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Spencer (2021)
Oscar-worthy performance by Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart completely disappeared into the role and became completely unrecognizable, morphing into Diana, so much so that even an avid fan such as yours truly could not find my beloved actress in any of the scenes. Vanished in the sense that there was no visible trace of Bella Swan whatsoever or any of the characters she played throughout the years for that matter. Kristen was perfectly cast and right at home in a film that showcased a European arthouse aesthetic, just as Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper were tailor made for her.
Kristen did a phenomenal job and is deserving of all the critical acclaim and accolades she will be receiving. On a superficial level she embodied Diana's mannerisms, accent, and hair--down to the way she batted her eyelashes. Of course, her layered performance was much more than that--exhibiting the most credible range of any actress I've seen so far this year--going from acting out the carefree happy-go-lucky archetype in the opening scene to someone experiencing nerve-wracking ordeals through much of the second act, to learning to accept her lot in life in the final act.
With someone of the stature of Princess Diana, there exists a fine line between exhibiting confidence and being arrogant--the lesser actor would project arrogance and a false sense of confidence. Of course the actor who portrayed Diana was much more than confident--she carried herself with grace, elegance, poise and sophistication. She embodied these qualities with such credibility that she did not appear at all to be merely pretending to be someone she wasn't. For this reason I can say she became Diana, thus making it an Oscar-worthy performance.
While this was supposedly a fantasy biopic, it was as eerie and creepy as any horror film I've watched in recent memory sans the gore. The Princess being portrayed as living vicariously as the ghost of the martyred Anne Boleyn, her fractured emotional state, visiting her childhood home which appears to be haunted, and its hauntingly beautiful cinematography which gave this film its hypnotic ambience, contributed to this.
Admittedly, I thought I would have a difficult time empathizing with an immensely wealthy, popular and powerful woman, with a large staff of servants who caters to her every fancy and whim, reminiscent of Downton Abbey, complaining about living in a "gilded cage" when she has no idea what it's like to face skid-row poverty, brought upon countless Anglo-Americans during the new gilded age.
But even here, this actress manages to pull it off--convincing me to identify with her plight of being a wallflower in a grandiose, larger than life setting, always having to put on a facade to please the royal family, putting their interests above her own--she is oft reminded that no one is above tradition--along with her increasingly strained relationship due to infidelity on the part of her husband Prince Charles. Her sole purpose in life, her very existence, was to always present an artificial persona "for the crown", when she longed for her childhood and normalcy, which was evidenced by the fact that she gave it all up in the end to live a relatively normal life.
This film wasn't a portrait of the Diana the people's princess anywhere as much as it was a case study of her demise, mental breakdown and fractured mind, whereby she is depicted as being physically, mentally and emotionally lost, driving her to among other things, self-mutilation, anorexia and bulimia--which no one in their right frame of mind would envy. So we the audience can share her loss and pain.
This is a great example of a film where the lead character transcends the plot, albeit its commanding that little else besides her mesmerizing depiction of the Princess of Wales really seems to matter. This actress pours her mind, body and soul into a role that leaves her raw and exposed. You know it by the way she holds her gaze, which is not only deliberate and intense but reveals much about how and what she was feeling, emoting her happiness, vulnerability, tenderness, frailty and ferocity.
Also noteworthy was her undeniable chemistry with her onscreen sons Prince William and Prince Harry--the scenes they shared were the most endearing and sentimental. And lastly her screen presence which carried the film on her shoulders as the camera was closely focused on her during all the important scenes. If Kristen doesn't bring home a golden statuette, it will probably be the biggest Academy Awards snub of the 2021 awards season.
