that’s everything, or did I miss something you were looking forward to. Leave a comment below if I did and to everyone else, let me know what you’re most looking forward to in 2015. I can only be sure of one thing, It’ll be a hell of a year.     

50 Years of Sergio Leone's Leone's Spaghetti Westerns

"In this world there's two kinds of people my friend, those with loaded guns, and those who dig."

Though I already wished everyone a happy new year in my supposed final entry of 2014 I would be remised if I did not mention the very special birthday of a very special film series. Many films have significant anniversaries this year, but none have been as influential on modern cinema as Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy. Modern cinema simply would not exist as we know it without these films, they have touched and affected everyone and everything from Joss Whedon to Quentin Tarantino.

Few would have thought that an Italian American director, who hardly spoke any English, making a western when the genre was thought to be dying out, based on Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo  and starring the only people who didn’t previously turn the roles down, could become such an astonishing success. The series starts in small backwater towns and ends in epic style with the Civil War as a backdrop, it lacked the sentimental morals traditional westerns would try to shove down your throat, instead the films were filled with violent and sadistic behaviour  from its central characters.

The unique style created a new kind of buzz on a global scale, it gave the entire genre new life. With its flawed, more interesting and more relatable characters it captivated audiences on several levels. Humour was laced throughout as well, it was never thought that films like this could contain humour amidst all of the shootouts and gun slinging, but they did. Leone broke all of the rules and he didn’t care about it. Things were done in his own way and nothing demoted the exclusive feel he wanted to generate.

They were not light hearted stories, but they had a deeper thoughts implanted. The Dollars trilogy dealt with betrayal and honour, as well as the American dream and spirit. It is remarkable how well the foreign filmmaker captured the trials and tribulations of the American Civil War. Grand themes such as these could easily be bungled by other filmmakers, but here there is an excellent proof of how Leone took a history that wasn’t his own and filled it with the human heart.

Leone once said that westerns were filled with ‘violent and uncomplicated men’ and although his characters definitely fill the former, they are most certainly an accurate description of the latter. Though they may be, as already stated, violent, emotionally disconnected questionable political beliefs audiences still connect with the characters today. By the time you reach the scene in the graveyard at the end of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly you feel as if you have gone on a genuine journey with these people.

The extra edge has to come from that incredible music score from Ennio Morricone which Leone uses to his full advantage, as well as the inclusion of sound, it’s exclusion from some scenes adds to the terrific tension. The silence, reaction shots, followed by brutal bursts of violence were techniques invented here by Leone. The use of all of these things went against what was considered normal for the most prestigious Hollywood pictures, let alone a blood filled series of westerns.

You don’t have to like the classic John Wayne era of westerns to adore Leone’s films, take it from me because the earlier statement is my answer to the question ‘Do you like Cowboy films?’ Any director that uses wide angle shots probably does so from an influence by Leone. The films somehow heightened the reality of the genre but presented it in a format only plausible on the big screen. Hitchcock and many others saw no potential in widescreen due to the jarring between shots, but Leone used the jarring to great effect, jumping from desolate landscapes to close ups.

I would be lying if I said that the Leone westerns were recognised as classics instantly, they broke the mold at the time as well as today, but it was still regarded as a short craze. But like so many classic films, not only have Leone’s work refused to pass from memory, it gains new audiences constantly, and it will undoubtedly do so for years to come. 

So what's your favourite Leone film, or is there something you like about his films in general, leave a comment below and one again, happy new year!