Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Directed by David Yates and written by J.K. Rowling that is based on her fictional guide book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the sequel to the 2016 film that follows various wizards trying to find the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald who is rumored to be forging an alliance to destroy Muggles prompting a young wizard to seek the help of Albus Dumbledore. The film is set a year after the events of the previous film as it explore loyalties and the emergence of a much darker conflict that would possibly shape the wizarding world with Johnny Depp playing the role of Grindelwald and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore. Also starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, Kevin Guthrie, William Nadylam, and Brontis Jodorowsky as Nicholas Flamel. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a bloated and nonsensical film from David Yates and writer J.K. Rowling.

Set a year after events in New York City, the film revolves the escape of Gellert Grindelwald following a prison transfer as he has returned to Europe to wreak havoc prompting a young wizard to find and stop Grindelwald. It’s a premise that could be told in a simple fashion where it play into characters dealing with this antagonist as loyalties come into question yet its execution in the story ends up being more about spectacle rather than focusing on the story. J.K. Rowling’s screenplay is the biggest crime of the film as it’s a script that starts off with this exhilarating escape only to fall down hard into an overblown and over-explained first act that reintroduce characters from the previous film and don’t do much to introduce new characters. At the same time, the story goes all over the place where part of the narrative takes place in Britain while much of it is in Paris and there is so much that is happening that it’s hard to keep up.

There are also these twists and turns that starts to occur late in the film as it involves the identity of Creedence (Ezra Miller) as it ends up being filled with a lot of confusion while there are also these subplots involving individual characters with Queenie (Alison Sudol) going to Grindelwald thinking he can help change the law about wizards/witches marrying muggles/no-majs. The lack of a structure is also what hinders the script as much of it is all about exposition and an overdrawn first act that rely on exposition leading to a third act and skipping over a second act to unveil this climax that is underwhelming and incoherent in its execution.

David Yates’ direction is definitely undercooked largely due to the many shortcomings of the film’s screenplay. Shot mainly at a studio lot in Leavesden in Britain with additional shots in London, Paris, and parts of Switzerland, Yates establishes a world that is vast with much of the emphasis set on Europe as well as being in transition. It mainly serves as set dressing where it tries to distract the viewers with these vast spectacle of a magical world that has a lot to offer. Yet, Yates never really does more to establish the world nor make it feel special while the brief scenes set at Hogwarts has that yet it is only brief that also include a strange flashback scene involving a young Newt Scamander (Joshua Shea) and Leta Lestrange (Thea Lamb). Scenes involving Newt (Eddie Redmayne) and the no-maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) has Yates creating compositions that are quite typical but it often tries to play it for laughs or suspense yet it doesn’t deliver in neither department. Even moments where Newt meets Queenie’s sister Tina (Katherine Waterston) feels tacked on as they never get a chance to really re-establish their own relationship.

Yates’ direction does establish the locations and where the characters are but its approach to suspense is underwhelming as it tries to put in awkward moments of humor while whatever dramatic rhythms it tried to put on feels flat. Even in the lead-up to its climax feels clunky and tacked on at times where it comes to these revelations about Creedence’s identity as it creates confusion that is followed by Grindelwald’s plans for an upcoming war as he asks wizards and witches to join him. Instead, it feels like an overblown set piece with lots of visual effects and ends up being anticlimactic that is then followed by another big revelation that isn’t just ridiculous but it raises questions into what Rowling is trying to say and set up for the next story nearly to the point of frustration. Overall, Yates and Rowling create a film that tries to do a lot only to end up being a hollow and lifeless spectacle about a wizard trying to stop an evil wizard from wreaking havoc on the world.

Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot does fine work in creating unique look for the visuals though it never does anything to standout due in part to what Yates try to do on a visual scale. Editor Mark Day does terrible work with the editing mainly due to the many subplots and expository scenes as it aims for too many quick cuts where at times it becomes nonsensical in what is going on. Production designer Stuart Craig, with set decorator Anna Pinnock and supervising art director Martin Foley, does nice work with the look of Hogwarts and the British and French Ministry of Magic buildings though other sets don’t have this air of intrigue that the characters go into. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does OK work with the costumes as it play into the style of the late 1920s to play into the refined look of Leta Lestrange and the more ragged look of Newt Scamander.

Hair/makeup designer Fae Hammond does good work with the hairstyles that the women wore at those time though the look of Grindelwald is just dumb. Special effects supervisor David Watkins, along with visual effects supervisors Tim Burke, Andy Kind, and Christian Manz, do some decent work with the visual effects to play into the world of magic yet it tries too hard to be big for the film’s climax as it just falls very short. Sound designers Niv Adiri, Ben Barker, and Glenn Freemantle do some terrific work with the sound to establish the locations and the kinds of power that the wizards/witches uses in the spells they create. The film’s music by James Newton Howard has its moments in soaring orchestral score yet nothing really stands out as tries too hard to help set a tone for the drama and humor as it ends up not being memorable at all.

