Movie Review: Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky

"This is a review I wrote back in 2010 and published on another blog I was helping with but hasn't really gone anywhere. I haven't really edited the article except for adding the picture and trailer so, sorry in advance but I really did love the film and I think it is fitting to post with Valentine's Day around the corner. If anything see the film because it is good."

  

Music is one of the things in this world that can universally bind people from across countries, social, economic, cultural and ethnic boundaries.   Music evokes emotions along with follows expresses your current mood and the same thing can be said about fashion.  Beyond emotions fashions can be created to show your personality to the world.   In the film Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky these two worlds combine to create a tantalizing world for the eyes and ears. 

The film Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, based on Chris Greenhalgh’s novel “Coco & Igor”, is about the intersecting lives of a romance between famed designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel and Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.  After becoming enamored with Igor’s music before the First World War, Coco meets the composer after the war has ended and she has lost her lover of many years.  Once she has met him Coco moves Igor and his family into one of her homes and sparks fly between the pair.

The actors in the film turn in very enjoyable performances in this drama.  Mads Mikkelsen who plays the title role of Igor does a fantastic job.  The Danish actor really pulled it together as the Russian composer.  He carries around the tension and stiff movement of what you would assume the Russian composer would. Anna Mouglalis shines as the famed designer Coco Chanel.  She stands as if she lived back in the early part of the twentieth century as well as oozes seduction as she walks across the screen.  Then when the two are on screen together you can feel the chemistry between the two.

The film itself is very much like the pace of Stravinsky’s music used through out the film, somewhat slow, but it does build into moments of high passion.  For some the pace may be too long yet to I enjoyed it immensely because so many films lately rush through the story and you never get an understanding of the characters Along with the my personal enjoyment of the pacing, I also loved some of the way the utilizes the reactions of the actors as apposed to having written dialogue.  There are scenes where the all the actor has to communicate with is their facial expressions, which, only true artists can convey.

             The film takes the dramatic affair film to a different level and for another language. Just remember if you prefer a faster pace film that this may not be the film for you.  In conclusion if you would like to try a non-Hollywood type love affair film take a try with this film.  It is available for rental in some Redbox kiosks and Netflix. 

Movie Review: Act of Valor

For a slightly different taste of your action/adventure film Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh have brought the heroes that you have heard about on television to your big screen. The movie act of Valor is about a elite of group of Navy Seals that embark on a mission of national security. The reason why this film is a little bit different than that rest is because the main actors in the film are portrayed by actual active duty servicemen.
When I saw an advance screening of the film there was a recorded message from the filmmakers about how they went about making this films and why they ended up choosing their "method actors", as I would call them, for this project. I hope for sake of everyone else that sees this film that this was taken out before its release date on February 24. After that I listening to their speech that somewhat through me out of my movie going moment the film started. In the beginning the film felt a little pushed to began to catch its stride. For most action fans there are guns, explosions and blood but there are also huge machines. The filmmakers were able to use/ borrow lots of military grade machinery to make their film as believable as possible to the viewers in their seats, so much so that at a given time you may feel like you are watching a recruiter video.
Besides the needed special effects there is the essential acting in the film. The first time actors do an okay job because they are put into scenarios that they are used to on a day to day, leaving the family, going on missions, and so. The only issues that arise are when they are trying to create friendly banter which I am not completely sure it is there fault, besides them being inexperienced some of the writing kind of felt over dramatic or lacked a natural flow.
But to balance out their inexperience as actors there are some phenomenal actors cast along side them. Alex Veadov who's only recognizable role would be as Vadim Nezhinski in We Own the Night does a great job as an antagonist capitalist. Another addition to the film is the very talented and beautiful Roselyn Sanchez (known for her roles in Without A Trace, The Game Plan, Underclassman)  who is an under cover CIA agent.  No to mention Nestor Serrano (known for roles in the 2000s 90210, Definitely, Maybe and 24) as a member of Interpol, I believe. The professional actors definitely help create and move the story along.
Even thought there are hiccups everywhere in this film it was still a pretty good watch and I would recommend watching it but as a DVD rental.