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Kristen Stewart

Spencer: Freeing the Ghosts of Camelot

November 5, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Christmas with the family can be a challenge for anyone. However, in Pablo Larrain’s Spencer, it becomes an absolute nightmare.

Set during the three days surrounding Christmas, Spencer focuses on the emotional journey of Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) as she struggles to survive her holidays with the Royal Family. With her marriage crumbling and knowledge of Charle’s affair with Camilla now public knowledge, Diana arrives at Sandringham emotionally exhausted and looking forward to time with her sons. However, as she is forced to endure soul-draining traditions that leave her empty, she continues waste away internally. Broken and weary, Diana begins to rebel against the decorum that she has come to despite, raising the ire of a new employee (Timothy Spall) who has been hired to keep her under his strict watchful eye.

In Spencer, director Pablo Larrain weaves a tale that feels more like gothic horror than it does a tale of royalty. As his follow-up to the superb character drama Jackie, this film takes a more thematic approach to its narrative than it does factual recreation of events. In other words, rather than tell a traditional biographical story, Larrain blends both whimsical elements and factual events into a mixture entirely his own. (For instance, the opening text informs the audience that this is a ‘fairy tale based on actual trauma’.) In doing so, he is able to create his own reality that also still feels true to Diana’s emotional stress over her last few years in the Royal Family. 

Of course, anchoring the film’s success is a truly remarkable performance by its star. Kristen Stewart has always excelled when she plays characters who are struggling to cope. Even so, to play Diana requires so much more of her. As one of the most identifiable and beloved characters of the 20th Century, the role of the Princess of Wales would pose an incredible challenge to any actress. However, Stewart provides a memorable performance as the People’s Princess that feels authentic to the icon. As Diana, she does an excellent job recreating the mannerisms and voice that made her recognizable around the world. Yet, she also fuels her performance with a sadness and confined rage that takes the focus off of the glamour and reveals the pain of her soul. (However, it’s also worth noting that the moments that are most memorable come when she’s allowed to laugh and have some fun. These brief glimpses of joy are the moments that truly allow Stewart to sparkle onscreen.)

Opening with a shot of a bird being rolled over by military convoy, Spencer is another tale that takes place in the middle of the life of a fallen hero. Taking place over three days over Christmas, Larrain structures the film around a time for family and celebration, yet this is hardly a time for levity. At every turn, this is a reminder of how this beautiful bird was trampled under the weight of tradition and masculine pressure. When she arrives at Sandringham, she is ordered that she must weigh herself before the weekend to be able to measure how much enjoyment was taken from the meals. She is told that she is viewed as ‘currency to be traded’ and that that is where her value lies. Then, when she finally confronts Charles, she is refuted, being told that she needed to be two people. Very much the victim of systemic abuse and control from the powers that be, Diana is forced into an emotional box by Royal traditions and etiquette. (“It’s just a bit of fun after all,” she is repeatedly reminded.) As a result, she struggles to cope with the unreasonable expectations placed upon her that steal pieces of her soul and quietly descends into her own madness. (Incidentally, while the film maintains a slow pace throughout its runtime, this is undoubtedly intentional. Like the ticking of the clock, Larrain wants the viewer to experience time as Diana does while she endures the horrors of the holiday.)

In order to further exemplify this, Larrain visually leans into the mystique of the Monarchy while also heavily accentuating its darker edges. While there are those who would view the hallowed halls of Sandringham Estate as a modern-day Camelot filled with royal servants and quaint traditions, Spencer takes a decidedly different view. Instead of emphasizing Elizabethan charm and mystique, Lorraine imbues the country house with an ominous sense of oppression and dread. Despite its size and grandeur, Lorraine makes the buildings feel claustrophobic. Patterns on the wall feel like prison bars. Morning fog creates an atmosphere of captivity rather than captivation. No matter the time of day, the manor appears suffocating.

