Set in the early 20th Century following World War I, the film revolves around a man who moves with his rich uncle as he meets an Osage woman, whose family owns land with oil, whom he would marry in an attempt to get her money in a scheme with his uncle to get all of the oil and the money. It is a film with a simple plot yet the story itself that is based on a real life event in American history that isn’t talked about very much plays into this world of greed, corruption, deceit, and violence. The film’s screenplay by Martin Scorsese and Eric Roth is largely straightforward in its narrative as it explores how the Osage Nation in Oklahoma in the early 20th Century discovered oil in their land and how they got rich from it. Yet, it also reveals that they would be accompanied by court-appointed white guardians who would look after their money with one of them being William King Hale (Robert de Niro) who is rich himself as he owns a cattle ranch as he is also close with his neighbor in the oil land owner Henry Roan (William Belleau).
Hale is a man who acts as a benefactor to the Osage as well as speak their language as a way to be their friend only to be someone who masterminds everything including killings to ensure that he would get all of their oil and the money from the oil. When his nephew Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives to move in with Hale after serving as an infantryman in World War I. Burkhart is given a job to steal from the Osage with his brother Byron (Scott Shepherd) while also working as a cab driver where he meets and falls for Mollie (Lily Gladstone) whose family owns oil headrights that would keep them rich. Burkhart is someone that wants to have a good life as well as money but he becomes a pawn in his uncle’s schemes as well as putting himself into awful situations that would make things worse. Even as he tries to keep Mollie in the dark yet she would deal with tragedy as her three sisters become targets as well as her mother while becomes mysteriously ill.
It all plays into this sense of intrigue where Mollie hires a private investigator in William J. Burns (Gary Basaraba) who leaves after an incident with a couple of thugs while a white oilman in Barney McBride (Brent Langdon) offered to help the Osage by traveling to Washington D.C. only to not return. Even as things become more violent with Hale getting Burkhart to commit more crimes as the first act is about Burkhart meeting Mollie and marrying her with the second act being the severity of the violence. The film’s third act revolves around the arrival of Thomas Bruce White Sr. (Jesse Plemons) who is an agent for an early version of the FBI after Mollie’s visit to Washington D.C. where Hale finds himself being targeted as does Burkhart who becomes consumed with guilt over his actions.
Scorsese’s direction is mesmerizing in not just the overall presentation of a period in time that saw a lot of prosperity but also a look into the ugliness that played into the events of this real-life incident that many didn’t want to talk about in relation to American history. Shot on location in Oklahoma including areas in Osage and Washington County with Fairfax, Pawhuska, and Bartlesville being main locations for much of the film as the small towns and landscape are key characters in the film. Scorsese opens the film with a ceremony in which an Osage tribe bury a peace pipe as an act of the end of an old tradition as their land would then shoot oil from the ground marking the beginning of a new era. An era that would put the Osage right into the 20th Century wearing more expensive clothing with their tribal blankets as well as live in nice houses while also wanting to maintain a sense of identity and tradition. Even as Scorsese has actors speak in both English and the Osage language with the latter spoken quite frequently.
Scorsese’s usage of wide and medium shots add to the scope of the film as it does play like an epic set in this land where oil is a plenty but there are those that want it by any means necessary. Scorsese doesn’t shy away from the brutality and horror of the violence such as a house being blown up or these wide shots of people being shot as Scorsese showcases a dark reality that many don’t want to talk about. Even as the close-ups also add to the horror with some in the Osage getting a look at something knowing that death is coming. Scorsese’s direction also uses old film stock to recreate some newsreel footage as well as gain some old newsreel such as a clip of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 as it adds fear to the Osage community as the killings become more prevalent. Even as Burkhart is someone who helped engineer these killings and events where he eventually becomes ridden with guilt and shame as he learned the severity of his actions. The events would force Mollie to take action of her own despite severely ill through the medicine she’s been given to combat her diabetes leading to its third act.
The violence does get tone down a bit in the third act where Scorsese’s direction becomes more precise and also chilling in its compositions where he would have shots linger for a bit including the trial scenes. There are also these eerie moments as it plays into not just what Hale has done but also the lengths into what he forced Burkhart to do who finds himself caught in the middle of this chaos. The film’s penultimate scene is told in an unconventional fashion as it relates into the fates of these characters but also into why the Osage murders had almost been forgotten about in American history. Scorsese appears in the scene as it is sort of this moment where the fourth wall is broken as it showcases not just the sense of shame over what had happened but also how past events shouldn’t be forgotten. Overall, Scorsese crafts a viscerally discomforting yet ravishing film about a man who marries an Osage woman in the hope of getting her oil headrights where he would serve as a pawn for his devious uncle.
Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of natural light and heightened colors in some of the daytime interior scenes along with some unique lighting for scenes at night including some scenes involving fire as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does brilliant work with the editing as her usage of rhythmic cuts and jump-cuts help play into the suspense and drama along with a few montages that play into some flashbacks and scenes where it adds to the sense of urgency and terror that looms throughout the film. Production designer Jack Fisk, with set decorator Adam Willis and supervising art directors Michael Diner, Matthew Gatlin, and Meghan McClure, does amazing work with the creation of the sets such as the interiors of the Hale estate as well as the home that Burkhart and Mollie lived in along with a pool hall where Hale and Burkhart would sometimes socialize as it is a highlight of the film. Costume designer Jacqueline West does excellent work with the period costumes from that time including the design of some of the blankets and tribal headgear some of the Osage leaders wear as well as the cowboy hats that some of the men wear including Burkhart and White.
Hair department head Kay Georgiou and makeup department head Thomas Nellen do fantastic work in maintaining a look and hairstyle for the characters to play into the period as well as maintain something simple in those looks. Visual effects supervisors Sam Bassett, Pablo Helman, and Andrew Roberts do terrific work with the visual effects for oil gushing scene early in the film as well as a few other scenes as set dressing. Sound editors Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton do superb work with the sound in the way oil machines sound from afar and up close as well as the way gunfire sounds and other naturalistic sounds that occur throughout the film. The film’s music by Robbie Robertson is phenomenal with its mixture of blues, folk, traditional Native American percussion and woodwinds, and country to play into the period of the time with themes that are unsettling and grimy in its presentation while music supervisor Randall Poster cultivates a soundtrack that features a lot of traditional music with contributions from David Mansfield, Rayna Gellert, Keiran Kane, Philip Jamison, Vince Giordano with the Nighthawks, Adam Nielsen, Adam Stein, and the Osage Tribal Singers who sing an original song for the film for its ending.
The casting by Ellen Lewis is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Martin Scorsese as a radio drama producer in the film’s penultimate scene as well as Jack White and Larry Fessenden as a couple of radio drama actors Vince Giordano as a radio drama band leader, Katherine Willis as Burkhart’s aunt Myrtle, Barry Corbin as the local undertaker Turton, the quartet of Larry Sellers, Everett Walker, Talee Redcorn, and Yancey Red Corn as the Osage tribal leaders with Sellers and Redcorn also playing medicine men, Elden Hensen as a Burkhart cousin, Brent Langdon as the white oilman Barney McBride who volunteers to help the Osage in their cause by traveling to Washington D.C. only to somehow never return, Michael Abbott Jr. and Charles Musselwhite as a couple of FBI agents, Tatanka Means as a Native American undercover FBI agent, Pete Yorn as a reclusive explosive expert in Acie Kirby, and Scott Shepherd as Burkhart’s younger brother Byron who often goes along with what his uncle asks him to do.
Other notable small roles include Gary Basaraba as the renowned private investigator Burns who arrives late in the first act only to get into some serious trouble, the quartet of Ty Mitchell, Sturgill Simpson, Tommy Schultz, and Louis Cancelmi in their respective roles as John Ramsey, Henry Grammer, Blackie Thompson, and Kelsie Morrison as accomplices of Hale and Burkhart who help them out in some of the violent acts as they would also either get caught or killed, William Belleau as a melancholic Osage who owns the oil land next to Hale’s land as he is close with Hale only to become a target, the duo of Steve Witting and Steve Routman in their respective roles as Dr. James Shoun and Dr. David Shoun as two brother doctors who work closely to Hale as they would provide Mollie medicine for her diabetes that really isn’t, Jason Isbell as Minnie’s husband Bill Smith who would later marry as he suspects Burkhart in these violent actions, and the trio of Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, and Jillian Dion in their respective roles as Mollie’s sisters in Anna, Reta, and Minnie as they bring fantastic performances as these sisters who are all targets with Myers bringing a lot of charisma as the decadent Anna.
