Ready or Not

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, Ready or Not is the story of a newlywed bride whose wedding night ends up being a hunting game where she is being pursued by her new spouse’s family for a satanic ritual. The film is a horror-comedy where a young woman who is supposed to celebrate her nuptials as she forces to defend herself against her new family who are eager to kill her. Starring Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, and Andie MacDowell. Ready or Not is a thrilling yet whimsical film from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

The film revolves around the aftermath of a wedding ceremony where the bride meets with her new in-laws as they play a game of hide-and-seek where the bride realizes that she’s the target for a satanic ritual where their survival is at stake. It’s a film with a simple premise where a woman marries a man who hadn’t seen or been with his family for years but is forced to watch his new bride being chased by his family in this twisted game of hide and seek. The film’s screenplay by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy play into this ritual of this family that is famous for creating board games that has given them an empire. Yet, they made a deal with a mysterious figure named Le Bail as it play into people who would enter this family as the bride Grace (Samara Weaving) picks a mysterious card where the game she and her new family will play is hide and seek. What she didn’t expect that it would be a deadly game that the family had been waiting for to fulfill a debt to Le Bail.

The film’s direction by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett does have moments of style yet much of the film takes place in one entire location which is this family’s estate and is told in the span of more than 12 hours where much of it is set at night. Shot on location around areas near Toronto, the film does maintain this air of intrigue of what is at stake for this family as Grace tries to hide from her new family while her husband Alex (Mark O’Brien) does what he can to help her hide but he’s already in trouble due to him being away from the family for years. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett do have some unique compositions they create in terms of their approach to suspense and dark humor as there’s some wide shots to establish some of the locations and rooms inside the mansion while much of the direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots for reactions and conversations between characters.

The direction also this element of dark humor as it relates to the body count where there are maids and staff at the house who are killed comically often by Alex’s cocaine-addicted sister Emilie (Melanie Scrofano) while there’s a scene where her dim-witted husband Fitch (Kristian Bruun) is watching from his phone in learning how to use a crossbow. It’s among these quirks that keep the film going while also maintaining in what is at stake as well as the fact that there’s already discord among the family as Alex’s older brother Daniel (Adam Brody) would bump into Grace as he’s become jaded by what he has to do as it relates to the film’s opening scene that has him witnessing the same event when he was a kid. The film’s climax relates to the ceremony and Grace’s own discovery of what will happen to her as she knows she has to fight back but also realize that it’s all about the stakes for her new family and the role that she has to play. Overall, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett craft an exhilarating and whimsical film about a bride participating in a deadly game of hide-and-seek with her new family who are eager to kill her.

Cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it emphasizes largely on low-key lighting and candle-lights for many of the interior scenes in the mansion as well as the exterior scenes as the usage of stylish low-lighting and flash lights add to the film’s atmosphere. Editor Terel Gibson does excellent work with the editing as it has some style in its rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and dramas while keeping everything else straightforward. Production designer Andrew M. Stearn and set decorator Mike Leandro do amazing work with the look of the interiors of the rooms and hallways that play into this eerie and odd atmosphere that is the house. Costume designer Avery Plewes does fantastic work with the costumes with everyone wearing suits and glamourous dresses including the bridal gown that Grace wears.

Makeup artist Claudia Gedge and hair stylist Nathan Rival, along with prosthetics effects designer Steve Newburn, do superb work with the look of some of the bodies as well as the wounds that are shown throughout the film. Special effects supervisor Daniel Betti and visual effects supervisor Rickey Verma do terrific work with the effects in some of the action and stunt work with Verma providing a few touches for set-dressing and gore design. Sound designer Adam Stein does incredible work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as some of the sparse sounds inside the house. The film’s music by Brian Tyler is wonderful for its low-key orchestral score that help play into the suspense with heavy string arrangements as well as a few upbeat places for its darkly comic tone while its music soundtrack feature some classical music from Richard Wagner, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Ludwig Van Beethoven as well as offbeat pieces ranging from old standards to strange renditions of Elvis Presley’s Love Me Tender.

