Hail, Caesar!

The Coen brothers have been making movies for over thirty years, making classics like Fargo, The Big Lebowski and No Country For Old Men. These movies leave you with one feeling above all; satisfied. Their latest movie, Hail, Caesar!, feels more like the fast food version of one their films, it feels good while you're watching it, but later you wonder if you really needed it after all.

Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is the head of production for Capitol Pictures. He is also a 'fixer' and helps get movie stars out of sticky situations. One of these situations arises when the studio's biggest stars Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) goes missing when he is shooting a biblical epic about Jesus. Meanwhile he has to deal with an array of problems on the studio lot, including Western star Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich) moving to a more dramatic role where he clashes with director Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes) over directing choices and the pregnant actress DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson) has to search for a father for her unborn child. Floating in the background are the Thacker sisters (both played by Tilda Swinton), rival gossip columnists who are on the prowl for the latest Hollywood scoop.

Hail, Caesar! is a glowing tribute to the Golden Era of Hollywood. The Coen's parody an array of movies and stars from this period, including Kirk Douglas and Charlton Heston, costume dramas, westerns and musicals. In fact there is a fantastic extended song and dance number by Channing Tatum which is a joy to watch. The subject of communism in Hollywood is broached upon, but it is in a rather lighthearted way. The blacklisted writers are shown as diehard followers of the cause and will even help people defect to Russia. This movie is also a defence for anyone who loves cinema. The Throughout the the film, Mannix is repeatedly targeted by the jet company Lockheed, whose representative implores him to leave the movie industry behind, calling it silly and frivolous. Ultimately Mannix sticks with the industry because he loves.

Josh Brolin's Eddie Mannix is a strong central character. He embodies the no-nonsense studio exec who relies on things to run on clockwork perfectly. Brolin has enough range to do serious and character roles like this one. He isn't taking himself too seriously, which suits the role amazingly. All the characters apart from Mannix don't get too much screen time, but the actors who play them leave a mark. George Clooney who I think of as quite a strong figure in Hollywood, plays the stereotypically cowardly and bumbling movie star. Alden Ehrenreich gives a funny performance as Hobie Doyle, as he struggles to give the articulation needed for more dramatic roles. Ralph Fiennes also gives a hilarious performance as his over-the-top English director. Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson both have extended musical numbers in which they are great.

I did leave Hail, Caesar! feeling slightly empty, like I hadn't really taken anything away from it. But as I look back on the film, it is filled with enjoyable tidbits and cameos that will keep you enjoying it for days after.

Paddington

Paddington Bear is the sort of loveable children's literary character that you thought would have had a dozen movies based on by now, but apart from a few animated series, there is virtually no adaptations based on the character. In a way I am sort of happy that there hasn't because the technology to put him in a live action movie hasn't existed until now.

Paddington (Ben Whishaw), although he doesn't have a name at the beginning, is a bear who lives in darkest Peru with his Uncle Pastuzo (Michael Gambon) and Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton). He is forced to leave for London after an earthquake destroys his home and is told that he should find the explorer who met his aunt and uncle. When he gets to London, he is discovered by the Brown family; Henry (Hugh Bonneville), Mary (Sally Hawkins), Judy (Madeline Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), who name him after the train station where they met him. Paddington comes to the attention of Millicent (Nicole Kidman), a taxidermist who thinks he would be a great addition to her collection.

This movie was a lot funnier than I expected it to be. The underlying joke throughout the whole film is that the people of London aren't at all surprised to see a talking bear amongst them is hilarious. They just acknowledge him as they go about their daily business. A lot of the humour comes from Paddington's misunderstandings of "civilised" culture; mistaking toothbrushes for ear cleaners or a fantastic joke about thinking he must have to hold a dog to ride the escalator after seeing a picture sign indicating that dogs must be held when you go on one. There is also a fantastic vintage expedition documentary about the explorer first encountering the bears as a prologue to the film.

There is some great comedy from the actors I least expected it from. I always imagine Hugh Bonneville as a stuffy master of a manor house, but as the risk averse Mr. Brown he sets up some of the funniest jokes of the film. There is also a brief shot of him riding a Triumph Bonneville, which I thought was a great little joke to put in. Sally Hawkins adds some great laughs as Mrs. Brown, but that's what I was expecting given her role in Blue Jasmine. Peter Capaldi is also hilarious although I find it extremely hard to watch him in a role where he isn't screaming obscenities at you, a la The Thick of It. Matt Lucas also has a great cameo and I wish he was in it more. The whole thing was brought down for me with the inclusion of Nicole Kidman's character. Not only was she unfunny, but her character just seemed out of place. I know we need something to happen in the film, but can't we just be content with funny misunderstandings.

Verdict: I'm not a fan of marmalade, but I do like this movie. It's a fun family film with great gags that everyone will love.