Molly's Game

Based on the memoir by Molly Bloom, Molly’s Game is the story about a mogul skier who decides to run an underground poker empire that makes her rich until she gets the attention of the FBI. Written for the screen and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film is a dramatic telling of Molly Bloom’s life story as she is a woman struggling to re-define herself after her dreams of being an Olympic skier fell apart while hoping to retain the new life that she created for herself as Bloom is portrayed by Jessica Chastain. Also starring Idris Elba, Jeremy Strong, Michael Cera, Chris O’Dowd, Joe Keery, Bill Camp, Brian D’Arcy James, and Kevin Costner. Molly’s Game is an intoxicating and chilling film from Aaron Sorkin.

Following a failed attempt to qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics as a mogul skier due to an unfortunate accident, Molly Bloom would reinvent herself in running an underground poker empire after working for an unsuccessful real estate dealer in planning his underground poker games and making something of herself until she gets the attention of the FBI. It’s a film with a simple premise as it play into a woman trying to create a new life for herself as she is driven to become successful on her own terms yet would put herself in dangerous when her gambling business include Russian mobsters that would attract unwanted attention as she turns to an attorney who tries to understand her as well as read her just-released memoir. Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay doesn’t exactly follow a traditional narrative as sort of moves back-and-forth into the life of Molly Bloom from when she’s running her poker enterprise as well as awaiting trial for the crimes she’s being accused of.

Notably as Bloom is someone who had wanted to become an Olympic skier as she was trained and motivated by her psychiatrist father Larry Bloom (Kevin Costner) whom she has a tense relationship with as she would rarely speak with him after her Olympic career ended. Though she was meant to go to law school, she instead moved to Los Angeles and took a year off where she was a bottle service waitress and then working for a real estate dealer who often had underground poker games that would feature various people including top poker players, major athletes, and a movie star in Player X (Michael Cera). Though she is successful in Los Angeles as she would forge her own career, things do get complicated where Sorkin’s script reveal what forced Bloom to move to New York City as well as exploring her own downfall as it relates to the people she would meet and their connection to the Russian mafia. Sorkin also reveal some of Bloom’s own motivations and her own growing sense of disdain towards men of power while turning to high-priced attorney Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) for counsel as he’s to defend her in court yet he is someone that would get to know her and wonder what she is all about.

Sorkin’s direction is largely straightforward in terms of the compositions as it is shot on various locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and parts of Canada including Toronto with the last of the three locations playing into Bloom’s early life and her time trying to become an Olympic skier. While Sorkin does create some unique wide shots to establish some of the locations, much of his direction is intimate in its usage of medium shots and close-ups to get an interaction into the characters as well as in the framing where the poker players are in the foreground playing while Bloom is in the background looking at her laptop and observing the game. Sorkin’s direction also play into the world of underground poker and how it’s a game of wit and control as Bloom is someone who likes to be in control of everything. Notably in the film’s first half that is set in Los Angeles where Bloom has gained control and lots of money until she sees a player completely lose it as well as learn about Player X’s activities when it comes to recruiting players.

The second half set in New York City that moves back-and-forth into Bloom’s meetings with Jaffey as well as her activities in the city as she had games in expensive hotel suites and a richer clientele but would also take some money from the games that would end up being illegal. Even as it involves a drunken Irish-American businessman in Douglas Downey (Chris O’Dowd) who would introduce Bloom to the Russians as Sorkin’s direction showcases this craziness that would occur. Notably in the third act as it relates to a client in Los Angeles who played at her games as well as many other things where Sorkin shows a woman who has been trying to do things her way in a man’s world yet finds herself going into this air of uncertainty about what to do next as she faces serious trouble despite Jaffey’s help. Overall, Sorkin crafts an evocative and compelling film about a woman running an underground poker empire that would eventually fall apart.

Cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward with some stylish lighting for the nighttime interiors to help set the mood of the poker games as well as some of the exterior scenes at night. Editors Alan Baumgarten, Josh Schaeffer, and Elliot Graham do fantastic work with the editing as it has some elements of style in its usage of montages, jump-cuts, and stylish fade-outs to play into the drama in the film. Production designer David Wasco, with set decorator Patricia Larman and art director Brandt Gordon, does brilliant work with the look of the hotel suites, bars, and such where some of the poker games occur as well as the New York apartment Bloom lived in and Jaffey’s office. Costume designer Susan Lyall does nice work with the costumes that include a lot of the stylish and cleavage-revealing dresses that Bloom wears when she’s at work as well as the casual clothes she would wear off-work.

Hair stylist Carol Hartwick and makeup artist Alastair Muir do amazing work with the look that Bloom would take in the years of making herself look presentable for her empire. Visual effects supervisor Aaron Weintraub does terrific work with the film’s minimal visual effects that include a few bits of set dressing including scenes during Bloom’s time as a skier. Sound editors Michael J. Benavente and David McCallum, along with sound designer Todd Toon, do superb work with the film’s sound in the atmosphere of intimate card games as well as some of the sounds that occur in poker houses and some of the quieter moments in Bloom’s home and Jaffey’s office. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its low-key electronic score that play into the drama as well as some of the darker moments in the film while music supervisors Carlton Kaller and Sean Mulligan provide a soundtrack of music that is diverse ranging from artists/bands such as Thenewno2, Temple of the Dogs, Thunderpussy, the Raveonettes, Sly and the Family Stone, Alexander McCabe, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tommy James.

The casting by Francine Maisler is incredible as it feature some notable small roles from Piper Howell and Samantha Isler in their respective roles as the adolescent and teenage Bloom, Jon Bass as famous guy who tries to sell a Bloom a famous painting as collateral for a game, Claire Rankin as Bloom’s mother, Natalie Krill, Stephanie Herfield, Madison McKinley as a trio of former Playboy Playmates who work for Bloom in recruiting the players in New York City, Joe Keery as a trust fund guy named Cole, Angela Gots as a poker dealer named B who would give Bloom the idea to take a percentage of large pots, Justin Kirk as a NYC player named Jay, Whitney Peak as Jaffey’s teenage daughter Stella that Bloom befriends, J.C. MacKenzie as a federal prosecutor in Harrison Wellman who deals with Jaffey over Bloom’s case, and Graham Greene in a small yet effective performance as the judge in Bloom’s trial.

Bill Camp is terrific as a card shark in Harlan Eustice who is a skilled player that collapses after losing a game while Brian d’Arcy James is superb as a hedge fund manager in Brad who is one of the game’s worst players. Chris O’Dowd is fantastic as Douglas Downey as an Irish-American businessman that introduces Bloom to the Russians while Jeremy Strong is excellent as Bloom’s real estate developer boss who would introduce her to the world of underground poker and have her plan it only to realize that she does a better job than he does. Michael Cera is brilliant as Player X as a famous movie star who would help Bloom recruit players while doing things that make Bloom uncomfortable in Los Angeles. Kevin Costner is amazing as Bloom’s father Larry who was also her coach and a psychiatrist who had become estranged with Bloom due to their tumultuous relationship as he would appear in the third act not just to make amends with her but also understand why she is in such trouble.

Idris Elba is sensational as Charlie Jaffey as an attorney who takes Bloom’s case as he would also read her memoir where he asks some questions while trying to figure out as it is one of Elba’s finest performances including a scene where he defends Bloom as he realizes that she is really a good person despite the crimes she committed. Finally, there’s Jessica Chastain in a phenomenal performance as Molly Bloom as a woman who is driven to succeed though her hopes to be an Olympic skier is dashed forcing her to find other means yet becomes cunning in her pursuit. Chastain has this ferocity in her performance as someone that doesn’t quit but it’s also a flaw when she doesn’t know when it’s time to quit as it’s a role that has Chastain be part of some bad things but try to find an understanding of why she is driven to run an underground gambling empire that is often dominated by men.

Molly’s Game is an incredible film from Aaron Sorkin that features a great leading performance from Jessica Chastain. Along with a superb ensemble cast led by an amazing supporting performance from Idris Elba as well as Sorkin’s inventive and intriguing script that is filled with unique aspects of character study. The film is definitely a fascinating drama that explore a woman trying to succeed on her own terms in the world of underground poker that is often dominated by men. In the end, Molly’s Game is a sensational film from Aaron Sorkin.

(The Trial of the Chicago 7)

© thevoid99 2020

Coriolanus

Based on the play by William Shakespeare, Coriolanus is the story of a general who seeks a spot in the world of politics only to put himself in trouble as he seeks the aid of an enemy to seek revenge. Directed and starring Ralph Fiennes in the titular role of Caius Martius aka Coriolanus and screenplay by John Logan, the film is a modern take of Shakespeare’s tragic play as it set in a 21st Century re-imagining idea of Rome where a man’s ambitions get him into trouble prompting him to fight back. Also starring Jessica Chastain, Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, John Kani, James Nesbitt, Lubna Azabal, and Brian Cox. Coriolanus is a gripping and evocative film from Ralph Fiennes.

