Nymphomaniac

Written and directed by Lars von Trier, Nymphomaniac is a two-part, five-and-a-half hour film (in its director’s cut) that explores the life of a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who has endured an illustrious yet trouble sexual history as she tells her story to a man who analyzes her story. The third and final part of Lars von Trier’s Depression trilogy, the film is an exploration into the life of a woman who copes with her sexual desires which leads to dangerous territories as her attempts to find normalcy leads to depression and loss as the character of Joe is played by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stacy Martin in two different ages. Also starring Stellan Skarsgard, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier, Connie Nielsen, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Bell, and Jesper Christensen. Nymphomaniac is a sprawling, provocative, and eerie film from Lars von Trier.

While it may be a film of a simple story involving the life of a nymphomaniac, it’s a film that explores not just the idea of sexuality and love but also how a woman tries to find fulfillment through sex in a life that is very turbulent. Told largely in a narrative where Joe tells her story to this man named Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard), it plays into Joe’s life with Seligman analyzing these events through eight chapters. Through the course of the story, Seligman becomes fascinated by her story with some curiosity and disgust while he brings in a lot of strange theories and ideas into the mix that intrigues Joe. There is a unique interplay between the two as Joe is telling her story as it would have this rise-and-fall scenario where the first half of the film is about Joe using her sex drive as a tool and feels liberated by it. Yet, her encounters with the idea of love, loss, and that liberation would eventually play into her downfall as she is desperate to regain her sexual drive only to go into great extremes which would cost her greatly.

Since it’s a two-part film, it plays into many ideas of what Joe would go through as she tell Seligman her story. The first volume plays into the first five chapters as it relates to Joe’s growing awareness of her sexuality and its power while trying to rebel against the concepts of love. Yet, her encounter with love through the man she lost her virginity to in Jerome (Shia LaBeouf) would complicate things as her attempts to maintain her lifestyle would cause trouble such as the disintegration of a couple’s marriage. The loss of her father (Christian Slater) would start the beginning of Joe’s own descent into depression where a reunion with Jerome would have some repercussions on her sex drive. The second volume plays into that further descent where Joe tries to regain that drive to great extremes as an encounter with a sadist named K (Jamie Bell) would destroy aspects of her personal life. Especially as she tries to conform to society to find fulfillment only to realize who she is as she delves into a darker world.

The script would maintain a back-and-forth scenario where Seligman would give his analysis on this as he is someone that is this intellectual that has read many books on all things in the world such as religion, art, and sex. Yet, he is this observer for the audience as he’s baffled by some of Joe’s antics while Joe would refute some of his analysis while being respectful into his views no matter how overly-analytical they are. That’s where many questions into Seligman come into play where many of Joe’s own hypotheses about him prove to be correct. Though there’s moments where Seligman questions Joe’s views and her behavior in the story, he never judges her while also playing to questions about the people in her own life.

Lars von Trier’s direction is definitely stylish as he goes all-out in terms of visual presentation as well as impact in the way he presents sex at its most graphic. While it’s a film that explores the world of sex and a woman’s sexuality, von Trier definitely aims to create something that is intimate in some parts as it relates to the scenes between Joe and Seligman. Yet, he would also create compositions and images that are very entrancing from his usage of computers to drive the camera movements in some scenes such as the moment Seligman finds the beaten Joe. The direction also includes a lot of hand-held shots and some stylized shots where von Trier would also play with aspect ratios in order to convey some of the drama that occurs. Particularly in the sequence in the film’s third chapter where the young Joe deals with a very distraught wife (Uma Thurman) of one of her lovers.

The direction also has von Trier use different film stocks and visual motifs to play into the film where some of the images are grainy while the fourth chapter sequence of Joe meeting her father for the last time is in black-and-white. The use of wide shots and close-ups are quite evident in the way von Trier plays with the idea of loss and despair where some of the images he uses definitely serves as a homage to the films of Andrei Tarkovsky. Some of that sense of beauty plays into von Trier’s portrayal towards sex where some of it is quaint while other moments are confrontational. Notably in the presentation of the sex as it’s very no-hold-barred where anal sex, oral, and all sorts of sexual ideas do come into play yet von Trier uses some very crafty visual effects, with the help of body doubles, into presenting the images of penetration and other graphic sexual scenes. Some of it is shocking as it does get quite intriguing in the first volume yet things do meander during the sixth chapter in the second volume due to some of the dramatic elements in the film while some aspects do get ridiculous. Especially where Seligman would question into the validity of Joe’s story.

The extended cut of von Trier’s version of the film definitely showcases more graphic scenes as it involves close-ups of genitalia and other shocking moments. Most notably a sequence in the film’s seventh chapter that will definitely test people in terms of its mixture of sexual and violent content as the result will either disgust people or bring unintentional laughter. The film does definitely go full circle towards the end as it ends in some respects to the beginning as it’s followed by Seligman trying to comprehend Joe’s story. Especially as it raises questions into the ideas of sex as well as what would happen if a man was in Joe’s position to be a nymphomaniac. Overall, von Trier creates a very disturbing yet evocative film about a woman’s chaotic sexual life.

Cinematographer Manuel Albert Claro does brilliant work with the film‘s very stylized cinematography from the usage of digital polish in the film‘s fourth chapter segment to the use of grainy camera footage for some scenes in the final chapter as well as some unique lighting shade and schemes that add an entrancing look to the film. Editors Molly Marlene Stensgaard, Jacob Secher Schulsinger, and Volume I editor Morten Hojbjerg do amazing work with the editing with its inspiring usage of montages to play into some of Seligman‘s own analyses as well as some stylish jump-cuts to play into the dramatic tone of the film. Production designer Simone Grau, with set decorator Thorsten Sabel and art director Alexander Scherer, does fantastic work with the different sets created such as the apartment that Seligman lives where Joe would tell her story to the different homes she would live in throughout the journey in her life.