John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser are excellent in their respective roles as the federal prosecutor Peter Leaward and Hale’s attorney W.S. Hamilton with the former trying to get Hale convicted and bring justice for the Osage while the latter shows Fraser in this somewhat cartoonish yet chilling role as Hale’s attorney who tries to coerce Burkhart into defending his uncle. Tantoo Cardinal is brilliant as Mollie’s mother Lizzie Q. as this woman who becomes aware of what is happening as she senses death all around her while is having a spiritual connection with her ancestors as she knows that something isn’t right. Jesse Plemons is amazing as Thomas Bruce White Sr. as a FBI agent who leads the investigation into the Osage murders following Mollie’s visit to Washington D.C. as he is someone that is charming but also determined to get to the truth as he proves to be a formidable foe for Hale and Burkhart. Robert de Niro is sensational as William King Hale as a cattle ranch owner who acts as a friend and benefactor for the Osage when he’s really the devil in disguise. There is this sense of sliminess in de Niro’s performance as he displays a lot of charm and dark wit while is also manipulative in his actions as it is one of his finest performances.
Leonardo DiCaprio is phenomenal as Ernest Burkhart as a former World War I infantryman who moves to Fairfax to work for his uncle as he does his bidding including marrying Mollie in the hopes of getting her oil headrights only for things to get complicated. DiCaprio brings a gullible approach to his character who is willing to do things for his uncle while is also a total mess when he lies to Mollie where he later becomes filled with guilt and shame as he would also endure tragedy that would force him to make decisions for himself. Finally, there’s Lily Gladstone in a tremendous performance as Mollie as an Osage woman whose family owns oil headrights as she is charmed by Burkhart and would have a family with him while also becoming mysteriously ill. Gladstone brings a lot of layers into her performance as someone who knows a lot more than everyone realizes despite the tragedies she would endure as it only forces her to seek out the truth as it is a break-out performance for Gladstone.
Killers of the Flower Moon is a magnificent film from Martin Scorsese that features great performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert de Niro, and Lily Gladstone. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, a chilling music soundtrack from the late Robbie Robertson (whom the film is dedicated to), discomforting moments of violence and suspense, and a story of greed, deceit, death and corruption. The film is an unsettling yet confrontational film that takes a look into one of those most horrific atrocities in American history all in the name of greed. In the end, Killers of the Flower Moon is an outstanding film from Martin Scorsese.
Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) – (Street Scenes) – Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) – Italianamerican - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) – Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - The Age of Innocence - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) – (Casino) – (Kundun) – (My Voyage to Italy) – Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) – Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) – No Direction Home - The Departed Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) – (Public Speaking) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The Fifty Year Argument) – The Silence (2016 film) - (Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese) – (The Irishman (2019 film)) – (An Afternoon with SCTV)
© thevoid99 2024
The film revolves around a real estate developer who had lost his wife and daughter following a kidnapping attempt over money as he would go to Florence sixteen years later with his business partner as he meets a young woman who bears the same face as his late wife. It is a film that is about man still reeling from the death of his wife and daughter as he feels guilty over how he fumbled the attempt to save them as the presence of this young woman who looks exactly like his late wife has him obsessed about getting a part of his life that he lost. Paul Schrader’s screenplay is a study of grief as it plays into a man consumed with guilt and loss as the land that was meant to be a thriving plot that would make him rich but instead turned it as a memorial for his wife and daughter that is a replica of the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte in Florence. It is where Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) met the woman who would be his wife in Elizabeth (Genevieve Bujold) as he would see a young woman in Sandra (Genevieve Bujold) who looks exactly like Elizabeth as she is restoring a painting in the church.
Courtland’s business partner Robert LaSalle (John Lithgow) also sees the resemblance upon their visit to Florence for business reasons as he returns to New Orleans where Courtland stays in Florence to meet Sandra. Courtland would bring Sandra to his home in New Orleans as those close to Courtland are shocked by how much Sandra looked like Elizabeth as things become more troubling. Schrader’s script does play into Courtland’s own obsession relating to his late wife through Sandra as the ideas of fantasy and reality would blur to the point where even those close to him become concerned. Yet, more revelations would be unveiled in its third act as it plays more into the night Courtland tried to save his wife and daughter along with those who tried to make a play on the kidnappers as it adds to Courtland’s own troubled obsession.