A powerful yet polarizing Roman general seeks to be in the world of politics yet a couple of political officials and local Romans successfully banish him from the city forcing the Caius Martius Coriolanus to seek the alliance of his sworn enemy in Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to seek revenge on Rome. It’s a film that play into the fallacy of ambition and vengeance as it follows a man whose arrogance and disdain for low-class citizens puts him at odds with those in the Roman Senate where a couple of tribunes try to discredit him as they would do things that are just as bad as what he’s done. John Logan’s screenplay opens with Coriolanus’ rise as a general who is cunning in his beliefs as well as maintaining some rule in Rome while is at war with a neighboring nation of Volsci that is led by Aufidius. Coriolanus’ victory against Aufidius would give him stature with Coriolanus’ mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) encouraging him to go into politics.

Logan’s script doesn’t just retain much of the dialogue written by William Shakespeare but also its approach to character study with characters scheming and such for their own gain such as the characters of the tribunes Brutus (Paul Jesson) and Sicinius (James Nesbitt) vehemently dislike Coriolanus as they even gain the alliance of citizens who hate Coriolanus to join them. The film’s second half play into the aftermath of a TV interview with Coriolanus that fell apart as he’s been exiled from Rome with his family angry over the government with longtime family friend in Senator Menenius (Brian Cox) trying to smooth over the conflicts. Coriolanus goes to Volsci to find Aufidius to allow him to settle their conflict yet Aufidius is moved by his journey allowing Coriolanus to join him as both men have issues with Rome and its government that would create this unlikely alliance.

Fiennes’ direction definitely bears elements of theatricality in some scenes yet some of the film also bear elements of modern-day political films as it is shot on location partially in Britain but also areas such as Serbia and Montenegro where the story is set in the early 21st Century as if the idea of Roman times is in the modern world. The usage of the locations add to this air of chaos that is happening where Rome is presented as this rich and organized world that is shot on Britain while Volsci and other locations shot in Serbia and Montenegro showcase a world that hasn’t prospered like Rome has. Fiennes’ compositions does have elements of style such as the battle scenes where he presents it with hand-held cameras for close-ups and medium shots including the scene of Coriolanus on a TV show where he goes after his critics including the tribunes who are scheming against him. While there are some wide shots to establish some of the locations as well as scenes involving crowds and in some eerie compositions to play into the position of power. Fiennes does maintain this air of theatricality in the direction with the actors and how would place them into a frame or to create this chaos in the riots.

Even the usage of TV news add to the dramatic elements of the film as it play into Coriolanus’ journey where the third act shows him going mad with vengeance with little chance of seeing reason and make peace. Fiennes’ direction showcases a man on the edge as he is intent on destroying Rome but there are those who love and care about him who want him to stop. The tragedy isn’t just about Coriolanus’ downfall and descent into madness but also the compromises he had to make where Fiennes showcases a man who had put himself into a world that he doesn’t know little about but only to make more enemies than he did when he was just a soldier. Overall, Fiennes craft a riveting and chilling film about a Roman general’s downfall and his revenge against those who ousted him from Rome.

Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd does brilliant work with the film’s grainy digital cinematography as its usage of close-ups add to the grimy detail of the visuals as well as maintaining a drab yet naturalistic look for the scenes set at Volsci. Editor Nicolas Gaster does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and montages while maintaining some unique rhythm to capture the energy of some of the monologues. Production designer Ricky Eyres, with set decorator Lee Gordon and art director Radoslav Mihajlovic, does amazing work with the look of the Roman government buildings and the home that Coriolanus and his family lives in as well as the drab home base of Aufidius. Costume designer Bojana Nikitovic does fantastic work with the look of the Roman military uniforms as well as the posh clothing of the Coriolanus family that is a sharp contrast to the more rugged look of the Volsci and its people.

Hair/makeup designer Laura Schiavo does terrific work with the look of the scars on Coriolanus’ face and body as well as the tattoos he would later gain. Special effects supervisor Jason Troughton and visual effects supervisor Angela Stanley do some nice work with the look of some of the TV footage along with a few set-dressing for scenes to play into the atmosphere of war. Sound editor Oliver Tarney does superb work with the sound as it play into the raucous atmosphere of the protests, riots, and sounds of war along with the disconcerting tone in some of the dialogue in certain rooms or sets. The film’s music by Ilan Eshkeri is wonderful for its low-key orchestral/ambient score that play into the dramatic suspense as well as some of the film’s war scenes while music supervisor Ian Neil provides a music soundtrack that features a traditional music piece performed by Goran Bregovic as well as a couple of contemporary pieces by Lisa Zane and Sheer K.

The casting by Jina Jay is incredible as it feature some notable small roles from Jon Snow as a TV anchorman, Harry Fenn as Coriolanus’ young son Martius, Dragan Micanovic as Coriolanus’ subordinate Titus, Slavko Stimac as a Volsci lieutenant who doesn’t trust Coriolanus, the duo of Lubna Azabal and Ashraf Barhom in their respective roles as leading protestors against Coriolanus in Tamora and Cassius, and John Kani in a terrific performance as Rome’s leader General Cominius who is trying to ensure peace and reason despite so much opposition and controversy. Paul Jesson and James Nesbitt are superb in their respective roles as tribunes Brutus and Sicinius as two political figures who hate Coriolanus as they scheme to discredit him only to put Rome in danger during its second half. Jessica Chastain is fantastic as Coriolanus’ wife Virgilia as a woman trying to be supportive but also raises concern for her husband’s well-being as she also copes with his exile.

Brian Cox is excellent as Menenius as a Roman senator who is close with Coriolanus’ family as he is eager to help Coriolanus anyway he can while having to deal with the opposition as he struggles to maintain order and later to try and reason with Coriolanus in his vengeance towards Rome. Vanessa Redgrave is brilliant as Volumnia as Coriolanus’ mother who is an influential figure in Rome as she encourages her son to go into politics while being very angry at the tribunes who successfully banished him prompting her to get her son back and see reason. Gerard Butler is amazing as Volsci military leader Tullus Aufidius as Coriolanus’ sworn enemy who is hoping to destroy Rome and Coriolanus where he is later moved by Coriolanus’ determination following his exile as he helps him seek revenge on Rome. Finally, there’s Ralph Fiennes in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as a general who is a polarizing figure for his disdain towards common folk while is eager to rise to power only to be kicked out of Rome prompting him to seek vengeance as there’s an intensity to his performance but also an eeriness of a man driven to the edge.

Coriolanus is a marvelous film from Ralph Fiennes that features a great ensemble cast, a modern take on William Shakespeare’s character study, gritty visuals, and themes of ambition and vengeance. It’s a film that explore a man’s descent into madness in his attempt to go into politics only to be banished by the people in his home country as he also endures humility and shame that prompts him to seek revenge but at the cost of his own spirit and soul. In the end, Coriolanus is a remarkable film from Ralph Fiennes.

Ralph Fiennes Film: The Invisible Woman (2013 film) - (The White Crow)

© thevoid99 2019

The Martian

Based on the novel by Andy Weir, The Martian is the story of an astronaut who is accidentally left for dead on Mars during a manned mission where he struggles to survive in the planet while the people at NASA discover he’s alive as they try to figure out how to get him back home with the man’s crew dealing with guilt of leaving him behind. Directed by Ridley Scott and screenplay by Drew Goddard, the film explores the world of science where people on Earth find a way to try and bring this astronaut home as the man himself would try to find ways to survive on the planet using what he has in his head. Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig, Benedict Wong, Michael Pena, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, Mackenzie Davis, Askel Hennie, Sean Bean, Donald Glover, Eddy Ko, Chen Shu, and Jeff Daniels. The Martian is an adventurous and engaging film from Ridley Scott.

During a manned mission to Mars where an attempt to leave during a strong dust wind where an astronaut is struck by debris and is unfortunately left for dead by his crew. The film revolves around this astronaut who finds himself stuck on Mars aware that it is likely that it will take four years for another spaceship to come in and rescue him with the little rations he has where he is forced to find ways to survive. Meanwhile back on Earth, NASA who for two months believed the man to be dead make a discovery that he is alive through satellite photos as they try to find a way to get him back home but a lot of things are happening where they don’t even tell his crew for months. It’s a film that isn’t just about survival but also the need to rescue a man stranded on Mars where he is forced to left to his own devices yet would unveil what he is able to do to try and survive for the next few years.

