Showing posts with label Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Show all posts

Friday, May 17, 2013

Performer to Watch: Benedict Cumberbatch

Many people are familiar with Benedict Cumberbatch, but this weekend even more people are going to know who he is because of his role in the Star Trek: Into Darkness.  People will also become enamored with his name, because it is honestly one of the most fun names to say over and over again.  Beyond saying his name Cumberbatch has made his mark already, in BBC television, and small art films, but as this year proves he is a star, and major player on the rise.

Most of Cumberbatch's early work is from British television, namely television shows, and mini-series like Fortysomething, Silent Witness, Broken News, The Last Enemy, and National Theatre Live.  Yet it's his work in the show Sherlock on BBC, which has become the show getting him the big roles.  British shows/mini-series have had success in the States before the 2010s, but their adaptations US adaptations like The Office and Being Human, and first run series like Downton, Luther, and Sherlock have never been more popular.  Aside from the US adaptations the PBS broadcast BBC shows like Downton and Sherlock are popular because they transcend the ocean which separates the UK and the States.  Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular characters in all of literature, and this series helps bring him to life from a different vantage point.

In the BBC version Cumberbatch plays Sherlock more true to form to the literature, heightening his unlike able characteristics, but in a modern day setting   Sherlock and Watson team up against Moriarty of course, but its Cumberbatch's performance which help further the success of this series.  Cumberbatch does a great job with this role, but this was not his first role of note.

Cumberbatch has not only done many British television series but he has done a great deal of British produced films including Atonement, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.  In both films Cumberbatch has this quiet brilliance.    In Atonement his despicable, and makes you hate him only with a few scenes.  In Spy he conveys so much of the emotional character through his face.  Both of these film roles along with Sherlock have proven his strength within the acting world, and now his most recent role in Star Trek will launch him into the world of bigger films.

Cumberbatch is no stranger to being part of of big budget films.  Cumberbatch played Major Jamie Stewart in War Horse and the Necromancer in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. While Horse was mostly focused on, well the horse, and the young boy, and Cumberbatch was hidden while playing the Necromancer, there is no hiding in the role of Khan in Star Trek.  Cumberbatch never chews the scenery; he merely creates the complex, layered villain many have come to loathe, and become intrigued by within the world of Star Trek.  Cumberbatch is brilliant in the role, and he steals the film, people will be talking about him all Summer!

While Cumberbatch is going to be someone talked about all Summer he also going to be on people's minds starring in three major films, which may get a lot of Oscar attention.  August Osage County (John Wells), 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen), and The Fifth Estate (Bill Condon).  I am predicting it now, Cumberbatch will receive a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.  Along with these three major roles, he will be part of the rest of The Hobbit trilogy, and Sherlock third season (probably it's last).  Cumberbatch has so much going for him, and he deserves to be on the rise!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

BAFTA Award Nominations Highlight The Artist, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Hugo

Today the British Academy of Film Television Arts (BAFTA) announced their nominations.  BAFTA is the UK's version of the Academy Awards. These awards typically help give a good perspective on the Academy Awards.  


British films/actors typically are always given nominations, and these nominations do not always follow to the Oscars, like Judi Dench's nomination for My Week with Marilyn, which is a throw away nomination.  Meanwhile BAFTA also picks some pretty great surprises with Brit Lynne Ramsey nominated for Best Director for We Need to Talk About Kevin.


Two films received a major boost here, Drive, and Tinker Tailor  Soldier Spy.  Spy has the second most nominations with 11 including Best Picture.  Meanwhile Drive garnered 4 nominations, including the Best Picture race too.


The Artist has solidified its front runner status with a total of 12 nominations.  Meanwhile The Descendants which won at the Globes only received 3 nominations setting this film back a bit.  The other big surprise in the world of frontrunners is that Hugo received 9 nominations and no Best Picture nomination.  Hugo is still a serious threat but this weakens its chances. At the middle ground My Week with Marilyn (a British film) received 6 nominations The Help had 5, and War Horse had 5 nominations.


