Rating: 12
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie
Written by Steven Knight
Length: 116mins

Available now both in cinemas and on Netflix, Jane Campion’s latest feature film has an impressive amount of awards buzz around it already – and for good reason. The Kiwi director has shown time and again that her films aren’t to be taken lightly, and once again, ‘Power of the Dog’ delivers an incredible story which is both deeply complex, and yet deceptively simple.

The film features a brilliant cast all at the top of their game. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers the captivating and cruel character of Phil Burbank, a ranch owner who has his own small army of followers amongst his workers. Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons also match each other’s energies excellently, allowing their on-screen relationship to rise and fall completely naturally throughout the film’s runtime. Perhaps the highlight of the film when it comes to the acting, however, would have to be Kodi Smit-McPhee as Peter Gordon, a seemingly unemotional aspiring doctor who simply wants to see his Mother happy. The perfect poker face, Smit-McPhee appears to know exactly when to reveal a truth, and what to hide for later in the story, maintaining a measured and cold outlook throughout.

Jonny Greenwood delivers an incredible score which heightens the tension and intrigue of the storyline through his use of music. Benedict Cumberbatch’s character of Burbank demonstrates his abilities as a banjo player on multiple occasions, and even goes as far as to use the instrument to mock others and establish his power over them. As a result of this, Greenwood’s decision to incorporate similar sounding stringed instruments into the soundtrack unconsciously reinforces Burbank’s status as the all-seeing, all-hearing ruler of the land, and it’s this small detail, amongst many others, that have lead to the Radiohead guitarist being considered a modern master when it comes to composition.

Bringing her love of natural landscapes across from previous works such as ‘Top of the Lake’, Jane Campion proves once again that the setting of a film can be a character entirely of itself. For her latest project, Campion makes frequent reference through Ari Wegner’s beautiful cinematography to the vast and yet inescapable mountains which surround the ranch which comprises most of the film’s backdrop. The Montanan setting plays a great variety of roles within the film, at times as an escape for some characters, whilst also being shown as a threat to those unequipped to deal with its treacherous pathways. Furthermore, there’s also a brilliantly written scene in which two previously contrasting characters solidify a strong bond after they realise that their perceptions of the landscape are the same, and yet so different from everyone else’s. Through her depiction of rolling hills and river streams, the director develops a complex and mysterious character out of the setting alone.

‘The Power of the Dog’ is an incredible film and definitely one worth seeing. Any opportunity to go and see it at the cinema should definitely be taken, but if not a watch on Netflix is absolutely worth it too.

Rating: 12
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Jack Farthing, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall and Sean Harris
Directed by Pablo Larrain
Written by Steven Knight
Length: 116mins

Rising to mainstream prominence in 2016 with the release of his political biography concerning Jackie Kennedy, ‘Jackie’ put Pablo Larrain on the map as a promising filmmaker, and many were keen to see what else he had in him. Now returning to the same genre in which Larrain made a name for himself, ‘Spencer’ promises a deep exploration into the mind of Princess Diana over the course of three days in the early nineties, from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day. Though this time of year is seen as something to be celebrated by most, for Diana the idea of spending three days locked away with the Royal family, along with all the whispers and secrets they enjoy, is enough to invite in waves of anxiety.

When the title of any film is shared with the lead character’s name, it’s no surprise that all eyes will be on the actor who takes up the titular role. In this case, Kristen Stewart, known by some as the star of the ‘Twilight’ franchise, but to others as a more recent star of indie and arthouse cinema, ‘Spencer’ was an opportunity for Stewart to make a name for herself as a top flight actress. In this regard, there’s no denying her excellence. Disappearing into the role of Diana and emerging as a true personification of the royal, the actress ensures that even the smallest of motions – from the poised uncertainty of a head twitch, to the unsettlingly consistent shake in her voice – works to bring the prolific public figure to our attention once again.

Slowly developing into arguably one of the greatest musical talents working today, Jonny Greenwood takes up the role of composer for ‘Spencer’, and delivers one of the most anxious and detailed scores heard this year. Dealing frequently with scenes of heightened emotion, Greenwood was able to implement dissonant and anxiety-inducing compositions which perfectly match the tone of the scene, whilst ensuring that the presence of his music never overwhelms or distracts.

The cinematography from Claire Mathon delivers some incredible images, particularly prevalent in their ability to summarise the exact emotion of any scene. The way in which recurring symbolic themes are used to highlight certain ideas from the script such as authority, power and tradition, is both extremely captivating and thought-provoking, with many such notions only needing to be seen rather than heard. Lighting is also successfully used in this way, with frequent juxtaposition delivering further uncertainty, such as scenes of unflinching illumination being the ones in which both the audience and Diana herself wish to hide away the most.

Although Diana’s may be a familiar story to many, Pablo Larrains captures a very small moment in time and brings it to life as a pivotal series of events for the young royal. There may be some oddities and absurdities within it’s story, but ‘Spencer’ does a great job of delving into what made Diana who she was, as well as creating further excitement amongst audiences for what Pablo Larrain will do next.