Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Written and directed by Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is the story of a woman who rents three billboards to bring attention into why the local police haven’t made any effort into finding out who killed her daughter. It’s a film that explores a small town unraveled by a woman’s need for justice where its chief wants to help but is dealing with personal matters prompting his deputy to cause a lot of trouble. Starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, and Sam Rockwell. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a visceral and eerie film from Martin McDonagh.

A young woman had been raped and killed outside a small town in Missouri as her mother becomes consumed with guilt and rage as the investigation hasn’t gone anywhere prompting her to rent three billboards outside of the home that asks its local police chief why hasn’t there been any arrests. The film is about these three billboards which has caused a lot of trouble for this small town in Missouri as its police chief is dealing with the fact that he’s dying from cancer despite the fact that he does want to help. Yet, there are those who are angered by the billboards including a deputy who acts out by causing all sorts of trouble unaware of what he’s supposed to do for the town. Martin McDonagh’s screenplay doesn’t just explore this small town rocked by a murder only to be more unhinged when Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) decides to rent these three billboards outside of a town that is on her way home where it reads the following message in sequential form: “Raped while dying”, “And still no arrests”, and “How come, Chief Willoughby?”

While Chief Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) is upset over the billboards, he does understand Mildred’s anger as he is still unable to get a break over the murder of Mildred’s daughter Angela (Kathryn Newton). Adding to his trouble is the fact that he’s diagnosed with cancer as he’s become more concerned with his wife Anne (Abbie Cornish) and his two daughters. Though he tries to continue his job as well as find any clues with Angela’s murder with Deputy Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell) helping him despite the fact that he doesn’t like Mildred nor does he do what is right by the law as he is prejudiced and takes the law into his own hands. One of McDonagh’s key aspects of the script isn’t just the structure and this exploration for peace and justice in a small town. It’s also in the development of the characters as both Mildred and Chief Willoughby are individuals want some idea of justice as the first two acts revolve around both of them with the former being a single mother with a teenage son in Robbie (Lucas Hedges) as she also has a contentious relationship with her ex-husband Charlie (John Hawkes).

Then there’s Dixon who is this mama’s boy that is very hot-headed and eager to succeed in the force but is also a dimwit who prefers to read comic books and listen to music on his earphones than do his job. There are people in the force who would question why Willoughby would keep him on the job as it would be unveiled in the third act where it play into Dixon’s development as a character. Especially as he would find his true calling that would give him a sense of purpose as well as give some kind of hope and peace to Mildred and Chief Willoughby.

McDonagh’s direction is definitely evocative in terms of the imagery he creates where it is shot mainly in Sylvia, North Carolina as this small town of Ebbing, Missouri with its usage of mountains and routes with certain curves on the road. Yet, there is this one location of these three abandoned billboards that would be at the center of the film as they would appear constantly whether it’s in a wide shot or in a close-up. Since the billboards are below a hill where Mildred can see hit from her house, it is placed in an area outside of town where it would get a lot of attention where McDonagh’s would showcase how some would react to these billboards. Notably Chief Willoughby and Dixon who would see these billboards as it just add to their reaction whether it’s serious or comical. The humor in the film does have an aspect of darkness but also in the way Mildred deals with people including a local priest as she puts him in his place.

McDonagh would also use close-ups and medium shots to get an intimate look into the lives of the characters in the film as he would show what they’re like as Mildred is just a woman who works in a shop that is just consumed with grief and anger as she lives with her teenage son. Chief Willoughby lives in a farm with his family while living in the small town is Dixon with his mother as they all have different lives and personalities yet are part of this very diverse community that is coming apart by Mildred’s actions. Even in some of the moments that involve arson and violence with the latter coming from Dixon as he beats up a local advertising agent. It’s a gruesome scene but it play into the sense of loss that Dixon is dealing with and his inability to control himself as he would later find that control during a tense meeting with a man at a bar. It’s a moment that shows that despite many of Dixon’s flaws, there is still a man that is just trying to do good for his community. Even in a world where justice is hard to come by for a woman just wanting peace for her daughter and those who had suffered through this murder. Overall, McDonagh crafts a mesmerizing yet gripping film about a woman calling attention for justice for her daughter’s rape and murder.

Cinematographer Ben Davis does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the usage of low-key lights and such for many of the scenes set at night to a more naturalistic look for the interior/exterior scenes set in the day. Editor Jon Gregory does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Inbal Weinberg, with set decorator Merissa Lombardo and art director Jesse Rosenthal, does fantastic work with the look of some of the locations including the police precinct building and the look of the billboards. Costume designer Melissa Toth does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual including the uniforms Chief Willoughby and his team wear.

Special makeup effects designer Leo Corey Castellano does terrific work with the look of a character late in the film as it play to escalation of tension in the film. Visual effects supervisor Tyler Gooden does wonderful work with the visual effects as it is mainly based on scenes involving fire. Sound editor Joakim Sundstrom does superb work with the sound with the way some of the scenes in the small town occurs as well as some of the film’s violent moments. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is incredible for its mixture of low-key orchestral music with some country textures to play into the location of where the film is set while music supervisor Karen Elliott provides a fun and offbeat soundtrack that include music from ABBA, the Four Tops, and a mixture of music genres ranging from folk, country, rock, and classical music.

