Justice League

Based on the characters from DC Comics, Justice League is the story of a group of superheroes who form a team to stop a major threat from unleashing havoc on Earth as well as secure a trio of boxes to stop this threat. Directed by Zack Snyder with additional direction by Joss Whedon and screenplay by Whedon and Chris Terrio from a story by Terrio and Snyder, the film is superhero movie that feature many revered superheroes who come together and save the world as they also deal with themselves. Starring Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Amber Heard, Jeremy Irons, Connie Nielsen, J.K. Simmons, and Ciaran Hinds as the voice of Steppenwolf. Justice League is a thrilling though underwhelming film from Zack Snyder.

The film is a simple story in which a group of superheroes team up to face a super threat as it all takes place on Earth following the death of Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) during a major battle. For Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), he is consumed with guilt for not doing enough to help Superman as he encounters a major threat forcing him to call upon Wonder Woman/Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to help him recruit other figures with special abilities. The film’s screenplay by Chris Terrio with additional work from Joss Whedon does play into the stakes yet it doesn’t do enough to introduce the other characters that would be part of this team and information about these mysterious boxes that the Justice League has to get to stop this antagonist in Steppenwolf. The first act is about Wayne and Prince recruiting the other supers into the Justice League with the Flash/Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) immediately saying yes while Cyborg/Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) and Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) initially decline until Steppenwolf get involved with their personal lives.

The boxes that are known as the Mother Boxes are all sources of power that Steppenwolf wants to use to destroy the world but he had been thwarted many centuries ago by an alliance of men, Atlanteans, Olympian Gods, the Green Lantern Corps, and Amazonians who agreed to hide the boxes from Steppenwolf. The character of Steppenwolf is a villain that is underwritten due to the fact that he’s not compelling and is never really fleshed out. The script also doesn’t do much Stone as there is little to know about his origin as a kid who survived a car accident only for his father Silas (Joe Morton) to have one of the three boxes to use to create a new cyborg body that Stone would use to retrieve all sorts of information. While Allen and Curry do get a bit of back story, they’re also hampered by the script’s shortcomings due to the fact that they never get a proper introduction though there’s brief mention of why Allen can run so fast and emit electricity.

Zack Snyder’s direction is definitely lavish with some dream-like compositions to play into a world coping with loss as well as a growing sense of hopelessness and danger. Shot mainly at the Warner Brothers Studios in Leavesden in Britain with additional locations around London, Los Angeles, Chicago, parts of Scotland, and Iceland. Snyder does establish a world on the brink of chaos and despair as he does create some unique wide shots for some scenes including Wayne’s meeting with Curry in an attempt to get him on board. There are also some close-ups and medium shots in the film to play into the characters interacting with one another as Snyder does know where to put a few moments of humor in the film as well as giving audiences a break for the action. It’s among some of the things that Snyder and his replacement in Joss Whedon would succeed in doing but it’s not enough to make the film more engaging than it needed to be.

Among these issues is that there is this feeling that there’s a longer film in there somewhere as Whedon had to make some compromises to make it less messy but it undercuts some of the moments with the characters as Stone isn’t given a lot to do in how he became Cyborg while the sequence about the origin of Steppenwolf and the three boxes seem to feel like there was a longer version presented. Then there’s many of the visual set pieces as it relates to the action where Snyder and Whedon try to create so much action and visual textures yet the emphasis on visual effects do overwhelm the action including the film’s climax where the Justice League faces off against Steppenwolf and his army. It also has these clunky moments where they try to do so much but ends up being overkill in moments where it wants to be funny and exciting with moments that are serious. Overall, Snyder and Whedon crafts a worthwhile but lackluster film about a group of superheroes coming together to save the world.

Cinematographer Fabian Wagner does some fine work with the cinematography in terms of setting the mood for some scenes at night with its lighting although the reliance on de-saturated colors is overkill as it doesn’t do enough to make the film visually vibrant in favor of grittiness that doesn’t entirely work. Editors David Brenner, Richard Pearson, and Martin Walsh do some good work in the editing in creating some fast-cuts for some of the action though there’s moments where there is too much fast-cutting where it doesn’t do enough to establish what is going on in these action sequences. Production designer Patrick Tatpoulos, with set decorator Dominic Capron and senior art director Matthew Gray, does excellent work with the look of the Batcave where Wayne does much of his work and serves as a temporary base for the Justice League as well as the look of the place where Steppenwolf wants to use the Mother Boxes. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does amazing work with the costumes in the look of the characters as well as the casual clothes they would wear when they’re not working as superheroes.

Makeup designer Victoria Down does nice work with the look of the characters from the look of Cyborg as well as the tattoos on Curry. Special effects supervisor Mark Holt and visual effects supervisor John “D.J.” Des Jardin do some terrific work on the visual effects for the design of the monsters though its usage as set-dressing isn’t inspired while the look of Steppenwolf is underwhelming as well as the awkward look of Clark Kent when he smiles. Sound designer Chuck Michael does superb work with the sound in the way the aliens sound as well as some of the weapons and the layer of sounds in the film’s climax. The film’s music by Danny Elfman is wonderful for its orchestral bombast that help play into the action and suspense along with a few low-key pieces for the non-action scenes while music supervisor Karen Elliott does do some OK work on the soundtrack as it includes music from the White Stripes as well as covers of songs by Sigrid doing Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows and Gary Clark with Junkie XL doing the Beatles’ Come Together.

The casting by Kristy Carlson, Lora Kennedy, and Kate Ringsell is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Billy Crudup as Allen’s father Henry, Joe Morton as Stone’s father Silas, Amber Heard as the Atlantean Mera who knows Curry’s mother, Connie Nielsen as Prince’s mother Queen Hippolyta who would send her daughter a signal about Steppenwolf, Michael McElhatton as a terrorist Diana defeats early in the film, Diane Lane as Kent’s adoptive mother Martha Kent, and J.K. Simmons as Gotham police commissioner James Gordon who briefs members of the Justice League about the kidnappings at Gotham. Amy Adams is fantastic as Lois Lane as the reporter for the Daily Planet and Clark Kent’s love interest who copes with not just loss but also the sense of hopelessness despite the efforts of the Justice League. Ciaran Hinds is OK as Steppenwolf as he provides the voice of this menacing figure though it’s a character that is severely underwritten and not really given much to do but go after the Mother Boxes and kill good people.

Henry Cavill is good as Clark Kent/Superman as he’s first seen in an Instagram video as the superhero where he would later be part of a plan to be revived as Cavill has his moments despite some bad visual effects on his face. Jeremy Irons is excellent as Alfred Pennyworth as Wayne’s longtime butler/assistant who is the film’s conscience of sorts as someone who helps the Justice League with information as well as be aware of what is at stake. Ray Fisher is alright as Victor Stone/Cyborg as a former athlete who survived an accident that would have him sport a machine-like body as he deals with his abilities and being alive as Fisher has his moments though he’s not given a lot to do. Jason Momoa is superb as Arthur Curry/Aquaman as a half-Atlantean/half-human man that has the ability to control water and such as he is reluctant to join the Justice League until Atlantis was attacked prompting him to join as he does provide some funny moments.

