Three Kings

Written and directed by David O. Russell from a story by John Ridley, Three Kings is the story of four U.S. soldiers who plot a heist to steal gold from Saddam Hussein during the end of the 1991 Gulf War. The film is an unconventional war film in which four different men try to do something after the war in the hopes they can get home to better lives only to deal with all sorts of trouble that would also involve refugees in need of help. Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Nora Dunn, Judy Greer, Jamie Kennedy, Mykelti Williamson, Cliff Curtis, and Said Taghmaoui. Three Kings is a gripping yet exhilarating film from David O. Russell.

Set during the final days of the 1991 Gulf War and its aftermath, the film follows four U.S. soldiers who find a map in which they believe has Kuwaiti gold bullions in a bunker that belonged to Saddam Hussein as they plot to steal it to ensure a better life for themselves. It’s a film where these four men go on a mission by themselves without any kind of authority as they find the village with the gold bullions but they would also discover the village would feature some anti-Saddam dissidents who are asking for help as they would and try to deal with pro-Saddam forces despite the fact that a ceasefire had already happened. David O. Russell’s screenplay that is based on John Ridley’s original story where it explores these soldiers dealing with the aftermath of a war where there wasn’t a lot of action and coming home with not much is something the protagonists in the film are dealing with.

Leading the pack is Major Archie Gates (George Clooney) whose job is to escort TV reporter Adriana Cruz (Nora Dunn) as he is more interested in getting paid than do his job. He is joined by Staff Sgt. Chief Elgin (Ice Cube), Sgt. First Class Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg), and Private First Class Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze) who all want to get the bullions as they would have a friend in Specialist Walter Wogeman (Jamie Kennedy) to drive Cruz and her cameraman to a false location. Though they would find the gold bullions, they hope not to do anything else but pleas from anti-Saddam dissidents where a woman is killed by Iraqi forces who want to hold these dissidents hostage force Gates and his men to take action. Yet, it would become a big problem when Barlow is taken by Iraqi soldiers after a scuffle forcing Gates, Elgin, and Vig to retrieve him but they would have to make a deal with the dissidents who would help them but be accompanied to the Iranian border in return.

Russell’s direction is definitely stylish for the way it captures life during the Gulf War as well as the sense of danger that was emerging during the period of ceasefire in the aftermath of the war. Shot on various locations in the deserts of Casa Grande, Arizona and parts of California and Mexico, Russell aims for something that is immediate in the way soldiers deal with boredom in their lack of action as the first scene has Barlow killing an Iraqi soldier not knowing he was trying to surrender. The shot would be repeated in a cartoonish fashion where Vig describes to other soldiers what Barlow did as it just adds this air of exaggeration that the soldiers crave for since they didn’t see much action in Iraq and Kuwait. Russell would use wide shots to capture the scope of the locations yet would focus more on using medium shots and close-ups to capture some of the action in the bunker or to get a reaction from a soldier dealing with some kind of violence whether its comic or dramatic. The former would play into the lives that Barlow, Vig, and Elgin have before the war as well as an encounter with a cow on the way to the bunker that add to the film’s dark humor.

Russell’s approach to the suspense and action is stylish as he would shoot it with some hand-held cameras as well as creating some offbeat compositions to play into some of the darker moments in the film. Most notably a torture scene with Barlow having to deal with the consequences of his service in the military where he is forced to visualize what happened if he was in the shoes of the man who is torturing him. There are also these somber and sentimental moments that Russell would create such as Vig’s fascination with Islamic burials which provides a major moment in his development from this redneck who constantly says idiotic things to being a man open towards a culture that is foreign to him. It would culminate with Gates and his men accompanying these refugees in the hope they can have a better future in Iran despite its history with Iraq while Gates is also aware of the trouble he’s caused with his superiors in interfering with things he’s not supposed to be involved in. Overall, Russell creates a riveting yet intense film about a group of soldiers whose planned heist forces them to help dissidents during the aftermath of the Gulf War.

Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel does amazing work with the film’s stylish cinematography with the usage of grainy film footage, desaturated film color stocks, and other stylish looks to play into the craziness of the action scenes as well as in the suspense and black humor. Editor Robert K. Lambert does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the chaos of war as well as some of the suspense and its dark humor. Production designer Catherine Hardwicke, with set decorator Gene Serdena plus art directors Jann K. Engel and Derek R. Hill, does excellent work with the look of the old castles, villages, and bunkers where some of the action occurred as well as the interiors of some of the rooms where Saddam’s soldiers are stationed at. Costume designer Kym Barrett does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly straightforward from the camouflage the soldiers wear to the ragged clothes of the dissidents.

Visual effects supervisor David Sosalla does terrific work with the visual effects for the look of body parts shown from the inside of how they would react to a bullet as well as some of the action scenes. Sound editors Bruce Fortune and John Leveque do fantastic work with the sound in capturing the chaos that goes on in battle as well as the eerie atmosphere of the desert. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is superb for its low-key score that play into the drama and suspense with its mixture of Arabian music textures and orchestral arrangements while music supervisor Ralph Sall provide an offbeat soundtrack that include music from Rare Earth, the Beach Boys, Public Enemy, Chicago, Eddie Murphy, Plastic Bertrand, Snap, Johann Sebastian Bach, and U2.

The casting by Anne McCarthy and Mary Vernieu is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Holt McCallany as Barlow’s superior officer Captain Doug Van Meter who despises Barlow and his antics, Liz Stauber as Troy’s wife, Marsha Horan as Amir’s wife, Judy Greer as a rival journalist trying to get the story while having a tryst with Gates, Alia Shawkat as Amir’s daughter, Said Taghmaoui as an Iraqi interrogator who tortures Barlow, and Mykelti Williamson as Gates’ superior Colonel Ron Horn who doesn’t like what Gates is doing as well as suspicious in what he’s doing. Jamie Kennedy is terrific as Specialist Walter Wogeman as a bumbling soldier who is asked to accompany Cruz on an assignment to distract her from what Gates is doing as he is the film’s comic relief.

Cliff Curtis is superb as Amir as an anti-Saddam dissident who is seen bound and gagged where he helps Gates in the hopes that he can get other dissidents including his daughter to the Iranian border. Nora Dunn is fantastic as Adriana Cruz as a news reporter trying to get a major story about the Gulf War where she finds herself in a different journey where she would also make some discoveries about what is happening during the ceasefire. Spike Jonze is excellent as Private First Class Conrad Vig as a redneck soldier who idolizes Barlow as he often says dumb things and gets way over his head while realizing the reality of his situations where finds a sense of salvation in Islamic culture and their approach to death which he finds to be extremely fascinating.

Mark Wahlberg is brilliant as Sgt. First Class Troy Barlow as a soldier that is eager to come home as he deals with the lack of real action he faced where he takes part in the heist only to be captured as he deals with realities of war. Ice Cube is amazing as Staff Sgt. Chief Elgin who is kind of the film’s conscience as a man who takes part in the heist knowing what he will gain as he also copes with the reality as it relates to the dissidents. Finally, there’s George Clooney in an incredible performance as Major Archie Gates as a special forces soldier who is about to retire from the service as he sees the heist for gold bullions as a way out of not showing much only to realize the severity of where he is prompting him to take action and help these dissidents out of Iraq.