Brian de Palma’s direction is definitely stylish as it does bear some ideas from one of de Palma’s favorite filmmakers in Alfred Hitchcock and his 1958 film Vertigo as both films explore grief and trauma. Shot on location in both New Orleans and Florence along with nearby locations for the former, de Palma does make both cities characters with New Orleans being a vibrant and thriving city where Courtland is about to make his fortune yet wanted to share it with his family as the film opens in 1959 at a party where de Palma maintains an intimacy as well as some dream-like imagery to play into the idyllic world of Courtland at his home with wife and child. It would all crash down the moment Elizabeth and her daughter Amy (Wanda Blackman) get kidnapped as de Palma’s rescue sequence is intense as it’s about what isn’t shown and how Courtland is convinced by the police to try and swindle the kidnappers is where everything went wrong. When the film moves to Florence, the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte is a key location of the film as it is where Courtland met Elizabeth in 1948 and why the memorial for her and Amy is a replica of that church as it is also the moment where Courtland meets Sandra.
The usage of close-ups and medium shots as well as in the latter where de Palma gets so much attention to detail on an object or on a painting, with portraits created by de Palma’s older brother Bart, as it adds to the drama and suspense. Even in the wide shots where de Palma does use the locations including the scenes in Florence as it adds to the sense of intrigue in the film while its third act returns the film to New Orleans where there's some major revelations happening in the film. Notably in a sequence that is somewhat recreated from another scene early in the film yet there is so much that is happening along what had happened before in this recreated sequence as de Palma is all about those small details. Even as it play into Courtland’s obsession as it is clear he never got over the loss of his family and the guilt over his role in their deaths. Yet, the film’s climax isn’t just about revelations but also a study of trauma as well as an ending that is really filled with ambiguity over what Courtland had come to realize and such. Overall, de Palma crafts an intoxicating yet unsettling film about a man who becomes obsessed with a young woman who looks exactly like his late wife.
Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does brilliant work with the film’s luscious cinematography with its usage of low-key and natural lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night as well as dream-like foggy lenses for some shots in the film as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Paul Hirsch does amazing work with the editing with its stylish usage of transitional dissolves, jump-cuts, montages, and slow-motion as its emphasis on style adds to the suspense and drama. Art director Jack Senter and set decorator Jerry Wunderlich do excellent work with some of the interiors at Courtland’s home as well as the places in Florence as well as the design of the memorial for Elizabeth and Amy. Costume designer Frank Balchus does nice work with the stylish suit that LaSalle wears as well as some of the clothing from the 1950s that Elizabeth had and the clothes that Sandra would wear throughout the film
The special effects work of Joe Lombardi is terrific for the minimal special effects as it relates to the chase scene early in the film along with a dream-like sequence in the film’s third act. Sound mixer David M. Ronne does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as scenes that involve the suspense including some intense moments in the third act. The film’s music by Bernard Herrmann is incredible for its rich and mesmerizing orchestral score as it adds to the atmospheric tone of the film along with themes that play for certain characters and scenes that add to the suspense and drama as it is another major highlight of the film.
The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from William Finley as a man at the airport, Regis Cordic as a newscaster, Sylvia Kuumba Williams as Courtland’s maid, J. Patrick McNamara as a kidnapper, Nella Simoncini Barbieri as Sandra’s mother, Loraine Despres as Courtland’s secretary, Stanley J. Reyes as the police inspector Brie who organizes the rescue attempt on Elizabeth and Amy, Wanda Blackman as Courtland’s daughter Amy, and Stocker Fontelieu as Courtland’s psychiatrist Dr. Ellman who is concerned about Courtland’s obsession as he believes that Courtland is acting hastily. John Lithgow is incredible as Courtland’s business partner Robert LaSalle as a man who is full of charm and wear the finest suits as he becomes concerned about Courtland’s obsession towards Sandra and how much she looks like Elizabeth where he also becomes concerned about his business and whatever financial fallout would happen.
Genevieve Bujold is phenomenal in her dual role as Elizabeth Courtland and Sandra where she brings an enchanting presence in the former despite not saying anything while is more livelier in the latter where Bujold plays this woman who helps restore old paintings while learning more about Elizabeth as it is this restrained yet haunting performance from Bujold who copes with a man’s loss but also something bigger. Finally, there’s Cliff Robertson in a marvelous performance as Michael Courtland as a real estate developer who loses his family following a rescue attempt as he becomes obsessed with a young woman who looks like his late wife where Robertson brings an anguish to his role but also someone that is desperate and later jovial until people question about his relationship with Sandra as it is a rollercoaster of a performance from Robertson.
Obsession is a sensational film from Brian de Palma that features great performances from Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Bujold, and John Lithgow. Along with Paul Schrader’s chilling screenplay, dazzling visuals, hypnotic editing, and Bernard Herrmann’s intoxicating score. It’s a suspense-drama that explores trauma and loss as well as a man’s obsession towards a young woman unaware of what is happening around him as reality would force him to think about the moment he lost everything. In the end, Obsession is a phenomenal film from Brian de Palma.
