The Good Dinosaur

Directed by Peter Sohn and screenplay by Meg LaFauve from a screen story by Sohn, LaFauve, Bob Peterson, Erick Benson, and Kelsey Mann from an idea by Bob Peterson (with additional material by Peter Hedges and Adrian Molina), The Good Dinosaur is the story of a dinosaur who meets a young cave boy as they travel through mysterious landscapes so they can return home. The film is set in an alternate universe where dinosaurs aren’t extinct as it play into a dinosaur coming of age while helping a young cave boy. Featuring the voices of Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley, Steve Zahn, Jeffrey Wright, and Frances McDormand. The Good Dinosaur is a wondrous and majestic film from Peter Sohn and Pixar Animation Studios.

Set some million years after an asteroid had missed hitting planet Earth that would’ve caused the extinction of dinosaurs, the film revolves around a young Apatosaurus who is consumed by fear for much of his life as he falls down a river only to saved and protected by a young cave boy as they make a journey to return home. It’s a film that is a simple story of a young dinosaur trying to conquer through his fear as well as the fact that it’s about a dinosaur trying to make his own mark with a family of Apatosaurus creatures who are essentially farmers. For the young Arlo (Raymond Ochoa), he is trying to find his place as a farmer but when meeting this cave boy that he would eventually call Spot (Jack Bright. Arlo would eventually go into an adventure where he would meet other dinosaurs as it would play into his development from a young scared dinosaur to someone who would learn about being brave but also realize that it is OK to be scared.

Peter Sohn’s direction is truly mesmerizing for the way he presents the world that is evolving yet kind of peaceful as it’s really just dinosaurs living their lives as the family that Arlo is part of. The film opens with the shot of planet Earth as it was back in the days when dinosaurs as an asteroid is about to enter the Earth’s atmosphere only to pass by it as the dinosaurs get a glimpse and continue to do what they do. Sohn’s usage of the wide and medium shots showcases a world that is quite beautiful as well as have something that is quite prosperous in what Arlo’s family does as farmers. There is something that is light-hearted and comedic in the first act in what Sohn does but when the second act begins where Arlo has to go into his own journey when chasing Spot over a handmade silo that his father had built had been opened. The film becomes not just an adventure story but also a coming-of-age story where Arlo has to contend with his surroundings but with the help of Spot.

With the aid of cinema Sharon Calahan and Mahyar Abousaeedi and production designer Harley Jessup, the film has a very evocative look into the way the many locations look like as well as in their lighting. Notably in scenes where Arlo’s father (Jeffrey Wright) shows him the beauty of overcoming one’s fear through fireflies as it is one of these little moments that are touching. Sohn would also create sequences that are rich in its imagery that include a sequence where Arlo and Spot meet a trio of Tyrannosaurus Rexes as has this great depth of field into the landscape as it is also a character-changing moment for Arlo. Especially in what he would have to do to show who he is and what he can do to show that he can no longer be afraid. Overall, Sohn crafts an exhilarating yet heartwarming film about a young dinosaur overcoming his fear to help a young cave boy.

Editor Stephen Schaffer does excellent work with the editing as it feature some unique rhythmic cuts to play into some of the suspense and adventure as well as in some of the drama. Sound designer Craig Berkey does brilliant work with the sound as it help create textures into the sounds of the way the flash floods would sound as well as some of the spare aspects of nature. The film’s music by Jeff and Mychael Danna is amazing for its music score that mixes elements of folk, country, and orchestral pieces to play into some of the serene moments in the film as well as some of the adventurous moments.

The voice casting by Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher is fantastic as it feature some notable vocal contributions from Pixar regular John Katzenberger as well as Dave Boat, Calum Mackenzie Grant, and Carrie Paff as a group of Velociraptors trying to steal a herd of longhorns from the T-rexes while director Peter Sohn is terrific as a Styracosaurus named Forrest who is kind of this chameleon-like dinosaur. Other notable small voice roles include Marcus Scribner and Maleah Padilla in their respective roles as Arlo’s sibling’s Buck and Libby, Mandy Freund and Steve Clay Hunter as a couple of pterodactyls, and Steve Zahn in a superb voice performance as a fearless but crazy pterodactyl named Thunderclap. Anna Paquin and A.J. Buckley are fantastic in their respective roles as the young T-rexes in Ramsey and Nash who are quite wild and full of joy while Sam Elliott is excellent as their father Butch who is this grizzled Tyrannosaurus Rex that gives Arlo some wisdom about fear as well as the confidence that fear can be overcome as well as be OK to be scared.

While he doesn’t get to say much, Jack Bright’s voice performance as Spot does have a lot of life as a boy who is quite wild but is also dazzled by the wonderment of his surroundings. Frances McDormand and Jeffrey Wright are brilliant in their roles as Arlo’s parents with McDormand as this sense of warmth who guide her children on what to do to earn their mark while Wright has this weariness yet determination as a father trying to guide his son to overcome his fear as well as find himself. Finally, there’s Raymond Ochoa in an amazing vocal performance as Arlo as this young Apatosaurus who has dealt with a lot of fear in his life as he exudes all of the growing pains any young person faces while he would eventually become someone brave as well as show what it takes to overcome fear.

The Good Dinosaur is a phenomenal film from Peter Sohn. It’s a film that features a story that is just compelling and relatable to a wide audience as well as filled with gorgeous visuals, a strong voice cast, and incredible music as it’s one of Pixar’s finest films. In the end, The Good Dinosaur is a sensational film from Peter Sohn.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2016

Margaret (2011 film)

Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, Margaret is the story of a young woman who feels responsible for causing an accident that left someone dead. In turn, she deals with the guilt over what happened while going through all sorts of things in her own life. The film is an exploration into the tumultuous life of a young woman who goes through lots of changes in her life as well as trying to find herself. Starring Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, Kieran Culkin, Olivia Thirlby, Rosemarie DeWitt, J. Smith-Cameron, Matthew Broderick, Jeannie Berlin, Allison Janney, and Jean Reno. Margaret is a haunting yet mesmerizing film from Kenneth Lonergan.

What happens when a young 17-year old student distracts a bus driver where an accident is caused resulting in the death of a woman as this young woman deals with the guilt over what happened? That’s pretty much the idea of what this film is about as it explores a young woman named Lisa Cohen (Anna Paquin) whose life changes due to an accident she caused all because she asked this bus driver (Mark Ruffalo) about his cowboy hat while he was driving the bus. For Lisa, she deals with the guilt over what happened as she has no idea what to do as she tries to protect the driver since what he did was an accident yet when she meets him to discuss the accident. Things don’t go well as she decides to change her statement to the police while contacting a woman to help file a lawsuit against the bus company in hopes the driver gets fired.

While the story largely revolves around Lisa’s tumultuous life as she deals with guilt and loss, there is a subplot revolving around Lisa’s mother Joan (J. Smith-Cameron) who finds herself in a relationship with a man named Ramon (Jean Reno) which causes issues between the two women who already have a troubled relationship. Notably as Joan is a stage actress while Lisa is just a high school kid who likes to smoke and do crazy things. The accident definitely causes a rupture in their relationship where Lisa starts to act out more in school and later befriend the friend of a victim where they go for a lawsuit. Yet, Lisa’s behavior becomes more complicated over the guilt she deals with families of the victim gets involved as well as other aspects of her life including relationship with boys and her attraction towards her math teacher Aaron Caije (Matt Damon).

The script also allows to explore the dynamic between Lisa and Joan as they’re two different women who are going through changes in her life. While Joan is concerned over what happened to Lisa, she has no idea how to talk to Lisa who starts to become more detached and angry. Yet, Lisa would also deal with the realities of how things are handled with the police and the lawsuits as it would cause more complications about who she is. Particularly as she is this 17-year old high school student who is in the transition into becoming a woman.

Kenneth Lonergan’s direction is very entrancing for the way he presents this very dramatic story that contains very heavy themes. Shot on location in New York City in the Manhattan area, Lonergan does make the city a character in the story though he does go a bit overboard in utilizing lots of insert shots to help fill the story though some parts are effective. Notably as the camera gazes through the city to show a world where things are already moving on despite the incident that had just happened. Lonergan’s direction also has a lot of unique framing devices to help capture the sense of loneliness and detachment that Lisa is going through. There’s also a lot of shots that are stylized including the big accident scene where Lonergan uses the crane to express the sense of loss and longing that Lisa goes through.

