Based on a story from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio, The Little Hours is the story of a young man who is taken in by a priest to work at a convent unaware that the nuns are anything but celibate. Written for the screen and directed by Jeff Baena, the film is a bawdy take on Boccaccio’s story as it is set during the middle ages with elements of modern-day humor to explore some of the darkest aspects of faith and how insane things can go. Starring Aubrey Plaza, Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Kate Micucci, Jemima Kirke, Fred Armisen, Molly Shannon, Nick Offerman, Paul Reiser, and John C. Reilly. The Little Hours is a wild and offbeat film from Jeff Baena.
The film follows a convent that is need of a new handyman where its priest takes in a young man that is on the run following a tryst with a nobleman’s wife as he pretends to be a deaf-mute leading to all sorts of trouble. It’s a film where a trio of nuns cope with temptation as they meet this young man who intrigues them as they deal with their own sexual repression and other things. Jeff Baena’s screenplay is quite loose where it play into these situations that are absurd as much of the dialogue in the film is improvised where the characters pretty much get to say things that are more direct and modern rather than take on the language of that period. It’s a format that is unique though it does go overboard at times where it would affect the narrative where it wants to be this raunchy comedy that lives up to the text but also a period piece that is true to the times.
Baena’s direction is very simplistic in terms of its compositions as he doesn’t go into a lot of style as it’s more about dialogue and the setting. Shot on location in the Tuscany area of Italy, Baena does use its mountains and forests as a suitable setting for the film that does create a world that is mysterious but also simpler despite the attitude of some of the characters. While Baena would use some wide shots for a lot of the exteriors and in some of the interiors in some creative compositions. Much of the film is approached more intimately with the close-ups and medium shots that play into the interaction with the characters as well as some of the comedy. Though Baena’s approach to improvisation would hamper the narrative a bit in terms of its pacing and its attempt to be shocking. There is still something that does play true to the text as well as showcase a group of nuns struggling to maintain their vow of chastity in a world that is very repressive. Overall, Baena crafts a witty though uneven film about a trio of nuns who go after a man pretending to be a deaf-mute handyman at a convent.
Cinematographer Quyen Tran does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward for many of the scenes set in the day as well as the scenes at night with its usage of artificial light and fire. Editor Ryan Brown does nice work in the editing as it’s straightforward to play into the comedy as well as some of the absurd moments in the film. Production designer Susie Mancini and art director Andrew Katz do fantastic work with the look of the sets in many of the interiors for the convents and churches as well as the home of the nobleman. Costume designer Natalie O’Brien does terrific work with the costumes from the look of the nun robes as well as some of the lavish clothes of some of the locals. Sound editor Christopher Barnett does superb work with the sound in capturing some of the chaos that goes in some of the funnier moments as well as the calmness of the exterior locations. The film’s music by Dan Romer is wonderful for its usage of folk-based music of the times with some orchestral music while music supervisor Zach Cowie provide a soundtrack of the music of those times.
The casting by Courtney Bright and Nicole Daniels is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Paul Weitz as a handyman that is verbally-abused by the nuns, Lauren Weedman as the nobleman’s mother that Massetto sleeps with, Jon Garbus and Adam Pally as a couple of inept guards for the nobleman, Paul Reiser as Sister Alessandra’s father who is a patron of the church, Jemima Kirke as Fernanda’s friend Marta who is a real troublemaker, Nick Offerman as the nobleman Lord Bruno who always say very dull things, and Fred Armisen as Bishop Bartolomeo who makes a visit during the film’s third act where he is trying to see what is going on. Molly Shannon is fantastic as Sister Marea as the nun’s leader that is trying to maintain order while John C. Reilly is superb as Father Tommasso as the convent’s head who is trying to help make money for the church while hiring Massetto as the new handyman and have him pretend to be a deaf-mute.
Kate Micucci is excellent as Sister Ginevra as young woman who often says a lot of things that she sees that she feels could trouble things while dealing with her own issues relating to her sexual presence where Micucci would show a very funny moment in her encounter with a drug. Aubrey Plaza is brilliant as Sister Fernanda as a young woman that is just very intense as well as secretive to the point that she’s extremely defensive due to the fact that she is carrying a big secret. Dave Franco is amazing as Massetto as a nobleman’s servant who gets caught sleeping with his master’s wife only to pretend to be a deaf-mute who falls for Sister Alessandra and later be put into some serious shit with the other sisters. Finally, there’s Alison Brie in a remarkable performance as Sister Alessandra as a young nun who copes with loneliness and ponders what her future will be like until she meets and falls for Massetto which she tries to keep as a secret unaware of the chaos that is around her.