Costume designer Manon Rasmussen does excellent work with the costumes from the array of stylish clothes the young Joe wear to the more conservative look she would wear as she gets older. Hair/makeup designer Dennis Knudsen does terrific work with the look of Joe in her assaulted state as well as the hairstyles the younger version would wear along with the deformed right ear of a character Joe would meet late in the film. Visual effects supervisors Peter Hjorth and Yoel Godo do great work with the visual effects from the realistic look of the sexual content and body doubles that is superimposed on the main actors in the graphic scenes of sex plus a few moments to play into the sense of loss that surrounds Joe.

Sound designer Kristian Eidnes Andersen does superb work with the sound to convey some of the darker moments in the film as well as some of the intimate moments in the drama to play into Joe‘s despair. Music supervisor Mikkel Maltha does wonderful work in assembling the film’s soundtrack as it features a diverse array of music from classical pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Camille Saint-Saens, George Frederic Handel, and Richard Wagner plus music by Steppenwolf, Rammstein, Talking Heads, and Charlotte Gainsbourg doing a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Hey Joe.

The casting by Des Hamilton is incredible as it is a massive ensemble as it features appearances from noted von Trier regulars Udo Kier as a waiter in the sixth chapter, Jean-Marc Barr as debtor in the film’s final chapter, Jesper Christensen as Jerome’s uncle in the second chapter, and Jens Albinus as a train passenger the young Joe gives head to in the film’s first chapter. Other noteworthy small roles include Kate Ashfield and Caroline Goodall as two different therapists Joe meets in the seventh chapter, Tania Carlin as a sex addict Joe meets in the seventh chapter, Shanti Roney as an interpreter in the sixth chapter Joe hires to make a meeting involving two African brothers, Michael Pas as an older version of Jerome, Saskia Reeves as a nurse in the film’s fourth chapter, Felicity Gilbert as a secretary the young Joe worked with in the second chapter, and Hugo Speer as a married lover of Joe whom she tries to push away only to cause a lot of trouble into his marriage.

In the roles of the younger versions of Joe, Maja Arsovic and Ananya Berger are wonderful in their roles to display the sense of innocence and curiosity for the young women. Connie Nielsen is terrific as Joe’s very cold mother who is often very distant yet manages to be quite intriguing as she would shape elements of Joe’s growth. Sophie Kennedy Clark is superb as the young Joe’s friend B who shares her love of sex as she would compete with Joe in a game of who can fuck more men while alienating Joe with talks about love. Mia Goth is fantastic as Joe’s apprentice P in the film’s final chapter whom she takes in as she would show her the ropes of her job late in the film. Uma Thurman is remarkable as the wife of one of Joe’s lover who arrives to her apartment as she is terrifying in displaying a woman coming apart as her family is being destroyed.

Willem Dafoe is brilliant as a crime boss named L who hires her in the final chapter as well as introducing her to P. Jamie Bell is amazing as the very disturbing sadomasochist K who would help Joe regain elements of her sexuality but at a great price as it’s a very troubling yet exhilarating performance from Bell. Shia LaBeouf is excellent as Jerome Morris as the man whom Joe would lose her virginity to as she would encounter him numerous times as she would eventually marry him only for their marriage to disintegrate as LaBeouf displays some restraint into his performance. Christian Slater is great as Joe’s father as a man who loves tree as she is someone whom Joe adores as she copes badly with his death as there’s a sensitivity and warmth to Slater’s performance that is entrancing to watch.

Stellan Skarsgard is phenomenal as Seligman as a book-smart intellectual who listens and analyzes Joe’s story as he displays some humor and humility to his performance as it’s also full of charm as it’s one of Skarsgard’s best performances. Stacy Martin is sensational as the young Joe as this woman who is quite wild and full of energy as she seeks to find fulfillment in her sexuality as she later copes with the aspects of loss and growing up into adulthood. Finally, there’s Charlotte Gainsbourg in a tremendous performance as the older Joe as a woman desperate to regain her sexual drive only to deal with depression and loneliness as Gainsbourg does great work in her narration as well as play into Joe’s sense of indifference and viewpoints about the ways of the world with such coldness as it’s one of her finest performances.

Nymphomaniac is an astonishing yet harrowing film from Lars von Trier that features great performances from Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stacy Martin, and Stellan Skarsgard. While it’s definitely a bold and ambitious that is flawed at times, it is still very compelling for the way it explores a woman and her sexuality as well as her descent into depression. It’s also a film that is willing to ask some very big questions about women and their idea of sexuality where it will definitely raise discussions about the concept of nymphomania. In the end, Nymphomaniac is a rapturous and spectacular film from Lars von Trier.

The Element of Crime - Epidemic - Medea - Europa - The Kingdom I - Breaking the Waves - The Kingdom II - Dogme #2-Idioterne - Dancer in the Dark - The Five Obstructions - Dogville - Manderlay - The Boss of It All - Antichrist - Dimension (2010 short) - Melancholia - The House That Jack Built - The Kingdom: Exodus - (Etudes)

Related: The Auteurs #7: Lars von Trier

© thevoid99 2014

Snowpiercer

Based on the graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette, Snowpiercer is post-apocalyptic film set in an ice age where survivors are living on a train as the poor and hungry rebel against the elite as they try to take over the train. Directed by Bong Joon-Ho and screenplay by Joon-Ho and Kelly Masterson from a screen story by Joon-Ho, the film is a futuristic dystopia where class is being separated as it all takes place inside a train. Starring Tilda Swinton, Chris Evans, John Hurt, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, Alison Pill, Song Kang-ho, Go Ah-sung, and Ed Harris. Snowpiercer is a thrilling yet mesmerizing film from Bong Joon-Ho.

