Alien: Resurrection

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and screenplay by Joss Whedon, Alien: Resurrection is the fourth and final film of the original Alien franchise in which a newly-cloned Ellen Ripley returns to fight a new species of aliens with a group of mercenaries after an experiment had gone wrong. With Sigourney Weaver playing the role of Ripley once again. The film also stars Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Brad Dourif, Michael Wincott, Dan Hedaya, Gary Dourdan, and Leland Orser. Alien: Resurrection is a stylish yet engaging thriller from Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

200 years after the events that led to the death of Ellen Ripley, a military experiment that featured remnants of her DNA sample has finally succeed in cloning Ripley where her body contained a baby queen alien. With the newly-cloned Ripley still in containment as she contains alien blood in her body, the experiment led by General Perez (Dan Hedaya), his subordinate Dr. Wren (J.E. Freeman) and Dr. Gediman study the aliens as they wait for a ship to arrive. The ship features a team of mercenaries who had captured a group of people unaware of the motives the military has for them. While the band of mercenaries that includes Call (Winona Ryder) who recognizes Ripley as she secretly enters her cell in an attempt to kill her where Call reveals why she and the mercenaries are really here.

Instead, things go wrong when the alien experiment have the aliens break out of their containment area and kill most of the crew leaving Ripley, Call, the rest of the mercenaries, Dr. Wren, and a marine in DiStefano (Raymond Cruz) to deal with the aliens. Realizing that the only option is to destroy the ship and board on the mercenaries ship to escape, Ripley and the gang try to deal with the aliens as they kill a few while Ripley makes a discovery about the experiment that was done to her. While trying to escape the aliens, the group finds a man named Purvis (Leland Orser) who had survived the experiment as he learns he has an alien inside him that’s going to burst soon. Things become more complicated where another discovery is made where Ripley and Call realize what the queen alien is doing as Ripley realizes that new breed of alien is being made and it has to be stopped.

Throughout the entirety of the series, there is always a subplot that relates to a corporation wanting to take the sample of an alien in order to use it for bio-weapons. In this film, the military finally gets a hold of an alien for their experiment and everything goes wrong. Once again, Ellen Ripley and everything she had faced in the past reveal that everything she didn‘t want to happen has finally come true. Resurrected from the dead in order to fight the aliens one more time, she goes all out while having a new advantage that would help her fight off the aliens as she also has alien blood in her.

Joss Whedon creates a script that does reveal a lot into how Ripley was finally able to be successfully cloned yet also shows a woman who is trying to get in touch with her humanity while becoming aware of what she’s facing. There is a new conflict that she’s facing as she is a bit of an alien where she is quite reluctant to kill them since they’re really her children. It’s one of the interesting aspects of the screenplay as well as the mercenaries themselves who definitely have a motive to board the U.S. science ship as one of them in Call knows a lot about Ripley and her history with the aliens. While the script does play to formula a bit and carries lots of exposition that does go a bit overboard, Whedon is able to create a script that is very faithful to its predecessors.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s direction is definitely stylish in the way he presents the film in a visual scale as well as the fact that he was able to keep things more simple. With some unique framing from camera shots shown from above and under to create an air of suspense while emphasizing that it’s more than just a film as it’s often led by an ensemble. While Jeunet is aware that there’s a formula that’s to be played where characters do get killed off and such. Jeunet does manage to give some characters moments where they can stand out and actually give the audience something to care about. Jeunet also keeps the action exciting without delving too much into fast-paced action or shaky camera work. While the film definitely has flaws in some parts of the script as well as moments where some of the action and visual effects don’t mesh up. Jeunet does create a solid and thrilling film that lives up to some of the brilliance of the franchise.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji does excellent work with the film‘s lush yet evocative photography to play up the mood of the film with its emphasis for a bit of grain in the look as well as low-lights for many of the scenes to play up the sense of style. Editor Herve Schneid does nice work with the editing in the way the action is given a rhythm that isn‘t too fast while slowing things down for the suspense and low-key moments. Production designer Nigel Phelps, along with set decorator John W. Dwyer and art director Steve Cooper, does terrific work with the sets from the look of the labs and hallways in the spaceship to the designs of the nests where the alien eggs are to be hatched.