The Little Hours is a stellar though flawed film from Jeff Baena. Despite its attempt to provide a more modern approach to the film’s original text and infuse it with 21st Century humor. It’s a film that does provide enough funny moments as well as its exploration of sexual repression in the 14th Century thanks in part to its very talented cast. In the end, The Little Hours is a pretty good film from Jeff Baena.
Related: The Decameron
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Dan Scanlon and written by Scanlon, Daniel Gerson, and Robert L. Baird, Monsters University is a prequel film to 2001’s Monsters Inc. in which Mike Wazowski meets Sulley at Monsters University where they start out as rivals and later become friends. It’s a film that explores two different monsters trying to find themselves in college and hope to make it into the big leagues as Billy Crystal and John Goodman respectively reprise their roles as Mike and Sulley as does Steve Buscemi as Randall. Also featuring the voices of Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Peter Sohn, Nathan Fillion, Charlie Day, Aubrey Plaza, Tyler Labine, Alfred Molina, and Helen Mirren as Dean Abigail Hardscrabble. Monsters University is a witty and enjoyable film from Dan Scanlon and Pixar Animation Studios.
The film is about how Mike Wazowski and James “Sulley” Sullivan became friends as they first met as freshmen college students at the prestigious Monsters University where they started out as rivals. Especially as Wazowski’s roommate was none other than future nemesis in Randall Boggs where they were friends at first. Yet, it’s a film where both Mike and Sulley not only become friends through a series of unfortunate events as they try to major the Scare program at the university. It’s also in how they try to get back into the program by being part of the annual Scare Games where they reluctantly team up with a fraternity full of outcasts to compete with other fraternities and sororities. During that process, the two would become friends but also realize how much they need each other to make it in the big leagues.
The film’s screenplay definitely explore a lot of the motivations and complexities of the two characters as Mike had always wanted to be a scarer since he was a kid during a school field trip as he studied hard to get to Monsters University. Despite his knowledge and determination to be a scarer in the Scare program, what he lacks is the look to really be scary. While Sulley has that look and the skills to be a scarer as he comes from a family of scarers, he doesn’t have the patience to learn which makes him arrogant and foolish. Due to an incident in a final program, the two are kicked out of the program where they reluctantly become part of this fraternity full of oddballs that don’t look or act scary. With Mike’s determination and Sulley’s natural ability, the two would make Oozma Kappa not just the surprise underdogs but also find a brotherhood that Mike and Sulley would later cherish.
Dan Scanlon’s direction is definitely filled with a lot of the ideas that is expected in a college film with frat parties and such. Much of it is full of humor and hijinks while it is balanced by drama and moments that help shape the characters and the story. Much of it involves images that play into the building friendship between Mike and Sulley while adding a few references of things to come in Monsters Inc. that would include the seeds of the eventual rivalry between Sulley and Randall. With the help of animation directors Andrew Gordon and Robert H. Huss, the look of the animation is definitely lively as it’s definitely what is expected from the animation team at Pixar with Scanlon providing lots of interesting framing and such to play into the humor and drama. Overall, Scanlon creates a very solid and entertaining film about two different monsters who become best friends in college.
Cinematographers Matt Aspbury and Jean-Claude Kalache do amazing work with some of the lighting schemes for some of the film‘s interior settings to add to the visual flair of the film. Editor Greg Synder does fantastic work with the editing in terms of creating a few montages and rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and party atmosphere. Production designer Ricky Nievra does brilliant work with the look of the University where it has this Ivy League look but also a world that is like a party and an institution to learn.
Sound designer Tom Myers does superb work with the film‘s sound to play into the sound effects that occur in some of the games as well as the places the monsters go to. The film’s music by Randy Newman is excellent for its mixture of low-key and suspenseful orchestral music to a lot of the playful drumline music of colleges as the soundtrack includes a mix of pop, electronic music, and metal music from the band Mastodon.