The casting by Sarah Finn is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Amanda Warren as Mildred’s friend/co-worker Denise, Darrell Britt-Gibson as a billboard painter who helps Mildred in posting the ads, Kerry Condon as the advertising agent secretary Pamela, Clarke Peters as a man who would come at the film’s second half to take charge of the investigation, Nick Searcy as the local priest who tries to help Mildred only to get a lashing about what he does, Christopher Berry as a mysterious visitor of the town, Sandy Martin as Dixon’s mother who is also prejudiced, Zeljko Ivanek as the precinct desk sergeant Cedric Connolly, Samara Weaving as Charlie’s dim-witted 19-year old girlfriend Penelope, Riya May Atwood and Selah Atwood as Chief Willoughby’s daughters, and Kathryn Newton as Mildred’s daughter Angela in a lone flashback scene on the night she was to be killed. Caleb Landry Jones is terrific as the billboard advertising agent Red Welby who takes Mildred’s money to post the ads where he would later get himself into serious trouble with Dixon.

Lucas Hedges is superb as Mildred’s son Robbie who is dealing with the action of his mother as he considers moving in with his father as he also realizes the need for justice. Peter Dinklage is fantastic as James as a local who is a friend of Mildred as he would help get out of trouble during the film’s third act as a way to give her something she didn’t have in her marriage to Charlie. John Hawkes is excellent as Mildred’s ex-husband Charlie who had been abusive to her as he feels that her action with the billboards have done nothing but bring trouble. Abbie Cornish is brilliant as Willoughby’s wife Anne who is dealing with her husband’s illness as well as the impact of the billboards where she does meet with Mildred in a scene during the second act as it play into the injustice that everyone is dealing with.

Sam Rockwell is incredible as Jason Dixon as a police deputy that is this odd mixture of someone who is ignorant and is willing to do something stupid but there’s also a good person in there where Rockwell toes the line between being profane and being decent where he later goes through a transformation of sorts in the third act where he realizes what needs to be done. Woody Harrelson is remarkable as Chief Bill Willoughby as a local police chief who is the target of Mildred’s billboards as he is aware of what he needs to do but he’s also dealing with his own illness as it’s a role that displays some humility but also some dignity. Finally, there’s Frances McDormand in a phenomenal performance as Mildred Hayes as a woman who is consumed with grief and guilt over the loss of her daughter as she rents three billboards to get attention and justice for her daughter as it’s a role of anguish, rage, and humor in which McDormand just seizes every ounce of energy and anger into her role while displaying this I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude about a world that is dark while clinging to some idea of hope.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a tremendous film from Martin McDonagh. Featuring a great ensemble cast, beautiful locations, an offbeat music soundtrack, and themes about justice and the need for action in a world that doesn’t get anything done. It’s a film that showcases what some will do in a call for action but also to make sense in a world of injustice where there are those that want to do what is right no matter how complicated the world can be. In the end, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a magnificent film from Martin McDonagh.

Martin McDonagh Films: (Six Shooter) – In Bruges - Seven Psychopaths

© thevoid99 2017

2013 Cannes Marathon: Somersault

(Played at the Un Certain Regard Section at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival)

Written and directed by Cate Shortland, Somersault is the story of a 16-year old runaway who travels to Jindabyne from Canberra in Australia where she meets a young man who is unsure of his identity. The film is an exploration into the search for identity between two young people who are both in the trenches between childhood and adulthood. Starring Abbie Cornish, Sam Worthington, Erik Thomson, and Lynette Curran. Somersault is an ethereal yet enchanting coming-of-age film from Cate Shortland.

The film is a coming-of-age tale in which a 16-year old girl runs away from home after making out with her mother’s boyfriend as she lands in Jindabyne Lake in hopes to start a new life. Though she eventually gets a job and a place to live, she befriends the son of wealthy ranchers who is going through a sexual identity crisis of his own as the two have a relationship though neither are unsure if it’s love or just sex. It’s all about a girl who is in this state of transition of girlhood and adulthood where she can be mature at times and can fend for herself but she’s also hung up on things like partying and making scrapbook collages filled with unicorns and glitter. Even her name in Heidi (Abbie Cornish) is somewhat girlish though she doesn’t seem to act like a girl.

Cate Shortland’s screenplay doesn’t carry much of a plot in order to explore Heidi’s sense of wonderment as she travels from the suburbia of Canberra to the ski town in Jindabyne Lake early in the film. Heidi is this girl who wanders into every situation as she can be quite going but also very introspective when she isn’t surrounded by large groups of people. In Joe (Sam Worthington), Heidi finds someone she thinks who can love her and be with her but Joe isn’t very sure as he likes to wander around to. Even as he starts to have feelings towards his neighbor (Erik Thomson) who already admits to being gay. Though Heidi would befriend a co-worker in Bianca (Hollie Andrew), she has no clue how to befriend someone who is quite different from her as Bianca lives a very careful life with a little brother suffering from Aspberger’s Syndrome.