Three Kings is a tremendous film from David O. Russell. Featuring a great ensemble cast, stylish visuals, an offbeat soundtrack, and a story that plays into the fallacy of war and the need to help those in danger during its aftermath. It’s a film that doesn’t play into the conventions of a war movie as it showcases what men will do to make up for their lack of encountering action only to see the reality of a world in turmoil in the aftermath of war. In the end, Three Kings is a spectacular film from David O. Russell.

David O. Russell Films: Spanking the Monkey – Flirting with Disaster – I Heart Huckabees – The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - Joy (2015 film) - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell

© thevoid99 2017

Michael Clayton

Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton is the story of a law firm fixer who uncovers some dark truths about a client involved in a class action lawsuit that revolves around the effects of toxic chemicals. The film is a legal thriller that explores a man trying to seek out the truth as he is also dealing with forces that want to stop as the titular character played by George Clooney. Also starring Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack. Michael Clayton is a riveting yet compelling film from Tony Gilroy.

The film follows a man whose job is to clean up messes for a law firm and handle things so that he can the job done and let the firm succeed and make whatever deal is need to be made. It’s a job he’s good at but it hasn’t done him a lot of favors personally or financially as the film has him dealing with a friend, who is a top attorney at the firm, who had made a chilling discovery in a lawsuit over toxic chemicals made by a company that he’s supposed to defend. Tony Gilroy’s screenplay opens with a sequence of what Michael Clayton does in his line of work but also the danger of his work. The narrative then shifts to what he was doing four days earlier as he is struggling to pay off debts of a restaurant he co-owns with his troubled younger brother as well as cleaning things up for his firm. Yet, Clayton also has to deal with the sudden mental breakdown of friend and top attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) during a deposition as Clayton would have a hard time trying to watch Edens.

Gilroy’s script also play into not just what Edens would discover but also play into the morality that Clayton would gain in what Edens discovers. Still, he has to hide Edens from this company who has sent their general counsel Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) to handle things and to try and shut Edens down. Crowder is an interesting antagonist as someone who is also a fixer of sorts but is more ruthless in how she deals things. Yet, she is also someone that is just as troubled as she is first seen in the film exhausted while is also trying to be this embodiment of professionalism which is starting to take a toll on her. Once Clayton learn what Edens wants to unveil, it forces him to do what is right no matter how much it would put him into trouble. Especially with the people he’s worked for so many years.

Gilroy’s direction is very simple as he doesn’t go for anything stylish in favor of something that is straightforward. Shot on various locations in New York City and areas in upstate New York and Wisconsin, Gilroy would use some wide shots to establish some of the locations but he would aim for more intimate shots in the close-ups and medium shots to play into the drama. Especially in scenes where Clayton is talking to Edens about the latter’s mental condition as Gilroy creates moments that says a lot into what is happening where Edens isn’t just falling apart but is also seeking something that shows some good in the world. Gilroy also creates a world that is quite slick and unforgiving where there are often images of buildings as it would eventually become stifling for Clayton. Gilroy would also create moments that play into the suspense such as the scene of the car bomb and to show it again from a different perspective as it play into the forces that want Clayton gone. It shows how far some are willing to protect something they don’t want the public to hear all for something trivial as money and power. Overall, Gilroy creates a gripping and intoxicating film about a law firm’s clean-up man dealing with a mess that he knows that he can’t cover up.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does excellent work with the cinematography from the way some of the scenes at night are lit to some of the scenes in the day that are quite natural including the car bomb scene. Editor John Gilroy does nice work with the editing as it very straightforward with a few jump-cuts to play into Crowder‘s own daily routine and rehearsing for her speeches. Production designer Kevin Thompson, with art director Clay Brown and a team of set decorators in Paul Cheponis, George DeTitta Jr., Christine Mayer, and Charles Potter, does fantastic work with the design of the offices as well as the apartment homes that the main characters live in as well as the home of Clayton‘s family in the suburbs.

Costume designer Sarah Edwards does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly low-key from the suits that the men wear as well as the clothes that Crowder wears and the clothes of the men she hires to do her dirty work. Sound editor Paul P. Soucek does terrific work with the sound as it play into many of the locations as well as a scene of Edens playing a tape over and over again to create something to blow the whistle on what he found. The film’s music by James Newton Howard is amazing for its low-key orchestral score that play into the drama as it also include some ambient-based electronic music that help add to the drama and suspense.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth is great as it feature some notable small roles from Katherine Waterston as an aide of Clayton in Wisconsin, Austin Williams as Clayton’s son Henry, Sean Cullen as Clayton’s detective brother Gene, Denis O’Hare as a client Clayton deals with early in the film, David Lansbury as Clayton’s younger and recovering drug-addict brother Timmy, Terry Serpico and Robert Prescott as a couple of men Crowder hire to deal with Edens, and Ken Howard in a terrific performance as a company chief that Crowder is trying to protect. Michael O’Keefe is superb as Barry Grissom as a law firm executive that is trying to oversee the deal as he is someone that Clayton doesn’t like. Merritt Wever is fantastic as Anna as a young farm girl suing the company that she believed ruined her family farm and killed her parents.

Sydney Pollack is excellent as Clayton’s boss/friend in law firm partner Marty Bach as a man that is trying to keep things under wraps as well as be aware of the fact that the business of law is changing. Tilda Swinton is brilliant as Karen Crowder as a corporate general counsel that is trying to make sure that the settlement goes well as she is also dealing with the strain of her work. Tom Wilkinson is amazing as Arthur Edens as a senior litigator with bipolar disorder that would unravel mentally as he copes with the task he’s being forced to do as well as make a discovery that would impact everything. Finally, there’s George Clooney in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as a fixer who cleans up messes for his law firm as he deals with the mental breakdown of a friend as well as making a major discovery where Clooney is quite reserved in his performance but also someone who is conflicted in wanting to do what is right.

Michael Clayton is a remarkable film from Tony Gilroy that features an incredible performance from George Clooney in the titular role. Along with a great supporting cast that include top-notch performances from Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollock as well as a well-crafted script. It’s a film that play into the legal world and what some will do in the name of greed and power. In the end, Michael Clayton is a marvelous film from Tony Gilroy.

Tony Gilroy Films: (Duplicity) - (The Bourne Legacy)

© thevoid99 2017

Hail, Caesar!

Written, edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Hail, Caesar! is the story of a Hollywood fixer who tries to find a Hollywood film star who had disappeared during the production of a big Hollywood movie. The film is an exploration into 1950s American cinema as well as the world of gossip, scandals, and all sorts of shenanigans that went on in 1950s Hollywood as it is narrated by Michael Gambon. Starring George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Channing Tatum, Alden Ehrenreich, Jonah Hill, Alison Pill, and Ralph Fiennes. Hail, Caesar! is a witty and off-the-wall film from the Coen Brothers.