The casting by Fiona Weir also has its moments though many of the actors involved are practically wasted due to the poor material they’re given. Performances from Joshua Shea as the young Newt, Thea Lamb and Ruby Woolfenden as the young versions of Leta Lestrange, Fiona Glascott as a young version of Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Corby-Teuch as Grindelwald’s right-hand woman Vinda Rosier, Victoria Yeates as Newt’s assistant Bunty, Kevin Guthrie as Tina’s former supervisor Abernathy who is a follower of Grindelwald, and Brontis Jodorowsky in a very under-used appearance as the famed alchemist Nicolas Flamel who helps out in the film’s climax. William Nadylman and Claudia Kim are wasted in their respective roles as French-Senegalese wizard Yusuf Kama and the circus performer Nagini as they’re not given much to do with the narrative as the former spends his time trying to catch Creedence as it relates to his own family while the latter is someone who befriends Creedence while dealing with a blood curse that eventually would make her a snake permanently. Callum Turner’s performance as Newt’s older brother Theseus is also underused as he’s not given much to do other than give Newt advice as well as be Leta’s fiancé.

Zoe Kravitz’s performance as Leta Lestrange as a childhood friend of Newt and later Theseus’ fiancée is a mixed bag mainly due to the material where it is a character that is definitely tormented and troubled but is unable to really be fleshed out as she ends up being a form of exposition about a story that relates to Kama. Alison Sudol’s performance as Queenie Goldstein as this witch gifted in Legilimens has become this desperate and almost psychotic character who wants to marry a no-maj as this character who was sweet and kind has now become insane as Sudol’s performance is just bad. Katherine Waterston is OK as Queenie’s older sister Tina as the American auror who is trying to find Creedence as she is badly written as someone who isn’t given much to do other than be upset at Newt over something she misinterpreted as well as be involved in awkward moments. Dan Fogler is bland as Jacob Kowalski as Queenie’s no-maj lover who is first seen under an enchantment spell as he is often confused while is also badly written as someone with no real sense of direction or motivation.

Ezra Miller is terrible as Creedence as there isn’t given any logical explanation into how he’s alive as he’s first seen in a circus while is also someone with a lack of direction about who he is as Miller is unable to flesh out his character. Eddie Redmayne is horrendous as Newt Scamander as whatever charm he had in the previous film that he carried is washed away in favor of him being quirky and awkward to the point where Redmayne just overdoes it as he tries to be funny and serious only to accomplish in neither. Johnny Depp’s performance as Gellert Grindelwald is horrible mainly because Depp never really fleshes out Grindelwald other than be someone with dark intentions and give this big speech as it’s just Depp being weird and menacing yet with no substance as it’s just a lazy performance. Finally, there’s Jude Law who gives an excellent performance as a younger version of Albus Dumbledore where Law manages to bring in some nuances and charm into the character despite the shortcomings of the script as his brief appearances in the film do have some gravitas as he’s the only thing in the film that is worthwhile.

Despite Jude Law’s appearance as Albus Dumbledore, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a horrendous film from David Yates and writer J.K. Rowling. Largely due to its uninspired direction, overblown spectacle, badly-written characters, lame twists, and a messy and incoherent screenplay that is expository rather than take its time to build up its suspense. It is a film that wants to be a lot of things as well as set things up for the next film and instead end up becoming demanding and overblown to the point of indifference and frustration. In the end, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is an atrocious film from David Yates and J.K. Rowling.

Harry Potter Universe Films: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban - Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire - Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 - Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them - (Fantastic Beasts Pt. 3) – (Pt. 4) – (Pt. 5)

© thevoid99 2020

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Directed by David Yates and written by J.K. Rowling that is based on her fictional guidebook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the story about a British wizard who arrives in New York City where he tries to find three magical creatures who had escaped from his suitcase as he is aided by a demoted Auror, her Legilimens sister, and non-magical baker in retrieving them as he’s been accused of unleashing a mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the city. The film is a prequel of sorts to the Harry Potter universe as it takes place in 1926 New York City as it follows around a young Newt Scamander who would write the guidebook on magical creatures. Starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Carmen Ejogo, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, and Colin Farrell. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an extraordinary film from David Yates.

Set in 1926 New York City as the magical community is dealing with anti-wizard sentiment from individuals as well as the threat of Gellert Grindelwald wreaking terror around the world. The film revolves around a young British wizard in Newt Scamander who arrives to the city originally going to Arizona to bring a creature home where he would embark on a series of misadventures in the cities as he would be accused of unleashing a creature that is causing all of the trouble in the city. Among them would involve a non-magical man who would accidentally take Scamander’s luggage causing trouble when three magical creatures are loose forcing Scamander to retrieve them with the non-magical man and two other wizards. J.K. Rowling’s screenplay explore not just the wizarding world in New York City which is very different from Britain but also how they’re having a hard time trying to conceal it to the non-magical community as they’re called No-Majs.

There are multiple characters involved in the story that would play into Scamander’s search as well as him being a major suspect of the terror that is looming around the city. One of the antagonists is an anti-wizard activist in Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) who wants to expose the wizarding world as she turns to a newspaper publisher in Henry Shaw Sr. (Jon Voight) for help as he’s busy making a senate campaign for his son Henry Jr. (Josh Cowdery). Scamander would come across Barebone early in the film though she is unaware of what he really is as the meeting would set off a chain of events when one of his creatures in a niffler would go inside a bank as he would meet the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) who is trying to get a loan to start a bakery. Accidental events happen where Scamander is taken by the demoted Auror Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) for his actions where they go on a chase to find the three missing creatures with Kowalski and Tina’s younger sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) who is a Legilimens that is very interested in Kowalski.