Another part of Lonergan’s direction that is unique is the fact that film also features scenes at the Metropolitan Opera House to establish not just the world Joan is in but also the drama she’s facing in her own life. Other scenes such as school discussions about politics show Lisa becoming more aggressive in her arguments where she will sometimes go way too far. These are moments to establish this detachment and anger these two women are going through where they will vent to each other and say things to each other that intensify. Yet, Lonergan will find a way for the women to reconnect where both women will face something that would overwhelm them leading to a powerful ending. Overall, Lonergan creates a very strong yet harrowing film about guilt and loss.

Cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski does excellent work with the film‘s photography as a lot of it is straightforward to complement the beauty of New York City in its day and nighttime settings. Editors Mike Fay and Anne McCabe, with additional work from filmmaker Martin Scorsese and his longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker, do superb work with the editing to play out the drama as well as some of its intensity as it includes some stylized moments in the non-dialogue scenes. Production designer Dan Leigh, with set decorator Ron von Blomberg and art director James Donahue, does nice work with the sets from the look of the apartments to the look of the school.

Costume designer Melissa Toth does terrific work with the costumes as a lot of it is casual with the exception of the scenes at the opera house. Sound designer Jacob Ribicoff does brilliant work with the sound to capture the low-key atmosphere of the opera houses to the more raucous scenes in some of the film‘s exteriors and phone conversations. The film’s music by Nico Muhly is amazing for its low-key orchestral pieces with some haunting arrangements on the strings while the soundtrack features an array of classical and operatic pieces along with some few indie-rock and hip-hop cuts in the party scenes that Lisa goes to.

The casting by Douglas Aibel is a major highlight of the film for the rich ensemble that was assembled for the film. Among those making small appearances include Krysten Ritter as salesgirl, John Gallagher Jr. as a friend of Lisa in Darren, Olivia Thirlby as a classmate of Lisa, Sarah Steele as Lisa’s friend Becky, Kieran Culkin as another classmate of Lisa whom she has sex with, Michael Ealy as a lawyer who advises Lisa, Jonathan Hadary as a lawyer who deals with the suit that Lisa is involved in, Cyrus Hernstadt as Lisa’s younger brother Curtis, Josh Hamilton as an actor Joan works with, and Rosemarie DeWitt as the wife of the bus driver. Other notable small roles include Matthew Broderick as a drama teacher, Allison Janney as the victim who is killed in the bus accident, and Jeannie Berlin as the victim’s friend Emily who helps out Lisa with the suit.

Jean Reno is wonderful as the very kind Ramon who falls for Joan as he tries to get to know Lisa. Matt Damon is excellent as Lisa’s math teacher Aaron Caije who is trying to understand Lisa’s behavior as well as her attraction to him. Mark Ruffalo is superb as the bus driver who causes the accident as he is aware of what he’s done while deals with Lisa’s aggressive manner towards him in the one scene they have together. J. Smith-Cameron is great as Lisa’s mother Joan who tries to deal with Lisa’s detachment while she falls for the businessman Ramon as she finds the escape she needed to deal with Lisa. Finally, there’s Anna Paquin in a remarkable performance as Lisa Cohen as a young woman dealing with tragedy as she becomes lost in her grief while becoming more angry over the way the world deals with what she is trying to do and such.

Margaret is an extraordinary yet engrossing drama from Kenneth Lonergan that features amazing performances from Anna Paquin and J. Smith-Cameron. The film is definitely an intriguing drama that explores the world of grief and detachment as well as interesting piece about the dynamics between mother and daughter. In the end, Margaret is a marvelous film from Kenneth Lonergan.

Kenneth Lonergan Films: You Can Count on Me - Manchester by the Sea

© thevoid99 2013

Almost Famous

Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous is the story of a teenage rock journalist who gets a chance to write a story for Rolling Stone magazine to cover an up-and-coming rock band on tour.  The film is based largely on Crowe’s experience as a rock journalist in the 1970s as it also explores the music scene of the time.  Starring Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Anna Paquin, Zooey Deschanel, Noah Taylor, Jimmy Fallon, Fairuza Balk, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs.  Almost Famous is an enriching yet outstanding film from Cameron Crowe.

William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is a 16-year old aspiring rock journalist, who lives with his college professor mother Elaine (Frances McDormand), as his fascination with rock music has caught the attention of notorious music critic Lester Bangs.  Bangs gives William an assignment to do a concert review for Black Sabbath as William tries to get backstage where meets a few young ladies who refer to themselves as Band-Aids led by the exotic Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) and a band called Stillwater who let him go backstage.  Intrigued by the band including its guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), William later joins Penny to meet them at Continental Hyatt House as her companion in order to see Russell.  After getting a call from Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres (Terry Chen), William gets a chance to go on the road to cover Stillwater.

Though his mother isn’t keen on the idea, she lets William go on the road as he joins Stillwater and the Band-Aids on tour.  William notices the band trying to make it despite some set-backs and tension between Russell and vocalist Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) who is paranoid about having William around.  With William’s period on the road being much longer than he had anticipated, he gets a call from Fong-Torres about extending the piece into a cover story.  When Stillwater’s record label brings in Dennis Hope (Jimmy Fallon) to co-manage the band with Dick Roswell (Noah Taylor), Dick and Russell decide to sell the Band-Aids to the band Humble Pie that leaves Penny devastated.

After arriving to New York City, William tells the band about their chance to be on the cover of Rolling Stone as he becomes concerned about Penny who also comes to the city.  After some turbulent moments, William gets some advice from Bangs about what to write as he would reveal everything he had saw about the band he‘s adored for so long.

The film is a semi-autobiographical story of Cameron Crowe’s life as a teenage rock journalist where he covered the music scene of the 1970s during his time with Rolling Stone magazine.  There, he allows the character of William Miller to go through a lot of the things Crowe had experienced such as groupies, rock n’ roll excess, tension, and all of things that went on during a crazy era in rock n’ roll.  Meanwhile, the young William Miller would meet a few people that would intrigue such as an exotic groupie named Penny Lane and a brilliant guitarist whose talents starts to overshadow the rest of his band mates.

Crowe’s screenplay starts off with a prologue of how a young William (Michael Angarano) was introduced to the world of rock n’ roll by his older sister Anita (Zooey Deschanel) who despises her mother’s New Age ideas and flees to become a stewardess.  It then leads into this main narrative of William trying to become a rock journalist at the age of 16 though his mother hopes that he becomes a lawyer.  His love of rock would get him to meet the notorious Lester Bangs who would offer him advice about what not to do in the world of rock journalism such as be friends with the rock star.

During William’s journey, he would unfortunately become friends with Stillwater though the band is wary of him because he represents the enemy they don’t want to play for.  Yet, William is the one who could make them really famous as they’re a band on the rise only to deal with all sorts of tension that is sparked by a t-shirt at one point.  All of this is told from this young man’s perspective who is watching a band he loves just trying to get everything together as he’s intrigued by their guitarist who is aware of the role he’s playing as well as the fact that he’s beyond them musically.

Then there’s Penny Lane, this groupie who is in love with Russell Hammond but also someone who really loves the music.  With the group of girls she’s a part of, she’s in it to have a good time and enjoy the music.  Unfortunately, she knows that Russell is married and a decision that Russell would make in the film’s second half would have a great impact on her forcing William to come to her aid.  It would be a moment where William realizes what he has to do not just as a fan but also as a journalist as he’s set to write a piece that would legitimize him as a true rock journalist.

Crowe’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of compositions but the way he recreates the late 1960s and early 1970s is still magical for the air of nostalgia and authenticity that is presented.  Notably as the film features a lot of references to rock lore such as the Continental Hyatt which was famously known as the Riot House.  Crowe always know how to frame his actors and capture the excitement of what it’s like to be at a rock concert or be in the middle of a discussion as he’s shooting a lot of from William’s perspective.  Notably as Crowe creates shots to reveals William’s on-going struggle to get a story and interview Russell.

One of the key aspects of Crowe’s direction is the way he balances humor and drama where he adds a lot of subtlety to the former.  Notably as he plays to the misadventures that goes on when a band is on the road such as a comical moment when the bus decides to leave Jeff behind.  Since this is a film that is about music in some ways, Crowe also knows how to use music to elevate a scene such as the famous Tiny Dancer sequence where the band sing Elton John’s song following a very crazy moment that had Russell partying with people while tripping on drugs.  It’s one of Crowe’s great moments as the overall work he does with the film is outstanding as he creates what is a truly engrossing coming-of-age tale about a teen and his love for rock n’ roll.