Ezra Miller is brilliant as Barry Allen/the Flash as a young superhero who can run very fast and emit electricity as he is an admitted loner that has a hard time trying to get friends as he is also a fanboy of sorts in working with Batman and Wonder Woman as he is fun to watch. Gal Gadot is amazing as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman as the Amazonian princess who learns about Steppenwolf’s return as she decides to help Wayne out in forming the Justice League while dealing with her own reluctance to help out humanity. Finally, there’s Ben Affleck in an incredible performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman as the vigilante who decides to form a team as a way to make amends for his anger towards Superman while being aware of this threat as knows he’s been in too many battles but is hoping to save the world.

Justice League is a terrific though underwhelming film from Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon. Despite its great cast, some nice action set pieces, and bits of humor, it’s a film that falls short in what it needed to be as this epic superhero cross-over film with high stakes. Especially as it rely too much on visual effects and spectacles that don’t really do much for the story that needed to flesh out the characters more. In the end, Justice League is a good but lackluster film from Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon.

Zack Snyder Films: (Dawn of the Dead (2004 film)) – 300 - Watchmen - (Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole) – Sucker Punch

Joss Whedon Films: Serenity - The Avengers (2012 film) - Much Ado About Nothing (2012 film) - The Avengers: Age of Ultron

DC Extended Universe: Man of Steel - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Suicide Squad - Wonder Woman - Aquaman – Shazam! – Birds of Prey - (Wonder Woman 1984) - (The Batman) - (The Suicide Squad)

© thevoid99 2018

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Based on the characters from DC Comics, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is about two superheroes who both go into conflict with each other unaware that a mogul is stirring the pot from underneath to get them to kill each other. Directed by Zack Snyder and screenplay by David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio, the film is a sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel where Superman copes with being a polarizing figure in the world with Batman being uneasy with Superman’s action from that film as Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El is once again played by Henry Cavill and Batman/Bruce Wayne is played by Ben Affleck. Also starring Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an enthralling but messy film from Zack Snyder.

The film revolves around a growing conflict between two superheroes who both want to do good but have different ideas of what to do with it as they would eventually have a showdown unaware that a mogul is trying to get them to fight each other for his own gain. It’s a film that plays into not just actions but also its consequences where it begins with the climatic showdown between Superman and Zod at Gotham from Man of Steel but it is seen from the perspective of Bruce Wayne who would watch thousands of innocent people killed including some of his employees at a building he owns with one of them losing his legs. Superman not only copes with being a polarizing figure trying to do good though innocent people would be killed in these attempts as members of the United States government want to question his intentions. Still, Clark Kent would question the intentions of Batman who had been doing vigilante work on his own brand of justice where even the people of Gotham are afraid of him.

The film’s screenplay by David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio definitely play not into this conflict between these two men but also questioning themselves where Wayne and several others aren’t sure if Superman is really trying to do good as there are those who are also willing to discredit Superman. The one person that is doing that and more as well as stirring the pot between Batman and Superman is this mogul in Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg). While Wayne’s longtime butler Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons) believe that Superman isn’t the enemy and Kent’s adoptive mother Martha (Diane Lane) tries to assure her son to do good no matter all of the bad that is happening. Even Kent’s girlfriend/fellow journalist Lois Lane (Amy Adams) tries to assure Clark that he is doing good while she would do her own investigation into a bullet shell she found in Africa during an assignment that went wrong where Superman saved her but he would be accused of killing several people.

While the film’s script does establish the characters including their motivation as well as their own suspicions. The narrative however is a total mess due to the fact that there is so much that is going on as well as a lot of exposition of how Luthor views the world and this subplot that relates to these other individuals with superpowers that Wayne would learn. One of which would reveal to be Wonder Woman who would be integral to the film’s climax as she brings some weight into unveiling the truth of what is happening and who is the real enemy. Yet, the journey for Wonder Woman to be involved is a clunky one in the script as other aspects that relate to the suspicion Wayne and Kent have toward each other as well as the government’s suspicion on Superman aren’t fully realized.

Zack Snyder’s direction definitely has a lot of stylistic elements not just in the conventional aspects of bombastic action films but it does have moments where he does break away from the action. Shot on various locations in Detroit, Chicago, and parts of New Mexico as Africa, the film does play into a world that is uncertain about what is going to happen with Superman being seen as a savior for some but others see him as a false idol. Snyder does use a lot of wide shots to establish some of the locations as well as some medium shots to play into the vastness of the crowds along with some of the conversations. There are some close-ups where Snyder does play into some of the intrigue such as a meeting between Wayne and Diana Prince at a museum where the former is intrigued by the latter. It’s among one of the highlights of the film that shows Snyder just restraining himself a bit as well in his slow-motion action scenes.

The direction does have moment that feature moments that are surreal such as a few dream sequences of what Wayne is dealing with as it relates to the death of his parents and the idea of Superman as a threat. There are moments that drive the story such as Superman attending the U.S. Senate Committee in the hope that he can announce his intentions which would lead to a key plot point in the film. It’s just that Snyder tends to draw things out while also trying to find time to introduce other characters that is to be part of something bigger. It is part of the reason for the film’s uneven tone where there is this story about Superman going against Batman but also wanting to tell the story of these two men working together for something good. The film’s climax where the two team up with Wonder Woman to face a monster called Doomsday is quite thrilling but it is followed by a more drawn-out ending that goes a little overboard. Overall, Snyder does create an exhilarating yet flawed film about two superheroes being manipulated by a tyrannical mogul who wants them both dead by killing each other.

Cinematographer Larry Fong does excellent work with the film‘s stylish cinematography with its usage of de-saturated colors and some low-key grainy camera work for some of the nighttime interiors as well as the usage of blue and sepia for some of the daytime exteriors. Editor David Brenner does nice work with the editing as it does go into the typical fast-cutting style that is expected in action films though it does allow each scene to establish what is going on while it also has some stylish jump-cuts. Production designer Patrick Tatapoulos, with set decorator Carolyn “Cal” Loucks and supervising art director Troy Sizemore, does brilliant work with the look of the Luthor estate as well as the home and land of Bruce Wayne along with the secret room where he does his own investigation with Alfred. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does fantastic work with the design of the costumes that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman wear as well as those gorgeous dresses that Prince wears in social gatherings.

Visual effects supervisor John “D.J.“ Des Jardin does amazing work with the visual effects as it play into some of the design of the cities and the powers of Superman as well as in the look of the monster that is Doomsday. Sound designers Chuck Michael and Jussi Tegelman, with sound editor Scott Hecker, do superb work with the sound with the layer of sound effects and the way Doomsday sound along with how some of the locations are presented with the sound. The film’s music by Tom Holkenberg aka Junkie XL and Hans Zimmer is wonderful for its mixture of bombastic orchestral score provided by Zimmer with some of Holkenberg‘s approach to rock and electronic power as it has some amazing themes including the one for Wonder Woman‘s arrival.

