Coco (2017 film)

Directed by Lee Unkrich and screenplay by Unkrich and Adrian Molina from a story by Unkrich, Molina, Matthew Aldrich, and Jason Katz, Coco is the story of a 12-year old boy whose encounter with mysterious ghostly spirits accidentally transports him to the Land of the Dead where he tries to find his great-great-grandfather to return him to the living world. Inspired by the Mexican holiday in the Day of the Dead, the film is look of a boy wanting to know about his family’s roots as well as those who lived before his time. Featuring the voices of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguia, and Edward James Olmos. Coco is a rapturous and touching film from Lee Unkrich.

Set in a small town in Mexico just before the Day of the Dead, the film is about a 12-year old boy who has a love for music and idolizes a famed musician despite his family’s hatred for it as it relates to some family secrets where the boy later encounters the spirit where he finds himself in the Land of the Dead. It’s a film that play into a boy who has a love for music but doesn’t want to upset his family as he’s trying to keep it a secret. The film's screenplay by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina follows the journey that Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) embarks on as he lives with a large family who makes shoes at their small town but they have a disdain for music dating back to their ancestors when Miguel’s great-great-grandfather left his wife Imelda (Alanna Ubach) to pursue a music career as Miguel believes his great-great-grandfather is the famed musician Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt).

Wanting to participate in a talent contest, Miguel runs away from his family where he tries to borrow de la Cruz’s guitar from his tomb as he finds himself in the Land of the Dead where he would meet his relatives including his great-great grandmother Imelda who tries to get him to return only if he doesn’t become a musician. The script has Miguel not just learn about family’s importance but also what it means to be great musician where he meets a dead trickster in Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) who claims to know de la Cruz where they make a deal as Hector is eager to go to the land of the living to visit his daughter in the hopes he won’t be forgotten. During their journey together, Miguel would learn some big secrets about his family as well as why Imelda and Coco were abandoned as they reach de la Cruz’s home where he’s having his annual ceremony as more revelations occur about Miguel and his family.

Lee Unkrich’s direction is definitely astonishing in terms of the world he creates of the living as well as the Land of the Dead where it has a lot of attention to detail about the holiday that is the Day of the Dead. With the animation directors Guilherme Sauerbronn Jacinto and Nickolas Rosario, along with animation supervisors Gini Cruz Santos and Michael Venturini, Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina provide a look and tone that play into this air of tradition that is celebrated annually in Mexico. It’s a celebration of loved ones who aren’t around anymore as pictures and murals are presented with the living offering food or something special where the spirits of the dead would take it as they cross over from the Land of the Dead to the world of the living as spirits. When Miguel takes a strum of de la Cruz’s guitar, it would transport him to the Land of the Dead as it’s a world that is about the celebration of life where Unkrich’s compositions in its wide and medium shots capture it with such grand detail.

The direction also create these compositions and matching images as it play into the movies that de la Cruz starred in as well as what Miguel would match as he plays music like the man whom he believes is his great-great grandfather. The animation takes great attention to detail in some of the spiritual creatures that Miguel meets as a street dog named Dante would join him in the journey who seems to know more than he lets on. The meeting between Miguel and de la Cruz is tremendous in its scale but it also play into secrets about Miguel’s family including his great-grandmother Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguia) whose memory is fading away. It adds to the stakes of what Miguel has to do to get home with the help of his deceased relatives who deal with revelations about their misfortunes. Even as they have to accept the power of music that can bring someone back to life and bring a family together. Overall, Unkrich and Molina create a dazzling yet heartfelt film about a boy whose love for music brings him into a journey to the dead in order to help his family.

Cinematographers Matt Aspbury and Danielle Feinberg do amazing work with the look of the lighting and backgrounds of some of the interiors at the places in the Land of the Dead including de la Cruz’s home with its usage of colorful lighting and shades. Editors Lee Unkrich and Steve Bloom do excellent work with the editing as its usage of rhythmic cuts help play into the drama and humor with some flashback montages to establish key moments in the film. Production designer Harley Jessup and art director Tim Evatt do incredible work with the look of the buildings and the bridge of orange petals with help from visual effects supervisor Michael O’Brien in adding some textures including the look of the old movies starring de la Cruz.

