Gattaca

Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, Gattaca is the story of a young man who hopes to travel to outer space despite dealing with prejudice as he hides his genetic imperfections in a futuristic world where science determines who can succeed or not. The film is a mixture of sci-fi with elements of drama and mystery as it also relates to this young man who pretends to be another as he becomes a murder suspect. Starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Loren Dean, Alan Arkin, Ernest Borgnine, Blair Underwood, Xander Berkley, Tony Shalhoub, Elias Koteas, and Gore Vidal. Gattaca is a riveting and evocative film from Andrew Niccol.

Set in a futuristic world where science determines one’s fate and when will that person die, the film revolves a young man who was conceived with genetic imperfections as he pretends to be another man in the hopes that he can travel to outer space. At the same time, he becomes a suspect over the death of mission control director as he learns that his younger brother is the detective leading the case. It’s a film that plays into this man who tries to prove that anything is possible in a world where one’s blood-type, urine sample, and such don’t determine one’s outcome. Yet, it is told from this man whose real name is Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) who would take the guise of another man in Jerome Morrow (Jude Law) who would aid Vincent in achieving his dream.

Andrew Niccol’s screenplay is told largely from Vincent’s perspective as it begins with him learning that is one week away from actually achieving his dream to go into outer space. Yet, a simple eyelash found during the murder of the mission control director would be the one thing that might stop him as its first act reveals not just Vincent’s conception but also how he was already determined by science into when he will die and what ailments he will have. Once his younger brother Anton (Loren Dean) is born and is promised all of the things that Vincent will never have because Anton was conceived through genetic selection instead of the natural conception that brought Vincent into the world. Yet, it would be a simple swimming game of chicken where Vincent realizes that anything is possible as he would meet the paralyzed Jerome who was once a swimming star and take on Jerome’s identity while the real Jerome would provide the urine and blood samples Vincent would need.

Once Vincent’s story into how he became Jerome takes up much of the film’s first act, the second act does have a shift in tone where it becomes a mystery as Vincent not only deals with being a suspect but also falls in love with a co-worker in Irene Cassini (Uma Thurman) who is a valid but is unable to travel due to her own heart issues. Yet, she would learn firsthand about who Vincent really is just as Anton suspects that his own brother is the killer due to the loose eyelash from Vincent though Anton isn’t sure since he believes his brother had already died. Especially as his partner Hugo (Alan Arkin) looks into other possibilities as it relates to the prejudices that is hinged upon society where even Jerome was affected by it as he had all of the potential in the world to succeed but failure only made him bitter and depressed. Even as he copes with the pressure that was put upon him making him and Vincent equal of sorts.

Niccol’s direction is truly mesmerizing in terms of not just the compositions but also in presenting a futuristic sci-fi film without the need to make it totally futuristic. Much of it has Niccol shooting on various locations in California through some amazing architectural designs that does give the film a somewhat futuristic look. Niccol’s rich compositions and the way he places some of the wide shots definitely add something that a look that sort of makes it futuristic while he also goes for these kind of intricate crowd shots of exactly what Vincent does when he’s at work as it sort of plays into something that feels bureaucratic in some respects. Especially as Vincent would get a glimpse of how those with perfect genes would live and how he as an invalid would have to live and work where he would start off cleaning windows and then find his way to be part of this space program.

Niccol’s approach to close-up and medium shots are also entrancing as it also includes a few handheld moments such as a chase scene involving Vincent, Irene, and Anton. It plays into not just some of the mystery but also the drama and romance as well as Niccol’s approach to framing the actors where the flashback scenes involving a young Vincent and Anton where Vincent is in the foreground while Anton and their parents are in the background. It establishes how disconnected Vincent is with his own family as well as the world he lives in as the third act showcases him not only trying to reveal some truth to those close to him. Especially as it revealed exactly how he managed to defy the odds in a world that prevents him from achieving his dreams. Overall, Niccol creates a compelling and ravishing film about a young man prejudiced in a futuristic world where science determines one’s fate.

Cinematographer Slawomir Idziak does phenomenal work with the film’s very colorful cinematography with its usage of filters and lighting schemes for some of the film’s interiors while maintaining something that is quite ethereal in its images as it’s among one of the film’s major highlights. Editor Lisa Zeno Churgin does excellent work with the editing as it is quite stylish with some of its rhythmic cuts and usage of dissolves to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Jan Roefls, with set decorator Nancy Nye and art director Sarah Knowles, does amazing work with the set design from the look of Jerome‘s home as well as the building where Vincent would work as Jerome along with the nightclubs and such the two would go to. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does fantastic work with the costumes from the suits that Vincent and Jerome would wear as well as the trench coat/fedora look of Anton‘s partner Hugo and the dresses that Irene would wear.

Makeup supervisor Ve Neill and key hair stylist Bette Iverson do terrific work with the look of Vincent prior to meeting Jerome and how they would have the same haircut. Visual effects supervisor Jerry Pooler does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects as it relates to spaceship that Vincent wants to board into. Sound editor Richard King does superb work with the sound to play into some of the chaotic elements of the film along with some of the textures that Vincent would endure in his training. The film’s music by Michael Nyman is incredible for its lush orchestral score with elements of minimalist and soft piano textures as it plays into the drama

The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it features notable small roles from Dean Norris as a beat cop, Ken Marino as a sequencing technician, Maya Rudolph as a delivery nurse, Gabrielle Reece as a trainer where Vincent works at, Vincent Nielson and William Lee Scott in respective versions of the adolescent and teenage Anton, Mason Gamble and Chad Christ in the respective version of the adolescent and teenage Vincent, Blair Underwood as a geneticist, Jayne Brook as Vincent and Anton’s mother who loves both sons as she ponders what Vincent will do, and Elias Koteas as Vincent and Anton’s father who seems to favor Anton more than Vincent as he wants his eldest to be more realistic in his dreams. Tony Shalhoub is terrific in a small role as a mysterious man who would help Vincent attain the look and genetics to be Vincent.