Also involved in the search for the mysterious creature that is wreaking havoc in the city is a magical securities director in Percival Graves (Colin Farrell) who believes that Barebone’s adopted son Credence (Ezra Miller) might know what it is and where to find it in exchange to free him from the abuse of Barebone. Yet, so much is happening as it play into the search for the mysterious creature wreaking havoc in the city while the three creatures that Newt is trying to find prove to be more fascinating as he has a collection of them inside his luggage which he is studying for the book that he would later create. At the same time, he is trying to learn more about his new surrounding as he is also coping with his own issues which Queenie would learn accidentally as it play into his eccentric and awkward persona when he’s around people as he’s more comfortable with magical creatures and animals.

David Yates’ direction is definitely dazzling in terms of the world that he creates though the film begins with a montage of the chase for Grindelwald as he’s only seen briefly from the back as it sets the tone for much of the film with the wizarding community in New York City struggling to hide this terror from the non-magical community despite the verbal attacks from Barebone. Shot mainly at the Warner Brothers studio lot in Hertfordshire, England with some of it shot in London and St. George’s Hall in Liverpool as 1926 New York City. The film does play into a world that is filled with intrigue but it’s also quite rich in the way the wizarding community presents itself as house-elves are doing jobs and bartend speakeasies, goblins are the leaders of the financial world, trolls are also citizens, and there’s even a government based in New York City known as the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) led by President Seraphina Picquery (Carmen Ejogo).

There are also laws that is established such as that magical and non-magical people can’t socialize while magical creatures are banned which makes Scamander’s mission not just difficult but also the need to prove that he’s not the one causing trouble. There are some wide shots in the film to establish the locations yet Yates would use medium shots and close-ups to focus on the characters as they deal with trying to find the lost creatures as well as go after the mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the city. Yates would mix in elements of suspense and humor throughout the film as it would culminate with this grand third act as it play into the reveal of this mysterious creature as well as Scamander’s suspicions towards Graves who has his motives in wanting to find this creature. Especially in his interest towards the troubled Credence which makes Tina uneasy as Credence played a part in her demotion prompting her and Scamander the need to confront Graves. Overall, Yates creates an enchanting and exhilarating film about a British wizard trying to save New York City from a mysterious creature and retrieve three others from harm with the help of two American wizards and a No-Maj baker.

Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot does amazing work with the film’s beautiful cinematography as it has a sepia-like tone to the way some of the daytime exterior looks in terms of grey skies and sunny look as well as the usage of lights for some of the scenes at night including the interiors inside Scamander’s home-made zoo inside his luggage. Editor Mark Day does excellent work with the editing for its usage of montages for the opening sequence as well as some jump-cuts for some of the action and other stylish cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Stuart Craig, with art directors David Allday and Leslie Tomkins plus set decorator Anna Pinnock and associate set designer James Hambidge, does amazing work with the look of 1926 New York City from the home of MACUSA, the apartment that the Goldstein sisters live in, Newt’s zoo inside his luggage, and the dreary home of Barebone. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into the period of the mid-1920s with some dresses for the women as well as the clothes that President Picquery wears.

Hair/makeup designers Fae Hammond and Marilyn MacDonald do nice work with the look of the hairstyles of the women as well as the haircuts that men had and the makeup for a few of the characters in the film. Visual effect supervisors Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, and David Watkins do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of the different creatures that Scamander has collected including his pet plant-like creature in a bowtruckle as well as the look of the city and other magical things. Sound designers Glenn Freemantle and Eilam Hoffman do superb work with the sound from the way some of the creatures sound to the sounds of terror and suspense in some of the darker moments in the film. The film’s music by James Newton Howard is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that play into the action and suspense as well as some low-key music for the light-hearted moments while music supervisors Alejandro de la Llosa and Karen Elliott provide a jazz-like soundtrack to some of the original songs played in the film.

The casting by Fiona Weir is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Dan Hedaya as the voice of house-elf elevator operator, Kevin Guthrie as Tina’s supervisor, Ronan Rafferty as Henry Shaw Sr.’s youngest son Langdon who wants to help Barebone expose the wizarding world, Josh Cowdery as the cruel and arrogant Henry Shaw Jr., Jenn Murray as Barebone’s adopted eldest daughter, Faith-Wood Blagrove as Barebone’s youngest adopted daughter in Modesty whom Credence suspects to have magical powers, and Zoe Kravitz in a small role as the picture of Scamander’s former lover Leta Lestrange. Ron Perlman is terrific as the speakeasy owner Gnarlack as a goblin who was an informant of Tina as it is a charming role in this mixture of visual effects and performance-capture. Jon Voight is superb as Henry Shaw Sr. as a newspaper owner who would come across a major incident as he wants to go after the mysterious creature. Carmen Ejogo is fantastic as President Seraphina Picquery as the leader of MACUSA who is trying to ensure the law and make sure the magical world isn’t exposed as well. Samantha Morton is brilliant as Mary Lou Barebone as an anti-wizard activist who wants to expose the wizarding world as well as destroy wizard and witches while being very abusive towards Credence.