Set in an ice age in the middle of the 21st Century where survivors of the ice age live inside a train. The film is about a rebellion led by the poor who live on the tail-end of the train as they trek through their way to front to confront the mysterious creator of the train. It’s a film that explores not just class structures where the poor is forced to suffer and eat protein bars, unaware of its true substance, while enduring all sorts of abuse as the only person from the front they meet is the train minister Mason (Tilda Swinton). For a young man in Curtis (Chris Evans), it’s all too much for him to take as he would lead the rebellion with the help of his mentor Gilliam (John Hurt) where they free the gates designer Minsu (Song Kang-Ho) and his daughter Yona (Go Ah-sung) only to encounter all sorts of horrors of the train they’ve been living in.

The film’s screenplay does begin with bits of exposition about how the ice age had begun all due to an experiment, that was to combat global warming , suddenly went wrong and led to this dystopia where its survivors live on the train. Yet, that is only in the first few minutes as it fast-forwards 2031 where Curtis and his friends Edgar (Jamie Bell), Tanya (Octavia Spencer), and Andrew (Ewen Bremner) are planning a revolt where both Tanya and Andrew want to retrieve their respective child who had been taken by an associate of the train’s creator Wilford (Ed Harris) who is seen by Mason and the elite as a god. For Curtis, seeing friends die and children taken away as well as the horrors he had experienced has him wanting to confront Wilford as the journey he and his friends take becomes an arduous one where they see things that don’t make sense as it shows how oppressed they are.

Yet, Mason is just a spokesperson for the elusive Wilford as she is eventually taken hostage to take Curtis and his band of rebels to the train and its different compartments. Upon these encounters with the compartments, there are these strange ideas of satire in the way Wilford’s teachings are handled as it has this very offbeat approach to dark humor. A lot of it is quite absurd yet it adds that film’s approach of dystopia where everyone has to be in the train in order to survive or else endure the horrors of what is outside as the ice age is still happening. There are images of what is outside the train as it on the same track for an entire year that spans all over the world in this massive track that goes from continent to continent. All of which plays into a world where there maybe no hope yet Curtis believes the answer to that hope is at the front of the train and its engine.

Bong Joon-Ho’s direction is very chilling in the way he maintains a sense of atmosphere as it’s shot almost entirely inside a train. There are a few wide shots in the film yet much of the compositions that Joon-Ho creates are focused on medium shots and close-ups along with some unique camera angles to play into the sense of terror and suspense. At the same time, there’s an element of claustrophobia as some of the compositions are very tight as is the train compartments where the poor cluttered inside to showcase the tension that is building up. Some of which involve these very gruesome images of violence where Joon-Ho brings in a lot of shooting styles from hand-held to more controlled approaches of action and suspense while also creating some moments that is all shot in one take

There is that sense of build-up into each compartment that Curtis and his character go through as Joon-Ho creates these set pieces inside the train compartments that are very surreal as well as off-putting. Some of which is played for laughs such as this very strange scene where Curtis and his gang encounter a schoolteacher (Alison Pill) who is a very cartoonish character just like Mason in some respects. Of course, things become more dangerous and deadly where it would play into not just Curtis’ motivations into meeting Wilford but also the chance to know why he was put into these situations. Curtis’ meeting with Wilford is very climatic but also filled with a lot of revelations into Wilford’s own motivations that showcases a lot about humanity and its fallacies. Overall, Joon-Ho crafts a very intense and provocative film about a revolt inside a train in a futuristic ice age.

Cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo does amazing work with the cinematography from the grimy look and lighting in some of the compartments such as the tail end to the array of lighting styles to play into the different look of the compartments to showcase its offbeat and surrealistic tone. Editors Steve M. Choe and Changju Kim do brilliant work in the editing in creating some very unique rhythms to play into the film‘s action, drama, and dark humor along other stylish cuts from slow-motion and such to play into its action. Production designer Ondrej Nekvasil, with set decorator Beata Brendtnerova and art director Stefan Kovacik, does superb work with the design of the train compartments from the very drab and stuffy look of the tail compartment to the very different settings of the compartments to play into its offbeat tone.

Costume designer Catherine George does excellent work with the costumes from the ragged look of the poor to the more colorful and cartoonish look of the rich. Hair/makeup designer Jeremy Woodhead does nice work with the look of the Mason character in her very weird presentation from her hair and teeth that makes her more like a cartoon than a serious authority figure. The visual effects work of Kang Changbae and Eric Durst is spectacular for not just the look of the train in its exteriors but also in some of the action set pieces as well as what Earth looked like in its ice age. Sound designers Sung Rok Choi, Timothy Nielsen, and Dave Whitehead do fantastic work with the film‘s sound from the way the train sounds inside and out to the some of the atmosphere in the different train compartments. The film’s music by Marco Beltrami is wonderful for its orchestral flourishes along with some bombastic, electronic-based pieces while some of the film’s soundtrack includes a classical piece by Johann Sebastian Bach as well as a song from Cream.

The casting by Jenny Jue and Johanna Ray is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Paul Lazar as the maker of the mysterious protein bars, Tomas Lemarquis as a Wilford agent known as Egg-head, Marcanthonee Reis as Tanya’s five-year old son Tim, Steve Park as an officer of Mason, Emma Levie as a strange associate of Wilford, Clark Middleton as a poor painter who makes portraits for his friends, Vlad Ivanov and Adnan Haskovic as Mason’s muscle-men, and Luke Pasqualino as the mute fighter of the rebellion known as Grey. Ewen Bremner is terrific as the angry yet resourceful Andrew while Alison Pill is very funny as the offbeat teacher who tries to teach children the ideas of Wilford.

Ed Harris is excellent in a small yet very memorable role as the mysterious Wilford as a man who runs the train as he believes that he can save the world. John Hurt is amazing as the aging rebel leader Gilliam as he would guide Curtis into leading the rebellion as he hopes to confront Wilford himself. Octavia Spencer is brilliant as Tanya as the woman of the group who aids Curtis so she can retrieve her son. Tilda Swinton is great as the train minister Mason as she is this very cartoonish and offbeat character that tries to assert authority but is really a slimy coward. Jamie Bell is superb as Curtis’ sidekick Edgar who aids him in every way while doing a few funny things yet proves to be very reliable in every situation. Go Ah-sung is fantastic as the clairvoyant Yona as this young woman who can see through the gates while being an emotional compass of sorts in the film as she deals with the different worlds she’s never encountered.

