The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

Posted: 15 Feb 2013 04:26 PM PST

FEB 16 — Some people believe that the whole point of indie films is to be different from Hollywood. Most of the time people take this to mean films that are extra quirky, extra saucy, extra violent, extra vulgar, extra arty and all sorts of extra they can think of.

And that is also why the term "indie film", especially those US indie films associated with the Sundance Film Festival, has its own set of clichés, not unlike the way that Hollywood films themselves are considered clichéd.

At this stage, you can more or less describe most of the US indie films taking their bow at Sundance as either quirky, heartwarming, violent or sexy. Sometimes you can use the word "weird", but not enough of those arrive onscreen these days.

"Original" is an even rarer word used to describe these films (you can try looking at the Cannes sidebars like Directors' Fortnight or International Critics' Week or other "smaller" festivals like Locarno or Rotterdam for works that can be considered "original").

But sometimes you don't need to be extreme in the indie film world. Even the simplest of things can be rare in this increasingly jaded world. And to me, one of the rarest things to find in audience-friendly films, especially comedies, is kindness.

Adam Phillips and Barbara Taylor wrote in their book "On Kindness" that "real kindness is an exchange with essentially unpredictable consequences." They also wrote that "it is a risk precisely because it mingles our needs and desires with the needs and desires of others."

As much as I've been discouraged by the US indies in the last few years (except for films like "Daddy Longlegs", "Putty Hill", "Margaret", "Win Win" and a few more I can't recall right now), it looks like 2012 has produced a few unassuming and underrated gems like "The Sessions" and "Celeste & Jesse Forever", both of which were unreleased here but were recently released on DVD in the US.

Why am I singling out these two films instead of other strong US indies from 2012 like P.T. Anderson's quite extraordinary "The Master"? Because they show kindness, that's why.

They both more or less use the same language that Hollywood films use, but to show something different, yet in a manner that's no harder to digest than your average Hollywood product, which I think in itself is something special already.

"Celeste & Jesse Forever" especially is something quite special in that it is more or less your standard Hollywood rom-com from afar, but it actually charts the road that a married couple, who've been best friends since childhood, takes towards divorce after a six-year marriage.

It has all the standard ingredients of your typical Hollywood rom-com from the breaking up to the making up, it's consistently funny, yet the things it shows on screen feel painfully true. In short, it's a rom-com that doesn't pull its punches, and if you've ever broken up with your best friend, and the kindness that both of you need to do so, then you'll know how true it all feels when you watch the film.

Cinematically it's nothing special, as the director simply uses your standard mumblecore intimate close-ups to get us close to the characters, but this is the rare film in which it's the script that makes it special, and kudos must go to lead actress Rashida Jones (of TV's "Parks And Recreation") who co-wrote it with her ex-lover and now friend Will McCormack.

Even more special though is the Sundance 2012 Audience Award winner "The Sessions", which tells the true story of polio victim Mark O'Brien (whose article "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate" inspired the film) who, sensing that his time may be running out, wants to experience sexual intercourse with a woman before he dies.

On paper it sounds exactly like the kind of disease-of-the-week pap that Sundance never fails to deliver every year. But just like the similarly humble and unpromising sounding "Win Win" from 2011, there's a delicacy in its execution here that is nothing short of wonderful.

Helen Hunt deservedly received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod for her role as the sex surrogate or sex therapist that Mark hires to fulfil his wish, for it is the kind of nakedly honest and open-hearted performance that we very rarely see these days.

But I feel that John Hawkes as Mark has been robbed of an Oscar nomination for his is a hugely affecting performance in which he can only move his head by 90 degrees and nothing else, but I will guarantee that you will be entirely convinced by how a bedridden guy who's lived in an iron lung for almost his entire life, with the exception of a few hours out of it every day being pushed on a gurney by his carer/assistant, can charm the hearts and win the love of three smart and beautiful women, albeit in three different ways.

And how did he manage this? Simply by being kind, and having the luck to encounter three women who are similarly kind enough to return the favour. And to see that depicted so successfully onscreen, without even an ounce of cheesy sentimentally whilst being incredibly (and hilariously) frank about sex is something very rare indeed.

Go seek the movies out. You know where to find them...

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

Reds on the up under Rodgers

Posted: 15 Feb 2013 04:13 PM PST

FEB 16 — It's been a mixed season, to say the least, for Liverpool in their first season under the leadership of Brendan Rodgers.

