Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

Historical movies aren't really my thing —despite the fact that I loved my teacher, history was one of my least favourite subjects in high school— but I checked out Mary Queen of Scots anyway because one does not simply pass a movie starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. And of course eye-candy in the form of Jack Lowden is always welcome. 

The film tells the story of Catholic Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan). Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, she returns to Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England are both ruled by her cousin Elizabeth (Margot Robbie), the Protestant Queen of England, and her claim to the English throne puts her on a collision course with Queen Elizabeth I.

Hateship Loveship (2013)

Hateship Loveship is yet another of those movies that has been on my watchlist for such a long time I forgot everything about it, even the reason I was interested in seeing it —it was Guy Pierce, as it turned out.

Based on a short story from Nobel winning author Alice Munro, the film follows Johanna Parry (Kristen Wiig), a middle-aged repressed caregiver after she is hired by an elderly man, Mr. McCauley (Nick Nolte), who needs help in the house and to watch over his teenage granddaughter, Sabitha (Hailee Steinfeld), who lives there since her mother was killed in a car accident blamed on her irresponsible father, Ken (Guy Pearce), who lives in a motel in Chicago. During one of his visits, Ken meets Johanna and leaves her a friendly note. She writes a reply, Sabitha and her best friend Edith (Sami Gayle) pen fake love letter from Ken and Johanna is led to believe Ken has feelings for her.

Animal Kingdom (2010)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Director

David Michôd

Country

Australia

Cast

James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn, Guy Pearce, Jacki Weaver, Joel Edgerton, Sullivan Stapleton, Luke Ford, Dan Wyllie, Anthony Hayes, Laura Wheelwright, Mirrah Foulkes, Justin Rosniak, Susan Prior, Clayton Jacobson, Anna Lise Phillips

Storyline

After his mother dies, seventeen year-old J Cody (James Frecheville) has no choice but to contact his maternal grandmother, Janine "Smurf" Cody (Jacki Weaver), who rules her criminal family with a borderline incestuos love over her three sons. Among blood brothers and blood, manipulated trial sand revenge served cold, J will soon lose his innocence.

Opinion

The extremely impressive debut from Australian director David Michôd, Animal Kingdom is a tense, gloomy, innovative and mesmerizing crime family drama.

In this bitter and dramatic film, Michôd tells the gangster life as if it was an animal kingdom, where the strongest, the one that eats the weakest wins, and also makes a criticism to those men - and women - who are neither men nor animals. He shows all this with a cynical eye, with no compassion, and wonderfully manages to convey violence without aestheticizing it. 

However, the moral condemnation aforementioned soon stops to make room for a world where no one is really good or bad. In fact, whether criminals or cops there is no difference: they all use others for their own ends. Only detective Leckie makes exception. 

Also, don't expect long shooting scenes, or robberies or car chases because there are none in Animal Kingdom, as the action is reduced to a minimum.

The films makes use of the minimalist synthesiser music from Antony Partos to create an air of dread and tension.

The cast is uniformly excellent. In his debut James Frecheville is basically a piece of wood as J (in a good way), he is in a constant catatonic state, seemingly frail and confused, Ben Mendelsohn delivers a convincing performance as terrifying psychopath Pope, Guy Pearce gives a wonderful and intense performance as detective Leckie, and Jacki Weaver gives a strong performance as Smurf, the matriarch of the family with the psychotic smiles. 

The Rover (2014)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Director

David Michôd

Country

Australia

Cast

Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson Scoot McNairy, Gillian Jones, David Field, Tawanda Manyimo, Anthony Hayes, Susan Prior, Nash Edgerton, Jamie Fallon, Samuel F. Lee

Storyline

10 years after a global economic collapse, a cold-blooded drifter (Guy Pearce) pursues the men who stole his only possession, his car. Along the way, he captures one of the thieves' brother (Robert Pattinson), and the duo form an uneasy bond during the dangerous journey.

Opinion

After the success of Animal Kingdom, David Michôd strikes again with this thrilling film. The Rover is a violent, raw film of few words, that despite its extreme slowness manages to capture the audience's attention 'till the end.

Written by Michôd himself, the harsh story is set in a post-apocalyptic desolate Australia, where the only 'rule' in force is to kill before getting killed, as indeed happens in other films/tv shows of the same genre.

For the whole time I kept wondering why Pearce's character wanted his car back so bad. It's finally shown in the final scene, which is one of the most beautiful final scenes ever as it shows that despite the lawless world the man lives in, principles are still meaningful.

The hypnotic soundtrack, the cinematography, which creates a beautiful scenery for the sense of desolation, and the way the story is told, contribute in creating a spectacular film, but not suitable for everyone.

Although it would have been nice having some background of the characters, to understand why the act the way they do, they still are very interesting, and, most of all, they are played to perfection by the two leads.
Barely changing his facial expression, Guy Pearce is very believable as the lonely determined man, who does not have feelings other than anger.
Robert Pattinson is an excellent co-star. As I used to see him in other kind of roles - wizard in Harry Potter, vampire in Twilight, and lover in other films - he has been a huge surprise. He doesn't only renounce his sex-symbol status by appearing uglier, slovenly, and with a crooked walk, but he has also done some excellent work vocally speaking.

You should never stop thinking about a life you've taken. That's the price you pay for taking it. - Eric

Not everything has to be about something. - Rey