Drew Goddard’s screenplay has a very unique narrative that moves back and forth in not just what astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) does to survive on Mars where he would grow potatoes and make water in the planet thanks to his skills as a botanist. It also showcases what is happening in NASA where they try to figure out how long he can survive as well as how to create a rescue mission. The Earth portion of the narrative also play into the world of politics as NASA’s director Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) ponders the financial cost as well as the risks while he also has to tell the truth to the public that Watney is alive after declaring him dead during the botched mission months earlier. For NASA, the news of Watney being alive has become a public relations nightmare for the company where it also shows what is happening behind the scenes where they also need to get help from other sources including rival space exploration companies.

At the space vessel Hermes, there is a subplot that involves Watney’s crew led by Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain) who, along with the crew, are consumed with guilt as they’re returning home to Earth where they play a key part in the film’s third act as it relates to the rescue. While they’re aware that the journey back to Mars will take another 18 months with a special booster created by this rival company. Commander Lewis and the crew prefer to take that risk knowing that if it goes wrong, they will all die. Especially as their mission director Mitch Henderson (Sean Bean) gave them the option as he is aware of the risks not just in space but also the financial risks where he finds himself sparring with Sanders since Henderson wanted to tell Lewis and the crew about Watney once the news broke. It all play into that world of politics and when Watney who would finally communicate with NASA’s Mars mission director Vincent Kapoor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who revealed what has been going on. Not surprisingly as there’s frustration where Kapoor and several other scientists try to find solutions where it would be a young astrodynamicist in Rich Purnell (Donald Glover) who would create what the Commander Lewis and her crew have to do as does Watney.

Ridley Scott’s direction is definitely quite vast for the world he creates not just in Mars but also outer space while also maintain a sense of ground for the fact that the film is also set on Earth. With many of the exterior scenes on Mars shot at Wadi Rum in Jordan with several interiors shot in Hungary, the film plays into a world that is quite large where Scott used a lot of wide shots for these exteriors in Mars as it has this air of mystique. Even in the some of the interiors in the base where Watney would have to live in and grow crops as Scott would also use small video cameras such as the Go-pro cameras to document everything Watney is going through. It has this air of the documentary in the film where it plays into what happens if a man is stranded alone in Mars having to survive by what he knows.

The direction is also intimate not just for the scenes inside the Hermes vessel but also on Earth where there’s a lot of discussion and squabbling going on about what to do. Scott chooses to keep things simple throughout the film by not going for anything flashy though he would utilize bits of style in some tracking and dolly shots but keep it to a minimum. The scenes at the Hermes vessel are quite entrancing to play into the world of this space vessel but also to show everyone trying to move on despite carrying this weight of guilt. While Scott is aware that it’s a sci-fi adventure film with a lot of drama, he knows that it’s a film that shouldn’t take itself too seriously by displaying the fact that Watney is kind of goofy. Even as there’s a recurring gag to the fact that the only thing playing at the base on Mars is 70s disco music that Watney hates yet it was chosen by Commander Lewis. All of which plays into a film that is about doing what is right no matter how complicated it can be. Overall, Scott crafts a riveting yet sprawling film about a man accidentally stuck on Mars and trying to survive as he awaits rescue.

Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography in creating some filters for the exterior scenes set on Mars as well as providing distinctive looks for the scenes at the Hermes space vessel and on Earth. Editor Pietro Scalia does excellent work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with a few stylistic cuts for the big action sequences as well as a stylish montage sequence about the rescue planning. Production designer Arthur Max, with supervising art director Marc Homes and set decorators Celia Bobak and Zoltan Horvath, does amazing work with the look of the moon base and many of the interiors in that base as well as the space vessel interiors and rooms at NASA. Costume designer Janty Yates does nice work with the costumes in the way the astronaut suits look as well as the clothes of the people on Earth. Hair/makeup designer Tina Earnshaw and hair/makeup supervisor Csilla Blake-Horvath does terrific work with the look of Watney late in the film as he struggles to survive with the limited resources he had.

The visual effects work of Chris Lawrence, Anders Langlands, Richard Stammers, and Steve Warner is fantastic for the look of outer space as well as the Hermes space vessel along with some set dressing for the Mars exteriors. Sound designers Michael Fentum and Oliver Tarney do superb work with the sound in the way the dust winds sound in and out of the base as well as some of the computers and such along with the sparse and more natural sounds for the scenes in Earth. The film’s music by Harry Gregson-Williams is wonderful for its orchestral-based score that has some bombast in some of its intense moments while being low-key in its somber moments. The film’s soundtrack is definitely a joy to listen to not just in the fact that it consists a lot of classic 70s pop and disco music from the likes of ABBA, the Hues Corporation, Donna Summers, Thelma Houston, the O’Jays, Gloria Gaynor, and Vickie Robinson as well as inspired usage of David Bowie’s Starman.

The casting by Carmen Cuba and Nina Gold is incredible as it features some notable small roles from Eddy Ko and Chen Su as key officials from the Chinese Space program, Donald Glover as the astrodynamicisist Rich Purnell who comes up with an idea for the Hermes to travel back to Mars, Benedict Wong as a Jet Propulsion Laboratory director who tries to come up with ideas in saving Watney, and Mackenzie Davis as the NASA satellite planner Mindy Park who would be the one to discover that Watney is alive through satellite photos. Other notable small roles as members of the Ares III team includes Askel Hennie as the team’s navigator/chemist Dr. Alex Vogel, Sebastian Stan as flight surgeon Dr. Chris Beck, Kate Mara as the system operator Beth Johanssen, and Michael Pena as the team’s pilot Rick Martinez who is Watney’s closest friend.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is superb as the Mars mission director Vincent Kapoor who would be the first to communicate with Watney as he realizes with the severity of what is happening as he tries to figure out what to do to save him. Sean Bean is fantastic as the Ares III mission director Mitch Henderson who wanted to tell his crew that Watney is alive as he spars with Sanders about what to do. Kristen Wiig is terrific as NASA’s media relations director Annie Montrose who tries to smooth over all of the bad publicity NASA is facing as well as figure out how to save face for NASA. Jeff Daniels is excellent as NASA’s director Teddy Sanders who is trying to see anyway NASA can save money but also wanting to do what is right with caution. Jessica Chastain is amazing as Commander Melissa Lewis as the Ares III leader who deals with guilt of leaving Watney behind as she would later try to figure out every scenario into getting him back as a way to do what is right. Finally, there’s Matt Damon in a phenomenal performance as Mark Watney as the astronaut who is accidentally stranded on Mars following a freak accident where he manages to find a way to survive with his expertise on botany and wit while also providing some charm, humor, and humility to his role as it’s one of Damon’s finest performances.

The Martian is a spectacular film from Ridley Scott that features an incredible performance from Matt Damon. Along with a strong ensemble supporting cast, dazzling visuals, compelling themes on science, and a fun music soundtrack. The film isn’t just a sci-fi adventure film that doesn’t play dumb as well as reveal what might happen on a manned mission to Mars. It also showcases how someone is willing to survive with a positive attitude despite his hatred for disco. In the end, The Martian is a magnificent film from Ridley Scott.

Ridley Scott Films: (The Duellists) - Alien - Blade Runner - (Legend) - (Someone to Watch Over Me) - (Black Rain) - (Thelma & Louise) - (1492: Conquest of Paradise) - (White Squall) - (G.I. Jane) - (Gladiator) - (Hannibal) - (Black Hawk Down) - (Matchstick Men) - (Kingdom of Heaven) - (A Good Year) - (American Gangster) - (Body of Lies) - (Robin Hood) - Prometheus - (The Counselor) - (Exodus) - (Alien: Covenant) -All the Money in the World

© thevoid99 2016

Crimson Peak

Directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins, Crimson Peak is the story of a young woman who marries an aristocrat as she moves into her husband’s mansion as it is filled with ghosts and other things. The film plays into a woman with an interest in the supernatural as she gets more than she bargains for in her new life. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver. Crimson Peak is an entrancing yet eerie film from Guillermo del Toro.

Set in the early 20th Century, the film revolves around a young author who meets a British aristocrat as she falls for him where they later marry where she would live into his decayed mansion with his sister as the home is filled with ghosts and other mysterious things. It’s a film that plays into a young woman who has been fascinated with ghosts since she was a child as she wants to write stories with ghosts. Upon meeting this aristocrat, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) is intrigued by this man though appearance in clothing and other eccentricities raises the suspicions of her father (Jim Beaver) and family friend Dr. Alan McMichael (Charlie Hunnam). Once she marries Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) and moves into their home, many mysterious occurs as well as the treatment she is receiving from his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).