Sound designer Christopher Boyes does amazing work with the sound as it help play into the way a guitar string is tuned as well as the sounds of the spirit creatures in the Land of the Dead. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is phenomenal for its mixture of lush orchestral music and traditional-based Mexican mariachi music that play into the drama and sense of adventure as the music soundtrack that is cultivated by music supervisor Tom MacDougall feature an array of original songs composed Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Germaine Franco and Adrian Molina with Michael Giacchino, and some traditional pieces as the music is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Carla Hool, Natalie Lyon, and Kevin Reher is superb as it feature some notable small roles and voice appearances from Pixar regular John Ratzenberger as dental patient crossing over to the land of the living, Natalia Cordova-Buckley as the famed artist Frida Kahlo, Carla Medina as the departure agent, Cheech Marin as a corrections officer, Gabriel Iglesias as a clerk working at the Land of the Dead, Lombardo Boyar in a dual role as a mariachi Miguel meets in his small town and a musician from the Land of the Dead, Luis Valdez in a dual role as Miguel’s uncle Tio Berto and Don Hidalgo, Sofia Espinosa and Jaime Camil as Miguel’s parents, Herbert Siguenza as Miguel’s late identical twin uncles in Tios Oscar and Felipe, Selene Luna as Miguel’s late aunt Tia Rosita, and Alfonso Arau as Miguel’s late great-grandfather/Coco’s husband in Papa Julio.

Edward James Olmos is terrific as Hector’s friend Chicharron who lives in a world of those who are being forgotten where Miguel learns about Hector’s fate if he is to be forgotten. Ana Ofelia Murguia is wonderful in her brief role as Miguel’s great-grandmother Coco as a woman whom Miguel spends a lot of time with as he’s convinced she’s waiting for someone. Renee Victor is fantastic as Miguel’s grandmother who runs the family shoemaking shop as well as be the family’s lead enforcer in ensuring that music isn’t around the family. Alanna Ubach is brilliant as Miguel’s great-great-grandmother Mama Imelda who is also Coco’s mother as a woman that is trying to get Miguel home but also carries some family secrets about why she dislikes music where she later is forced to deal with the revelations that tore her family apart.

Benjamin Bratt is amazing as Ernesto de la Cruz as the famed singer who was considered the greatest artist in all of Mexico as he is believed to be Miguel’s great-great-grandfather where he’s a man that loves what he does but is ambiguous about how he became so famous. Gael Garcia Bernal is incredible as Hector as a trickster that is trying to cross to the land of the living to see someone important whom he believes would remember him as he helps Miguel to find de la Cruz as he claims to know him leading to some major revelations for Miguel. Finally, there’s Anthony Gonzalez in a sensational performance as Miguel as 12-year old boy that loves music and wants to play music where he finds himself in the Land of the Dead and hopes to get the blessing of the man he believes is his great-great-grandfather to become a musician so he can return to the land of the living where he would learn the importance of family as well as sacrifice.

Coco is an outstanding film from Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. Featuring a great ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, a heartfelt music soundtrack, and touching themes about the importance of family. It’s unquestionably one of Pixar’s best films but also a film that manages to embody the idea of family and how to celebrate those who are no longer around but remain alive in spirit and through love. In the end, Coco is a magnificent film from Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) – (Finding Nemo) – The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) – (Cars 3) – The 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 2018

Doctor Strange

Based on the comic series by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Doctor Strange is the story of a surgeon who learns he has mystical powers as he tries to hone them for the good of the world against evil. Directed by Scott Derrickson and screenplay by Derrickson, Jon Spaihts, and C. Robert Cargill, the film is an exploration of a man whose life changes following an accident as he is given powers that would bring a broader viewpoint of the world as the titular character is played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Also starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, and Mads Mikkelsen. Doctor Strange is a dazzling yet thrilling film from Scott Derrickson.