The casting by Jo Edna Boldin, Kristy Carlson, and Lora Kennedy is great as it feature some notable small role and appearances from news reporters Soledad O’Brien, Anderson Cooper, and Charlie Rose as themselves along with the famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson as himself. Other small roles from Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan as Bruce’s parents in the flashback scene of their murder, Michael Cassidy as the young Bruce, Mark Edward Taylor as an executive at Wayne Enterprises who would be killed in the film’s opening sequence, Christina Wren and Harry Lennix in their respective roles as Major Farris and Secretary Swanwick who are among the few that believe that Superman was set-up in Africa, Kevin Costner in a cameo appearance as Clark’s adoptive father Jonathan Kent, and Robin Atkin Downes as performance-capture model of the monster that is Doomsday.

Other noteworthy small roles include Scoot McNairy as a former Wayne Enterprises employee Wallace Keefe who has a legit grudge towards Superman, Tao Okamoto as Luthor’s assistant Mercy Graves, and Callan Mulvey as the Russian terrorist Anatoli Knyazev whom Wayne suspects to have some affiliation with Luthor as he would also be involved in setting up Superman for an incident in Africa. Holly Hunter is terrific as Senator June Finch as a woman that wants to question Superman to see if his intentions are good while becoming uneasy about Luthor and his obsession towards Superman. Diane Lane is fantastic as Martha Kent as Clark’s adoptive mother who tries to assure her son about his role in the world as she would also become a key factor in the climax into what Superman has to fight for.

Laurence Fishburne is superb as Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White who is frustrated with Kent’s frequent absences and the compromises he had to make to keep his paper afloat. Jeremy Irons is excellent as Alfred Pennyworth as Wayne’s longtime butler/guardian who is kind of the conscience of sorts while getting to say some funny lines as well as have Wayne see reason about what Superman is doing. Amy Adams is amazing as Lois Lane as Kent’s colleague/lover who is trying to see what really happened in Africa as well as try to help Kent see that he is someone trying to do good. Jesse Eisenberg is brilliant as Lex Luthor as a mogul who despises Superman and will do anything to destroy him where Eisenberg has this darkly-comic approach to the character that is quite offbeat but fun to watch.

In the role of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot is phenomenal as the Amazonian warrior who disguises herself as an antiques dealer who doesn’t appear much but her scenes do provide some importance while showing what she can do when she is Wonder Woman when she joins the fight against Doomsday as she steals the show. Henry Cavill is marvelous as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman as someone who is struggling with his role as a superhero while dealing with its consequences and expectations where he also finds himself in conflict with Batman over different ideas of doing good. Finally, there’s Ben Affleck in a remarkable performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman as a vigilante who brings fear to his enemies as he wonders if Superman is really on Earth to bring chaos as well as have suspicion towards Luthor where he makes a discovery about others who might join in the fight for good where Affleck really brings in the sense of ingenuity and awesomeness that is Batman.

Despite its flaws due to a messy script and some drawn-out storylines including its ending, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is still a terrific film from Zack Snyder. Featuring a great cast, a fantastic score, dazzling visual effects, and an intriguing yet flawed premise, it is a superhero film that is exciting while setting the stage for something bigger to come. In the end, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a stellar film from Zack Snyder.

Zack Snyder Films: (Dawn of the Dead (2004 film)) - 300 - Watchmen - (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole) - Sucker Punch - Man of Steel

DC Extended Universe: Suicide Squad - Wonder Woman - Justice League - Aquaman - Shazam! - Birds of Prey - (Wonder Woman 1984) - (The Batman) - (The Suicide Squad)

Batman Films: (Batman (1966 film)) - Batman (1989 film) - Batman Returns - Batman Forever - Batman & Robin - Batman Begins - The Dark Knight - The Dark Knight Rises - The Lego Batman Movie

Superman Films: (Superman) - (Superman II) - (Superman III) - (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace) - (Superman Returns) - (Superman II: The Richard Donner’s Cut)

© thevoid99 2016

Dazed and Confused

Written and directed by Richard Linklater, Dazed & Confused is the story of a group of high school kids celebrating the last day of school in the summer of 1976 as they deal with what is ahead in the course of an entire day. The film is an exploration of kids getting ready for the summer where some are ready to embark their final year in high school with some ready to become freshmen and deal with the hell that is high school. Starring Jason London, Matthew McConaughey, Joey Lauren Adams, Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Nicky Katt, Parker Posey, Wiley Wiggins, Rory Cochrane, and Adam Goldberg. Dazed & Confused is a wild and rapturous film from Richard Linklater.

Set on the last day of school in a small Texan town in 1976, the film is a simple story about the day in the life of a group of kids who are about to become seniors later in the fall as some would take part in hazing kids who would become freshman as they spend the entire day partying and thinking about what will happen. It’s a film that has a simple story with a lot of subplots where kids who are to become freshman deal with not just hazing but also what will happen in high school. Some would deal with partying and seeing what will happen while one of them in a high school quarterback finds himself needing to sign a piece of paper to prohibit him from using drugs and alcohol from his coach.

For that character in Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London), he refuses to as he just wants to live freely while some friends wonder why he won’t do it while some say he should stand up for his own beliefs. He would also help out a freshman in Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins) whose sister Jodi (Michelle Burke) is about to become a senior as she would help out a freshman in Sabrina (Christin Hinojosa) in understanding what would happen in high school. Mitch and Sabrina would endure brutal forms of hazing with the former being targeted by this asshole senior in O’Bannion (Ben Affleck) who has failed to graduate as he takes pleasure in hazing seniors by beating them in the ass with a paddle. The film’s third act would be set in a keg party as it involves a lot of characters where there’s some fights but also discussions on what will happen after high school.

Richard Linklater’s direction is quite simple for the way he presents 1976 Texas as it is shot in areas near Austin, Texas to express a world that is quite vibrant but also not do too much to make it feel like a period film. Much of the compositions are simple but also has this sense of energy in how they’re shot and the scenes that are created. Notably the way the young girls are being hazed by these older girls as they would be humiliated in such a way that is comical but also horrific. The usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into some of the intimacy but also in some of these raucous moments that happen in the film as it’s presented with some humor. The direction does have a few wide shots but it is mostly about the parties and characters just talking with one another. Even as there’s a few fights and moments that play into the world of youth as they all deal with the emergence of adulthood. Overall, Linklater creates an exhilarating and heartfelt film about a group of kids getting ready for the summer on their last day of school.