Shortland’s direction is definitely stylish in the way she presents the film as she incorporates a lot of dreamy images to the scenes that play out including moments where Heidi wanders around this small town through its pubs and such. While a lot of the compositions and framing is straightforward with some close-ups and wide shots, Shortland infuses a lot of strange camera movements to create this sense of dream world where a girl can wander around as it includes a lot of slow-motion shots and exotic images in the snow and rain. Even as the camera would create frames that are filled with these moments of surreal images to play up the sense of emotions of Heidi. Overall, Shortland creates a very mesmerizing yet captivating drama about a young girl growing up.

Cinematographer Robert Humphreys does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful and entrancing cinematography filled with gorgeous usage of blue filters to play out the sense of dreaminess that Heidi encounters. Editor Scott Gray does amazing work with the editing as it has this array of style from jump-cuts and exotic frame speeds to play up Heidi‘s wonderment. Production designer Melinda Doring, with set decorator Glen W. Johnson and art director Janie Parker, does nice work with some of the set pieces such as the apartment flat Heidi stays at to some of the pubs and clubs that she and Joe frequent.

Costume designer Emily Seresin does terrific work with the costumes from some of the clothes that Heidi wears including the red mittens she buys at the BP where she later works at. Sound designer Sam Petty does superb work with the sound as it features some layers in the sound mixing for some of the parties and clubs along with the intimate moments in the more natural surroundings. The film’s music by Decoder Ring is fantastic as it’s largely low-key with its dreamy, ambient-based music while the soundtrack consists a mixture of pop and rock music in the clubs the characters encounter.

The film’s cast is excellent as it includes some notable small roles from Nathaniel Dean as Joe’s fellow ranch worker Stuart, Olivia Pigeot as Heidi’s mother, Damien de Montemas as the boyfriend of Heidi’s mother, Hollie Andrew as Heidi’s BP co-worker clerk Bianca, Erik Thomson as Joe’s neighbor Richard, and Lynette Curran in a wonderful performance as the hotel owner Irene who lets Heidi stay at her incarcerated son’s flat. Sam Worthington is superb as the sexually-confused Joe who is a young man that befriends Heidi as he isn’t sure if he’s in love with her or is just using her to fulfill his sexual needs. Finally, there’s Abbie Cornish in an exhilarating performance as Heidi as this young woman who is trying to find herself in a new town while dealing with her own identity as she is caught between the world of childhood and adulthood as it’s one of Cornish’s finest performances.

Somersault is a phenomenal film from Cate Shortland that features a brilliant breakthrough performance from Abbie Cornish. The film is definitely a visually-exotic as well as an evocative film that explores a young woman coming of age while meeting a young man who is also trying to find himself. It’s also a film that explores two people’s fascination with sex and its implications as they transition into adults. In the end, Somersault is a remarkable film from Cate Shortland.

Cate Shortland Films: (The Silence (2006 TV film)) - Lore

© thevoid99 2013

Seven Psychopaths

Written and directed by Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths is the story of a struggling screenwriter who teams up with his best friend and another man to steal dogs only to realize they’ve stolen the dog of a troubled gangster. The three men deal with all sorts of trouble as they try to return the dog to the gangster. The film is a dark comedy that revolves around mistakes and mayhem as a writer seeks inspiration for his movie. Starring Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Olga Kurylenko, Abbie Cornish, Zeljko Ivanek, Gabourey Sidibe, Kevin Corrigan, and Tom Waits. Seven Psychopaths is a witty yet off-the-wall dark comedy from Martin McDonagh.

Struggling to write a new screenplay called Seven Psychopaths, Marty Faranan (Colin Farrell) is trying to come up with ideas as he’s dealing with writer’s block and lack of inspiration. Helping him is his friend Billy Bickle (Sam Rockwell) who often spouts lots of ideas for Marty to use as Billy spends his time kidnapping dogs with his friend Hans (Christopher Walken). One of the dogs Billy and Hans get is a Shih Tzu that belonged to the gangster Charlie Costello (Woody Harrelson) as Billy decides to keep the dog for himself. Aware that Costello is deranged and is willing to kill at any length to get his dog back while there’s a psychopath killing low-level mobsters.

Marty, Billy, and Hans go on the run to hide from Billy and his hoodlums where Marty gets ideas for his story while learning more about the world of psychopaths that included a man he previously met named Zachariah Rigby (Tom Waits). Hiding at the desert, Marty gets more ideas while struggling with his alcoholism where he learns more about what is going on as Billy has a crazy idea for the ending that involves a showdown with Costello.

Anyone who knows about the art of writing knows that inspiration is hard to come by as the film is about a man trying to write a story about psychopaths that is different from the world of crime movies. Yet, he would end up meeting a slew of crazy characters that would be inspirational to him while taking part in a scheme that goes all wrong when it involves a gangster who is completely edgy and is willing to do anything to get his dog back. Mayhem ensues when these three men try to figure out how to deal with this unhinged gangster as more surprises are unveiled about the people the writer has been hanging out with.