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As these traumas unravel, Diana is shown to be a woman who is being haunted by ghosts, both figuratively and literally. Plagued by appearances by Anne Bolin, she is reminded of the toxic nature of her relationship with her husband. Stuck in a dead relationship, Diana aches for the simple life and wishes to be the person that she was 10 years ago when this all began. She yearns to find the joy that she wants held that has been stripped of her and wants to protect her children in the same way. However, despite being held under the watchful eye of the Monarchy, Diana gradually begins to kick against the culture of repression. Pressured by the power of the monarchy to conform, Diana’s inner strength begins to bubble to the surface and she begins to take matters into her own hands. (Never has drapery taken on such significance within a film.) For Diana, pleasing the system that surrounds her is not as important as the health of her soul and so she looks for opportunities to give herself space to breathe again.

In the end, Spencer is a unique look at toxic oppression and its relationship to the soul. While this fable may not be based on actual events, Larrain’s film still feels like an authentic representation of reality. With elegance and patience, he constructs thoughtful piece that gives voice to a young woman who had hers taken from her by a system designed to maintain the image of perfection. While others may view it as ‘little bit of fun’, Larrain shows that, in the case of Diana, it’s no laughing matter.

Spencer is available in theatres on Friday, November 5th, 2021.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Kristen Stewart, Princess Diana, Princess of Wales, Sally Hawkins, Spencer, Steven Knight, Timothy Spall

TIFF ’21: Spencer

September 16, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Set during the three days surrounding Christmas, Spencer focuses on the emotional journey of Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) as she struggles to survive her holidays with the Royal Family. With her marriage crumbling and knowledge of Charle’s affair with Camilla now public knowledge, Diana arrives at Sandringham emotionally exhausted and looking forward to time with her sons. However, as she is forced to endure soul-draining traditions that leave her empty, she continues waste away internally. Broken and weary, Diana begins to rebel against the decorum that she has come to despite, raising the ire of a new employee (Timothy Spall) who has been hired to keep her under his strict watchful eye.

In Spencer, director Pablo Larrain weaves a tale that feels more like gothic horror than it does a tale of royalty. As his follow-up to the superb character drama Jackie, this film takes a more thematic approach to its narrative than it does factual recreation of events. In doing so, he is able to create his own reality that also still feels true to Diana’s emotional stress over her last few years in the Royal Family. 

While there are those who would view the hallowed halls of Sandringham Estate as a modern-day Camelot filled with royal servants and quaint traditions, Spencer takes a decidedly different view. Instead of emphasizing Elizabethan charm and mystique, Lorraine imbues the country house with an ominous sense of oppression and dread. 

As her traumas unravel, Diana is shown to be a woman who is being haunted by ghosts, both figuratively and literally. Pressured to conform by the power of the monarchy, Diana’s inner strength begins to bubble to the surface and she begins to take matters into her own hands. For her, pleasing the system that surrounds her is not as important as the health of her soul and so she looks for opportunities to give herself space to breathe again.

Spencer premiered at TIFF ’21 on Wednesday, September 15th, 2021.

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Premieres, TIFF Tagged With: Kristen Stewart, Pablo Larrain, Princess Diana, Sally Hawkins, Spencer, TIFF, TIFF21, Timothy Spall

Happiest Season: Everyone’s Story has a Place

November 25, 2020 by Heather Johnson Leave a Comment

I’ll get right to the point: if you’re looking for something charming and funny as we cautiously look to the end of 2020, Happiest Season is everything you could possibly need.

Personally, I can handle about zero angst in movies right now. Call it a casualty of 2020, but my tolerance for anything overly serious or dramatic is essentially nonexistent, especially if it’s in a movie I’ve never seen. Now granted, there is the relational angst that is often the central conflict in holiday films, and Happiest Season totally has that covered. But it was a good angst, and I’ll explain why.

But first, let’s start with the cast. I have two words for you: Dan Levy. Yes, THAT Dan Levy of sweeping Emmy wins for Schitt’s Creek, one of People magazine’s Sexiest Men of Alive, and all around beloved by basically everyone these days. I don’t even know if he’s considered a main character or not as best friend John, but his presence alone is a reason to watch. Of course, stars like Kristen Stewart, Victor Garber, Mary Steenburgen, Aubrey Plaza, Mackenzie Davis, and Alison Brie (what a cast, amiright?) elevate this heartwarming story into something special.