Cinematographer Lee Daniel does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s largely straightforward with some naturalistic shots for much of the film‘s daytime scenes with some lighting to play into the interior/exterior scenes set at night. Editor Sandra Adair does amazing work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the humor as well as some of the action with a few slow-motion cuts. Production designer John Frick, with set decorator Deborah Pastor and art director Jenny C. Patrick, do fantastic work with the look of the pool hall some of the people hang out at as well as the school halls and some of the props that are created to recreate the world of the 1970s.

Costume designer Katherine Dover does brilliant work with the film‘s costumes as it plays into the look of the 70s from the ragged look of the stoners to more stylish look of the shirts and bellbottoms some of the characters wear as well as the nightmare that was the leisure suit. Sound editors Sandy Gendler and Val Kuklowsky do nice work with the sound as it is very natural and straightforward while providing some mixing and edits in some of the parties that happen throughout the film. Music supervisor Harry Garfield does superb work with film’s music soundtrack as it features a lot of the music that was playing during that time from acts such as Aerosmith, Sweet, KISS, Alice Cooper, the Runaways, Dr. John, Black Oak Arkansas, Seals & Croft, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath, War, Nazareth, Ted Nugent, ZZ Top, Edgar Winter Group, the Steve Miller Band, Bob Dylan, and Peter Frampton.

The casting by Don Phillips is incredible for the large ensemble that is created for the film as it would include many actors who would later become big stars in their own right. Notable small roles include Kim Krizan as a history teacher, Mark Vandermeulen and Jeremy Fox as a couple of freshmen kids who are trying to avoid being hazed, Deena Martin and Christine Harnos as a couple of senior friends of Jodi, Catherine Avril Morris as a sophomore who takes a liking to Mitch, Esteban Powell as a freshman friend of Mitch who has been targeted by O’Bannion, and Jason O. Smith as a friend of Pink who also takes part in the hazing but is kinder to the freshmen. Other noteworthy small roles include Joey Lauren Adams as Pink’s girlfriend Simone, Nicky Katt as a tough guy in Clint, Cole Hauser as fellow football player Benny O’Donnell, Sasha Jenson as the comical football player Don Dawson, Shawn Andrews as a stoner friend of Pink in Kevin whose plan for a house party falters, and Milla Jovovich as Kevin’s girlfriend Michelle who is kind of the silent hanger-on.

Ben Affleck and Parker Posey are fantastic in their respective roles as the bullies O’Bannion and Darla with the former being a complete asshole who takes pleasure in beating up boys while the latter is on a power trip to humiliate young freshmen girls. Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, and Marissa Ribisi are excellent in their respective roles as the intellectuals Mike, Tony, and Cynthia as they often observe everything around them while daring to ask big questions about their future. Christin Hinojosa and Wiley Wiggins are brilliant in their roles as the freshmen Sabrina and Mitch as two young kids who are about to enter high school as they encounter partying but also some of the dark aspects of high school.

Michelle Burke is wonderful as Jodi as Mitch’s older sister who has some feelings for Pink while trying to help Sabrina get ready for the realities of high school. Rory Cochrane is superb as the stoner Ron Slater as this comic relief that likes to smoke weed and do some funny shit. Jason London is amazing as Randall “Pink” Floyd as a football star who finds himself compromised by his coach about his lifestyle as he begins to think about his own life. Finally, there’s Matthew McConaughey in a phenomenal performance as Wooderson as a guy in his early 20s who hangs out with the guys as he is kind of a philosopher while being the coolest motherfucker in the room.

Dazed & Confused is a spectacular film from Richard Linklater. Featuring a great cast, a fun soundtrack, and many different stories set in the span of an entire day. It’s a film that isn’t just funny but also allow to ask big questions about growing up and living in the moment. In the end, Dazed & Confused is a magnificent film from Richard Linklater.

Richard Linklater Films: It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - Tape - School of Rock - Before Sunset - The Bad News Bears (2005 film) - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Me and Orson Welles - Bernie - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Wants Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2016

Gone Girl

Directed by David Fincher and written by Gillian Flynn that is based on her novel, Gone Girl is the story of a man who becomes part of a media circus as he is a suspect in the disappearance of his wife. The film is an exploration into the world of marriage as well as revelations about that world where a man is being questioned about her whereabouts. Starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Tyler Perry, Patrick Fugit, Emily Ratajkowski, Missi Pyle, Scoot McNairy, and Neil Patrick Harris. Gone Girl is a chilling and evocative film from David Fincher.

It’s the day of the fifth anniversary of a couple when a husband learns his wife has suddenly disappeared as he is later questioned into her whereabouts. That is sort of what the film is about as it’s really more of a study of marriage as it’s being viewed under a microscope by the media, a small community in Missouri, and the authorities. It’s a story that is told from many different perspectives as the life of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) starts to unravel due to not just his behavior in having to do with his wife’s disappearance but also about himself. Especially as it relates to the events in how Nick met Amy Elliot (Rosamund Pike) where they fell in love and got married until their marriage unraveled due to financial issues as well as the move from New York City to a small town in Missouri so that Nick could take care of his ailing mother. Once things about Nick’s life begins to emerge in the wake of the search for Amy, a media circus would come in to pick apart every piece of his life.

Gillian Flynn’s screenplay isn’t just this very intriguing study of marriage but also into a world where it plays into the ways a marriage can disintegrate as it’s told from not just Nick’s perspective but also through Amy from her own diary. While much of the mystery and speculation covers much of the film’s first act and parts of second act where it plays into any kind of suspicion of whether Nick had something to do with Amy’s disappearance. Especially as Nick is known to be frustrated with the marriage as it was later revealed that he was having an affair with a college student (Emily Ratajkowski) which only made him look worse in front of the media and the authorities led by Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and her partner Officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit). With only his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon) on his side where they get the services of notorious defense attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry).

Much of the story’s approach to knowing what is going on showcases a world where many questions come into play about not just if Nick really did anything to Amy but also what might have drove Amy to antagonize Nick. While the script does manage to make the film be about Nick and Amy, the supporting characters in Boney, Margo, and Bolt are very compelling as Boney is just someone who is an authority figure that wants to give Nick a fair chance while Bolt is a complex individual who may be involved in Nick’s case for publicity but knows how to help him amidst the storm of controversy from the media. Then there’s Margo as she is the film’s conscience as she is someone who admittedly never liked Amy as she also scolds Nick for his affair yet is willing to defend him despite all of the shit they would go through. Adding to the genius of the film’s script is its dialogue where a lot of it has a sense of rhythm where it can play into many clues but also has some moments that are very funny which gives the film a sense of black comedy to something that is already dark.

David Fincher’s direction is truly intoxicating in the way he can create something set in a mundane small town in Missouri yet make it feel like it’s a world where there is a lot to be said. Not just in some of the compositions he creates but also in its mood where it starts off like any typical day where Nick takes out the garbage in suburbia and then drives to a bar to chat with his sister on the day of his fifth wedding anniversary. Then the film takes on a very dark mood while it gets inter-cut with these flashbacks of how Nick and Amy met where the latter is the daughter of a couple of authors who has created a series of children’s books based on Amy. Much of these flashbacks in New York City showcased a time where they were happy and quite playful but once the money starts to go away and they were forced to move to Missouri where Nick could be close to his family. Things do get dark as much of Fincher’s approach to drama does become intensified with his approach to intimate compositions and framing devices.