Set in 1950s Hollywood, the film revolves around a studio head whose job is to clean up people’s messes and make sure they’re protected by scandal where he copes with the recent disappearance of a major Hollywood star who had been abducted by a mysterious organization known as the Future. It’s a film that plays in the few days in the life of this fixer who makes sure that everything goes well as he deals with all sorts of things such as an un-wedded pregnant starlet, a cowboy film star going into costume dramas, and a job offer. The film’s screenplay by Joel and Ethan Coen doesn’t just explore the turbulent life of Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) as he tries to juggle his life in work but also a family life which he is fond of despite the demands of his job. While the character of Eddie Mannix is a real-life figure who was a fixer in real-life, the situations that he encounters do play into some of the things that go on in Hollywood. Yet, what the Coen Brothers do is create some exaggerations as well as some shenanigans.

When the actor Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) gets abducted by this mysterious group, this is where the story really begins to take shape as the script also play into a world that is changing. Not just through the emergence of television and the new ideas of films that are coming but also what is happening underneath as it relates to a growing scare that would shape 1950s America. There lies this conflict of not just the world that Mannix wants to protect but also the emergence of a new world order that threatens it. Along the way, there are these characters who part of Mannix’s world that are have this public fact that people know and love but if anything about who they really are become known could be the end of them. Even as many of them might seem like these typical film stars but either they’re smarter than they actually are or are part of something bigger.

The Coen Brothers’ direction definitely owe a lot of the Golden Age of Hollywood in not just the type of films they’re presenting where many of the stars of Capitol Pictures are in. It’s also in the way the studio system was back then where they’re sort of disconnected from the real world as a way to escape from the harsh rigors of reality. Shot on location in Hollywood, the film does play like a Hollywood film that is a bit off-kilter yet manages to be very lively and full of energy. Especially in the soundstages where filmmakers and actors do their work and not worry about anything yet not everything is going great. Especially for the starlet DeeAnna Moray (Scarlett Johansson) who is coping with the early stages of pregnancy as she has trouble being in a mermaid outfit. It’s among the many quirks and bits of humor that the Coen Brothers put in as it showcases not just how silly the world of Hollywood is as it includes the kind of films that are made including a western where its lead actor Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich) finds himself cast in a costume drama.

Many of the compositions are simple in terms of wide and medium shots as well as some close-ups where some of it play into what kind of films are being made. The Coen Brothers also play with aspect ratios where many of the films that are being made are shot in the 1:33:1 Academy aspect ratio as the widescreen format wasn’t prominent until later in the 1950s due to the advent of television. The film would also play into an intimacy into this group that Whitlock was abducted by where it also has a sense of parody into who these guys are and what they represent. Some of which would set the tone for what would come in Hollywood but not to someone like Mannix who still believes that he is doing what is right no matter what forces are coming. Overall, the Coen Brothers create a very zany yet exhilarating film about a Hollywood fixer trying to clean up some big messes amidst an ever-changing world.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of grainy black-and-white film to recreate the costume drama to the array of lighting styles for the soundstages as well as some naturalistic exterior lighting for scenes in the day. Under the Roderick Jaynes alias, the Coen Brothers do some excellent work with the editing as it plays into the editing style of the times such as dissolves and some rhythmic cuts as well as some stylish cutting that would play into the suspense. Production designer Jess Gonchor, with set decorator Nancy Haigh and supervising art director Dawn Swiderski, does fantastic work with the different array of sets created for the many films in the soundstages as well as Mannix‘s office and the home of this mysterious group known as the Future.

Costume designer Mary Zophres does brilliant work with the costumes as it doesn’t just play into the period of the early 1950s from the many dresses the women wear but also some of the clothes of the men including Doyle’s cowboy get-up and the Roman period costume that Whitlock wears. Makeup artist Julie Hewett and hair designer Cydney Cornell do terrific work with the many different hairstyle of the characters that include the look of Moray as well as the look of the many women in the film including the twin gossip columnists Mannix has to deal with. Visual effects supervisors Dan Cregan, Dan Levitan, and Dan Schrecker do nice work with the visual effects for some of the set dressing for some of the exterior scenes as well as a few old-school tricks for sequences in some of the films that are being made. Sound editor Skip Lievsay and sound designer Craig Berkey do superb work with the sound from the way many of the recordings in an editing room or in a soundstage sound like to scenes outside the studio where it plays into the chaos that Mannix is dealing with. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is delightful for the many different array of music from bombastic orchestral music for the epics to country-western music for the cowboy movie or something more snazzy for the musicals as it includes original songs written with Henry Krieger and Willie Reale.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth is phenomenal for the mass ensemble that is created in the film as it features notable small roles from Wayne Knight as a suspicious extra, E.E. Bell as a bartender in a musical number, Clancy Brown as Whitlock’s co-star, Robert Picardo as a concerned rabbi who frets over the epic movie, Alex Karpovsky as a photographer for the Future, Natasha Bassett as a starlet Mannix deals with early in the film, Christopher Lambert as a European filmmaker that is rumored to be the father of Moran’s baby, Emily Beecham as a young actress in a costume drama, Veronica Osorio as a Carmen Miranda-actress in Carlotta Valdez that Doyle is set up with for a date, and Heather Goldenhersh in a wonderful performance as Mannix’s secretary Natalie who is Mannix’s right-hand woman of sorts. In the roles of members of the Future, there are David Krumholtz, Fisher Stevens, Fred Melamed, and Patrick Fischer while John Bluthal is terrific as a philosopher who tries to convince Whitlock to join them. In the role of the Future’s leader, Max Baker is superb as the team’s leader as someone that wants to crush Capitol Studios as well as do something that would change America.

In small but very memorable roles, there’s Alison Pill in a radiant performance as Mannix’s wife who helps him decide what to do while Jonah Hill is fantastic as a man named Joseph Silverman that is willing to help out Mannix and Moran. Channing Tatum is excellent as Burt Gurney as a musical actor that is so full of charm in the way he sings and dances while also being a bit ambiguous as it relates to activities outside of acting. Frances McDormand is hilarious as the editor C.C. Calhoun as it’s a very funny one-scene appearance where McDormand helps Mannix over the fate of a film and what should be cut. Tilda Swinton is amazing in a dual role as twin gossip columnists Thora and Thessaly Thacker as two twin sisters who hate each other as they both try to get a story from Mannix over what is happening where one is trying to bring real news while the other wants to uncover scandal.

Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as filmmaker Laurence Larentz as this man who makes prestigious costume dramas who deals with having to work with the very inexperienced Doyle under the orders of the studio. Scarlett Johansson is great as DeeAnna Moran as this Esther Williams-type of actress who deals with being pregnant as well as being unmarried having already married twice where Johansson brings a lot of humor to her role. Alden Ehrenreich is incredible as Hobie Doyle as a singing cowboy actor who is a real cowboy as he deals with being put into a costume drama where he has trouble saying lines without his Western drawl as well as being a lot smarter than people want to believe. George Clooney is marvelous as Baird Whitlock as a leading man who gets abducted by a mysterious group where he realizes what is going on as he ponders whether to be part of this group where Clooney also gets to be funny. Finally, there’s Josh Brolin in a remarkable performance as Eddie Mannix as this fixer who tries to clean up all of the messes for a film studio while dealing with the chaos of his work where he also ponders about taking on another job as it’s Brolin in one of his best performances to date.