Martin McDonagh’s screenplay definitely has a flair of snappy dialogue, absurd situations, and multiple stories that revolves around psychopaths as it begins with two hitmen (Michael Stuhlbarg and Michael Pitt) talking about killing someone and all things go to shit when the first psychopath is introduced. It’s part of McDonagh’s scheme to introduce a slew of psychopaths as it includes Vietnamese man (Long Nguyen) seeking vengeance against the Americans over the Vietnam War. Throughout the film, there’s scenes where it plays to Marty’s attempt to write the screenplay as there’s lots of fantasy scenes that plays to the idea of trying to write a screenplay. Even as it involves all sorts of character twists and such that plays to that world of the writer. The one flaw in the script is the way some of the female characters are presented like Marty’s girlfriend Kaya (Abbie Cornish) and Costello’s girlfriend/Billy’s mistress Angela (Olga Kurylenko) as they don’t really get much to do at all with the story.

McDonagh’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of presenting the mind of a writer as Marty is this uninspired writer who likes to drink a lot and hang around with his oddball buddies. Shot on location in Los Angeles and other parts nearby, it is a film that revolves around this strange criminal underworld that features a lot of strange and dark violent scenes. The violence is very brutal in the presentation as it plays to not just the fantasy of violence but also the grim reality. McDonagh does create some wonderful compositions and framing to display the world or the characters in their situations that includes some fantasy scenes or offbeat flashback scenes. Overall, McDonagh creates a fun yet very unconventional black comedy that explores the world of writing and psychopaths.

Cinematographer Ben Davis does nice work with the film‘s cinematography to capture the beauty of the locations in Los Angeles as well as the locations at the Joshua Tree Park. Editor Lisa Gunning does superb work with the editing by creating montages in the film‘s flashbacks and fantasy scenes along with some stylish cuts in some of those moments. Production designer David Wasco, along with set decorator Sandy Reynolds-Wasco and art director John Dexter, does some fantastic work with the sets such as the home that Billy lives in to the dog shelter he and Hans run.

Costume designer Karen Patch does terrific work with the costumes from the clothes the men wear to the more stylish clothes that Kaya wears. Sound editor Joakim Sundstrom does some wonderful work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the locations along with the intimate moments involving a few characters. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is brilliant for its low-key, jazz-driven score to play up the film‘s dark humor. Music supervisor Matt Biffa is filled with a lot of songs from the 60s and 70s to play out the world the characters inhabit.

The casting by Sarah Finn is great for the ensemble that is created as it features some cameo appearances from Harry Dean Stanton as a mysterious psychopath, Michael Pitt and Michael Stuhlbarg as a couple of mob hitmen in the beginning of the film, Kevin Corrigan and Zeljko Ivanek as a couple of Costello’s henchmen, Long Nguyen as a Vietnamese psychopath, Brendan Sexton III as the young Zachariah, Gabourey Sidibe as the dog’s original caretaker Sharice, and Linda Bright Clay as Hans’ wife Myra. Abbie Cornish and Olga Kurylenko are quite good in their respective roles as Marty’s girlfriend Kaya and Costello’s girlfriend Angela though neither of them really get a lot of development nor any big moments for them to really stand out. Tom Waits is superb as the mysterious Zachariah who has this amazing scene where he tells a story about his notorious killings.

Woody Harrelson is brilliant as the deranged Charlie Costello who is determined to get his dog back as Harrelson brings a dark humor to the character who is also an emotional mess. Christopher Walken is fantastic as Hans who is a man with a dark past as he tries to deal with a situation while providing some very funny ideas to Marty. Sam Rockwell is outstanding as the very offbeat Billy who spouts all sorts of ideas to Marty while doing all sorts of crazy things as it’s Rockwell at his finest. Finally, there’s Colin Farrell in an excellent performance as the troubled Marty who is trying to come up with a great script as he deals with his alcoholism, his bitchy girlfriend, and all of the violence that is happening around him as it’s a very funny performance from Farrell.

Seven Psychopaths is a marvelous film from Martin McDonagh that features top-notch performances from Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, and Woody Harrelson. The film is definitely an intriguing piece into the world of writing as well a darkly-comic look into the world of the psychopaths. Notably in the latter as it shows the absurdity of murder and crime as well as what some people are willing to do to create the ultimate story. In the end, Seven Psychopaths is a remarkable film from Martin McDonagh.

Martin McDonagh Films: (Six Shooter) - In Bruges - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

© thevoid99 2012

2011 Cannes Marathon: Bright Star

(Premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival in Competition for the Palme D’or)

When The Piano came out in 1993 and co-won the Palme D’or w/ Chen Kaige’s Farewell, My Concubine. Jane Campion received international attention after helming two feature films as she also became the second woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director. Since then, Campion’s follow-up films to The Piano has divided audiences and critics that included an adaptation of Henry James’ Portrait of a Lady, the spiritual searching Holy Smoke!, and the 2003 erotic drama In the Cut. Campion took a break from feature-film making to do a couple of shorts for anthology films as she made her return in 2009 for a film about John Keats’ final years entitled Bright Star.

