This isn't a film I normally turn on. I'll be the first to admit that. I had a bad experience with a Woody Allen film in the past where, and this might be an unpopular opinion but I'm prepared for your hate, I've found him extraordinarily pretentious. It made for uncomfortable viewing in my opinion and that is due to one of my own fundamental flaws. I become very engrossed the character and who the character is. In our previous encounter, Woody and I fell out over a character and characterisation so my reservations were very much online when I went to see Blue Jasmine.
How wrong could I be? This film was not only well told and well portrayed by each member of the cast that I felt everything and even Alec Baldwin's turn as the philandering fraudster husband was respected for his flaws. The cinematography is beautiful and it seems San Francisco is the perfect setting juxtaposed to New York City for this film of depression and loss. Yet, it all comes back to Jasmine. As the title would suggest, she is the person on which the whole story hangs but she's almost too fragile for it to carry. A weaker actress than Blanchett would falter but as expected, Cate rises to the occasion and carries the film to unprecedented heights. However with both the film and Jasmine, I struggled with the end (Woody wasn't going to get away scot free with me!) where I failed to understand the outcome. Maybe I wanted it all wrapped up in a bow but it is possible that I failed to see that for Jasmine (and thus the audience) that couldn't be the case.
tl;dr? Allen, I applaud you. Plus if Cate Blanchett is not recognised for this fantastic performance, I shake my head at all judges everywhere. ★★★★☆
Book: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2012)
Ms Miller is my current favourite author. It takes a lot for me to say that but with the Song of Achilles, she deserves the plaudits. A novel set pre- and during Homer's the Iliad, Miller sets herself the task of highlighting, understanding and analysing the love between Achilles and his comrade, Patroclus. Their relationship has long been a talking point surrounding the Iliad and there has been throughout history and discussion the implication that Achilles and Patroclus engaged in pederasty. This is the train Miller follows between the two boys. Written from Patroclus' point of view, it begins with their meeting and the development of what is and cannot be denied, even in the Iliad, an eternal friendship. This however evolves into something more.
Miller writes with affection for the subject but also for her characters. She captures the heart of the matter and also encapsulates beautifully in words the true emotion of the relationship. Yet, don't read this novel if you are expecting a blood-thirsty warfest. That, it sure isn't. This is, at its core, a romance. A homosexual romance. You have to be man/woman enough to accept that. However, if this is your first dabble in this LGBT genre, note, there is one true mention of intimate relations and the rest is more glazed over.
Sometimes, there is slight over-embellishment and Patroclus could potentially stop describing Achilles' body to the reader but really, once you've fallen for this book, that really doesn't matter. I stopped caring pretty quickly.
I cannot recommend this book enough.
tl;dr? Ms Miller, you are a goddess. Thank you for giving this book to the world. ★★★★★
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