Once the film progresses into the second and third act, there is an element of satire in the way Fincher explores the world of the media as it showcases his offbeat approach to dark humor. Notably as such media figures like Ellen Abbott (Missi Pyle) is played for laughs as someone who has this belief that she is a crusader and is willing to smear Nick’s name without any real evidence. There’s also moments where Fincher manages to use the humor as it plays into how Nick had to present himself to the media. Still, there are elements where it is very dark as it relates to Amy’s disappearance as well as contents in her diary as it raises questions into her own past.

Especially with a former boyfriend named Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris) whom Amy had filed a restraining order against as he had been stalking her. It adds to the many ambiguities about the truth where it becomes more complicated as the film progresses towards its finale where it returns to that exploration into marriage. A marriage that raised many questions into why Nick and Amy even got married in the first place as the question about marriage starts to come into play. Overall, Fincher creates a very brooding yet intoxicating film about a man dealing with the disappearance of his wife.

Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography with its unique approach to lighting as well as creating something that feels a bit discolored in its look for many of the film‘s locations as well as the way lights are presented in certain scenes as well as the TV footage. Editor Kirk Baxter does amazing work with the editing with its approach to jump-cuts and montages that plays off into the rhythms of suspense as well as some dramatic montages and some of the film‘s funnier moments. Production designer Donald Graham Burt, with supervising art director Sue Chan and set decorators Douglas A. Mowat and Gena Vasquez, does fantastic work with the look of the suburban home that Nick and Amy lives as well as the chaotic look of his father‘s home as well as the home of Margo.

Costume designer Trish Summerville does nice work with the costumes from the stylish underwear that Amy wears as well as the suits that Nick would wear in his interviews as much of it is casual in playing to the other characters. Sound designer Ren Klyce does excellent work with the sound to create some effective sound work to play into the air of suspense as well as scenes where dialogue is inaudible as well as in some of the bits of music on location that is played. The film’s music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is incredible as it’s one of the film’s highlights as it’s approach to dark ambient music with dissonant guitars and electronics add to some of its melancholic tone along with some somber pieces driven by piano and ambient textures as it’s one of their best film scores.

The casting by Laray Mayfield is great as it features some notable small performances from Kathleen Rose Perkins as a search volunteer who takes a selfie with Nick, Boyd Holbrook and Lola Kirke as a young couple Amy meets in her days away from New York City, Cyd Strittmatter as Nick and Margo’s ailing mother, Leonard Kelly-Young as Nick and Margo’s elderly father, David Clennon and Lisa Banes as Amy’s parents who take the lead to find Amy as they would confront Nick about the marriage, Sela Ward as the TV host Sharon Scheiber who interviews Nick in his attempt to prove his innocence, Emily Ratajkowski as the young college student in whom Nick had an affair with, and Scoot McNairy as a former boyfriend of Amy’s whom Nick meets where they share some surprising revelations.

Missi Pyle is very funny as the sleazy TV host Ellen Abbott who tries to discredit Nick’s name and devolve herself into tabloid TV while Casey Wilson is wonderful as Nick and Amy’s dim-witted neighbor Noelle who claims to be Amy’s friend as she would provide a key aspect to the investigation. Patrick Fugit is excellent as Officer Jim Gilpin who assists Boney in the investigation as he gets to say some funny lines throughout the film as he’s suspicious of Nick. Kim Dickens is fantastic as Detective Rhonda Boney who leads the investigation as she would uncover some key clues about the case such as credit card bills and Amy’s diary while wondering about Amy and who she is. Neil Patrick Harris is superb as Amy’s former boyfriend Desi Collings whom Nick wanted to talk to as he’s a very strange figure that implies a sense of creepiness about the way he is around Amy which would explain the restraining order.

Tyler Perry is amazing as Tanner Bolt as this defense attorney who is a master in making his clients look good as Perry brings in a lot of charisma and charm as well in how to instruct Nick in doing interviews. Carrie Coon is brilliant as Nick’s twin sister Margo who is the film’s conscious as she tries to prove Nick’s innocence despite some of his flaws while she is also a target of the media where she is accused of having an incestuous relationship with her brother among other many lies. Ben Affleck is phenomenal as Nick Dunne as a writer turned community college professor who deals with the accusations of his wife’s appearance as well as realizing in how much of a fuck-up he is in his marriage as it’s a role where Affleck plays the cuckold as well as someone who can look good for the camera. Finally, there’s Rosamund Pike in an outstanding performance as Amy Elliott as this woman who had everything until financial difficulties has her becoming troubled in her marriage as it’s a role full of complexities and many layers that are just astonishing to watch as it’s a real break-out role for the actress.

Gone Girl is a tremendously dark yet powerful film from David Fincher that features amazing performances from Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Along with a strong supporting cast that includes Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon, and Kim Dickens plus some great technical work and an incredible score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The film is definitely a suspense-drama that is full of intricate layers and compelling themes on marriage thanks in part to its writer Gillian Flynn. In the end, Gone Girl is a magnificent film from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - Se7en - The Game - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film)

Related: The 15 Essential Videos of David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

© thevoid99 2014

Argo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© thevoid99 2013

To the Wonder

Written and directed by Terrence Malick, To the Wonder is about an American man who falls for a European woman in France as he takes her and her daughter to America where their love dims as he starts to reconnect with a former flame. The film is an experimental feature of sorts for Malick that explores the world of love and its troubles as well as exploring the world of faith from the perspective of a priest. Starring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, and Javier Bardem. To the Wonder is a enchanting and glorious film from Terrence Malick.

It’s a film that explores the idea of love in all of its splendor but also its trappings where everyone has these great intentions but there are forces that are unexplained that will tear them apart. While there isn’t much of a screenplay written for this film, there is still a structure of sorts into how Terrence Malick tells the story as the first act is about Neil (Ben Affleck) and Marina (Olga Kurylenko) meeting and falling in love where they go to America. The second act is about Marina going back to Paris after her visa expires where Neil is alone in Bartlesville, Oklahoma where he reconnects with an old flame in Jane (Rachel McAdams) as they have a brief affair. The third act is about Marina’s return to Bartlesville to marry Neil where their love starts to dim as they have no idea what went wrong where they turn to Father Quintana (Javier Bardem) who is going through his own crisis of faith.