Hail, Caesar! is a phenomenal film from the Coen Brothers. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a witty premise, and some amazing technical work. The film isn’t just a lavish tribute to 1950s American cinema but also a hilarious take on that period that includes a funny view of the growing scare in America. In the end, Hail, Caesar! is a sensational film from the Coen Brothers.

Coen Brothers Films: Blood Simple - Raising Arizona - Miller's Crossing - Barton Fink - The Hudsucker Proxy - Fargo - The Big Lebowski - O Brother, Where Art Thou? - The Man Who Wasn't There - Intolerable Cruelty - The Ladykillers - Paris Je T'aime-Tulieres -To Each His Own Cinema-World Cinema - No Country for Old Men - Burn After Reading - A Serious Man - True Grit - Inside Llewyn Davis - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers: Part 1 - Part 2

© thevoid99 2016

A Very Murray Christmas

Directed by Sofia Coppola and written by Coppola, Bill Murray, and Mitch Glazer, A Very Murray Christmas is a musical comedy where Bill Murray hosts a Christmas special at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City as a deadly snowstorm arrives where he wonders if anyone will show up. With Murray as himself, the special is an offbeat yet lively take on the world of variety specials that is about the holidays and Murray himself. Also starring George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Paul Shaffer, Maya Rudolph, Michael Cera, David Johansen, Chris Rock, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Rashida Jones, Dmitri Dmitrov, Julie White, and the band Phoenix. The result is a fun and heartwarming TV special from Sofia Coppola.

It’s Christmas Eve at New York City’s Carlyle Hotel where Bill Murray is hosting a live Christmas special as the city has been hit by a snowstorm where none of the guests he wanted to have including George Clooney have arrived. Thus, the day becomes a nightmare where Murray goes into a full meltdown where he desperately tries to save his TV special while drowning his sorrows at the bar with friend and music director Paul Shaffer. Along the way, a lot of hilarity and singing ensue with those working at the bar and a few guests saddened by the snowstorm. It’s a simple story where Murray just tries to get into the Xmas spirit while dealing with talent agents, producers, and all sorts of people trying to kiss his ass. Still, there is a lot that happens where Murray and whoever is around him play songs whether it’s traditional or contemporary Xmas songs and songs that don’t fit into that mold.

Sofia Coppola’s direction is quite intimate but also gorgeous for the way she presents the rooms and bar at the Carlyle Hotel which is a character in the special. With the aid of cinematographer John Tanzer and production designer Anne Ross, Coppola ensures the low-key look of the hotel as well as provide a sense of whimsical comedy in Murray’s attempt to stage this TV special. Coppola’s usage of close-ups and medium shots maintain that sense of intimacy while many of the musical moments are either improvised or planned. With the aid of music director Paul Shaffer, the songs that are sung range from traditional songs and holiday standards along with contemporary songs that are either for the holidays or a song like Todd Rundgren’s I Saw the Light. With the aid of sound editor Max Green, the sound of noises in the kitchen and bar helps with the atmosphere as well as Sarah Flack’s editing where it is straightforward to play into what is happening.

The musical numbers that are improvisational do give the special a very lively feel where it has this sense of not knowing what is going to happen while it does have an air of fantasy where the look of it is brighter and colorful thanks to Tanzer’s stylish lighting, Flack’s upbeat editing, the art direction, and Stacey Battat’s playful costume design. It adds to what Murray would’ve wanted in his Xmas special as it sort of mocks the idea of the variety show but also have some fun with it. Even as it is all about celebrating Christmas with friends and colleagues despite all of the chaos that occurs.

The special’s cast include appearances from Dimitri Dimitrov as Murray’s assistant, Jenny Lewis as a singing waitress, the French-indie band Phoenix as chefs, David Johansen as the bartender, Maya Rudolph as the lounge singer, Amy Poehler and Julie White as Murray’s producers of the special, Jason Schwartzman and Rashida Jones as an engaged couple that were supposed to be married at the hotel, and Michael Cera as a talent agent who is desperate to have Murray as his client.

As themselves, George Clooney, Chris Rock, Miley Cyrus, and Paul Shaffer all bring their own sense of charm to their appearances with Clooney providing some nice vocals on Santa Claus Want Some Lovin’ while Rock plays a reluctant player in Murray’s attempt to revive his TV special. Finally, there’s Bill Murray who brings a very diva-esque approach to himself as someone that is just losing it over the failure of his show where he tries to get himself in the Xmas spirit where it’s Murray sort of making fun of himself and his persona while being so fun to watch.

A Very Murray Christmas is a phenomenal TV special from Sofia Coppola that is about the brilliance that is Bill Murray. Fans of the actor will no doubt get a chance to see the man making fun of himself while trying to put on a fun Xmas special that manages to be entertaining and more. In the end, A Very Murray Christmas is a sensational TV special from Sofia Coppola.

Sofia Coppola Films: Lick the Star - The Virgin Suicides - Lost in Translation - Marie Antoinette - Somewhere - The Bling Ring - The Beguiled (2017 film) - On the Rocks - Priscilla (2023 film)

Sofia Coppola Soundtracks: Air-The Virgin Suicides OST - The Virgin Suicides OST - Lost in Translation OST - Marie Antoinette OST - (The Bling Ring OST) - (Priscilla OST)

Related: The Ads & Videos 1993-2008 - The Auteurs #1: Sofia Coppola - Favorite Films #1: Lost in Translation - Favorite Films #4: Somewhere - 10 Reasons Why Lost in Translation is the Best Film Ever...

© thevoid99 2015

Good Night, and Good Luck.

Directed by George Clooney and written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, Good Night, and Good Luck is the story of TV broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and his conflict to call out Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s during the period of McCarthyism where people are accused of being affiliated with communism. The film is a historical look into a man who refused to give in to McCarthy’s accusations amidst the pressure of corporate sponsors and such during the early years of television. Starring David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Jeff Daniels, and Frank Langella. Good Night, and Good Luck is a fascinating yet rich film from George Clooney.

In the early 1950s where Senator Joseph McCarthy calls out on American citizens with Communist ties believing they’re working for the Soviet Union. The film revolves around Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) and his team to stand up to McCarthy and his many accusations believing that he is calling out regular people and making them cower to his claims. It’s a film that plays into a period in time during the early years of television where Murrow wants to voice his opinions at great risk from losing corporate sponsors. It is a film where people are scared and have no idea who to turn to during this time where Murrow would be a voice for those who are afraid of McCarthy.

The film’s screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov opens and ends with Murrow at a gala in his honor in 1958 with colleagues there to praise him as he talks about the importance of what television should do rather than just entertain. Even as much of the film takes place from late 1953 to early 1954 where there’s a lot of discussion of the stories that Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly (George Clooney) want to talk about as it relates to those who lost their jobs because of McCarthy’s accusations or those who are victimized by McCarthy such as Annie Lee Moss. Though Murrow, Friendly, and some of their staff believe they’re doing something right to call out McCarthy for his actions. They still had to contend with their bosses who are worried about losing their corporate sponsors and the fact that they could be shut down by those sponsors or the powers that be.

