Women's Issues in Marie Antoinette

Sofia Coppola’s third film, Marie Antoinette, was released in 2006. Starring Kirsten Dunst as the young Austrian queen, the film follows Antoinette’s arrival at Versaille until the end of her reign as the French march on the palace during the French Revolution.

Coppola has been at the receiving end of much criticism over Marie Antoinette as it seems to favour style over substance, focusing on scenes of Antoinette’s lavish and decadent lifestyle rather than having any concrete narrative. Visually, the film is extremely pleasing to the eye. Shot on location at Versaille and using Coppola’s usual pastel colour scheme, the costumes are divine, and is coupled with beautiful cinematography.

Although on the surface the viewer only sees a series of trivial events, such as banquets and parties, the film features a number of themes which can be related to feminist theory.
It would seem that Marie suffers from what Betty Friedan refers to as ‘the problem that has no name’. After her marriage her sole purpose is to produce an heir, something which is problematic due to the disinterested nature of her husband. A letter from her mother reads: “it is clear that the heart of your problems in your new home, is your inability to inspire sexual passion in your husband.”

Laura Mulvey states “the function of woman in forming the patriarchal unconscious is twofold: she first symbolises the castration threat by her real lack of a penis and secondly thereby raises her child into the symbolic.” Marie’s position rests on her ability to produce a son and whether she likes it or not her life is otherwise meaningless.

While watching the film, I was also reminded of The Age of Innocence. For example, the French King’s mistress, Madame du Barry, made me think of Ellen Olenska as both of them were regarded with suspicion and contempt due to their promiscuous conduct out of wedlock. Also, Newland Archer comments near the end of Wharton’s text: “Their long years together had shown him that it did not so much matter if marriage was a dull duty, as long as it kept the dignity of a duty.” This idea of duty is similar to Marie’s marriage, as it was really about maintaining relations between France and Austria than love.

Therefore in Marie Antoinette Coppola continues with her persistent themes of bored women, loneliness, detachment and nostalgia, some of which can also be recognised in her latest film, Somewhere. Todd Kennedy summarises “Coppola’s films stand as a direct commentary on visual pleasure and the depiction of “reality” as she sets the French Revolution to 1980s pop music.” This gives the impression that these are themes which apply to women both past and present.

Review: Melancholia

Lar's von Trier's latest offering starring Kirsten Dunst is a dreamy yet gloomy drama that focuses on two sisters during the few days leading up to the apocalypse. The film's title refers to the name of the planet which has been previously hiding behind the sun but now threatens to destroy the earth with its movement, and the mental illness which Dunst's character suffers from.
It is divided into two parts, titled 'Justine' and 'Claire', with each part focusing on the respective sisters. 'Justine' revolves around her wedding night, with the reception taking up a whole hour of screening time. 'Claire' shows the last few days up until the end of the world, also looking at Justine's mental state as her health improves as she comes to terms with the changes taking place around her.

Also starring Kiefer Sutherland and John Hurt, I enjoyed this film a lot. It is aesthetically beautiful and reminded me of Malick's 'The Tree of Life', which detailed the earth's formation rather than its end. The performances were great and although the plot was slow paced, this added to the sense of dread I felt while watching the impending doom unfold. I think this was because there was no attempt to survive, the characters accepted and gave in to their fate. Both an enticing and uneasy watch, I fully recommend this film. *****

Alan Ball...seriously?

Is it just me or has season 4 of Alan Ball's True Blood become epically cringe worthy? Since Eric lost his memory he has become the epitome of lame and his relationship with Sookie is just not believable. Fans who previously hoped the two of them would get together I assume wanted this as there was a level of sexual tension between them in previous seasons which has been lost now that Eric has become a 'sensitive soul'...ie. pretty much the opposite of everything he was before. The sex scenes between him and Sookie, particularly those with a curtain of snow and the like falling on them are embarrassing!
Change can be good but in this season there has been too much...and too many ridiculous sub-plots. Other examples are Jessica and Jason's obsessing over one another, and the whole possessed Lafayette/mother and baby thing. That was just weird..and not in a good way!
I will still watch avidly every week but Ball, I think you need to up your game!

Review: Super 8

Written and directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Spielberg; Super 8 feels like an instant classic similar to a mix of E.T and Stand By Me. To be fair, the plot of a lost alien trying to make its way back home and helped along the way by a group of kids owes more than a lot to E.T, but the movie is far too well made to consider it a mere copycat.