Costume designer Bob Ringwood does some good work with the costumes to create some nice mercenary suits for the mercenaries as well as the clothes that Ripley wears when she fights off the aliens. Visual effects supervisors Erik Henry and Pitof do wonderful work with the visual effects such as the way the aliens move and how some of the exteriors are made though there‘s some bits that doesn‘t entirely work. Sound designer Leslie Shatz and sound editor John A. Larsen do superb work with the sound to create an atmosphere that occurs as well as setting a mood for some of the film‘s suspenseful moments. The film’s music by John Frizzell is quite good for its orchestral bombast to play out the drama and action that occurs in the film.

The casting by Richard Pagano is brilliant for the ensemble that is created for the film as it includes some notable small roles from Carolyn Campbell and David St. James as a couple of scientists doing research on the aliens, Dan Hedaya as the big ship’s head General Perez, Leland Orser as a lab rat who has to deal with an alien inside of him, J.E. Freeman as the distrustful Dr. Wren, Raymond Cruz as the marine DiStephano, and Brad Dourif as the main scientist Dr. Gediman who is fascinated by the aliens. For the roles of the mercenaries, there’s Kim Flowers as the pilot Hillard, Gary Dourdan as the skilled shooter Christie, and Michael Wincott as the mercenaries leader Frank Elgyn. Jeunet regulars Ron Perlman and Dominique Pinon are great in their respective roles as the humorous shooter Johner and the paraplegic yet resourceful mechanic Vriess.

Winona Ryder is excellent as the mercenary Call who knows a lot more than her other mercenaries seem to know about the situation as she also carries a secret that would help everyone. Finally, there’s Sigourney Weaver in her fourth outing as Ellen Ripley. Weaver brings a new dark element to the character as a woman who is really a shell of what she used to be as she deals with her new alien blood as well as the fact that she’s the aliens’ mother where Weaver brings another fantastic performance as the famed character.

Alien: Resurrection is a stellar though flawed film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet that features a superb performance from Sigourney Weaver. Along with amazing visuals and top-notch supporting work from Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, and Dominique Pinon. While it may not love to the brilliance of the first two films, it does manage to be entertaining enough for fans of the franchise. In the end, Alien: Resurrection is a superb film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet Films: Delicatessen - The City of Lost Children - Amelie - A Very Long Engagement - Micmacs - (The Young and Prodigious Spivet) - The Auteurs #20: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Alien Films: Alien - Aliens - Alien 3

© thevoid99 2012

Miller's Crossing

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/15/07 w/ Additional Edits.

Written, produced, and directed by Joel & Ethan Coen, Miller's Crossing is set in the Prohibition era as a gangster is playing both sides in a gang war as his role becomes confusing while he is dealing with one of his boss' girlfriend, her brother, a deadly henchman, and many more as a bloody gang war is happening. A change of pace from the duo's previous features, 1984's noir-inspired Blood Simple and Raising Arizona, the film is an eerie study of how one man can play both sides in a gang war. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, J.E. Freeman, and appearances from Coen Brothers regulars John Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Jon Polito, Michael Badalucco, and Frances McDormand. Miller's Crossing is a powerful, eerie crime masterpiece from the Coen Brothers.

A dispute between mob boss Johnny Capar (Jon Polito) and Irish politician Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) over an upcoming fixed fight is settle until Caspar accuses one of Leo's men named Bernie Bernbaum (John Tuturro) of theft. With Leo's right-hand man Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne) and Caspar's henchman Eddie Dane (J.E. Freeman) looking on, the meetings with no resolution as Tom is having an affair with Leo's mistress Verna (Marcia Gay Harden) whose brother is Bernie. Still, Leo is concerned about Verna as he has tailed by a man named Rug (Salvatore H. Tornabene) as Tom tries to find Bernie as he asks Mink Larouie (Steve Buscemi) who reveals about a deal he made with Bernie about Caspar's fight fix. Realizing that Bernie is causing trouble, Tom tries to take charge but Leo wants the whole thing to die down to avoid a gang war.

Bernie visits Tom's place as he learns about Tom's money problems with a man named Lazarre as things become complicated where Tom tries to smooth things over for Caspar who wants Bernie. Tom refuses as he gets himself in trouble as a hit on O'Bannon's home fails leading Tom to be out of O'Bannon's gang as his relationship with Verna suffers. Tom decides to work for Caspar as he reveals Bernie's deal with Mink as Tom is ordered to kill Bernie with a couple of Caspar's men in Tic-Tac (Al Mancini) and Frankie (Mike Starr) watching. In the area of deep woods known as Miller's Crossing, Tom is chosen to kill Bernie as Tom makes a plan to spare him once he knows what Caspar is doing. Mink become a target as a war between Caspar and O'Bannon ensues while Tom reveals to Verna that Bernie is alive. Tom continues to play angles as he targets Dane in order to win over Caspar while he hopes to make peace with O'Bannon as he would make moves that would change everything.