This award show tends to have an impact or helps to predict the winners, it can also help predict some surprise nominations because many of the members of the Academy are British.  Here is the complete list of nominations:



BEST FILM
  • THE ARTIST – Thomas Langmann
  • THE DESCENDANTS – Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
  • DRIVE – Marc Platt, Adam Siegel
  • THE HELP – Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo
DIRECTOR
  • THE ARTIST – Michel Hazanavicius
  • DRIVE Nicolas – Winding Refn
  • HUGO – Martin Scorsese
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – Tomas Alfredson
  • WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN – Lynne Ramsay
LEADING ACTOR
  • BRAD PITT – Moneyball
  • GARY OLDMAN – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
  • GEORGE CLOONEY – The Descendants
  • JEAN DUJARDIN – The Artist
  • MICHAEL FASSBENDER – Shame
LEADING ACTRESS
  • BÉRÉNICE BEJO The Artist – Film
  • MERYL STREEP – The Iron Lady
  • MICHELLE WILLIAMS – My Week with Marilyn
  • TILDA SWINTON – We Need to Talk About Kevin
  • VIOLA DAVIS – The Help
SUPPORTING ACTOR
  • CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER – Beginners
  • JIM BROADBENT – The Iron Lady
  • JONAH HILL – Moneyball
  • KENNETH BRANAGH – My Week with Marilyn
  • PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – The Ides of March
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
  • CAREY MULLIGAN – Drive
  • JESSICA CHASTAIN – The Help
  • JUDI DENCH – My Week with Marilyn
  • MELISSA MCCARTHY – Bridesmaids
  • OCTAVIA SPENCER – The Help
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
  • MY WEEK WITH MARILYN – Simon Curtis, David Parfitt, Harvey Weinstein, Adrian Hodges
  • SENNA – Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Manish Pandey
  • SHAME – Steve McQueen, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Abi Morgan
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – _Tomas Alfredson, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo, Bridget O’Connor, Peter Straughan
  • WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN – Lynne Ramsay, Luc Roeg, Jennifer Fox, Robert Salerno, Rory Stewart Kinnear
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
  • ATTACK THE BLOCK – Joe Cornish (Director/Writer)
  • BLACK POND – Will Sharpe (Director/Writer), Tom Kingsley (Director), Sarah Brocklehurst (Producer)
  • CORIOLANUS – Ralph Fiennes (Director)
  • SUBMARINE – Richard Ayoade (Director/Writer)
  • TYRANNOSAUR – Paddy Considine (Director), Diarmid Scrimshaw (Producer)
DOCUMENTARY
  • GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD – Martin Scorsese
  • PROJECT NIM – James Marsh, Simon Chinn
  • SENNA – Asif Kapadia
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
  • THE ARTIST – Michel Hazanavicius
  • BRIDESMAIDS – Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
  • THE GUARD – John Michael McDonagh
  • THE IRON LADY – Abi Morgan
  • MIDNIGHT IN PARIS – Woody Allen
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
  • THE DESCENDANTS – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
  • THE HELP – Tate Taylor
  • THE IDES OF MARCH – George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
  • MONEYBALL – Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – Bridget O’Connor, Peter Straughan
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
  • INCENDIES – Denis Villeneuve, Luc Déry, Kim McGraw
  • PINA – Wim Wenders, Gian-Piero Ringel
  • POTICHE – François Ozon, Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
  • A SEPARATION – Asghar Farhadi
  • THE SKIN I LIVE IN – Pedro Almodóvar, Agustin Almodóvar
ANIMATED FILM
  • HE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN – Steven Spielberg
  • ARTHUR CHRISTMAS – Sarah Smith
  • RANGO – Gore Verbinski
ORIGINAL MUSIC
  • THE ARTIST – Ludovic Bource
  • THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
  • HUGO Howard – Shore
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – Alberto Iglesias
  • WAR HORSE – John Williams
CINEMATOGRAPHY
  • THE ARTIST – Guillaume Schiffman
  • THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Jeff Cronenweth
  • HUGO – Robert Richardson
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – Hoyte van Hoytema
  • WAR HORSE – Janusz Kaminski
EDITING
  • THE ARTIST – Anne-Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius
  • DRIVE – Mat Newman
  • HUGO – Thelma Schoonmaker
  • SENNA – Gregers Sall, Chris King
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLIDER – SPY Dino Jonsater
PRODUCTION DESIGN
  • THE ARTIST – Laurence Bennett, Robert Gould
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2 – Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
  • HUGO – Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana MacDonald
  • WAR HORSE – Rick Carter, Lee Sandales
COSTUME DESIGN
  • THE ARTIST – Mark Bridges
  • HUGO – Sandy Powell
  • JANE EYRE – Michael O’Connor
  • MY WEEK WITH MARILYN – Jill Taylor
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – Jacqueline Durran
SOUND
  • THE ARTIST – Nadine Muse, Gérard Lamps, Michael Krikorian
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2 – James Mather, Stuart Wilson, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener
  • HUGO – Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley
  • TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY – John Casali, Howard Bargroff, Doug Cooper, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley
  • WAR HORSE – Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Richard Hymns
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
  • THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN – Joe Letteri
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2 – Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery
  • HUGO – Rob Legato, Ben Grossman, Joss Williams
  • RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White
  • WAR HORSE – Ben Morris, Neil Corbould
MAKE UP & HAIR
  • THE ARTIST – Julie Hewett, Cydney Cornell
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2 – Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin
  • HUGO Morag – Ross, Jan Archibald
  • THE IRON LADY – Marese Langan
  • MY WEEK WITH MARILYN – Jenny Shircore
SHORT ANIMATION
  • ABUELAS – Afarin Eghbal, Kasia Malipan, Francesca Gardiner
  • BOBBY YEAH – Robert Morgan
  • A MORNING STROLL – Grant Orchard, Sue Goffe
SHORT FILM
  • CHALK – Martina Amati, Gavin Emerson, James Bolton, Ilaria Bernardini
  • MWANSA THE GREAT – Rungano Nyoni, Gabriel Gauchet
  • ONLY SOUND REMAINS – Arash Ashtiani, Anshu Poddar
  • PITCH BLACK HEIST – John Maclean, Gerardine O’Flynn
  • TWO AND TWO – Babak Anvari, Kit Fraser, Gavin Cullen
ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD
  • ADAM DEACON
  • CHRIS HEMSWORTH
  • TOM HIDDLESTON
  • CHRIS O’DOWD
  • EDDIE REDMAYNE