A lesser script or a lesser filmmaker would’ve gone for some kind of plot schematics to flesh out the characters more or have them be placed into some kind of formula. In the hands of someone like Malick, it is very stripped down and very loose in order to explore the idea of love. Notably as it reveals the intentions of someone like Neil to give Marina and her daughter Tatiana (Tatiana Chiline) a good life that is free and enjoyable. The characters that Malick create are people who are flawed yet very realistic as Neil is a man who is kind and generous but is also a typical man who likes to look at other women. Marina is a free-spirit who likes to wander around any kind of surroundings as she’s somewhat childlike in the way she expresses herself. Upon her arrival to America, she has a hard time connecting with the people and the land as there is this sense of alienation that she and her daughter go through where Marina does have a brief rapport with Father Quintana who is also a foreigner.

Then there’s Jane who is a bit more grounded than Marina as she offers something to Neil that he finds appealing as well as the fact that they have a history together. Still, she knows that Neil is married as Neil is torn between his devotion to Marina but is also in love with Jane as she is hurt by these circumstances. The Father Quintana character is an interesting character but he is part of a subplot of his own as this foreign Catholic priest who lives in Bartlesville who is often questioning himself about his role in the world as he is trying to help others. Still, the sense of doubt he’s dealing with starts to overwhelm him where he and Neil start to connect by going directly to the people in Bartlesville to see what they can do. Still, Quintana is a commentator of sorts as he often talks about love and all of its complexities as it relates to Neil and Marina’s relationship. Even as Malick gives these four principle characters voice-over narrations (w/ Quintana in Spanish and Marina in French) to reflect on themselves and the people around them but it’s done in a mostly minimalist manner.

Malick’s direction is quite typical of what is known about him as a man who is known for creating these gorgeous images that only he could make as he’s spawned many imitators who have been influenced by his visual style. Still, there are things in Malick’s direction that sets him apart from not just his imitators but other filmmakers in the way he creates these free-flowing images filled with some unique framing devices and ethereal camera angles. Even as Malick would often incorporate images of nature to play up the idea of natural forces playing to the fates of these characters. While a lot of the film is shot in Bartlesville, Oklahoma where it is a unique slice of Americana that is filled with clean-cut grasses in the suburbs and places that is typical of American small towns. It does feel like a place that is quite foreign as well as a bit more structured opposed to some aspects of France that Marina lives in.

Malick’s direction is also taking some risks where it is definitely an experimental film of sorts where he also uses a bit of digital video early in the film through the use phone-cams and computers. Another thing that sets this film apart from his other films is that it takes place in a contemporary setting where Malick is going for this very cinema verite style of hand-held cameras of shooting a film just as things are happening around him where he would use a close-up of various real people in the film including convicts pleading to Father Quintana. While it’s a style that isn’t for everyone’s taste as there are things that do get a bit over-drawn in the third act as well as meanders a bit due to its lack of conventional script. It does have a payoff as it relates to the Mont St. Michel cathedral in France where Neil and Marina’s love reaches its apex as Marina through her voice-over calls it the Wonder. Overall despite a few flaws, Malick creates a film that is poignant and engrossing in its exploration into the world of love and faith.

Cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki does what is absolutely some outstanding work with the film‘s very gorgeous and intoxicating photography with its emphasis on natural lighting to create images that are just jaw-dropping. Even in some of the film‘s exterior settings in France and in Bartlesville, Oklahoma where the camera is always gazing into something that is otherworldly as well as some scenes in the exteriors where it maintains something that feels real as Chivo‘s work is just another of his great accomplishments as a cinematographer. Editors A.J. Edwards, Keith Fraase, Shane Hazen, Christopher Roldan, and Mark Yoshikawa do excellent work with the film’s stylized editing with its use of rhythmic jump-cuts as well as a few fade-outs to help structure the film.

Production designer Jack Fisk, with set decorator Jeanne Scott and art director David Crank, does superb work with some of the film‘s set pieces such as the house that Neil and Marina stay in Bartlesville as well as a few sets in France and other locations in Bartlesville. Costume designer Jacqueline West does nice work with the costumes as it is all casual though she makes some nice dresses for both Marina and Jane to establish their characters. Sound editor Craig Berkey and sound designer Erik Aadahl do amazing work with the sound to create some textures in the sound from the voice-overs to the way things sound on location as it’s definitely another highlight of the film.

The film’s soundtrack that is supervised by Lauren Marie Mikus is largely a collection of orchestral music that features some original compositions by Hanan Townshend as well as piece from Francisco Lupica. Still, it is largely dominated by the compositions of pieces by Hector Berlioz, Richard Wagner, Joseph Haydn, Ottorino Respighi, Tchaikovsky, Johann Sebastian Bach, Avro Part, Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Henryk Gorecki. There’s also a few contemporary music that is played in the background by the Oh Sees and St. Vincent to establish the world of Bartlesville.

The casting by Chris Freihofer is remarkable as it consists largely of real people in the background with the exception of a few actors such as Charles Barker as a carpenter Marina befriends and Romina Mondello as an Italian friend of Marina who visits late in the film who questions about Marina’s love life. Tatiana Chiline is wonderful as Marina’s daughter Tatiana as a young girl who is like her mother while feeling out of place in a world as unique that is America. Javier Bardem is superb as Father Quintana as a man who is trying to deal with his doubt as well as trying to be there for the people in Bartlesville directly to see if he can make a difference in their life. Rachel McAdams is amazing as Jane as a woman dealing with her own loss as she and Neil reconnect in a love affair as it is a performance full of radiance and beauty.

Ben Affleck is excellent as Neil as a man who exemplifies all of the good natures of a man who can bring a lot to Marina but is also troubled by the fact that she’s a foreigner in a foreign land while he has temptations of his own as it’s a very engaging one from Affleck that doesn’t have him doing a lot but bringing exactly into what was needed. Finally, there’s Olga Kurylenko in a tremendous performance as Marina as a woman who is so full of life and wonderment as she thinks she has it all until arriving into America realizing how alien she feels in a new land while becoming more lost after marrying Neil as it’s definitely a performance that will be unforgettable.

To the Wonder is a rapturous and sensational film from Terrence Malick. Armed with a great ensemble cast and amazing technical work led by Emmanuel Lubezki’s ravishing cinematography. The film is definitely a very mesmerizing film that explores the world of love as well as faith. While it’s a film that will definitely baffle, annoy, and frustrate casual viewers though are moments that are quite accessible as it would recall some of Malick’s early films from the 1970s. The fact that it’s a very unconventional story is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea as it also contains some of more abstracts elements of Malick’s recent films. Still, there is nothing like this as To the Wonder is an incredible piece of cinema from one of its masters in Terrence Malick.

Terrence Malick Films: Badlands - Days of Heaven - The Thin Red Line - The New World - The Tree of Life - Knight of Cups - (Weightless) - (Voyage of Time)

© thevoid99 2013

The Town (2010 film)

Based on Chuck Hogan’s novel Prince of Thieves, The Town is the story of a bank robber who meets and falls for a bank manager whose bank was robbed as he and his gang is being pursued by authorities. Directed and starring Ben Affleck and screenplay by Affleck, Peter Craig, and Aaron Stockard, the film is a bank robbery drama that is filled with elements of the caper genre as Affleck sets the film in his native Boston. Also starring Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Jon Hamm, Pete Postlethwaite, Slaine, Owen Burke, Titus Welliver, and Chris Cooper. The Town is a masterfully-crafted and thrilling heist drama from Ben Affleck.

