Well, things here in the U.S. has certainly gotten crazy with a botched assassination attempt on Dookie Tank while Cunt Hogan did a stupid speech brother on how Dookie Tank will fix the country with the help of J.D. Vance who thinks childless women are stupid. What a shitshow this has become as Joe Biden has decided to drop out of the election which I think is a good thing since it is highly likely he is going to get killed by the polls anyway. Do I have faith in Kamala Harris? I do not know. Appearing at the BET Awards certainly does not help as BET sucks. Anyone who still hopes that things will change for the better in their belief in democracy needs a wake-up call as what just happened in Venezuela is proof that democracy sucks. It can be bought and rigged no matter for whom you vote.
Remember nearly five years ago when a question is asked about the Marvel Cinematic Universe being cinema and I made a response to it as it was meant to be a seven-part series with only four of the seven finished? Well, given the recent events at Comic-Con and toxic fanboy responses over the reaction to Deadpool & Wolverine towards those that did not like the film. I can now say that everything Martin Scorsese said is correct and I am wrong. I will love what Marvel did but recent events as it relates to the quality of their films and shows had me questioning my own fandom. I can admit that both Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion were duds while I was apprehensive about Deadpool & Wolverine not just because it is directed by Shawn Levy who is a filmmaker I really do not like at all. It is also because of my growing disdain towards Ryan Reynolds and him being a shill for either his own bullshit products or for other products that he is being paid to sell.
Reading about the numerous cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine had me questioning why some of these actors are doing it when they really did not need to as it really affects the quality of a film. What is next? Taylor Swift and Harry Styles making appearances in a Marvel film just for the sake of them saying “hi”? I do not want that shit in movies. I am already worried over the astronomical budget of Captain America: Brave New World that cost at around $350 million due to re-shoots and re-writes. Then came the events of Comic-Con where I was excited about the news over Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps and then the announcement for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as I was hoping that it wouldn’t be helmed by Shawn Levy though bringing Joe and Anthony Russo back is a step backwards. It all leads up to the announcement of who will play Doctor Doom and it is none other than Robert Downey Jr. and I was like “what?” Honestly, this is a massive step backwards and a cry of desperation for Marvel as I do not think Downey needs to do this as he has already accomplished so much. I would have rather had another actor take the part as it just feels weird seeing Tony Stark playing Dr. Victor von Doom. With all this news and the questions about the quality of Marvel’s upcoming films and TV projects, I can now say that I am out of the MCU. The fatigue has set in, and it is time to find something else for a change.
In the month of July 2024, I saw a total of 22 films in15 first-timers and 7 re-watches with three of those first-timers being films directed or co-directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. A major highlight of the month is my Blind Spot pick for the month in Django. Here are the top 10 first timers that I saw for July 2024:
This BBC documentary is about Blondie’s popularity in Britain from 1977 to their most recent performance at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival where they played to one of the largest audiences in their entire career. The documentary doesn’t just feature interviews with founding members in Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Clem Burke who are still in the band (though Stein is not part of the live version of the band due to health reasons) along with former members in Jimmy Destri, Gary Valentine, Frank Infante, and Nigel Harrison as well as others who were around Blondie’s entourage at that time. The film highlights the loyalty they received in Britain as well as this sense of change in the music scene in the late 1970s that included this great photograph of Harry with some of the women in the late 1970s punk rock scene that included Siouxsie Sioux. It is something fans of Blondie should watch as well as anyone who has a love for well-crafted documentary films.
Good Night, Dear
The first in a trio of early short films made by Lars von Trier when he was a child is an 80-second short that is a silent film. Notably a film about a kid who steals money and uses it to make someone else happy as it is a fun little gem. Especially in seeing Satan as a child just trying to create a crime film at such a young age.
Why Try to Escape from That Which You Know You Can’t Escape From? Because You Are a Coward
The second of three shorts by von Trier is one he made in his teens as it is about a boy being chased by a ghost. It is this 8-minute short film that displays many of the visual attributes that von Trier would later adopt into his work as a feature film director in the years to come.
The Trip to Squashland
For anyone that wonders why von Trier is so fucked up should watch this 2-minute animated short he made in 1967 when he was just a child as his very first film is a delightful one. It is about a trio of little creatures who are just singing and having fun until a group of bad creatures come in and ruin everything until a big worm and a whale come in to save the day. It also involves something that is not for the eyes and ears of children. Oh Lars!
Beau
The one short of Ari Aster that I had not seen prior to seeing Beau is Afraid is the short that the film is based on from 2011. It is a six-minute short starring Billy Mayo as the titular character who is trying to get ready to leave his apartment only to forget his dental floss and trouble arrives. It is this scene that Aster would later expand to in his 2023 film which does remain my least favorite film of his though I would say this short is better than the film with a hilarious ending.
Necktie
A short film made for the 2013 anthology film series Venice 70-Future Reloaded in celebration of the 70th Venice International Film Festival is pure Yorgos Lanthimos. It is this 2-minute short film about five kids taking part in a duel between two young girls. It is a film that plays into everything that Lanthimos is about in terms of his absurdity and view on violence.
