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

Justice League

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© thevoid99 2018

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 Stanford Prison Experiment

Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez and written by Tim Talbott, The Stanford Prison Experiment is the story of the real life experiment created by Dr. Philip Zimbardo where students would play prisoners and guards as the experiment becomes very dangerous. The film is a dramatic account of the experiment that led to a lot of controversy with Billy Crudup playing the role of Dr. Philip Zimbardo. Also starring Ezra Miller, Olivia Thirlby, Michael Angarano, Logan Miller, Nelsan Ellis, Ki Hong Lee, Tye Sheridan, Jack Kilmer, and Nicholas Braun. The Stanford Prison Experiment is a chilling yet visceral film from Kyle Patrick Alvarez.

In the summer of 1971 at Stanford University in California, psychology professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo decides to conduct a two-week experiment with 18 male students who would be paid $15 a day to volunteer where 9 students would play prisoners and 9 would play guards in a fictionalized prison. The objective was to study the psychological aspects of how prisoners deal with being prison and endure the abuse of the guards. What happens during the experiments is that things go too far where the students playing the guards become too comfortable with their roles while the prisoners either rebel or fall apart emotionally and psychologically. The film is about the experiment as it was considered very controversial as it showcases what Dr. Zimbardo was trying to do and how far it went where even those who are working with Dr. Zimbardo are taken aback at how far it’s gone.

Tim Talbott’s screenplay does have a unique structure where it is told in the span of days where time during this fictional prison is very slow but also confusing from the point-of-view of the prisoners. During the duration of two-weeks, prisoners would have emotional breakdowns while there are those who are willing to do what the guard says as either as a way to survive or not cause trouble. Yet, it would be observed by Dr. Zimbardo and members of his staff including a former prisoner in Jesse Fletcher (Nelsan Ellis) who also observes to see how real it is despite the fact that cells are offices and much of the action is in a hallway. Prisoners would have meetings with Dr. Zimbardo and others as if they’re being interrogated where it would eventually become too much not just for the young men playing the prisoners but also those in Dr. Zimbardo’s staff as well as Fletcher who would be forced to play a part that makes him very uncomfortable.

Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s direction is very intense in terms of what goes on in the experiment as the film is shot in a building in Los Angeles where there are very little exterior shots to play into an atmosphere that is very gripping. While there are a few exterior shots of the Stanford campus and the home of one of the volunteers pretending to be a prisoner, much of it is shot in the building where it has an intimacy that is very discomforting. Notably in the close-ups in how the guards interact and intimidate the prisoners where it feels too real at times as well as wondering when is someone going to break. The fact that much of the action takes place in this small hallway with rooms as prison cells has this air of claustrophobia in its look and feel. The scenes where Dr. Zimbardo and his staff are watching through a small TV that has a camera filming everything is just as eerie where there is more coverage in the wide and medium shots. Once the film progresses more and more as one day becomes the next, the mood definitely gets darker and more tense. Especially in a mock parole scene where Fletcher plays a parole board member who would list false charges a prisoner makes as Dr. Zimbardo’s then-girlfriend Christina Maslach (Olivia Thirlby) would look at what Fletcher is reading and see nothing.

Alvarez also create these moments where the prisoners try to find a way to break out but also deal with what is happening to them emotionally and mentally. The scenes where the prisoners and guards have to meet for a daily routine, the way they’re presented each day does intensify where a new prisoner would come in as he is just aghast in the experiment he’s volunteered for. Especially as what happens become terrifying as Dr. Zimbardo would be forced to watch everything as his colleagues begin to question the experiment itself. The film’s aftermath wouldn’t just showcase how troubling the experiment was but also the situations these volunteers had been put in through where it says a lot about the many complexities of human nature. Overall, Alvarez creates an unsettling yet evocative film about a man’s experiment about human behavior set in a prison.

Cinematographer Jack Shelton does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to create different moods for much of the lighting in the cells and hallways as well as the rooms where Dr. Zimbardo and his team are watching everything. Editor Fernando Collins does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of-slow motion, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the tension and drama that looms throughout the film. Production designer Gary Barbosa, with set decorator Sandra Skora and art director Andres Cubillan, does fantastic work with not just the look of the hallway and cells but also this cramped room known as the Hole as well as rooms that Dr. Zimbardo and his team would observe everything.