Ernest Borgnine is superb as an invalid named Caesar who leads the clean-up crew as he tells Vincent not to clean too well as he would later provide evidence into who might be the killer not knowing that Jerome is really Vincent. Gore Vidal is excellent as the mission flight director Josef who tries to deal with the murder in his building while aiding the detectives. Xander Berkley is amazing as Dr. Lamar who would interview Vincent for the job as he looks into many background checks as it’s a very low-key yet mesmerizing performance. Alan Arkin is fantastic as Detective Hugo as an old-school detective who aids Anton into finding the killer as he initially suspects the invalid Vincent while he goes into looking for other clues. Loren Dean is brilliant as Anton as Vincent’s younger brother who has become a detective as he realizes Vincent is a suspect while wondering if his brother is really alive when he was supposed to.

Jude Law is incredible as Jerome as a former swimming star who has become paralyzed as he aids Vincent in achieving his dream while revealing what happened when he became paralyzed as it showcased how much he and Vincent have in common. Uma Thurman is remarkable as Irene as a woman who works with Vincent as she falls for him unaware of who he really is as she would also make some major discoveries of her own while revealing her own flaws in her genes despite being valid. Finally, there’s Ethan Hawke in a phenomenal performance as Vincent Freeman as a man who was conceived naturally with genetic flaws as he is determined to buck an unjust system while coping with his own ailments as well as what he had to do to overcome them.

Gattaca is a spectacular from Andrew Niccol that features great performances from Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law. It’s a film that isn’t just a compelling and provocative sci-fi drama but also a film that explores the ideas of what happens if science determines one’s fate. In the end, Gattaca is an enchantingly rich and tremendous film from Andrew Niccol.

© thevoid99 2015

Little Miss Sunshine

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/4/06 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris and written by Michael Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine is the story of a family who go on a road trip to take their young daughter to a beauty pageant as it includes a drug-addicted grandfather, a suicidal gay uncle, and a son who hasn't spoken in months. The film is a unique road film of sorts that explores a family and their dysfunctions as they all deal with setbacks while getting a young girl to a beauty pageant in California. Starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, and Alan Arkin. Little Miss Sunshine is a phenomenal film from Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris.

The film is a simple story about a family from Albuquerque, New Mexico who go on a road trip to California that a young girl named Olive (Abigail Breslin) can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Yet, not everyone is on board as Olive's father Richard (Greg Kinnear) is trying to score for a book deal for an idea he has as a motivational speaker. Adding to the chaos is Richard's stepson Dwayne (Paul Dano) who hasn't spoken in nine months in a vow of silence as he's obsessed with the work of Nietzsche while Richard's brother-in-law Frank (Steve Carell) is recovering from a suicide attempt due to a break-up with his boyfriend who left him for his rival. It would take Richard's wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) and Richard's father Edwin (Alan Arkin) to rally the family to go on this trip where a lot of major setbacks involving the family ensue. Much of it would play into the idea of failure that is prevalent around them where upon their arrival to California for Olive's pageant, some of the family fear that Olive will endure the same kind of humiliation and devastation they had been through.

Michael Ardnt's script takes it time to explore many of the dysfunction of the family as Edwin is a heroin addict who got kicked out of his retirement home as he would be the one teaching Olive how to dance for the upcoming pageant. Ardnt's approach to the script does have a lot of tropes and conventions that is expected in a road film but adds a lot of layers into the idea that a family might face failure and the whole trip would've been for nothing. Even as characters like Frank and Dwayne are individuals who are on the brink of depression as the latter is hoping to become a pilot by going into this act of silence. Adding to the tension is Richard as he has this theory about being a winner yet his thoughts would rub the family the wrong way as it would play into Olive's insecurities until her grandfather has this great monologue about what being a loser really means and says that Olive is none of those things because at least she's trying. Much of Richard's ideas would be ironic as he would put his own family finances and such into great danger as the third act is about Olive at the pageant. It's a moment in the film where it tests the sense of hopelessness of the family and what they might face as Olive is clearly the underdog against a bunch of young, sexualized girls in the pageant.

Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris help create that spontaneity of the road film by adding a lot of situations like a family pushing the van while running after it to get in or the repeated honks of it. They also give each character something to do while dealing with their own situations as when they together, it works. When it comes to the comedy, it's very natural and often deadpan from the likes of Carrell and Dano who play the more miserable personalities dealing with their own situations. Then when the third act comes for the world of young little beauty pageants. It shows a world that can be very discomforting, even with the recent event concerning the Jon Benet murder 10 years ago. Still, Dayton & Faris don't exactly make fun of it nor take it totally serious as they show what it is and how people react to it. Overall, they created a wonderfully funny, heartfelt film that brings in a lot of caring moments and huge laughs.

Helping out Dayton/Faris in their visual presentation is cinematographer Tim Suhrstedt whose color schemes of yellow highlight the American Southwest of its vast deserts while the interiors have some nice, grainy shades of blue as the film is wonderfully shot to convey the vastness of the road. Production designer Kalina Ivanov along with art director Alan E. Muraoka and set decorator Melissa M. Lavender do great job in capturing the realism of the dysfunctional family home while doing a great job on the design of the pageant in all of its cheesy glory. Costume designer Nancy Steiner does great work in presenting the bland clothing of the adults with the exception of Alan Arkin's character while giving Paul Dano some cool t-shirts to wear while the real standout in the clothing goes to Abigail Breslin from the headbands, the boots, and everything including her costume.