The film’s screenplay by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins doesn’t just play into Edith’s fascination with ghosts but also with those that don’t play by conventional behavior or play by certain rules. It’s among the reasons why she would be attracted to someone like Thomas as he wears clothes that are out of style while having ideas that seem to be very radical. While Edith’s father is aware of what Thomas wants, he is suspicious about him and his sister as he asks for some investigation into who the Sharpes are. Upon realizing what they’re up to, things don’t go as they’re planned once Edith marries Thomas where she does question the things that go on in the house as well as other odd things. Thomas and Lucille Sharpe are strange not just for the Gothic clothes they wear but also in the house they live which is decaying and in need of work.

While the two do share ideas of what they want to, Thomas is the kinder of the two where it seems like he is falling for Edith for her money but he becomes more fascinated with her as the story progresses. Lucille however, is a very troubling woman as someone who has a very dark demeanor as she doesn’t seem to like having Edith around where she always gives her tea and pretend to be very kind towards her. Yet, even she knows that Edith knows what they’re probably up to which adds a much darker edge to her character. Once more revelations towards the Sharpe are unveiled, the story definitely becomes more engaging in terms of the drama and the stakes that occur. Though it does deviate from many of the conventions that is expected in horror, del Toro and Robbins do make it more about the setting and the relationship of the characters rather than going for the big scares.

Guillermo del Toro’s direction definitely owes a lot to not just Gothic imagery and set pieces but also mythological elements that explores the idea of ghosts and what they want. While it doesn’t play towards many of the conventions of horror in terms of big scares, del Toro is more concerned with the story as it relates to Edith’s own fascination with ghosts and her need to find more in her somewhat sheltered existence as a writer. Shot largely in Toronto as both Buffalo, New York and as England, the film maintains this look that is quite unique from the sepia-drenched look of Buffalo where everything feels modern and progressing as opposed to the world of the Sharpes which represents the old world that is decaying and trying to catch up with the modern world. The usage of the wide and medium shots gives del Toro the chance to breathe life into these landscapes with some unique tracking shots for many of those exteriors.

For the scenes set in England, del Toro definitely plays up the Gothic tone of the film where he knows how to create suspense as it relates to the ghosts that Edith encounters. It’s mixture of terror and mystery definitely play into the home of the Sharpes where it is a home is surrounded by red mud that is covered in snow and a basement filled with more red mud. The direction would have del Toro create some unique images but also a sense of dread which doesn’t just relate to the Sharpes and their past but also what is happening to Edith. Once the mysteries relating to the Sharpes are unveiled, the film does take on a darker yet more dramatic tone where lots of conflicts would occur as it’s not just about love but also death. Overall, del Toro crafts a mesmerizing yet thrilling film about a young woman’s marriage to an aristocrat and her encounter with dark spirits in the new home she moves into.

Cinematographer Dan Laustsen does phenomenal work with the film‘s ravishing cinematography from its usage of candles to maintain an atmosphere in some of the interior scenes as well as the usage of sepia-drenched colors for many of the scenes set in Buffalo along with the usage of blue at the Sharpes‘ mansion. Editor Bernat Vilaplana does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of transition wipes as well as jump-cuts and other stylish cuts to play into its suspense and drama. Production designer Thomas E. Sanders, with art director Brandt Gordon and set decorators Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau, does amazing work with the set design from the home of Edith lived in Buffalo to the many rooms and exterior setting at the Sharpes‘ family home. Costume designer Kate Hawley does excellent work with the clothes from the clothes that the men wear to the gowns that the women wear including the very colorful yet eerie dresses that Lucille wears.

Special effects makeup artists Jason Detheridge, Nacho Diaz, and Neil Morrill do fantastic work with the look of the makeup of some of the gore that occurs in a few characters including the hairstyles that Edith and Lucille sport. Visual effects supervisor Dennis Berardi do excellent work with the visual effects from the design of the ghosts as it has this very eerie yet evocative look to them that is scary but also entrancing. Sound editor Dennis Leonard and sound designer Randy Thom do superb work with the sound in creating some unique sound effects for the ghosts as well as creating some mixing for some of the atmospheric textures for its suspenseful moments. The film’s music by Fernando Velazquez does remarkable work with the music as it is this lush orchestral music that plays into the drama and suspense which features a mixture of string arrangements and piano pieces while music supervisors Peter Afterman and Margaret Yen provide some classical music that Lucille would often play.

The casting by Robin D. Cook does wonderful work with the casting as it features some notable small roles from Leslie Hope as Dr. McMichael’s mother, Emily Coutts as Dr. McMichael’s sister, Burn Gorman as an inspector named Holly that Edith’s father hired to find out about the Sharpes, Sofia Wells as the young Edith, and as ghosts, Doug Jones and Javier Botet who both provide their physical selves for movements of the ghosts. Jim Beaver is excellent as Edith’s father Carter Cushing as a self-made man who is suspicious about the Sharpes’ as he is more concerned for Edith’s safety and happiness as it’s a very engaging performance from the veteran actor. Charlie Hunnam is fantastic as Dr. Alan McMichael as a childhood friend of Edith who knows a lot about bodies and such where he is also suspicious of the Sharpes’ where his investigation about them would have him come to England.

Jessica Chastain is incredible as Lucille Sharpe as this woman who is reluctant about having Edith in her family as it becomes clear that she doesn’t really like her as it’s a performance that is very dark and also quite scary at times where Chastain goes all out towards the film’s third act as it is definitely one of Chastain’s finest performances. Tom Hiddleston is brilliant as Thomas Sharpe as a baronet who falls for Edith as he brings her to England while hoping some of her financial connections could help him with his mining machine as it’s an ambiguous performance which has Hiddleston showing some conflict in his devotion towards Lucille and love for Edith. Finally, there’s Mia Wasikowska in an amazing performance as Edith Cushing as an aspiring writer who falls for the mysterious Thomas Sharpe where she moves into his home and encounter ghosts which only furthers her fascination with them while dealing with the darker aspects of her home as it’s one of Wasikowska’s finest performances.

Crimson Peak is a phenomenal film from Guillermo del Toro. Featuring a great cast, dazzling visuals, a sumptuous score, and an entrancing story. The film is a very unusual yet enthralling one from del Toro that doesn’t play into the conventions of horror while bending all sorts of genres to create something that is very different. In the end, Crimson Peak is a sensational film from Guillermo del Toro.

Guillermo del Toro Films: Cronos - Mimic/Mimic (Director's Cut) - The Devil's Backbone - Blade II - Hellboy - Pan's Labyrinth - Hellboy II: The Golden Army - Pacific Rim - The Shape of Water - The Auteurs #10: Guillermo del Toro

© thevoid99 2015

Interstellar

Directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan, Interstellar is the story of an engineer who takes part into an interstellar mission to find a habitable planet through wormholes in the hopes he can save humanity including the children he’s leaving behind. The film is an exploration into the world of outer space and the world beyond where a man joins a space crew to find salvation just as Earth is in ruins. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Casey Affleck, Wes Bentley, and Michael Caine. Interstellar is a grand yet exhilarating film from Christopher Nolan.

Set in a world where planet Earth is being destroyed by dustbowls and are forced to live on whatever agricultural resources they have, the film is about an engineer who is asked to go to outer space to find a habitable planets through a wormhole as he is forced to leave his children behind. Through this mission, Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) tries to find a world in the hopes to save humanity but things become complicated as time becomes sparse due to time dilation. Back on Earth, Cooper’s daughter Murph (Jessica Chastain) tries to finish a theory left behind by Professor Brand (Michael Caine) in the hope that her father comes back. It’s a film that plays into ideas of theory of relativity as well as a man trying to do whatever to save humanity and return home to his family.

The film’s screenplay by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan doesn’t just explore the concept of interstellar travel where time becomes very complex where an hour spent in a planet can actually take years on Earth or any part of the galaxy. It adds to the dramatic aspect of the story and Cooper’s desire to hoping to come home and make a difference as his absence made it hard for his daughter to deal with. Even as Murph as she gets older becomes resentful while wondering if there was any kind of hope to the mission at hand. There’s also a sense of desperation that occurs between Cooper and Brand’s daughter Amelia (Anne Hathaway) who is part of the mission as she is trying all she can to make sure they succeed but complications ensue where their encounters with a planet to retrieve data from previous missions begin to fall apart.

While the script does have a traditional structure where its first act is set on Earth as Cooper tries to uncover a series of mysterious messages he found with a younger Murph (Mackenzie Foy) that lead him to be contacted by Professor Brand. Yet, what Cooper is asked to do by Brand would be a hard decision to make as it would hurt him to leave Murph and his son Tom (Timothee Chalamet) as the film’s second act is about Cooper’s mission in space with Amelia and two other astronauts in Romilly (David Gyasi) and Doyle (Wes Bentley) where it takes them two years to travel from Earth to the wormhole near Saturn. Then comes this third act where it crisscross the narratives of both Cooper and the adult Murph where the latter tries to finish Brand’s theory as well as figure out the codes that she encountered as a child. Especially as they both have to deal with forces that would prevent a reunion between father and daughter from happening.

