Top 5 Reasons to Go See Joy

Joy stars Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper and is essentially about a struggling woman with a dysfunctional family who invents a self-wringing mop. It doesn't sound incredibly exciting and even with the re-teaming of Lawrence, Cooper, De Niro and director David O. Russell after Silver Linings and American Hustle, I was not desperate to catch this. Films aboutmops just don't really excite me. Unless the mop is dressed up to look like a lady and someone is going to have a dance with it. anyway, not every movie can have lightsabers or mops with lipstick on, so I thought I'd give it a try...

Here's 5 reasons why you should too:

5. It will probably pick up a lot of nominations during awards season.

When I look at the biggest films of all time; your Avatars, Jurassic Worlds, Furious 7's and your Star Wars, and I see how much money is spent on them and then how much they make, it actually surprises me that films like this still get made at all.

Joy has serious quality in its cast and cost around $60 million to make. Without all the awards buzz surrounding its team of stars and director, I suspect it just wouldn't be seen by anyone. A few J-Law and Silver Linings fans might check it out. But I reckon it would struggle to make $60 million back.

It's already picked up two Golden Globe nominations for Best Comedy/Musical and Best Actress, so expect it to get a bucket load more during awards season. If you need to tick off all the major contenders before the Oscars, then make sure you let Joy into your life.

4. It's got a de-aged De Niro

This might not be what everyone is desperate to see, but those of us who remember the old De Niro of The Godfather Part 2, Mean Streets, Raging Bull et al will lap up the chance to see a digitally de-aged De Niro in some of Joy's flashback sequences.

It's also got quite a cool, tricky chronology in places with some little time hops thrown in to zip back and forth between Joy's past and present. A standout scene has De Niro giving a wedding speech that everybody will be sure to remember for a long time to come.

3. It's a film about strong women

I feel properly spoiled for strong women at the moment; what with Katniss, Furiosa and Rey to name but a few. Joy is a woman stuck in the middle of four generations of women in the same house. Her mother might be a useless TV soap-obsessed sad sack, but her grandmother is an inspiration and Joy herself is the light at the centre of the film. She overcomes a great deal of hardship, is kind and compassionate, creative and caring.

The highlight for me comes late in the film when Joy gets to pass on some good fortune to another woman. It's a very touching moment between two women who at one point or another in their lives, just needed to be given a shot by someone.

2. David O. Russell has made a movie about a mop that is kinetic and entertaining

While I'm not a huge fan of Russell, he does make entertaining movies. His camera zips along, the editing is all over the place and the soundtrack rocks with the likes of The Rolling Stones. He always gets great performances and even though the film is about the invention of a mop, the American Dream and family strife, it barrels along at an excellent pace. It could be floppy and cliched, but Russell's screenplay and direction keep things punchy.


1. Jennifer Lawrence is still the girl on fire

She's just awesome. This feels like a really personal film for J-Law right now, what with her recent public pay gap problems. She might be a bit goofy in real life, but her characters are deadly serious, as is her real-world determination to be at the top of her game. Which she is. If you're a fan of J-Law, you'll enjoy seeing her go from struggling single mother with a house full of dependents (including her ex-husband and her divorced mother and father) to ruthless, brilliant business woman. It's a transformation J-Law handles with ease and expertise. Guaranteed a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

Watch the trailer:



Seen it? Let me know what you think in the comments below or on Twitter @ilovethatfilm

Think someone needs convincing to watch it? Send them over here!

Why I Love Jack O'Connell: Top 5 Films

When an actor has been picked by director Shane Meadows to feature in a film like This is England, you know they are bound to be special. Strangely though, the15 year old Jack O'Connell only had a very minor role in that British classic before getting to really show his skills in later films like Eden Lake and many more. So even though This is England is possibly the best film on O'Connell's CV, you will not find it on this list of his five finest performances.

With Angelina Jolie's Unbroken on the verge of release and likely to see O'Connell's star go stratopheric, here is a look back at what I consider to be his best five performances so far. Expect Unbroken (in which he plays Olympian and POW survivor Louis Zamperini) to be the film to send this guy straight to super stardom.