Perfect couple Abby and Harper (Stewart and Davis respectively) make plans to visit Harper’s family for Christmas. But there is one *major* wrinkle in the plan – Harper’s parents don’t know she is gay and in a relationship with the “orphan roommate” she has brought home.  Compounded by her parents’ stress surrounding Ted’s bid for major (Ted and Tipper are played by Garbor and Steenburgen), Harper keeps Abby at arm’s length and back in the closet. Naturally some old flames of Harper’s show up, including her first girlfriend Riley (Aubrey Plaza). Between sisterly competition, pressure to impress, and secrets uncovered, everything compounds on Christmas Eve, and this seemingly perfect family explodes into disarray.

I’m going to leave it there as far as plot, because I’m hoping you will watch the film. (Make sure that you watch the credits too for the pictures that continue the story.) From here, I’m going to get a bit personal, so I hope you’ll stick around and indulge me for a moment or two.

Representation in film is something that I am becoming increasingly aware of because I believe that film is for everyone. Everyone should be able to look up or at a screen and see themselves. As a straight, Christian woman, I am not at all offended by a lesbian-centric storyline. It’s about telling the stories that are happening every day all over the world. It’s totally ok for good stories to be just that – good stories. And those stories aren’t limited to heterosexual relationships.

Maybe there wasn’t necessary anything “new” per se in Happiest Season but it was genuine and sweet. But, most importantly, the film is about loving your own story and those who are a part of it. And that’s a lesson we can all embrace. 

Happiest Season is available on Hulu now.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews, SmallFish Tagged With: Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy, hulu, Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber

TIFF ’19: Seberg

September 15, 2019 by Jason Thai Leave a Comment

By Jason Thai

Seberg is a political thriller film based off the life of Jean Seberg (Kristen Stewart), an American actress who was popularized in French movies in the 1960s. Returning to America in 1967 to star in a movie, Seberg runs into black rights activist Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie), a member of the Black Panthers. Having been a politically active since she was a teenager, Seberg decides to work with Hakim in support of black human rights. However, the FBI doesn’t like this and Jean becomes caught in crosshairs of the American Government in the midst of the war for black civil rights .

Based off the real-life of story of Jean Seberg’s conflict with the FBI, Seberg‘s writers used references to public records raided from the FBI exposing their unethical and illegal surveillance against her. The film tells its story from the perspective of Jean, focusing on who she is as a person as well as her conflict with a crooked and unethical American government. As a person who has always strived to help people and use her platform as a celebrity and money to help, Seberg ends up helping Hakim support the education of poor underprivileged black children. However, 1960s America was a time of racist and unethical behaviour, especially towards the war of rights between the government and black citizens.

Through Agent Jack Solomon (Jack O’Connell), a man trying to do well and good for his country and support his wife, the viewer sees the terrible things they do to discredit Seberg’s reputation and gather illegally enquired information on Jean to use against her and Hakim. Breaking into Jean’s home, using parabolic mics and setting up bugs in Jean’s home to listen in on her conversations, the FBI had no limits in their efforts to discredit Hakim’s relationship with Jean, his family, and the Black Panthers. Relentless in their attacks, the FBI are even willing to go so far as to spread news articles to the public, featuring cartoons of Jean drawn as a French pig and Hakim as a grossly drawn monkey-looking creature having intercourse. (Eventually, they spread these physical articles/pictures to the school for underprivileged black children run by Hakim’s wife.) Overall, the years of spying on Jean by the American government led her to have anxiety problems, develop paranoia, and a fear for her life and family’s safety.

In the end, Seberg does a wonderful job portraying the perspective of Jean Seberg. Kristen Stewart is able to show the grace and elegance that Jean had at the peak of career as well as the caring and loving heart that Jean had for the civil rights and freedom of all people. By showing his guilt and shame he felt by harming peoples lives and slowing the progression of the equal rights of black citizens, Jack’s character proves to be a great way to tell the perspective of the FBI and the struggles of working for a corrupt American government. Fighting for what his colleagues claimed were for the “greater good”, Jack constantly has the evil agendas and racist propaganda of his peers hammered into his head. 

In the end, Seberg is a great political thriller movie that does a well job showcasing the propaganda and racism of a corrupt American government. 