Editor Pamela Martin does some great work in the editing playing to the rhythm of a road film with some jump cuts and perspective cutting to convey what the characters feeling while giving time for a specific scene. Sound editor Stephen P. Robinson and mixer Steven Morrow also do great work in conveying the humor of the film, particularly the honking of the van-bus which makes everything funny. Composer Mychael Danna along with the group Devotchka create a whimsical, offbeat score that also includes music by Sulfjan Steven and some beauty pageant music that is cheesy with the exception of an 80s funk classic.

Finally, there's the film's great cast that includes some funny small performances from Geoff Meed as a biker, Dean Norris as a state trooper, Robert J. Connor as the pageant host, Mary Lynn Rajskub as a pageant official, Julio Oscar Mechoso as a mechanic, and the incomparable Beth Grant in a very funny performance as a pageant official. Other notable minor roles from Bryan Cranston as Richard's agent, Stan Grossman and Justin Shilton as Frank's ex-boyfriend Josh are excellent in their brief appearances to convey the problems for the respective characters of Richard and Frank.

Of the main cast, no one conveys the showiness of comedy better than Alan Arkin as the grandfather. Arkin brings all of the troubling and discomforting innuendos of a drug-addict grandfather who says all the wrong things that disturbs the family while being very supportive of Olive as he teaches her to dance as Arkin brings all the right humor. Paul Dano gives probably his best performance to date as the moody Dwayne where in the film's first half, Dano brings a lot of humor with the things he writes in a notepad while not saying anything. When Dano breaks down, he channels a lot of angst while he has great chemistry with Steve Carell.

Steve Carell proves his comedic genius by going into minimalism as he plays a moody, quiet suicidal professor who brings a lot of funny moments by doing so little and not saying much. Carell, like Bill Murray who was considered for the role, proves that showiness doesn't have to be the only way to be funny as Carell brings a lot of depth to a character who is going through a lot of troubles and frustration as its one of his best performances. Greg Kinnear also proves his brilliance as an actor in comedy and drama as a man filled with irony as someone who talks about winning but is really a total loser. Kinnear brings a lot of struggle and depth to a man who tries his best for his family but ends up saying the wrong things and tries to find ways to do right as Kinnear proves himself to be a very versatile actor.

If Dano and Carell brings misery, Arkin brings misogyny, and Kinnear brings a straightforwardness, Toni Collette is the glue that brings everyone together. The Australian actress who knows how to pull off an American accent is great as the maternal figure of the family who tries to get everyone back on their feet while dealing with frustration of their dysfunctions. Collette also shines in being the normal one of the family as she stands out with her comedic talents and drama as she brings out another great performance. If Collette is the glue that keeps the cast together, it's the young Abigail Breslin who is the heart of the movie. Breslin steals the show as the optimistic Olive whose chance to compete for a beauty pageant comes true. Breslin brings a lot of depth to a young girl wanting to have her family on her side despite their dysfunctions while dealing with her own physical features as it's the family that supports her. Breslin is the real breakthrough as she proves her worth in every scene, especially her dance in the competition as she knocks everyone dead.

Little Miss Sunshine is a phenomenal film from Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris as it features a great cast, an amazing script, and strong themes about family. It's a film that is very accessible to families while not being afraid to say crass language and such that is controversial. Yet, it plays true to what families go through and not matter the obstacles they face. They always come together to beat the odds. In the end, Little Miss Sunshine is a tremendous film from Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris.

Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris Films: Ruby Sparks - Battle of the Sexes (2017 film)

© thevoid99 2014

Argo

Based on the book The Master of Disguise by Tony Mendez and Joshuah Bearman’s article The Great Escape, Argo is the story of a CIA operative who leads a rescue of six American diplomats who are hiding at the home of a Canadian ambassador during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Directed by Ben Affleck and screenplay by Chris Terrio, the film is about how a CIA operative, a Hollywood makeup artist, and a film producer create a fake movie in order to use it as a disguise to get Americans out of Iran during a tumultuous period. Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman. Argo is a thrilling yet engaging film from Ben Affleck.

Set during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 where the people of Iran took over the American embassy and held many Americans hostage for 444 days. The film is about six American diplomats who were able to escape during the fall of the embassy where they hid at the home of the Canadian ambassador. It would take the actions of a CIA operative in Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) who decides to create a fake movie with help of a famed makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and film producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). There, Mendez would create a ruse so that he would get the six Americans out of the country though they’re aware that they’re under surveillance from the Iranian government. It’s a film that plays into this true story that is known as Canadian Caper though there are things that screenwriter Chris Terrio does to play with some of the true events in order to make the story more dramatic.

Despite some of the dramatic liberties that was taken to tell the story, Terrio does manage to make the screenplay not just be some suspense film about getting six Americans out of Iran by having them pretend to be a Canadian film crew. There’s also some humor about how Mendez goes into Hollywood to try and find a story to sell to the Iranian government as if it would be a movie that the country would approve. They would find it in the form of a cheesy sci-fi adventure called Argo where the film’s title would have a certain punch line that is often said “Argo fuck yourself”. It’s among one of the highlights of the film that helps balance a lot of the suspense and intrigue that goes on where the narrative has a straightforward structure where it moves back-and-forth to Mendez’ time in Istanbul and Iran as well as what is happening in Washington D.C.

