Red Sparrow is a 2018 spy-thriller film directed by Francis Lawrence who worked with Jennifer Lawrence (the star here) on a couple of the Hunger Games movies, but this is a very different beast. Jennifer Lawrence plays Dominika Egorova (in, it has to be said, a not entirely convincing Russian accent), and Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenarts and Charlotte Rampling star as the film's secondary characters. This one is a pretty big departure from what Lawrence has done in the past, although it has to be said that she's making some pretty bold career choices. I'm not the first one to say that, and for a good reason: it's true. After last year's Mother! it appeared as if she was trying purposefully trying to appear in more "mature" films, and believe me, it doesn't get much more mature than Red Sparrow. The film plays out like one of those schlocky exploitation from the seventies, in that there's sexual violence, sex, violence, torture, and all manner o
The Disaster Artist is a 2017 film directed by and starring James Franco. It was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. It's based on the book written by Greg Sestero and Tom Sissel of the same name. It tells the story of famed 'so bad he's good' director, Tommy Wiseau, who created The Room, which is widely considered to be the worst (yet simultaneously the funniest) film of all time. The Disaster Artist explores, despite all of the mystery surrounding him, who exactly Wiseau was and the relationship he had with the people he worked with.
When you're making a film about this kind of thing, there's always a risk that it'll just be a montage of the 'funny bits' from the original film. Fortunately, The Disaster Artist is not that. There are moments in which you see them filming the 'famous scenes' (like the 'Oh, hi Mark' scene, the 'what a story, Mark' scene) but the rest of it very much delves into the relationship between Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau isn't portrayed as some kind of 'lovable rogue' either. The film shows him exactly as he was: abusive, delusional and more than a little deranged. And the most fascinating thing about the film is just how much he wanted to make The Room, despite everything.
Let's just talk for a minute about James Franco. For a long time, I just wasn't a fan. As an actor, I thought he was usually a little forced and some of his performances were quite hammy. I find the 'idiotic stoner' character he usually falls into pretty annoying, but honestly, I was blown away by him here. His acting could not be better, and here's how you know: the costume for Tommy Wiseau is just a black wig and occasionally a pair of glasses. But in this film, you're not looking at James Franco, you're looking at Wiseau himself. The way he embodies the role is just completely and unbelievably remarkable. If it was my choice, I'd nominate him for an Oscar.
When the film needs to be funny, it is. When it needs to be sad or a little troubling, it is. You get far more from the Disaster Artist than the trailer, and all of the marketing would have you believe. This is a film about Tommy Wiseau, but it's also about friendship, and the struggles of being an artist who wants to keep hold of his vision. It also delves into the problems that can arise when you get so involved in an idea that you become a much worse person. In fact, even if you haven't seen The Room, I'd say that you'll still find a lot to enjoy here.
The Disaster Artist is a remarkable film, and this is exactly what cinema should be about. You can tell everyone involved in this film has real passion for The Room, and are genuinely interested in the strange story behind it. It perfectly embodies what fans love about The Room and delves much further into the personality of Wiseau than you would expect. Definitely check this one out - James Franco gives one of the best performances of the year, and easily the best of his career.
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