Costume designer Lisa Tomczeszyn does nice work with the costumes as much of the casual look is from clothes from the 70s while the look of the prisoners are ragged with just a long shirt and a pantyhose stocking as a cap. Sound editor Martyn Zub does terrific work with the sound as it‘s mostly low-key in how some of the sound is recorded at the Dr. Zimbardo‘s office to what it sounds naturally at the hallway. The film’s music by Andrew Hewitt is wonderful for its ambient-based score that plays into the drama as well as some of the terrifying moments in the film.

The casting by Angela Demo and Barbara J. McCarthy is great as it feature some notable small roles from Albert Malafronte as a priest, James C. Victor and Kate Butler as the parents of one of the prisoners in Peter Mitchell, and Fred Ochs as a professor who unknowingly makes an unexpected visit on the experiment. Other notable small roles include Moises Arias, Nicholas Braun, and Gaius Charles as the three associates of Dr. Zimbardo who are tasked to observe with him as they become more uncomfortable with the experiments. In the roles of some of the prison guards, the performances of Keir Gilchrist, James Wolk, Matt Bennett, James Frecheville, Mile Heizer, Callan McAuliffe, Benedict Samuel, and Harrison Thomas are superb in the roles as guys who act abusive with some becoming uneasy in what they’re doing in the experiment. In the roles of some of the prisoners, Chris Sheffield, Jack Kilmer, Brett Daverne, Jesse Carere, Logan Miller, Johnny Simmons, and Ki Hong Lee are excellent as a group of men who volunteer to play prisoners as they endure abuse and humiliation of the worst kind with some trying to find ways to survive.

Thomas Mann is fantastic in a small role as prisoner 416 who comes to the experiment late in the film as he deals with the harsh surroundings he is in as well as what he is forced to do. Nelsan Ellis is brilliant as Jesse Fletcher as a former convict who is asked by Dr. Zimbardo to observe as some of the events make him uncomfortable as he would have to confront one volunteer about his claim of being sick and another where he pretends to be a parole board figure. Olivia Thirlby is amazing as Christina Maslach as Dr. Zimbardo’s then-girlfriend who fills in for the observation where she becomes uncomfortable with what is happening. Tye Sheridan is remarkable as Peter Mitchell/prisoner 819 who tries to defy authority as he later endures some emotional and mental abuse that becomes too much for him to deal with.

Ezra Miller is marvelous as Daniel Culp/prisoner 8612 as the most rebellious prisoner who would always push the buttons of the guards only to be pushed back big time as he would try to make an escape. Michael Angarano is phenomenal as the guard Christopher Archer who would take his role too seriously as he would play a sadist as if he was John Wayne as it’s a fun yet dark performance from Angarano. Finally, there’s Billy Crudup in a remarkable performance as Dr. Philip Zimbardo as a psychological professor who is trying to create a study on human nature in a prison where he pushes things further to see how far things can go too far.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a spectacular film from Kyle Patrick Alvarez. Featuring a great ensemble cast and a fascinating study on human nature and might happen to someone in prison. It’s a film showcases a man’s experiment and how far it went as it shows some of the horror of what might happen at a prison. In the end, The Stanford Prison Experiment is a riveting and harrowing film from Kyle Patrick Alvarez.

© thevoid99 2016

Afterschool

Written, edited, and directed by Antonio Campos, Afterschool is the story of a video-obsessed high school student whose desire to film violence around him as him dealing with the death of two students as he becomes more confused with the world around him. The film is an exploration into the world of high school as it’s told from an outsider who doesn’t play by the rules as he holds the cards for what might’ve seen. Starring Ezra Miller, Addison Timlin, Jeremy Allen White, Emory Cohen, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Michael Stuhlbarg. Afterschool is a very cold and often un-involving film from Antonio Campos.

Set in a prep high school in the course of a year, the film is an exploration into the world of a sophomore student whose obsession for crazy Internet video clips of violence and sex has him dealing with the death of twin students whom he had witnessed as he tries to deal with what he saw. It would all play to this young teen not just dealing with what he’s witnessed but also take part in making a memorial video for these two twin girls he never really knew. It’s a premise that is very interesting but what Antonio Campos ends up creating is a story that tries to be unconventional but ends up being not very involving at times as he’s more concerned with visual ideas and such.

While the characterization of Robert (Ezra Miller) is compelling as this loner who likes to watch graphic Internet clips. Campos doesn’t do enough for some of the other characters with the exceptions of the school principal Mr. Burke (Michael Stuhlbarg), who is trying his best to maintain order, and the school shrink Mr. Anderson (David Costabile) who talks to Robert every week about what happened. It adds to some of the frustrating aspects of the script where it wants to be a very minimalist story but doesn’t carry enough depth or intrigue to really get things going.