Song Kang-ho is phenomenal as the drug-addicted gate designer Namgoong Minsu as a man who can open gates while making some realizations of his own about what is happening in and out of the train. Finally, there’s Chris Evans in a remarkable performance as Curtis Everett as a rebel leader who had seen and endured so much as he decides to take charge and confront Wilford as it’s a role filled with command but also anguish over some of his decisions as it’s a truly Evans in one of his best roles to date.

Snowpiercer is an outstanding film from Bong Joon-ho. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as captivating themes on humanity, dystopia, and class structure. It’s a film that manages to do a lot of things where it’s not just an action film with brains but it’s also quite funny at times as it hits all of the marks and more. In the end, Snowpiercer is a sensational film from Bong Joon-ho.

Bong Joon-ho Films: Barking Dogs Never Bite - Memories of Murder - The Host - Tokyo!-Shaking Tokyo - Mother - Okja - Parasite - Mickey 17 - The Auteurs #44: Bong Joon-ho

© thevoid99 2014

Flags of Our Fathers

Based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers, Flags of Our Fathers is the story of the three surviving servicemen who raised the flag during the battle of Iwo Jima as they deal with the aftermath of war as well as being called heroes. Directed by Clint Eastwood and screenplay by Paul Haggis and William Broyles Jr., the film is part of a double-feature that both concern the battle of Iwo Jima as this film focuses on the American side as three men deal with the war and its aftermath. Starring Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, Paul Walker, Jamie Bell, Barry Pepper, John Benjamin Hickey, Joseph Cross, John Slattery, Neal McDonough, Melanie Lynskey, Thomas McCarthy, and Robert Patrick. Flags of Our Fathers is a harrowing yet gripping war-drama from Clint Eastwood.

The film is about the iconic image of six men raising the American flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima as it’s told from the perspective of a former Navy serviceman who thinks about the battle and its aftermath where he and his surviving Marine fighters went on tour to help sell war bonds. It’s a film that moves back-and-forth from the battle of Iwo Jima to what John “Doc” Bradley (Ryan Phillippe) would encounter during his tour of the U.S. selling war bonds with surviving Marines in Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and Ira Hayes (Adam Beach). Throughout the course of the film, Bradley recalls memories of the battle of Iwo Jima where he lost a lot of friends while trying to save those as the Navy doctor. At the same time, he thinks about the tour he is in with Gagnon and Hayes as the latter descends into grief and alcoholism while controversy arises over who were the other three that raised the flag.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t aim for a conventional narrative as it’s partially-nonlinear in order for the older Bradley (George Grizzard) to reflect as his son James (Thomas McCarthy) would look into the stories about his father and why his dad had never told him about the war. Yet, the young Bradley would be the most reserved person who goes on tour as he just maintains a low profile while Gagnon and Hayes would both diverge into different paths as the former hopes the tour would give him opportunities after the war. Still, Bradley and Hayes are haunted by the battle in Iwo Jima as they reflect on their encounter and how their friends were killed. The film’s second act has a parallel storyline in which the survivors go on tour while James Bradley goes on his own journey to find out what happened in Iwo Jima as well as stories about the men who raised that flag on Mount Suribachi.

The script doesn’t just explore the world of war bonds as well as men’s struggle with the aftermath of war. It also plays into the mystery of that iconic image where one soldier’s name is mistaken as it creates some confusion until Hayes and Bradley would clear it up as it would make things more uncomfortable. Upon the script’s third act where Hayes’ descent becomes more evident as well as the growing discomfort among himself and Bradley in being called heroes. There is also the fates that plays into the three survivors as well as what James Bradley would discover as well as why his father had been very silent for so many years.

Clint Eastwood’s direction is quite versatile considering what he wanted to do where it is a war film in respect but it’s also a drama where he does maintain a balance with the different tones and multiple stories in the narrative. There is a sense of brutality that emerges in the battle scenes where Eastwood uses hand-held cameras and steadicams to capture its intensity and terror. While Eastwood isn’t trying to say anything new that’s been seen or heard before, he does however maintain that idea about war and its after-effects where many who fought in battle refuse to call themselves heroes. For the scenes where Bradley, Gagnon, and Hayes go on the road to sell war bonds, there is an intimacy in the direction but also an understated melancholia that is prevalent.

There is an elegance to the way Eastwood creates some of the moments of the tour as it’s quite lavish but also unsettling considering what the three survivors have to endure as they’re being pushed into the public spotlight. Eastwood wouldn’t go for close-ups as he would favor medium shots and wide shots to capture the period of the times as well as putting his actors into a frame to see how they react to certain situations. Particularly as Eastwood would convey that intimacy for James Bradley’s story as it would piece everything together as well as showcase the sacrifice Bradley’s father made for his country and for the people who would never have to fight a war. Overall, Eastwood crafts a very poignant yet powerful film about war and their reaction to being called heroes.

Cinematographer Tom Stern does excellent work with the film’s stylish cinematography with his tinted, blue-green look for some of moments in the tour while maintaining a gritty look for its battle scenes as it’s shot on hand-held cameras while taking great stock into the dark look of the land. Editor Joel Cox does brilliant work with the editing to his seamless approach to transitions and piece together the different narratives while going for unique rhythms towards the battle scenes in the film. Production designer Henry Bumstead, along with art directors Adrian Gorton and Jack G. Taylor Jr., does amazing work with the look of some of the buildings and such for the tour as well as the tents and camps in Iwo Jima.