Cinematographer John Toll does brilliant work with the film‘s lush and colorful cinematography to capture the beauty of the various locations inside along with more layered coloring for the interiors as Toll‘s work is a technical highlight.  Editors Joe Husting and Saar Klein do fantastic work with the editing to play out the energy of the concert performances as well as other montages such as the band partying with the Band-Aids.  Art directors Clay A. Griffin, Clayton Hartley, and Virginia L. Randolph, along with set decorator Robert Greenfield, do excellent work in re-creating the look of William‘s home as well as other props to create the feel of the early 1970s.

Costume designer Betsy Heimman does wonderful work with the costumes such as the bellbottoms and clothes the men wear to more lavish clothing the Band-Aids wear.  Sound editor Michael D. Wilhoit does superb work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the live concerts as well as the intimacy that goes in the bus and backstage meetings.  The film’s score by Nancy Wilson is terrific for its low-key, folk-driven sound to maintain a sense of ambience for some of the film‘s quieter moments. 

Music supervisor Danny Bramson creates an incredible soundtrack that features an array of different music from the late 60s and early 70s from acts like Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath, the Raspberries, Simon & Garfunkel, Yes, the Beach Boys, Elton John, Cat Stevens, David Bowie, and many others.  The original music for the band Stillwater is provided by Nancy Wilson and Peter Frampton, with contributions from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, as it is true rock n‘ roll at its finest.

The casting by Gail Levin is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it features some memorable small roles from Bijou Phillips as Band-Aid Estrella Star, Rainn Wilson as Rolling Stone co-editor David Felton, Liz Stauber as Russell’s wife Leslie, Jay Baruchel as an obsessed Zeppelin fan, Peter Frampton as Humble Pie’s road manager Reg, Terry Chen as Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres, Anna Paquin as Band-Aid Polexia Aprhodisia, Fairuza Balk as Band-Aid Sapphire, Mark Kozelek as Stillwater bassist Larry Fellows, and John Fedevich as Stillwater’s quiet drummer Ed Vallencourt.  Other notable supporting roles including Michael Angarano as the young William, Zooey Deschanel as William’s older sister Anita, Jimmy Fallon as the band’s more professional manager Dennis Hope, and Noah Taylor as the Stillwater’s more raucous manager Dick Roswell.

Jason Lee is excellent as Stillwater vocalist Jeff Bebe who tries to deal with the growing attention towards Russell as well as the presence of William.  Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant as legendary music critic Lester Bangs who guides William on what to do when going on tour and how to be a true rock journalist.  Kate Hudson is great as the exotic Penny Lane who is so full of life as Hudson brings a lot of energy and charisma to a very eccentric yet loveable character.  Billy Crudup is wonderful as the very talented Russell Hammond who tries to deal with the fact that he’s the most mature member of Stillwater as he finds someone like William whom he can talk to. 

Frances McDormand is superb as Williams’ mother Elaine who worries about her son possibly doing drugs while hoping that he becomes responsible.  Finally, there’s Patrick Fugit in a remarkable performance as William Miller as this young rock fan who goes on the ride of his life as he becomes friends with the rock stars and hang out with groupies as it’s a real breakthrough for Fugit.

Almost Famous is an outstanding film from Cameron Crowe.  Featuring a fantastic soundtrack and a top-notch ensemble cast, it’s definitely a film that is very lively and captures the essence of rock n’ roll.  Not only is it one of the best films about music and a place in time but also a very compelling coming-of-age film told from a young fan who loves music.  In the end, Almost Famous is an extraordinary film from Cameron Crowe.

Cameron Crowe Films:  (Say Anything…) - (Singles) - (Jerry Maguire) - (Vanilla Sky) - (Elizabethtown) - The Union - Pearl Jam 20 - We Bought a Zoo - Aloha

© thevoid99 2012

Finding Forrester

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/14/09 w/ Extensive Revisions & Additional Content.

After achieving commercial success and critical acclaim with 1997's Good Will Hunting that nabbed 3 Oscars for Best Supporting Actor to Robin Williams and a Best Original Screenplay Oscar to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Director Gus Van Sant was clearly at his peak as he achieved his first Oscar nod for Best Director. To follow-up the success of the film, Van Sant did the unthinkable when he signed to direct a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Psycho. Van Sant chose to re-make the film in color and shot-for-shot like the original Hitchcock classic that definitely received negative reviews. After the fallout from his remake of Psycho, Van Sant took a break for his personal projects as he returned to film in 2000 with a coming-of-age drama entitled Finding Forrester.

Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Mike Rich, Finding Forrester tells the story of a young African-American teenager who has a talent for writing while living in the inner-city. After befriending a reclusive novelist who lives near by, the young talent finds himself being accepted into a prestigious private school where he deals with new social changes and such as he leans towards the guidance of his new reclusive friend. Starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, F. Murray Abraham, Busta Rhymes, Anna Paquin, and Michael Pitt. Finding Forrester is a well-made, coming-of-age drama from Gus Van Sant.

Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) is a 16-year old African-American student who is also a talented basketball player. With a passion for both basketball and books, Jamal doesn't reveal his talents as a writer to his friends as he lives in the Bronx with his mother (Stephanie Berry) and his older brother Terrell (Busta Rhymes). One day, Jamal and his friends notice someone is watching them play as they sneak into his apartment to see who it is where Jamal accidentally leaves his backpack where he retrieves it with notes about his writing. When he and his mother learned he's been accepted to the prestigious Mailor Callow in Manhattan, Jamal meets a young student named Claire (Anna Paquin) who gives him a tour of the place. Though unsure of his new surroundings, he gains a friend in Claire and another student named John (Michael Pitt).

During another trip to the reclusive man's apartment building, he meets the man that is revealed to be William Forrester (Sean Connery) who is impressed by Jamal's writing though he feels the boy could do better as he becomes the boy's mentor. Despite being part of the basketball team and having some friends, the school's literature professor Robert Crawford (F. Murray Abraham) is not impressed by Jamal as Jamal seeks guidance from Forrester. Though he keeps his meeting with Forrester a secret out of respect for Forrester, Forrester asks that whatever material Jamal has written must stay in the apartment. Jamal decides to take Forrester out of his apartment where it starts off slow until they go to an empty Yankee Stadium as Forrester begins to open up about his life and frustrations with the world of literature.

With Crawford becoming more suspicious about Jamal's writing talents as a writing contest is coming up, Jamal finds himself in trouble with Crawford with Forrester reluctant to help. With Jamal's future in trouble, it's up to Forrester to help out the young boy.

While the film's plot might be relative to other old-men guiding a young man into life lesson's in other films like Martin Brest's Scent of a Woman and Van Sant's own Good Will Hunting. Screenwriter Mike Rich does create a story that is rich with the idea of an Africa-American youth getting a chance to have his writing talents pushed further by a reclusive novelist. Yet, it's really about a young man getting help as his talents in writing gets attention by an elite school while helping this reclusive old novelist to rediscover life and writing. The screenplay does show a character like Jamal dealing with all of these changes around him where he tries to deal with his new surroundings but hoping not to alienate his old friends at the Bronx. At the same time, it allows the character of William Forrester to slowly unveil himself while showing reasons why he didn't publish anymore material.

Though the script's faults may lie in its familiar plot points and storylines. It is handled with such grace and subtlety by Gus Van Sant. Van Sant's direction definitely leans more towards the European art film style rather than something conventional in his compositions and shots. Though there are some conventional approach to framing and shooting decisions, notably the basketball scenes and some of the drama that goes on in the classroom. Still, Van Sant is engaging through what he shoots and presents while giving the actors a chance to be loose in their performance without any kind of huge theatrics. While the material is a bit sub-standard in comparison to the other films Van Sant has sone in the past. He does create a look and feel that is unique without forcing any kind of melodrama to the film.