The voice casting by Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher is incredible as it features an amazing ensemble that features voice appearances from Pixar regulars John Ratzenberger as the Yeti, Bonnie Hunt as young Mike’s schoolteacher, and Bob Peterson as Roz. Other notable small voice roles include Bobby Moynihan as the Roar Omega Roar member Chet, Beth Behrs as the Python Nu Kappa sorority girls, John Krasinski as a top-scarer that the young Mike meets, Tyler Labine and Aubrey Plaza as the Greek Council leaders hosting the Scare Games, Noah Johnston as the young Mike, Bill Hader as a slug student trying to get to class, and Julia Sweeney as Squishy’s sweet mother Sherri who loves to clean and listen to Mastodon. Nathan Fillion is terrific as the Roar Kappa Roar fraternity leader who is arrogant as the quintessential jock while Steve Buscemi is excellent in reprising his role as the slick and skillful Randy who starts out as a nerd to a member of the Roar Omega Roar fraternity.
Alfred Molina is superb as scare professor Derek Knight who looks at what kind of skills that Mike and Sulley have early on and see if it can elevate them. Helen Mirren is amazing as Dean Hardscrabble as this no-nonsense monster who knows who has what it takes to be a scarer as she watches over what Mike and Sulley can do to see if they can prove her wrong. In the roles of the Oozma Kappa fraternity members, there’s Joel Murray as the middle-aged octopus ex-salesman Don Carlton, Sean Hayes and Dave Foley as the two-headed twin brother monster Terri and Terry Perry, Charlie Day as the wild and furry Art, and Peter Sohn as the very unconventional Squishy as they’re all fantastic in their roles. Finally, there’s Billy Crystal and John Goodman in brilliant performances in their respective roles as Mike Wazowski and James “Sulley” Sullivan as they bring that sense of fun and complexity that makes them so endearing to watch as a reminder into why they were a great duo in Monsters Inc.
Monsters University is an excellent film from Dan Scanlon and Pixar Animation Studios. While it may not reach the heights as its predecessor or other films of Pixar, it is still an entertaining and heartfelt film that has all of the tropes that made Pixar one of the best animation studios ever. Even as it’s a film that just wants to give its audience something to enjoy and have characters to root for. In the end, Monsters University is a superb film from Dan Scanlon and Pixar.
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 - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (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 2014
Written and directed by Whit Stillman, Damsels in Distress is the story of a transfer student who arrives at a university where she becomes part of a small group of women where they deal with the men in their lives. The film marks the return of Whit Stillman after a thirteen-year gap between films as he once again explores the world of young adults except in a new environment and with a new set of rules. Starring Greta Gerwig, Analeigh Tipton, Adam Brody, Hugo Becker, Megan Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, and Ryan Metcalf. Damsels in Distress is a delightful comedy from Whit Stillman.
College life is a place where people go in the search to find themselves while finding ways to enjoy life. In this film, it revolves around three young women who take in a young transfer student as they deal with the pratfalls of love as well as trying to find ways to make life better no matter how bad things are. Leading the pack is Violet (Greta Gerwig) who is a sociable junior who runs a suicide prevention center with her two roommates Rose (Megan Echikunwoke) and Heather (Carrie MacLemore). The three women are known for their fashion sense and keen observation about the world of college life as they take in sophomore transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) to be part of their group. Still, both Violet and Lily do get involved with some men in their lives as it makes things complicated where they each have two different ideas on how to deal with depression and disappointment where Violet doesn’t want to give in to the idea that she’s depressed.
Whit Stillman’s screenplay definitely recalls a lot of his past works where characters discuss about their roles in life and what is ahead yet things are different this time around as it’s all set in a university in the American east coast. Violet is definitely a unique individual who had been through some tough times in her life but always try to find someway to keep her spirits up. Yet, a new challenge involving someone she was with forces her to go into a tailspin until she finds something that she believes could help out get out of that tailspin. Lily is the outsider in the film as she is someone who has just transferred to a new school as she is in love with a European man in Xavier (Hugo Becker) while finding herself attracted to a man named Charlie (Adam Brody) whom Violet is suddenly attracted to.
This would eventually cause tension between Violet and Lily for much of the film’s second half where Lily is having a more active social life though she still wants to be friends with Violet. Violet however, wants to do things to help herself with the help of the sweet Heather and the more cynical Rose as she gets the idea to start a dance craze in the hopes to get people’s spirits up. Even as Violet uses the suicide prevention building as a way for people to dance so that they wouldn’t feel suicidal though some dispute Violet’s beliefs. Another interesting aspect about the film are the way men portrayed where there are those like Charlie who is a unique individual who is just trying to find himself. There are some men who are quite dim but they do offer something that gives them more to do while Xavier is this passionate European who is going through a crisis of identity and spirituality as he would later trouble Lily.