Pamela, a Love Story
This documentary by Ryan White in which Pamela Anderson is allowed to tell her own story is a remarkable film that has the sex symbol taking control of her narrative. Even as she is supported by her sons Brandon and Dylan Lee who are given the chance to express their views of dealing with shit their mother went through. Anderson is aware that she is imperfect and flawed but she is not this dumb blonde that many in the media perceive her to be. While I may not agree with her association with PETA or support someone as vile as Julian Assange. She is a woman that has a good heart and just wants to be loved while going through so many relationships and marriages that never worked out as she needed to love herself. It is a film that ended up being better than I thought it would be as I am rooting for her newfound career renaissance.
Void
From Emma Seligman is this six-and-a-half-minute short film about a young woman’s crush on a classmate despite being addicted to pornography. It is a film that explores a woman’s idea of what being with this young man could be but also this reality in relation to her own addiction to porn. It is an excellent film as it is something worth seeking for those interested in Seligman’s work.
The Moon’s Glow
The first of two short promotional films by David Lynch for his upcoming collaboration with Chrystabell in Cellophane Memories has Lynch use non-copyrighted footage in which he would re-dub them and create some unique narrative about people talking about this upcoming album as it is fun to watch. Especially for anyone that loves David Lynch.
Will There Be Anything Else?
The second promotional short from Lynch is set in a diner where Lynch would once again use royalty-free footage and re-dub everything as it plays into a man not wanting to hear music as he is awaiting the release of Lynch and Chrystabell’s new album. Even as they mention the idea of an ant singing Row Row Row Your Boat as the ending of this short is the ultimate kicker.
The Acolyte (season 1 episodes 6-8)
The last few episodes of the season show certain points of views of what the Jedi and Sith sees things as the seventh episode is a big flashback episode that plays into what really happened the night Osha and Mae’s mother as it really shows the Jedi in a bad light where Sol really got what he deserved at the end of the series. As a series, I would not rank it highly though it is better than The Book of Boba Fett as there are some serious flaws in the writing and the fact that there were characters in the show that I was really getting into and then they are gone. Amandla Stenberg is great as both Osha and Mae while I would not mind a second season if the writing is better.
Community (pilot)
I have heard about this show for years and always see a bunch of memes that come from the show. I have been watching clips from the show as I decided to watch this pilot in which a lawyer loses his job as he must attend a community college to get his law degree back. He takes part in a study group filled with a group of oddballs in a pop culture nerd, a former athlete, an activist, a middle-aged Christian divorcee, an overachiever, and Chevy Chase. It was funny and I really liked it while some of the clips I saw really makes me want to see the show, but it is on Peacock and that streaming service sucks.
That is all for July. I have no clue on what new films that I will do for August other than start work on my Auteurs piece on Michael Mann by watching the rest of his filmography and then get started on David Lean for the next Auteurs piece. Now that I have access to all my remaining Blind Spot’s picks, I am unsure what to do next other than Berlin Alexanderplatz as I will watch the series for the duration of the year. Before I bid adieu, I want to express my condolences to those who have passed away this month that includes rock blues legend John Mayall, Shelley Duvall (fuck you Dr. Phil), Richard Simmons, “that bitch Brenda from Beverly Hills 90210” Shannen Doherty, Erica Ash, Chino XL, Sweet Valley High author Francine Pascal, Martin Phillipps of the Chills, Irish novelist Edna O’Brien, football player Jerry Simmons, wrestler Leo Burke, baseball player Denny Lemaster, Jim Ninowski of the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, baseball player Mike Ferraro, Italian film legend Aldo Puglisi, songwriter Jerry Fuller, costume designer Donna Berwick, actor Whitney Rydbeck, pianist/composer Sarah Gibson, James B. Sikking, that freaky German-American sex doctor Dr. Ruth Westheimer (she’s fucking awesome), video artist Bill Viola, singer/songwriter Dave Loggins, Polish film legend Jerzy Stuhr, Joe Egan of Stealers Wheels, film legend Yvonne Furneaux, film producer Jon Landau, writer/filmmaker Robert Towne, and Bob Newhart. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…
Directed by Michael Mann and teleplay by Mann and Patrick J. Nolan from a story by Nolan, The Jericho Mile is the story of a young man who is given a life prison sentence where he becomes a runner for Folsom Prison as he is given a chance to compete for a spot at the Olympics. The TV film is a look into a young man with a lot of promise until he killed his father out of self-defense as he hopes to get out of prison and gain his freedom. Starring Peter Strauss, Richard Lawson, Geoffrey Lewis, Roger E. Mosley, Brian Dennehy, Billy Green Bush, Ed Lauter, and Burton Gilliam. The Jericho Mile is a gripping and compelling TV film by Michael Mann.
Set in Folsom Prison in California, the film revolves around a man who is serving a life sentence for killing his father where he gets attention for his running as he is given a chance to compete for a spot at the upcoming Olympics. It is a film that explores a man who is given the chance to get out of prison though he wants to serve his time as he also finds himself in the middle of a serious conflict within different prison gangs. The film’s teleplay by Michael Mann and Patrick J. Nolan is straightforward in its narrative as it follows Larry Murphy (Peter Strauss) who is serving a life sentence for killing his father in self-defense as he is a loner who prefers to do his time while running every day at the prison yard with his only friend in R.C. Stiles (Richard Lawson) who is hoping to see his wife and newborn baby girl in a few months. Prison psychiatrist Dr. Bill Janowski (Geoffrey Lewis) and its warden Earl Gulliver (Billy Green Bush) takes notices of Murphy’s running and speed where they contact a state track and field coach in Jerry Beloit (Ed Lauter) who sees Murphy run as he realizes he has what it takes to be at the Olympics.