After a robbery in Charlestown near Boston where a bank manager named Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) was taken hostage for the duration as the event left her traumatized. Later interrogated by FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm), Claire talks about what she can remember as Frawley wants to lead the investigation over the robbery. Meanwhile, Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), Jem Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Gloansy Magloan (Slaine) and Dez Elden (Owen Burke) go over the take as they believe that Claire has talked to the FBI. While Jem wants to get rid of her, Doug decides to do the job where he would later meet her as he starts to get to know her without wanting to do anything.

With Frawley and his partner Dino Ciampa (Titus Welliver) making theories about the robbery that they believe is connected to reputed crime boss Fergie Colm (Pete Postlethwaite), they start to target Doug and his team since Doug’s father Stephen (Chris Cooper) is already serving a life sentence. Doug and Claire’s relationship starts to grow after Doug told a very personal story about how his mother left him when he was six though Jem remains suspicious about what Doug is doing. Still, Doug’s time with Claire gives him enough reasons to want to leave the life of crime after another heist that nearly goes bad. Frawley’s investigation has Doug, Jem, Gloansy, and Dez being interrogated by Frawley and his men about the recent robberies.

Though there wasn’t enough evidence to incriminate them, Frawley still decides to pursue them after learning that Doug is dating Claire as he decides to go after by revealing to her the truth. With Doug wanting to leave Charlestown and Boston as he tells Jem, Jem doesn’t like the idea as he reveals that Fergie wants them to do a job. Doug says no as he decides to tell Fergie himself only to realize that he’ll have to as Fergie decides to target Claire. With Doug deciding to do the job and tell Claire who he is and what he needs to do, Frawley decides to find out what will happen next as he targets Jem’s younger sister Krista (Blake Lively) for information on the job.

The film is a heist drama where a bank robber who was the son of a bank robber decides to give up the life of crime after falling for the bank manager he had taken hostage in a previous heist. Wanting to leave this life that he knew as it was passed down from his incarcerated father, he is forced to deal with loyal friends, a FBI agent, and a crime boss whose power reaches beyond the city of Boston that can put this man in check. The screenplay that Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, and Aaron Stockard create is brilliant for the way the heists are set-up and how everyone tries to do everything else afterwards while leading normal lives in their downtime. While there’s different narratives that would follow the actions of Doug and Frawley, the latter of which is trying to capture lead the hunt for Doug and crew.

Both men are presented in different ways where Doug is a criminal that does bad things but wants to try and keep things low key as he later decides to leave the life of crime. Frawley is just a guy that is just doing his job though he will do things to get answers that seem questionable although he’s not really a bad guy. Other characters like Jem and Claire are just as complex as Jem is just a criminal that wants to do what he feels is right and doing it carefully so he wouldn’t have to go back to prison after serving nine years for killing someone. Claire is also interesting because she is just this traumatized woman who doesn’t reveal everything in her interrogation as she befriends this guy while wanting to get her life back in order. The one character that doesn’t really work is Jem’s sister Krista since she’s only there as a plot device late in the film as it’s the one character that is badly underwritten.

Ben Affleck’s direction is definitely engaging for the way the heist scenes is played out while it’s the set-up and planning that is just as interesting. Shot on location in Boston, the film opens up with quotes about the world of Charlestown and its history of crime as it then goes into this amazing heist that moves a bit fast but also slows down to maintain the tension that occurs. While Affleck manages to keep things exciting and thrilling in these heist scenes with car chases and shootouts along with more low-key moments. He also balances it out with understated dramatic moments where it is about this man trying to help out this woman he had robbed without her knowing what he did.

With simple medium compositions and some camera movements to play out the drama. Affleck is able to keep the dramatic moments simple with bits of humor while also creating tension for scenes when Doug has to deal with Jem, Frawley, and Fergie in different situations. Notably as it would involve revelations that would add to Doug’s own understanding about his mother’s disappearance and why his father went to prison. Overall, Affleck creates a very smart and mesmerizing heist-drama that does a lot for what is expected in the genre and more.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does a brilliant job with the film‘s photography filled with blue and green colors to exemplify the look of Boston with a bit of dark textures for some of the film‘s nighttime interior settings. Editor Dylan Tichenor does excellent work with the editing to play up the energy of the chase scenes while slowing things down for the film‘s tense heist scenes with its methodical pacing. Production designer Sharon Seymour, with set decorator Maggie Martin and art director Peter Borck, does terrific work with the set pieces for the film such as the banks and homes of the characters while a lot of the locations are actual sets including the climatic heist at Fenway Park.

Costume designer Susan Matheson does very good work with the costumes such as the masks Doug and the gang wear in the heists to more casual clothing for the rest of the characters. Sound editors Aaron Glascock and Curt Schulkey do amazing work with the sound work to capture the tense atmosphere of the climatic Fenway Park heist to the chaos of the chase with screeching tires and police sirens. The film’s score by Harry Gregson-Williams and David Buckley is wonderful for its bombastic and energetic orchestral score for some of the film‘s heist scenes along with more low-key piano-driven pieces to play up some of the drama in the film.

The casting by Lora Kennedy is superb for the ensemble that is created as it includes small appearances Dennis McLaughlin as Fergie’s henchman Rusty, Titus Welliver as Frawley’s partner Ciampa, Victor Garber as a bank manager in the opening heist scene, and Chris Cooper in a small but memorable role as Doug’s incarcerated father Stephen. Other notable small roles include Slaine and Owen Burke in their respective roles as robbers Gloansy and Dez while Pete Postlethwaite is great as the very chilling crime boss Fergie. Blake Lively is pretty unremarkable as the very underwritten role of Doug’s ex-girlfriend/Jem’s sister Krista as she is often seen drunk and desperate as it’s just a very bad performance.

Jon Hamm is incredible as the cunning FBI agent Frawley who is willing to go to great lengths to capture Doug and Jem while is willing to do things that are questionable though effective. Jeremy Renner is brilliant as Doug’s best friend Jem who is this aggressive robber that isn’t afraid to do what is needed as he tries to understand why Doug wants out as it’s one of Renner’s best performances. Rebecca Hall is phenomenal as Claire who tries to deal with the trauma of being robbed as she finds comfort in Doug’s presence only to be more troubled by who he really is. Ben Affleck is excellent as lead bank robber Doug who tries to come to terms with his criminal life as he seeks a way out while dealing with all of the consequences as he tries to redeem himself.

The Town is a rich and engaging heist-drama from Ben Affleck that features a terrific ensemble that includes Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, and Jon Hamm. Fans of heist films will definitely enjoy the film for the way the heist is played out and set-up along with the tension that occurs. Notably as Affleck creates a film that doesn’t stray into conventions and keep things simple with its drama and suspense. In the end, The Town is a remarkable film from Ben Affleck.