Written and directed by Jane Campion, Bright Star tells the story of John Keats’ final years as he finds a muse in a woman named Fanny Brawne. During these final years, Brawne would become more than his muse as the two would embark in a relationship that would shape Keats’ writing. Based on Andrew Morton’s biography on Keats, it’s a film that explores a man finding his muse in a woman who is different from many others. Starring Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider, Thomas Sangster, and Kerry Fox. Bright Star is a poignant yet mesmerizing romantic drama from Jane Campion.

It’s 1818 in London as Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) is a woman who creates her own clothes and actually makes a living off of it. While she lives with her mother (Kerry Fox) and her two younger siblings in Samuel (Thomas Sangster) and Toots (Edie Martin). During a visit to meet Mrs. Dilke (Claudie Blakley), they meet a man who shares a house with Dilkes in Charles Brown (Paul Schneider). It is there that Fanny meets John Keats (Ben Whishaw) who is trying to write some new poems. Fanny is intrigued by Keats as Keats is amazed by Fanny’s sense of individuality and her ability to create her own clothes. While Fanny admits to not really understanding about poetry, Keats helps her as he decides to give her poetry lessons.

Despite having written a book of poems, Keats hasn’t been able to gain any financial success as Brown tries to help fund their lifestyle as they keep working. Keats and Fanny’s attraction increases though her mother isn’t so sure about this friendship until Brown writes a Valentine to Fanny as a joke. The joke upsets Keats as does Fanny as she ends their poetry lessons. When Fanny’s mother learns that the Dilkes are giving them the house they share with Brown as Fanny sees Keats again. The two renew their relationship as it blossoms into a romantic one until Keats had to leave with Brown to work in other places leaving Fanny upset. Though Keats and Fanny would write letters to each other, the longing for contact proves to be painful.

Keats eventually returns in the fall as he and Fanny renew their relationship once again as they decide to be secretly engaged. Keats suddenly becomes ill during the winter as friends try to help create funds for his new work and for his health. With suggestions for Keats to go to Italy for his health, Brown reveals that he couldn’t go because he needed to be with the Brawne’s new maid Abigail (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) whom he impregnated. Fanny wants to go to Italy to be with Keats as she helps him find a place to live. Instead, his illness worsens with Fanny taking care of him before he leaves for Italy as she hopes that they would marry upon his return.

While it is a love story about John Keats and his muse Fanny Brawne, it’s really about a relationship between two different artists and personalities that grows into something far more powerful. Brawne is a woman who is a bit flirtatious though is really an individual who finds her talents in creating her clothes with fashions that are quite ahead of its time. Yet, she has managed to make a living for herself while helping her mother and two siblings. Keats meanwhile, is a writer who has the talents but couldn’t gain any success as he tries to make a living while living off funds of others. He’s also a character that is a bit unaware of his surroundings while being a bit naïve at times.

When he and Fanny are together, there is a side to them that is innocent but also a bit chaotic due to their personalities. Even as there’s a few people wary about the relationship such as Mr. Brown and Fanny’s mother. Brown is someone who’s had a very testy relationship with Fanny whom he’s known for some time while often thinks he’s not good enough for a man as introspective as Keats. Fanny’s mother is more cautious as she sees how Fanny reacts to Keats even to the point where she is bewildered by Fanny’s attempt to kill herself because she hadn’t heard from Keats.

Jane Campion’s screenplay succeeds in studying the behaviors and personalities of its main characters while not delving into a lot of heavy drama that often hinders most films about famous figures. Yet, Campion isn’t interested in historical context or facts but rather explore the relationship between Keats and Brawne. Even as characters like Fanny’s mother and Mr. Brown get some development since they’re watching the relationship from afar. Campion’s script also uses Keats’ poems and letters to help emphasize the emotional longing for both Keats and Brawne. Notably the poem Bright Star that is recited in the film a couple of times. While the ending is obvious since it is about Keats’ final years, her approach is more about showing it from Brawne’s perspective.

Campion’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way she tells the story by shooting largely on location near where Keats and Brawne spent their time together along with a small scene in Rome, Italy where Keats died. Campion creates compositions that allows the audience to see what Keats and Brawne are making in their respective trades. Notably in moments where she has the camera shooting close-ups on Fanny’s hands sewing or Keats’ writing. For a large portion of the Keats-Brawne scenes, it’s always about the dramatic elements yet it is approached with a sense of restraint with some anguish used. One notable scene that allows Campion to present humor is when Keats and Brawne are walking behind Brawne’s sister Toots as Toots looks back and they freeze.

The subtle moments such as that scene along with scenes where Fanny and Toots surrounded themselves in a room full of butterflies or a scene where Keats is just having a lovely time with the Brawne family. Part of Campion’s brilliance is a director is to just soak up the world that the characters live in as there are many scenes where the characters surround themselves with nature. There are some gorgeous compositions that include a shot of Keats lying on top of a tree. It’s shots like that along with its broad presentation that does give the film a poetic tone which isn’t surprising since the film is about a poet’s final years. Overall, this is Campion at her best as she creates a solid yet engaging romantic drama.