The script does not just play into Murphy getting his own freedom but also finding himself in this conflict between different prison gangs where Stiles becomes impatient as he makes a deal with gang leader Dr. D. (Brian Dennehy) into getting a conjugal visit from his wife only to realize the role had to play. Murphy warned Stiles to not do this as it gets the attention of the black gang leader Roger E. Mosley (Burton Gilliam) who isn’t fond of Murphy but realizes that Dr. D. is the one pulling the strings leading to Mosley, his gang, and members of the Chicano gang to help Murphy out in creating a track suitable for his upcoming track meet.
Mann’s direction is straightforward in its overall presentation as it is shot on location at Folsom Prison in Folsom, California along with additional locations near Los Angeles. Mann’s usage of real inmates gives the film a true sense of danger while also displaying a world that is intense yet with a sense of control since these inmates do not engage too much into violence preferring to keep to themselves in their own little factions. There are some wide shots that Mann utilizes to establish the scope of the Folsom grounds as well as a few bits outside of the prison where Murphy would run while still being under the watch of Beloit and the warden. Yet, Mann would emphasize more on close-ups and medium shots with the latter to play into how small a prison cell is or the space of a kitchen or any other place in the prisons that add to this sense of claustrophobia. Even as Mann’s close-ups play into the drama where Dr. Janowski tries to understand what Murphy did to be sent to prison.
Mann does display some of the chaos within the prisons as the violence is unforgiving though Mann does maintain some restraint since this was made for network TV. Mann does go into the schematics of prison politics where Murphy is a target because of his friendship with Stiles, whom Mosley tries to recruit to join his faction for protection. Once Mosley realizes how much Murphy really did care for Stiles and what had happened due to Dr. D’s involvement, Mosley and the Chicano gang leader Rubio (Miguel Pinero) decided to go against Dr. D. and his faction as an act of solidarity towards Murphy and his chances to compete for a spot in the Olympics. The film’s third act is about the race and its aftermath where it plays into a much darker world within the Olympics that even upsets the likes of Dr. Janowski, Gulliver, and Beloit that plays into another form of politics that is more complicated and ruthless. Overall, Mann crafts a captivating and exhilarating film about a prison inmate given a chance to compete for a spot for the Olympics.
Cinematographer Rexford L. Metz does excellent work with the film’s cinematography in the usage of low-key lights for some of the interior scenes at night along with some natural lighting for exterior scenes as much of the film is shot during the daytime. Editor Arthur Schmidt does terrific work with the editing that include some slow-motion shots, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the action. Art director Stephen Myles Berger and set decorator William K. Jolley do fantastic work with some of the interiors in the prison kitchen, laundry rooms, and tool places as well as some of the bits in the prison cells.
The sound work of Michael Hilkene and James E. Webb is superb for its approach to capturing all the natural sound on location as well as the way certain small moments in the sound are presented to play into that unsettling world that is Folsom Prison. The film’s music by Jimmie Haskell is wonderful for its mixture of soothing electronic textures with elements of rock and blues that includes a variation of the Rolling Stones’ Sympathy for the Devil as well as a version of another Stones song in No Expectations.
The casting by Ross Brown and Hank McCann is incredible as it features some notable small roles from Miguel Pinero as the Chicano gang leader Rubio, William Prince as the O.A.U. chairman who appears late in the film as someone trying to protect the reputation of the Olympics, Burton Gilliam and Richard Moll as a couple of Dr. D’s associates respectively in Jimmy-Jack and Joker Gibb with the former being the man who would put Stiles in touch with Dr. D., and Beverly Todd as a woman pretending to be Stiles’ wife during the conjugal visit as she is revealed to be connected to Dr. D. Roger E. Mosley is fantastic as the African American faction leader Cotton Crown who is not fond of Stiles being close to Murphy until he realizes how close Murphy is to Stiles where he decides to support him in the upcoming track competition. Billy Green Bush is superb as the warden Earl Gulliver as a man who is trying to run the prison as he sees that getting Murphy in the Olympics might get good publicity and hopefully some improvements for the prison. Ed Lauter is excellent as the track and field coach Jerry Beloit who is amazed by Murphy’s skills as he realizes he is coaching someone that has so much more to offer as he just wants to live through Murphy.
Geoffrey Lewis is brilliant as the prison psychologist Dr. Bill Janowski who is among those who discovers Murphy’s brilliance as a runner while also trying to understand Murphy’s state of mind and why he put himself in prison for killing his father. Brian Dennehy is amazing as Dr. D. as the leader of a faction for white prisoners who also runs the drug trade from within to have some political power within the prison. Richard Lawson is incredible as R.C. Stiles as a fellow inmate who is the one friend of Murphy as he is eager to see his wife and newborn daughter for an upcoming conjugal visit, but his impatience has him getting into some trouble when he involves himself with Dr. D. Finally, there’s Peter Strauss in a phenomenal performance as Larry Murphy as an inmate serving a life sentence as he is also a talented runner that is given a chance to get a spot for the Olympics where he deals with his own issues and being the target of a political war as it is a strong and fierce performance from Strauss who is a highlight of the film.