The script doesn’t just succeed in its narrative and approach to suspense but also in the characters themselves as Tony Mendez is this CIA operative who knows a lot more than some of his superiors about how to get people out as he is also someone with a wife and son whom he doesn’t see often but always talks to. When he presents his ideas to his superiors, they’re skeptical but realize there’s very little options as the people he’s trying to get out of the country are also wary of Mendez’s idea. Even as there’s people in the American embassy trying to find pictures of the missing six through hordes of shredded paper while there’s an Iranian maid named Sahar (Sheila Vand) who is suspicious about them as she works for the Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber). Still, it all plays to the fact that these Americans have to pretend to be Canadians and play that part before the Iranian government find out about their true identities.

Ben Affleck’s direction is quite straightforward for much of the presentation though he opens the film with a comic-book like presentation about Iran’s troubled history with the U.S. that led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution with a mixture of old news footage and pictures of these times. Notably as he also mixes footage of the embassy takeover on that day with what is happening inside as it becomes chaotic as the film then shifts into Mendez coming into the picture when the CIA is running out of options as Affleck maintains something is quite engaging intense where the camera is constantly moving in its tracking and handheld shots to present the CIA in panic mode as they’re trying to figure things out. Affleck does lighten things up for the scenes in Hollywood where he isn’t afraid to add humor and silliness to the story while he creates a very strange montage where it showcases the uprising in Iran with actors reading the script to the fake sci-fi story.

While much of the film is shot in Los Angeles with portions shot in Washington DC and in Istanbul as some of the locations in Los Angeles and Istanbul play the role of Tehran, Iran. Affleck does create some shot-for-shot recreations of some of the events that took place during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 where some of those images are terrifying. Notably as Affleck maintains an air of chills and claustrophobia to a scene where he and the American diplomats step outside to pretend to be the film crew where they nearly get into trouble. It adds to the suspense as well as the scenes that goes on in the American embassy where there’s other hostages as well as moments such as the failed Operation Eagle Claw mission that would complicate things until Mendez makes the decision that would impact everything. Overall, Affleck creates a very gripping yet powerful film about the Canadian Caper story.

Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography where it has an air of grain to create something real but also to add some style in some of the locations such as the scenes in Iran to play up that sense of terror. Editor William Goldenberg does brilliant work with the film‘s editing with its use of montages as well as rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s suspense and terror as well as some of its humorous moments. Production designer Sharon Seymour, with set decorator Jan Pascale and art director Peter Borck, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the embassy and the Canadian ambassador‘s home as well as the look of 1979 Tehran in its air of unrest.

Costume designer Jacqueline West does excellent work with the costumes where it‘s mostly low-key and casual to play up the look of late 1970s while creating some silly costumes for the film‘s sci-fi convention scene. Visual effects supervisors Lubo Hristov and Don Lee do terrific work with some of the visual look in the way Tehran looked from afar as well as some minimal background moments. Sound editors Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn do superb work with the sound such as the film‘s embassy riot scene as well as the sense of terror that occurs with its sound of helicopters and angry crowds to play into that air of unrest. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is phenomenal for its orchestral-driven score to play into the film‘s suspense and drama while infusing it with some Middle Eastern vocal music and such while the film‘s soundtrack by music supervisor Linda Cohen features a lot of the music of that period from acts like the Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, Van Halen, and Led Zeppelin.

The casting by Lora Kennedy is just great for the cast that is assembled as it features some small appearances from Taylor Schilling as Tony’s wife Christine, Page Leong as Ken Taylor’s wife, Adrienne Barbeau as Siegel’s ex-wife, Chris Messina as the CIA official Malinov, Zeljko Ivanek as one of Mendez’s superiors in Robert Pender, Sheila Vand as the Taylors’ maid Sahar, Richard Kind as a Hollywood producer, Kyle Chandler as White House Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan, Bob Gunton as Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and Philip Baker Hall as the CIA head Stansfield Turner. Bryan Cranston is superb as Tony’s main superior Jack O’Donnell who helps ensure the secrecy of the mission as well as be his contact at home. Victor Garber is excellent as Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor who keeps the six Americans at his house while figuring out how to be quietly involved without causing troubles with the Iranians.

In the roles of the six American hostages, there’s Tate Donovan as Robert Anders, Rory Cochrane as Lee Schatz, Scoot McNairy and Kerry Bishe as Joe and Cathy Stafford, and Christopher Denham and Clea DuVall as Mark and Cora Lijek as they all give fantastic performances as six Americans living in terror. Alan Arkin is brilliant as the very engaging producer Lester Siegel who always knows how to talk bullshit to people in order to get what he wants as helps out Mendez. John Goodman is marvelous as the legendary makeup artist John Chambers who helps Mendez get the project started as it’s a performance full of humor and bravado. Finally, there’s Ben Affleck in a remarkable performance as Tony Mendez as a CIA operative who is keen on making sure that he gets the Americans out of Iran while dealing with the chaos in the country as well as the fact that he is also putting his ass on the line as well.

Argo is an incredible film from Ben Affleck about the Canadian Caper rescue. Thanks to a great ensemble cast that includes Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman as well a captivating story about what happened. It is a film that is certainly a small piece of American history that is well-told while giving some credit to what the Canadians did despite some skimming over some details in the true accounts of what happened. In the end, Argo is an extraordinary film from Ben Affleck.

