The Danish Girl (First impressions)

TITLE: The Danish Girl
DIRECTOR: Tom Hooper
SCREENWRITER: Lucinda Coxon (Based on the novel by David Ebershoff)

There is a line that suggests that the titular "Danish Girl" may not refer to Lili (Eddie Redmayne, The Theory Of Everything, Les Miserables) but to her partner, Gerda (Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) and perhaps the idea is that this film is not just about someone discovering their identity and making a transition, but also about someone close to them witnessing the changes they are undergoing. The film has been a cause of a bit of controversy owing to the casting of a so-called "cisgender" actor in the role of a transwoman. I personally cannot speak on behalf of Redmayne's identity (director Tom Hooper has spoken about recognizing a "certain gender fluidity": http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/the-real-reason-eddie-redmayne-was-cast-as-a-trans-woman-in-the-danish-girl-10480658.html) but I think the film's intentions are largely honorable - Redmayne is listed in the end credits as playing "Lili" as opposed to "Einer" or "Einer/Lili". Plus, trans actress Rebecca Root has a cameo as a nurse. It could be argued that the film is aimed those unfamiliar with the subject and perhaps it might inspire some to get themselves educated. Writing about it here, I shall try to be careful in the use of pronouns where appropriate.

The film is set in 1920s Copenhagen and is bookended with a shot of some trees that inspire one of the latest works by artist Einer (Redmayne), who is married to fellow artist Gerda (Vikander). Interesting to note is Einer is seemingly "cis" early on ("Can't a man watch his own wife get undressed?") prior to Lili's "awakening". One day, Gerda gets Einer to model for her, which involves putting on stockings and holding onto a dress without having to wear it properly. However, it seems Einer might quite like this. Friend Ulla (Amber Heard) gives him the name "Lili" and soon, it is suggested that Einer attend a party in character as Gerda's cousin, Lili (Einer learns how to perform as a woman beforehand) and it is there that she attracts the intentions of a romantic named Henrik (Ben Whishaw, Skyfall, S.P.E.C.T.R.E.). Henrik is initially forceful in getting Lili to kiss him and this is witnessed by Gerda, for whom the donning of the Lili "character" had been a game. For Einer, however, it's soon no longer just a game (during one romantic encounter as a couple, Gerda starts to strip Einer down to discover that Einer is wearing a dress belonging it her). We later learn of a childhood encounter between Einer (wearing an apron belonging to a grandmother) and a boy named Hans, played as an adult by Matthias Schoenaerts (Far From The Madding Crowd, A Little Chaos). Einer and Lili develop symptoms (nose-bleeding and stomach cramps) and is subjected to radiation treatment as an attempt to cure an apparent "delusion". This fails and Einer sees other doctors in secret and even has to escape one when diagnosed as a schizophrenic (when out in public, Einer also suffers some homophobic abuse).

Beautifully shot by Hooper's collaborator Danny Cohen (The King's Speech, Les Miserables), pretty much every establishing shot of Copenhagen can be framed and hung on a wall. My only nitpick with the filmmaking is Hooper and Cohen's bending of the 180-degree rule when characters are in conversation. Arguably, the film is about image, whether its in the paintings of Einer and Gerda or reflections, both in mirrors and windows. At one point, Einer recluses to what is essentially the wardrobe of a theatre (the film's own "closet", perhaps?) and strips down and examines the body in the mirror and tucking genitals between legs. Later, Einer pays to watch a nude performer through a window and imitating her moves (which had some resonance for me). The film is also perhaps about the human body as well. As well as the bodily examination, we have scenes of intimacy between Einer and Gerda (Vikander's nudity is just one example of the "15"-rated "sexualized scenes"); the discussion of the life-risking operations to complete Lili's transformation concern a change of genitals. It's also a film involving secrecy (again, not just the scene in the wardrobe); Lili seeks out Henrik and ultimately finds in him a confidant whilst Gerda is temporally tempted by Hans. It could also be said to be a love story of sorts about a couple who, ultimately, grow apart when a new person enters the scene - Lili is presented as something of another personality before "Einer" tells a doctor that "he" believes that he is a woman and Gerda expresses support in this belief.

I found some of the film-making exciting (only towards the end when Lili goes on her trip for the surgery did it seem to become "ordinary") and at some point I will devote some time to listening to the score by Alexander Desplat.

Film: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

What an utter joy and cause for celebration the new Star Wars movie is.  This film should inspire street parties in commemoration of the series being revived in such a wonderful way.  JJ Abrams and the folks at Bad Robot should be patting themselves on the back for successfully rebooting a cult Sci-Fi franchise - twice (the first, of course, being Star Trek in 2009).  With the franchise under the ownership of Disney and George Lucas out of the picture, fans can finally get the long-mooted "sequel trilogy" of Episodes VII, VII and IX.

A relatively simple story to set up this new trilogy, we find ourselves thirty-odd years after Return Of The Jedi and hearing only vague references to the prequels ("balance in the Force", the Sith, and the suggestion of cloned Stormtroopers).  The Empire is dead but now a new take on an old enemy has arisen from the ashes in the form of the "First Order", commanded by the human General Hux (a fantastically maniacal Domhnall Gleeson), Kylo Ren (a deliberately-Poundland Vader played by Adam Driver) and the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke (a motion-captured Andy Serkis).  We also find a hero-to-be on the other side in the person of Stormtrooper, Finn (Attack The Block's John Boyega) who finds himself overwhelmed by the requirements of the job.  But the focus of the film is Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger on the desert planet that is not Tatooine and soon falls in with Finn and a lone droid named BB-8 and they find themselves joining forces with old favourites Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewie (their entrance almost invites the audience of a US sitcom to whoop and applaud).  They all end up on a quest to find Luke Skywalker (and when Mark Hamill finally appears... there are no words).  Meanwhile, the First Order have constructed the latest Death Star in the form of Starkiller Base, the size of a planet rather than a moon and can destroy multiple planets at once - a demonstration of its firepower is worth seeing the film on the big screen alone and may well evoke the feeling of seeing Alderaan being blown up for the first time.  The First Order are to be countered by the latest incarnation the Rebel Alliance, the "Resistance", led by the now-General Leia (Carrie Fisher).

Yes, there is very familiar territory being revisited and perhaps there could have been less use of CGI (particularly a man-eating monster).  The work done on Snoke is creaky but in an acceptably cheapy Sci-Fi/fantasy way like Azog in The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014).  But the film is both fun and laugh-out-loud funny (we're a long way from Jar Jar Binks shouting "Ex-squeeze me!").  How fun it is to see our new leads fun aboard the abandoned Millennium Falcon (curiously unchanged in the duration of its various changes of owners).  Abrams and co have made a pretty-much note perfect tribute to the Star Wars films of old, whether it's using '70s graphics in the Falcon's gunner targeting system, or the performances of the First Order's fascist Imperial-esque officers (a nice little touch harking back to The Empire Strikes Back has a nervous young officer remove his hat before reporting a failure to Kylo Ren).

But at the centre of the film is Rey, in whom the Force appears to be awakening.  After two generations of whiny Skywalkers and women of royalty being used to sell dolls or fulfill Lucas' onanistic fantasies, we finally get a female leading the story and at no point is exploited for eye candy (one gag has Finn asking her if she has a boyfriend but that's about it) and gets to be rather badass too.  Both her and Ridley have quickly become a symbol that there is indeed a "new hope" for the series.