Burnt

Directed by John Wells with a screenplay by Steven Knight, Burnt is the story of Adam Jones as he tries to reclaim the respect of his peers and finally get his third Michelin star after a troublesome past in Paris. Focusing on this star, Jones moves to London and reconnects with old friends (and enemies) with the hope of reestablishing his career as one of the most talented chefs in the world. After facing several setbacks, due to his drug history and his tendency to be an asshole, Jones' restaurant takes shape and soon the world is taking interest. It is worth noting, that this film's twist was unexpected and excellently executed. But I wont mention the moment in this review as the film has only just been released in the UK. 

Adam Jones is the typical rebellious, creative mind. His own arrogance stands in his way at nearly every juncture, and his obsessive nature makes for stressful viewing. However, I would say that Cooper's performance was spot on. Cooper is known mostly for films that fall at either end of the spectrum - award winning or forgettable. In a radio interview, Cooper explained how he was adamant that he master the lingo and the actions required to be convincing as a chef. He claimed he has worked previously in a kitchen and that this was a good starting point for what was going to be a long journey of education. Joined on screen by Sienna Miller, he quickly appeared comfortable in the role and was frankly a delight to watch - despite the character's personality, being at times, unbearable. 

Speaking of Miller, whilst her character was a welcome addition to the film's overall cast, I felt the inclusion of a romance subplot was unnecessary. Personally, I would have preferred if the film had focused solely on the food and the road to a Michelin star (or three, as this chef aims for). The blossoming love story between Adam and Helene cheapened the film and felt like a last minute addition to the plot in order to appeal to wider audiences. For example, my mother was disappointed by the film because she wanted it to explore more of the relationship between Adam and Helene... Needless to say, I was disappointed by her observation. Furthermore, Helene being a mother added nothing to the film. Literally nothing. Wasted screen time and money trying to make a character more relatable and likeable. I would have preferred ten extra minutes of Adam Jones talking about how amazing he is.

Daniel Brühl's performance was another pleasant addition to the cast. Not only because I see so much of him in a French, Sommelier friend of mine, but because he was convincing in the role. I haven't noticed Brühl in his other films despite having seen many, but will certainly be keeping my eye out for him in the future. Hopefully his efforts are recognised by heavy hitters in the industry who have roles that will test, challenge and inspire him to do more films in mainstream Hollywood. Hopefully leading to more Brühl on our screens and more recognition for his hard work.

As for the film's overall aesthetic. An obvious amount of scenes were created and manipulated in order to display the cooking and the food. Please do not make the mistake that I made and eat before you see Burnt. Otherwise, you'll be rushing home to cook up some store bought meal that will make you sigh with disappointment in comparison to the dishes seen on film. The inclusion of frequent French language (and therefore subtitles) was an interesting decision but didn't hinder the film's progression in anyway. The use was natural and flowed amongst the scenes. After the first few times, it is easy to forget that the characters are speaking a different language. It'll be interesting to read the reviews for this film as they begin trickling out. I'm not yet sure whether it will be making as big an impact as the cast and crew would think, but then again it is entirely possible for a film like this to surprise us all come award season.  

Spectre

James Bond is back. Daniel Craig returns, yet again, as Ian Fleming's infamous spy. Spectre is a continuation of Craig's previous appearances in the series and follows him on a journey across the world to discover and defeat an enemy organisation, Spectre. The film has several references to the previous Daniel Craig Bond films and features an interesting scene where Bond walks through a derelict MI6 building and is confronted by pictures of enemies and loved ones from previous films. This format, of continuing a story line instead of having stand alone films, has come at a time when the Bond films are moving towards a more accurate representation of the character and themes seen in the original books. 

Honesty time! Daniel Craig has never been my favourite Bond... I've been very vocal to fans of the films in the past about how the actor has never captured my attention and how I lost interest after his first appearance in Casino Royale. Even in a film that is arguably one of the best written Bond instalments, supported by brilliant actors and shot by brilliant creative minds - Craig was the least interesting thing in the film for me. I kind of wish he'd kept his mask on from the beginning of the film (which was an opening sequence that was shot beautifully and should be the envy of many filmmakers in the industry). It is an unpopular opinion but I cannot help but feel like Brosnan would have been more convincing. I'm looking forward to the regeneration of the Bond films when they eventually cast a new lead. This may re-ignite my love for the character and his adventures.

One of the things I was thoroughly looking forward to in this film was that the 'Bond girl' was going to be an appropriate age. For years, we've been watching this womanising spy lure and seduce younger women who become his companion for the duration of one film before he quickly discards them. However, for a change, Spectre was said to heavily feature Monica Bellucci. A woman who is actually four years older than her male co-star. All of the promotional material, from magazines to television interviews, suggested she would be a Bond girl and that James Bond was turning a corner towards more appropriately aged Bond girls. Even Craig himself spoke about how it was high time his character was with someone who was age appropriate in an interview with The Red Bulletin. But the reality is, Bellucci's character was simply another notch in Bond's belt. Appearing on screen for no more than 10 minutes, Bellucci provides information (and her body) to Bond before he disappears and becomes romantically attached to Madeleine Swan. Swan is played by Léa Seydoux, a beautiful woman - 17 years Craig's junior. The costumes, particularly those seen on Léa Seydoux, made me envious and gave us moments of what felt like 40s Hollywood glamour. The scene in which Bond and Swan are waiting for Oberhauser to collect them in the desert, is perhaps a perfect example of the aesthetics within Spectre being inspired by 1940s fashion and Hollywood glamour.

Andrew Scott was a surprising but welcome addition to Spectre. Playing the role of Max Denbigh, or 'C', Scott is a watered down version of his Sherlock character. With the same devious smile and mannerisms as Moriarity, C doesn't quite kill anyone himself but he is certainly responsible for many deaths worldwide. Partnered with Bond's enemy Oberhauser, he's taken over MI6 and plans to take control of the world's surveillance systems to help benefit the Spectre organisation. I find Andrew Scott's choice of roles to be limited - from what I've seen of him thus far - but excellently executed, which suggests that if Scott wanted to, he really could play a multitude of diverse roles. I do enjoy him as the sinister, smartly dressed character that he portays in both Spectre and Sherlock, and would love to see him develop his talent and choose more challenging roles.

The film has received astounding reviews and is already a huge hit with fans of both the films and the books. Admittedly, the plot was smart and I enjoyed the references to previous films. I thought that the opening sequence in Mexico city, shot in one continuous take, was captivating and a wonderful opening to a film that clearly attempts to adopt more artistic cinematography than its predecessors. Spectre moved at a steady pace without boring the audience which was helped by moments of comedic relief inbetween the high octane fight scenes. However, despite an otherwise wonderful film, I am still struggling to find Craig convincing as Bond. I cannot help but groan when he's seducing his many women and feel disinterested when he is supposed to be compelling. It seems that my days of enjoying Bond films are over unless I can some how get over my distain for the current Bond, James Bond.