Clooney’s direction is very simple yet stylish in not just the way he frames some of the things that goes on inside a television studio. It’s also in how he manages to capture the sense of energy that goes on whenever a story is about to be told through Murrow’s mouth. Using a lot of tracking and steadicam shots to capture some of the movement that goes inside the studios, Clooney would also take great stock in getting close-ups and medium shots to play into the conversations that happens along with very entrancing shots of Murrow talking to the camera. There’s also a few wide shots in the film as Clooney is more focused on maintaining a sense of intimacy of what goes inside a newsroom during the early 1950s in the era of McCarthy. Notably as it also plays into the power of what television could do and how it would affect all sorts of change despite some of the behind-the-scenes politics that goes on which would change everything all because of greed. Overall, Clooney creates a very engaging yet provocative film about a journalist standing up to Joseph McCarthy.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does incredible work with the film‘s black-and-white photography that is a major highlight of the film with its approach to lighting for many of its interior scenes as well as the scenes set at night. Editor Stephen Mirrone does excellent work with the editing where it is very stylized with some simplistic yet methodical cuts along with some inspired usage of stock footage from the McCarthy hearings. Production designer James D. Bissell, with set decorator Jan Pascale and art director Christa Munro, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the offices and the control room as well as the studio where Murrow does his broadcast.

Costume designer Louise Frogley does nice work with the costumes that plays into the period of the times in what the women wore as well as the clothes the men wore. Sound editors Aaron Glascock and Curt Schulkey do fantastic work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the newsroom as well as some of the audio heard in the news clippings and such. The film’s music by Jim Papoulis is superb for its jazz-based score while music supervisor Alan Sviridoff would play into that period with a lot of jazz music as it’s sung on location or in post-production by Dianne Reeves.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth is great as it features notable small roles from Rose Abdoo as news editor Mili Lerner, Matt Ross as editor Eddie Scott, Reed Diamond as editor John Aaron, Alex Borstein as the secretary Natalie, Tate Donovan as editor Jesse Zousmer, Thomas McCarthy as editor Palmer Williams, and Grant Heslov as the news director Don Hewitt. Ray Wise is terrific as news journalist Don Hollenbeck as a reporter for CBS who finds himself being targeted by the government as a Communist as he starts to unravel. Robert Downey Jr. and Patricia Clarkson are brilliant in their respective roles as correspondent Joseph Wershba and wife/editor Shirley Wershba as two co-workers trying to keep their marriage a secret as it was forbidden for co-workers to be married in those times.

Jeff Daniels is excellent as CBS news director Sig Mickelson as a man who is trying to warn Friendly and Murrow about what not to say as he is struggling to keep their sponsors as well as reveal what things have to be done in the office. Frank Langella is amazing as CBS chief executive William Paley as the head of the company who knows what Murrow and Friendly are doing but warns them about what they will lose. George Clooney is superb as producer Fred W. Friendly as a friend of Murrow who tries to figure out what to cover and how to help Murrow out with the news as well as see what kind of trouble they would get into. Finally, there’s David Strathairn in a phenomenal performance as Edward R. Murrow as a no-holds barred journalist who decides to spar with Joseph McCarthy over his accusations on people who claim to have ties with Communism in an attempt to do what he feels is right as well as see television as a way to help people instead of other things as it‘s Strathairn in one of his greatest performances ever.

Good Night, and Good Luck is a remarkable film from George Clooney that features a towering performance from David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow. The film isn’t just a look into a period of time when the world of journalism stood up to Joseph McCarthy and his witch hunt. It’s also a film that showcases the world of news on television in its infancy where it was not afraid to speak the truth despite pressures from corporate sponsors. In the end, Good Night, and Good Luck is a spectacular film from George Clooney.

George Clooney Films: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - (Leatherheads) - The Ides of March - The Monuments Men

© thevoid99 2015

The Good German

Based on the novel by Joseph Kanon, The Good German is a World War II film where an American officer investigates a murder following the Allies’ victory over Germany as he deals with a former lover and another American soldier as it involves various conspiracies. Directed, shot, and edited by Steven Soderbergh and screenplay by Paul Attanasio, the film is an ode to the film noir mysteries of the 1940s as well as films that explores the early years of postwar-Germany. Starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Beau Bridges, Tony Curran, Leland Orser, Jack Thompson, and Tobey Maguire. The Good German is a compelling yet very stylized film from Steven Soderbergh.

The film is a homage to the world of film noir where it is set on the Potsdam Conference where an American war correspondent finds himself investigating a murder that has ties to some secret documents involving V-2 rockets as he would question a former lover whose husband might know about the manufacturing of those rockets. All of which involves mystery and intrigue as it plays to a man trying to do what is right unaware that his former lover is hiding secrets of her own as well as the whereabouts of her husband who is presumed dead. Adding to the complication is a young soldier the woman is involved with as he has no clue about what is happening as he starts to ask too many questions. All of which plays to the schematics and such that is typical of film noir.

Screenwriter Paul Attanasio does maintain that air of mystery that is prevalent in the film but when it comes to some of key aspects of the suspense. It never really gels as it often second-guesses itself where it loses some momentum in the story. While the lead character of Captain Jacob Geismer (George Clooney) and his former lover in Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett) are interesting as they have a history together. The character of Lena’s young lover Tully (Tobey Maguire) is never really fleshed out as he is just a corporal in love with Lena and wants to help her get out of Germany but has no clue over what is really going on. Adding to the sense of intrigue is the fact that Lena’s husband Emil (Christian Oliver) knows something that would involve a manufacturer of V-2 rockets as the documents that Emil is hiding is something the Americans and Soviets want as they believe it is the future of war. All of which would have Geismer realize that there is something going on and he has no one to trust as does Lena who is already in hot water as she is targeted by the American government as well.

Steven Soderbergh’s direction is truly stylish not just in the visuals but also in the way he creates these compositions that is an absolute homage to film noir. Especially in some unique camera angles, close-ups, and medium shots to play into the look of the film though it shot entirely on a soundstage where Soderbergh even uses visual effects to create postwar Berlin. Serving as cinematographer in his Peter Andrews alias, Soderbergh would shoot the film in black-and-white as he would create shadows and interior lighting schemes that played to the style. Even as he would add bits of modern language such as swearing and sex into the film as he would also serve as editor, in his Mary Ann Bernard alias, as he infuses the film with lots of editing styles from dissolves, transition wipes, and other unique cuts as well as stock footage. All of which add to the sense of intrigue though Soderbergh is unable to really amp up some of the film’s suspenseful moments because of the script. Even though he does maintain that sense of thrill in a key aspect of the film’s climax yet it sort of ends on a downer of sorts as it really plays to the idea of compromise. Overall, Soderbergh creates a worthwhile yet flawed film about an American officer trying to help a German woman in postwar-Germany.