Ben Affleck Films: (Gone Baby Gone) - Argo

© thevoid99 2012

Good Will Hunting

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/12/05 w/ Extensive Revisions.

Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Good Will Hunting is the story about a young janitor named Will Hunting who has a profound intelligence while churning out answers for math theorems at M.I.T. Despite his knowledge, Will is a troublemaker who is on the verge of going to jail until a mathematician wants to work with him as well as get some therapy. Bringing in an old colleague, the therapist explores Will and his life while Will contends with a new girlfriend and his working-class buddies. Starring Matt Damon in the title role along with Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser, Stellan Skarsgard, Minnie Driver, and Robin Williams. Good Will Hunting is a majestic, profound character study from Damon/Affleck and Gus Van Sant.

Will Hunting is a 20-year old laborer as he works as a janitor at the prestigious M.I.T. college near Boston while hanging out with his buddies Chuck (Ben Affleck), Morgan (Casey Affleck), and Bill (Cole Hauser) at night. At the school, the revered mathematician professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) creates a math theorem for his students to answer correctly. Instead, none of them make the answer except for Will who gets it right as Gerald wonders who answered it. After getting in trouble over assaulting an officer during a fight with an old school bully, Will is set to go to jail following a trial. Yet, Lambeau bails him out by asking him to assist in solving math problems while taking therapy sessions twice a week.

Will takes the offer as he falls for a British student named Skylar (Minnie Driver) whom he met at a bar near Harvard after outwitting a Harvard classmate. With the therapy not working including a session with the renowned George Plimpton, Lambeau calls his former roommate Sean McGuire (Robin Williams) for help. McGuire reluctantly takes the job as a favor for Lambeau as the community college teacher takes Will as his patient realizing that he's up for a challenge. The sessions don't go well at first until the two find common ground where Will opens up a bit with each session. With Will working with Chuck in construction, his relationship with Skylar starts to blossom as she is amazed by his intelligence while Chuck and the gang like having her around.

When Lambeau talks about getting Will a job for financial corporations, Will isn't sure as Chuck fills in for him during another interview while Will goes on a date with Skylar. When Skylar tells him that she's going to California to finish her medical studies, Will starts to feel lost as he reveals that he isn't honest about his family life and is afraid to tell her the truth. After a falling out with Lambeau, Will turns to McGuire for help who learns more about Will's troubled background prompting McGuire to confront Lambeau. With Will uncertain about what to do, Chuck helps Will out to go for whatever he's offered as McGuire also helps Will with his own troubled past.

In a story like this, there could've been so many ways it would’ve been approached though Damon and Affleck do bring out some conventional storylines to the film. In Van Sant's approach, it's really about a young man who is trying to figure out what to do with his intelligence without giving in to conformity or a situation that will hurt him. Van Sant's direction is very spot-on in bringing out real characters and situations while being very observant in his direction.

The heart of the film is in the script by Damon and Affleck that balances both a bit of comedy in many of the film's Boston sequences while the dramatic moments involve Will's therapy, his math sessions, and his relationship with Skylar. It's a film that acts more as a character study that allows Will and various characters to develop in the course of the film. While the film does follow a formula that is traditional with most dramatic narratives, the script Damon and Affleck create do add more than what the story offers as does Van Sant's engaging direction into what is truly a heartwarming film.

Helping Van Sant in his visual style is cinematographer Jean-Yves Escoffier who brings a colorful look to many of the film's exterior sequences while using lots of orange lights for many of in the intimate interior scenes, including a few of the bar scenes. Production designer Melissa Stewart also does a great job in getting the feel of the bars, rooms, and surroundings in the Harvard, Cambridge areas as well as the South Boston area where everything is gritty or broken-down where the use of the locations gives the film some credibility. Even the costume design from Van Sant regular Beatrix Aruna Pasztor brings realism to the film's look of colleges and street. Editor Pietro Scalia does a wonderful job in the editing, especially in some of the kaleidoscopic sequences of the movie while on a whole, moves very steadily.

With a wonderful plaintive and atmospheric score from Danny Elfman. The film has a wonderful soundtrack of music featuring cuts by the Dandy Warhols, Gerry Rafferty, Supergrass, Del Shannon, Luscious Jackson, Starland Vocal Band, Al Green, and the Waterboys. Aside from classical pieces and Elfman's score, most of the original music comes from the late Elliot Smith. With his wonderful, singer-songwriter style of music fused with melancholic lyrics including the Oscar-nominated Miss Misery, Smith is the real star of the film's music since it's the driving force behind the shadow that Will Hunting hides.

Then there's the cast that includes cameo appearances from Harmony Korine, George Plimpton, and To Die For star Allison Folland while Scott William Winters makes a memorable appearance as a target for Will's intelligence in a battle of who would win Skylar's phone number. Also making small, memorable appearances are Cole Hauser as the quiet yet street-wise Billy and Casey Affleck as the more abrasive, immature Morgan. Stellan Skarsgard is brilliant as the intelligent but selfish Gerald Lambeau who believes he has a chance to help Will's future only to be reminded that before he was great, he was just a regular guy. Ben Affleck gives a wonderful performance as Chuck, the true friend and supporter that Will has who knows what's he's going through and tells him of his opportunity. Affleck brings a lot of humor and heart as a guy who is content in his destiny while he hopes for the best in his best friend.

Minnie Driver is amazing in the role of Skylar, a British student who has a lot of charm and dirty humor while trying to understand Will's background and Driver really brings a lot of drama and goodness to Will, even when he's trying to push her away. Robin Williams is the film's best supporting performance and definitely worthy of the Oscar he won as the sympathetic, tough therapist Sean McGuire. Williams brings a lot of humor and dramatic restraint to his performance while being a wonderful guide and unlikely father figure that Will needed and sought for all of his life. It's truly a majestic performance from the always talented comedian-actor.

Matt Damon is also brilliant in his role as the troubled Will Hunting by not making him into a genetic kind of caricature but a real person. Damon uses his grit, street-wise wit, and winning smile into a performance that everyone can cheer for while proving that he is more complex as a character who is dealing with abandonment issues and what to do with the gift that he has. It's truly a wonderful performance from Matt Damon whose often overlooked as an actor since people focus on his good looks.

While Good Will Hunting isn't a perfect film, it's still a wonderful, majestic gem from director Gus Van Sant with the wonderful writing talents of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck along with a great cast led by Damon, Robin Williams, and Minnie Driver. While many of the people involved in the film went on to bigger and better things, except for Ben Affleck, it's this film that created new stars out of Affleck and Matt Damon while opening some artistic doors for Robin Williams and Van Sant who retreated from mainstream fare for European art film styles in recent years. Still for a character study film that's got a lot of heart, great characters, the late Elliot Smith's music, and a wonderful story, Good Will Hunting is the film to see.

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

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

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