Costume designer Deborah Hooper does nice work with the costumes with a lot of the mid-1940s uniforms and clothes many of the characters wear. Visual effects supervisor Michael Owens does terrific work with the visual effects such as some parts of the battle scenes along with some set dressing to create some of the buildings and such in the 1940s. Sound editor Bud Asman, along with sound designers Charles Maynes and Steve Ticknor, does superb work with the sound from the way it plays into the terror of war as well as the intimate atmosphere that goes on during the war bonds tour. Clint Eastwood’s music score is wonderful for its somber pieces to play into the drama while going for more bombast and ominous orchestral arrangements to play into the terror of war while the music soundtrack includes songs from the 1940s.

The casting by Phyllis Huffman is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Judith Ivey as Harlon Block’s mother, Ann Dowd as Mike Strank’s mother, Beth Grant as Gagnon’s mother, Melanie Lynskey as Gagnon’s fiancee Pauline, Neal McDonough as Captain Severance, Robert Patrick as Col. Chandler Johnson who leads the battle, Ned Eisenberg as the photographer Joseph Rosenthal who would take the iconic picture, George Grizzard as the old Doc Bradley, John Slattery as the slimy and greedy war bonds publicist Bud Gerber, Chris Bauer as a war bonds commandant, and John Benjamin Hickey as the Marines publicist Sgt. Keyes who understands the grief and torment that Hayes is going through. Other noteworthy small roles include Benjamin Walker as the humorous Harlon Block, Joseph Cross as the naïve Franklin Sousley, and Paul Walker as the tough and outgoing Hank Hansen as the other three who raised the flag. Barry Pepper is terrific as Sgt. Mike Strank whom Ira idolized as he was considered to be the older brother of the platoon.

Jamie Bell is excellent as Iggy Ignatowski who was Doc Bradley’s fellow medical officer who deals with the chaos of war. Thomas McCarthy is superb as Doc’s son James who would piece the stories that his father had been avoiding to tell him as he goes on his own journey to find out about his dad. Jesse Bradford is brilliant as Rene Gagnon as this young Marine who sees the war bonds tour as a chance to get some big money as Bradford has the look and humility to play a man caught up in the world of celebrity. Adam Beach is fantastic as Ira Hayes as a Native American Marine who is ravaged and grief-stricken by war as he descends into alcoholism to cope with his newfound attention. Finally, there’s Ryan Phillippe as Doc Bradley as this Navy medic who saw the war and all of its horrors while trying to maintain a sense of composure as he deals with the war bonds tour as it’s a very astonishing performance as Phillippe brings a great restraint to his role.

Flags of Our Fathers is a remarkable film from Clint Eastwood. Armed with a great cast, a powerful story, and amazing technical work. It’s definitely a war film that plays into the idea of heroism as well as the horrors of war in its aftermath. It’s also a film that pays tribute to the men who fought in World War II in Iwo Jima as it is a fitting companion piece to Eastwood’s other Iwo Jima film in Letters from Iwo Jima. In the end, Flags of Our Fathers is a phenomenal film from Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood Films: (Play Misty for Me) - High Plains Drifter - (Breezy) - (The Eiger Sanction) - (The Outlaw Josey Wales) - (The Gauntlet) - (Bronco Billy) - (Firefox) - (Honkytonk Man) - Sudden Impact - Pale Rider - (Heartbreak Ridge) - (Bird) - (White Hunter Black Heart) - (The Rookie) - Unforgiven - (A Perfect World) - (The Bridges of Madison County) - (Absolute Power) - (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) - (True Crime) - (Space Cowboys) - (Blood Work) - (Mystic River) - Million Dollar Baby - Letters from Iwo Jima - Changeling - (Gran Torino) - (Invictus) - (Hereafter) - (J. Edgar) - (Jersey Boys) - American Sniper - (Sully) - (The 15:17 to Paris) - (The Mule)

© thevoid99 2014

Jane Eyre (2011 film)

Based on Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre is the story of a young woman who had endured a life of cruelty as a child and later as an adult until she becomes the governess of a mysterious man she falls for. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and adapted into script by Moira Buffini, the film explores a young woman’s plight as she goes from being in an unloving environment and then yearn for love in this mysterious man as Mia Wasikowska plays the titular role. Also starring Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots, Tamzin Merchant, and Judi Dench. The 2011 film version of Jane Eyre is an exquisite yet haunting film from Cary Joji Fukunaga.

Wandering around the moors and land, Jane Eyre arrives at a small cottage as she is under the care of St. John Rivers (Jamie Bell) and his two sisters Mary (Tamzin Merchant) and Diana (Holly Grainger). Staying temporarily at the Rivers home, Jane recalls her life as a child (Amelia Clarkson) as she had lived a life of cruelty in the hands of her aunt Mrs. Reed (Sally Hawkins). Taken to the very strict Lowood Institution under the supervision of the very abusive Mr. Brocklehurst (Simon McBurney), Jane befriends Helen Burns (Freya Parks) who helps Jane deal with her situation. More than a decade later, Jane leaves Lowood to become the governess for a house called Thornfield Hall. Meeting with its housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax (Judi Dench), Jane’s job is to teach the young French girl named Adele (Romy Settbon Moore) while helping out Mrs. Fairfax.

Walking to send a letter, a horse nearly runs over Jane as it’s rider is revealed to Thornfield Hall’s master Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender). After meeting him later in the day, Jane deals with Rochester’s mysterious yet brooding persona as well as his questions about her life and such. When his room is on fire due to something mysterious as Jane saved him, the two forge a friendship as she asks Mrs. Fairfax about Rochester as she admits, she has no idea what he’s hiding. At a party held in Thornfield Hall where Rochester brings his fiancee` Blance Ingram (Imogen Poots), Jane observes what is happening as she has hard time contending with her feelings for Rochester. The unexpected visit of a man named Richard Mason (Harry Lloyd) appears where Jane assists Rochester in this ordeal.

After taking a break to visit her ailing aunt, Jane returns to Thornfield as she hears some news about Rochester and Ingram as Rochester reveals his feelings for Jane. Yet, their courtship ends due to the secret that Rochester has been hiding leaving Jane in despair over everything she’s endured in her life.