The Yellow Handkerchief (2008)
Reach For Your Handkerchief, The Yellow Handkerchief Is A Tearjerker
A tale of two love stories--one which needs to be rekindled--while the other is sorely in need of some love potion to ignite the sparks. This is also a story about three drifters who are alienated from their own social circles. They say you can learn a lot about someone from the first impressions that they make. This was especially evident for the trio of lead characters. For Brett, his first scene showed him being released from Angola State Prison, with sad droopy eyes and lonely, where none of his family or friends are there to greet him, unlike the other prisoners who have loved ones running into their arms upon their release from prison. For Gordy, in his first scene, he would get no respect from any of the patrons of the convenience store which he was hanging out at. And finally, for 15-year-old Martine, we see her being dumped by her boyfriend, a relationship which could be better described as a one-night stand, as he explained to her that his drunkenness obscured his better judgment.
So thus begins their journey to the Big Easy in Gordy's decades old blue Ford LTD convertible. While this turned out to be a road movie, thankfully it was much more than that. While the landscape depicted by cinematographer, Chris Menges was impressive and atmospheric, this roadie was without question, character driven.
While William Hurt is usually over-the-top in most of his previous roles, he was as low-key as you can get in this indie. To put it succinctly, Hurt gloriously portrayed hurt in The Yellow Handkerchief. His soft spoken nature spoke more loudly than most of his previous high-strung roles.
Those who have followed the work of Kristen Stewart's non-Twilight roles, will perhaps agree that she is a brutally honest actress with angst oozing out of her pores, as well as having intensity to spare. Kristen has also proved that she belongs on screen with middle-aged Hollywood heavyweights such as Robert De Niro, James Gandlofini, and in this case, William Hurt. Kristen's definitely a cutie and her Southern drawl made her that much more adorable.
Yes, Eddie Redmayne displayed virtually every annoying trait imaginable, yet that is exactly what the script dictated. And of course, Maria Bello was her usual beautiful and sensuous self.
What I found especially intriguing about this film is that I wasn't really sure if Brett was running away from something, running towards something, running in circles, or simply running in place like he was doing for the past 6 years for obvious reasons. It wasn't until Brett's flashbacks revealed the details concerning his manslaughter charges--proving that this was just an accident involving a good Samaritan who interceded while Brett and May argued outside a bar. It turned out, in the heat of passion, Brett shoved this man as he tried to get between he and his wife. As this man falls backward, he falls and hits his head on a fire hydrant causing him to die on the spot. While Martine and Gordy joked about Brett being an axe murderer, they were both certain he was innocent. In fact, even after Brett revealed this incident, they continued to look up to Brett as a father figure. Although Brett was the one who demanded the divorce, we would also learn of his undying love for May as the journey reached full-circle in the movie as well as in my mind. Tears began to well up in my eyes as Brett revealed to Martine and Gordy exactly what he wrote on the postcard which he sent to May. He spilled out his guts by writing that if May wants him back she would put up the yellow sail on her sailboat, reminiscent of the song, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree." While at first he was hesitant to go to May's house, Martine convinces him to go, telling him it's not about being selfish but rather about being weak. Gordy interjected that it would be a waste of gasoline if they went all this way only to turn back now, especially if you were to consider he was driving a gas guzzler, coupled with the rising petroleum prices during post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.
When the trio finally gets to the location of Brett's former place of residence, they discover a new occupant now resides there. I could feel Brett's heart break as they drove off. But then, like a bolt out of the blue, Martine spots one-hundred or so small yellow flags and handkerchiefs hanging on some clotheslines which were draped over a sailboat. Martine then tells Gordy to back up and drive towards that sailboat. Sure enough that's May's sailboat as she walks towards Brett. They are happy to see each other and embrace. Martine and Gordy are touched by this incident and cuddle up as well. Despite Gordy's lack of confidence and uneasiness around people--especially beautiful young women who like to do ballerina pirouettes--Martine is drawn to his compassion towards animals. In one scene, while driving his car, Gordy hits a deer and after doing so jumps out of the car to offer assistance. In another scene he describes to Martine a story where he freed a $10 million purebred racehorse from a stable. Yes, Gordy is scrawny, naive and messed up. Yet the more Martine gets to know Gordy, the more deeply she falls in love with him. I can't say enough about this heartfelt story of love, loss and second chances. The fleshed out performances by the lead actors brought this story to life.