Cinematographer Harris Savides, who would become Van Sant's regular cinematographer in the next series of projects, does great work with the film's low-key, colorless photography style. While there's bright colors in several exterior scenes in some of the film's NYC locations including a museum scene. Savides' camera in its interiors and nighttime sequences are filled with intimate shots and not much lighting schemes to revel in the dark world of William Forrester. Savides' work in its photography is exceptionally exquisite without any kind of theatrical lighting schemes and such. Editor Valdis Oskarsdottir does some excellent work with the film's stylized editing with the use of rhythmic jump-cuts to keep the film moving quite leisurely. Even as it moves quite well for a film that's around 135-minutes long as the editing is done in a conventional yet well-mannered style.

Production designer Jane Musky with set decorators Susan Bode and Lynn Tonnessen plus art directors Robert Guerra and Darrell K. Keister do some fine work with the look of the prep school in its richness plus the home of William Forrester. Notably as it is surrounded by books and photographs while they do some fine work with the old photos of Sean Connery as a young man including a painting of him at the school. Costume designer Ann Roth does some very good work with the costumes from the prep school look that the kids wear to the contemporary, urban clothing that Jamal's friends wear to contrast the two different worlds. The sound work by editor Kelley Baker plus mixing from Van Sant and his longtime collaborator Leslie Shatz works very well to complement the chaos and surroundings that the characters are at including the world of New York City.

The film's soundtrack is mostly filled with a mix of jazz pieces from Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and many others plus ambient-like guitar pieces from Bill Frisell. Along with an island-flavored cover of Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, there's a famous piece revolving around Forrester's bike rides to the musical style of Carl Orff, which is often famous for the theme pieces from Terrence Malick's 1973 debut film Badlands.

The casting by Francine Maisler, Bernard Telsey, and David Vaccari is well-assembled with some memorable small roles from rapper Lil' Zane, Damion Lee, Damany Mathis, and Fly Williams III as Jamal's urban friends along with Matthew Noah Wood as a basketball rival of Jamal at the prep school and Glenn Fitzgerald as a man who drops food off for Forrester. Other small roles include Michael Nouri as Claire's father, Richard Easton as a well-mannered professor who is amazed by Jamal's talents, and April Grace as Jamal's English teacher at his old urban high school. The film also features some cameo appearances from Alex Trebek in an episode of Jeopardy which features an appearance from Van Sant regular Alison Folland plus Joey Buttafuoco as a nightman at Yankee Stadium and Matt Damon in one of the film's final scenes as a lawyer.

Stephanie Berry is very good as Jamal's caring, no-nonsense mother while rapper Busta Rhymes gives a surprising yet restrained role as Jamal's older brother who is amazed by his talents and encouraging it. In one of his early film roles, Michael Pitt is very good as John Coleridge, a quiet student who befriends Jamal who would defend him during a class session with Crawford. Anna Paquin is in fine form as Claire, a student who also befriends Jamal and is amazed by his intelligence as her relationship with Jamal nearly goes into romantic territory but fortunately, doesn't. F. Murray Abraham is good as Professor Robert Crawford, a failed writer who tries to get Jamal kicked out believing he isn't good enough. Abraham's performance is good, his character kind of comes off as one-dimensional as a frustrated man who is very ignorant about Jamal's talents.

In his film debut, Rob Brown is great as Jamal Wallace, a talented young kid who loves to play basketball but also likes to read books and write things. Brown's performance is very restrained and also not very brash as he gives the character an innocence who is more concerned about doing the right thing but doesn't want to be alienated by his friends. Brown really shines in his performance while having a great rapport with his co-star Sean Connery. Connery gives a magnificent yet humorous performance which includes the famous line, "You're the man now, dawg". Connery displays a restraint but also a grizzled persona of a man trying to hide from his demons while guiding a young writer to greatness as it's one of Connery's better performances which is often lost in some of the bad action films he's done in the late 90s and early 2000s.

***Additional DVD Content Written on 8/24/11***

The 2001 Region 1 DVD from Columbia Pictures presents the film for its original 2:35:1 theatrical aspect ratio for the widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby Digital for English and 2-Channel Dolby Surround for English and French with subtitles in both languages. The DVD includes several special features made specifically for the DVD release.

The first is HBO’s Making-of TV special about the film which is essentially a 15-minute typical making-of special that features interviews with cast members, director Gus Van Sant, screenwriter Mike Rich, and producers for the film. Sean Connery and Rob Brown talk a lot about the film’s themes while Van Sant discusses wanting to create something about reclusive writers and unlikely writers. It’s a pretty good featurette that has some moments though it has some distracting narration. The second special featurette is the 12-minute Found: Rob Brown about the casting of Rob Brown. Van Sant reveals the difficulty of finding a sixteen-year old African-American kid from the Bronx where he turned to Spike Lee for help. Through the casting call, Brown was discovered as Van Sant helped him prepare for the part as did Sean Connery to help him make things easier as it also includes some outtakes and fun moments between takes.

Another mini-feature are two deleted choir scenes cut out from the film where the two scenes has the Dewitt Clinton High School Chorus perform a variations of Lacrimosa and Lean on Me. They feature some great shots though it’s obvious why they got cut from the final film. Other additional special features includes a filmographies section for Gus Van Sant, Sean Connery, F. Murray Abraham, and Anna Paquin plus trailers for the film along with Van Sant’s To Die For, Caroll Ballard’s Fly Away Home that starred Anna Paquin, and First Knight that starred Sean Connery. Also in the DVD is a booklet where screenwriter Mike Rich talks about the inspiration for the film as well as brief tidbits on the production. Overall, it’s a decent DVD release that doesn’t offer much but it is still good for fans of the film.

***End of the DVD Contents***

While it may be considered one of his weakest feature films in his library of films, Finding Forrester is still a good yet engaging film from Gus Van Sant featuring great performances from Sean Connery and Rob Brown. While fans of Van Sant will certainly feel like it's one of his weaker efforts but doesn't reach the low point of films like Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and his 1998 remake of Psycho. It's a film that does stray a bit from convention while providing a wonderful insight into the world of writing. In the end despite its flaws, Finding Forrester is still a good, coming-of-age drama from Gus Van Sant.

Gus Van Sant Films: Mala Noche - Drugstore Cowboy - My Own Private Idaho - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - To Die For - Good Will Hunting - Psycho (1998 film) - Gerry - Elephant - Last Days - Paranoid Park - Milk - Restless - Promised Land

The Shorts & Videos of Gus Van Sant - The Auteurs #4: Gus Van Sant

(C) thevoid99 2011

X-Men 3: The Last Stand

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/28/06 w/ Extensive Re-Edits & Revisions.

When the X-Men comic books finally became feature films in 2000 with director Bryan Singer in the helm. The response at first was mixed but positive since it brought new fans a nice introduction to the cast of the X-Men team while giving Australian actor Hugh Jackman a real breakthrough as Wolverine. In 2003, Singer reunited with most of the cast for the sequel called X2: X-Men United that not only received better reviews but spectacular box office numbers as fans praised the film for a stronger story, more characters, and better performances from the cast. What really shocked fans in the second film was the sacrificial death of one of the story's major characters in Jean Grey. Yet, when fans heard she would return as the Dark Phoenix, it was clear that the X-Men franchise was getting into better storylines.

Unfortunately, plans for the third film was becoming very troubled as the development for the story was troubling as Bryan Singer chose to leave the franchise with his team to work on the much-delayed Superman movie. Problems also occurred when Halle Berry chose to leave the franchise for her own attempt in stardom but after 2004's Catwoman got destroyed in the box office, she returned awaiting to see who would become the new director. After Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn was signed on and then chose to leave, Rush Hour director Brett Ratner came into the helm where to some fans, it leaves a lot of worries but Ratner ensured that he wouldn't screw it up. With the focus on the Dark Phoenix plot and the war between the X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood in the story, X-Men 3: The Last Stand is well underway.

With a screenplay by Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg with Brett Ratner as director, X-Men 3: The Last Stand revolves around a vaccine that cures the mutation gene which gives mutants the chance to be cured. While neither Magneto or his former friend Charles Xavier are fond of the cure, it only increases Magneto's hatred for humans even more as he declares a war against them. Making things worse for the X-Men team is the re-discovery of Jean Grey's body that has evolved into something far worse as she becomes the Dark Phoenix who joins the Brotherhood. With the X-Men short on allies, it's up to Xavier, Logan, Storm, and company to save the humans and make a stand against the Brotherhood.

Returning from the previous parts of the franchise are Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Daniel Cudmore, Ian McKellen, Aaron Stanford, and Rebecca Romijn. Joining the new cast are Ben Foster, Kelsey Grammer, Ellen Page, Shoreh Aghdashloo, Olivia Williams, Josef Sommers, Dania Ramirez, Vinnie Jones, and Cameron Bright. X-Men 3: The Last Stand has its moments but is a very un-compelling, messy film.