Production designer Philip Messina, with set decorator Kristen Toscano Messina and art director Doug J. Meerdink, does excellent work with design of some of the interior buildings such as the military offices and some of the ruined buildings to play into the feel of postwar Germany. Costume designer Louise Frogley does fantastic work with the period costumes in the look of the dresses that Lena wears as well as the different military uniforms the Americans and Soviets wore. Visual effects supervisor Thomas J. Smith does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects which are essentially backdrops for some scene set in Berlin and in Potsdam. Sound editor Larry Blake does superb work with the film‘s sound in the way the club that many of the characters go to as well as some of the sounds of gunfire in some scenes. The film’s music by Thomas Newman is brilliant for its orchestral score that has a lot of string flourishes that plays into the film’s mystery and suspense.

The casting by Debra Zane is amazing as it features some notable small roles from Robin Weigert as a German hooker named Hannelore, Dave Power as a corrupt lieutenant, Tony Curran as the cautious club bartender Danny, Beau Bridges as the very ambiguous Colonel Muller, Leland Orser as a well-meaning yet nosy investigator in Captain Teitel, Ravil Isyanov as secretive Soviet official that Tully would do business with, Jack Thompson as a congressman who would watch over the Potsdam conference, and Christian Oliver in a terrific role as Lena’s husband Emil who carries important secrets that might save Germany and the world. Tobey Maguire is alright as Tully as this very corrupt soldier who is just trying to make money as well as get Lena out of Berlin where Maguire has moments where he’s tough but it’s a role that is badly written at times where Maguire never rises above the material.

Finally, there’s Cate Blanchett and George Clooney in superb performances in their respective roles as Lena Brandt and Captain Jake Geismer. Blanchett brings an air of radiance to her role as well as something dark as she is a woman carrying some big secrets while juggling her feelings for Geismer and he relationship with Tully. Clooney has this very calm yet determined persona as a man who wants to do things right as he comes to terms with his feelings for Lena and his duty. Blanchett and Clooney do have some chemistry together despite some of the flaws in the script as they do bring in a sense of old-school acting into their performances that is right for the film’s tone.

The Good German is a pretty good film from Steven Soderbergh that features stellar performances from George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. While it is a flawed film that tries to recreate an old language of film, it is still a worthy homage to film noir. Especially as Soderbergh would infuse his own ideas to make it feel modern but also play tribute to the past. In the end, The Good German is a superb film from Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray's Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven (2001 film) - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-The Equilibrium - Ocean's Twelve - Bubble - Ocean's Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Ocean's Thirteen

Directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, Ocean’s Thirteen is the third and final film of the Ocean’s trilogy as Danny Ocean and his team decide to ruin a new casino and its owner in an act of revenge when one of Ocean’s friends gets conned out of his dream and nearly dies of a heart attack. The film is a heist film but also a comedy in which Danny Ocean and his gang return to Las Vegas and make sure a businessman’s premiere night is ruined as they seek the help from an unlikely person. Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Eddie Jemison, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner, Elliot Gould, Andy Garcia, Eddie Izzard, Vincent Cassell, David Paymer, Ellen Barkin, and Al Pacino as Willy Bank. Ocean’s Thirteen is an exhilarating and fun film from Steven Soderbergh.

The film is a revenge tale of sorts when Willy Bank cheats Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould) out of his partnership of a casino that leads to Reuben suffering a near-fatal heart attack forcing Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and the rest of the gang to seek vengeance on Bank and ruin his new casino. While it is a simple premise of a revenge/heist film, it’s also a film about brotherhood and loyalty where Ocean and the gang help out one of their own while getting help from an ally of theirs from the past as well as a foe in Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) who also despises Bank and wants the gang to steal some prestigious diamonds that Bank has won. Along the way, the gang that is expanded to thirteen do whatever it takes to ruin the opening night of Bank’s casino and make sure that Reuben gets the chance to be happy again.

The film’s screenplay by Brian Koppelman and David Levien does have a very unique structure where the first half is about Reuben’s heart attack and the gang wanting to get back at Bank for what he did as well as plan the heist and to make sure that Bank loses more than half a billion dollars on opening night. Yet, the stakes are much bigger as the casino known as the Bank gives the gang even bigger challenges as they seek the help of friend Roman Nagel (Eddie Izzard) who learns that his old roommate in Greco Montgomery (Julian Sands) has created an artificial intelligence system that can scope out anyone to see if anything they did in the casino is illegal as the only way to disable it temporarily would be through a natural disaster.

The film’s second half is set on opening night where it’s about the scheme where Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon), who poses as an assistant for Yen (Shaobo Quin) who plays a real estate billionaire, would seduce Bank’s assistant Abigail Sponder (Ellen Barkin). Yet, a lot more chaos happens as Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan, respectively) take part in a protest for Mexican workers that would be successful in the scheme while Benedict’s involvement isn’t just funding the gang when they needed money to create a natural disaster. Benedict has a bigger grudge towards Bank who had always prevented him from winning the prestigious Five Diamonds Award as Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner) would pose as a critic of that award while the real critic (David Paymer) would endure the most humiliating moments of his life.

Steven Soderbergh’s direction is very stylish as well as lavish for the way he presents the world of casinos including the one that Bank wants to create as it displays his very egotistical personality. Much of it involves some massive wide shots and some second unit work as the look of the casino from the exterior displays how crazy Bank is as a person in making sure that his casino is the best. Soderbergh adds in a lot of humor not just in the schemes that Danny Ocean and the gang creates but also in how the way the react to certain things and such as Danny becomes sentimental when watching Oprah Winfrey. There’s also a sense of nostalgia in Danny and Rusty (Brad Pitt) who look at what Las Vegas has become as they think about how much Reuben was there for them as they think of him as a father and friend.

In his Peter Andrews alias, Soderbergh’s photography has a lushness in many of its interiors for the scenes at Bank’s casino with its red and yellow while Soderbergh infuses it with a lot of stylish shots to play into that look. Even as the exteriors in Las Vegas and Los Angeles maintains that sense of beauty that is the American West Coat. Still, Soderbergh makes sure that the film is about more than just payback and ruining one man’s life as it’s a film about friendship and honor. Overall, Soderbergh crafts a very enjoyable film about a gang rallying for an ailing friend and go after the man who hurt their friend.

Editor Stephen Mirrone does brilliant work with the editing with its use of montages and stylish cuts to play into the sense of craziness and planning that goes on as well as the humor in the film. Production designer Philip Messina, with set decorator Kristen Toscano Messina and supervising art director Doug J. Meerdink, does fantastic work with the look of the casino from its posh interior setting to the home where Reuben lives. Costume designer Louise Frogley does amazing work with the costumes from the dresses that Sponder wears as well as the clothes that the men wear.

Visual effects supervisor Thomas J. Smith does terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the cologne that Linus uses to woo Sponder. Sound editor Larry Blake does superb work with the sound from the sound effects in the casino to the way some of the machines sound. The film’s music by David Holmes is excellent for its mixture of jazz and upbeat electronic music while he also supervises the soundtrack to include some jazz classics including songs by Frank Sinatra.