A month ago, there was talk of a genuine Reds revival after an impressive run of form which had seen the famous old Merseyside club win eight games out of 11. They also seemed to be turning Anfield into a fortress, recording thumping Premier League victories over Fulham (4-0), Sunderland (3-0) and Norwich (5-0).

A return to the good old days appeared to be just around the corner.

But now, a few weeks later, Liverpool's season is in danger of falling apart. They've failed to win any of their last five games, during which time they've gone out of the FA Cup at lowly Oldham, suffered a 2-0 home defeat against West Bromwich Albion and been dealt a big blow to their hopes of progressing in the Europa League with a 2-0 first-leg defeat against Russian side Zenit St Petersburg.

When the Reds host Rodgers' former club Swansea City tomorrow, they will enter the game in ninth place, one point behind the impressive Welsh outfit, whose resources and reputation are miniscule in comparison to those at Anfield. And even more gallingly for Liverpool fans, their team is currently no less than six points worse off than cross-town rivals Everton.

Bearing all that in mind — Liverpool's inconsistency; their inability to mount a serious challenge for the all-important top four; their probable failure to reach the latter stages of a cup competition; the fact that Rodgers' old club have gained more points than his new club — is it time to start upping the pressure?

Should the manager be given a clear warning that he must lead his team to an impressive finish to the season, securing at least a top-six finish in the Premier League? And that if he fails, significant consequences will result?

In short: should Rodgers be given the boot at the end of the season, especially if more experienced managers such Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Mancini suddenly become available?

No, no and — once again, just to be clear — no.

Now is not the time to judge Rodgers. Nor will the end of the season be the time to judge him. One season is simply insufficient to assess the work of a new manager, especially one that took over such an average team in such a demanding environment.

Whatever happens between now and May, Rodgers must be given support, encouragement to continue his work and at least another full season at the helm. If that doesn't happen — whoever might be brought in to replace him — Liverpool would be setting themselves back another 12 months.

Long-term success, it has been proven time and again, takes a long time to build. Sir Alex Ferguson didn't win anything at Manchester United until nearly four years after his appointment; Barcelona's current success results from a youth development system put in place by Johan Cruyff that took more than a decade to bear fruit; Liverpool's most famous manager, Bill Shankly, needed three years simply to gain promotion to the top flight.

One exception in the modern game is Mourinho, who has shown a rare ability to gain instant success: Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan all won their domestic leagues at the end of his first full season in charge (he needed two seasons with Real Madrid). However, Mourinho's short-term success has also resulted in long-term chaos, and regular readers will be well aware that he'd be the last person I'd entrust with managing a club as prestigious as Liverpool.

It was always inevitable that Liverpool would have to endure periods of inconsistency during Rodgers' first season in charge. After inheriting an expensively assembled but underachieving squad from Kenny Dalglish, Rodgers has undertaken the task of instilling an entirely new style of play, integrating a batch of promising young players and bolstering his squad with relatively cheap new imports.

There have been notable successes, starting with Rodgers' ability to get the best out of Luis Suarez. Love him or loathe him, it has to be acknowledged that the Uruguayan is capable of being one of the most devastating strikers in the world.

Under Dalglish, however, he performed below that standard, scoring just 15 goals in 44 league appearances. His rejuvenation under Rodgers' tutelage has been impressive, and possessing a top striker in top form is one of the most important steps towards success.

Rodgers has also introduced a number of young players, with Raheem Sterling's emergence a particular cause of excitement among Reds fans. Rodgers has shown a strong pedigree of developing youth talent throughout his managerial career and that quality will continue to be important in the current climate of the Premier League, which is strongly favouring youth development over expensive imports.

Speaking of expensive imports, Rodgers has also succeeded in getting far more out of previous underachievers Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Jose Enrique than Dalglish ever could, suggesting (as with Suarez) that Rodgers has the ability to maximise the resources at his disposal.

But perhaps the strongest evidence in Rodgers' favour can be seen away from Anfield. Swansea's success this season certainly should not be regarded as proof that they are better off without him. Quite the reverse in fact; Swansea's continuing progress suggests that Rodgers left the club in a thriving condition, allowing new manager Michael Laudrup to continue (and improve upon) the solid base that he inherited.

This has been a far from perfect season for Liverpool and, in the same way that he cannot be condemned as a hopeless failure, we mustn't rush into proclaiming Rodgers as a soaring success. Any form of judgment should be suspended for at least another 12 months; but there have been enough positive signs to give Liverpool fans encouragement for the future.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Sabtu, 16 Februari 2013

The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan