Mr. Turner

2014 saw the release of many films revolving around real-life people. The prominent (Selma, The Theory of Everything), those forgotten by history (The Imitation Game, Belle) and the recently living (Wild, American Sniper), it was a menagerie of (mostly) factual stories.

So where does Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner rank? Indeed, its subject matter of British artist J.M.W. Turner is not someone many people know of like Monet, van Gogh or Picasso. But Turner's work is easily memorable once one has seen it. (He isn't known as "the painter of light" for nothing.)

In the role of Turner is Timothy Spall, a regular name among Leigh's films. Here, he delivers the performance of his career. Spall portrays Turner as a multi-faceted personality, a man of many triumphs and flaws. It's a role that's once in a lifetime for an actor, and Spall gives it his all. (Erm, that rhyme wasn't intended.)

It simply must be mentioned that the cinematography from Dick Pope is stunning. Every shot looks as if Turner's paintings had come to life. (That's a common thing, isn't it? Films about people making beautiful things having been gorgeously shot?) Combine it with the Suzie Davies and Charlotte Watts' production design and Gary Yershon's score, and it makes for an absolutely striking film.

Like Topsy-Turvy, Leigh proves with Mr. Turner that he can make a great costume drama. All of its elements work wonderfully, something not frequently seen in contemporary films. It's a film that people should see.

My Rating: *****

Secrets & Lies

When it comes to modern British social dramas, no one comes close to Mike Leigh in churning out the best the subgenre has to offer. He makes his stories believable and, most importantly, his characters human. (Or, in the case of Naked, inhuman.)

Excluding Topsy-Turvy, Leigh knows how to capture the British working class with complete ease. The in-depth detail he gives his characters is one of a kind. (From what I read, he allows his actors to improvise in order to make their characters more human.) This is the kind of attention directors give to their films that I admire.

Secrets & Lies displays such attention wonderfully. Depicting a troubled small family, the film captures a quiet but conflicted understanding between the characters. Think of the way Leigh tells this story as a sort of British equivalent of a John Cassavetes film. (Okay, maybe not that far, but it's close.)

As with Leigh's other films, the heart of Secrets & Lies rests within the actors. The two primary actors are Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and as you watch them, it's very clear to see why they got all the awards attention. As Cynthia, Blethyn is a nervous woman who just wants to love and be loved in return. As Hortense, Jean-Baptiste is like Cynthia, but quieter and more composed. Two of the best performances of the 1990s without a doubt.

Secrets & Lies is both one of the best films I've seen and one of the more underappreciated films out there. Why that's the case with the latter, I have no idea. Seriously, go watch it. You won't regret it.

My Rating: *****

Happy-Go-Lucky

Poppy (Sally Hawkins), the protagonist of Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, is the kind of person one would encounter every now and again. You know, someone who has supposedly no worries in the world.

Of course, not everyone is enamored by Poppy's peppiness. They keep a form view on life while Poppy has a positive outlook, regardless of the situation.

Leigh provides a portrait of an average woman's everyday life. Poppy goes through her day with a smile practically glued on her face. You know the saying smile and the world smiles with you? Doesn't exactly apply to Poppy.

Indeed, Poppy's constant happiness does wear on after a while. It takes time to get used to it. Once you do, she is a nice presence in the film. A far cry from some of the characters in Leigh's other films, don't you think?

All in all, I liked Happy-Go-Lucky. Not as much as the other Leigh films I saw, but still as good. Hawkins is very lively and again, it's a nice change of pace from other films released in recent years.

My Rating: ****1/2

Vera Drake

We've all heard of those stories, the ones about people with ideal lives but also a dark side as well. We ourselves might have encountered such a person.

In the case of Mike Leigh's Vera Drake, it's that of the title character, played by Imelda Staunton. She's a hard-working woman, always caring about those around her. She helps those in need, including women who to rid of their unwanted, unborn children.

The scenes of Vera inducing miscarriages are hard to watch. They were also uncomfortable as well. They aren't the bloody gorefest one would expect. Vera opts for the cleaner solution. And surprisingly, Vera still keeps up with her cheerful demeanor.

Well, at least until the police catch up. That is when Vera completely falls apart. Perhaps she didn't think of the consequences after all this time. That is why her reaction to being found out is so devastating.

Vera Drake just sticks in your mind as you watch it. Not one scene feels false or out of place. (Not bad for a film made without a script.) One more note to mention. As raw and bold Hilary Swank was in Million Dollar Baby, the Oscar that year should have gone to Staunton.

My Rating: *****

Topsy-Turvy

Life in the world of theater isn't exactly the easiest type in the world. One has to remember their lines word for word as they perform for dozens if not hundreds of people.

Theater life has been depicted numerously in the form of film, most famously Joseph L. Mankiewicz's All About Eve and John Cassavetes' Opening Night. Another fine example is Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy. Set in 1885 England, Topsy-Turvy showcases a witty behind the scenes look at one of the most famous stage productions.

The production is The Mikado, created by W.S. Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) and Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner). The concept of a Japanese opera sounded silly at first to Sullivan, then to the actors and finally the audience. But Gilbert was confident enough to go through with the idea (even if he wasn't as confident on opening night).

The most amusing scene was when the actors were being fitted for costumes. The women objected to wearing a costume where their corsets weren't needed, and a male actor was appalled at the length of his robe which was just barely past his knees. Oh, how the times have changed.

For a film clocking in at 160 minutes, it could have fallen flat on its face in the first hour. Leigh makes sure not a minute is wasted. Each scene is a joy to watch and all of the actors play their parts extremely well. A moment to look out for: when Gilbert gets the idea for The Mikado in his mind. The look on his face is priceless.

My Rating: *****

Naked

The first moments of Mike Leigh's Naked shows Johnny (David Thewlis) doing what he does best: abusing women. The use of a (very) shaky camera captures the whole mood of both the scene and the film.

Thewlis plays Johnny as someone who's never happy and always restless. He's not afraid to speak his mind, regardless of what anyone might think. Yet Johnny is as vulnerable and damaged as everyone around him. In short, a hell of a performance from Thewlis.

Sophie (Katrin Cartlidge) is someone who longs for someone by her side. She's not picky. She'll take anyone who looks promising. So when Johnny shows up, Sophie thinks he'll become the man in her life. Or so she thinks.

Jeremy (Greg Cruttwell) is somewhere between being a cleaner Johnny and a British Patrick Bateman. He's a sharp dresser and has a tongue to match. He could care less about anyone but himself. In short, he's the kind of guy you want to kick where it matters.

Along with containing strong performances from its principal actors, Naked also gives a glimpse of working class London. It's hard to watch at times (mainly those scenes with Jeremy), but those other times you simply can't your eyes off the screen. Also, the music by Andrew Dickson is to die for. And if glimpses of working class society are what Leigh does best, then I will most definitely continue to watch.

My Rating: ****1/2