The Jericho Mile is a remarkable film by Michael Mann that features an incredible leading performance from Peter Strauss. Along with its ensemble cast, realistic setting at Folsom Prison, a riveting music soundtrack, and some unique visuals that play into the sense of realism and grit of the film. It is a TV movie that explores a man given a unique opportunity while dealing with his actions in the hopes he can get a new lease on life for himself. In the end, The Jericho Mile is a marvelous film from Michael Mann.
Based on the film Yojimbo by Akira Kurosawa and co-writer Ryuzo Kikushima, Django is the story of a drifter and his mixed-race prostitute companion as they find themselves in the middle of a conflict between Confederate soldiers and Mexican revolutionaries. Directed by Sergio Corbucci and screenplay by Sergio and Bruno Corbucci, Franco Rossetti, Jose Gutierrez Maesso, and Piero Vivarelli with un-credited contributions from Fernando Di Leo and English contribution by Geoffrey Copleston from a story by Sergio and Bruno Corbucci. The film is a Spaghetti western that explores a man being put in the middle of a violent conflict leading to all sorts of chaos as it is the first film of a trilogy of films by Corbucci with Franco Nero in the titular role. Also stars Loredana Nusciak, Jose Bodalo, Angel Alvarez, and Eduardo Fajardo. Django is a violent yet gripping film by Sergio Corbucci.
Set years after the American Civil War, the film revolves around a drifter who is dragging a coffin where he is later accompanied by a mixed-races prostitute in a muddy town near the U.S.-Mexico border where a violent conflict between ex-Confederate Red Shirts and Mexican revolutionaries are brewing. It is a film that has this man trying to find a way to get both factions to kill each other while hoping to get something out of it and start a new life. The film’s screenplay has a straightforward narrative where its titular character is dragging a coffin where he sees a group of Mexican bandits harass and attempt to rape a Mexican American prostitute in Maria (Loredana Nusciak) until they are killed by Red Shirts who attempt to do the same as well as crucify her until Django kills them.
The script also has Django learning about the town they are in as it is a neutral town where both factions do not fight each other but the saloon owner Nathaniel (Angel Alvarez) still pays the Red Shirts protection money for himself and the five prostitutes that live in the saloon. The script also reveals that Django knows both leaders of the respective factions in Red Coats leader Major Jackson (Eduardo Fajardo) and the Mexican leader General Hugo Rodriguez (Jose Bodalo) as the latter was someone Django worked for while the former is someone Django has a grudge towards.
Sergio Corbucci’s direction is stylish in not just in its grimy and muddy presentation but also in its abrasive approach to violence. Shot on location at the Tor Caldara nature reserve in Lavinio, Italy with interiors shot at the Elios Studio in Rome as well as additional locations in Colmenar Viejo and La Pedriza near Madrid, Spain. Corbucci uses some of the Spanish locations for the desert areas while the muddy town where much of the action takes place has this desolate feel where there are little bits of green, yet it plays into a world that is neglected and used nothing more as a place where both factions can take advantage of the small group of people who live at the saloon. There are wide and medium shots that Corbucci would use to play into the scope of the locations while also finding ways to transition medium shots into these tight close-ups to play into the suspense and horror. Notably in the way Corbucci would present the violence as images of blood are prevalent throughout the film. One major sequence in the film that is shocking where Major Jackson and his soldiers are killing Mexican peasants where they would run, and they would shoot them from afar.
Corbucci’s direction also plays into some of the extreme elements in the violence in what Django uses to scare off the Red Shirts as well as a raid he takes part in with General Rodriguez. Still, Corbucci does reveal the extent of what Django wants to do while he also knows how to play gender politics seeing how Maria is often mistreated where he hopes to give her some freedom and a new life as it is something that he wants as well. The film’s third act does revolve around Django’s attempt to free himself from this conflict as well as wanting revenge towards Major Jackson. Corbucci would use some religious imagery as it plays into Major Jackson’s beliefs and what he wants to do with Django being the one person that needs to stop him. Overall, Corbucci crafts an exhilarating and intense film about a drifter who battles two warring factions in the West.
Cinematographer Enzo Barboni does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for the nighttime exterior/interior scenes as well as the usage of natural lighting for some of the daytime exteriors. Editors Nino Baragli and Sergio Montanari do incredible work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the action and suspense. Production/costume designer Carlo Simi, along with set decorator Francisco Canet, does amazing work with the look of the town that Django and Maria go into as well as Nathaniel’s saloon while Simi’s design of the dresses the prostitutes wear are colorful to play into the film’s offbeat look.