The film is an origin story of sorts about a surgeon whose life changes following a life-threatening accident where he seeks a way to heal himself where he gains mystical powers through the mysterious teachings of a sorcerer. It’s a film that explores the mystical and spiritual world that surrounds the real world where good and evil try to balance things yet the latter starts to take matters into its own hands as an evil sorcerer steals a text from a book to open up a dimension in the hopes for eternal life. For the titular character of Dr. Steven Strange, he would have a lot to learn as his willingness to learn the arts as well as his determination makes him a promising student to the sorcerer known as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Still, Strange has to deal with the fact that he can’t control everything as well as be humbled as he faces off against Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) who is a former student of the Ancient One as he hopes to summon an evil figure of a dark dimension to grant him eternal life.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the development of Strange as this brilliant but arrogant surgeon who thinks he knows more than anyone as he does a lot to save lives as if it’s nothing only until he is nearly killed in an accident that leaves him unable to use his hands to perform surgeries. He is crushed as someone who is often in control suddenly has no control as he pushes away those who care about him and becomes desperate to fix himself until hears the story of a man who is paralyzed with no chance to walk again suddenly walking again.

It leads to Strange to go to a small town near Kathmandu, Nepal as he learns about what the Ancient One does where he goes there to fix his hands but ends up getting something more. Especially in what the Ancient One and another sorcerer in Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) would teach him as he wouldn’t just travel to worlds instantly but also learn about parallel worlds as he would be able to go against Kaecilius and his troops. The script does succeed in fleshing out Strange, the Ancient One, Mordo, and Kaecilius as well as a librarian in Wong (Benedict Wong) though another character in Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) is somewhat underwritten as plays a love-interest of sorts for Strange.

Scott Derrickson’s direction is definitely stylish for the way it plays into the usage of the spiritual world. While it’s shot on several locations including New York City, London, Hong Kong, Kathmandu, and parts of Los Angeles. It does play into a world that is quite unique where it has aspects that are definitely from the world of psychedelic culture of the 1960s in terms of the imagery of how the dimensions would mesh up in the world and such as if planet Earth is a labyrinth for these sorcerers. While Derrickson would use a lot of wide shots for these massive moments involving vast visual effects along with some medium shots. There would be moments that are intimate as it relates to Strange’s life as a surgeon as well as going into lessons to learn how to transport into other worlds and use his powers. The direction also play into elements that are quite intense as it relates to some of the action including the first face-off between Strange and Kaecilius.

The direction also has Derrickson provide some humor in the way Strange would use his powers such as a way he would get books at a library as well as some of the way Strange is as a person as he is an asshole. There are also moments that are quite dramatic as it play into Strange’s development as well as the realization of his role in the world. Notably as well as the kind of power that Kaecilius uses and why the Ancient One has been hiding it as it play into some of the uneasy decisions people have to do for good. The film’s climax isn’t just about the powers that Strange has become accustomed to but also what he has to do to confront Kaecilius and the mystical figure he believes will give him eternal life. Overall, Derrickson creates an exhilarating and whimsical film about a man who learns what it takes to save the universe and be grateful for what he has.

Cinematographer Ben Davis does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of filters and lights for some of the scenes at night as well as the way some of the daytime interiors are lit. Editors Wyatt Smith and Sabrina Plisco do brilliant work with the editing as it is very stylish with some jump-cuts as well as some rhythmic cuts for the action and comedic moments in the film. Production designer Charles Wood, with supervising art directors Ray Chan and Michael Manson as well as set decorators John Bush and Laura Gaffin, does fantastic work with the look of the libraries for the sorcerers as well as Strange‘s home in New York City and at the hospital where he works. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne does nice work with the costumes from the clothes of the Ancient One and the other sorcerers as well as the clothes of Strange when he embraces his role including the red cape that has a mind of its own.

Hair/makeup designer Jeremy Woodhead does terrific work with the makeup from the way Kaecilius looks when he embraces the dark spell as well as the look of the Ancient One. Visual effects supervisors Richard Bluff and Stephane Ceretti do amazing work with the visual effects from the look of the way the powers are presented including the way the cities becomes twisted and shaped by the sorcerers as well as the dark world that Kaecilius wants to present. Sound designers Nia Hansen and David C. Hughes, with sound editors Daniel Laurie and Shannon Mills, do superb work with the sound as it play into some of the sound effects that occur as well as in the intense moments for action and suspense. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is remarkable for its sweeping and playful orchestral score that also feature some low-key somber moments for the drama as well as some moments that are just fun while music supervisor Dave Jordan creates a very fun soundtrack that features music from Chuck Mangione, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Beyonce, and Pink Floyd.