The group of children, themselves making a film within the film are excellent, the scenes showing them doing this are very sweet and their friendships with one another are very touching. This is mainly what makes Super 8 such a success..it focuses on sub-plots of growing up, strained relationships with parents and lost loved ones are what gives the film its heart.
The alien itself is only actually seen at the end of the film, having been only been hinted at beforehand. This can make the plot seem slightly confusing..as compared to E.T it is not known throughout what is happening in this small town.

A special mention should also be given to the lighting. Mainly containing scenes at night, or else shot with a dim light; there is also a slight graininess, which juxtaposes with many bright, flashing objects..such as torches, street lights, car lights etc. This adds to the sense of mystery and quite clearly science fiction.

Overall Super 8 is a film soaked in nostalgia. Set in 1979, it is adorned with seventies memorabilia..a homage to possibly a happier and less complicated time. Great viewing!

Rating: ****

THE BOY WHO LIVED: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 *spoilers*

It took me a second visit to the cinema to get round to posting my thoughts on the conclusion of the Harry Potter series. As a huge fan of the books when I was younger, I only displayed a mild interest in the movies as they were made...considering them to be too 'childish' (I know this is essentially a story for children). However as each new film was released, the maturity level of the filmmaking also increased, almost as if as the characters grew up, the filming grew up with them.

I admit I haven't watched Azkaban in years, the film which most will say finally defined the series as good British film making (albeit without a British director), but it was not until The Goblet of Fire that I began to really enjoy them...especially the spectacular scenes of the Quiddich World Cup.

With The Order of the Phoenix we again saw a new level of maturity, with some criticising it for its more sombre tone. Perhaps this was the reasoning behind director David Yates' decision to include so much humour in 2009's Half-Blood Prince. In my opinion this was the weakest in the series since the Chamber of Secrets..at times seeming slightly embarrassing and at other times dull.

Again with part one of the Deathly Hallows there was a juxtaposition between the casual tone of the previous film and the seriousness of this one. Although the final book was split into two films, the first covered well over half of the book. I feel the lengthy scenes of Harry, Ron and Hermione were a necessary interlude to the action packed final movie.

It showed the audience how mature these three actors and characters had become since the Philosopher's Stone, and what a strain the forces of darkness could put on their relationships with each other. Which leads us to part two.

The final film is without a doubt the best in the series. Including epic scenes inside Gringotts bank, the destruction of Hogwarts and Harry's realisation that Snape was the hero Dumbledore claimed him to be all along...part two manages to sustain a level of action throughout as well as packing an emotional punch. Each character we have come to know and love were given one last chance to display their true colours. I especially loved the stand-off between Snape and McGonagall!

Some scenes reminded me of Return of the King, mainly Harry's talk with Dumbledore in King's Cross near the end was reminiscent of Gandalf's speech to Pippin of the afterlife. However although there are many comparisons to be made, the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a film which should be given the praise it deserves. The fact that the sheer host of British acting (and non acting) talent has appeared in the franchise, from John Cleese to Gary Oldman, and Julie Walters to Helena Bonham Carter is a testament to its greatness. A fitting farewell to a series which I along with millions of others have grown up cherishing.

Meh, Red Riding Hood

There's not really much I can say about this rehash of the Little Red Riding Hood tale starring Amanda Seyfreid apart from that it's rubbish. I would give a plot summary if there was one! Absolutely no character development, various weak threads of storylines that tail off into nothing along with backdrops that look so utterly false add up to one of the dullest films I've seen this year. Watch it just to see for yourself!

The Tree of Life: An Aesthetic Triumph

I walked into the cinema to see Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life not really knowing what to expect, mainly going through curiosity from having read raving reviews to tales of festival crowds booing.

Although the plot can be quite confusing, as well as having a longish running time with sparse dialogue (typical for a Malick feature) this was made up for by it's outstanding beauty. It was a delight to watch something so well made that simple shots of water shooting out a hose or trees blowing in the wind can seem to delightful. I did notice a few people walk out of the cinema, mainly during lengthy initial scenes of the earths formation (I was also at this point hoping that this wasn't the way the film would continue).

By the end I thought I knew what I had just watched, then after researching more when I got home I understood the plot a lot better. What I do know for certain is that after leaving the cinema and for the rest of that evening I was left feeling happy and content, in continued amazement at the visual creativity.

Although Malick does sometimes receive criticism for the number of years it takes him to release something new...when he does, he does it very well indeed!