Sound recordist Bernardino Fronzetti does terrific work with the sound in the way gunfire sounds up close and afar as well as other sparse sound effects to play into the action and suspense. The film’s music by Luis Bacalov is phenomenal for its usage of sweeping orchestral textures in the strings and brass instruments that play into the suspense and drama along with other pieces that are offbeat in its usage of string instruments with a title song sung by Rocky Roberts that adds to its sense of adventure.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast features some notable small roles from Yvonne Sanson, Flora Carosello, and Silvana Bacci as a trio of prostitutes who work and live at the saloon, Cris Huerta as Mexican officer at a fort where Major Jackson stays at, Jose Canalejas and Remo De Angelis as a couple of henchmen for General Rodriguez, Jose Terron as a scarred henchman of Major Jackson, and Gino Pernice as Major Jackson’s spy Brother Jonathan who often poses as a priest that carries a Bible. Angel Alvarez is superb as Nathaniel as a saloon owner who is caught in the middle of the conflict as he sees Django as someone who can save the town as well as realize he is a good man that wants to help. Jose Bodalo is excellent as General Hugo Rodriguez as a Mexican revolutionary who is hoping to return to Mexico to counter anti-revolutionaries while is trying to goad Django into joining him. Eduardo Fajardo is brilliant as Major Jackson as a former Confederate officer who leads a faction of former Confederate soldiers in Red Shirts who hates Mexicans as he also tries to wreak havoc on those he sees as inferior.
Loredana Nusciak is amazing as Maria as mixed-race Mexican American prostitute who is saved by Django as she tries to sway him from getting into more dangerous adventures while also dealing with the abuse she gets from General Rodriguez. Finally, there’s Franco Nero in a tremendous performance as the titular character who is this drifter that drags a coffin wherever he goes where he hopes to get some revenge while also hoping to get something that will give him stability as it is an understated performance from Franco with Tony Russel doing the English dub in his voice performance which is typical of Spaghetti Westerns.
Django is a spectacular film from Sergio Corbucci that features a great leading performance from Franco Nero as the titular character. Along with its story of vengeance and justice, grimy setting, gorgeous visuals, an exhilarating ensemble cast, and Luis Enriquez Bacalov’s rich music score. The film is a western that is not afraid to into violent extremes as well as being a study of a man trying to get two warring factions to kill each other. In the end, Django is a tremendous film by Sergio Corbucci.
Written and directed by Justine Triet, In Bed with Victoria is the story of a thirty-something lawyer who attends a wedding where she meets an old friend and an old client as she finds herself in a relationship with the latter while dealing with the chaos in her personal and professional life. The film is an unconventional drama that plays into a woman dealing with her failures in life as she is trying to raise two kids as well as deal with her tumultuous life involving her ex-husband, a friend, and a former client who wants to help her. Starring Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste, Melvil Poupaud, Laurent Poitrenaux, Alice Daquet, Sophie Fillieres, and Laure Calamy. In Bed with Victoria is a mesmerizing and riveting film by Justine Triet.
The film revolves around a thirty-something lawyer who witnesses a violent incident at a wedding reception where she meets an old friend who is accused of the incident while also meeting a former client who would later become her assistant. It is a film that explore a woman and her tumultuous life where she is a single mother with two young daughters, an ex-husband who has become a blogger that has authored a story based on their marriage and being a lawyer with so much chaos in her life. Justine Triet’s screenplay, with additional contributions from Thomas Levy-Lasne, is straightforward in its narrative yet it is more of a character study for the film’s titular character in Victoria Spick (Virginie Efira) as she attends a wedding where she meets her old friend Vincent (Melvil Poupaud) who is with his wife Eve (Alice Daquet) and their dog. A former client in Sam (Vincent Lacoste) was also at the wedding as he was a former drug addict/dealer who has been clean for years but is in near-debt as he is hoping to go into law where Victoria hires him as an assistant as well as to watch her two young children when she’s at work.
Triet’s script also plays into the many complications in Victoria’s life as her ex-husband David (Laurent Poitrenaux) has published a story on his blog based on their marriage claiming it is fictional, but it had a lot of personal things that Victoria does not want to share. Things get worse when Victoria bumps into the bride at the wedding in Suzanna (Sabrina Seyvecou) who confronts her about Vincent as the unfortunate meeting led to a six-month suspension from practicing law. It all plays into Victoria’s sense of cynicism as well as the need for answers as she would go to her psychiatrist (Pierre Maillet) and a tarot card reader (Elsa Wolliaston) for those things. Even in engaging in sexual one-night stands with weird men would prove to be unfulfilling as she is on the verge of an emotional breakdown with Sam watching and trying to help her.
Triet’s direction does have some style in the visuals while much of it is straightforward in its approach to drama. Shot on location in Paris and areas near the city, Triet uses medium shots and close-ups to play into the interaction between characters as well as some key scenes where the first 10 minutes of the film play into the chaos of Victoria’s life as she would attend this wedding as the reception is filled with some crazy moments including animals and other bits. All of this before the title credits appear where Triet prepares everyone for what is to be this whirlwind of a woman’s life as she is about to go into total chaos. Triet does use some wide shots to establish the locations but also the world of courtrooms as they would become a key proponent for the film’s third act. Triet also knows when to slow things down when Victoria is at home or meeting a few people while much of the dramatic intensity occurs during a scene where she visits a bloggers meeting led by David that proves to be too much for her to manage.
Triet also maintains some visual repetition in the scenes where Victoria meets her psychiatrist and tarot card reader in the film’s first and second acts as the period where she is unable to work for six months highlight the messiness of everything where she would faint and pass out. The third act does have elements of dark humor as it plays into Victoria’s cynical view on love and the law where she reluctantly helps Vincent in his case against his wife who had chosen to divorce him because of a past tryst a long time ago. Vincent’s trial is one filled with a lot of humor involving a dog and a chimpanzee while Victoria’s own court battle against her husband is more serious though it plays into the idea of fiction and what can be used. It all plays into a woman on the verge of a breakdown as these two different legal events force her to confront her cynicism as well as figuring out who is there for her in her life. Overall, Triet crafts a compelling and witty film about a woman’s tumultuous life as she is being pushed to the edge.