The casting by John Buchan, Jason Knight, and Yesi Ramirez is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from the trio of Hanneke Talbot, Celine Tsai, and Daniela Barbosa as the maids who wear skinny black dresses, Andrew Anthony as a man killed early in the film, Liam McDonald and Ethan Tavares in their respective roles as Fitch and Emilie’s sons in Georgie and Gabe, John Ralston as the family’s opera-loving butler Stevens, Elana Dunkleman as the young Helene, Kate Ziegler as the young Becky, and Nicky Guadagni as Aunt Helene as the one family member that is eager to kill Grace as she wants to do the task to stay alive by any means necessary. Kristian Bruun is superb as Emilie’s dim-witted husband Fitch who is a bit reluctant to take part in the game but knows what is at stake. Melanie Scrofano is fantastic as Emilie as Daniel and Alex’s sister and Fitch’s wife who is addicted to cocaine as she tries to hunt Grace but often fails by killing someone else in a comical manner. Elyse Levesque is excellent as Daniel’s cold wife Charity who is eager to kill Grace as well as she is someone who really doesn’t give a shit as she just wants to live and be part of the family for money. Henry Czerny is brilliant as the family patriarch Tony Le Domas as the man who organizes the game as well as trying to ensure that everyone follows the rule for their own survival.

Andie MacDowell is amazing as Becky Le Domas as Tony’s wife who is aware of what is at stake though she is sympathetic to what Daniel and Alex are feeling as she does like Grace as there’s a warmth to her character but also a dark sense of humor that makes MacDowell a joy to watch. Mark O’Brien is remarkable as Alex as second eldest brother of the Le Domas family who marries Grace as he tries to protect her while is forced to deal with questions on why he left the family as his father claims that he to carry on the role since his brother is unlikely to do so. Adam Brody is incredible as Daniel as the eldest son as he is someone that is the most reluctant to take part in the game owing to trauma he encountered as a child while being the only other person to help Grace anyway he can. Finally, there’s Samara Weaving in a phenomenal performance as Grace as a new bride who takes part in a game of hide-and-seek unaware that she’s playing the role of a sacrificial lamb where Weaving brings a lot of wit to her role but also someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to survive as it is top-notch performance from her.

Ready or Not is an incredible film from Matt Bettenelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a witty premise, a nice mixture of laughs and terror, and an atmospheric yet eerie setting. The film is a horror-comedy that manages to make a simple game of hide-and-seek and turn into something deadly yet fun. In the end, Ready or Not is a phenomenal film from Matt Bettenelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

© thevoid99 2020

Magic Mike XXL

Directed by Gregory Jacobs and written by Reid Carolin, Magic Mike XXL is the sequel to 2012’s Magic Mike in which a former male stripper reunites with old friends for a stripping convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as he copes with some of the choices he’s made as well as helping out his old friends. The film is partially a road trip but also an exploration into debauchery and camaraderie between men trying to take the next step of their lives. Starring Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Matt Bomer, Gabriel Iglesias, Amber Heard, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Elizabeth Banks. Magic Mike XXL is an entertaining and wild film from Gregory Jacobs.

Set three years after the events of the first film, the film revolves around a former male stripper who is trying to run his own furniture business as he is coaxed to reunite with his fellow strippers who have been let go by their boss as they want to go on one last hurrah at a convention in Myrtle Beach. It’s a film that explores a man trying to be an adult as he reluctantly returns to what made him a big deal as well as a lot of money where he also realizes he has to smooth out issues he has with his former friends in order to do this. At the same time, the journey would force Mike (Channing Tatum) and his friends to think of new ideas for their show as they would turn to an old friend of Mike’s for help for the show in Myrtle Beach.