The casting by Sarah Finn and Reg Poerscout-Edgerton is marvelous as it features some notable small appearances from the trio of Zara Phythian, Alaa Safi, and Katrina Durden as Kaecilius’ zealots, Benjamin Bratt as a once-paraplegic man who learned to heal himself through the teachings of the Ancient One in Jonathan Pangborn, Scott Adkins as another of Kaecilius’ zealot in Lucian, and Michael Stuhlbarg as a rival surgeon of Strange in Nicodemus West. Rachel McAdams is terrific as Christine Palmer where despite being under-written and not given much to do other than be frustrated and later confused by Strange’s powers does have her moments where she does bring something to the story. Benedict Wong is superb as Wong as a master of ancient relics who is also the librarian who protects all of the books as he is someone that doesn’t have much of a sense of humor but it is still a fun character to watch.

Mads Mikkelsen is excellent as Kaecilius as a sorcerer who is a former student of the Ancient One that craves eternal life as he has some big revelations of what some will do to keep themselves from aging as Mikkelsen is quite fun to watch. Chiwetel Ejiofor is fantastic as Karl Mordo as a master sorcerer who would teach Strange how to use some of his powers as well as reveal what it takes to be a powerful sorcerer as well as try to maintain some morality about the ways of the world. Tilda Swinton is brilliant as the Ancient One as a powerful and wise sorcerer that teaches Strange the means to be meaningful as well as realize his potential to do something good while also admitting to things that she had to do for the good of the world. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in an incredible performance as the titular character as a man of arrogance and great skill who becomes desperate to find a way to heal where he learns about the mystic arts as he brings some charisma as well as some humility as it’s one of Cumberbatch’s finest performances to date.

Doctor Strange is a sensational film from Scott Derrickson that features great performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Mads Mikkelsen. Along with dazzling visual effects, a top-notch score, and a fascinating premise, it’s a superhero origin film that has something different to offer but also be very entertaining for those unfamiliar with the character. In the end, Doctor Strange is a phenomenal film from Scott Derrickson.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One Films: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Marvel Phase Two Films: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Marvel Phase Three Films: Captain America: Civil War - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Eternals – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World

© thevoid99 2016

Demolition Man

Directed by Marco Brambilla and screenplay by Daniel Waters, Peter Reneau, and Peter M. Lenkov from a story by Reneau and Lenkov, Demolition Man is the story a cop from the 1990s who is cryogenically frozen for 36 years as he is reinstated to go after an old foe who was also cryogenically frozen in a futuristic society. The film plays into the aspects of utopia and dystopia where a cop and a criminal from the 20th Century deal with the new rules of the new world as a cop gets the aide of a 20th Century-loving officer. Starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt, Denis Leary, Rob Schneider, and Bob Gunton. Demolition Man is a silly but very exhilarating film from Marco Brambilla.

Set in 2032 in a futuristic city called San Angeles that combined three Californian cities in the aftermath of an earthquake, the film explores a utopia that becomes disrupted by cryogenically frozen criminal who escapes as he is ordered to kill a rebel leader prompting the police force to revive his cryogenically frozen foe in a former cop. While it’s a film with a simple plot that does take many of the dystopian ideas of Aldous Huxley, it’s a film that not only pokes fun at the idea of utopia but also how flawed it can be. The film’s screenplay not only create this utopian world where there’s little-to-no violence as well as no anti-social behavior or anything that can harm humanity. It also creates this world where there’s no usage of profanity, no sex, no touching skin, no smoking, no eating red meat, no vices, and there’s no toilet paper where people have to use three seashells in case they wanted to take a shit. Essentially, it’s a fucked up world where everyone acts like a bunch of pussies.

The protagonist in John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) and the antagonist in Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) are two men who were part of a world that is very violent and destructive where Spartan’s actions to capture Phoenix led to the death of many hostages that Spartan was supposed to save. The disgraced Spartan and the already-dangerous Phoenix were forced to take part in an experiment where they’re both cryogenically frozen for 36 years until Phoenix in a parole hearing escapes. Phoenix’s actions in San Angeles which allowed him increased programming to hack into computers and do more than he already knew makes him a viable threat to the city. Especially where the police force reluctantly revive Spartan to capture Phoenix as Spartan would have trouble adjusting to his new world and the family that he had lost.