A new U.S. President (Josef Sommers) has maintained peace with mutants by being open to their cause with from its Secretary of Affairs in Hank McCoy/Beast (Kelsey Grammer).  When news about a cure for the mutant gene developed by Warren Worthington II (Michael Murphy), McCoy is worried as he turns to his old mentor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) about the cure and its source in a young mutant named Jimmy (Cameron Bright).  Xavier worries that it will give his old friend Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Ian McKellan) more reasons to fight as his comrade Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) has been captured.  With Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Storm (Halle Berry) helping to train young mutants for combat, both are unsure if their pupils are ready with Scott Summers/Cyclops (James Marsden) still in mourning over the death of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen).

With news of the cure reaching Xavier's school, mixed feelings arrive among everyone though Rogue (Anna Paquin) sees it as a good thing as she isn't fond of her powers.  Even as her boyfriend Bobby/Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) has been taking interest towards Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat (Ellen Page).  Magneto meanwhile, uses the news of the cure as a rallying cry to forge the Brotherhood with help from his new protege Pyro (Aaron Stanford) and other new mutants in Callisto (Dania Ramirez) as they help retrieve Mystique along with a couple of mutants in Multiple Man (Eric Dane) and Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones).  When Scott goes to Alkali Lake where Jean has reappeared as Xavier senses Jean only to realize something is right.  Logan learns that Xavier used psychic blocks to prevent a dark personality in Jean in order to protect her as Logan's feelings for her lead to an escape.

With Magneto realizing that Jean is alive and more powerful, he tries to get her to his side as Xavier pleads to not to let her dark side control her while Logan and Storm try to fight off Magneto's Brotherhood.  Following a devastating loss and pondering what to do, Logan tries to find the Brotherhood and what Magneto is up to while Warren Worthington's mutant son Warren III (Ben Foster) joins the school as he helps out.  After returning from Magneto's secret base and learning his plans, Logan, Storm, and Hank along with younger, trained mutants decide to fight Magneto and his Brotherhood and the more dangerous Jean who is now Phoenix.

When the X-Men franchise was in the hands of Bryan Singer and his team, it allowed Singer to get a chance to develop the characters and create something that was more than a typical blockbuster action film.  Singer's departure along with his team changes things as the franchise goes into the hand of a much more commercial filmmaker in Brett Ratner.  While Ratner does have a good ear for humor and knows how to get the ball rolling.  The problem is that he along with screenwriters Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg cram too many ideas, storylines, and exposition into a film that becomes very messy.  The script doesn't allow the audience to figure out what's going on or to slow the story down.  Even as there's too many characters to follow where things needed to be simplified or have some of central figure to follow.

Ratner's direction does have a few excellent moments such as the training scene as well as some intimate scenes at Xavier's school.  For the rest of the film, it seems uninspiring and overblown at times.  The action scenes move a little too fast while the dramatic moments comes across as cheesy and unnecessary.  While Ratner does try to put some humor in scenes where he gets one notable humorous action moment right, the rest of it doesn't seem to work.  A lot of the big action moments don't feel very natural as the overall film is an excessive mess that doesn't stretch itself or simplify things for its audience. 

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does an OK job with the photography though at times, he goes overboard with visual flair and digital coloring that makes the film seem unnatural in its look. Production designer Ed Verraux does excellent work in creating the look of the school and the meeting of the Brotherhood through its forests where most of it is shot in Vancouver. Visual effects supervisor John Bruno and team do great work on the visual effects, notably the final battle sequence and Magneto's movement of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sound designer Craig Henighan also does excellent work on the sound while editors Mark Goldblatt, Mark Helfrich, and Julia Wong do a decent job in the cutting work in giving the story some speed although the fast cuts tend to lose sight on the story.

Costume designer Judianna Makovsky does great work on the costumes while giving the X-Men suits a new look of sorts while make-up supervisor Rosalina Da Silva and her team do great work on the makeup, particularly for the character of Beast. John Powell also does good bombastic work on the film's score that plays up to the intensity of the action as well as the dramatic moments of the film.

The film's cast features some great, small performances from Anthony Heald as an interrogator, Haley Ramm as the young Jean Grey, Cayden Boyd as the young Warren III, and the cameos of Stan Lee, Olivia Williams as an associate of Xavier, and the voice of R. Lee Emrey. Bill Duke as General Trask and Josef Sommers as the President are decent in their brief roles while Oscar nominee Shoreh Aghdashloo as Dr. Rao is sorted of wasted in a thankless role. Michael Murphy is also good while Ben Foster is OK as Angel though he doesn't get much to do. Omahyra and Eric Dane are memorable in their role as Brotherhood mutants while Daniel Cudmore is somewhat wasted as Colossus since he only gets one line in the film. Rebecca Romijn is also wasted as Mystique since by the first 20-30 minutes, she's gone which is a shame to a very enjoyable character that only Romijn could do. Cameron Bright is terrible as Jimmy as he spends most of the film giving the creepy gaze that he's always done in a lot of his performances.

Dania Ramirez is awful as Callisto as she tries to be all tough when it doesn't really work as her dialogue delivery is very amateurish.  James Marsden's role as Cyclops is also brief as only becomes a plot device in the part of Jean Grey's evolution as Phoenix. Of all the newcomers to join the film, Ellen Page, in her brief moments, is a real standout in the role of Kitty Pryde as she reveals all the insecurities and attitude in what it takes to be a mutant of power.  Shawn Ashmore also stands out as Iceman as he develops from a character who finally gets to use the full potential of his powers for the use of good as he has a great scene with Aaron Stanford. Stanford really shines as Magneto's new right-hand man who apparently still has a lot to learn about morals in his scenes with Ian McKellan. Vinnie Jones is another big standout in the role of the Juggernaut as he has some great, hilarious one-liners and some cool moments where he quotes, "I'm the Juggernaut bitch!"

Of all the new actors to join the series, Kelsey Grammer is very good combining his intellectual wit that he brought from Frasier to the role of Beast. Grammer brings full advantage of a mutant who understands both prejudice and intolerance while he got to do some amazing fight scenes as well. Anna Paquin, unfortunately, despite her efforts couldn't make Rogue into a strong character that was expected from the comic book fans. Paquin is forced to act frustrated and lonely as she ends up being really wasted after having a flawed if strong performance in the first film. Ian McKellan is great, as usual, in the role of the villainous Magneto whose fury upon the humans reveals his prejudice and how blind he's become from the person he was early in the film's first few minutes in a flashback scene. Patrick Stewart is also great as the more tolerant Charles Xavier whose fear of Jean’s full powers show that he's a flawed man trying to do what is right for everyone including his students.

Famke Janssen delivers a good as Jean Grey/Phoenix as a woman whose emotional and mental disability clashes with the woman that fans knew in the previous film and the dark, maniacal Phoenix. Janssen reveals the troubles of the character full-on as it's a woman we all know we don't want to mess with but have pity for. Halle Berry is good as Storm can do and delivers a kick-ass performance by flying, shooting out lightning, and doing all sorts of stuff though her dramatic moments are weak due to the script's shortcomings. The franchise's breakout star Hugh Jackman is good though not great as Wolverine as he does what he's expected to do though he's not really given the chance to be more out there as it's a step-down from the more developed role he had in the previous film.

Despite some decent moments and some performances, X-Men 3:  The Last Stand is a very disappointing film in the X-Men franchise.  Blame should go to Brett Ratner for just trying to do too much and give people what they want except giving them a cohesive story and a central story to focus on.  It's no doubt it's the weakest of the first three films though it's not the worst film of the X-Men franchise which goes to the debacle that was the prequel X-Men Origins:  Wolverine.  It's a film that does have some entertaining moments but not enough to satisfy its fans who enjoyed the previous films as X-Men 3:  The Last Stand is a full-blown mess. 

X-Men Films: X-Men - X2: X-Men United - X-Men Origins: Wolverine - X-Men: First Class - The Wolverine - X-Men: Days of Future Past - X-Men: Apocalypse - Logan (2017 film) - Deadpool 2 – (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) - (New Mutants)

© thevoid99 2011

X2: X-Men United

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/12/04 w/ Extensive Revision.