Christopher Nolan’s direction is definitely astonishing in terms of the visual scope that he presents. Shot in this 2:35:1 aspect ratio in 35mm film, which is also blown up for 70mm, as it has this grand look in terms of scale for the scenes not just set in outer space but also in some of the planets the characters are in. Some of it is shot in Iceland while scenes set on Earth are shot in Alberta, Canada as it plays into something that feels like a Midwest film that are shot very naturally while the scenes on these mysterious planets have something that feels very alien-like. The usage of wide shots with some crane cameras and other shooting styles add to the massive scope of the film that includes this sequence in these strange mountain-like locations where it adds to a sense of mystique about what might be out there.

Still, it is a film about a father and a daughter trying to reunite as the former is trying to find some kind of hope where it feels like a few years for him but it’s much longer than that on Earth. The complexity of the film’s narrative and sense of time is very prevalent which does add to some of the exposition that occurs on film though it does get overwhelming at times. Even in its third act where there is a sense of conventional drama that occurs as it does take away some of the unconventional aspects of the film that was working though there is a payoff that is satisfying which plays to the emotional crux of the film. Overall, Nolan creates a very rapturous yet evocative film about a man going to outer space to save his daughter and humanity in the hopes to find a new world.

Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the naturalistic look of the farmland locations in Canada to the array of lights and shading for much of the film‘s interior setting including the shots set in outer space. Editor Lee Smith does amazing work in creating some very straightforward cuts for the drama while going for unique rhythms in the space travels including the wormhole sequence along with some intense moments in the film. Production designer Nathan Crowley, with set decorator Gary Fettis and supervising art director Dean Wolcott, does excellent work with the design of the space ships Cooper and his team travel in as well as the robots they‘re accompanied with along with the NASA base that Professor Brand would work at.

Costume designer Mary Zophres does nice work with the costumes from the casual look of the characters on Earth to the design of the astronaut suits. Visual effects supervisor Paul Franklin does fantastic work with the visual effects for some of the scenes set in outer space to the movement of the robots plus some set-dressing for some of the planets. Sound editor Richard King does superb work with the sound to convey the sense of silence of exterior scenes in space as well as the sounds of rockets and some of the locations in its surroundings. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer is incredible for its mixture of soaring orchestral textures mixed in with minimalist electronic music to play into the sense of mystique that is prevalent in the film.

The casting by John Papisdera is phenomenal as it features some notable small roles from David Oyelowo as Murph’s school principal, William Devane as a NASA official, Matt Damon as a scientist who been part of an earlier mission, Topher Grace as a doctor friend of Murph, Leah Cairns as Tom’s wife, Liam Dickinson as Tom’s son Coop, Timothee Chalamet as the young Tom, and John Lithgow in a terrific role as Cooper’s father-in-law Donald who says some of the film’s funniest lines. Voice performances from Josh Stewart as CASE and Bill Irwin as TARS are excellent as they bring some soul to the machine as these robots that help the team in space with the latter being the most humorous. Casey Affleck is superb as Murph’s older brother Casey who also misses his father as he tries to cope with loss and saving the family farm.

Wes Bentley is wonderful as the geographer Doyle who tries to understand the wormholes and planets while David Gyasi is fantastic as the physicist Romilly who tries to understand the idea of space and time itself. Michael Caine is great as Professor Brand as a scientist who tries to prove a theory about how to save Earth as he copes with trying to do what is right as well as deal with the implications. In the roles of Murph, there’s Mackenzie Foy in a great performance as the young Murph who tries to cope with her father’s departure while Jessica Chastain is amazing as the older Murph as a woman filled with resentment as she tries to finish Professor Brand’s theory. In the brief role of the eldest Murph, Ellen Burstyn is brilliant in telling the story of what it was like in the dustbowl to explain the severity of the mission.

Anne Hathaway is incredible as Amelia Brand as a fellow astronaut who tries to keep things going while dealing with her own emotional baggage as tries to make sense of the stakes of the mission. Finally, there’s Matthew McConaughey in a magnificent performance as Cooper as this former pilot turned engineer who takes on a mission to space in the hopes that his family can survive beyond the dustbowl as he struggles with his own emotional baggage as well as the mission at hand.

Interstellar is a sensational film from Christopher Nolan. Armed with a great ensemble cast led by Matthew McConaughey as well as intriguing concepts about space, interstellar travel, and theories of relativity and time. It’s a film that is sci-fi at its most complex with some astonishing visuals that is backed up with a powerful story of a man trying to bring a future of hope for his children. In the end, Interstellar is a remarkable film from Christopher Nolan.

Christopher Nolan Films: Following - Memento - Insomnia - Batman Begins - The Prestige - The Dark Knight - Inception - The Dark Knight Rises - Dunkirk - The Auteurs #13: Christopher Nolan

© thevoid99 2014

Seduced and Abandoned (2013 film)

Written and directed by James Toback, Seduced and Abandoned is a documentary film in which Toback and Alec Baldwin explore the world of film financing as the two attend the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in their attempts to fund a remake of Last Tango in Paris that Toback will direct and Baldwin will star in. The film not only explores the difficulty of funding but also the way industry works as it features interviews from actors like Ryan Gosling, Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, and James Caan as well as filmmakers Martin Scorsese, Roman Polanski, and Bernardo Bertolucci. The result is a fascinating yet sobering film about the difficulty of getting finance for a film.

The world of film financing in the early 21st Century is far more different than the period in the 1960s through the 1980s as filmmaker James Toback and Alec Baldwin decide to document their journey to secure funding for a modern-day remake of Last Tango in Paris that Baldwin will star in with Neve Campbell. Baldwin and Toback travel to the Cannes Film Festival where they talk to producers and such about getting $25 million for this project as it would turn out to be very difficult. Filmmakers such as Roman Polanski, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Bernardo Bertolucci reveal not just the difficulty of getting their films made but also the bullshit in what they have to do to get the money being made.

With the Cannes Film Festival as a backdrop where it is considered a place that celebrates cinema. There’s this other side of the festival where it’s an industry where Toback and Baldwin try to figure out what these financers want as some of their requests and suggestions have some valid ideas but some of it proves to be very difficult. It’s all about selling the film as Neve Campbell’s name doesn’t draw money as Jessica Chastain and Ryan Gosling are also interviewed for the film as they were names suggested to Toback. Though Chastain and Gosling are names that can draw some attention, they’re still actors who understand the process as they were also interested in Toback’s project along with Diane Kruger. Berenice Bejo reveals how different the industry in France is where it’s more about the film than the name as Bejo’s name was even mentioned to a producer who has no clue who she is despite being in The Artist.

With the help of cinematographer Ruben Sluitjer and sound mixers Philippe Goubert and Kevin Pate, Toback creates something that is loose and free-flowing while using a lot of humor into the film. Even as he opens a quote from Orson Welles where he says that 95% of making the film is getting financing and the other 5% is actually making the film in shooting and editing. Editor Aaron Yanes brings in a unique approach to the editing with not just elements of style but also incorporating clips of some classic films but also pictures to play into the festival’s history but also how much things have changed from the 1960s to now. The music in the film is mostly classical as well as pieces from other films as Toback would also use it for humor where he would meet other financers and producers including Taki Theodoracopulos who talks about the hesitation about funding a film.

Seduced and Abandoned is a superb film from James Toback about the world of film financing. The film is a must-see for film buffs and aspiring filmmakers about that world as well as the difficulty of getting people to be part of that film. Even as it’s set in a world that celebrates cinema like the Cannes Film Festival as it showcases a world where the industry and the films themselves converge. In the end, Seduced and Abandoned is an extraordinary film from James Toback.

James Toback Films: (Fingers) - (Love and Money) - (Exposed) - (The Pick-Up Artist) - (Two Girls and a Guy) - (Black and White) - (Harvard Man) - (When Will I Be Loved) - (Tyson)

© thevoid99 2014

Zero Dark Thirty

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty is the story about a CIA officer who goes on a long search for Osama Bin Laden as it takes many years until he is finally captured. The film is an exploration into one of the great manhunts in American history and what it took to finally bring down the man who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks. Starring Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Edgar Ramirez, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, and James Gandolfini. Zero Dark Thirty is a haunting yet gripping film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is essentially the story about one of the greatest manhunts in American history concerning Osama Bin Laden as it the story spans eight years into the search for the man who orchestrated the attacks on 9/11. Leading the pack is a CIA officer named Maya (Jessica Chastain) as she arrives to Pakistan in 2003 where she witness interrogation tortures and all sorts of things while being part of a team trying to find out where Bin Laden is. Through some trials and tribulations where she sees people come and go. Maya becomes intent on finding Bin Laden after a prisoner she interrogates reveals information about a courier. It is through this courier known as Abu Ahmed where Maya believes that he is the link to finding Bin Laden where it would take some guess work and determination to finally find and kill Bin Laden.