Cinematographer Grieg Fraser does a superb job with the cinematography from the naturalistic yet lush look of the scenes of trees and flowers in the spring/summer periods to the rainy/winter looks that play to the dreary mood of the characters. Fraser’s work for many of the exteriors along that the interiors of the home that Keats lived in with Brown and the Brawnes is truly exquisite for its intimacy and dark look against its wooden walls. Editor Alexandre de Franceschi does an excellent job with the editing as it’s mostly straightforward while using fade-to-black for many transitions. Particularly in creating a pace that, while slow, is methodical to build the burgeoning relationship between Keats and Brawne.

Production/costume designer Janet Patterson, along with set decorator Charlotte Watts and art director Christian Huband do a great job with the set decorations in the look of early 19th Century housing and objects while Patterson‘s costumes are the real technical highlight of the film. Particularly with the dresses made and worn by Fanny to reflect her personality. Sound editors John Dennison and Tony Vaccher do a wonderful job in capturing the broad world of 19th Century London with its horse trots and homes along with the sparse yet intimate world of the natural surroundings the characters encounter.

The film’s music by Mark Bradshaw is brilliant for its melancholic tone with an array of somber string orchestral pieces and dramatic flourishes to play to the love of Keats and Brawne. Bradshaw also helps create arrangements for a couple of pieces by Mozart including a vocal piece from Mozart that some of the actors sing in a party scene for the film.

The casting by Nina Gold is amazing for the ensemble that is assembled for the film. Notable small roles include Samuel Roukin as a critic in a party scene, Olly Alexander as John Keats’ ailing brother Tom, Gerard Monaco as Mr. Dilke, and Samuel Barnett is a friend of Keats who helps fund is trip to Italy. Other notable but memorable small supporting roles include Claudie Blakley as family friend Mrs. Dilke who wonders about Fanny’s relationship to Keats and Antonia Campbell-Hughes as the young maid Abigail whom Mr. Brown is smitten with. Edie Martin is very good as Fanny’s youngest sister Toots in whom brings her playful side while Thomas Sangster is also good as Fanny’s younger brother Samuel who enjoys the company of Keats.

Kerry Fox is excellent as Fanny’s mother who observes her daughter’s behavior while wanting her to be cautious about embarking on this relationship. Notably in scenes when she sees her daughter in despair while being very calm about what’s happening though does like Keats despite his aloof personality. Paul Schneider is brilliant as Mr. Brown, Keats’ longtime friend and colleague who tries to keep things going only to cause trouble about Keats’ relationship with Brawne. While Schneider gets to be funny in a few scenes, it’s a very surprising role for the North Carolina-based actor who proves to have a lot of range of a man who is good but does a lot of bad things while admitting his faults.

Ben Whishaw is superb as John Keats, a brilliant but introspective poet who is attracted to Fanny Brawne as he starts a relationship with her. Whishaw brings a calm yet chilling performance as a man who is very insecure while he finds inspiration in Fanny. It’s a remarkable performance for the actor as he also has a wonderful yet touching chemistry with his co-star Abbie Cornish. Abbie Cornish delivers what is definitely her most radiant performance to date as Fanny Brawne. Cornish delivers a performance that is full of grace of a woman who is definitely one-of-a-kind as she keeps things to herself while being a great artist of her own. In her scenes with Whishaw, Cornish brings a restraint to the way she reacts to him while showing anguish in her scenes of heartbreaking and longing. It’s definitely a stunning performance from the Australian actress.

Bright Star is a magnificent yet ethereal drama from Jane Campion featuring great performances from Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw. Fans of John Keats work will definitely see this as a great dramatic interpretation on his life as well as his relationship with Fanny Brawne. Fans of Jane Campion will no doubt see this as a return-to-form following the disappointing 2003 film In The Cut. It is a very poignant yet beautiful film about John Keats and Fanny Brawne as Bright Star is definitely an amazing film from Jane Campion.

Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Piano - The Portrait of a Lady - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Top of the Lake (TV Miniseries) - The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion

© thevoid99 2011

Sucker Punch

Since scoring a major hit with 2007’s adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel 300, Zack Snyder is considered to be one of the hottest directors working in Hollywood. With his dazzling visuals and slow-motion action edits, he’s created a style that has won over audiences. While his 2009 adaptation of the famed Alan Moore graphic novel Watchmen wasn’t a big hit and received mixed reviews. Snyder still got lots of attention and praise from some including Christopher Nolan who asked him to direct a re-boot of the Superman franchise for a 2012 release. Snyder accepted the job while he is set to wow audiences once again with his fifth feature film entitled Sucker Punch.

Directed by Zack Snyder based on his own original story. Sucker Punch tells the story of a young girl in the 1950s being sent to a mental institution by her step-father. Befriending fellow inmates, she and her inmates use their imagination to create a world where they attack their foes into an epic battle. Screenplay by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, the film is a mixture of fantasy and action as it’s all told from the perspective of a young girl as she’s joined by other young women and a wise man to war. Starring Emily Browning, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jon Hamm, Oscar Issac, Carla Gugino, and Scott Glenn. Sucker Punch is a decent although messy film from Zack Snyder.