Cinematographer Simon Beaufils does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lighting for many of the interior/exterior scenes at night as well as aiming for a naturalistic look for many of the daytime exterior scenes. Editor Laurent Senechal does amazing work with the editing with its stylish approach to montages as well as allowing shots to linger for a bit longer to play into the drama and humor. Production designer Olivier Meidinger does excellent work with the look of Victoria’s apartment in its messy state as well as the look of the courtrooms that Victoria would attend. Costume designer Charlotte Vayasse does fantastic work with the costumes in some of the designer dresses that Victoria and the other women wears as well as the robes the attorney wears.
Makeup artists Charlotte Desnos, Michelle Van Brussel, and Hue Lan Van Duc do terrific work with some of the film’s minimal makeup work in the look of the women as well as the messy state at the wedding reception sequence. Visual effects supervisor Niranjan Siva does wonderful work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects that are set dressing for a few locations. Sound editor Olivier Touche does superb work with the sound in the way sparse sounds are presented in interior locations as well as the sound of a court room and at parties. Music supervisor Thibault Deboaisne does nice work with the film’s music soundtrack that features an array of music ranging from classical to pop music with contributions from Metronomy, Harry Nilsson, Chilly Gonzales, Mel Torme, and Sarah Lancman.
The casting by Cynthia Arra and Youna de Peretti is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from co-writer Thomas Levy-Lasne as the groom, Sabrina Seyvecou as the bride, Arthur Harari as a chimpanzee trainer, Claire Burger as a former lover of Vincent who accused him of rape, Julie Moulier as a judge in Vincent & Eve’s case, Liv Harari and Jeanne Arra-Bellanger as David and Victoria’s daughters, Elsa Wolliaston as the tarot card reader, Pierre Maillet as Victoria’s psychiatrist, and Sophie Fillieres as a friend of Victoria who helps her out early on while also dealing with the chaos that is happening around Victoria. Laure Calamy is fantastic as Victoria’s lawyer Christelle who defends her against David where she tries to help Victoria in the case. Alice Daquet is superb as Vincent’s wife Eve who claims that he stabbed her while later suing him for divorce with claims over what he has done in their marriage though Victoria feels sympathetic towards her despite defending Vincent.
Laurent Poitrenaux is excellent as Victoria’s ex-husband David as this blogger that authored a story based on their marriage that is filled with salacious details that Victoria does not want to reveal publicly as he tries to manipulate the courts about what is fiction and reality. Melvil Poupaud is brilliant as Vincent as an old friend of Victoria that she meets at a wedding where he is accused of stabbing his wife where he asks for her help only to later help him when Eve sues him for divorce following a brief reconciliation that becomes even more toxic. Vincent Lacoste is amazing as Sam as a former client of Victoria who attends the wedding as he asks for a job in being Victoria’s assistant while falling for her as he deals with her troubled lifestyle and emotional breakdown. Finally, there’s Virginie Efira in a tremendous performance as Victoria Spick as a thirty-something lawyer who is raising two young daughters where Efira brings in some humor to her role as a woman that is being pushed to the edge while also yearning for some companion and stability despite her cynicism as it is one of Efira’s finest performances.
In Bed with Victoria is a sensational film from Justine Triet that features a great leading performance from Virginie Efira. Along with its supporting cast, compelling character study of a woman with a chaotic lifestyle, wondrous visuals, and an exhilarating music soundtrack. It is an unconventional comedy-drama that plays into a woman navigating the messiness of her professional and personal life in her search for stability. In the end, In Bed with Victoria is a phenomenal film by Justine Triet.
Justine Triet Films: Age of Panic - (Sybil (2019 film)) – (Anatomy of a Fall)
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou, Kinds of Kindness is a trilogy of stories in which a man is trying to take control of his life after being under total control from everyone while a second story involves a policeman who learns his wife has returned but is completely different and a third story involving a woman trying to find someone with special abilities and make that person a spiritual leader. The film is a loosely connected trilogy of stories that involves multiple characters dealing with their situations as well as going on a search for anyone that can sympathize with them. Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer. Kinds of Kindness is an extraordinarily absurd and whimsical film by Yorgos Lanthimos.
The film revolves around a trio of stories that all play into the idea of humanity with people encountering the absurd but also in situations that would prove to be challenging. All of which would feature a character mysteriously known as R.M.F. (Yorgos Stefanakos) as he is the titular character in all three different stories in the film. The first story entitled The Death of R.M.F. is about a man whose life is always in control until he refuses to finish an assignment he is asked to do where his life would fall apart. The second story in R.M.F. is Flying is about a police officer who learns his wife had been found after being lost in sea during a marine biology assignment, yet he realizes that something is not right as he believes the person who looks exactly like his wife is not really his wife. The third and final story in R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich is about two people trying to find someone who they believe possesses special abilities as they hope this person will become their spiritual leader for a secret cult. The film’s screenplay by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou is straightforward in its narrative, yet each story all plays into characters who are all in some strange situations as well as be in a world that is all absurd.