Mark Boal’s screenplay doesn’t play to a lot of conventions in terms of what is expected in a thriller with some action as a lot of the story takes place inside embassies, interrogation rooms, and military bases. While the story does take place largely from 2003 to the night Bin Laden was finally killed in May of 2011, the narrative does jump from one year to another to establish the long work it took for Maya and many to find Bin Laden. Even as the narrative plays to key moments in history such as the London bombing in 2005, the Islamabad Marriot Hotel bombing in 2008 that Maya and her friend Jessica (Jennifer Ehle) survived, and the 2009 Camp Chapman attack.

These events as well as the departure of friends and colleagues would eventually drive the very timid and naïve Maya into a determined woman who is willing to do whatever it takes to find Bin Laden and have him killed. While she does become a target where she survives a shooting in Pakistan, she doesn’t give up easily as she becomes obsessed with finding the courier. While her determination does have those questioning whether they’ll find something or just feel like they’re wasting their time. After the first two acts approached the narrative slowly where it does like they’re not going anywhere due to false information and such. It’s the film’s third act that becomes the payoff as it’s momentum is heightened as it leads to the film’s climatic moment where a group of Navy SEALs raid Bin Laden’s compound.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way she explores a world where it is about what is happening behind the scenes where a group of American officials are trying to find out where Bin Laden is. Notably as she maintains an air of intimacy in many of the scenes that take place in the board room while it’s also tense at times due to the fact that information is unveiled or something bad is happening. While part of the film does take place in embassies and buildings where Bigelow always have a camera moving around whenever characters are walking. She always stop to create some fantastic images that includes a scene where the American embassy in Pakistan is surrounded by protestors as officials watch from the inside.

With a few second unit shots around parts of the Middle East including Kuwait, many of the film’s exteriors were shot in India including its deserts in order to not gain issues from shooting on actual locations. Yet, it does manage to present a world that doesn’t seem to enjoy the idea of Americans prying into their world. There’s some intense action scenes involving a few bombings where Bigelow knows how to stage something that is intense while the torture scenes reveal how graphic things are without going over the top. One part of the film that is really interesting is the way Bigelow opens the film where it’s just a blank screen where audio recordings of the 9/11 attacks are happening to establish why people were intent on this manhunt for Bin Laden.

For the film’s climatic raid that would unveil the death of Bin Laden, the action is definitely gripping from the use of night vision footage and hand-held cameras without being overly shaky. There’s definitely an element of suspense and terror over the fact that anything could go wrong as the soldiers themselves act very cautiously. Notably as they don’t want to kill innocent people while a few outside of the compound are aware that neighbors are looking at them. It is truly a moment in film that is just entrancing due to what will happen and its result. Overall, Bigelow creates a provocative yet captivating film about the greatest manhunt in American history.

Cinematographer Greig Fraser does brilliant work with the film‘s photography from the sunny look of some of the film‘s exteriors and interior settings to the more stylish array of lights for scenes at night including a key moment at Area 51. Editors William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor do incredible work with the editing by employing lots of methodical cuts for some of the film‘s suspense along with a few montages to display moments of news and such in some of the more chilling moments. Production designer Jeremy Hindle, along with supervising art director Rod McLean and set decorators Lisa Chugg and Onkar Khot, does amazing work with the design of the embassies and its offices to the look of the military camps.

Costume designer George L. Little does nice work with the costumes as a lot of it is casual though the officials wear suits as well as veils for the women. Visual effects supervisors Chris Harvey and Mike Uguccioni do terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects that includes the film‘s climatic raid involving the helicopters riding over the mountains. Sound designer Paul N.J. Ottosson does excellent work with the sound from the film‘s opening moments through the layers of mixing of phone taps and other intimate moments as well as the action scenes. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is superb for its low-key yet ominous orchestral score to play up the suspense and drama that occurs throughout the film while incorporating Middle Eastern music to help establish the world the characters are living in.

The casting by Mark Bennett, Richard Hicks, and Gail Stevens is fantastic for the ensemble that is created specifically for this film. In small but memorable roles, there’s Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Frank Grillo, and Taylor Kinney as the Navy SEALs who hunt down Bin Laden, Reda Kateb as a man interrogated and tortured early in the film, Fares Fares as an Arabian CIA specialist who helps track down the courier, Edgar Ramirez as a CIA specialist operator who goes on the look out for the courier in Pakistan, Harold Perrineau as a CIA official Maya works with, and James Gandolfini in a small but amazing performance as then-CIA director Leon Panetta. Kyle Chandler is excellent as Islamabad CIA chief Joseph Bradley while Mark Strong is great as CIA official George who is furious over the lack of progress.

Jennifer Ehle is amazing as Maya’s colleague Jessica who helps Maya with finding out the mysteries while being her friend as they go out together. Jason Clarke is superb as the CIA officer Dan who specializes in tortures while helping Maya out in her search as he would do unconventional things to get information. Finally, there’s Jessica Chastain in an outstanding performance as CIA officer Maya. Chastain’s performance is truly eerie to watch as a woman who starts out as this CIA officer who is new to her job as she later becomes determined and obsessed with capturing Bin Laden where she is willing to display her confidence in the belief that he is there somewhere as it’s definitely one of the year’s best performances.

Zero Dark Thirty is a magnificent yet chilling film from Kathryn Bigelow that features an incredible performance from Jessica Chastain. Armed with Mark Boal’s eerie script and a strong supporting cast that includes Jason Clarke, Jennifer Ehle, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, and James Gandolfini. The film is definitely an intriguing dramatization into what it took to find Osama Bin Laden. While it’s not an easy film to watch at times due to its unconventional structure and slow build-up. It is still a film that is compelling for the way it reveals how one person was willing to find one of the most wanted men around the world. In the end, Zero Dark Thirty is a tremendous film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2013

Take Shelter

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter is the story about a man who has an apocalyptic dream as he struggles to create a shelter. With his obsession becoming more intense, his relationship with his family becomes strained as he is convinced that something bad will happen. Starring Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Tova Stewart, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon, Ray McKinnon, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Kathy Baker. Take Shelter is a chilling thriller from Jeff Nichols.

Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) is a respected laborer who has a loving wife in Samantha (Jessica Chastain) and a lovely yet deaf daughter Hannah (Tova Stewart) as they live happily in Texas. Then Curtis starts to have strange nightmares that revolves around an apocalyptic storm that is to wreak havoc. While Curtis is unsure about the dreams he’s having as it felt very real to him, he chooses not to tell his wife as they’re on the verge of having money for surgery for their daughter’s chance to hear. After the dreams intensify and he tells a doctor about it, he reluctantly takes pills only to realize that he’s starting to see things that might actually be happening.

While he suspects that he might be suffering from schizophrenia due to the fact that his mother (Kathy Baker) has been hospitalized for it. Curtis suddenly becomes paranoid as he decides to fix up and expand a tornado shelter in his backyard. While his friend and co-worker Dewart (Shea Whigham) reluctantly help out, Samantha wonders what is going on as she finds herself asking questions about Curtis’ behavior. Curtis finally tells Samantha about his nightmares following a health scare as well as revealing that he’s taken a loan to build his shelter. With his dreams becoming more ominous, Curtis’ paranoia starts to affect everyone as the whole town is convinced that Curtis has gone crazy. Curtis wonders if he is going crazy until a dream has him convinced that a storm is definitely coming.

The film is about a man’s belief that his apocalyptic nightmares are coming true as he starts to question his own sanity and the decisions that he’s making. Throughout the film, Curtis LaForche ponders if he is imagining all of this or does he really think it’s happening as a visit to see his mother would only raise more questions about his state of mind. Jeff Nichols creates a film that is part-apocalyptic thriller and part-family drama as it all centers towards a family man who is desperate to create a shelter for his family. His script dwells into this man’s paranoia that starts off with a nightmare and then shifts back into his real life as he would later have trouble deciphering in what is real and what is a dream. Curtis would question his own state of mind but couldn’t escape what he feels as his wife would start to believe that he might be telling the truth despite her own initial feelings and confusions about what her husband believes.

Nichols’ direction is truly hypnotic from start to finish in the way he opens the film with a man doing household activities outside where it starts to rain but water color is very different. Nichols creates something where it starts off as this intimate drama set nearby Austin, Texas that follows a man being a laborer who is competent and friendly while his wife sells her own handmade clothing in fair markets. Nichols does change that calm, happy tone for a darker one by creating lots of sequences involving rain and storms to play up Curtis’ state of paranoia as the film becomes a thriller but an unconventional one due to the dramatic material in the film. Nichols also creates amazing wide shots and eerie camera movements to play up the suspense as it leads to this big moment when the storm might actually happen. The result is a truly engrossing yet exhilarating film from Jeff Nichols.

