The Host - by El

After Stephanie Meyer's abominable vampiric juggernaut I had no expectations when the movie adaptation of her second major work 'The Host' was announced. However, the Sci-Fi premise was intriguing, and with accomplished actor Saoirse Ronan inhabiting the duel main role and with Gattaca genius Andrew Niccol in the director's set, I decided to risk it.

I was not disappointed.
The Host is a quiet and disquieting movie about our forced occupation by an advanced race, known individually as 'Souls'. As part of their interplanetary expansion they arrived on our little blue planet and have nearly completed their goal of of total "merger"with their unwilling human hosts. The Souls believe they bring peace, cooperation and a perfect health system to our barbaric population. However, a handful of humans refuse to be assimilated and have avoided capture, holed up in a convenient and clever hideout. The concept of an intelligent, ephemeral parasite is fascinating and raises many interesting points, some of which are explored during the the film. The strength of the concept, gorgeous art direction and strong lead cast compensate for some lack lustre dialogue and Meyer's unimaginative naming protocol. In weaker hands this movie might have gone the way of the Twilight saga, but the cinematography, styling, direction and performances were classy and strong.
The internal struggle between two strong wills within the body of host Melanie Stryder is deftly handled by the very talented Ronan, who engages the audience with her unique love quadrangle. Other standouts are William Hurt as Uncle Jeb, Jake Abel's Ian, a splendid performance by young Chandler Canterbury as Melanie's kid brother and Diane Kruger whose twisted Soul is driven to aggression unbecoming of her race.

While the concept of The Host is deep if you chose to follow the philosophical passageways, the movie itself is quite simple - but it works. We immediately understand the ideas and the consequences of such an invasion, and hopefully are reminded of the rise and demise of the colonial conquests in humanity's own bloody history. The symbiotic characters Melanie & Wanda are sympathetic and strong, so we invest in them both equally and follow their touching journey to a satisfying end.
However, what I took from The Host is colonisation from the view of the invader, which is unusual in science fiction. We usually learn to fear the colonists, especially those who "come in peace", with stories playing out on the side of the oppressed, who inevitably defeat the far more advanced aliens and send them packing. 'District 9' took the alien's view, but from a dehumanised, Apartheid perspective.Stephanie Meyer has proposed that while free-will is a right we should fight for, this spirit we like to claim as uniquely human, might not be exclusively so. 3.5 stars.

The Silver Linings Playbook - El

I believe this is the first film to have had Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress - and it is easy to see why.

Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence (winner-congratulations), Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver are all superb in this funny and confronting film about mental illness and what it takes to prevent life becoming chaos. As well as the superb cast, it is beautifully composed and directed. The setting is so natural we are unaware of the craft required to make it so real.

Despite the moments of shouting and exasperation, it is actually an understated film - which is unusual for an American feature film focussing on family. It is small and intimate, which allows us to quickly connect with this loving, but exhausted family. Jackie Weaver's performance as Patrick's mother Dolores struck a chord with me. The fragility in her eyes and mouth is balanced by her unflinching loyalty and steely determination to do the right thing for her challenging son; her strength is awe inspiring. DeNiro plays Pat's OCD father with passion but also humility and subtle humour as he tries earnestly to reconnect with his son. We warm to them both instantly and then feel their pain as their endless patience is tested by Pat's broken heart and fractured mind.

While the tone is kept light overall, we still get to see that loving and caring for a child with a mental illness, especially when that child is a tall and physically powerful man, is a heavy burden. The cost of which is written in lines on his exhausted mother's face.

Every character in this story is rich and plays an important part in both Pat's life. He is fortunate. However, this movie also demonstrates how medication and good therapy is critical to restoring balance and ensuring everyone's safety. Without showing us, we still understand why so many souls who suffer the ravages of their illness never recover and are left to the system to contain them and protect us from their madness. Those outside the system only have the streets…

The highlight for me was the snappy and raw dialogue, especially between Pat and Tiffany. They are both battling their own demons yet can see clearly the truth that lies beneath the surface in those around them. Their 'crazy' makes them unable or unprepared to do the carefully choreographed social dance of polite conversation, and thus they pull back the decorative curtain with which the rest of us hide the inadequacies of our own lives.

Their lack of filter is refreshing as well as amusing. Who wouldn't love to bypass smalltalk and cut straight to the chase?

The Silver Linings Playbook is a movie of love, connection, optimism and hope. The story itself is simple, sweet and rewarding. Yet its subject matter is anything but. For me, the theme is not of silver, but rather blurred lines. The line between doctor and patient, the line between love and obsession and that delicate line between sanity and madness.

4.5 stars - El

Life of Pi - El

This is a stunningly beautiful film.  Every frame is a masterpiece. From the first moment, we are transported into lush, green gardens filled with exotic animals in post colonial French India. 
I usually eschew 3D, and will view movies in this mode only as a last resort - as I have had many disappointments. However, director Ang Lee's 3D is utterly seamless. It is technically perfect. The viewer is immersed in the tropical eden of young Pi Patel's childhood home and never distracted from the story by self-conscious visual effects.
I cannot understate the beauty of this movie, but that alone doesn't set it apart. For me, the grace and respect with which every creature and person, even those in the background, is treated is the key to its success. From the majestic Bengal tiger to the humble fish the vegetarian Pi is forced to kill in order to survive, every being is equal and connected. 
Pi is an intelligent, passionate and questioning person and it is with his wonder and desire to understand the greater meaning of life that we join him and his family with their animal menagerie on their ill-fated voyage across the Pacific Ocean. 
Mechanical failure and the wrath of the gods tears Pi's world apart and leaves him to the mercy of the sea, his wits and his desperate companions. What happens next is both breathtaking and heart wrenching in equal measure. However, the humour took me by surprise! There are some really funny lines, which grounds this fantastical story in reality, just as you might think you're dreaming...
Breathtaking and terrible, Life of Pi is essentially a search for meaning and connection when everyone you know and think you understood is torn from you. 
What you choose to believe happens in the end of the story is a reflection of your own experience and perspective on life.

5 stars - El