Ezra Miller is excellent as Credence as Barebone’s adopted son who is troubled by the beatings he receives from Barebone as he befriends Graves who promises him a chance for freedom in exchange for knowledge of the mysterious creature wreaking havoc. Colin Farrell is amazing as Percival Graves as a magical securities director for MACUSA who is in charge of protecting wizards as he is very powerful while having his own reasons for helping Credence. Alison Sudol is incredible as Queenie Goldstein as Tina’s younger sister who is kind-hearted as well as being an accomplished Legilimens, the ability to read minds, where she knows what to do to help out her sister, Newt, and Jacob whenever they get into trouble.

Dan Fogler is marvelous as Jacob Kowalski as a No-Maj cannery worker who aspires to become a baker that finds himself being exposed to the world of magic via accident as he proves to be a helpful ally for Newt and prove his worth to the world of magic. Katherine Waterston is phenomenal as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein as a demoted Auror who works in a lowly position at MACUSA as a witch trying to do what is right as it was the reason she got demoted while helping Newt retrieve his creatures to realize that he’s not the one that is at fault for the chaos in the city. Finally, there’s Eddie Redmayne in a remarkable performance as Newt Scamander where Redmayne provides this very odd and eccentric collector of magical creatures who arrives to New York City where he unknowingly causes mayhem as Redmayne has this air of charm into his role but also that awkwardness that allows him to be vulnerable when it comes to people as he prefers the company of magical creatures.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a sensational film from David Yates and writer J.K. Rowling. Featuring a great ensemble cast, top-notch visual effects, amazing art direction, lovely visuals, and a compelling story about a wizard’s arrival into America. It’s a film that explores the world of magic in a different setting that allow audiences to be enchanted into what the magical world in America is like from the mind who brought Harry Potter into the world. In the end, Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them is a spectacular film from David Yates.

Harry Potter Universe Films: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban - Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire - Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 - Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – (Pt. 3) – (Pt. 4) – (Pt. 5)

© thevoid99 2017

The Theory of Everything

Based on the memoir Traveling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking, The Theory of Everything is about the life of physics theorist Stephen Hawking and his relationship with first wife Jane Wilde who would later cope with Hawkings’ diagnosis of motor neurone disease. Directed by James Marsh and screenplay by Anthony McCarten, the film is an exploration of Hawking’s early life with Wilde from their years as college students to the events that lead to their separation as Eddie Redmayne plays Hawking and Felicity Jones plays Wilde. Also starring Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, Simon McBurney, Maxine Peake, and David Thewlis. The Theory of Everything is an extraordinarily rich film from James Marsh.

Set from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, the film plays into the life of physics theorist Stephen Hawking from the day he meets his first wife Jane Wilde and to the year he would meet the Queen of England where he would be offered a knighthood. With Hawking being famous for proving about everything that goes on in the universe, he would suffer motor neurone disease early in his life as Wilde would support him and eventually marry him where they would later have three children. With Hawking’s disease worsening, his fame would grow through his theories on time while Wilde would get the aid of a preacher named Jonathan Jones (Charlie Cox) whom she would fall for. While it is a simple bio-pic, it plays into Hawking’s own belief about science and how he believes that a black hole created the universe while he isn’t sure if God exists. Even as Wilde is someone who believes in God as it is among the reason for her attraction towards Hawking.

Anthony McCarten’s screenplay maybe conventional in terms of its plot scenario but it does maintain a sense of humanity in Hawking who is just a simple student with a vast point of view about the world. While he is an intellect, he is someone that is like any other young college student back in the 1960s as is Jane Wilde where they are part of a world where everyone is asking big questions. Part of what makes the story so interesting is the relationship between Hawking and Wilde where they have different ideas in belief yet Wilde is intrigued by Hawking’s own theories on the universe and time itself. By the time Hawking’s own ailment would occur and Wilde would be there to support him, they would have a good marriage but things do become overwhelming for Wilde until she meets Jones who becomes a friend of their.

While there is an attraction between the two as well as an ambiguity into whether or not they had an affair where Hawking’s mother asks Jane if Jonathan is the father of their third child. It is clear that Jones is a good man and knows when to step back where things become complicated in the 1980s when Hawking would fall for his new nurse Elaine Mason (Maxine Peake) who would eventually become Hawking’s second wife. Yet, the heart of the story is Hawking and Wilde’s relationship and their devotion to one another as it all plays into Hawking’s own theory of everything about the world, the universe, time, and the cosmos.

James Marsh’s direction is quite stylish in terms of some of different film stocks that he uses for the film but also in the way he re-creates certain periods in time to play into Hawking’s life. Shot on location in Cambridge University in Britain, the film does play into that world of college life where it wasn’t wild nor very political as the 1960s would later become while there are elements of fun. Even as there are elements of humor as it relates to some of the theories that Hawking presents where there are those who don’t buy into it but there are those who are amazed by it where it is simplified but show that it is really out there. Much of Marsh’s compositions are simple in terms of close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots yet he would use some different film stock to play up into certain events in Hawking’s life from his wedding to Wilde and the birth of their children as it adds to the sense of happiness Hawking had despite his illness.