Cinematographer Adam Stone does a brilliant job with the film‘s stylish yet gorgeous photography from the sunny look of the Austin suburbs to the haunting exteriors of the rain and lightning scenes plus some eerie interior shots including one in the actual shelter that Curtis has built. Editor Parke Gregg does an excellent job with the editing to help create suspense in the dream sequences as well as play up the paranoia that surrounds Curtis. Production designer Chad Keith, along with set decorator Adam Willis and art director Jennifer Kilde, does fantastic work with the set pieces created from the home of the LaForches to the shelter that he builds.

Costume designer Karen Malecki does a very good job with the clothes as a lot of it is very casual to what people would wear in Texas, that is cowboy clothing. Visual effects supervisor Chris Wells does a superb job with visual effects that is created such as the lightning and the horde of flying birds that Curtis sees. Sound designers Joshua Chase, Will Files, and Lyman Hardy do great work with the sound work to help play up the suspense and intimate locations that occurs such as Curtis’ big blow-up at a restaurant. The film’s score by David Wingo is wonderful for its melodic-driven pieces in the piano and guitars along with heavy orchestral pieces to play up the drama and suspense that occurs in the film.

The casting by Lillian Pyles is terrific for the ensemble that is created as it includes noteworthy appearances from Lisa Gay Hamilton as a counselor Curtis meets, Ray McKinnon as Curtis’ older brother Kyle, Katy Mixon as Samantha’s friend Nat, Heather Caldwell as Hannah’s teacher, Scott Knisley as Curtis’ doctor, and Robert Longstreet as Curtis’ boss. Tova Stewart is excellent as Curtis’ deaf daughter Hannah for the way she is silent throughout the film while Shea Whigham is wonderful as Curtis’ best friend/co-worker Dewart who is confused by Curtis’ actions and the decisions that Curtis would make later in the film. Kathy Baker is superb in her one scene performance as Curtis’ mentally-ill mother who reveals her own recollections of her breakdown that would question Curtis’ state of mind.

Jessica Chastain is radiant as Curtis’ wife Samantha who is baffled by her husband’s irrational thinking as well as the fact that she’s been kept in the dark. It’s a very captivating performance from the actress as she has a lot to do while showing her frustrations and sadness in the way she has to deal with her husband and how she tries to ground him. Finally, there’s Michael Shannon in an outstanding performance as Curtis LaForche. Shannon brings a manic sense of fear to his role as a man seemingly lost in his paranoia while he also shows a sense of warmth in low-key scenes where he’s just a loving father and husband. Yet, there’s also a calmness to the way Shannon brings out the craziness of his character as it’s definitely one of his best performances of his career.

Take Shelter is a tremendous yet haunting film from Jeff Nichols that features magnificent performances from Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. The film is definitely powerful for the way it uses suspense to capture a man’s descent into madness though he could be telling the truth. The film also serves as a real breakthrough for Jeff Nichols who is definitely one of the new voices working in American cinema. In the end, Take Shelter is a marvelous yet suspenseful film from Jeff Nichols.

Jeff Nichols Films: Shotgun Stories - Mud - Midnight Special - Loving (2016 film) - The Auteurs #58: Jeff Nichols

© thevoid99 2011

The Tree of Life

Though he had only had made four films from 1973 to 2005, Terrence Malick remains one of the most influential and revered filmmakers of American cinema. With everyone such as Wong Kar-Wai, Sofia Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, David Gordon Green, and many others cite him as an influential figure in films. He’s also someone that actors would want to work with no matter what the film is about or if they’ll even be in the final cut. Yet, he remains one of the most enigmatic directors in cinema with many wondering about his work process and why he cuts his films to the last minute. Especially for the fact that he doesn’t give any interviews nor does any publicity relating to his projects.

For years since the release of his second film Days of Heaven in 1978, the cult of Malick has grown among film buffs, aspiring filmmakers, and actors. The release of 1998’s The Thin Red Line helped Malick reach a new generation of film buffs as it would lead to a re-discovery of his work including his 1973 debut film Badlands. The release of 2005’s The New World was met with high anticipation among film buffs as some wondered what Malick would do next if was to make another film. In 2007, rumors emerged that Malick was in preparation of a new project and the big surprise was what the project is.

Back in 1978 after the completion of Days of Heaven, Malick was developing a project for Paramount that was entitled Q. A film that was to center around the origins of life on Earth which was to feature dinosaurs as part of a prologue. The project was supposed to be Malick’s follow-up as it reached the pre-production stages. Instead, the project fell apart as Malick would go on a 20-year sabbatical from the world of filmmaking. Following the release of The New World and the enthusiasm Malick has received from his cult following along with fellow filmmakers. Malick went ahead to revive Q into a much more personal project that is entitled The Tree of Life.

Written and directed by Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life tells the story of a young boy growing up in American Midwest in the 1950s as he later becomes a lost soul as an adult in the modern world. The film recalls all of the visual imagery and poetic voice-over narration of all of Malick’s films in the past. Even as it questions the way the world works as the boy in the film is torn by his parents’ dueling ideologies that would lead to the loss of innocence that would haunt him years later as a man. Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Fiona Shaw, Irene Bedard, and introducing Hunter McCracken. The Tree of Life is a majestic and exhilarating piece of art from Terrence Malick.

It’s the 1950s as a married couple in Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain, respectively) live in a quiet, peaceful environment in Waco, Texas. They would gain three sons in Jack (Hunter McCracken), R.L. (Laramie Eppler), and Steve (Tye Sheridan) as Mr. O’Brien runs a nearby plant while creating patents that he hopes would make him rich. During this period of growing up, the boys would learn the ways of life as their mother offers grace and peace while their father reveals that being good isn’t enough as they had to fight to get what they want. For Jack, the dueling ideologies his parents offer would impact his life during the year.

Following the death of a boy (Tyler Thomas), Jack’s view of the world changes as he would harbor his father’s view of the world as he intrigued by a young girl from his school and a woman who lives around his neighborhood. Angered by his father’s strict ways and at his mother’s refusal to stand up to him, he begins to defy his parents while becoming more confused by God himself. Following a big change for the family, tragedy happens as it would impact the O’Briens immensely. Even as Jack (Sean Penn) in his adult life feels lost in the modern world trying to find answers.

The years when a child grows up to understand the world from what he knew then and what he would know later on is a crucial period in that person’s life. Yet, it would also be the moment where a child not just loses his innocence but also begins to question about the wonders of the world. What Terrence Malick creates is something much broader than just a boy’s loss of innocence but also in how tragedy impacts a boy’s life into his journey as a man lost in a world he couldn’t relate to. Even as he tries to wrestle between his mother’s sense of grace and mercy and his father’s idea of fierce will.

The film doesn’t actually begin with this narrative about the O’Briens but opens with a couple of quotes from the Book of Job (Ch. 38-4 & 7). The story of Job would also appear in a scene where the O’Briens attend church as it reminds audience about God’s will where he gives and then takes. This leads to a brief montage of images relating to death and the tragedy the O’Briens would eventually face throughout the film. Then it leads to a marvelous sequence of images including outer space, volcanoes, and dinosaurs that revolves around Earth’s evolution. Many will question what does these scene have to do with the main narrative. Well, it doesn’t have to do anything with the main narrative but anyone that goes to the Book of Job quote will think it’s all part of something much bigger.

The main narrative of the O’Briens’ family life and Jack’s evolution in his age of 11 definitely has something audiences can relate to. In many ways, the film is a coming of age story but also a film about innocence lost that is taken to a grander scale. While a lot of the ideas about a man reflecting on his childhood has a premise that is similar to Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1975 film The Mirror. The difference between this and Tarkovsky’s film is that Malick brings in more questions and has tighter structure to his story along with a more central focus on its characters. Notably Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien and Jack as they each have voice-overs questioning their existence and the ways of the world.

Malick’s script, or lack thereof, does allow the audience to get to know the family. While R.L. and Steve don’t get much coverage, their observance into the behavior of the film would impact young Jack as he is torn between his parents’ dueling ideology. In turn, Malick lets the audience see the young Jack be confused and frustrated with this new outlook on life as he vents his anger on God and his parents. Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien both represent different sides as Mr. O’Brien is a stern disciplinarian trying to prepare his sons for a harsh world with Mrs. O’Brien as this gentle, angelic woman who lets them wander. Both are flawed and aware of it as they would duke it out once in a while. Yet, they’re human and what is expected in parents as it is clear that kids would become their parents in some form as they struggle to find some acceptance right in the end.