Having premiered this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, Seberg does not yet have a release date.

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Anthony Mackie, Jean Seberg, Kristen Stewart, Seberg, TIFF, TIFF19

JT LeRoy: Finding Yourself in Someone Else

May 3, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

BBased on Savannah Knoop’s memoir, Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT LeRoy, JT Leroytells the true story of deception and lies behind one of the greatest literary hoaxs of our time.Author of a NY Times best-seller,Laura Albert (Laura Dern) writes as her “avatar,” a disenfranchised young queer man named JT LeRoy. When JT becomes a literary darling, asks her boyfriend’s androgynous sister, Savannah (Kristen Stewart) to be JT in the public eye.As they gradually infiltrate the Hollywood and literary elite, the lines between truth and lies collide as they discover who they are while living as someone else.

Directed by Justin Kelly (I Am Michael) and co-written with Knoop herself, JT Leroyis an interesting look at the trappings of fame and the compromises we’re often willing to make to get there. Although the dialogue is uneven in places, stars Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart do a solid job of bringing the material to life, portraying their characters with earnestness. As the ‘voice of JT’, Laura Albert, Dern brings her character to life, as she remains caught in the tension between keeping the notoriety and wanting to speak for herself.

One of the most intriguing aspects of JT LeRoyis how seemingly believable the film is in today’s culture. As Albert and Knoop dig deeper into the character of LeRoy, there is a pageantry that accompanies their celebrity that doesn’t seem that far-fetched in a world obsessed with Instagram and visual presentations. While the film takes place in pre-Facebook era of the early-2000s (otherwise known as the ‘Dark Ages’), the film feels… current as it recognizes a world that wants to believe everything they see. (‘When you meet someone new, do you question who they say they are?,’ Albert argues.) To Albert, what matters most is that people believe that her story is authentic, rather than know the truth itself. 

Of course, this question of the truth is what ultimately lies at the heart of JT LeRoyitself. Though Knoop is at first put off by the awkwardness of lying about her identity, she soon becomes addicted to living a double life. Meanwhile, Albert celebrates the challenge of living as JT, a character she feels ‘flows out of her’ naturally. Having blended the lines between truth and fiction in her book, bringing LeRoy to life allows her to express her deepest pains in an [arguably] safe manner. (Interestingly, the film also references the journey of Colette, another TIFF ’18 selection that focuses on a woman’s literary nom-de-plume as a man.) 

Though the character is ultimately a lie, to Albert and Knoop, he feelsreal. In fact, as people gradually become more suspicious of the façade, Albert and Knoop have also began to inhibit the character with such enthusiasm that—for them—LeRoy is slowly becoming the truth. For them, the lines have blurred between reality and fiction. For a culture that feels like authenticity is lost, this is a story that wants to ask what identity really looks like in a culture in the midst of crisis. (Asked by a reporter how they know JT is who they say he is, a disguised Knoop simply throws the question back on them, stating ‘How do we know who you are?’) There is an openness and fluidity to reality in this film that mirrors a culture where the moorings of truth have shifted dramatically, especially in terms of identity.

Ultimately, JT LeRoy doesn’t really have specific answers for such questions but that may be the point. The story of Knoop’s journey as LeRoy doesn’t seek to tell you who you are but, rather, to encourage you to ask the question for yourself.

JT Leroyspins its story in theatres beginning on May 3rd, 2019.

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: JT LeRoy, Justin Kelly, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Savannah Knoop, TIFF

American Ultra: What’s Your Potential?

December 1, 2015 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

american ultra

American Ultra stars Jamie Eisenberg as lovable stoner Mike Howell, the kind of guy you encourage to aim higher but who is already quite high to begin with. Thanks to his girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), Mike aspires for more but his anxieties and insecurities always short circuit his plans. That is, until shadowy government ages converge on his little bubble in Liman, West Virginia, and Mike recognizes that he is meant for something… completely different. Mike Howell is a sleeper CIA agent!