The direction would have these elements of visual flairs that play into key moments in Hawking’s life into not just his own discoveries of his own as well as moments that play into his ailments. By the film’s second half where Hawking’s condition would worsen as he would lose the ability to speak, the drama does get heightened but the tone sort of changes as it plays into Hawking’s willingness to live despite the diagnosis that he had two years to live upon getting the disease early in his life. In some ways, it’s a film of triumph of a man who rises above his ailments to share his views of the world with the people and connect with them in ways that go beyond the understanding of the universe. Overall, Marsh creates a very engaging and thoughtful film about the life of Stephen Hawking and life with Jane Wilde.

Cinematographer Benoit Delhomme does brilliant work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with its inspiring usage of filters and coloring schemes to maintain different moods for certain scenes as well as playing with film stocks for the home-movie footage. Editor Jinx Godfrey does excellent work with the editing with its approach to reverse-style cuts, montages, and other stylish cuts to play into Hawking‘s own revelation towards his theories. Production designer John Paul Kelly and set decorator Claire Nia Richards do fantastic work with the look of the dorm rooms he lived in college as well as the home he and Jane lived with their children. Costume designer Steven Noble does superb work with the costumes from the dresses that Jane wears throughout the years to play into different periods in time as well as some of the clothes that Hawking would wear.

Hair/makeup/prosthetics designer Jan Sewell does amazing work with the different hairstyles Jane would sport in the years as well as the look of Hawking in the years he would endure his disease. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does terrific work with the sound from the way Hawking would hear things in his state as well as scenes set in a few parties as well as the church where Jonathan would serve at. The film’s music by Johan Johansson is remarkable for its evocative and soaring orchestral score that is filled with lush string arrangements and electronic textures to heighten the music while music supervisors Sarah Bridge and Claire Freeman create a soundtrack that features jazz, classical, opera, and soul music from the different periods that Hawking and Wilde encounter.

The casting by Nina Gold is wonderful as the film features some notable small roles from Charlotte Hope and Lucy Chappell as Hawking’s sisters, Frank Lebeouf as the Swiss doctor who would tell Wilde more about Hawking’s condition that would render his speech, Abigail Cruttenden as Hawking’s mother, Guy Oliver-Watts as Wilde’s father, Harry Lloyd as Hawking’s roommate Brian, Enzo Clienti as fellow physics theorist Kip Thorne, Georg Nikoloff as the famed Soviet physicist Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov who is impressed with Hawking’s theory, and Christian McKay as the famed mathematician/theorist Roger Penrose who would give Hawking the idea to search on a theory of time. Emily Watson is terrific as Jane’s mother Beryl who would suggest to Jane to join a church choir while Simon McBurney is superb as Hawking’s father Frank who is aware of his son’s deteriorating condition as he would be the one to suggest a nurse to aid him.

Maxine Peake is excellent as Elaine Mason as the nurse hired to watch over Hawking in the late 80s as she would care for him where she would eventually become Hawking’s second wife. David Thewlis is brilliant as Hawking’s professor Dennis Sciama who would support his theory and become a colleague of his while helping to introduce Hawking’s theory to the world. Charlie Cox is fantastic as Jonathan Jones as a preacher who leads a church choir who befriends Hawking and Wilde where he falls for the latter but doesn’t want to get too close as he also enjoys his time with Hawking despite their differences in beliefs.

Felicity Jones is phenomenal as Jane Wilde Hawking as a young woman who is a literature student that falls for Hawking as she copes with his illness while helping him live as it’s a very radiant and touching performance from Jones. Finally, there’s Eddie Redmayne in a marvelous performance as Stephen Hawking as this young physics student who would create a theory as he later succumbs to motor neurone disease which only makes him more determined to share his theories with the rest of the world as Redmayne maintains a unique physicality in scenes where he’s not speaking to make Hawking a very charming and soulful person.

The Theory of Everything is a sensational film from James Marsh that features amazing performances from Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. While it is a conventional film that does play into elements of what is expected in bio-pics, it is still a film with some charm as well as a strong love story that concerns the relationship between Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde Hawking. In the end, The Theory of Everything is a remarkable film from James Marsh.

James Marsh Films: (Wisconsin Death Trip) - (The King (2005 film)) - Man on Wire - Red Riding: 1980 - Project Nim - (Shadow Dancer) - (Untitled Donald Crownhurst Film)

Related: A Brief History of Time

© thevoid99 2015

Les Miserables (2012 film)

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo and its musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, Les Miserables is the story about a convict who becomes a mayor in France only to be haunted by the presence of a police inspector as he goes on the run with a young girl to take care of for her mother as they later deal with a growing revolution. Directed by Tom Hooper and screenplay by Boublil, Schonberg, William Nicholson, and Herbert Kretzmer, the film is an exploration into redemption and seeking the chance to find a new life while facing old fears. Starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bohnam Carter. Les Miserables is a sprawling yet spectacular musical from Tom Hooper.