Inspired by the works of Dashiell Hammett, the Coen Brothers create a gangster film that isn't reminiscent of the style of 1940s gangster films but also give an edge that is predominantly violent and complex. The real story of this film is about a double-agent who plays the right angles in order to get what he needs and what is right for him and whom he's loyal to. While the character of Tom Reagan is one filled with complex morals and ideas, he's also a man that is very stoic and do things in how to move forward. He's often said he's a smart kid throughout the entire film in how he plays his angles. Yet, it also makes him somewhat distant emotionally as a character like Verna wonders if he has a heart at all and is he a good person. It's that study in character that makes this film more than just a simple gangster picture but a real complex character-driven film that is in the tradition of film noir.

The dialogue in the film is very stylized with a language that is reminiscent of Hammett's work. It's very fast, it's very talky, and sometimes, hard to follow because of the language. Yet, with repeated viewings and maybe through subtitles, it becomes easier to understand. This is definitely an homage to the Hammett language that is never over-dramatized or undervalued. It's the dialogue and the Coens' script that works to show the complex morality of war and power through the mind and angles of Tom Reagan. The script is indeed top-notch with a wonderful structure and sequences that is true to the genre and adding new motifs to it.

Then there's the direction bythe Coen Brothers that is solid through and through. The film opens with a meeting between Caspar and O'Bannon before the opening credits even starts. It emphasizes the tone of what is to come while a lot of the acting is almost theatrical with its dialogue. There's a bit of humor in some of the scenes while some of the more violence sequences are done with great style. Notably one amazing scene that involved the song Danny Boy and Caspar's men trying to hit O'Bannon that ends up a bloodbath with O'Bannon looking like a badass with a tommy gun.

The location set in Louisiana, works for the film's tone where the's not many colors as everything is a bit tinted and gray as is the forest of Miller's Crossing. There's even some amazing compositions where Tom Reagan is standing in the middle of the forest and then a dissolve cut where Tic-Tac and Frankie are standing in the same position that Reagan was in except on the road and leaning against the car. The result is clearly some of the finest directing ever captured on cinema.

Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, in his last work for the Coens before becoming a director, creates probably his best work for the Coens following his previous contributions in Blood Simple and Raising Arizona. Sonnenfeld uses some wonderful speed close-ups to capture some of the horror while a lot of interior work with the bright lighting in the Shenandoah to the more intimate, shadowy scenes in Reagan's apartment. The exteriors, notably the Miller's Crossing scene, is beautifully shot that includes wonderful overhead shots of the trees to emphasize its eerie tone with Sonnenfeld bringing out some amazing work. Though Sonnenfeld's work as a director is often spotty, his contributions as a cinematographer should be noted despite being overshadowed by his replacement Roger Deakins.

Editor Michael R. Miller does some fascinating work with the use of fade-outs, dissolves, and other cutting styles to emphasize the old-school, 1940s editing style that is fitting to the genre while using some jump-cuts to bring energy to the film. Longtime production designer Dennis Gassner and art director Leslie McDonald does some great work in recreating the look of Prohibition speakeasies, clubs, and other places that are filled with wonderful color, floor design, and the use of old cars to bring authenticity to the period. Costume designer Richard Hornung does some great work with Marcia Gay Harden's clothes along with the suits and hats of the men that is very true to the period. Longtime sound editor Skip Lievsay does some amazing work in the sound to bring tension and suspense to some of the film's violent sequences as well as the Miller's Crossing scene.

Longtime music composer Carter Burwell brings a traditional, Irish-flavored score filled with its serene melodies with its orchestral-driven score that includes some harrowing themes. Burwell's score helps with the suspense and drama of the film that includes a soundtrack of old jazz music including the traditional classic Danny Boy in one of the film's best scenes.