While Spartan is seen by many in the future as this brutish caveman, his new partner in Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock) is a woman fascinated by the past as she learns about Spartan’s actions while telling him the rules of the new world. Leading this idea of a utopia is San Angeles’ leader Dr. Raymond Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne) who has a very warped view about how society should live where his ideals are being threatened by a rebel leader in Edgar Friendly (Denis Leary) who lives under the city with a bunch of people who refuse to live under Cocteau’s rules despite the risk of starvation. Once Spartan realizes what Cocteau is about and how Phoenix is being used to carry Cocteau’s plan to kill Friendly. It becomes not just more complex but also filled with this concept that there is no such thing as a perfect society where even the deranged sociopath in Phoenix even questions Cocteau’s own ideas. It’s the script’s willingness to ask the big questions while putting enough humor that is among the key strengths of the film.

Marco Brambilla’s direction is pretty typical of the action-blockbusters in terms of approach to extravagant action sequences as well as some stylish approach to fights and gunplay. Yet, Brambilla does know how to slow the film in order to explore this idea of utopian San Angeles and how pacifism can lead to this idea that there is no bad in the world. Much of Brambilla’s compositions in these light-hearted moments are very simple in terms of its close-ups and medium shots in the way he plays out the drama. In his approach to humor, it is also light-hearted with some very offbeat references such as Spartan discovering that Arnold Schwarzenegger was President of the United States despite not being a natural-born American.

There’s also elements of style such as a weird sex scene between Spartan and Huxley which involves virtual reality since actual sex is forbidden. The action scenes are pretty intense with lots of explosions and fighting as Brambilla knows how to keep things engaging without losing insight into what is at stake. Even as it can get over the top at times while mixing it with some offbeat humor. Overall, Brambilla creates a very enjoyable yet intelligent film about two men from the 1990s who are reawaken in a futuristic utopia gone wrong.

Cinematographer Alex Thomson does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the stylish and mesmerizing look of San Angeles in day and night to the look of the grimy underground with its low-key lights. Editor Stuart Baird does excellent work in creating a very straightforward style in the humor and drama while putting in some stylish jump-cuts and fast-cuts for the action scenes. Production designer David L. Snyder, with art director Walter P. Marthishius and set decorators Robert Gould and Etta Leff, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the futuristic look of San Angeles from its museums, police station, and its Taco Bell restaurant.

Costume designer Bob Ringwood does superb work with the costumes from some of the futuristic clothing the characters wear that includes the dress that Huxley wears at Taco Bell. Visual effects supervisor John C. Wash does nice work with some of the film‘s visual effects such as phaser gun bullets and other futuristic objects that Phoenix would use. Sound designers Michael Geisler, William Griggs, Sam Horta, and Kevin Spears, with sound editor Robert G. Henderson, do terrific work with the sound from some of the layers of sounds in the action sequences to the stun baton that the police uses. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is pretty good for its orchestral bombast that plays into the action and humor while the soundtrack features an array of jingles that serves as the oldies radio station plus a re-worked version of the Police song Demolition Man by its front man Sting.

The casting by Ferne Cassel and Joy Todd is incredible as it feature some cameo appearances from MTV host Dan Cortese as a Taco Bell lounge pianist, Jack Black as one of Denis Leary’s gang members, Rob Schneider as a humorous police receptionist, Andre Gregory as an older version of the cryo-prison warden, Brandy Ledford as the naked video girl that Spartan sees, and Jesse “The Body” Ventura as an associate of Phoenix. Other notable small roles include Glen Shadix as Dr. Cocteau’s aide Associate Bob, Bill Cobbs as an old cop who knows Spartan who suggested that Spartan should go after Phoenix, Benjamin Bratt as the content but violence-phobia officer Alfredo Garcia, and Bob Gunton in a superb performance as the police chief George Earle who despises Spartan’s brutish tactics. Denis Leary is excellent as the rebel leader Edgar Friendly who opposes Dr. Cocteau’s ideas of utopia as he is just trying to get food for the people as Leary has this very funny rant about how he wants to live.