In this adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Gothic novel, it is a film told largely from the perspective of the titular character as she reflects on her time with this strange yet enigmatic man who would disappear for days and then come back unexpectedly. Notably as she has to deal with other weird things in this house and parts of her past where she endured abuse, neglect, and the idea of not being loved. Moira Buffini’s screenplay does follow the book faithfully while she does create a narrative that is more of a reflective one as it starts off near the end as Jane leaves a house and eventually arrives at the home of a young clergyman and his sisters. The script also allows the characters to be fleshed out more like the maternal Mrs. Fairfax as well as the kind but religious St. John Rivers. Yet, it is the relationship between Jane and Rochester that is the heart of the film as Buffini explores the emotional tension between the two as well as their own dark secrets.

The direction of Cary Joji Fukunaga is extraordinarily magical for the imagery he presents as well as the tension and atmosphere that surrounds the film. Wanting to be true to the Gothic tone of Bronte’s book, Fukunaga aims for a look where there aren’t a lot of direct colors as the palette goes for a very soft, naturalistic look with a bit of de-saturation as there’s no red or anything very bright that occurs. Shooting the film with some hand-held cameras and steady camera shots including some very wondrous movements to soak up the location and set pieces. Fukunaga also creates some striking compositions to capture the dramatic tension of the film such as the opening shot of Jane leaving while utilizing gorgeous wide shots to capture the beautiful yet stark images of the British countryside landscape. The overall work that Fukunaga does is truly enchanting in its look and tone.

Cinematographer Adriano Goldman does a tremendous job with the film‘s gorgeous yet ravishing cinematography filled with wonderful yet naturalistic interiors for some of the nighttime scenes in Thornfield Hall along with some beautiful exteriors of the British countryside including the skylines at it all plays to a certain color palette that emphasizes the film‘s Gothic tone. Editor Melanie Oliver does an excellent job with the film’s tight yet seamlessly fluid editing with the use of a few jump-cuts and straight transitions while playing up to the intensity of its suspenseful and dramatic moments.

Production designer Will Hughes-Jones, along with set decorator Tim Jones and art director Karl Probert, does an incredible job with the set pieces created such as the rooms in Thornfield Hall as well as drab yet oppressive dining hall at Lowood Institution. Costume designer Michael O’Connor does a fantastic job with the costumes from the very de-colored and dark clothes that Jane mostly wears to the more stately yet regal look of Rochester. Makeup and hair designer Daniel Phillips does a terrific job with the hair and makeup design for the characters from the braided hair of the women to the sideburns of the male characters.

Sound editors Matthew Collinge and Catherine Hodgson do an amazing job with the sound work from the intensity of the locations to the more sparse intimacy of Thornfield Hall that includes some chilly moments and layers of dialogue that occurs in scenes where Jane pines for Rochester. The film’s score by Dario Marianelli is definitely spectacular for its array of pieces ranging from somber piano themes to play up the romance to more low-key orchestral cuts to play up the drama in the film as it’s definitely one of Marianelli’s best scores.

The casting by Nina Gold is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it includes notable small roles from Craig Roberts as Jane’s cruel cousin John, Eglatine Rembauville-Nicolle as Adele’s nanny Sophie, Valentina Cervi as a mysterious woman at Thornfield Hall, Imogen Poots as Rochester’s fiancee` Blanche, Simon McBurney as the very abusive Mr. Brocklehurst, Harry Lloyd as the mysterious Mr. Mason, Holly Grainger and Tamzin Merchant as St. John’s kind sisters, and Freya Parks as Jane’s old school friend Helen Burns. Other outstanding supporting roles include Sally Hawkins as Jane’s neglectful and uncaring aunt Mrs. Reed, Romy Settbon Moore as the lively French girl Adele, and Amelia Clarkson in a very chilling performance as the young Jane Eyre.

Jamie Bell is wonderful as St. John Rivers, a clergyman who takes Jane in and becomes a friend while having hopes to become more than just her friend. Judi Dench is superb as Mrs. Fairfax, a sympathetic housekeeper who helps Jane with the things about Thornfield while being the one person who keeps Jane and Rochester grounded. Michael Fassbender gives a truly haunting performance as Edward Rochester with his calm yet brooding persona as well displaying a sense of torment that adds to everything that he’s trying to hide as it’s truly some of Fassbender’s best work as an actor.

Finally, there’s Mia Wasikowska in a truly divine performance as the titular character. Not afraid to display humility and anguish, Wasikowska brings a truly mesmerizing approach to the character who tries to maintain a sense of duty while dealing with her feelings for Rochester. The chemistry between Wasikowska and Fassbender is extraordinary for the tension they bring as Fassbender would often dominate with Wasikowska being very quiet. In more emotional scenes, the two restrain themselves from being very dramatic as it is about the anguish and love these two characters have for each other. Notably as Wasikowska maintains the restraint more than Fassbender as it is definitely the best performance she’s given so far in her young career.

The 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre is a truly magnificent yet entrancing film from Cary Joji Fukunaga that features outstanding lead performances from Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. Along with great technical work, a fabulous score, and wonderful supporting work from Judi Dench, Jamie Bell, and Sally Hawkins. It is definitely a film that gives Charlotte Bronte’s famed novel a very unique yet visually-dazzling take that does more than what some adaptations of the story has done. In the end, the 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre is a truly enchanting yet mesmerizing film from Cary Joji Fukunaga.

Related: Jane Eyre (1943 film)

Cary Joji Fukunaga Films: Sin Nombre - (Beasts of No Nation) - No Time to Die

© thevoid99 2012

Undertow

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/7/05 w/ Additional Edits.

Since emerging with his dreary, dramatic debut feature George Washington in 2000, the Arkansas-born, North Carolina-native David Gordon Green was becoming the new cinematic voice for the American South with his realistic outlook at the poverty of the South and its hazy beauty. Often channeling the influences of Robert Altman and Terrence Malick, Green was becoming a favorite among critics, notably Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert who highly praised the director and his debut feature. Green re-emerged in 2003 with his sophomore feature, All the Real Girls that was a more traditional, romantic drama starring Green regular Paul Schneider plus Zooey Deschanel and Patricia Clarkson.