Two lines of thinking are working in opposition, fighting for Mike’s life. On one side is his previous CIA boss, motherly Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton), who wants Mike left alone; on the other side is the new head of the department, stats-driven, smarmy Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), who wants his ideas to push out any remnants of the work that Lasseter did before. When Yates’ first attempts to eradicate Mike fail, he has the town closed as the faked result of a “Super Typhoid” epidemic, turning Liman into a no-holds-barred battleground.

While Mike might seem to be outmatched, Max Landis’ (Chronicle) script gradually unlocks more and more of the sleeper agent’s untold potential. It’s serious – and comic – blending a spoof of spy flicks with violence and energy. While it’s not groundbreaking – it feels a bit like The Truman Show meets The Bourne Identity – it’s still fun to watch Eisenberg’s Mike navigate his girlfriend, his CIA bosses, his drug dealer (an over-the-top John Leguizamo), and a host of assassins.

American Ultra is a story of discovering oneself, of determining what potentials and purposes lie buried deep within. While most of us aren’t covert operatives masquerading as stoners, there’s something to be said for the way we fail to realize who we’re supposed to be. Maybe it’s a question of calling or gifts, or maybe it’s deeper, like understanding that we can’t even see how awesome we are (buried under the weight of original sin) until God shows us how we are made in God’s image. We can’t even recognize that until God shows it to us! For Mike, it’s about realizing his buried nature and embracing it; for us, it’s about realizing we’re made in God’s image and have so much more that we can be.

Special features include “Activating American Ultra,” “Assassinating on a Budget,” a gag reel, and the director’s commentary. 

 

Filed Under: DVD, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Connie Britton, Jamie Eisenberg, John Leguizamo, Kristen Stewart, spoof, Spy

TIFF Hits: EQUALS

September 16, 2015 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

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“Knowledge is the new Scripture.”

Equals takes place in the future where scientific and technological advancement have become the new gods of the age. Through advancements in genetic modification, humanity has been forbidden from experiencing emotions, physical touch and — gasp! — sex in order to increase productivity. People like Silas (Nicholas Hoult) and Nia (Kristen Stewart) live quiet, drone-like lives until, one day, rumours begin to surface that a disease has erupted, causing humanity to ‘feel’. If discovered by the powers that be, carriers are quickly taken away, never to be seen or heard of again. When Silas and Nia begin to experience an unspeakable attraction to one another, the two must decide whether to suppress their feelings or attempt to run so that they can be together.

Visually, the film is stunning. Director Drake Doremus (Still Crazy) creates a world that reveals the emotional tension through the balance of cool, clean lines and lush gardens and landscapes. (Interestingly, one of the key jobs in the future seems to be gardening, a clear reminder that nature needs to be contained and repressed.) Further, while colours remain muted at the early onset of the film, they slowly begin to dominate the frame as Silas and Nia gradually give in to their impulses.
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Unfortunately, however, the film takes far too much time to get off the ground. In an effort to reveal the emotional oppression of his characters, Doremus also makes it more difficult to connect with them. As a result, it’s not until the characters are allowed to express some forms of emotion that we can begin to appreciate the performances that are taking place. As they begin to express themselves to one another, the story moves along more quickly and becomes far more interesting. (Personally, I would also argue that I’ve seen far better work from both Hoult and Stewart in the past as well.)

Thematically, Doremus clearly believes that love is an essential part of the human experience. In a world where technology has created distance between one another, he argues that this film is a timely one. “Personally, I feel that it’s very current,” he begins. “It could have taken place in the past, present or the future. It’s really about a people who are set in a world rather than a world with people in it.” Consequently, the film carries an understanding of human nature and our role as created beings that breaks through the narrative. (Incidentally, it’s also interesting to see the number of Biblical names that appear, ranging from Silas and Barnabas to Nia changing her name to Eva, potentially revealing herself as the ‘first woman’ of a new world.) Despite humanity’s best efforts, they simply cannot stop their natural impulses from revealing themselves.

In the end, Equals is an interesting entry into the science fiction genre though it also doesn’t really blaze new territory either.

LEAD-EQUALS-1200x675

 

Equals

Starring Kristen Stewart, Nicholas Hoult

d. Drake Doremus

*** (out of 5)

Filed Under: Current Events, Film, News, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Drake Doremus, Equals, Kristen Stewart, Nicholas Hoult, Toronto

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