Ben Affleck Films: (Gone Baby Gone) - The Town

© thevoid99 2013

Eros

Eros is an omnibus film from three different filmmakers that explores the world of eroticism in three different continents from its filmmakers Michelangelo Antonioni, Steven Soderbergh, and Wong Kar-Wai. Each segment explores the world of love and sex in various different ways told by these three filmmakers. The result is one of the most fascinating anthology films that features two incredible segments from two of its contributors but also a disappointing one from Michelangelo Antonioni.

The Dangerous Thread of Things

Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. Screenplay by Michelangelo Antonioni and Tonino Guerra from a book by Michelangelo Antonioni. Starring Christopher Buchholz, Regina Nemni, and Luisa Ranieri. Cinematography by Marco Pontecorvo. Edited by Claudio Di Maurio Set design by Stefano Luci. Costume design by Carin Berger. Sound editing by Gianluca Carbonelli. Music by Enrica Antonioni and Vinicio Milani.

The first segment explores a bickering couple (Christopher Bucholz and Regina Nemni) who spend the day together as they deal with their disintegrating relationship as the man later meets a beautiful woman (Luisa Ranieri) whom he wants to have sex with. It’s a segment that is essentially all style but very little substance. While many of the compositions are beautiful and definitely recalls a lot of Antonioni’s great work from the 1960s that includes Marco Pontecorvo‘s lush cinematography and Claudio Di Maurio‘s stylized editing. It feels more like this bad mix of pretentious art-house cinema mixed in with vapid soft-core porn though nothing really wrong with that. Plus, the acting isn’t very inspired while the music is also very off as it adds to the sense of pretentiousness that is rampant in this very terrible short.

Equilibrium

Written, shot, edited, and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Alan Arkin, and Ele Keats. Set design by Philip Messina. Costume designed by Milena Canonero. Sound editing by Larry Blake. Casting by Debra Zane.

The segment revolves a man (Robert Downey Jr.) who talks to his psychiatrist (Alan Arkin) about a recurring fantasy he has with this mysterious woman (Ele Keats) while dealing with the pressure he’s having working as an advertising agent. It’s a film that explores a sense of repression and fantasy where it mixes reality and fiction where the psychiatric sessions are shot in black-and-white while the fantasy scenes are shot in color. It’s filled with many ambiguities about what is real and what is fantasy where it also involves voyeurism as Soderbergh puts bits of humor as the psychiatrist is also a voyeur who is more concerned with what’s outside rather than this man’s problems. With great performances from Robert Downey Jr. and Alan Arkin, the segment is easily the most entertaining.

The Hand

Written and directed by Wong Kar-Wai. Starring Gong Li and Chen Chang. Cinematography by Christopher Doyle. Edited and set/costume designed by William Chang. Sound design by Claude Letessier and Du-Che Tu. Music by Peer Raben.

The third and final segment is about the relationship between a high-class prostitute (Gong Li) and her tailor (Chen Chang) as the tailor makes dresses for her yet keep their relationship professional no matter how troubled she may be and the desires they have for each other. This one is easily the most sensual in not just in its story but also in the performances of Li and Chang as they play into people who care for each other but are separated by circumstances. With its exotic soundtrack filled with old Chinese music and dazzling images courtesy of cinematographer Christopher Doyle and editor/set-costume designer Wiliam Chang. Kar-Wai creates a piece that is just intoxicating to look that is backed up by a very heartbreaking and enthralling story about love.

The film is essentially an exploration into the world of eroticism and how it can delve into the psyche of individuals. With inserted artwork by Lorenzo Mattotti that is filled with these gorgeous images of people making love that comes in between each segment that includes some bossa-nova music in the background. It all reinforce the idea of eroticism as both Steven Soderbergh and Wong Kar-Wai each manage to create interesting takes on eroticism. Soderbergh in a lightly-comedic fashion that is filled with ambiguities while Kar-Wai adds a melancholia to this love story about a tailor and a prostitute. The one person that definitely seems to miss the mark is Michelangelo Antonioni as he seems to want to reach into the great work he did in the 1960s to comment on loneliness and sex but ends up making something that just feels very empty despite the gorgeous visuals he creates.

Eros is an excellent omnibus film thanks in part to the contributions of Steven Soderbergh and Wong Kar-Wai. Fans of the two filmmakers will no doubt enjoy their segments as it represents some of the best work they did. Especially Kar-Wai whose segment is easily the best of the three for his sensitive portrayal on love. The film sadly also features a very disappointing segment from the late Michelangelo Antonioni in one of his final contributions to cinema. In the end, Eros is an extraordinary anthology film that explores the world of eroticism.

Michelangelo Antonioni Films: (Story of a Love Affair) - (I Vinti) - (The Lady Without Camelias) - (Le Amiche) - (Il Grido) - L'Avventura - La Notte - L’Eclisse - Red Desert - Blow-Up - Zabriskie Point - (Chung Kuo, Cina) - The Passenger - (The Mystery of Oberwald) - Identification of a Woman - (Beyond the Clouds)

Steven Sodberbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray’s Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Ocean’s Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean’s Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird) - The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

Wong Kar-Wai Films: As Tears Go By - Days of Being Wild - Chungking Express - Ashes of Time/Ashes of Time Redux - Fallen Angels - Happy Together - In the Mood for Love - 2046 - My Blueberry Nights - The Grandmaster - The Auteurs #28: Wong Kar-Wai

© thevoid99 2013

Your Film Fucking Sucks #2: North

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/17/07 w/ Additional Edits.