After the death of her mother and an awful confrontation with her stepfather (Gerard Plunket), Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is sent to a mental hospital. Running the hospital is an orderly named Blue Jones (Oscar Issac) who likes to keep tabs on things and create problems. During her stay, the hospital’s psychiatrist/dance instructor Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) suggests for Baby Doll to retreat into a fantasy world. Baby Doll fantasizes a world where Blue runs a brothel where all the girls are dancers for the brothel. Baby Doll befriends Rocket (Jena Malone) who shows her what goes on as well as introducing her to fellow inmates including Rocket’s older sister Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), and Amber (Jamie Chung).

During a dance session with Madam Gorski, Baby Doll fantasizes about escaping into another world with help from a wise man (Scott Glenn) who reveals that in order to escape. Baby Doll will have to acquire four objects to escape while the fifth one is a mystery. During a battle with samurais in her fantasy, Baby Doll realizes she has the power to help her friends escape as Rocket goes along with the plan along with Blondie, Amber, and a very reluctant Sweet Pea. During a dance performance which allows Baby Doll to go into her fantasy world with the rest of her friends, she fantasizes being in a World War I battle to retrieve a map that is needed. The mission becomes a success as Baby Doll’s public performance for the mayor (Alan C. Peterson) allowed Amber to get the lighter needed for fire.

Blue suspects something is going on as Madam Gorski is helping Baby Doll prepare for her own dance recital for the city’s High Roller (Jon Hamm). With two objects in a knife and key is needed, the girls are on their way to freedom. Yet, Madam Gorski is suddenly the target where the attempt to get the knife succeeds but with a price. With the key still needed, Baby Doll also has to find out what the fifth object is once the High Roller arrives as she makes another plan to escape.

The film is about a girl who retreats into a fantasy world and then goes into another fantasy world so she can escape with her friends. While in theory, it’s an interesting idea that requires a narrative that is strong and has characters that are very engaging. Unfortunately, the script is handled quite clumsily where things get a bit confusing while there’s excessive elements that could’ve been pulled. At the same time, some characters either don’t get enough to do while there’s some moments where there’s too much exposition that goes on in the film. Though it starts off very well while has some very interesting moments during the middle. The story falls apart by the third act while there’s moments where the focus on objects suddenly become confusing towards the end of the film.

While it’s Zack Snyder’s first original project with a script co-written with Steve Shibuya. Snyder and Shibuya try to cram a lot of ideas into the story where it’s supposed to be a prison break film mixed in with lots of fantasy relating to samurai films, World War I films, and sci-fi. While a lot of that has exciting moments, when it comes to the scenes at the hospital/brothel scenes, it loses not only some momentum. It creates a story that is very uneven and at times, the pacing lags where for a film that has a 110-minute running time, it feels longer than that. While the story is interesting and has some moments along with some fully-realized characters. It’s just that it’s not a very strong story that ends up being very messy.

Snyder’s direction for the film is truly spectacular in its visuals where for all of the hyper-fantasy sequences he creates. It definitely shows ambition and is presented with a large canvas. The problem is that it’s also a bit overwhelming at times while the pacing in its transition from the hospital/brothel scenes to the fantasy sequences are off. While he can create simple moments in the conversation scenes with the girls, there’s times when the just goes overboard with style. Snyder’s trademark of slowing the action down with slow-motion edits does have their moments. Yet, it’s also overdone at times where Snyder could’ve just had the camera go on for another 30 seconds without slowing it down.

Snyder’s emphasis on visuals and creating a fantasy world is truly dazzling. The problem is that Snyder is really pulling a lot of film references to help with his ideas. Even in the first 10 minutes where once Baby Doll is at the hospital and there’s a conversation about her being lobotomized. It then leads into this other reality and then to a fantasy. While some viewers will think of a film like Inception, the film that Snyder is really drawing ideas from not just in narrative but scope is Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. Brazil is a dystopian fantasy story about a man who dreams to escape his dismal world by pretending to be a hero who fights evil forces including a huge samurai. For anyone who knows that film, will be aware that there’s a lot of references to that film as well as Blade Runner and The Matrix. The only thing Snyder doesn’t really have is a lot of humor which is prevalent in Gilliam’s work. While Snyder does have a lot of great visual ideas and can create amazing action sequences. It’s clear that with this film, he’s becoming a bit of a parody of himself while is in need to really tighten his ideas into a cohesive story.

Cinematography Larry Fong does an excellent job with visual look of the film from the blue-gray look of the mental hospital to the more colorful world of the dressing room and brothel scenes. Even as he creates different color schemes for each of the big fantasy sequences whether it’s the yellowish look of the medieval and futuristic scenes to the grayish, gritty look of the World War I sequence. Fong’s work is definitely one of the film’s technical highlights. Editor William Foy does some good work with the editing in creating rhythmic yet hypnotic work in the action sequences. Even in creating some good transitions to help build the momentum. Still because of the messy narrative, the editing at time suffers due to its emphasis on style.

Production designer Rick Carter and art directors Stefan Dechant and Grant Van Der Slagt do some amazing work with the art direction from the look of the Japanese temple where Baby Doll meets the wise man to the look of the stage where Baby Doll performs her routine to the mayor. Another notable feature is the look of the hospital to portray the bleak world the girls really live as the objects also play a part for the story. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does some wonderful work with the costumes from the brothel clothing the women wear to the leather-driven clothes the girls wear in the fantasy as it‘s another of the film‘s technical highlights.