Lanthimos’ direction is stylish for the different approaches in telling the three different stories though they are all shot on location in New Orleans, Louisiana. Notably as some of his ideas of visual absurdity are kept to a restraint as it plays into more humanistic stories as the absurdity is more driven by the different plots in the film. Lanthimos would emphasize towards wide and medium shots in exploring some of the locations as well as to play into the sense of disconnect from reality. Lanthimos also uses close-ups to play towards some of the dramatic moments as well as some absurd and comical moments that occur in the film. Each story does have a distinctive tone as The Death of R.M.F. has an air of restraint in how the character of Robert Fletcher (Jesse Plemons) lives his day as it is always structured and controlled until he tries to kill someone for his boss/lover Raymond (Willem Dafoe) where he failed as his life falls apart where Lanthimos would maintain a sense of chaos that is burgeoning. In R.M.F. is Flying, the character of the police officer Daniel (Jesse Plemons) is coping with the loss of his wife Liz (Emma Stone) believing that she is lost at sea until he hears that Liz and another marine biologist had been found in an island.
Lanthimos’ direction in that segment is also restrained though the absurdity comes later when Daniel becomes more unhinged about this woman who is living his house where he asks her some odd things. Each segment would feature some offbeat ending that does play into this act of kindness though the third and final segment in R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich is much darker in its absurdity as it plays into the idea of cults that follows the two characters in Emily (Emma Stone) and Andrew (Jesse Plemons) are a part of as they try to find someone who they hope could be their spiritual leader. The direction has Lanthimos presenting a world that is offbeat where Emily and Andrew are part of this cult, yet they venture into the real world to find this person, though the former is also dealing with personal turmoil involving her ex-husband Joseph (Joe Alwyn) who would make things worse for her. It all plays into this desire to belong though reality would eventually kick in with an aftermath that all plays into the titular character of these three stories. Overall, Lanthimos crafts an exhilarating yet riveting film about a trilogy of tales revolving around people who deal with troubling circumstances in their lives.
Cinematographer Robbie Ryan does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is straightforward for many of the daytime exterior scenes while also utilizing some black-and-white film stock for some offbeat inserts that add to the film’s surrealist tone. Editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of stylish cuts including some slow-motion shots and jump-cuts that add to the film’s humor. Production designer Anthony Gasparro, along with art directors Andrew Carnwath and Chris Cornwell plus set decorator Amy Beth Silver, does amazing work with look of the different homes the characters live in from the posh home that Raymond lives in as well as the motel room that Emily and Andrew stay at. Costume designer Jennifer Johnson does fantastic work with the costumes in the suits that Robert wears as well as the brown suit that Emily would wear and some of the stylish clothing that many characters wear.
Special effects makeup artist Adam Bailey and hair stylist Gabrielle Burns do terrific work in some of the film’s minimal makeup effects as well as some of the design of the hairstyles that some of the characters wear. Special effects supervisor Matt Kutcher and visual effects supervisor Sebastian Barker do nice work in some of the film’s minimal visual effects as it relates to some stunts involving cars and other offbeat visual inserts. Sound designer Johnnie Burn does superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects that are created as well as the usage of sparse and natural sounds for some key scenes in the film’s natural locations. The film’s music by Jersin Fendrix is incredible for its eerie music score that mainly consists of a few choral vocal arrangements and some discordant piano pieces that add to the drama and humor while music supervisors Anne Booty, Nick Payne, and Joe Rice cultivate a unique soundtrack that features music from the Eurythmics, Dio, and Cobrah.
The casting by Dixie Chassay is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Krystal Alayne Chambers as a cult member who is hoping to be cleansed, Merah Benoit as Emily and Joseph’s daughter whom Emily rarely sees, Yorgos Stefanakos as variations of a man known as R.M.F., and Hunter Schafer as a young woman named Anna who is observed by both Emily and Andrew to see if she has any powers. Joe Alwyn is terrific in a trio of small roles as a collector appraisal who shortchanges Robert over the sports memorabilia he possesses while he also plays car passenger that Daniel deals with, and as Emily’s ex-husband Joseph who has issues with Emily’s life in the cult as well as how to deal with their daughter. Hong Chau is fantastic in a trio of roles as Robert’s wife, the wife of Liz’s colleague, and as the wife of a cult leader in Aka where Chau brings a lot of low-key restraint and humor to the characters that she plays.
Mamoudou Athie is excellent in a trio of roles as Sarah’s swim coach, Daniel’s police officer partner Neil, and as a morgue nurse where he is quite prominent as Neil who is concerned over Daniel’s behavior considering Liz’s return. Margaret Qualley is brilliant in a quartet of roles as Raymond’s in-house lover Vivian, Neil’s wife Martha, and as identical twins in Ruth and Rebecca where Qualley brings a lot of different complexities to the characters with Rebecca being the weirdest as someone who goes to Emily and Andrew over her sister believing she’s the person they’re looking for. Willem Dafoe is amazing in a trio of role as Robert’s boss/lover Raymond, Liz’s father George, and a cult leader in Omi where Dafoe brings a lot of versatility to his roles as this stern yet caring figure for Robert as well as an offbeat man in Omi who is a true believer of this idea that they’re following believing that purified water from humans will give them long lives.