5. Eden Lake

The first of O'Connell's properly nasty little shits. He seemed to savour the nastiness with every line spat and every smirk and sneer coming naturally to this swaggering young actor. Tormenting Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender to death, Brett is a hooded terror; the Daily Mail's worst nightmare. 

4. Tower Block

O'Connell delivers a towering performance in a pretty decent low budget British sniper thriller. He's an awesomely unlikeable anti-hero who steals the limelight from the cast around him.

3. The Liability

O’Connell might have been in danger of being typecast, with his wide-boy posturing becoming a little familiar here but he manages to keep Adam very sympathetic, aided hugely by a strong script and some great banter with Tim Roth. It is another of his sure to be star making turns with Adam being a laugh out loud presence in the film.

2. '71

O’Connell has far less of his usual swagger here; more of a limp actually. It’s arguably his best performance, turning that usual confidence into a cowering, wounded and terrified boy out of his depth. Gone is the hard lad, replaced with something more sincere and though the camera is often pinned to his face, he rarely speaks and gives little away. In fact, by the end of ‘71, we still know little of Gary Hook, but enough to care that he gets home.

1. Starred Up

Jack O’Connell is frequently a Jack-the-Lad type character and this is never more true than in Starred Up. He even has 'Jack the Lad' tattooed on his arm and his sneer, swagger and savagery all attest to the boy’s unflinching desire to do damage. After being brought in to an adult prison, he is stripped and processed. Silent for the first ten minutes of the film, he might appear an unproblematic prisoner. But alone in his cell, he goes about setting himself up with makeshift (and terrifying) weapons and ensuring that when he is attacked, he will be ready. He is a caged animal; cornered, grunted at by the guards, dismissed or threatened by other prisoners but totally unafraid to fight his way out of any corner by any means necessary. O'Connell is riveting and it is one of the best performances of 2014. It will be interesting to see if he can top it with Unbroken.

What is your favourite Jack O'Connell performance?

More from I Love That Film:

 Why I Love Jake Gyllenhaal: Top 5 Films

 Why I Love Cloverfield 

 Why I Love The Hunger Games 

 Why I love Sundance Film Festival

 Why I Love Titanic: Part 1

 Why I Love Aliens

Why I love Sacha Baron Cohen

Why I Love Jake Gyllenhaal: Top 5 Films

Ahead of the double whammy of Nightcrawler and Enemy, I thought I'd have a quick peek back at the fine work of Jake Gyllenhaal in his previous films. From the sound of things, Nightcrawler might just be his best yet but it will take something impressive to top this lot. He's worked with the likes of David Fincher and Ang Lee, shaved his head and gone boldly gay for a town still terrified of homosexuality. Here's my favourite performances of his 23 year career so far:

Update:  Here is my review of Nightcrawler

5. Zodiac

From political cartoonist to obsessed detective and author, Jake Gyllenhaal's character in David Fincher's strange serial killer flick loses everything, including his wife and kid. His determination is painstakingly captured by Fincher who commanded up to 90 takes to get the performance he wanted from the stressed out star.

4. Prisoners

This time playing a real detective and up against a seriously unhinged Hugh Jackman, Gyllenhaal still more than holds his own in Prisoners. Some might consider his constant blinking a bit of an obvious trait, but it adds a brilliantly nervous tension to a character who is caught up in a hideously tense case.

3. Donnie Darko

Gyllenhaal finally got a decent break as disturbed teen Donnie Darko after the abominable likes of Bubble Boy. Moody, dark and funny, Donnie became an instant icon of teen angst.

2. Brokeback Mountain

In a way, the late Heath Ledger had the easier role here. He was a repressed ball of rage, ready to lock down his homosexuality into a dark hole within himself. Gyllenhaal had to be the believable gay cowboy; the guy that was open to his feelings and willing to take a chance with another man.

1. End of Watch

David Ayer's film is a blistering found footage cop thriller set on the mean streets of LA. Gyllenhaal is our guide; a cocksure cop hitting on Anna Kendrick while catching the bad guys on camera. His banter with Michael Pena is awesome, his swagger and bravado only brought down by the gut wrenching finale.