The son of comedy actor Carl Reiner and famous for playing Meathead in All in the Family, Rob Reiner came to greater fame as a director for such films like the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap, the college comedy The Sure Thing, the coming-of-age story of Stand By Me, the romantic fantasy of The Princess Bride, the romantic-comedy of When Harry Met Sally, and the intense horror of Misery. From 1984-1990, Reiner was on a winning streak, commercially and critically, with six different films. Then in 1992, Reiner reached a peak creatively with the military courtroom drama A Few Good Men with Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, and Jack Nicholson that gave Reiner a nomination for Best Director. At that point, it seemed like Rob Reiner could do no wrong. In 1994, Reiner returned to comedy to tell a story about a neglected young boy who divorces himself from his parents to find a new family. The idea at first seemed like another surefire hit from Reiner but the resulting film would mark the beginning of the end for Reiner's string of hits.

Written by Alan Zweibel that was based on his novel with scribe credit to Andrew Scheinman, North tells the story of a young boy who after watching his parents argue and neglect them decides to split from them. With help from another kid, a lawyer, and a guide dressed in a bunny suit, the boy goes on a trip around the world to find the perfect family. With Rob Reiner at the helm, it seemed like a movie that would be very funny with then-child star Elijah Wood in the title role. Instead, the film was a disaster of epic proportions. While the film included an all-star cast like Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bruce Willis, Reba McEntire, Dan Aykroyd, Jon Lovitz, Graham Greene, Kathy Bates, Abe Vigoda, Kelly McGillis, Ben Stein, Faith Ford, John Ritter, and in her film debut, Scarlett Johansson. North is an extremely mean, insulting film that looks like a family film but ends up being very vicious.

To the eyes of many in a small town, North is a kid who has it all and is probably one of the best kids around. He's a brilliant, bright student, a great ballplayer, a gifted actor in school plays, and the friends of many. Unfortunately, North doesn't get the attention of his parents (Jason Alexander & Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as they often bicker about their own lives. The arguments and neglect starts to affect North in everything he does as he goes to his secret spot. A large armchair in a mall where he finds himself talking to a man dressed in an Easter Bunny suit (Bruce Willis).  After turning to his friend and school editor Winchell (Matthew McCurley), North is convinced that he's neglected as he decides to split from his parents for good. When Winchell's report attracts the attention of the town including an attorney named Arthur Belt (Jon Lovitz), North's parents are in total shock as a media circus and trial occurs. When the judge (Alan Arkin) decides to give North his freedom until Labor Day. By Labor Day, North had to get either new parents or return to his old parents but if he doesn't, he will be taken to an orphanage.

North takes his trip to find new parents where he arrives in Texas and meets a Texan couple (Dan Aykroyd and Reba McEntire) where he's greeted lavishly. He sees the bunny guy being a farmer as North learns the Texan couple wants him to replace their dead son. North decides to leave where back in his old town, Winchell and Belt decide to make a liberation movement for children with Belt as a political candidate. North goes to Hawaii to meet another new set of parents (Keone Young & Lauren Tom) but finds out that he's being used as a tourism advertisement. North then goes to Alaska for another set of parents (Graham Greene & Kathy Bates) where things go fine until they decide to drop off North's new grandfather (Abe Vigoda) away for good. With Winchell trying to take control, North's parents recover from their state of shock but unaware of what Winchell and Belt are trying to do.

After a group of searches all over the world including a visit to an Amish land with parents (Kelly McGillis & Alexander Godunov) as it doesn't go well. North finally finds the perfect family in the Nelsons with a nice group of parents in Ward & Donna Nelson (John Ritter & Faith Ford, respectively) and siblings Bud & Laura (Jesse Ziegler & Scarlett Johansson, respectively). Things at first go great but when North receives an edited tape of an interview with his real parents, North is disillusioned and sad as he leaves the Nelsons. When Winchell learns that North hasn't found a family and threatens to kill the kids liberation law. When North is being hunted by a Winchell's security guard Al (Robert Costanzo), North finds out the truth and gets guidance from the man in bunny suit being a comedian and a Fed Ex driver.

While the film and its plot tells a simple story of a kid wanting to split with his parents and then, goes into a moral judgement. The pay off and final result however, is a total mess. Instead of being this warm, life-lesson family film. It ends up being a film where it starts out pleasant yet very silly into something darker and suspenseful that doesn't work. Obviously, Rob Reiner has no idea what he wants to make. A funny family film, a satire, a thriller, a drama. There, the audience is confused and being insulted by everything that's shown towards them. The film does lean towards sentimentality towards the end when North decides to return to his parents but there's no payoff. The ending ends up making the entire film a waste of time.

The script fails to not even present some moral lesson but also create characters that are very one-dimensional with very little development. Plus, some of the families that North sees end up being displayed as stereotypes. The narration even becomes distracting to let the audience make up their mind and interpretation of what goes on. While the character of North is interesting who goes through the most serious of development, the character ends up being lost in the situations he's in and the result isn't rewarding or fulfilling to him or the actual story. Much of the blame should go to Reiner for really making a family film that tries to pander down to its audience with its bland, manipulative style that only becomes a parody of a bad sitcom.

Not even the film's technical work in Adam Greenberg's cinematography or Robert Leighton's editing should be worth noting since there's nothing unique. Even the score by Marc Shaiman isn't memorable where it just plays up to the lame, sentimental tone of the film. This is part of the film's big failure. Even its casting filled with some great talents being wasted in the roles they're given. They're not given a chance to play real people but rather awful caricatures. The performance Alan Arkin gives as a judge is pretty bad. Arkin, a very talented actor, looks like he went through a bunch of takes and looks very haggard during the performance where he's not even sure why he's even in the film. The roles of the adoptive parents like Dan Aykroyd, Reba McEntire, Keone Young, Lauren Tom, Graham Greene, and Kathy Bates aren't given any material and end up being pandered down to the stereotypes they play.

