christoph waltz – NZ Film Freak

Big Eyes

Director: Tim Burton
Writer: Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander
Released: December 2014
Featuring: Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz
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A Tim Burton film with Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams in it, and composed by Danny Elfman… I kind of knew how this was going to pan out before even pressing play.

It was going to be a bit creepy – because Burton. Quirky and fun – because Adams. Emotionally charged and dark – because Waltz. And choirs and strings – because Elfman.

Nevertheless! This was not a totally predictable Burton tale because it was based on real people and events.

Being set in an era I love, with mesmerising art and admirable, strong female characters, I enjoyed this film very much.

This is the story of Margaret (Adams) who is the artist responsible for the memorable paintings of the children with big eyes during the sixties and seventies.

She married a salesman Walter Keane (Waltz) after walking out on her previous husband. (Which was a big thing for women of that time.) Keane told her that people don’t buy ‘lady art’, so it would be in both of their best financial interests if Margaret’s art was passed off as his.

Over 10 years, that lie snowballed into something much larger, where Margaret was lying to her daughter, lying to herself and losing her identity in a dominated relationship.

Big Eyes follows Margaret’s struggle to pick herself up and stand up to her husband. She had his name, therefore he had her work and consequently, her identity. It wasn’t going to be an easy fight.

Tim Burton has won me back as a Burton fan, because it was different enough, while still keeping the Burton-esk feel. Not everyone had heavy eyeliner, striped fingerless gloves, and Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp were not cast!

Yet the pastel colours, crazy eyes and gorgeous costumes still brought back fond memories of Edward Scissorhands and Dark Shadows.

There were some great scenes, like when everyone’s eyes were like dinner plates in the supermarket. I was mesmerised by how believable Amy Adams is! She is an incredible actress for sure. I could completely understand how blinded she was in her marriage, just by her nervous gestures and mannerisms.

Christoph Waltz is so talented. He is portrayed as the conman who is vindictive and dark, yet so trustworthy and confident – like a used-car salesman. I think he is the best villainous actor in Hollywood.

I love films where the underdog gets justice and revenge…

A true story portrayed like that of a fairytale. We get in the head of a suppressed artist and woman, who expresses her feelings through the sad eyes of the children she paints. Wonderful film, with great 60s and 70s music and décor. Beautiful!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Water For Elephants

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writer: Richard LaGravenese. Based on Sara Guen’s novel of the same name
Released: April 2011
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz
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I bought this DVD as a bit of a whim. After stumbling across the trailer on YouTube I thought that the look of the whole film resembled the circus scenes in Big Fish.

It is the story of the dark side of the circus during the early 1930s, with a forbidden love story between Jacob (Robert Pattinson) and Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) intertwined. Jacob runs away with the circus and poses as a certified vet to continue travelling with them, but discovers that there’s much more to performing that the magic the audience sees.

On the way, he experiences the control and under handed acts that go on in order to keep the circus from failing during the depression. Staff would go missing in the night if the boss and husband of Marlena, August (Christoph Waltz), was unable to pay.

horses_water_for_elephants — Beautiful animals and amazing stunts

The climax did have me holding my breath, but the over all story seemed somewhat watered down, with the lack of suspense throughout most of the heavier scenes.

Of course, my terrible habit is that I hype movies up before I’ve even seen them. I did think that Water For Elephants was going to be more dramatic and horrific, perhaps I would have been right if it was an R17 rating or something like that. But, it wasn’t a bad story by any stretch and it was an enjoyable romance drama – despite there being more romance that drama for my taste.

However, it was very well shot! The director, Francis Lawrence shows his talent for lighting in previous films including I Am Legend and has carried it through to Water For Elephants. I am excited to see how he portrays The Hunger Games sequels!

The acting was great for the most part! Christoph Waltz… Need I say more? He was amazing as usual, and one of the most compelling reasons to buy this movie, he was convincingly intense. Robert Pattinson was pretty decent too, possibly a little monotone..? Reese Witherspoon was AV-ER-AGE to say the least. Shallow acting.

A cool tale that explores the fantasy of running away with the circus.