The casting of the film is brilliant as it includes small but memorable appearances from Michael Jeter, Salvatore H. Tornabene, Lanny Flaherty, and Mario Todisco as a boxer named Drop. Other memorable appearances from Richard Woods as the mayor, Thomas Toner as the police chief, Al Mancini and Mike Starr as Caspar's henchmen are great while cameos/appearances from Coen Brothers associates like Frances McDormand as the mayor's secretary, Michael Badalucco as Caspar's drive, Steve Buscemi as Mink, and film director Sam Raimi as a doomed gunman are fun to watch. J.E. Freeman is great in the role of Eddie Dane, a ruthless henchman who is almost Reagan's equal while being more dangerous and cunning in his role as a henchman. Jon Polito is brilliant as the fast-talking, comical Johnny Caspar who is dangerous but full of humor as Polito brings a lot of charm to a very dangerous character.

In one of her early film appearances, Marcia Gay Harden is superb as Verna Bernbaum. In a role that could've been a typical femme fatale, Harden brings a lot of grit and beauty to the character while proving that she is tough. Harden's performance is definitely brilliant as she proves to be one of the Coen Brothers finest heroines that includes the great Marge Gunderson of Fargo. John Turturro is also brilliant as the smarmy, cowardly Bernie who proves that he can outwit many when the angles are played, even outsmarting Reagan. Yet, when he's in a position that he can't get out of, he acts like a total coward. It's a great performance from Turturro in his first of many films he appeared for the Coen Brothers.

Albert Finney is also great in his role as Leo O'Bannon, a boss who has his flaws. While he admits he isn't the smartest guy in the world but knows when he has to do power-plays and such while getting the chance to prove that he's a badass. Finney's greatest moment involves a tommy gun and it proves that he's the last guy you want to try to pull a hit on. Gabriel Byrne is amazing in his role as the stoic, emotionless Tom Reagan. Byrne, who always has some kind of charm and personality is more reserved in a performance that is truly minimalist. In a role that is traditional with most of Hammett's protagonists, he's a guy that has to be smarter than everyone, try to do what is right for him. Byrne is brilliant for his restraint and not being very emotional as it's truly one of his greatest performances.

Miller's Crossing is truly a powerful, eerie, and violent masterpiece from Joel and Ethan Coen with fantastic performances from Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, and John Turturro. This film is no doubt one of the best films by the Coens along with one of the best gangster films to come out of the 1990s. Fans of film noir and crime films will no doubt enjoy the Coen Brothers take as it prove to be fun to watch and also as an eerie character study. While others might prefer their 1996 crime film Fargo which is superior in some aspects, Miller's Crossing is still an amazing film to watch from the Coen Brothers.

The Coen Brothers Films: Blood Simple - Raising Arizona - Barton Fink - The Hudsucker Proxy - Fargo - The Big Lebowski - O Brother, Where Art Thou? - The Man Who Wasn't There - Intolerable Cruelty - The Ladykillers (2004 film) - Paris Je T'aime-Tuileries - To Each His Own Cinema-World Cinema - No Country for Old Men - Burn After Reading - A Serious Man - True Grit - Inside Llewyn Davis - Hail, Caesar! - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 1 - The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 2

(C) thevoid99 2012

Wild at Heart

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/8/07.

1986's Blue Velvet helped broke David Lynch into the mainstream as he won accolades as well as detractors. After years of trying to attain full creative control and freedom while working with major distributors, Lynch was finally able to do what he wanted. In 1989, Lynch helped create one of the most popular TV shows of the late 80s and early 90s called Twin Peaks that helped him attain more mainstream attention. When Twin Peaks reached a peak in 1990, so was anticipation for Lynch's fifth feature film that was based on Barry Gifford's novel about an ex-con and his girlfriend try to evade her mother while going on a journey leading them into a dark underworld. The film, from that novel, was called Wild at Heart.

Written for the screen and directed by David Lynch, Wild at Heart is an evocative, strange love story that pushes a couple, head over heels, into extremes that would shake their love life. Part road film, part suspense, part drama, and part romance, the film typified the surreal, dark style that David Lynch is known for while delving into new territory that pushed his cinematic style. Starring Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Crispin Glover, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and Harry Dean Stanton. Wild at Heart is a dreamy, harrowing, and surreal film from David Lynch.

After killing a man in self-defense, Sailor Ripley (Nicolas Cage) is released after 22 months in prison as his beloved Lula Fortune (Laura Dern) waits for him. Not happy about Sailor's release is Lula's mother Marietta (Diane Ladd) who was hoping to rid of the man. Hiring a private detective named Johnnie Farragut (Harry Dean Stanton), she hopes that Johnnie will find Lula. Unfortunately, Marietta has another plan that involves Sailor's former employer named Santos (J.E. Freeman), who wants to put a hit on Sailor on the condition that a hit on Johnnie is in the works as well.