The cameos from Alexander Godunov and Kelly McGillis playing the Amish from Peter Weir's Witness is very silly and pointless as well as a reference to Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor in another sequence. The late John Ritter and Faith Ford as the perfect model of the typical American parents doesn't have any amount of life. They just smile and act really bland which is a waste for a real comedic talent like Ritter. Even the Nelson kids played by Jesse Ziegler and Scarlett Johansson don't add anything. Still, that's not Johansson's fault. She was only eight-years old in her first movie. She was cute but still had a long way to go in being the famous star we all know. Jussie Smollett in the role of North's friend Adam is very awkwardly performed where he has to play spy and such and doesn't feel natural. Jon Lovitz is largely wasted along with Robert Costanzo in a very stereotypical role as a security hitman. Oh, there's also a worthless cameo from Rita Wilson as a parent who fawns over North.

Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Seinfeld are forced to play caricatures where they're not given a chance to be funny or real. Even in their attempts to gain sympathy feels contrived and bland which is a shame to the comedic talents. One of the film's worst performances is Matthew McCurley as Winchell. It's a very unnatural performance of this smarmy, little kid who looks like the poor man's Macaulay Culkin (well him and that other little bastard from Full House). McCurley tries to act like some adult that doesn't work and as a villain, it's very cartoonish. Bruce Willis is also in a very bad performance (he's done worse though) as a guy dressed up as an Easter Bunny, no wait, a cowboy, no an eskimo, no a surfer, comedian, Fed Ex guy. Willis acts some strange guardian angel/moral guide that feels very out of place and his narration doesn't even have any life.

Finally, there's Elijah Wood in what has to be one of his worst performances. It's a shame since Wood at the time was a brilliant, gifted child actor. Here, he is forced to try and be funny, be dramatic and it doesn't come off in a way that is relatable to kids. It feels very detached and awkward. The blame isn't entirely Wood's fault but Reiner's direction as he doesn't give Wood anything to do. Wood is forced to observe every situation he's in and it looks like he's overwhelmed to the point that he doesn't know where to take his character. It should also be noted that Wood was 12-13 during filming and was definitely starting to grow out of his adolescent phase which can explain the sense of detachment in his performance.

When the film was released in the summer of 1994, the film was expected to do well with Reiner's box office and critical winning streak along with Elijah Wood's young fanbase. Instead, the film bombed in the box office while also receiving negative reviews. Making things worse was probably one of the most notorious film reviews ever written from the famed Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert. Ebert not only bashed the film but it was in this review, he would state probably one of the most infamous statements:

I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it.

The review and its failure in the box office marked the beginning of the end for Reiner. Though he did recover briefly with The American President starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. His subsequent films, Ghosts of Mississippi, The Story of Us, Alex & Emma, and 2005's Rumor Has It... were all critical and commercial failures.

For anyone who enjoys family films should stay away from North. The film's message is pretty bad while it also features some coarse language that should a no-no for kids. Fans of Rob Reiner will no doubt hate this film and are convinced that this was the movie where he jumped the shark. So in the end, stay away from North. It's not entertaining, it's not very intelligent. It's a film that will make you angry like Roger Ebert himself. Oh, and the late Gene Siskel thought it sucked too.  He called it junk.  He and Ebert weren't being kind.  After all, North is a piece of shit film that will make anyone hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate this movie and the man who made this in Rob Reiner.

Rob Reiner Films: This is Spinal Tap - (The Sure Thing) - (Stand By Me) - The Princess Bride - (When Harry Met Sally) - (Misery) - (A Few Good Men) - (The American President) - (Ghosts of Mississippi) - (The Story of Us) - (Alex & Emma) - (Rumor Has It...) - (The Bucket List) - (Flipped) - (The Magic of Belle Isle)

© thevoid99 2012

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Written and directed by Rebecca Miller, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is the story of a housewife whose perfect life starts to unravel by her memories of the past as she would befriend a man dealing with his own issues. The film explores the life of a woman as she tries to come to terms with her past as her seemingly perfect marriage and life starts to wind down. Starring Robin Wright, Alan Arkin, Maria Bello, Keanu Reeves, Monica Bellucci, Blake Lively, Julianne Moore, Zoe Kazan, Ryan McDonald, and Winona Ryder. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is an engaging although messy film from Rebecca Miller.

Pippa Lee (Robin Wright) is the housewife of publisher Herb Lee (Alan Arkin) as they had just moved to a small town in Connecticut as they celebrate with friend Sam Shapiro (Mike Binder) and his wife Sandra (Winona Ryder). Just as Pippa seems to enjoy her role as a housewife taking care of Herb, things start to unravel by the messes she sees in her home thinking Herb caused all of it. Instead, Pippa traces back to her life as a child where her mother Suky (Maria Bello) was a crazed woman with a troubled amphetamine addiction that eventually took its toll by the time the teenaged Pippa (Blake Lively) decided to leave home. Living with her lesbian aunt Trish (Robin Weigter), she briefly becomes a model for Trish’s photographer girlfriend Kat (Julianne Moore) that featured Pippa in racy positions.