When the first X-Men film arrived in 2000, it was a hit in the box office as director Bryan Singer helped create a wave of comic-book superhero films that was followed by Sam Raimi's 2002 film Spider-Man. Realizing that a franchise could be made with the X-Men series, Singer went ahead to create a sequel that would improve some of the shortcomings of the first film but also broaden the story more. The result would be 2003's X2: X-Men United.

X2: X-Men United picks up where the first one was left as the story centers around Wolverine who is trying to find clues of his past and his transformation into becoming a mutant. At the same time, a failed assassination on the U.S. president by a mutant makes those in the X-Men team suspicious as they interrogate their nemesis Magneto while being in pursuit from an army colonel. Based on the comic book with the screen story co-written with director Singer before turning into a script by David Hayter, Dan Harris, and Michael Dougherty, X2 is a film that allows the X-Men series to go into bigger ideas along with themes of prejudice and chaos. With a cast that includes those from first film like Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Bruce Davison, and Shawn Ashmore with new actors to the franchise, Brian Cox, Kelly Hu, Alan Cumming, Cotter Smith, and Aaron Stanford. X2: X-Men United is one of the smartest and entertaining of Hollywood blockbusters.

Despite the repeal the Mutant Registration Act that was led by one of its original supporters in Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison), a teleporting mutant named Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner (Alan Cumming) has made an attempted assassination on President McKenna (Cotter Smith). With suspicions arising that the attack was orchestrated by Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr (Ian McKellan) who is currently in a special prison. McKenna asks Col. William Stryker (Brian Cox) to investigate as Senator Kelly makes a visit asking about Lehnsherr's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Storm (Halle Berry), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), and Scott Summers (James Marsden) learn about the president's attack during a field trip with students as Xavier looks for Wagner's whereabouts. Logan/Wolverine returns to Xavier's school following a failed search for a base at Alkali Lake as he asks Xavier for help to search for lost memories. Xavier reluctantly refuses as he asks Logan to watch over the students as he and the rest of the X-Men investigate the attack.

With Jean and Storm trying to find Wagner to asks questions as it's revealed that he doesn't know what he's done. Xavier and Scott go to the compound to meet with Magneto. Magneto is under the influence of a drug as he reveals to Xavier he gave some information to Stryker leading to a trap as Xavier and Scott are captured by Stryker's assistant Yuriko Oyama/Lady Deathstrike (Kelly Hu). Back at Xavier's mansion, a raid led by Stryker happens as Logan helps many of the students escape only to be met with Stryker who knew Logan from many years ago. Haunted by Stryker's presence, he is saved by Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Bobby Drake/Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) to escape with their friend Pyro (Aaron Stanford) where they hide out at the home of Bobby's family.

At Stryker's secret hiding facilities, Xavier learns what Stryker is up to as he is forced to be under the control of Stryker's son Jason (Michael Reid McKay) who gets into Xavier's mind. After finding a device in a car that belonged to Scott, Logan makes contact with Jean and Storm as cops surround Bobby's family home after a call from Bobby's younger brother leading to Pyro to attack the cops that is stopped by Rogue. When Jean and Storm arrive with the X-Jet that includes Wagner, they try to evade the air force as they're eventually saved by the escaped Magneto and his henchwoman Mystique (Rebecca Romijn). Realizing what Stryker is up to, the X-Men realize they have to work with Magneto and Mystique in order to stop Stryker while Logan learns about what happened to him years ago in Stryker's hands. With the X-Men retrieving the students that were captured and trying to stop Stryker, one of them makes the ultimate sacrifice.

While the plot formula is similar to the likes of Spider-Man and other comic book stories, what sets X-Men apart is the fact that the X-Men are reluctant superheroes and in the second one, their reluctance is challenged more than ever. The story in the second one is far more superior, especially with the storyline of Wolverine trying to find his past that is the key story that moves the story. It allows that character to be more fragile as he yearns for the company of the X-Men and students that gives him a reason to fight. There's also more development in the characters along with themes of faith that is carried by Wagner who develops a relationship based on faith with Storm. The credit really should go to director Bryan Singer for tightening up the film's story and his eye-wielding direction that is crafty with fast camera angles and intense action and dramatic moments.

With cinematographer Thomas Newton Siegel, the film has this amazing, cold look in many of the scenes while its complemented with the work of production designer Guy H. Dyas, who helps brings an eerie, bleak look in many of the film's dark scenes in the Alkali Lake sequences. Helping with the film's spectacular visuals are the visual effects from supervisor Michael Fink who helps bring in intense, wondrous effects, notably for the Nightcrawler and Mystique characters who often do a lot of teleporting or in Mystique's case, change into other characters. With a film score by John Ottman, who also serves as an editor, the film plays up to what a comic-book action movie should be in style and substance as the score just helps move with the story and scenes.

Then you have the film's wonderful ensemble cast that includes some wonderful small performances from Bruce Davison, Cotter Smith, and Daniel Cudmore as Colossus who shines in the school raid scene with his powers while Ty Olsson stands out in his role as Magneto's prison guard Laurio is excellent, especially in a scene that involves him making with Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. Though Anna Paquin had a bigger role as Rogue in the first film, her role is cut down a bit though Rogue in this film seems a bit more comfortable despite her powers while she has nice scenes with Shawn Ashmore's Iceman, who really gets more time than the first since he's having trouble dealing with being a mutant while is the only person who uses his powers for good. Aaron Stanford is a bit more of the conflicted character as Pyro who seems cocky for his fiery power and when he meets with Magneto, you see how easily he can be seduced with power.

Rebecca Romijn does an excellent job as Mystique by just projecting a lot of movement and spark into her performance while Kelly Hu is excellent as the villainous Yuriko with her own powers despite rarely having any dialogue when she uses actions rather than words, notably in her fight scene with Wolverine. James Marsden is excellent in his role, despite not being scene for an hour in the film, as the more disciplined Cyclops who still has some tension with Wolverine, even for the affections of Dr. Jean Grey. Famke Janssen is really amazing in her more difficult role as Grey since she has trouble with her telepathy and her feelings over Wolverine while she becomes more and more reluctant about her own powers. Halle Berry meanwhile, is very good in her performance as Storm, especially by getting rid of a classy accent in the first film, where she has really wonderful scenes with Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler. Cumming is a notably standout as he is thought of a villain at first but then he comes out as a character of morality and goodwill, including in the jet crash scene where he risks his own life to save someone. Cumming brought a depth and conscious that is rarely seen in an action film.

Then you have four of the film's greatest performances starting off with the always-amazing Brian Cox as William Stryker. Cox brings a demeaning charm and intelligence to a villain who isn't just hell bent on destroying mutants but in his scenes with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, we see how far he'll go to destroy Wolverine's mind. Cox is devious and just a great villain who isn't a stereotypical villain but one that is enjoyable and hateful at the same time. Ian McKellan is another enjoyable villain but in X2, he kind of plays a good guy for a bit since he knows that mutants are in trouble and wants to help battle Stryker despite his own intentions for humans. McKellan brings a sly wit and charisma that is seductive even though he's a villain but one that is smart and cares for his group of people.

Patrick Stewart is also amazing in his classy performance as Professor X as he tries to find clues to the president's assassination attempt while trying not to be manipulated by Stryker's methods as he himself, becomes reluctant in trying to help Wolverine. Hugh Jackman is the easily the film's star and his performance in X2 outdoes the first as he displays more dramatic textures with a balance of action. Jackman brings humanity to Wolverine who tries to find clues to his past and when he does, we see how anguished and troubled he's become where he is forced to accept the role he will take part in.

X2: X-Men United is a fantastic film from Bryan Singer and definitely the best film of the X-Men franchise so far. Featuring a great ensemble cast and amazing technical work, it's a film that surpasses the first film in terms of a stronger story and a broader vision. Fans of the franchise will no doubt see this as the best of the film as it has more action and more engaging characters for them to relate to. In the end, X2: X-Men United is a fantastic film from Bryan Singer.

Bryan Singer Films: (The Usual Suspects) - (Apt. Pupil) - X-Men - (Superman Returns) - (Valkyrie) - (Jack the Giant Slayer) - X-Men: Days of Future Past - X-Men Apocalypse - (Bohemian Rhapsody)

X-Men Films: X-Men III: The Last Stand - X-Men Origins: Wolverine - X-Men: First Class - The Wolverine - Logan (2017 film) - Deadpool 2 – (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) - (New Mutants)

© thevoid99 2011

X-Men

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/19/06 w/ Extensive Revisions.