What are your favourite Jake Gyllenhaal performances?

My review of Nightcrawler
More lists from I Love That Film
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PS Here is the trailer for Nightcrawler which looks like a whole bag of awesome:

5 MUST SEE films at the BFI London Film Festival 2014

Noooooo I haven't been given a massive sneak peek at all 248 films showing at the BFI London Film Festival 2014. However, I was lucky enough to cover the Cannes Film Festival this year for Tastic Film and that means that I have seen 8 of those 248 already before the LFF even kicks off on October 8th.

While I'm sure there will be many more must see films at the festival this year, I wanted to highlight my top 5 of those that I have already had the pleasure of seeing. In my opinion, these films are all pretty exceptional (especially the top 3), and are bound to get people talking.

5. The Salvation (Click here for my full review)

 Mads Mikkelsen leads an unapologetically violent western that tells a straightforward revenge story elevated by a mesmerising central performance.

In America, 1871, brothers and former Danish soldiers Jon (Mads Mikkelsen) and Peter (Mikael Persbrandt) await the arrival of a train carrying Jon’s wife and son from Denmark. The family have been separated for seven years while Jon and Peter have settled in the wild and lawless lands of late 19th century America. However, no sooner than his wife Marie and child arrive does Jon find trouble at the hands of a pair of men who take a fancy to Marie. Getting in the wrong coach leads to a tense and suddenly violent encounter that leaves Maria and the boy dead and Jon wanted by notorious gang leader Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Jon and his brother Peter must act alone if they are to survive and exact their revenge.

Mikkelsen delivers a typically excellent performance in the lead with some fine support from Mikael Persbrandt, Eva Green, Jonathan Pryce and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. While there are some attempts to make this slightly more arty than many genre outings, The Salvation is essentially just another chance to see one man bring some well-deserved justice to the old West.

4. Timbuktu (Click here for my full review)

Timbuktu is one of those films that sounds gruelling; hailing as it does from Africa and dealing with Islamic repression that is rife in Mali. However, in writer/director Abderrahmane Sissako’s hands, Timbuktu is much more than simply a painstaking portrait of tyranny and misery.

Religious fundamentalists now control the streets of Timbuktu, enforcing strict bans on football, music, women not wearing socks and gloves and dishing out severe punishments to those who dare defy them. Out in the nearby desert, Kidane lives quietly in the dunes with his beloved wife Satima and daughter Toya. While Kidane and his family live a peaceful and happy existence, the people in town are ruled over with an iron fist, stoned to death or flogged for defying the rule of the Islamic police and their improvised courts. Unfortunately, Kidane comes into conflict with another man which leads to him having to face the men who rule Timbuktu with no room for mercy.

Timbuktu is challenging and depressing but also surprisingly warm and even funny in places. Abderrahmane Sissako has created a thought provoking piece of cinema that may not make audiences into emotional wrecks but will certainly remain in the memory for some time.

  3. Foxcatcher (Click here for my full review)

It’s true what they say: money can’t buy you happiness or love, and it certainly cannot buy anyone talent. It is, as has so often been noted, the root of all evil and Steve Carrell’s miserable but wickedly wealthy wacko in Foxcatcher proves it perfectly.

Foxcatcher is the story of Olympic champion wrestlers, brothers Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schulz (Mark Ruffalo). Mark is the younger brother who won a gold medal at the ‘84 Olympics while Dave is the smarter of the pair, a loving family man who coaches his brother with care and passion. The blue-collar brothers are an inseparable  team until the magnificently wealthy John Du Pont (Steve Carrell) sends an envoy out to collect Mark and fly him first class out to Du Pont’s beautiful Pennsylvania country house. Foxcatcher Farm is a mansion that would dazzle most but is particularly impressive to working class Mark, and a tour reveals the place is filled with race horses, trophies and Du Pont’s snooty mother (Vanessa Redgrave).

Carrell steals the film as a sad, pathetic, insecure little man who believes money can stop anyone saying no to him. For those who do not know the real story behind the film, try to avoid spoilers as the ending will likely be a huge shock. For everyone else, the real surprise here is Carrell whose performance as a man a million miles from normal will likely be a strong contender come award season. Catch it. 