Visual effects supervisor John “D.J.“ Des Jardin does a spectacular job with visual effects from the recreation of the zeppelins in the World War I sequence to the look of the dragon in the medieval scenes. The visual effects really play up to the hyper-fantasy world that Baby Doll lives in along with the exterior look of the mental hospital the girls live in early in the film. Sound editor Scott Hecker and sound designer Rick Hrmoadka does some nice work with the sound from the layers of fire and gunplay that goes on. Even in the smaller moments about how shoes tap on the floor as the sound work is truly extraordinary.

Music composers Tyler Bates and Marius De Vries do some good work in the music as they bring in a mix of broad orchestra mixed in with electronics for the film’s score. Yet, the soundtrack is mostly dominated by a mixture of alternative rock and electronic stuff. Three songs by the Smiths, Eurythmics, and the Pixies are covered by Emily Browning while the rest of the soundtrack features variations of Bjork’s Army of Me and a mash-up of Queen’s We Will Rock You and I Want It All. Other tracks include very hypnotic, industrialized covers of Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit, the Stooges’ Search and Destroy, and crazy cover of The Beatles’ Tomorrow Never Knows by the Kills/Dead Weather’s Alison Mosshart and Autolux’s Carla Azar. The last song played on the film is a campy cover of Roxy Music’s Love Is the Drug by Oscar Issac and Carla Gugino as it’s a fun soundtrack that plays to the film’s dazzling visual style.

The casting by Michelle Allen, Kristy Carlson, and Lora Kennedy has some good moments but some of it isn’t inspiring. In small parts, there’s some memorable appearances by Gerard Plunket as Baby Doll’s stepfather, Alan C. Peterson as the mayor, Malcolm Scott as the fat cook, and Frederique de Raucourt as Baby Doll’s little sister in the first major sequence of the film. Jon Hamm is pretty good as the High Roller/doctor but he’s only in the film for about 5-6 minutes. He appears briefly early in the film and then appears for a brief minute as the High Roller, and then has a big moment near the end of the film. Hamm is a very high-profiled actor but he’s really wasted throughout in his small appearance.

Scott Glenn is superb as the wise man who guides Baby Doll and the girls into battle and helping find the objects in the hyper-fantasy scenes as he just goes out there and be cool. Glenn’s performance is one of the highlights as he’s a guy who really can’t suck no matter how bad a film can be. Oscar Issac is very good as the devilish Blue Jones with his sleazy persona and an intimidating presence that makes him into a hammy yet fun villain to root against. Carla Gugino is excellent as Madam Gorski, the therapist/dance instructor who allows the girls a chance to escape through their minds as her role is a bit ambiguous. Still, Gugino sports a campy Polish accent that allows her character to be one of the most enjoyable moments of the film.

Jamie Chung and Vanessa Hudgens are all right in their respective roles as Amber and Blondie. While they don’t get much to do except kind of be eye-candy. They have their moments when they’re in battle or be in some kind of spectacle while having a great rapport with the rest of the girls. They’re just don’t have enough chops to really play to the drama which is probably why they’re not given much to do. Emily Browning is pretty good as Baby Doll when she’s doing action scenes or leading the gang to have a jailbreak. The problem is that she doesn’t express herself very much as she either cries or gets worried while having a very icy expression throughout the film. There’s something that doesn’t really work in the performance as she seems unsure in her performance.

The film’s best performances easily goes to Abbie Cornish and Jena Malone in their respective roles as the sisters Sweet Pea and Rocket. Cornish is wonderful as the reluctant, cynical Sweet Pea who is trying not to get into trouble while wanting to protect Rocket. Even as she tries to get everyone to calm down and just be careful while getting into the action proving to be a real capable badass. Jena Malone is phenomenal as Rocket, the most outspoken person of the group who shows Baby Doll what goes on in the hospital and be the first to always be on board to escape. Malone not only shows that she can kick some ass but delivers the film’s often cheesy dialogue with great ease. Cornish and Malone also have some amazing chemistry as the sisters with Cornish being the most cautious and Malone as the most outgoing where they play off each other so well. Particularly since, with the exception of Baby Doll, they’re characters have a small back-story that is interesting which explains why they’re often together. If there’s a real highlight of the film, it’s Abbie Cornish and Jena Malone.

Sucker Punch is an entertaining, visually-ambitious but somewhat disappointing film from Zack Snyder. Due to a messy script, a lack of a cohesive story, and too many ideas that tend to overwhelm the story. It’s a film that needed more work though it isn’t a total waste of time. Fans of Snyder’s work will enjoy the visuals but if they’re looking for a engaging story. It’s not the right place. While the performance of some of the cast is either lackluster or uninspiring with the exception of Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Scott Glenn, Oscar Issac, and Carla Gugino. It doesn’t have a lot to offer which will definitely worry some viewers as they see that Snyder is going to direct the next Superman film coming in 2012. In the end, Sucker Punch is an okay but underwhelming spectacle from Zack Snyder.

Zack Snyder Films: (Dawn of the Dead (2004)) - 300 - Watchmen - (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole) - Man of Steel - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Justice League

© thevoid99 2011