The film received similar acclaim while Roger Ebert gave All the Real Girls like his debut feature, four out of four stars while champion him as one of the most gifted young directors he's seen. Green was also getting praise from independent film director Gus Van Sant. Another iconic director Green got praise from was none other than the reclusive but legendary Terrence Malick who not only loved his work but would also help produce Green's next project, an unconventional thriller/chase drama entitled Undertow.

Based on a story by Lingard Jervey that was later turned into a script by Green and Joe Conway, Undertow is a thriller about a reclusive, quiet family living in a farm in Georgia whose idyllic, quiet life is disrupted by a man's brother who had just returned from a stint in prison. Driven by envy, greed, and rage, the life of a man and his two sons are changed when murder occurs and the two young boys run away from their uncle. Taking influences from some of the Southern films of the 1970s plus the work and narrative style of Malick, Undertow is more than just an homage to 1970s cinema with a bit of Green's unconventional style of storytelling. Starring British actor Jamie Bell, Dermont Mulroney, Josh Lucas, Devon Alan, Kristen Stewart, and Shiri Appleby. Undertow is a brilliant, in-your-face thriller that brings beauty and danger to the South.

For the secretive Munn family from a secluded farm in rural Georgia, there’s not much to do but raise hogs and fix broken things in the town. Yet for the teenager Chris (Jamie Bell), he rebels against the safety of his father John's (Dermont Mulroney) as he causes trouble and gets chased by cops after breaking the window of the house of girlfriend Lila (Kristen Stewart). The day couldn't have been worse since it was Chris' ten-year-old brother Tim's (Devon Alan) birthday. Tim doesn’t mind if he celebrates his birthday with just his father and brother. John prefers to live quietly while still mourning the death of his wife and mother's children. The boys do nothing but raise hogs while John goes miles away for work with the ever-frail Tim refusing to eat normal feed while eating stuff like dirt and paint.

Though Chris might rebel against the quiet life that his father wants since it prevents him from seeing Lila, that begins to change with the arrival of his uncle Deel (Josh Lucas) who had just gotten out of prison. Deel's arrival only makes John uneasy though he needs him to watch over the boys. Deel helps out though he couldn’t notice of Chris' rebellion as he takes him out for a ride in his car. Deel asks Chris if he knew about any coins that John still had. Chris doesn't know where they are as does Tim. The coins were taken by John and Deel's late father from a Mexican ferryman and John claims the coins are cursed by the ferryman. Deel wants his share but John has had them hidden. Finally, after days of waiting, Deel terrorizes the home as he reveals a shocking family secret and demands for the coins as murder ensues. Chris and Tim run away with the coins as Deel tries to find them.

The boys keep on running till they stopped at the home of a poor but caring black couple named Wadsworth (Eddie Rouse) and Amica Pela (Patrice Johnson) where they received shelter with a bit of work for exchange. After learning that Amica called for Deel, the boys go on the run again as Deel keeps looking for them. Chris knew that they couldn't resort to stealing every time while the idea of going to their maternal grandparents often comes into question since they didn’t like their father. Chris tries to get work at the docks but because he wasn't of age yet, he and Tim continued to go on the run as Tim becomes frail. Chris does everything he can to steal and succeeds to help Tim only that Deel is getting closer into finding them. After arriving in a town by train, they meet a young homeless girl named Violet (Shiri Appleby) who takes them to her abode with other homeless folks as they know an upcoming confrontation with Deel is coming soon.

Most chase thrillers have a tradition of being on-going with a lot of action and a bit of a break in its usual structure. David Gordon Green's approach was not only channeling a bit of Southern Gothic drama but also the stories he read as a kid which are referenced in the books that Tim reads. The first half of the film is a contemporary, bleak drama with a lot of Southern Goth textures about family and mysticism about the coins with a morality point from the John Munn character. Then the film begins to change into a chase film through the South as if the audience is watching a lost episode of The Dukes of Hazzard but with some dark humor and no Daisy Dukes walking around. Green channels not just the Southern films of the 70s he grew up with but also starts the film off with a bang where Chris gets into trouble while the film credits have a 70s feel to it.

Green's ability to pay homage of the 1970s Southern films shows that his roots are still intact in where he came from. He encompasses the South just as it is. It's very bleak, it's also a bit dreary, and it has a beauty to it that is indescribable. It's that same idea that makes All the Real Girls an appealing film in itself. Green manages to capture an authenticity to the look, even as the film moves forward to its final act. There is very little humor in what Green carries, especially in the environment he's in as the kids talk about little mosquito-like creatures that leave out big marks on the skin that are called "chiggers". There's an unconventional style in how Green tells the story from the script and his directing approach since he makes the film its own with a bit of things he loved including a brief narrative style of Terrence Malick that broadens the story more.

Helping Green in capturing the authenticity of the film's look is his longtime cinematographer Tim Orr. Orr brings the realism of its look with very little lighting in the film's nighttime sequences, especially with fire as the source of light. In the film's scenes in the dirty, garden-like shelter the homeless people are in, there's something beautiful in its lighting with sunlight and all sorts of reflections that come in that are magnificent. Orr aims for realism and beauty, even in the ugliest of places as he goes for what Green wanted, a feeling that you are there and for those in the South, that's what it really looks like. Even in the film's production design from Richard Wright, the film has a distinctive look with the way the Munn home looks like where it looks a bit poor and broken but it's still holding in its own to the shops, garage stations, and the shelter where the places have an authenticity to it as does the costumes of Jill Newell.