After serving 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread for his nephew, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is released on parole as he tries to find work only to be shunned for his conviction as he finds shelter at a church. After stealing some silver from that church and later captured, the bishop (Colm Wilkinson) claims that he gave the silver to Valjean as he later tells him to use it to start a new life. Eight years later, Valjean reinvents himself as a mayor only to deal with the presence of a police investigator named Javert (Russell Crowe) whom Valjean know who was the lead guard at the prison many years ago. Meanwhile, a woman named Fatine (Anne Hathaway) was fired by a foreman as she is seeking to get money for her young daughter Cosette (Isabelle Allen) who is living at another home. Fatine is forced into prostitution as she is later saved by Valjean who realizes what’s happened to her as he vows to Fatine that he will find Cosette and take care of her.

After evading Javert who had learned about Valjean’s true identity, Valjean finds Cosette who is living with a couple in Thenardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bohnam Carter) as he gives them money to take Cosette off their hands. After realizing Javert is in Paris looking for him, Valjean and Cosette hide in a convent where Valjean is able to escape from Javert. Nine years later as Valjean becomes a father to Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), revolution is happening as Cosette catches the eye of a young revolutionary named Marius (Eddie Redmayne). Also in Paris are the Thenardiers and their daughter Eponine (Samantha Barks) who is in love with Marius as she reluctantly shows his where Cosette lives.

After realizing that Javert is nearby, Valjean runs away again with Cosette until the battle rages on where he learns that Cosette has fallen in love with Marius as he decides to help Marius with the revolution. When Javert is in the battle as a spy and later captured by the revolutionaries, he and Valjean come face-to-face where Valjean would make a decision about their fates.

The film is the story about a convict who seeks to find redemption after being in prison for 19 years over a small crime as he is haunted by who he is as well as an inspector who doesn’t believe that this man will redeem himself. Along the way, he finds salvation and love as he does whatever it takes to do right for a woman who had been wronged and for a young girl to become a beautiful young woman who later falls for a revolutionary. In the course of the film, it is a story about people all trying to get something whether it’s to fulfill a sense of duty, to find love, to be loved, or to gain redemption in these terrible times during the early 1800s in France after the French Revolution.

The screenplay is faithful to the musical as it explores a lot of the complexities of these characters as it is largely about Jean Valjean’s yearning to find redemption for his sins where he would do things for those he felt had been wronged or what he had done. Yet, he is pursued by Inspector Javert who is convinced that Valjean is a criminal and always will be a criminal as once he learned Valjean had broke parole. He is determined to do whatever to get him back in prison as an act of duty. When Valjean reinvents himself as a mayor where he hopes that people will be treated well, he learns about a woman who had been fired and goes into prostitution in Fatine. Fatine is someone who just wants to work to give money to help care for her illegitimate child as she goes into great despair thinking there is no good in the world until Valjean saves her where he would vow to do right for her by becoming a father to her daughter.

When Valjean takes Cosette away from the cruel Thenardiers, who likes to steal from their customers at their inn, he hopes to give Cosette a life that is good and will allow her to become a woman. Yet, times would change in the face of another revolution in France where Cosette would fall for this young revolutionary in Marius as he becomes torn between love and duty as he is unaware that the Thenardiers’ daughter Eponine is in love with him as she would play a key part in the story. Eventually, things would collide where Valjean would have to get involved with the revolution in order to do whatever to give two young people a future while facing his own demons as well as Javert.

Tom Hooper’s direction is definitely big in terms of its presentation as it is a musical that isn’t shot on some stage or a soundstage. Instead, it is shot as if it was on location where things are big and the musical numbers also play up to the grandeur of the story. While there’s a few moments such as some shaky hand-held camera work that doesn’t entirely work at times, Hooper does manage to keep things in tact through these sprawling compositions filled with crane shots, tracking shots, and other stylistic shots to maintain that air of spectacle. Hooper does also bring things where it is intimate in order to display emotions or something that helps tell the story.

Since this is a musical, there isn’t a lot of spoken dialogue as a lot of it essentially sung. Notably on the set where it adds to the emotional tone of the story such as the I Dreamed a Dream scene where it is shot in one unbroken take to capture the sense of anguish and loss that Fatine is going through. While the bombastic music that is by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil does play into the many emotions of the film, Hooper’s direction makes sure that the music isn’t distracting while taking a few moments for the singing to stop for a few dialogue interplay with the actors. Still, it is about what is sung and how it helps tell the story as Hooper knows when to keep things simple that includes the film’s ending. Overall, Tom Hooper crafts a very heart-wrenching yet dazzling musical that has all of the splendor in what is expected in the genre.

Cinematographer Danny Cohen does excellent work with the film’s photography from the somewhat de-saturated look of the colors in the exteriors to the more simplistic yet stylish lighting schemes in the interiors. Editors Melanie Anne Oliver and Chris Dickens is terrific for its stylish approach to cutting by using some fast cuts on some of the film’s upbeat numbers while going for more methodical cuts in the ballads. Production designer Eve Stewart and supervising art director Grant Armstrong do amazing work with the set pieces from the dreary look of the prostitutes area to the chaos that is set in Paris for the film’s revolutionary scenes including its climatic battle.