Nigel Hawthorne is amazing as Dr. Raymond Cocteau as this city leader who wants to create his own idea of society as he is described an evil version of Mr. Rogers. Sandra Bullock is fantastic as Lieutenant Lenina Huxley as this young cop who is eager for action as Bullock brings a charm that is fun to watch as well as some funny moments where she tries to say some puns to impress Spartan. Wesley Snipes is phenomenal as Simon Phoenix as this offbeat villain who says some amazing puns as well as being very diabolical as it’s one of Snipes’ finest performances. Finally, there’s Sylvester Stallone in a marvelous performance as John Spartan as Stallone brings that sense of tough guy attitude to his role with some humor that allows him to be overwhelmed and the butt of jokes as it’s one of his more underrated performances that has him be cool and funny.

Demolition Man is a spectacularly off-the-wall and entertaining film from Marco Brambilla that features great performances from Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. Along with a great supporting cast led by Sandra Bullock as well as very engaging themes on utopia, it’s a film that has enough entertainment value for fans of action films but it’s also very funny and has some unique satire that makes it a cut above most action sci-fi films. In the end, Demolition Man is one absolutely ass-kicking film from Marco Brambilla.

© thevoid99 2014

Thumbsucker

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 2/20/06 w/ Additional Edits.

Being young and in a dysfunctional family is hard, even when trying to grow up is hard. In the book called Thumbsucker by novelist Walter Kirn tells the story of a young boy who has troubles trying to grow up and still sucks his thumb. After getting into various treatments and getting into all kinds of things, the boy's emotional troubles only worsen in this coming-of-age tale. Adapted to a script and directed by acclaimed music video director Mike Mills (not the bass player of R.E.M. of the same name), Thumbsucker goes into the world of teen angst and all the troubles of trying to fit in and everything while dealing with all the problems growing up has. Starring Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kelli Garner, Benjamin Bratt, Vince Vaughn, and Keanu Reeves. Thumbsucker is a funny yet poignant film about all the troubles of growing up.

For Justin Cobb (Lou Taylor Pucci), his life is always trouble since he can't seem to stop sucking his thumb. His thumb-sucking annoys his father Mike (Vincent D'Onofrio) while his mother Audrey (Tilda Swinton) is also concerned. Yet, none of them can escape their dull life in suburbia with the youngest son in the clan, Joel (Chase Offerle). Justin though, remains tormented by his life in high school and often has trouble trying to get things in his debate team class taught by Mr. Geary (Vince Vaughn). The only person Justin can talk to from the team is Rebecca (Kelli Garner) who often asks Justin on why he acts weird. At home, Mike runs a sporting goods store while Audrey is a nurse who hopes to win a contest to meet her favorite TV actor Matt Schramm (Benjamin Bratt). The only other person Justin can talk to is his new-age orthodontist Perry Lyman (Keanu Reeves) who is aware that Justin still sucks his thumb.

Often trying to find time to suck his thumb, Perry notices that if Justin was ever going to get on with his life, he has to let go of his thumb. In an attempt to try to help Justin, he does hypnosis in order to make his stop his thumb and think of other things. The hypnosis seems to work whenever Justin sucks his thumb and it tastes bad but the end result only makes Justin's behavior more erratic to the point that Rebecca notices and leaves the debate team. After trying to get revenge on Perry during a bike race, Justin gets arrested where Mr. Geary and a counselor notices that Justin suffers from ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) as they hope to cure him with Ritalin. Justin's parents aren't sure if it will work but when Justin does take Ritalin, he immediately becomes a debate team wizard.

Though the feeling of confidence comes, Justin's behavior becomes even stranger as he begins to take more Ritalin and his aggressive debating skills only troubles Mr. Geary. Even when Justin and his teammates (whom all 3 are girls) try to have fun, Geary isn't fond of the change in Justin. After a big victory, Justin's aggressive behavior takes its toll on the family as once his Ritalin addiction is exposed and when his father decides to show up to see him debate. The result is a disaster as Mike tries to comfort him only to be rejected while Audrey, who had been seeing his debate matches, had taken a job working in a rehab center that is filled with celebrities. After quitting the debate team, Justin turns to Rebecca for help in smoking dope and discovering sex but when that doesn't work out. Justin has troubles finding answers while he suspects his mother of having an affair with Matt Schramm, who is at the rehab place while finding out about his father's pain in his life after being a football star. Justin wonders about everything while finding out all the answers from the most unlikely of places and people.