Stillman’s direction is definitely a bit different from his previous work as it’s much broader in some places while maintaining that air of intimacy that he’s been known for. Notably as Stillman goes farther away from the cities to something much more confined but still wild in the world of colleges. Notably as it involves some strange realm of social circles such as frat houses and dorms that are notorious for being very smelly. The world of Violet and her friends is quite different but also simple as they do live in dorms while being observers around their environment. While Stillman’s film is a light-hearted comedy with some low-key aspects of drama. There is something in the film that adds an element of escapism which is in the form of musicals.
With the help of choreographer Justin Cerne, Stillman uses dance as a way to help express Violet’s desire to make people feel better. Even as she attempts to start a new dance craze known as the Sambola which is this a mixture of all sorts of dances rolled into one. That element of the musical definitely gives the film a much more livelier feel as it expresses Violet’s desire to make the world much better. Even if it involves something as simple as the scent of a bar of soap that proves to be a wonderfully effective use of comedy. Overall, Stillman creates a truly splendid and fun film that explores a young woman’s desire to make college life better for the world with some help from her friends.
Cinematographer Doug Emmett does some fantastic work with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the sunny exteriors in the campus to some of the more straightforward look in some of the film‘s interior scenes. Editor Andrew Hafitz does nice work with the editing to create some stylish cuts for some of the more light-hearted moments along with some straight cuts in the dramatic portions of the film. Production designer Elizabeth J. Jones, along with set decorator Emmanuelle Hoessly and art director Brian Goodwin, does terrific work with the look of the campuses and places nearby to express a world that is thriving but also being troubled by a dorm that is known for being grungy and smelly.
Costume designer Ciera Wells is absolutely a highlight of the film from the colorful yet bright dresses Violet, Rose, and Heather wear to the more straight-laced look of Lily while they also delve into more stylish clothing as the clothes really add a nuance to the film‘s look. Sound editor Tom Paul does excellent work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of some of the party scenes as well as some of the intimate moments in the conversations. The film’s music by Mark Suozzo and Adam Schlesinger is brilliant for its playful use of piano-based music with a bit of jazz and rock into the mix to play out the world of college life along with some original music such as the Sambola song. Music supervisor Annie Pearlman creates a soundtrack that features a wide range of music from rock, 90s dance, and show tunes to establish Violet’s urge for escapism.
The casting by Kerry Barden, Anya Colloff, Amy McIntyre Britt, and Paul Schnee is incredible as it features appearances from two of Stillman’s old regulars in Carolyn Farina as a diner waitress and Taylor Nichols as a professor. Other small roles include Alia Shawkat as a student annoyed by Violet’s tap dancing, Aubrey Plaza as a depressed student who often attends the suicide center, Zach Woods as an elitist editor of the school’s paper, Meredith Hagner as Xavier’s old girlfriend Alice, Jermaine Crawford as a friend of the girls who helps them in the suicide center, and Caitlin Fitzgerald as a suicidal student the girls save only to unknowingly betray Violet. Ryan Metcalf and Billy Magnussen are very funny as two dim-witted frat boys who are friends of the girls with Metcalf as an old boyfriend of violet who feels bad for what he did while Magnussen is the more innocent of the two as he is admittedly ignorant but in a sweet way.
Hugo Becker is excellent as the European student Xavier who is confused over his own identity as well as his feelings for Lily. Adam Brody is terrific as Charlie as a well-dressed playboy who is still trying to figure himself out while gaining the attraction of both Violet and Lily. Carrie MacLemore is wonderful as the very sweet Heather who always tries to figure out what to do while she creates an idea that would later prove to be very helpful. Megan Echikunwoke is superb as the British student Rose who is sort of the cynic of the four while trying to figure out how to help everyone else with these issues. Analeigh Tipton is remarkable as Lily as a young transfer student trying to figure out Violet’s view on the world while dealing with her own dating life. Finally, there’s Greta Gerwig in a fabulous performance as Violet as a woman eager to make the world a better place while trying to confront her own issues with men and the world as it’s really a performance that is just so much fun to watch.
Damsels in Distress is a sensational film from Whit Stillman. Armed with a great cast led by Greta Gerwig, it’s a film that explores the world of college life and those trying to find themselves in that environment. It’s also a film that explores a young woman’s desire to create a world for herself that she feels is being bogged down while trying to deal with the pratfalls of love with the women in her life. In the end, Damsels in Distress is a marvelous film from Whit Stillman.
Whit Stillman Films: Metropolitan - Barcelona - The Last Days of Disco - Love & Friendship - The Auteurs #21: Whit Stillman
© thevoid99 2013