Campos’ direction does have some unique compositions in terms of its framing and the use of grainy cell phone and digital cameras. Yet it is often presented with some sense of detachment of sorts where there’s little close-ups that occur where Campos want to go for some kind of minimalist approach to the filmmaking. Unfortunately, it’s lack of a strong plot makes the film much more plodding in its pacing where all of these quiet and gazing shots would become very tedious. With Campos also serving as the editor, he doesn’t do enough to really get things moving as he’s become too accustomed to the minimalist style where the overall result of the film is one that has a good idea but marred by its very pretentious execution.

Cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes does nice work with the film‘s cinematography from the polished look of the film to the grainy look of the video footage. Production designer Kris Moran, with set decorator Gina Freedman and art director William Logan, does excellent work with the look of the dorm room that Robert stays in along with the classrooms and such. Costume designer Katie Akana does terrific work with the costumes where it mostly plays to the look of prep schools. Sound designer T. Terressa Tate does superb work with the sound as it plays to the hushed dialogue that occurs in the schools and such along with the intimacy in some of the locations. The film’s music by Gale Rakotondrabe is OK as it’s just a piano piece that plays at the end of the film since the film doesn’t feature any music which adds to its tedious tone.

The casting by Randi Glass and Susan Shopmaker is great for the discovery of some of the young actors in the film though some of them are actually wasted in the film. Appearances from Emory Cohen as a classmate and Rosemarie DeWitt as an English teacher that Robert ogles at don’t get much to do while David Costabile is terrific as the school shrink Mr. Anderson. Michael Stuhlbarg is excellent as the school principal Mr. Burke who tries to maintain order and defuse some of the things that’s happening while talking to Robert to see if he’s OK.

Jeremy Allen White is pretty good as Robert’s roommate Dave as is Addison Timlin as their classmate Amy who helps Robert with the video though neither of them get much to do. Finally, there’s Ezra Miller in an amazing performance as Robert as this loner whose obsession with graphic Internet clips has him facing the reality of what he witnessed and what he’s going through as it’s a very chilling performance.

Despite the breakthrough performance from Ezra Miller, Afterschool is a pretty drab and uninspiring film from Antonio Campos which could’ve done so much more with its premise. It’s a film that had the potential in its exploration of voyeurism and alienation but ends up being very pretentious with trying to be very obtuse and such. In the end, Afterschool is a very dull film from Antonio Campos.

© thevoid99 2014

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Written and directed by Stephen Chbosky that is based on his own novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the story of a troubled high school freshman who befriends two seniors who are outsiders as they help him deal with his growing pains. The film is a coming-of-age film set in high school where a young man tries to deal with death and all sorts of things as he finds new friends in the most unlikely people. Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman, Joan Cusack, Nina Dobrev, Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, Melanie Lynskey, and Paul Rudd. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a majestic yet mesmerizing film from Stephen Chbosky.

The film explores a year in the life of a young high school freshman who arrives as this very introverted and fragile kid still reeling from the suicide of his best friend. Unable to fit in and feeling left out, he finds himself befriending two seniors who don’t play by the rules or fit in with anyone as they take him to be part of their group. Throughout the course of the film, Charlie Kelmeckis (Logan Lerman) writes letters to an imaginary friend about his year as a freshman where he also endures some repressed memories as well as trying to figure out the world of high school as he befriends Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller) who are step-siblings that prefer the beat of their own drum. For Charlie, he finds a place where he can belong and not worry about fitting in though he realizes that Sam and Patrick are just as messed up as he is.

The film’s screenplay by Stephen Chbosky, that features some contributions from a draft written by the late John Hughes, takes it time to explore the year in the life of Charlie Kelmeckis as his first day as a high school freshman is a terrible one. He is treated with indifference by his older sister Candace (Nina Dobrev) at school while the only person who seems to take notice of Charlie in school is his English professor Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd) who is impressed with Charlie’s knowledge of literature as he gives him copies of classic books for him to read. Upon meeting Sam and Patrick, Charlie realizes that he isn’t alone though there’s still a lot to learn about life as Patrick is gay who is secretly in a relationship with a popular football player named Brad (Johnny Simmons).