On their destination towards California, they stop at a heavy metal club while staying in motels as they talk about their demons and various confessions. Sailor understands why the man who tried to kill him wanted him dead. He is also aware of Marietta's motives that involved the death of Lula’s father. During a stop to New Orleans, Lula talks about her cousin Dell (Crispin Glover) and his own quirky faults while Sailor talks about a woman he'd been with during his days working for Santos. Realizing the danger that Johnnie is in, Marietta flies to New Orleans to try and give him a warning. Unfortunately, she doesn't as Santos sends a message to Mr. Reindeer (William Shepard Morgan) who sends one of his famed hit people including Juana Durango (Grace Zabriskie) on the job.

After leaving New Orleans, Sailor and Lula continue on their journey as Lula feels haunted in seeing her mother as a witch where their blissful yet strange journey takes a dark encounter. After seeing wrecked cars and a woman (Sherilyn Fenn) walking around in her own blood, things start to fall apart. With Santos still working towards Sailor, the couple make a stop in a small town in Texas. Sailor meets Perdita Durango (Isabella Rossellini) about knowledge on a possible hit which she denied. Stopping at a nearby motel to give their car a rest, Lula finds herself ill. Sailor meets with a man named Bobby Peru (Willem Dafoe) who helps the two as he learns about Lula's illness. Realizing that he's short on cash, Sailor becomes tempted by Peru about a job, that would eventually cost him everything he holds dear.

While the film is essentially a love story, in reality. It is a love story set in a world of escapism. It's about this couple who are deeply in love with each other that everything seems to start out fine despite whatever demons they're carrying. Then when the journey starts to hit a bump, reality starts to set in and the two basically couldn't deal with it. While there's several subplots that involve the crazed mind of Marietta, the mob, Santos, and other assorted characters. Fortunately for Lynch's approach to Barry Gifford's novel, the adaptation works for Lynch's unique vision.

The direction that is filled with surreal imagery, evocative shots, images of fire, and dreamy compositions is pure Lynch. The images of fire including matches being struck are wonderful symbols to convey the passion that burns inside Sailor and Lula. The film also contains numerous references to The Wizard of Oz that included witch-like characters, mentions of the yellow brick robe, and an orb that one of the witches looks into. Overall, Lynch creates a film that's almost dreamy yet eerie where something is about to happen and it ain't going to be good. Despite all of these wonderful ideas, not everything works where at times, some of those ideas is used repeatedly that it eventually wears out. Still, Lynch's approach to storytelling, even in a love story as strange as this works in almost every level.

Cinematographer Frederick Elmes brings some amazing camera work from the color palettes and sheer imagery in the sex scenes to wonderful, dreamy exterior shots in one daytime scene along with dark, colorful lighting in the nighttime scenes. Elmes' camera work is very sharp and jaw-dropping with every image and shot that's captured on film. Editor Duwayne Dunham brings a wonderful, stylized approach to the film's pacing and scene shifting to convey the sense of horror and excitement that surrounds the film's central characters. Sound designer Randy Thom use of sound ranging from the spark of matches to the atmosphere of the road is evocative with the film's dark tone.

Production designer Patricia Norris creates a wonderful look for the film with use of real locations, hotels, and such while decorating things that aren't usually seen in a motel room or a bank. Costume designer Amy Stofsky creates a wonderful look for the costumes whether it's the array of clothes that Diane Ladd wear, the skinny dresses of Laura Dern, or the black clothes that some of the men wear. The snakeskin jacket (don't insult the jacket) was actually Nicolas Cage's until he gave it to Laura Dern at the end of shooting. Hair stylist Frida Aradottir and make-up artist Michelle Buhler also do great work for a few characters whether it's the array of hair style for Diane Ladd to the strange, dirty, gold blond hair that both Grace Zabriskie and Isabella Rossellini wear as well as their looks in make-up.

The film's music and soundtrack features a wonderful, sweeping film score from longtime Lynch collaborator Angelo Badalamenti. The operatic-like orchestral score works to convey the dream-like, fantasy tone of the film while also bringing in some suspenseful music to convey its horror. Also from Badalamenti is elements of jazz to set the mood for some sequences in New Orleans. The rest of the soundtrack is diverse that includes a thrash metal accompaniment from the band Powermad, jazz singer Koko Taylor, old-school rock classics from Gene Vincent and Them, and some dreamy, seductive cuts from Chris Issak that included the hit song Wicked Games. The soundtrack and score is one of the film's greatest highlights that included Nicolas Cage doing some great rendition of a couple of classic songs by Elvis Presley.