The theme of this film along with a lot of films that came out in 2005 is connection, especially through troubling circumstances. In the case for Thumbsucker, it's about a young kid who has troubles in trying to get himself fixed to become a better person yet couldn't deal with all of the bad things around him. His family is very dysfunctional where his mother wants to live a fantasy and his father trying to achieve a final goal that he didn't get as a high school football star where it leaves his younger, frustrated brother to be the normal one. It's a film where people try to find answers into better themselves only to realize that they're not always there and that some people only set themselves up for disappointments in the way Geary and Perry would see. Even in Justin's relationship with Rebecca, it's very complicated since Rebecca is trying to discover the world of sex only to confuse Justin even more in what her intentions her.

The film is wonderfully directed by Mike Mills in how he observes all the things that goes around in Justin's world. From his visits with Perry about all the things that troubles his life to how he becomes desperate to be accepted only to have it fall apart in his face. Mills direction is excellent in the way he observes Justin's behavior while the script is filled with wonderful development where all the major characters in the film have depth into what they bring into the world, especially Justin. While the film is mostly a drama, it does have its moments of humor in several scenes where it comes off naturally and not in a farcical way that some films try to do. Then there's the subject of thumb-sucking which is really a metaphor in the way that the Ritalin and dope-smoking would get to. It really represents an emotional crutch of a kid where whenever he's is pushed or just feeling very anxious in a bad way.

A film similar to that context on a different scale is Steven Shainberg's 2002 film Secretary where Maggie Gyllenhaal's character cuts herself only to see if she exists only to find a new alternative as a submissive in a sadomasochistic relationship with her boss. Really in many ways, this film is about trying to find things to hold on to while dealing with all the bad things in the world.

Helping Mills in the visual department is cinematographer Joaquin Baca-Asay is wonderful for its use of color and to convey the dreamy yet ominous mood that Justin goes through as Baca-Asay's cinematography is wonderful. Production designer Judy Becker and art director Walter Cahall do great work in the look of the houses and places that Justin is surrounded by. Especially since Becker's work is filled with odd things in the homes like in Perry's office early in the film, wolves and stuff that brings a lot of humor to the look of the film. Costume designer April Napier also brings a quirkiness to the film, especially in a scene where Tilda Swinton wears these quirky designer dresses to try and look impressive for Benjamin Bratt. The film in its 96-minute running time is paced leisurely while editors Angus Wall and Haines Hall bring great style to the film's presentation to Mills' perspective directing and some jump-cuts to convey the erratic behavior of Justin.

The film's soundtrack which is supervised by Brian Reitzell is filled with dreamy, atmospheric stuff that helps the convey the troubling mood of the protagonist while the film's original music is done by Tim DeLaughter and his band, the Polyphonic Spree. The music of the Polyphonic Spree is wonderful with its lyrics that are uplifting and melancholic that provides the crutch of Justin's emotional struggle as DeLaughter and company do great work. Also added in the soundtrack is some music from the late Elliott Smith who brings in some great covers of Cat Stevens' Trouble and innocent Big Star ballad Thirteen that rings true to the characters who are all growing up.

The film's cast is wonderful which includes some nice small performances from Sarah Bing, Echo Brooks, and Olivia D. Brown as Justin's debate teammates and a wonderful minor performance from Chase Offerle as Justin's young, obnoxious 10-year old brother who becomes frustrated over his brother's weirdness and the family dynamics as he struggles to get some attention. In another hilarious small role, Benjamin Bratt is excellent as Audrey's favorite actor Matt Schramm whose presence as this bland, pretty-boy actor is a wonderful parody only to have more complexity in a meeting between him and Justin where Bratt reveals his humorous side. Vince Vaughn is also funny as Mr. Geary whose tactics to help rile up his students ability to win are fun to watch while Vaughn also shows his more mature side when he sees Justin go into darker behaviors. Kelli Garner, who filled in for Scarlett Johansson at the last minute, does a wonderful job in playing Justin's girlfriend who is looking to understand his behavior only to reveal her true intentions. Garner brings a lot of edge and a natural quality to her role where if the part still went for Johansson, nothing new would've come but Garner brings the right tone for her character who later becomes a stoner.