Green's longtime editors Steven Gonzales and Zene Baker give the film a nicely, stylized editing structure that gives the movie its unconventional style and approach. Even in the way the film would look where the shots would suddenly go into different color schemes with some freeze-frame then fade-out editing styles. There's a nice rhythm and presentation into the way the film is edited. Even in the sound work of Christof Gerbert, the film has a realistic way of its sound from the creatures heard in the woods to the sounds of ships at the docks. Everything that is also captured in sound is the tense-filled score of Phillip Glass who brings in that mix of drama and tension that surrounds the film and the characters in their present environment along with some music ranging from country, blues, and rock that is played in its soundtrack from frequent Green collaborators Michael Linnen and David Wingo.

Then there's the film great cast that are filled with actors and non-actors. Small performances from Pat Healy as a mechanic, William D. Turner as a worm-eating dock worker, and Bill McKinney as the boys' grandfather are wonderful to watch as does the poverty-stricken but content couple of Wadsworth and Amica Pela played by Eddie Rouse and Patrice Johnson. Rouse and Johnson bring depth into their performances as a couple that lost some things but still pride on themselves for living and giving the boys shelter. Kristen Stewart and Shiri Appleby also give wonderful performances as the love interests of Chris with Stewart being the naive one in her illuminating presence as Appleby plays a grittier, desperate one who is helped by Chris.

Dermont Mulroney is brilliant as the strict but morally caring John Munn who does all he can to take care of his boys while protecting them from things he feel would trouble them. Mulroney brings a bit of humor but a lot of heart as a father who is still grieving while trying to teach his sons right from wrong. Josh Lucas gives an intense performance as the repressed, dangerous Deel with an intimidating presence that the audience will know will be scary to watch. Lucas steals every moment onscreen, even when he's being quiet and restrained in one of his best performances. Devon Alan is amazing as the young, 10-year old Tim with his affinity for books and eating weird stuff while proving to be a great companion as a kid who has an intelligence and a way he deals with things at a young age in what is the film's real breakthrough performance.

Jamie Bell gives a riveting performance as the trouble-making Chris who does all he can to rebel but when he’s faced in a situation that is life-threatening, he does all he can to take care of his little brother. Bell also displays a true Southern accent with all the quirks and schemes that makes him an authentic Southern boy. Bell brings energy, depth, and heart to an amazingly complex character that's a bit of Huck Finn and a bit of the rebellion of Kit in Terrence Malick's Badlands.

The Region 1 DVD from United Artists/MGM is shown in the 16x9 Widescreen format of 1:85:1 presentation plus 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in English, Spanish, and Portugese plus French, Spanish, and Portugese subtitles. The DVD also includes several features including the film's trailer and promos for other MGM releases. Special features includes 2 deleted scenes with an introduction from David Gordon Green apologizing for the poor film quality of the deleted scenes but showed what they could've been. The first is an extended scene of Amica talking about her baby that later died and her remorse in a wonderful dramatic scene. The other comes very late in the film where Tim and Deel talk as he ponders the parallels between his relationship John and Tim's with Chris. The animated photo gallery is shown with one of the songs in the soundtrack playing in the background. Each picture moving with shots of the film's cast and crew playing around and relaxing as it includes an appearance from Gus Van Sant holding the camera.

The Behind-the-Scenes documentary produced and co-hosted by Josh Lucas with an optional introduction from the actor as he talks about making Undertow and his experience of making the film. The documentary called Under the Undertow is a 28-minute documentary shot by Lucas, Bell, and the entire cast and crew reveal the relax, laid-back style of everyone involved with a lot of hi-jinks and on-set arguments with a make-up artist and assistant director plus a car that got lost and never found. The doc also includes comments from the actors including Devon Alan who enjoys the acting and doesn't really want to do it for money but wants to have fun and make into a career. The doc also reveals the devotion to realism and authenticity in the 30-day shoot in the Spring of 2003 where the film was shot mostly around Savannah, Georgia and parts of South Carolina.

The final special feature in the DVD is an audio commentary track from David Gordon Green and actor Jamie Bell. Bell, who was watching this film for the very first time, talked about perfecting his Southern accent for weeks before the film and like many of the actors, everyone was in character, notably Devon Alan who was the most professional out of all of them, to the surprise of the older actors. Green discussed a lot of the locations and technical ideas of the film while bringing in a few friends from his films and character actors from movies he loved like Bill McKinley from Deliverance and references to other movies like Macon County Line, Bad Boys with Sean Penn, and Thunderbolt and Lightfoot by Michael Cimino.

Another discussion that everyone wanted to hear is the involvement of Terrence Malick. Green talked about Malick wanted to give Green a script for Undertow after seeing his debut film that Green began to work on with Joe Conway. Malick noticed how his influence was used and helped him out during filming as Green acknowledges him not just as a great film director but also a great mentor. Green and Bell's conversations are filled with hilarity and tidbits where they discussed how both Josh Lucas and Dermont Mulroney both injured themselves during the fight scene, Bell also got injured, and how Green wanted to find a Southern Billy Elliot for his film only to use Bell in the end.

Undertow is a brilliant, stylish thriller from David Gordon Green featuring amazing performances from Jamie Bell, Devon Alan, Josh Lucas, and Dermont Mulroney. While traditional thriller fans will find the structure a bit too unconventional, fans of Southern 70s films like Deliverance and Macon County Line will definitely enjoy the film and the references it has as well its ode to the South. The film has it all, witty dialogue, nice action work, some great drama, nice humor, a great atmospheric tone, and an authenticity to what it really was like in the South.

It was no surprise that the film received a lot of acclaim plus another four-star review from Roger Ebert who put the film in the top ten list of his favorite films of 2004. The real person who should be thanked for having this film is the legendary Terrence Malick who gave a young director like David Gordon Green a chance to create a unique vision as the young 30-year old filmmaker is truly becoming a future cinematic voice for American cinema.

David Gordon Green Films: George Washington - All the Real Girls - Snow Angels - Pineapple Express - (Your Highness) - (The Sitter) - (Prince Avalanche) - Joe (2013 film) - (Manglehorn) - - (Our Brand is Crisis) - (Stronger (2017 film)) - Halloween (2018 film) - (Halloween Kills) - (Halloween Ends)

© thevoid99 2011