Sam meanwhile, is in a relationship with a college student named Craig (Reece Thompson) where Charlie falls for her though he finds himself in a relationship with her friend Mary Elizabeth (Mae Whitman). When things become complicated in its second half where Charlie finds himself not happy in his relationship with Mary Elizabeth. He also starts to deal with some memories about his late aunt Helen (Melanie Lynskey) whom he adored as he also has blackouts where he wouldn’t remember what he did. Even as he would do something that would bring all of his friends back together despite the fact that he’s a freshman and they’re seniors that are about to leave for college. That sense of reality does come ahead in the third act for Charlie but also something more that plays into his role as a young man coming of age as he tries to comprehend his role in the world and what has been troubling him all these years.

Chbosky’s direction is quite simple in its framing and such as he sets the film in early 1990s Pittsburgh where Sam and Patrick listen to college rock and retro music including the Smiths that Charlie loves. Pittsburgh is a character in the film where it plays to that sense of adventure where it’s a city that is very exciting but it’s also near places in the suburbs where it was OK for kids to come home and feel safe. Chbosky’s direction also creates a sense of realism of the way high school was like in the early 1990s where there are a group of cliques from the jocks, the popular kids, and such that all sit in their own table and all play into their ideas of cool with the exception of Sam, Patrick, and their small group of friends. Especially as Chbosky also plays that sense of awkwardness in Charlie as he is mocked by a classmate for having a Trapper Keeper while always looking uncool though Mr. Anderson thinks there’s more to Charlie.

The direction also has Chbosky showcase what these outsiders would do where Charlie does get his first experience with the use of drugs though it is played for laughs. Yet, it also helps move the story forward in the way Chbosky would set up these dramatic moments where Charlie has no idea what he’s doing where he would reveal things that Sam nor Patrick needed to know which plays into the repressed memories he’s having. All of which play into a dramatic third act that reveals not just the source of repression but also into why he had been so introverted early in the film and why it’s start to come back to him. The overall result is Chbosky creating a truly engaging and tender coming-of-age film about a young teenager’s first year as a high school freshman where he finds friendship in other outsiders.

Cinematographer Andrew Dunn does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography where it is mostly straightforward in its daytime interior and exterior scenes while using some lights for the scenes at night including some shots at the Fort Pitt Tunnel which is a crucial moment in the film. Editor Mary Jo Markey does terrific work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward while it does delve into some style for the flashbacks as well as the scenes of Charlie blacking out. Production designer Inbal Weinberg, with set decorator Merissa Lombardo and art director Gregory A. Weimerskirch, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of Charlie‘s home as well as the home of the other characters as well as the hangouts as it maintains that sense of early 90s look.

Costume designer David C. Robinson does wonderful work with the costumes where some of it stylish to play into the personalities of Sam and Patrick as well as the costumes they wear for the Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings. Visual effects supervisors Christian Cardona and Rocco Passionino do nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as Charlie‘s first marijuana-induced haze as well as a chilling scene in the film‘s third act. Sound editors Perry Robertson and Scott Sanders do superb work with the sound such as the school dances and the atmosphere at the school halls. The film’s music by Michael Brook is fantastic as it features some low-key guitar-based music to play into Charlie‘s emotions while music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas creates a fun soundtrack that features music like Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Cocteau Twins, Galaxie 500, the Smiths, New Order, Cracker, and other 80s/90s alternative rock as well as David Bowie’s Heroes which is a prominent piece of the film’s soundtrack.

The casting by Mary Vernieu and Venus Kanani is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Nicholas Braun as Candace’s boyfriend Ponytail Derek, Zane Holtz as Charlie and Candace’s older brother Chris, Tom Savini as the shop class teacher Mr. Callahan, Dylan McDermott and Kate Walsh as Charlie’s parents, and Joan Cusack in a small yet terrific performance as a doctor who tries to find the source of Charlie’s blackouts. Adam Hagenbuch and Erin Wilhelmi are excellent in their respective roles as the stoner Bob and the Goth girl Alice who are part of the small group of friends Sam and Patrick hang out with. Reece Thompson is pretty good in a small role as Sam’s college boyfriend Craig while Jonny Simmons is superb as the popular jock Brad who is secretly Patrick’s lover.

Mae Whitman is fantastic as the very outspoken Buddhist Mary Elizabeth who falls for Charlie as she overwhelms him with everything. Paul Rudd is amazing as Mr. Anderson as the one teacher Charlie likes as he realizes Charlie’s passion for books as he encourages him to become a writer. Melanie Lynskey is wonderful as Charlie’s late aunt Helen as this very troubled woman who only appears in flashbacks as she is someone that Charlie adored. Nina Dobrev is amazing as Charlie’s older sister Candace who ignores him at school while dealing with her own issues that includes something where she tries to make Charlie keep something secretive.