Jodie’s Rating: 6.5/10

Django Unchained

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Released: December 2012/January 2013
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson
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Django.
The D is silent.

Well, I got to say, the first quarter of the movie is incredible! Django (Jamie Foxx) being freed by a strange man named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) and the show-down that occurred between Schultz and the Speck Brothers who were transporting Django and other slaves to a plantation. This is where Django and Schultz become a team and continue the journey as Bounty Hunters (killing criminals and selling their corpses for rewards).

Dr. King Schultz: My good man, did you simply get carried away with your dramatic gesture, or are you pointing your weapon at me with lethal intention?
Ace Speck: [cocks shotgun] Last chance, fancy pants.

It was a fantastic start to another incredible Tarantino film… Or at least that’s what I thought… Let me tell you, the idea of “less is more” is not something that Tarantino agrees with.

It slowly (and boy do I mean slowly!) unravelled to reveal a story that consisted of long scenes of dialogue with very sudden outbursts of bloody gunfire that would last an eternity. Particularly the final fight.

Well you think it’s the final fight until another scene of dialogue and another fight follows. By the time it reaches the actual final gun fight, you’re so over the blood and gore that you’re immune to the tragedy of it all and the impact of the violent film has subsided.

If you’re worried that this film is going to be too sadistic… Don’t worry. It’s not. I’m not going to lie, I did flinch when a slave was ripped apart by dogs, and when a horse was shot in the head… But it is essentially a black comedy – it ain’t no Saw. It is seriously more comedic than violent, especially with the scene featuring Jonah Hill.

Christoph Waltz was absolutely hilarious too. Actually, this guy is going to get a whole paragraph dedicated to his acting. He is totally incredible! Did you know that he can speak three languages fluently!? English, French and German, which he speaks in Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained. His way of acting is unlike any other… you can’t even tell if he is acting or not because he is just so natural. *Sigh*. Maaaan… He needs a hi-5. His character had some wicked quotes too.

You silver-tongued devil, you.

Unfortunately, some things were unintentionally funny. Like Quentin Tarantino’s cameo… Yeah. That was… Weird. Especially since him and another character were speaking with an Australian accent. That literally came out of nowhere, so confusing! It was kind of disturbing.

I have to make a quick point about the horses. They were SO well trained! Incredible stunt horses. Being a horserider myself, I tend to get really picky about how the horses or riders are doing something wrong, like if the horse-doubles look very little alike or how the actors can’t ride or how sometimes I notice that one of the riders is totally out of control of their horse.
But I couldn’t fault any of the horses or riders in this film! Particularly Jamie Foxx when he was riding a horse with no bridle or saddle… Actually that was yet another left-field occurrence. It was kind of pointless, unexpected and weird.

I had read somewhere before seeing Django Unchained that there is a part where Leonardo accidentally slams his hand down onto a wine glass while in character. I looked out for it, and it makes the scene a hundred times better because for a split second you see the shock on his face, but he carries on. Throughout the scene he picks glass out of his hand, even smearing his own blood over another actor’s face. Awesomely grotesque, I have got to say! Good on you, DiCaprio. He played an mildly insane and overpowering man very well!

Gentlemen, you had my curiosity, now you have my attention.

The music was pretty cool. My favourite song was one called Freedom by Anthony Hamilton and Elayna Boynton. But out of nowhere a hardcore rap song blared against while a group of horses and riders walked from one end of the screen to the other… The mood of the movie was sort of ruined by odd little choices like that.

It wasn’t as sadistic or gory as I was expecting it to be. Also, the story line did not involve as many personal details about many characters, like there was in Inglourious Basterds. It made the entire movie seem distant, making it difficult to lose yourself in the movie.

I reckon Quentin Tarantino was just having fun in this movie. I reckon it would have been much more entertaining being on set every day rather than sitting through a Lord of the Rings-length Western/Black Comedy/Romance/Action movie.

Still confused by what I just watched…

Jodie’s rating: 6/10
You need to watch this trailer to listen purely to Christoph’s voice! His use of inflection is perfection!