Reid Carolin’s script doesn’t just explore Mike’s reluctance to return to stripping but also the friends he had left behind as they’re all struggling to figure out what to do after this road trip. Especially as they also deal with the fact that their boss Dallas had abandoned them and never really give them anything to do creatively as entertainers. The script also reveals Mike’s own struggles to keep his business afloat as well as his own personal setback in his life where he rallies his buddies to really go out on one last hurrah. All of which is told in a traditional three-act structure where the first act is about Mike joining the boys on the road while the second act largely consists of him meeting his old friend/boss in Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith) and entertain some housewives. The third act is set in Myrtle Beach where it is the film’s climax where Mike, the Kings of Tampa, and a couple of Rome’s boys would create the ultimate show.

Gregory Jacobs’ direction is quite simple while it also has a flair for style in the way many of the stripping performances and staging are presented. Shot on location in Tampa as well as parts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and its climax at Myrtle Beach. Jacobs does create moments that are simple in its approach to the compositions while displaying a flair for style in a few tracking shots and some long shots. Even as he maintains an intimacy in the medium shots and close-ups for Mike’s solo dance early in the film as well as very enjoyable moment when Richie (Joe Manganiello) does an impromptu dance at a convenience store. The latter of which is a key plot-point that would serve as a major catalyst for what Mike and the boys want to do as entertainers as it has an element of liveliness in the direction. Jacobs would also use a few wide shots to establish some of the locations along with some of the large group conversations as it plays into this world of debauchery and excess. The film’s climax at the convention doesn’t just have this air of excitement but also displays different styles of performances as it has an air of class but also raunchiness that is about making women happy. Overall, Jacobs creates a fun and exhilarating film about male strippers going to a convention for one last show.

Cinematographer/editor Steven Soderbergh does brilliant work with both the film‘s cinematography and editing where he infuses a lot of unique visual styles in the lighting for the scenes at night in the former in his Peter Andrews alias while doing a lot of stylish cutting with its jump-cuts and some straightforward cuts in his Mary Ann Bernard alias. Production designer Howard Cummings, with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director Eric R. Johnson, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Rome lives and works at as well as the staging on the convention. Costume designer Christopher Peterson does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of the clothes the guys would wear for the ultimate show.

Visual effects supervisor John Bair does terrific work with some of the minimal visual effects as it relates to the ending but also a few moments of set dressing. Sound editor Larry Blake is superb for the natural approach to the sound in how music is heard as well as the reaction of the crowd at the convention. Music supervisor Season Kent does amazing work with the film’s soundtrack with its mix of pop, R&B, electronic music, rock, and dance as it plays into the kind of stuff the guys strip to as it is a plethora of music from Ginuwine, 112, 50 Cent, Bruno Mars, Nine Inch Nails, the Backstreet Boys, D’Angelo, Ozzy Osbourne, Donna Summer, R. Kelly, Jodeci, and many others.

The casting by Carmen Cuba is great as it features some notable small roles from Michael Strahan as a stripper at Rome’s house, Stephen “tWitch” Boss as another stripper of Rome’s that would do his performance with Mike, and Donald Glover as another stripper of Rome’s club as he is also a singer that befriends Ken. Amber Heard is wonderful as a photographer named Zoe that Mike would run into often as they become friends as she would attend the convention out of curiosity. Andie MacDowell is terrific as Nancy as a housewife who lets Mike and the guys stay at her place as she has a great interest towards Richie. Elizabeth Banks is amazing as Paris as the convention’s organizer who knows Mike as she isn’t sure if she can get a spot for him and his friends only to reunite with an old friend she loves. Jada Pinkett Smith is fantastic as Rome as an old friend/boss of Mike who still has some resentment about how Mike left her as she is reluctant to help him and his friends.