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is the Most Proper, Well Mannered and a Near Perfect take on the World Britain During the 1970s and the Cold War

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (4 out of 5 Stars)
Directed by Tomad Alfredson (Let the Right One In)
Written by Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan 
Starring Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Collin Firth, and John Hurt



Tinker Tailor Solider Spy  is based on the 1974 spy novel by John le Carre.  The interesting thing about this will be that this may be the shortest review I have ever done for a film.  Yet this was a brilliant film.

The film itself centers around an intelligence expert named George Smiley (Gary Oldman).  Smiley is forced into retirement but then is brought back secretly to investigate the presence of a mole in the "Circus" the highest level of the Secret Intelligent Service in Britain.  Explaining more about the film would be difficult because one there are specific details and key plot points I do not want to give away and also because of the complicated structure in understanding British intelligence during this period.

After seeing the film I decided that I wanted to learn more about the novel the subject material was based on, and British Intelligence.  I was also a history major in college so understanding the basic history and time period was important to me.  I think understanding the historical context and British intelligence is an important element of this film.  So many films like the Bond series capture a vantage point that details things as well as this film. This is one of the flaws that is not the films fault.

 The film at times was so meticulous and precise then if you looked away or sneezed you could become lost in the films subject matter.  The script is sharp, and well written, and adapts one of the largest books that was once a mini-series into a well made two hour film.  That is no easy task.  Tomas Alfredson who directed the Swedish film Let the Right One In was the perfect choice to direct this film.  Alfredson is an expert at taking the world of espionage and creating such a dark and twisted journey that involves sex, intrigue, and one intense ride.

The real star of this film is Gary Oldman.  Oldman is one of my favorite actors working today.  This man can take a role and we can lose site of the actual actor.  Oldman has done this flawlessly in films like The  Contender, Hannibal, the most recent Batman series, the Harry Potter series, and Air Force One.  This is his best performance; he is stoic, yet incredibly powerful in every interaction he has on camera.  Whether Smiley is trying to get Tom Hardy's character to divulge his source for knowing there was a mole, or using his expert knowledge to make the actual mole (not divulging who) reveal there sordid plan.

The film's message is one of loneliness. These men and women who work for this agency have no where to turn, and no one they can share their secrets with.  Friendship, marriage, and any form of relationship goes out the window, and all in the name of love of one's country.