Finally, there’s Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in tremendous performances in the trios of roles they play. In the roles of Raymond’s temporary lover Rita, Daniel’s long-lost wife Liz, and the cult follower Emily, Stone provides a lot of different looks and nuances to the characters she plays with Liz being this woman who is trying to understand her husband’s odd behavior while being livelier and more humorous as Emily in her mission to find this spiritual being as well as trying to see her daughter. Plemons’ performances as Robert and Daniel are full of these complexities with former being a man whose life is structured in every way until he breaks from that structure while the latter is someone who becomes suspicious over his wife over the little things about her that he does not recognize. In the role of Emily’s partner Andrew, Plemons is more restrained as someone who helps her while also being in love with Omi as he is envious towards Emily over her connection with him.
Kinds of Kindness is a phenomenal film from Yorgos Lanthimos that features top-notch leading performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Along with its ensemble cast, wondrous visuals, an eerie music score, and riveting stories of humanity in troubling situations. It is a film that plays into a trio of offbeat stories that has a bit of surrealism as it involves people who are in situations that are beyond their control and to try and find some form of kindness. In the end, Kinds of Kindness is a sensational film by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Yorgos Lanthimos Films: (My Best Friend (2001 film)) – (Kinetta) – Dogtooth - (Alps) – The Lobster - (The Killing of a Sacred Deer) – The Favourite - Poor Things - (Bugonia)
Based on the short story by Roald Dahl, Poison is the story of a man who learns that a snake has slithered onto his stomach as a fellow traveler and a doctor try to save him. Written for the screen and directed by Wes Anderson, the short film is the fourth and final short film in a series of adaptations of stories by Roald Dahl where it explores a man dealing with a life-and-death situation where two men try to save him. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel, Eliel Ford, Benoit Herlin, and Ralph Fiennes. Poison is a chilling and mesmerizing short film by Wes Anderson.
The 17-minute short film revolves around a British man who is lying still as a friend of his learned there is a snake sleeping on the man’s stomach as he asks for a doctor to help observe the situation. It is a film that plays into a life-and-death scenario as Wes Anderson maintains a straightforward narrative into the script with Timber Woods (Dev Patel) being the narrator of sorts as he watches over his British friend Harry Pope (Benedict Cumberbatch) lying still on his bed as a snake has fallen asleep on his stomach. Woods calls Dr. Ganderbai (Ben Kingsley) about the situation as he arrives where he observes everything as he knows that Pope is in deep shit. It plays into this sense of tension along with some revelations about what is going on with Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes) popping in for a couple of scenes as he also talks about the snake that is on Pope’s stomach.
Anderson’s direction aims for a straightforward style while shooting much of the action is shot in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio with the two Dahl scenes shot in a 1:33:1 aspect ratio. Shot at Maidstone Studios in Kent, England, Anderson does bring in some unique compositions where the widescreen aspect ratio allows him to provide a bigger canvas to play into the suspense. Notably when Anderson uses wide and medium shots to get a scope into the situation including shots from above that plays into the scale of the room and what is at stake. There are also some close-ups as it plays into Pope as he is sweating as well as Dr. Ganderbai where it adds to the dramatic suspense. Even though Dr. Ganderbai would use some methods he knows that would prove to be risky, it adds to what is at stake. Overall, Anderson crafts a riveting yet whimsical film about a life-and-death situation involving a snake.
Cinematographer Robert Yeoman does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for many of the interior/exterior sets as well as the emphasis on heightened colors for the scenes involving Dahl. Editors Barney Pilling and Andrew Weisblum do excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, along with set decorators Cathy Featherstone and Anna Pinnock plus art directors Claire Peerless and Kevin Timon Hill, does brilliant work with the look of the home that Pope and Woods lived in as well as the artificial background sets and the home of Dr. Ganderbai. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone does fantastic work with the clothes of Dr. Ganderbai as well as the pajamas that Pope is wearing.
Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon does nice work with the look of the characters with their facial hair. Special effects supervisors Chris Reynolds and Nick Roberts do terrific work with the film’s minimal visual effects as it consists of moving sets and a brief shot of a snake that is in a jar that Dahl has with him. Sound mixer Valentino Gianni does superb work with the sound in the way sparse noises sound from outside as well as the emphasis on silence. Music supervisor Randall Poster does a wonderful job with the film’s minimal music soundtrack as it features a song by Jarvis Cocker in the film’s final credit in the feature-length version of the film.
The film’s remarkable ensemble cast includes two notable small roles from Benoit Herlin and Eliel Ford as a couple of stagehands with Ralph Fiennes in a superb appearance as Roald Dahl who comments on a couple of moments in the story. Dev Patel is incredible as Timber Woods as a friend of Pope who is narrating everything that is happening while also observing into a dangerous situation that could be fatal to Pope. Ben Kingsley is great as Dr. Ganderbai as a doctor who knows how to deal with snakes while he observes the severity of the situation knowing that one mistake is costly. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a tremendous performance as Harry Pope as a man lying in bed as he believes a snake is sleeping on his stomach as he is restrained but also terrified in this life-and-death situation.
Poison is a phenomenal short film by Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and a gripping story about a life-and-death situation. It is among one of Anderson’s finest short films as well as a great adaptation of a short story by Roald Dahl. In the end, Poison is a sensational film from Wes Anderson.
