Lawless

So, I'm not dead but theme week didn't really work out that well. I blame Independence Day. I might try theme week again in a few weeks but for now I want to round out my Tom Hardy movies with Lawless. "Have you met Howard?" This has easily become one of my top ten favorite movies. I love the story, the filming, and most of the characters. If I could change one thing about this film, it would be to edit out all the parts with Shia LeBeouf. I know the story is pretty much told from his point of view and he's important or whatever but, he really annoys me and I hate his character's storyline. Guy Pierce plays the main asshole but I still like him better than Shia LaBeouf in this movie. Anyway, back to the main stuff.

Characters and storyline. This movie is based on a true story written by one of the brother's sons, I believe. The period this takes place in is accurately shown. I love Tom Hardy in this movie and his character. He doesn't say much and just mostly grunts but he is also a total badass. Jessica Chastain also does a very good job at her character. I've only seen her in a couple of movies but I think she is great and should be more popular than she is. Those two make the movie for me. Who doesn't love a good Prohibition-era moonshine movie? Being from the south, I can appreciate the history more. The director does a good job of bringing the audience in to the story with feeling the emotions with the characters. I'm not going to lie. I shed a tear during what happened to Cricket Pete. That is always a good sign to me. I also really hated Guy Pierce's character which wasn't hard to do as he plays a complete asshole. No worries, he gets what is coming to him.

Cinematography. This story is beautifully filmed. I really captures the feel and look of the south during the Prohibition-era. There are, of course, some really well done shots. It is also subtlety colorized with a sandy feel. Everything always looks kind of dirty which really does add to the film. You don't really notice it at the time but that is important for the audience to really believe and immerse themselves into the story.

If you need a reason to watch this movie, then do it for Tom Hardy. The storyline will support itself and show you what a truly great film it is. I think it is underrated and often overlooked but, not by me! I love it.

Theme Week: 2. Bronson

Tom Hardy movie number two for this week is Bronson. It's a weird little movie based on the real criminal Charles Bronson. His birth name is actually Michel Peterson. He is Britain's most notorious prisoner and has spent most of his life in prison and mostly in solitary confinement. This movie is very disconnected and doesn't do a lot of explanation because it's a story mostly through Bronson's eyes. I feel that the directed did a good job of it definitely being in Bronson's point of view and very biased towards him. Tom Hardy does a great job at portraying him and his madness.
He imagines himself as an actor of sorts and says that he always wanted to be famous. Well, he gets that. Famous as a really bad criminal. What started as a 7 year sentence for a small bank robbery extended for 14 years before he was finally released and he was arrested again 70 days later. Reading the true story of Bronson helps in understanding the movie. He was very violent and attacked a lot of prisoners and guards. He was moved over 100 times in Britain's prison system and spent a lot of time in solitary confinement. He was released a couple of times but was arrested again soon afterwards. I'm surprised they let him out at all. He was horrible. They briefly put him with the criminally insane but, like everywhere else, that didn't last long. The real Charles Bronson is still in prison and serving a life sentence. He decided in 2014 to change his name to Charles Salvadore (after the artist) and renounced violence. For the movie, the overall coloring is very yellow-orange-greenish and gives you this sickly, dirty feeling. Hardy absolutely shined as Bronson and even got to meet with him while filming. The real Bronson was so impressed with Hardy's impersonation of him that he shaved off his famous mustache so that a loose mustache could be made for Hardy. Bronson just loved to fight and it showed in the movie with how it seemed he never did anything really for a specific reason. He just kind of did it. He took people hostage and tried to strangle people. The audience really sides with Bronson after seeing him and having the movie narrated by the main character. You should be horrified with all the violence he has caused but it's more of a meh attitude. He did it. Whatever, it's his life. He narrated and explained himself so well that you're just like yeah, you should fight that guard for no reason. If only he could have channeled that in to like boxing and become famous that way. Anyway, good movie. Not great but good. I probably won't watch it again for a long time or maybe never. I've seen it twice now and I'm good. Tom Hardy's acting is amazing though. It's good to see him in a slightly different role than the ones he is used to playing. He does well with broody, angry sort of characters or ones with good one-liners but in this role he was sort of just odd. Very weird and exaggerated. That's great acting. Stay tuned for another review coming later (I promised 2 today). I'm thinking another movie made in the same year with Hardy playing a fighter. I should tally how many movies he has played some sort of boxer or fighter. I know of at least four. Interesting.
 The Real Charles Bronson ^