Kevin Nash is excellent as Tarzan as the big and muscular guy who is also very good at making art as he is the one who missed Mike the most as he is happy Mike came along for the trip. Gabriel Iglesias is superb as Tobias as the gang’s DJ/MC who is trying to start a yogurt business with Tito as he would get sick early in the film forcing him to not join the boys for the rest of the trip. Adam Rodriguez is brilliant as Tito as the stripper who wants to create yogurt that is healthy as he turns to Mike for business advice. Matt Bomer is marvelous as Ken as the model who has some issues with Mike as he tries to maintain a positive attitude as he eventually turns to Mike about getting help for his acting career. Joe Manganiello is incredible as Richie as the guy with the big dick who is more uncertain about what to do after the gig as well as realizing he’s got a lot more to offer where Manganiello displays a lot of charisma to his role. Finally, there’s Channing Tatum in an incredible performance as Magic Mike as a former stripper who is coaxed to get back in the game as he smooth out some issues he has with friends as well as deal with the fact that he is who he is and be able to accept that.

Magic Mike XXL is a marvelous film from Gregory Jacobs. Featuring a great cast led by Channing Tatum, some wild and entertaining moments, and a fun soundtrack. It’s a film that is all about having a good time and guys taking off their clothes to entertain the ladies. In the end, Magic Mike XXL is an awesome film from Gregory Jacobs.

Related: Magic Mike

© thevoid99 2016

sex, lies, & videotape

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/20/05 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions

Though the world of independent films had been around for many years, it wasn't until the 80s is when there was really a new crop of young filmmakers who were making films that had something a small group of people can relate to that either can feature any kind of political or social commentary. While there were a notable few independent films in the 80s that did score commercial success, it was only for a brief period. Directors like Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, John Sayles, Joel & Ethan Coen, Sam Raimi, and Gus Van Sant were making little films that relied on any kind of realism, even if it was offbeat and entertaining. Throughout that decade, there was the U.S. Film Festival that showed many of these new films and up-and-coming filmmakers and then, in 1989, everything changed all because of one little low-budget film that wouldn't just surprise the independent film world but would mark the new independent film revolution of the 1990s. That film was 1989's sex, lies, and videotape by Steven Soderbergh.

Born in Atlanta, GA in 1963, Soderbergh was just an up-and-coming filmmaker who made short films and did work on a concert film for the British prog-rock band Yes. Soderbergh was also crafting scripts for himself while trying to find money to fund his debut film, sex, lies, & videotape. The film was an exploration on sex as an impotent man visits an old college buddy, who is secretly having an affair with his wife's sister while his wife doesn't seem interested in sex at all. Set in the rural South, Soderbergh chooses a low-key world that is a complete contrast to what many films were looking like at the time. Starring James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, and Laura San Giacomo, sex, lies, & videotape is a true landmark film that would break American independent cinema to the mainstream.

Ann (Andie MacDowell) is a housewife from Baton Rouge who doesn't feel comfortable around her husband John (Peter Gallagher) when it comes to sex. While her therapist (Ron Vawter) tries to help her over her disinterest towards sex, Ann is more bothered by the arrival of John's old college friend Graham (James Spader) who is visiting. Instead, Graham is everything Ann didn't expect as they befriend each other though John is bothered by Graham's introverted persona. While Ann helps Graham find a house to live in, John fulfills his sexual frustrations by having an affair with Ann's younger sister Cynthia (Laura San Giacomo), who is an artist.

Intrigued by Graham's confession that he's impotent and his disinterest towards physical sex, Ann helps him with finding a house while learning about a project he's doing where women talk about sex. Though Ann is freaked out by Graham's videotape project, she tells Cynthia about Graham as she makes a visit to his house and take part in the project. The result gives Cynthia more fulfillment much to John's frustration as she turns to Ann more about the experience leaving Ann to think that something is up with John's behavior. Ann turns to Graham where she takes part in his project leaving John baffled as his affair with Cynthia sours. John finds out about Graham's project leaving everyone wondering about the idea of sex.

While the movie is a sex film, it's an unconventional sex film since the film features no nudity but suggests the idea of nudity. The genius of the film is Steven Soderbergh who chooses to explore sex through characters who are often alienated by it or those who live it. In many ways, this film at that time shows an awareness of how in the era of AIDS, talking about sex has become more interesting than actually doing it. It's a very provocative piece as Soderbergh plays voyeur in exposing the lives of its central characters where their development shows how sex changes them. With a script that he wrote in two weeks, Soderbergh reveals the damage and openness of what sex does by giving the late 20-something and 30-year olds something that they can identify with. Another genius idea in Soderbergh's script is the dialogue which can come off as frank and humorous but the stuff that comes is very real and shows how awkward people can be when it comes to sex.