The casting by Debra Zane is great as it features appearances from producer Jerry Weintraub as a friend of the gang, Oprah Winfrey as herself, Bob Einstein as a FBI agent, Noureen DeWulf as a casino expo girl, Olga Sosnovska as the casino manager Rusty bribes, Julian Sands as the artificial intelligence game designer Greco Montgomery, and David Paymer as the unfortunate Five Diamonds Award critic who endures the worst conditions in his stay at Bank’s casino. Vincent Cassel is terrific in reprising his role as Francois Toulour from the second film as he seeks revenge on the gang while Ellen Barkin is wonderful as the very sexy and cunning Abigail Sponder who aids Bank in ensuring that things go well only to become seduced by Linus in his character. Al Pacino is excellent as Willy Bank as this very slimy casino owner who cheats Reuben out of his dream and dismisses Danny’s plea as he is a man full of ego and vanity as it’s a role that Pacino is perfect in.

Eddie Izzard is fantastic as the tech genius Roman Nagle who joins the gang as he also has a grudge towards Greco as he wants to get a nice share and help the gang. Andy Garcia is brilliant as longtime foe Terry Benedict who helps the gang in humiliating Bank while having a few tricks in his sleeve as he wants something in return for helping them. Eddie Jemison, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner, Casey Affleck, and Scott Caan are amazing in their respective roles as Livingston Dell, Yen, Saul, Virgil, and Turk as they all contribute some humor to the film while Bernie Mac is superb in his role as Frank Catton as it’s one of his final performances.

Elliot Gould is incredible as Reuben Tishkoff as a man who just wants to get his chance to run a casino as he nearly dies while seeing what his friends are doing for him. Matt Damon and Brad Pitt are hilarious in their respective roles as Linus Caldwell and Rusty Ryan where they both put on disguises and do some funny things. Don Cheadle is also hilarious as Basher who would pretend to be a stuntman to distract Bank while George Clooney is marvelous as Danny Ocean who leads the team into targeting Bank and make his night a living hell.

Ocean’s Thirteen is a phenomenal film from Steven Soderbergh. Armed with a great cast and an engaging premise, it’s a film that definitely serves as a fitting finale to the trilogy. Especially as it’s a film that just promises fun and excitement with characters audiences want to root for. In the end, Ocean’s Thirteen is a dazzling film from Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray's Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros: The Equilibrium - Ocean's Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

Related: Ocean's 8

© thevoid99 2014

The Monuments Men

Based on the book by Robert M. Edsel, The Monuments Men is the story about a group of men that consists of art experts and historians who become part of a special Allied force in World War II to save works of art that is to be burned by the Nazis. Directed by George Clooney and screenplay by Clooney and Grant Heslov, the film is a World War II adventure in which soldiers team with artists and historians to save works of art with the help of a French woman. Starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett. The Monuments Men is an adventurous and fun film from George Clooney.

The film is based on a true story about a group of art historians, curators, and museum directors who take part in a special mission to retrieve pieces of art stolen by the Nazis and return it to its owners. Even as they learn that Adolf Hitler has written a decree to burn the artwork in case of the Nazis’ defeat while the Soviet Union is also trying to get their hands on the artwork before the Allies do that. It’s a premise that is very intriguing in the way it plays a role in history although George Clooney and co-screenwriter Grant Heslov seem unsure in how to tell the story and make it so much. While they create some very interesting characters and maintain that sense of suspense of the mission itself. It seems like Clooney and Heslov want to do something that is funny and touching but also have the story be filled with some adventure and suspense where the result is a script that isn’t sure what it really wants to be.

Clooney’s direction for the film is simple but also ambitious for the story he is trying to tell as much of the film is set in Britain, France, Germany, and Belgium. It’s a film that is quite worldly with some great set pieces and wide shots to play into the locations while also having a sense of intimacy in the way some of the characters interact with each other. There’s also a recurring air of suspense where it plays into the action that these men have to face as they aren’t soldiers but rather men of art. Especially as the film’s second half showcases the kind of sacrifices these men make where it does play into some of the drama where the suspense does intensify once the presence of the Soviets would emerge. Though there isn’t a lot of gun fights in the film, Clooney is still able to keep things going despite the inconsistency in tone for the film. Overall, Clooney crafts a very delightful film about men trying to save art in the final years of World War II.

Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael does fantastic work with the cinematography from its use of lights for much of the film‘s interior and nighttime exterior/interior scenes as well as some scenes in the caves with its use of lighting in order to convey a look that is reminiscent of some of the artwork presented in the film. Editor Stephen Mirrione does nice work with the editing to play into some of the film‘s suspense and action as well as using some unique rhythms for its humor. Production designer James D. Bissell, with set decorator Bernhard Henrich and supervising art director Helen Jarvis, does brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of Hitler‘s plans for his ultimate museum to the caves in Germany and the places in Paris. Costume designer Louise Frogley does terrific work with the costumes from the uniform the men wear to the dresses that the Claire Simone character wears.

Visual effects supervisors Asregadoo Arundi and Dominic Parker does excellent work with the visual effects for some of the visual backdrops that appears in the film. Sound editor Oliver Tarvey does superb work with the sound to play into much of the film‘s action as well as some of its quieter moments. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is amazing for its orchestral score where it‘s bombastic at times but also playful with its drum cadences while music supervisor brings in some music of that period for the characters to listen to during the break from the action.

The casting by Jina Jay is marvelous for the ensemble that is created in the film as it features some notable small performances from Holger Handtke as a Nazi colonel who reveres the art that is stolen as well as Justus von Dohnanyi as the Nazi officer Stuhl that Simone worked for as she would help the men find him in order to get the art that was stolen. Dimitri Leonidas is terrific as the German-speaking U.S. soldier Sam Epstein who accompanies Lt. Stokes in the missions as he aids them in the missions while hearing what the Germans have said. Hugh Bonneville is excellent as Major Donald Jeffries as a British art collector who is eager to search for a statue of Madonna that becomes a crucial MacGuffin to the story. Bob Balaban is superb as Pvt. Preston Savitz as an art expert who provides not just some of the film’s best comic moments but also some of the more touching moments in the film. Jean Dujardin is amazing as the French art expert Lt. Jean Claude Clermont who despises Nazis while being a man of wit and charm as he is eager to reclaim the art the Nazis stole from his country.

John Goodman is fantastic as sculpture expert Sgt. Walter Garfield as he also brings some humor to the film while expressing his love for sculptures. Bill Murray is great as the architect Sgt. Richard Campbell as a quick-witted guy who always says funny things while feeling homesick for his country. Cate Blanchett is brilliant as the French Claire Simone as a member of the resistance who spies on the Nazis as she helps Lt. Granger in finding some of the locations of the stolen artwork despite her misgivings over what the Allies want to do with the art. Matt Damon is wonderful as Lt. James Granger as an art expert who travels to France to meet with Simone in order to find the location of the stolen artwork as he brings some nice humor the role. Finally, there’s George Clooney in a stellar performance as Lt. Frank Stokes as the leader of the gang who is eager to retrieve these pieces of arts in the hopes that people will see them again after the war while dealing with the sacrifices made for these dangerous missions.