Costume designer Paco Delgado does brilliant work with the costumes from the lavish yet ragged look of some of the women‘s clothing to the uniform that Javert wears. Hair and makeup designer Lisa Westcott does superb work with the look of the characters for Valjean as he ages in the years to the more offbeat look of the Thenardiers. Visual effects supervisors Richard Bain and Sean Mathiesen do wonderful work with some of the exterior settings to recreate the look of early 1800s France. Sound designer Dominic Gibbs along with sound editors Lee Walpole and John Warhurst, does fantastic work with the sound to blend all of the voices in multiple singing parts as well as the intimacy in some of the solo parts of the singing.

The casting by Nina Gold is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Aaron Tveit as Marius’ revolutionary friend Enjolras, Daniel Huttlestone as the adolescent revolutionary Gavroche, Michael Jibson as the foreman who fires Fatine, Patrick Godfrey as Marius’ grandfather, Natalya Angel Wallace as the young Eponine, and Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop of Digne who would play a key part into the direction Valjean would take into his life. Helena Bohnam Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen are delightful as the very funny Thenardiers who like to steal and do whatever as they later try to profit from the revolution. Eddie Redmayne is superb as Marius as a young man who is torn with his devotion for the revolution and the love he has for Cosette as he later deals with the aftermaths about what he’s gained and lost.

Samantha Barks is amazing as Eponine as the daughter of the Thenardiers who is in love with Marius as she tries to deal with his feelings towards Cosette as she would play a part into the revolution. Isabelle Allen and Amanda Seyfried are wonderful in the different age of Cosette with Allen as the young girl seeking to find someone to treat her right while Seyfried adds to sense of longing as the older Cosette as she has a wonderful moment in her duet with Redmayne. Russell Crowe is excellent as Inspector Javert with his rugged presence and his determination to maintain his sense of duty though there’s some parts in Crowe’s singing where he is trying a bit hard though he is better suited in the ballads when he doesn’t try so hard.

Anne Hathaway is outstanding in her small yet unforgettable performance as Fatine where Hathaway displays all of the anguish and torment the character goes to as she later deals with loss and later peace. Hathaway’s performance of I Dreamed a Dream is truly the highlight of the film where the singing is raw yet so filled with emotion that it is an indication of Hathaway’s talents as an actress. Finally, there’s Hugh Jackman in a tour-de-force performance as Jean Valjean where Jackman not only brings in that sense of physicality and strength that was needed for the part. Jackman also brings in a sensitivity and conflict to man unsure of himself as he seeks to find redemption as it is definitely a crowning achievement for the Australian actor in all counts including his singing.

Les Miserables is a phenomenal film from Tom Hooper that a remarkable ensemble cast and a look that plays to its ambition. It is a film that indicates that the musical will never go away when it’s executed in the right way. Notably as it features amazing songs and dazzling set pieces that plays to the many emotions of the story. In the end, Les Miserables is a marvelous film from Tom Hooper.

Tom Hooper Films: (Red Dust) - (The Damned United) - The King's Speech

© thevoid99 2012

My Week with Marilyn

Based on the novels The Prince, the Showgirl and Me and My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark, My Week with Marilyn is the story of a film assistant who spends a week with Marilyn Monroe during the production of the film The Prince and the Showgirl. Directed by Simon Curtis and screenplay by Adrian Hodges, the film explores one man’s infatuation with the iconic beauty as he sees her dealing with personal issues as well as trying to make a movie with the likes of Laurence Olivier. Starring Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, the film also stars Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, Dougray Scott, Derek Jacobi, Toby Jones, Zoe Wanamaker, and Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike. My Week with Marilyn is a wonderful film about one man’s experience with one of the cinema’s most iconic stars.

It’s 1956 as Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) is hoping for a job interview to work in a film production headed by Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). Colin knows Olivier through a party held by his rich parents as he gets the job as Olivier’s assistant as well as the third assistant director a new project Olivier is directing and starring in along with Dame Sybil Thorndike and Marilyn Monroe. With Monroe arriving with her third husband/playwright Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott) and her acting coach Paula Strasberg (Zoe Wanamaker), excitement is in the air as Olivier and his wife Vivien Leigh (Julia Ormond) greet Monroe and Miller.

With Colin working on set as he meets a costume girl named Lucy (Emma Watson), Colin watches the production unfold where it eventually becomes a disaster due to Marilyn’s erratic behavior. While Colin’s job also has to fetch Marilyn and check up on her, he gets more than he bargains for when she takes an interest in him. Colin would end up spending a lot of his time with Marilyn as she gets to relax while he takes her to places. Eventually, Marilyn would manage to perform well though the time Colin would have with Marilyn wouldn’t last following an illness. With the production taking shape and wrapping, Colin reflects on the brief moment he had with Marilyn Monroe.

The film is about a young man’s time with Marilyn Monroe in the shape of one entire week where he would get to know the real Marilyn through all of her flaws and insecurities. While this young man would also go into deep of Marilyn’s life and why she was difficult to work with. Largely because she was a student of method acting as opposed to the more theatrical training that Laurence Olivier had. For Colin Clark, he is in the middle of watching something where times are changing as the old guards like Olivier, Vivien Leigh, and Sybil Thorndike are on their way out while Marilyn is to become the new thing.