The film’s best performances are the trio of Ezra Miller, Emma Watson, and Logan Lerman as they give astounding performances in their roles. As the very flamboyant Patrick, Miller brings a lot of enthusiasm to his character as well as lot of charm that plays into the fact that he’s also a bit of a mess when he has trouble dealing with reality. In the role of Sam, Watson has this energy to her role as she has this alluring presence that makes her very interesting as well as someone who is also quite fragile. Lerman is phenomenal as Charlie as this troubled, introverted young boy just trying to figure himself out where Lerman brings a lot of weight to the role in not just his physicality and reactions but also in the way he conveys a boy growing up as it’s definitely a real breakthrough for the young actor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an extraordinarily rich film from Stephen Chbosky that features remarkable performances from Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. The film isn’t just a touching yet poignant coming-of-age tale that is engaging but also showcasing a world where there is a place for those that feel like they don’t belong anywhere. In the end, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a sensational film from Stephen Chbosky.

© thevoid99 2013

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Based on the novel by Lionel Shriver, We Need to Talk About Kevin is the story of a woman reflecting on her life as a mother to a son that has killed a bunch of kids in school. Directed by Lynne Ramsay and adapted to script by Ramsay and Rory Stewart Kinnear, the film explores a woman’s relationship with her son and how she feels responsible for what had happened. Starring Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ashley Gerasimovich, and Ezra Miller. We Need to Talk About Kevin is a harrowing yet hypnotic drama from Lynne Ramsay.

Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) meets a man named Franklin (John C. Reilly) as the two get married and have a child name Kevin (Rocky Duer). However, motherhood doesn’t become exciting as she has to endure Kevin’s cries and wails where by the time he’s six (Jasper Newell). He still wears a diaper and refuses to talk as Franklin is convinced he’s just a good kid still taking his time as Eva remains unsure why he’s so hostile towards her. After the arrival of a new young sibling in Celia (Ashley Gerasimovich), Kevin becomes more hostile towards his mother as he becomes a gifted archer in his teens (Ezra Miller). Eva struggles to bond with Kevin as his behavior darkens when a series of small incidents happen leading to a school massacre. For Eva, she wonders about what did she do for all of this to happen.

What happens when a mother learns that the child she’s given birth to would become a total psychopath? That’s what the film asks as it’s all about a mother trying to understand what role did she play into raising her son and why he did what he did. Yet, the film is told via flashback as this woman is struggling to return to a normal life as she still has to endure the ire of families whose children had been killed by her. She also has to visit her son who is about to go to prison after being in juvenile hall for a few years as she wonders why did he do it? The results are much more ambiguous that leaves more questions than answers while if there are any answers. It wouldn’t really do anything but raise more questions.

Lynne Ramsay and co-screenwriter Rory Stewart Kinnear create a story where the narrative shifts back and forth in a somewhat non-linear manner as it’s based on Eva’s memory of her life and how it all fell apart. Eva is a very interesting woman for the way she started off as this travel agent who later becomes an author. When she becomes pregnant with Kevin, she is not sure what to think of it as she reacts quite detached to Kevin’s arrival which may be a cause for Kevin’s hostility towards her. Still, that doesn’t give enough ideas about why Kevin is the way he is as Ramsay and Kinnear continue to remain ambiguous about his persona as it’s all focused on the mother.

Then there’s Franklin who isn’t as developed as Eva nor Kevin yet he is just as interesting for the way he reacts to what is happening though he is sort of a clueless character. Still, he’s someone whom Kevin seems to warm up to while his presence seems to bring a sense of peacefulness to what is happening despite Kevin’s dark persona. The script’s approach to characterization and unconventional plotting makes it very entrancing to the way the story is told. Notably as it doesn’t try to use any kind of exposition or wanting to give any explanations for the actions that the characters do as it’s a script that is smart and complex for its theme on guilt.

Ramsay’s direction is truly startling in the way she chooses to present the film as it starts off with this lingering image of a sliding door opened and then cuts to a slow-motion scene of La Tomatina in Spain. While this scene shows what Eva’s life is like at the time, it is mixed with unsettling sounds of noise and dialogue that seems to be in a very different place. There is a lot of style to the way Ramsay chooses to present her film while her framing and directing the actors in a scene is very engaging. While there are still some hand-held shots in the film, there’s a lot more steady shots and emphasis to have the camera move on dolly tracks to soak in the environment Eva and Kevin live in.