  2. White God (Click here for my full review)

 It's the dawn of the planet of the dogs in this exceptional Hungarian film from director Kornel Mundruzco. Featuring a cast of hundreds of dogs and some striking imagery of them unleashed and taking to the city streets, it is a powerful, emotional and ultimately hilarious dog apocalypse.

When 13 year old Lili is forced by her father to get rid of her best friend and beloved mutt Hagen, it begins a story of horror and heartbreak for both the girl and her dog. Intercutting between the increasingly brutal treatment that Hagen finds himself at the hands of, and Lili's descent into teen rebellion as a response to the loss of her dog, White God is a harsh Homeward Bound where the doggy star will never be the same again by the end of the story. 

While Lili searches the streets for Hagen, the poor dog finds himself at the mercy of some savage characters and both Lili and Hagen find themselves exploited and desperate to escape their circumstances. White God then swerves violently into a wildly anarchic final act that is brutal, satisfying and absolutely hysterical in its level of horror.

Furiously entertaining with a perfect ending, White God is like 280 Dogs Later; an underdog story with some serious bite.

1. Wild Tales (Click here for my full review)

There is unlikely to be a funnier film at the BFI London Film Festival this year than the brilliantly bonkers and hysterically over the top anthology of short episodes that comprise director Damián Szifrón’s Wild Tales. Never has watching a collection of diverse characters being pushed to their limits and spectacularly losing control been as much fun as it is in this violent but hilarious film from Argentina.

Choosing not to simply tell one story, writer/director Szifrón instead forces together disparate stories all linked by characters that are pushed to their limits and end up exploding, most often in magnificently brutal ways. First up in the pre-credits sequence, a model catches a flight only to realise that many of the passengers have something in common and they may not want to be on this plane after all. Then comes the tale of a waitress who is faced with a moral dilemma when a gangster who she has a score to settle with comes into her restaurant. The best of the short stories is next with the wonderfully violent encounter between a wealthy driver who overtakes and abuses a ‘redneck’ only to find himself stuck with a flat tyre further along the deserted road. Next up, a building demolition expert has a run in with the authorities over a parking ticket, a rich kid commits a hit and run to the horror of his family and finally a bride on her wedding day finds out that her new husband has been hiding a very big secret from her.

Szifrón has made an absolutely wild film from start to finish. The performances, the wildly varying music and score and the cinematography are all perfect and even the couple of stories that work less well, still have moments of genius. If there were awards for Best Fight or for Best Wedding, then this film would cream the competition. Wild Tales is one hell of a ride and a hilarious must-see.


Any of these take your fancy?

More on the BFI London Film Festival 2014

More on the Cannes Film Festival 2014

The 5 Funniest Movie Cameos

Movie cameos can be clever, serious or poignant and then many others can be very, very silly. Sometimes stars can make fools of themselves, popping up in silly films and being very silly. With Scary Movie 5 fast approaching and promising embarrassing entries from all sorts of has-beens, I thought I'd take a quick look at some of the best movie cameos that have made me almost rolling on the floor laughing.

Edward Norton in The Invention of Lying as a cop with a coke habit. Cameos are always funniest when a 'serious' actor is willing to get very, very silly.

Martin Sheen in Hot Shots Part Deux. Blink and you'll miss it as the Sheens pass each other on boats and get the opportunity to compliment each other on finer moments in their careers.

Robert Patrick in Wayne’s World 2. For fans of Terminator 2 (and let's face it, who isn't?), this one is utterly hilarious. I just wish the T-1000 had broken into a run at the end of this clip.

Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder. Will Les Grossman get his own spin off film? I for one hope he doesn't. A little bit of Grossman goes a long way.

Bill Murray in Zombieland. Instantly classic. If they do get round to making a sequel, it will take someone pretty special to top a cameo of this silliness.

I wonder what Anchorman 2 will have to offer and if they can top the likes of Tim Robbins in the sequel? What are your favourite funny movie cameos?