The comic book from Marvel about a group of mutants who become superheroes known as X-Men arrived to the comic book world from the mind of Marvel's comic book main man Stan Lee (who also created Spider-Man) and Jack Kirby in 1963. The X-Men comic book became very popular among its fans with its array of characters in a battle between good and bad mutants over their survival as the good are known as X-Men who believe that humans and mutants can work together while running a school teaching young mutants. Throughout the years, the comic's popularity spawned cartoons and comic book spin-offs where finally in 2000, a movie about the X-Men was finally ready to be made.

To create the first X-Men film, producers and Stan Lee turned to screenwriter David Hayter to write a script with additional help from fan and Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon. For their choice to direct the film, the turned to Bryan Singer who already created some buzz with his debut feature, 1995's The Usual Suspects and 1998's Apt Pupil which starred Ian McKellen. In the first X-Men movie, the plot revolves around a mutant named Magneto and his hatred for humans as he is in conflict with former friend named Charles Xavier. In the middle of this conflict, a young girl named Marie who has runaway from home and found refuge in a mysterious mutant named Logan (aka Wolverine) where they find themselves in the middle of a war. With a cast that included McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, James Marsden, Ray Park, Tyler Mane, Rebecca Romijn, Bruce Davison, and Shawn Ashmore. The X-Men movie is a fun, entertaining film that is a bit faithful to the comic book.

Fear emerges with humans over the growth of mutant population as Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) tries to assure the U.S. government that mutants are a threat much to the chagrin of Senator Robert Kelly (Bruce Davison). One mutant who doesn't like humans is Erik Leshnsherr/Magneto (Ian McKellan) who used to be a friend of Grey's mentor Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart). Meanwhile, a young girl named Marie/Rogue (Anna Paquin) has ran away from home after accidentally kissing a boy that drains his powers where she ends up in Alaska meeting a strange man named Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Logan fights humans for a living as an attempted attack has him taking Marie with her only to be attacked by huge mutant beast named Sabretooth (Tyler Mane) as they're saved by a couple of mutants named Scott Summers/Cyclops (James Marden) and Ororo Munroe/Storm (Halle Berry).

Logan and Marie arrive at Xavier's school for young mutants where Logan meets Jean who is revealed to be telepathic along with the more powerful yet wheelchair-bound Xavier who offers to help Logan recover lost memories. Meanwhile, Magneto makes plans of his own with his frog-like mutant Toad (Ray Park), Sabretooth, and the ever-changing Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) as she abducts Senator Kelly for an experiment. Back at Xavier's school, Logan learns about Marie's powers after a nightmare he has where she leaves as Xavier finds her through his Cerebro machine where Logan tries to convince her to go back to Xavier's as they're attacked by Magneto and his henchman with Scott and Ororo trying to help Logan.

Realizing what Magneto wants all along as well as information from an ill Senator Kelly, Xavier tries to figure out what Magneto is up to only to be poisoned by a trap set up by Mystique. With Jean using Cerebro to find Magneto's henchman, Logan teams up with the X-Men to battle Magneto and his team.

While the film does provide a lot of entertainment in terms of action, humor, and drama, it also carries some flaws. While David Hayter's script, that also featured work from Tom DeSanto and Singer, has problems in weaving out the development of some of the characters while hashing out lines that end up being uninspiring at times. Director Bryan Singer does manage to bring in a film that keeps the audience interested. Despite the flaws in its plot and presentation, Singer does create moments where everything does excite the audiences including the battle between the X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood where it reveals the reluctance of the X-Men in playing the superhero character. They're not perfect yet they all have cool powers and wanting to do the right thing. While Singer does excel in telling the story, he still couldn't develop some of the characters due to the script's shortcomings. While there's full development from Logan, Magneto, Xavier, Jean Grey, and on a lesser extent, Rogue. The rest though are played as second fiddle where from the standpoint of purists, it's pretty upsetting despite the fact that they have some great moments.

Helping Singer with the visual department is cinematographer Newton Thomas Siegel for bringing some wonderful lighting, especially with the blue look for the film's early scenes in Alaska as well as the some of the battle for the atmosphere of the film's look. Production designer John Myhre and art directors Paul D. Austerberry and Tamara Deverell also do great work in creating the metallic look of the underground part of the school. The costumes by Louise Mingenbach also does great work in creating the costumes including the leather suits for the X-Men team. Visual effects supervisors Michael L. Fink and Theresa Ellis do great work in creating the film's visual effects. Steve Boeddeker also does great work on the sound design while editors Steven Rosenblum, Kevin Stitt, and John Wright do great work in capturing the action and intensity of the film. The film's music also plays to the intensity from the late Michael Kamen with his rich, bombast orchestral score with additional work from Matthew Ferraro and Klaus Badelt.

Finally, there's the film's cast where in many ways, it's just a starting point. While Tyler Mane is pretty cool as Sabretooth and Ray Park is funny as Toad, neither actor really have much to work with in their performances. Even then-newcomer Shawn Ashmore's part as Bobby Drake/Iceman doesn't have much but since it's a minor character, Ashmore got to bring a lot of charm where his role was expanded to greater use in the next feature. Rebecca Romijn brings a lot of interesting qualities and a unique presence to her role as Mystique with her wonderfully, curvy body while proving to be a real menace in an excellent performance. Bruce Davidson is great as Senator Kelly whose conservative, cynical take on mutants takes on a great development when he becomes mutated as he learns about their plight. James Marsden is fine in the role of Scott Summers though the subplot about his relationship with Jean Grey is weak as Marsden acts a bit whiny while his scenes with Hugh Jackman are filled with great tension and humor.

Halle Berry is a fine actress in her own right but whenever she’s not doing cool powers or any kind of fighting, her dramatic approach doesn't seem to work, especially with a very bad African accent. It seems throughout some of those moments, Berry seems uncomfortable in that accent where it really suffers in her performance. Anna Paquin also suffers from working with accent as she employs a Southern accent that doesn't help matters, even in some intense dramatic moments despite some nice chemistry with Hugh Jackman. Though Paquin is a very important character, it's pretty badly written in the way she's emphasized, especially among comic books purists who see Rogue as something much stronger. Famke Janssen is the best female performance of the entire cast as she reveals her own insecurities with the potential of her powers and her reluctance to be a field leader as Janssen has wonderful scenes with Stewart and Jackman.

Ian McKellen gives a great performance in the role of Magneto as a villain whose hatred against humans is understandable while his desire to rid of them is good enough to even kind of root for him. McKellen brings a complexity and superiority to his performance that stands out in every way. Patrick Stewart is also great in another complex, superior role as McKellen's opposite, Professor X. Though Stewart is more understated and optimistic, he brings a calmness and almost mentor-like quality to his role as he becomes the one person who can calm the often aggressive Wolverine. The film's real breakout performance is then-newcomer Hugh Jackman. The Australian actor brings a lot of qualities that makes the Wolverine character cool as hell. Jackman brings a wonderfully brooding yet aggressive approach to the character of Wolverine along with a sensitivity and humor to the role as he has great chemistry with his cast. In many ways, the film really belongs to Hugh Jackman.

X-Men is a very good from Bryan Singer that does create an engaging origin story despite some flaws in the script. While comic books will enjoy seeing these characters come to life including Wolverine. The film also serves as a real breakthrough for then-newcomer Hugh Jackman who makes Wolverine into his own as he's supported by a great supporting cast including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. In the end, X-Men is a fun, entertaining film from Bryan Singer and company.

Bryan Singer Films: (The Usual Suspects) - (Apt Pupil) - X2: X-Men United - (Superman Returns) - (Valkyrie)

X-Men Films: X-Men III: The Last Stand - X-Men Origins: Wolverine - X-Men: First Class - The Wolverine - X-Men: Apocalypse - Logan (2017 film) - Deadpool 2 – (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) - (New Mutants)

© thevoid99 2011

The Piano

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/14/05 w/ Additional Edits.