Malick’s direction definitely has him taking this simple story of a family in 1950s Texas into a much larger scale. While Malick maintains an intimacy and a free-flowing style of direction by allowing the camera to follow the family. Taking use of various shooting styles whether its hand-held, tracking shots, steadicams, and crane shots to capture this simple world of a family’s house and following a young boy’s growth away from childhood. Malick brings a naturalistic yet impressionist view of this family’s life as it’s shot largely on location in Smithville, Texas with other towns and cities in that state. The potency of Malick’s direction is mystifying in his scenes of the modern world where the shots of skyscrapers from above or on ground help exemplify the adult Jack’s sense of alienation.

While some of the scenes in the film’s main narrative features shots inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky including a scene where Mrs. O’Brien levitates that is a reference to The Mirror. Many of the film’s scenes involving the creation of Earth and its landscapes including wavering light that appears throughout the film will get some viewers to think of Stanley Kubrick. There is a Kubrickian element to many of the creation scenes as its mixture of computer visual effects, old-school visual effects, and naturalistic camera work that is partially supervised by Douglas Trumbull, the man who did some of the visual effects work for 2001: A Space Odyssey. These scenes of Earth’s creation along with these marvelous images of nature are truly some of the greatest sequences ever made as Malick takes it to new heights.

The overall direction that Malick creates is astounding as he creates a film that is truly one-of-a-kind. It raises many questions about spirituality, humanity, existence, and a whole lot more while not giving any answers. At times, the film meanders which will be frustrating to watch at times. Yet, that is typical of Malick who takes his time with the pacing so that audiences can figure out a time period where things were much simpler and slower. The scenes near the end of the film does raise much broader questions about death and the afterlife as Malick creates something that goes beyond the language of film. What Malick does overall as an auteur is create something in a large scale that challenges its audience but doesn’t overwhelm them with any kind of message. With this films, Malick truly takes his place as one of the greatest artists working today.

Helming the film’s cinematography is Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki who previously worked with Malick on The New World. Chivo’s photography is truly marvelous to watch in the way he creates a naturalistic look to the film as it is exquisite in every frame captured on film. For many of the scenes in Smithville, Chivo creates something that is beautiful but also has a flair of nostalgia while the scenes in the cities are vast in its imagery. With additional photography by Ellen Kuras and Benoit Delhomme for small shots in New York and France, respectively, Chivo’s camera work is truly out of this world as he creates what is certainly his best camera work of his career.

Editors Billy Weber, Hank Corwin, Daniel Rezende, Jay Rabinowitz, and Mark Yoshikawa do a fantastic job with the editing of the film. Weber, a longtime Malick associate, states that when editing a film for Malick, editing everyone else’s films are easy as it’s clear that a lot of work went into the cutting of the film. While the film has the typical pacing approach of all of Malick’s other films, the editing has more flair to its approach. Even in the creation sequence as there’s speedy cuts and half-frame speeds to complement Earth’s evolution while the rest of it is mostly straightforward with elements of style in some parts of the film.

Longtime Malick collaborator in production designer Jack Fisk, along with set decorator Jeanette Scott and art director David Crank, does a phenomenal job with the look of the O‘Briens home as well as the look of 1950s Waco, Texas. Fisk and his team create something that is magical of a simpler time while the home of the O’Briens along with its tree and backyard is presented with great detail of a typical 1950s suburban home. It is truly a joy to look as Fisk and company bring life to the world of 1950s Texas. Costume designer Jacqueline West does an excellent job with the costumes from the suits that the men and boys wear to the dresses that Mrs. O’Brien wears as it has a distinct, 1950s look that truly plays to that era.

Visual effects supervisor Dan Glass and legendary visual effects consultant Douglas Trumbull do a spectacular job with the visual effects sequences made for the Creation sequence. A mixture of old-school 1960s visual effects style along with computer-created visual effects, it is truly beyond description from the look of outer-space and planets that has something that looks like it was made in 3-D without the 3-D effects that is seen in a lot films. Even the dinosaurs has a look that might seem a little sketchy but a closer look allows to see the beauty of it. The overall visual effects work is truly out of this world and really sets a benchmark of what could be done in terms of a film like this.

Sound designers Craig Berkey and Erik Aadahl do an amazing job with the sound work from the naturalistic atmosphere of the scenes in Smithville to the little towns and places nearby. Even with the voice-overs as it brings an ethereal quality to what is happening. For the Creation of Earth sequence, the sound is more forceful and lifelike to describe the way Earth is created as the overall work is masterful.

The film’s music soundtrack that is supervised by Roanna Gillespie is truly another highlight of the film with its array of classical and operatic pieces to the original score from Alexandre Desplat. While Desplat’s score is used sparesly throughout the film with its soft piano peaces and eerie orchestral arrangements. Desplat is able to play up the mixture of joy and anger in the characters and scenes as it features some of his best work as a composer.

The rest of the film’s soundtrack features a variety of pieces ranging from church hymns to the works of composers like Gustav Mahler, Arsenjie Jovanovic, Michael Baird, Klaus Wiese, Henryk Gorecki, Francois Couperin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and many others. The two pieces that play throughout the film are Bedrich Smetana’s Vltava (The Moldau), in the main narrative, and Zbigniew Preisner’s Lacrimosa 2 for the Creation sequence. The overall film score and soundtrack is truly one of best collection of music ever assembled for a film like this.

The casting by Francine Maisler and Vicky Boone is amazing for the discovery of actors that appear in the film. In small film roles, the cast features appearances from Will Wallace as an associate of Jack‘s work as an architect, Jessica Fuselier as a mystical guide, Irene Bedard as a spiritual messenger, Joanna Going as Jack’s wife, Tyler Thomas as the boy Jack sees drown, Kelly Koone as the local preacher in church, and Fiona Shaw in a small but memorable appearance as Jack’s grandmother. Other notable small roles in the younger versions of Jack are played by Finnegan Williams and Michael Koeth in the respective ages of 2 and 5 along with John Howell as the two-year old R.L. Sean Penn is great in a small but understated performance as the adult Jack who is more confused and haunted by his own life as well as the tragedy he’s dealing with.

Laramie Eppler and Tye Sheridan are excellent in their small but memorable roles as R.L. and Steve, respectively. Eppler and Sheridan bring a joyful yet naturalistic quality to their performance with Eppler as the middle-child with a talent to play guitar and Sheridan as the youngest who is amazed by his brothers. Brad Pitt is superb in the complex role of Mr. O’Brien, a tough man who loves his family but is desperate to succeed so he can give them a great life. Yet, Pitt displays a man who tries to show his boys the harsh idea of the world as he makes Mr. O’Brien into a flawed man who has good intentions but knows that he can be wrong as well.

Jessica Chastain is brilliant in the angelic role of Mrs. O’Brien. Displaying grace and radiance into a character that is so pure but also human for the way she deals with grief. It’s a real breakthrough performance for the actress as she brings a quality that is unlike anything out there in film as it’s a truly engaging yet ethereal performance from the young actress. Finally, there’s Hunter McCracken in an outstanding performance as the young Jack. McCracken displays a performance that is very realistic and complex about an 11-year old boy coming-of-age where he begins to asks big questions and ponder about the world and his parents. It’s really a performance that is up to par with other break-out performances in Malick’s previous films such as Sissy Spacek’s Holly in Badlands, Linda Manz’s Linda in Days of Heaven, Jim Caviezel’s Private Witt in The Thin Red Line, and Q’orianka Kilcher’s Pocahontas in The New World. It is truly an amazing debut for the young actor.

To say a film like The Tree of Life is a masterpiece or a one-of-a-kind film kind of understates the power it has. It is much more than that as the experience of watching a film like this in a cinema is beyond anything to describe. It’s not a film for everyone which isn’t surprising with all of Terrence Malick’s films. Yet, it does have something that audiences will reach back to in their own lives and recall their own childhood. It’s a film that also allows anyone who is religious or anti-religious to question about God and his will whether they believe it or not. A religious audience might be baffled by its complexity and lack of message that is often prevalent in Christian-based films.

The Tree of Life is truly a film that will polarize people and even at first viewing, it is difficult to comprehend and understand. Yet, it has images and themes that are truly inescapable and allows that person to understand maybe themselves or the world itself. There aren’t many pictures like this and probably never will be in many years as Terrence Malick created something that goes beyond the idea of what cinema and art is and can be. The Tree of Life is without a doubt, a film like nothing else that has come before or since then. While it may not be as good as Malick’s other films like Days of Heaven or The Thin Red Line in terms of conventional storytelling. It is a testament that Malick is currently among the greats in either film or art. The Tree of Life is definitely a beautiful yet mesmerizing film from Terrence Malick.

Terrence Malick Films: Badlands - Days of Heaven - The Thin Red Line - The New World - To the Wonder - Knight of Cups - (Weightless) - (The Voyage of Time)

© thevoid99 2011