Of the entire supporting cast, no one brings more surprises or laughs better than Keanu Reeves in his most offbeat performance to date as new-age orthodontist Perry Lyman. Reeves brings the right kind of humor and idiosyncracies to play this new-age guy who tries to help Justin only to change completely as does Justin where he tries to find new answers as his character is a bit parallel to Justin. During their meeting when Justin is now a debate wizard, Reeves brings a hilarious blandness and shock to see Justin's new change where Reeves brings some real depth. Vincent D'Onofrio is also wonderful as Justin's father Mike who hides a deep sense of shame as he tries to hide himself through work and when he finally takes notice of Justin's accomplishments, he tries to be a real father. D'Onofrio brings all kinds of complexity and pain that a father goes through as he and Pucci have great scenes together. Tilda Swinton is also great as Justin's quirky, fantasy-living mother who seems to be the only parent early who wants to connect with Justin. Then when she takes a great job, her character changes as she becomes unaware of her own role as she tries all she can to help Justin and her family.

Finally, we have Lou Taylor Pucci in a performance that can truly described as one of the best performances of the year. With his previous film credit in a small but memorable role in Rebecca Miller's Personal Velocity, Pucci is by far one of the best young actors to emerge as he takes his first starring role as a kid who has trouble dealing with the world and looking for something to hold on to. Pucci brings a complex, layered performance in the film as he struggles to find himself as early on, we see Pucci bring every amount of sympathy to this kid only to not like him as much when he goes on Ritalin. It's a very powerful performance as Lou Taylor Pucci who is a true talent on the big screen.

The Sony Classics Region 1 DVD that presents the film in a 2.35:1 anamorphic wide-screen format is wonderful in its transfer, even as it sounds good in its 5.1 Dolby Digital for English and Dolby Surround for French with French subtitles available. The special features include several trailers for films like Junebug, 2046, Breakfast on Pluto,, London, Saint Ralph, The Tenants, and Memory of a Killer which are all released from Sony Classics. The other features include a 20-minute behind the scenes documentary where writer/director Mike Mills, novelist Walter Kirn, and most of the film's cast talk about the movie and the idea of thumbsucking. Kelli Garner reveals the preparation she took into learning about the things discussed in the debate team while Pucci talks about a lot of the angst that goes on through. Tilda Swinton, who is one of the executive producers, reveal how the story affected her since she admits to her own awkwardness as young woman. Another feature that appears in a DVD-rom is a director's blog from Mike Mills that reveals notes on the film's premiere and promotion along with his artwork that he reveals.

The 40-minute conversation between Mills and novelist Walter Kirn is interesting for those wanting to know the comparison between the book and film yet the 40-minute running time does take too long. Mike Mills' feature-length audio commentary on the film brings some wonderful insight into his approach and how he and the cast basically improvised while remaining true to the novel and some of its lines. Mills fonds over Pucci's performance and the rest of the cast while talking about how he did the film in an almost chronological order which is rarely done in most film productions. Mills also talks about how the story he felt related to him and the influence of Hal Ashby that was his true inspiration for the film. Mills also talked about how originally, the late Elliott Smith was going to score the entire film with nothing but covers but never happened when he died. Mills also gives a final comment about his meeting with Ang Lee who gives him some poignant advice as Mills calls Lee's 1997 film The Ice Storm one of his favorites.

Overall, Thumbsucker is an amazing, funny, and dramatic debut feature from Mike Mills led by the amazing Lou Taylor Pucci in his first leading performance. With a great supporting cast and a wonderful crew plus music from the Polyphonic Spree and the late Elliott Smith. Thumbsucker is the kind of movie that kids who don't fit in will seem to love and cherish. Even those who hated the typical high school films would've wished that this film was made when they were in high school. Thanks to Mike Mills' talent in directing and Lou Taylor Pucci's performance, Thumbsucker is surely a film to seek out.

Mike Mills Films: (The Paperboys) - Beginners - 20th Century Women

© thevoid99 2012