After being kicked out by Trish, Pippa would wander around New York City for a few years until she attends a party with some friends where she would meet Herb. Though Herb is married to a beautiful Italian woman named Gigi (Monica Bellucci), the two hit it off as Pippa finds someone in Herb she can be loyal to as they would later have two kids. Years later as the two live a comfortable life, Pippa’s persona starts to unravel after discovering who has been making a mess in her home. Meanwhile, her neighbor’s son Chris (Keanu Reeves) has just move in as the two become friends as he wonders about her behavior. Realizing she’s starting to have a nervous breakdown, Pippa decides to take control only to discover that not everything around her is going well at all.

The film is an exploration of a woman recalling her past just as her life as a helpful housewife starts to come undone through secrets and the fear that she might become her mother. Throughout her journey, this woman would endure the troubled chaos of her neurotic mother as well as trying to find a place where she can feel like she’s at home. Though things seem fine once she meets this much older gentleman, a breakdown gives in as she finds a friend in a man that has his own problems with the world. It’s a story that is engrossing in the exploration of a woman who would later unravel by the events of her past. It’s just that Rebecca Miller draws it out too much to the point that the story becomes a total mess.

Miller’s approach to the screenplay, that is based on her own book, is creating a narrative that moves back and forth that features a reflective narration told through Pippa’s perspective. While the narrative device is effective, it tends to linger too long on the segments of Pippa’s past where Pippa is trying to figure out what happens. While there’s a lot of interesting moments, the moments where Miller tries to infuse humor in these stories feels forced and out-of-place with the story. The segment of Pippa in the present time is a bit more interesting in the way Miller tries to figure out how she’s breaking down while making some discoveries about herself and her life as a friend of hers is also starting to unravel. It’s an intriguing story but doesn’t do enough to create a narrative that isn’t all over the place.

Miller’s direction is pretty stylish in the way she presents a lot of the film’s different period settings. Notably the scenes in the 1960s and 1970s to explore the young Pippa’s life as there’s a sense of style where things feel a bit exaggerated and quirky. By the time the story moves into the 1980s, style is still evident but becomes more restrained once Pippa’s life starts to become less crazy as she would become an adult. The compositions become more straightforward and also claustrophobic as it’s Miller wanting to emphasize the world where Pippa starts to lose control. A lot of it works though there’s scenes of fantasy where it doesn’t fit in with that portion of the film. Despite some wonderful moments in underplaying the drama and framing the actors to play out what’s happening. Miller’s film unfortunately falls short due to its emphasis to its uneven story and its attempts to draw out this woman’s trouble life into something grander.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does excellent work with the film‘s very vibrant and colorful cinematography for the scenes in the 1960s and 1970s while utilizing more straightforward palettes for the scenes of the 1980s and present scenes despite the exaggerated fantasy scenes in the present segment. Editor Sabine Hoffman does superb work with the editing to play with the film‘s structure and create unique montages for Kat‘s photo material that the young Pippa takes part of. Production designer Michael Shaw and set decorator Cherish Magennis do great work with the set pieces created to emphasize the different places and periods that Pippa would encounter to play up her evolution.

Costume designer Jennifer von Mayrhauser does a wonderful job with the costumes that also plays up the different periods for Pippa in her evolution from more stylish clothes of the 70s and 80s to more casual clothes in the present. Sound editor Sarah Gaines does nice work with the sound to play up the party scenes that Pippa explores early to the more sparse intimacy of her time with Chris. The film’s music score by Michael Rohatyn is a pretty good for its low-key string orchestra and somber pieces to play up the drama in the film. Music supervisor Linda Cohen creates a soundtrack that is a mixture of music from pop and folk along with cuts by Dusty Springfield, Lucinda Williams, and a couple of ambient pieces from Brian Eno.

The casting by Cindy Tolan is terrific for the ensemble that is created as it would include small roles from Ryan McDonald and Zoe Kazan as Herb and Pippa’s adult children in Ben and Grace, respectively, along with Shirley Knight as Chris’ mother Dot, Robin Weigert as Pippa’s aunt Trish, Julianne Moore as Trish’s photographer girlfriend Kat, and Madeline McNulty as the 7-year old Pippa. Other notable small roles include Mike Binder as Herb’s writer friend Sam who has feelings for Pippa as well as Monica Bellucci as Herb’s vibrant Italian wife Gigi. Maria Bello is alright as Pippa’s mother Suky in the way she expresses a woman who is at the grips of addiction though Bello tends to overact some of the film’s emotional moments by going over the top. Winona Ryder is very good as Sam’s wife Sandra who is trying to deal with her failing marriage as she starts to break down and go to Pippa for help.

Blake Lively is really good as the young Pippa as a young woman trying to deal with her troubled life while finding solace in Herb. Keanu Reeves is superb as the very quiet Chris who becomes Pippa’s friend by helping her deal with her impending breakdown. Alan Arkin is excellent as Pippa’s husband Herb who tries to deal with her unraveling while is shown to be a very tender man who cares for Pippa in her evolution. Finally, there’s Robin Wright as the adult Pippa Lee as Wright gives an entrancing performance as a woman seemingly lost in her troubled state. Notably as Wright starts off as this calm and kind woman who slowly starts to lose herself as she tries to come to terms with everything around her.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is a decent but very uneven film from Rebecca Miller despite a great lead performance from Robin Wright. Despite an interesting premise and a superb supporting cast, it’s a film that falls flat due to a script that tries to do a lot and leave very little. Particularly as its exploration of a woman unraveling could’ve been very interesting but gets lost due to its over-stylized approach to the story. In the end, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is a disappointing film from Rebecca Miller.

Rebecca Miller Films: (Angela) - Personal Velocity: Three Portraits - The Ballad of Jack & Rose - Maggie's Plan - Arthur Miller: Writer

© thevoid99 2012