Since the film is shot largely in Stamford, Connecticut, there is a look that is American but also has a European feel to it in terms of the way Ramsay chooses to tell the story. Since the film has a narrative that shifts back and forth from past to present, it allows Ramsay to create montages of Eva’s memory in parallel to what she’s dealing with in the present. One of Ramsay’s gifts as a director is creating a mood of what is happening from the musical choices she uses to create something that seems off-kilter but also plays up to the dark ambiguity. There’s also a lot of dark humor for the way Kevin does things to Eva to make the film not seem as dramatic as it’s intended. The overall work Ramsay does with this film is astonishing as she truly creates a chilling film about a mother’s guilt.

Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey does a brilliant job with the cinematography from the very colorful yet lush look of the daytime scenes at the suburban home that Eva and her family lives in to more stylish yet entrancing look of some of the nighttime scenes when Eva is driving in her car. Editor Joe Bini does a fantastic job with the editing in utilizing jump-cuts for some stylistic moments in the film as well as montages to create scenes of Eva’s recollection of what she is thinking about.

Production designer Judy Becker, along with set decorator Heather Loeffler and art director Charles Kulsziski, does excellent work with the set pieces creating including the rooms of the big house Eva and her family lives to play up their own personalities while Kevin‘s room is very sparse and cold. Costume designer Catherine George does a wonderful job with costumes from the long dresses that Eva wears in the past to more business-like clothing later in the film to emphasize her mood. Sound designer Paul Davies does a spectacular job with the sound design to create texture and moods that surrounds the film that are often intimate and sparse while also be unsettling at times due to Eva’s own recollections of what she is going through.

The film’s score by Jonny Greenwood is amazing for the mood he creates in the music that ranges from ambient pieces to chaotic orchestral material that includes these brooding harp melodies that just heightens the dark mood of the film. The film’s soundtrack is wide mix of music playing up to its differing moods from country and blues-driven music pieces by Lonnie Donegan and Washington Phillips to rock and pop music from acts like Buddy Holly, the Beach Boys, and Wham!. Other cuts include pieces by co-screenwriter Rory Stewart Kinnear, Helena Gough, Matt Fletcher, Jana Winderen, Sean Hargreaves, and Liu Fang that range from classical to ambient music as the overall music in the film is superb.

The casting by Billy Hopkins is terrific for the ensemble that is assembled as it includes small but notable performances from Siobhan Fallon-Hogan as Eva’s travel agency boss and Alex Manette as a co-worker named Colin. Ashley Gerasimovich is very good as Kevin’s little sister Celia while John C. Reilly is wonderful as Kevin’s father Franklin who tries to understand Eva’s behavior while being unaware of Kevin’s dark behavior. For the roles of Kevin, there’s Rocky Duer as the baby Kevin while Jasper Newell is great as the 6-8 year old Kevin who spouts out curse words and do all sorts of bad things bringing a bit of dark humor to the film.

Ezra Miller is brilliant in a brooding yet enthralling performance as Kevin from the way he just glares at everyone to how he can pull a façade where he makes his dad believe he’s a good kid. Miller’s performance is very complex to what he does for Kevin as there’s a kid who is very smart but also determined to play mind games as it’s remarkable work for the young actor. Finally, there’s Tilda Swinton in a magnificent performance as Eva. Swinton’s performance is truly mesmerizing as a woman trying to connect with her son while trying to find understand what role she played in doing what he did. It’s a very tricky role where someone could go overboard but the sense of restraint and humility Swinton brings is very masterful for what is needed as it’s Swinton at her best.

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a tremendous yet very dark film from Lynne Ramsay featuring top-notch performances from Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller. While it’s a film that will frustrate viewers who want answers or some kind of conventional story. It’s unconventional approach to storytelling and hypnotic direction does give the film a very slight edge into its exploration of death, guilt, and regret. For fans of Lynne Ramsay, it’s a welcome return following a nine-year hiatus as she proves that she is one of the best filmmakers working today. In the end, We Need to Talk About Kevin is an outstanding film from Lynne Ramsay.

Lynne Ramsay Films: Ratcatcher - Morvern Callar - Auteurs #6: Lynne Ramsay

© thevoid99 2011