The Monuments Men is a pretty good film from George Clooney that is armed with a great ensemble cast that includes Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, and Hugh Bonneville. While it doesn’t live up to the ambitions of the story as well as being inconsistent in tone, it is still a film that is worthwhile for those who enjoy World War II stories. In the end, The Monuments Men is a stellar film from George Clooney.

George Clooney Films: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - Good Night, and Good Luck - (Leatherheads) - The Ides of March

© thevoid99 2014

Ocean's Twelve

Directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by George Nolfi, Ocean’s Twelve is the sequel to 2001’s Ocean’s Eleven in which Danny Ocean and his gang have to travel to Europe to pay back the money they had stolen in the first film while dealing a master thief who is trying to usurp them as well as an Interpol agent trying to catch both of them. The film is another heist comedy where there’s a much looser tone than in the first as it has the gang trying to deal with new challenges. Starring returning cast members George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Bernie Mack, Elliot Gould, Carl Reiner, Eddie Jemison, Shaobo Qin, and Julia Roberts along with Vincent Cassel, Robbie Coltrane, Eddie Izzard, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Ocean’s Twelve is a very funny and entertaining film from Steven Soderbergh.

The film takes place three years after the events of the first film in which Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his gang have been found by Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) who wants his money back plus interest. With only two weeks to pay him back, the gang travel to Europe where they learned that a thief named the Nightfox (Vincent Cassel) was the one who ratted them out to Benedict while an Interpol agent named Isabel Lahiri (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is also after them as she has a grudge towards Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) whom she once dated. While there’s not much plot in George Nolfi’s script, there is a lot of complexities to the way things are presented as Danny and his gang have to deal with the Nightfox as well as the target on their backs from Benedict and Lahiri.

Along the way, hilarity ensues as members of the gang get themselves in trouble where Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) decides to get Danny’s wife Tess (Julia Roberts) involved. Still, there are some aspects to the story that includes depth such as Linus wanting to be more involved in the planning as well as some background about Isabel whose father was a master thief. Isabel is an interesting addition to the story of the gang as her relationship with Rusty adds some drama and tension into the film as Rusty had kept the relationship a secret to most of the gang who are upset that Isabel is after them. The Nightfox is an interesting antagonist who just wants to be known as the best thief in the world as he is upset when he learned about the heist Danny and his gang had did in the first film.

Steven Soderbergh’s direction is definitely stylish as it is set in locations in the U.S. as well as Europe in cities like Amsterdam and Rome as well as Lake Como in Italy. There is looseness in the way Soderbergh directs the actors where there’s a feeling they’re relaxed and having a lot of fun which allows the film to feel improvisational. Yet, there’s also some gorgeous images in the compositions that Soderbergh creates in his camera as he’s also the cinematographer under the Peter Andrews pseudonym. Even in Soderbergh’s approach to lighting and filters to play into the visual style while Soderbergh also creates some montages and scenes to play into the world what the gang is trying to and what they were doing when they’re founded by Benedict. Soderbergh’s approach to humor and action has some style as well as being engaging to showcase Soderbergh’s talent in telling a story. Overall, Soderbergh creates a very dazzling and enjoyable film about a heist team trying to pay back the man they stole from three years earlier.

Editor Stephen Mirrone does amazing work with film‘s stylish editing with its use of jump-cuts and montages along with some stylish transitions for the film. Production designer Philip Messina, with set decorator Kristen Toscano Messina and art director Tony Fanning, does excellent work with the film‘s set pieces from the hotels and places the gang stays at to the lavish home of the Nightfox. Costume designer Milena Canonero does brilliant work with the costumes from the clothes that Isabel wears to the suits that the Nightfox wears.

Visual effects supervisor Thomas J. Smith does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the hologram of the Faberge egg that Ocean‘s gang and the Nightfox has to steal as well as the lasers in the museum. Sound editor Larry Blake does superb work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as some of the sound effects for some of the moments in the heist. The film’s music by David Holmes is fantastic for its mixture of electronic music, jazz, and funk to play into the film’s humor and action as well as some music ranging from hip-hop and pop including an Italian pop ballad that plays into the relationship between Rusty and Isabel.

The casting by Debra Zane is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small appearances from producer Jerry Weintraub in a flashback scene where he’s talking to the mysterious LeMarc, Topher Grace as himself in a scene at Rusty’s hotel, Jeroen Krabbe as an agoraphobic recluse whom Ocean and his gang have to rob for the heist in Amsterdam, Jared Harris as Basher’s sound engineer, Cherry Jones as a FBI agent, Robbie Coltrane as an eccentric criminal named Matsui, Eddie Izzard as the technician Roman Nagel the team hires, and Bruce Willis as himself visiting Rome. Vincent Cassel is superb as Baron Francois Toulour/the Nightfox as a master thief taught by the great yet mysterious LeMarc as he rats out Ocean to Benedict in the hopes he can outdo Ocean and his gang. Catherine Zeta-Jones is wonderful as Isabel Lahiri as Rusty’s former lover who still holds a grudge towards him as she is eager to capture Ocean, Rusty, and their gang.

Andy Garcia is great as Terry Benedict as the casino owner who lost a lot of money in the first film due to Danny Ocean and his gang as he is eager to get what he lost plus interest or else he has them killed. As members of the gang, there’s amazing performances from Eddie Jemison as the hacker Livingston Dell, Shaobo Qin as the acrobatic Yen, Scott Caan and Casey Affleck as the bickering brothers Turk and Virgil Malloy, Elliott Gould as brainy Reuben Tishkoff, Carl Reiner as wide Saul Bloom, and Bernie Mac as resourceful Frank Catton. Julia Roberts is fantastic as Tess Ocean as Danny’s wife who realizes what is going on as she reluctantly plays part in helping Danny through Linus where she has to play a very famous movie star.

Don Cheadle is excellent as Basher Tarr as the British bomb expert/sniper who realizes the severity of the situation as he becomes frustrated by the setbacks he and the gang endures. Matt Damon is brilliant as Linus Caldwell as a thief who is eager to become an equal to Danny and Rusty as he would make a last-minute play to beat the Nightfox when Danny and Rusty are caught. Brad Pitt is very funny as Rusty as Pitt brings a lot of humor and swagger to his role as he finds himself dealing with Isabel as he becomes lost in what to do with her. Finally, there’s George Clooney in a marvelous performance as Danny Ocean as the head thief who is trying to figure out everything as he also deals with the setbacks and trying not to lie to his wife.

Ocean’s Twelve is a sensational film from Steven Soderbergh. Armed with a great ensemble cast, a cool soundtrack, and beautiful locations. It’s a film that not only captures the spirit of its predecessor but also bring a looseness that is just fun to watch. Even as it has the actors just being relaxed and enjoying themselves while letting the audience have fun with them. In the end, Ocean’s Twelve is a remarkable film from Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray’s Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-Equilibrium - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean’s Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

Related: Ocean's 8

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