While Adrian Hodges’ script is a bit uneven due to the differing narratives that surrounds the film about Olivier’s difficulty with Marilyn’s approach to acting as well as this young man’s infatuation with the iconic beauty. Still, they do manage to coexist as it’s told from the perspective of Colin Clark as he watches a film being made as he has to deal with all sorts of people including Marilyn’s producer Milton H. Greene (Dominic Cooper) who had his affair with Marilyn. While there’s a lot of people warning this young man not to get too close, Clark does get close only to realize that it will include trouble. For Clark, the week he spends with Monroe and getting to know her while watching how a film is made would provide an experience unlike anything that most people would give for. Though the story is really more of a dramatic interpretation of what really happened rather than the actual truth. Hodges does manage to create a story that is exciting about one man’s time with Marilyn Monroe.

Simon Curtis’ direction is quite straightforward yet it’s also very engaging as he opens the film with Clark watching Marilyn Monroe perform on screen as he is enamored by her. The rest of the film is very intriguing for how a film was made at the time while showing what Olivier is trying to deal with as well as Marilyn dealing with her own issues. Curtis manages to create a wonderful sense of intimacy for the way that film is made while going for a sense of style in scenes where Marilyn and Colin walk around the park all by themselves. Overall, Curtis manages to create a film that is entertaining and dramatic in this brief moment in the life of Marilyn Monroe.

Cinematographer Ben Smithard does an excellent job with the film‘s photography where he does some amazing work in recreating some of the film footage of The Prince and the Showgirl to complement the Technicolor photography of Jack Cardiff. For the rest of the film, the look is very stylish while having a gorgeous air to the scenes of Marilyn and Oliver walking around in the park as Smithard’s work is noteworthy. Editor Adam Recht does a nice job with the editing as there’s some playful rhythmic cuts to play up the energy of getting ready on set while the pacing of the film is very leisured so that the audience can have time to see what goes on.

Production designer Donal Woods, along with set decorator Judy Farr and art director Charmian Adams, does a brilliant job with the set pieces created such as the studio and staging for the film sets scene as well as opening dance number that is full of pizzaz and all of that good stuff. Costume designer Jill Taylor does a fantastic job with the costumes created such as the casual late 50s clothing that a lot of the cast wears including the lavish dresses that Marilyn wears for the film she‘s making. Sound editor Nick Lowe does a stellar job with the sound work such as the hollow intimacy of a film set to the sparse world of the house and places that Marilyn surrounds herself in.

The film’s score by Conrad Pope and Alexandre Desplat is wonderful with Pope providing some jazzy pieces for the film with Desplat providing a more piano-driven theme for some of dramatic moments of the film. Music supervisors Maggie Rodford and Dana Sano provide a terrific soundtrack filled with jazz music of the times including the songs that Marilyn Monroe sang in some of her films.

The casting by Deborah Aquila, Nina Gold, and Tricia Wood is great as it features notable small appearances from Philip Jackson as Marilyn’s chauffeur/caretaker, Toby Jones as a brash publicist, Richard Clifford as character actor Richard Wattis, Derek Jacobi as Colin’s godfather who gives Marilyn a tour of a castle, and Dougray Scott as Marilyn’s third husband in famed playwright Arthur Miller. Other noteworthy performances include Dominic Cooper as the slimy Milton H. Greene, Zoe Wanamaker as the very controlling but humorous Paula Strasberg, Julia Ormond as the legendary Vivien Leigh who is dealing with aging, and Emma Watson in a small but charming performance as the costume girl Lucy that Colin briefly dates.

Judi Dench is wonderful as Dame Sybil Thorndike whose kindness and generosity brings a sense of warmth that was needed while being very funny in the way she snipes at Olivier and giving support towards Marilyn. Kenneth Branagh is superb Sir Laurence Olivier as he deals with his own issues over the fact that he’s one his way out while being very charming in how he greets Marilyn while being frustrated over her behavior. Eddie Redmayne is excellent as Colin Clark, the young assistant who watches over Marilyn while being enamored by her as he becomes an unlikely companion of hers. Particularly as Redmayne gets to play the observer while his scenes with Michelle Williams are a joy to watch in the way he gets to be the guy she needed for a while.

Finally, there’s Michelle Williams in what is truly a radiant and mesmerizing performance as the iconic star Marilyn Monroe. While Williams doesn’t really have the body of Monroe as she had to employ a body double for nude scenes. Williams does manage to bring in a sparkling enthusiasm in playing the iconic figure with a great sense of charm and wit while managing to showcase the insecurities and anguish that she goes through in trying to win over her peers and dealing with her persona. It’s a towering performance for the young actress in filling the shoes of someone as big as Marilyn Monroe. Yet, Michelle Williams manages to bring her back to life and reminding everyone that there was a whole lot more to Monroe than being some iconic sex symbol.

My Week with Marilyn is stellar and enchanting film from Simon Curtis featuring a spellbinding performance from Michelle Williams. Featuring a wonderful supporting cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Julia Ormond, and Emma Watson. The film is an intriguing look into a brief period of Marilyn Monroe’s life from the perspective of a young man who got to hang out with her for a week. Notably as it brings insight into the troubled production of The Prince & the Showgirl which will probably have more people see this film that Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier tried to create. In the end, My Week with Marilyn is a dazzling film from Simon Curtis.

© thevoid99 2011