Soderbergh shows not just his strength in the writing but also in his unconventional style of directing. While there are the traditional zoom shots and camera angles, his approach is more to capture the emotions and trouble of the characters, especially a great zooming close-up of Laura San Giacomo having an orgasm after her meeting with Graham. Using the limits of $1.8 million budget that he had, Soderbergh doesn't give the film not just a nice, low budget feel but his approach of using real places, real office and locations gives the film a sense of freedom by shooting it in Louisiana instead of somewhere like Los Angeles.

Soderbergh's direction is complemented by the wonderfully grainy cinematography of Walt Lloyd who chooses to give the film a natural, grainy look of Baton Rouge suburbia without any sense of gloss or flashy lighting schemes. Even the look of the interior scenes from art director Joanne Schmidt and James Spader's then-wife/set designer Victoria Spader gives many of the film's interior look some nice, arty paintings for San Giacomo's characters and an array of plants. That look with James Ryder's costumes gives the film a very realistic feel. With Soderbergh doing the editing himself, he makes sure the film is nicely paced without being too slow in its 100-minute presentation. Giving the film a moody feel is former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Cliff Martinez who presents a haunting score to convey the isolation that surrounds both Ann and Graham.

With some nice small performances from Ron Vawter as Ann’s therapist and Steven Brill as the comical barfly in the bar that Cynthia works, the film really focuses on its four main characters. Then-newcomer Laura San Giacomo gives an amazing, outgoing performance as Cynthia with her in-your-face attitude and frank talk about sex as Giacomo makes more than just a sexy young woman. Giacomo gives her intelligence and depth where she can stand up to the more introverted MacDowell while her character later develops into a woman who understands more about the pleasure of not just sex itself but talking about it. Peter Gallagher is the more traditional character as the self-centered, egomaniacal, yuppie lawyer. Gallagher shows his sexual frustration that can be understandable but doesn't make his character sympathetic by making John a guy who is really a jerk. When he sees the tape of Ann/Graham, we see Gallagher’s character fall apart as what he was in the beginning begins to crumble in a masterfully, executed performance.

While Andie MacDowell is not everyone's favorite actress, it's her performance in this film that shows why she's still working. MacDowell gives a naturally innocent performance early on in the film as this shy, timid woman with no interest for sex but as the character develops, we see more. MacDowell gives probably her best performance yet by making this woman confront her own ideas and thoughts on sex and marriage while seeing all the lies that she's surrounded by as she just goes out there.

The film's best performance easily goes to James Spader in what is probably at the time, his most complex and troubling performance to date. Prior to this film, Spader has been known as either a jerk in films like Endless Love, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero. Here, Spader gives out his real breakthrough as Graham with his quiet, sensitive portrayal of a troubled man trying to discover himself through women talking about sex. Spader brings in great restraint and compassion as he carries great chemistry with MacDowell. In comparison to his other landmark indie-sex film characters like the sex-destruction obsessed James Ballard in David Cronenberg's Crash and the cold, compulsive E. Edward Grey in Steven Shainberg's Secretary, Graham is more interesting since he's trying to find an outlet for his sexual impotence from a human and emotional standpoint away from the lies that he lived in the past.

sex, lies, & videotape is a compelling yet entrancing adult drama from Steven Soderbergh. Audiences wanting a film that is very engaging about the idea of sex will see this as an engrossing and provocative piece that allows people to be engaged by its joys and flaws. For people interested in the work of Steven Soderbergh, this is definitely one of his best films and a great place to start with. In the end, sex, lies, & videotape is a superb film from Steven Soderbergh and company.

Steven Soderbergh Films: 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) - Eros-Equilibrium - 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

© thevoid99 2011