One of the most acclaimed and influential female directors in international cinema, Jane Campion has brought a new style to cinema that explores the behaviors and roles of women. After doing several short films in the 1980s that won her acclaim, including a short called Peel that won her the Palme D'or in the short film competition. After a TV feature for Two Friends for Australian television, the New Zealand born director gained her breakthrough in 1989 with a dysfunctional family film called Sweetie that won Campion some international acclaim for Best Foreign Film in the Independent Spirit Awards and the New Generation Award from the L.A. Film Critics Association. In 1990, Campion did another Australian TV-miniseries on the life of author Janet Frame called An Angel at My Table that got a theatrical release where Campion received a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and another Best Foreign Film prize at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Then in 1993, Campion returned with what many considered to be her greatest work to date as well as a landmark for female directors in an elegant, harrowing drama entitled The Piano. Written and directed by Campion, the film is about a 19th-century mute who is sent to colonial New Zealand to be married to a land owner with her illegitimate daughter in tow. Bringing her piano to an island where the owner lives, the owner wouldn't let her bring it and instead, gave it to a gruff, settler/Maori translator. The woman is angry though she and the settler find an attraction to each other that is beyond anything. Starring Holly Hunter, Sam Neill, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin, Kerry Walker, George Boyle, and Genevieve Lemon. The Piano is a rich, emotionally powerful drama that strikes with each note like the film's title itself.

Having not spoken since age 6, Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) learns that her father (George Boyle) is sending her to be wed to a land owner in colonial New Zealand. Though Ada communicates through sign language, she doesn't consider herself silent since she her true form of communication and joy is through playing her precious piano. With her daughter Flora (Anna Paquin), who she had from an illegitimate relationship, going to New Zealand with her from their home in Scotland as her spokesperson. They take everything including the piano. They wait in the beach of New Zealand where they meet Stewart (Sam Neill) who is accompanied by a group of Maori tribesmen and an English settler turned half-Maori named George Baines (Harvey Keitel).

Stewart takes everything but the piano to his home through the muddy, swamp-like land as immediately, Ada is upset since he wouldn't bring the piano though he claims he's coming back for it later on. Meeting Stewart's relatives Aunt Morag (Kerry Walker) and Nessie (Genevieve Lemon), Ada and Stewart have a rainy wedding ceremony and picture though Flora is upset that she’s not in it while insisting she won't call Stewart her father. Flora tells a story to Aunt Morag claiming that Ada was once an opera singer and her father died from a lightning strike. Desperate to be with her piano, Ada and Flora ask Baines to take them to beach to be with the piano as Ada plays the piano with Flora dancing on the beach. Baines realizes what meaning the piano has to Ada as he makes a deal with Stewart.

Baines takes the piano in his home while Stewart has an increase in land which only upsets Ada as Stewart is desperately trying to win her love. Baines asks only for piano lessons as Ada makes a bargain to play a few keys for each visit and Baines would give her back the piano. Ada would often visit while Flora plays outside with Baines’ dog as Baines just listens as he understands the attachment that Ada has for her piano. The visits continues as Baines finds an emotional and sexual comfort in her playing as she resists his primal attitude. When a play for the Maori tribe and its chief plus locals is happening, Ada uses Stewart to make Baines jealous. The next visit reveals Baines’ sensitivity where the two begin to engage each other, sexually as Flora watches.

After tattling to Stewart, Baines makes a deal to give Ada back her piano as Stewart realizes the power that the piano has on her. Ada is upset at Baines where the two realize their attraction as does Stewart. Stewart attempts to reach out to Ada in the same level but her piano playing becomes only half-hearted. Stewart's relationship with Maori tribe falters as he learned that Baines is leaving for good. Ada tries to imagine herself with him using Stewart as her suitor but he begins to realize what it’s all about as his frustrations lead to emotional and mental aggravation for himself.

Straying away from traditional romantic concepts, Campion goes for a more Gothic, emotional tone for her story by using a tough-as-nails mute as her heroine. While the story has elements of psychological, there's a lot of emotional elements in terms of the development of its central characters. Using the colonial, muddy New Zealand as her backdrop, the tone of the film is very earthy and Gothic in ways that some critics of the film defined the story and its directing as poetic. There's a subtlety and melancholia that revolves around the love story of Baines and Ada that is filled with tension but there's a feeling into why they love each other and how Stewart is forced to come to terms with it. Another character that is very important to the film is the piano itself since it represents the lost voice of Ada in a metaphorical way. It's her voice and her heart that she rarely lets people aside from her daughter share with. It's only Baines who takes his time to understand what it means to her and when the piano is in possession, he takes care of it with such sensitivity.

Campion's work as a writer is wonderfully filled with emotional moments and some of the most intense and diabolical moments of the film. Campion as a director captures some of the greatest pieces of scenery that is not expected in a dark, romantic film. The way she moves the camera and how it will come in the perspective of a character or third person is mesmerizing. There's moments that Campion even has an epic scope of some scenes that the audience is aware that they're in a different world and different time. Campion succeeds in giving the audience to feel that they're actually there while watching a tragedy ready to unfold in the third act. Another thing that Campion succeeds in the directing field is her elegant approach towards sex where its done in a subtle and emotional way instead of doing it for sexual stimulation though sex in the film is portrayed realistically and emotionally.

Capturing the dark, Gothic tone of the film in its look is cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh who uses very little lighting to capture the authenticity in many of the films interior scenes at night and whatever elements of light in the day scenes. For exterior scenes, Dryburgh captures the muddy, blue-green look of the film without using any kind of artificial light when the scenes require to be rainy in its look while capturing the epic scope of the film's beaches and hills. Capturing the authenticity and period tone of that film are production designer Andrew McAlpine and costume designer Janet Patterson. Editor Veronika Jenet helps give the film a leisurely but not too-slow pacing style that would've made other period films seem slower while sound designer Lee Smith captures the film's sound of winds and waves to capture the natural tone of the film. Then there's the film's eerie, melancholic piano score by Michael Nyman helps bring the Gothic mood of the film along with some great, expressive piano playing.

Finally, there's the film's enriching cast that includes some wonderful supporting performances from George Boyle, the actors who play the Maori tribesmen, and Campion regulars Genevieve Lemon and Kerry Walker as Stewart's relatives who look at the troubling relationship of Stewart and Ada. In her feature film debut, Anna Paquin gives a remarkable performance as the innocent, resentful Flora who serves as her mother's mouth piece but when Ada leans closer towards Baines. Paquin channels all of her anger and frustration since she's also in a way, her mother's conscience in a performance that is powerful. Sam Neill is also brilliant in his role as Stewart as a man who is so desperate to be loved, he actually gives him a bit of sympathy. Neill's portrayal is definitely masterful in the way he makes Stewart not an unlikeable character but a man who just doesn't understand things while dealing with the fact that he's doing the best he can to win Ada's love.

Harvey Keitel is wonderfully amazing in his role as the complex George Baines who brings a primal presence as a man whose intentions might seem horrible but Keitel brings a tenderness and understanding to the role. While Keitel isn’t afraid to show himself naked (much to the dismay of some viewers), Keitel bares more than his body in the way he displays care and sensitivity to Ada and her piano. The film’s greatest performance is Holly Hunter who throughout the film rarely speaks (only in the opening narration where she uses a Scottish accent).

Hunter stands her ground against her male counterparts while bringing a grace and selfishness to her character since she carries about her precious piano. Hunter brings a lively performance with the piano as she and Keitel have a wonderful sense of chemistry and tension while also having great scenes with Neill and Paquin. Hunter is really the film's heart and soul in this rich, minimalist, and harrowing performance where the Conyers, Georgia native shows her range as an actress.

When the film premiered at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, it was a surprise hit as the film won a Best Actress prize for Hunter and sharing the coveted Palme D'or prize with Farewell My Concubine by director Chen Kaige. The film premiered internationally later on as it won rave reviews along with some box office success as Jane Campion was becoming the premier female director of her time as she was the second woman to garner a Best Director nomination in the Oscars. The film eventually won several awards including three Oscars for Best Original Screenplay for Campion, a Best Supporting Actress prize for Anna Paquin, and a Best Actress prize for Hunter (who was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Firm).

The Piano is an enriching and melancholic film from Jane Campion thanks to the enriching performances of Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin. While the film has managed to hold up as one of the seminal features by a female director, it's not easy since the performances and Gothic narrative does demand patience. Still, with repeated viewing, the movie does become easier to understand. Anyone interested in the works of Jane Campion will find a perfect introduction with The Piano. 

Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Portrait of a Lady - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - Top of the Lake (TV miniseries) - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) - The Power of the Dog - The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion

© thevoid99 2011