The film's cast is wonderfully diverse filled with an array of characters that can almost be described as Fellini-esque or rather, Lynchian. Featuring appearances from John Lurie, Pruitt Vince Taylor, and Lynch regular Jack Nance in Texas trailer park scene along with Marvin Kaplan as Lula's Uncle Pooch, Frances Bay as Reindeer’s top madam, Calvin Lockhart as Juana's lover, and Gregg Dandridge as Bob Ray Lemon, the man who is killed in the film's opening scene by Sailor. Twin Peaks stars Sherilyn Fenn and Sheryl Lee make memorable, great appearances in the film with Fenn as an important plot point and Lee as a good witch. William Morgan Sheppard is great as the crime boss Mr. Reindeer who surrounds himself with topless women and such.

J.E. Freeman is wonderful as the crazed Santos who is a great organizer and charmer as he’s one of those bad guys who that people will love to hate. Grace Zabriskie is great in her brief appearance as Juana Durango that is just a shock to watch as her appearance is both funny and scary. Harry Dean Stanton is perfect in his role as Johnnie Farragut, a detective who loves Marietta but tries to do what is right for everyone. Though his role is brief, Crispin Glover is amazing as the crazy Cousin Dell who loves to press on torn-up sandwiches, being afraid of black gloves, and wearing cockroach-surrounded underwear.

Isabella Rossellini is wonderful in her brief appearance as Perdita Durango, sporting a dirty, blond look and a black dress, Rossellini's performance is a joy to watch as she even likes to get a little dirty. Willem Dafoe also makes a great appearance as Bobby Peru sporting some god awful teeth, saying some funny jokes, and just has this malicious grin that is fun to watch. Dafoe is truly one of the most diverse actors as he proves he can be very bad and extremely funny. Diane Ladd is brilliant in an over-the-top performance as the witch-like Marietta. Ladd's performance is wonderful to watch as if she's having a lot of fun acting with real-life daughter Laura Dern, smear lipstick all over her face, and just go overly-dramatic. It's a fantastic performance from the veteran actress.

Laura Dern is amazing in her role as Lula, this exotic sex-pot who has a wild imagination while hiding her own childhood pain. Dern brings a complexity to the character as she sports a Southern accent while grounding her beloved Sailor. Nicolas Cage is equally as great as the Elvis-like Sailor in a character that's fun to watch. Here's a guy who has swagger, charm, and is also dangerous. He loves his jacket (don't insult the jacket) and he loves his woman. Yet, he's also flawed since he doesn't make the right decisions or try to do what's right for her. The two actors have great chemistry as they exude sexuality and excitement as well as pain that's hurting them inside.

Prior to its premiere at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, the film was getting into troubled during some poor reception at some test screenings. Then when the film premiered, in competition, at the Cannes Film Festival. It immediately received a divided response from audiences and critics and it only got worse when it surprisingly won the Palme D'or that a mix of cheers and boos happened. When it was officially released in August of that year, mixed reviews happened all over again while Lynch's notorious detractor Roger Ebert gave him another bad review.

Despite recouping its $10 million budget, the film only did OK at the box office as Lynch-mania was now starting to wain. It was also at this time that the second season of Twin Peaks started and everything went to hell as Lynch's career was starting to get into a freefall despite some acclaim for Wild at Heart and an Oscar nomination for Diane Ladd.

While not an entirely perfect film, Wild at Heart is still a wonderful, surreal, and seductive film from David Lynch and company. With a great cast led by Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, Crispin Glover, Harry Dean Stanton, and J.E. Freeman. It's a film that has all of the touches that David Lynch is known for as well as his diverse group of actors. Those new to the actor should see this after watching Blue Velvet to get familiar with his filmmaking style. For anyone that wants to see a crazy road film that is filled with passion, excitement, and over-the-top scenery, Wild at Heart is the film to go see.

David Lynch Films: Eraserhead - The Elephant Man - Dune - Blue Velvet - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - Lost Highway - The Straight Story - Mulholland Dr. - INLAND EMPIRE

The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 1 - The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 2 - The Music Videos of David Lynch

The Auteurs #50: David Lynch: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2011