Brian de Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) – (Greetings) – (The Wedding Party) – (Dionysus in ’69) – (Hi, Mom!) – (Get to Know Your Rabbit) – Sisters (1973 film) - Phantom of the Paradise - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) – Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface (1983 film) - Body Double – (Wise Guys) – The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito's Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) – Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2019 film))
© thevoid99 2021
Directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White, Beatriz at Dinner is the story of a Mexican-American massage therapist who is unexpectedly invited to dinner by one of her clients where she finds herself dealing with an arrogant dinner guest. The film is a look into a dinner party filled with rich white people and a lone working-class Mexican-American who finds herself at a dinner where it eventually starts to unravel due to her presence. Starring Salma Hayek, Connie Britton, David Warshofsky, Chloe Sevigny, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, and John Lithgow. Beatriz at Dinner is an eerie yet somber film from Miguel Arteta.
What happens when a massage therapist finds herself being a guest at a dinner party where the man who is the center of attention happens to be one of the most evil men living on Earth? That is pretty much what the film is about as it explores a day in the life of this woman named Beatriz (Salma Hayek) who spends the day doing work at a massage therapy center in helping cancer patients as she also has a rich client in Kathy (Connie Britton). Mike White’s screenplay doesn’t just explore Beatriz’s day as she copes with loss of a goat who was killed by her neighbor but also a day that feels very typical until she is asked to see Kathy who is preparing for a dinner party with her husband Grant (David Warshofsky). Beatriz’s relationship with Kathy and Grant has much to do with the fact that Beatriz had helped their daughter with her battle with cancer. Due to the fact that Beatriz’s car couldn’t start, Kathy invites Beatriz to stay for dinner where Beatriz spends much of the film being this observer as the guests at the dinner party are all white.
The guest of honor at this dinner party is the real estate mogul Doug Strutt (John Lithgow) who is this unconventional antagonist who seems to take pleasure in the money he makes as well as be arrogant in his accomplishments. Yet, Beatriz is curious over a connection she has with him as Strutt is accompanied by his wife Jeana (Amy Landecker) while a couple in Shannon (Chloe Sevigny) and Alex (Jay Duplass) are also guests at the party. Beatriz would observe everything that goes on while also telling about how she met Grant and Kathy through their daughter only to be interrupted by Strutt who would ask questions about her status in America. The dinner would eventually intensify with Kathy stuck in the middle wanting to protect Beatriz yet is aware that Strutt is the reason she and Grant are living a life of luxury as they really don’t know anything else.
Miguel Arteta’s direction doesn’t really bear much of a visual style other than recurring images of Mexico as well as Beatriz’s dead goat and ocean waves as it play into the sense of longing and loss that looms Beatriz during the course of the day. While there are some wide shots in the film including the way Arteta would frame some of the characters in a scene inside Kathy and Grant’s home as a way to show how detached everyone else is to Beatriz’s life and Beatriz herself. It’s also the way Arteta would use close-ups and medium shots to play into Beatriz’s own observation of this party as well as the guests who don’t know her at all as they find her interesting but are concerned about their own lives and what’s going to happen. Yet, with Strutt being the center of attention talking about his accomplishments and ultra-conservative views on the world. Beatriz would eventually find herself becoming more disgusted with him and who he is as a human being.
Arteta’s approach to the suspense and drama is restrained as well as it play into Beatriz being this outsider who would realize more of her connection to Strutt and his actions towards the world. There are these brief moments of intense moments of confrontation but it is all about the status quo as there’s elements of realism that Beatriz has to deal with as it relates to who she is and the ways of the world. Despite the things Strutt says and his actions about what he does, there is still an air of defiance and dignity in Beatriz in how Arteta would frame her as it does play into her place in the world. Overall, Arteta crafts a riveting and understated film about a Mexican-American massage therapist being a guest in a dinner party with one of the vilest men in the world.
Cinematographer Wyatt Garfield does excellent work with the film’s cinematography for the usage of low-key lights for the scenes in the daytime as well as the look for the scenes at night including its interior/exterior setting. Editor Jay Deuby does fantastic work with the editing as it does have bit of styles in the usage of the recurring flashbacks in some stylized transitions as well as some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Ashley Fenton and set decorator Madelaine Frezza do amazing work with the look of Kathy and Grant’s home in how lavish it is as well as the look of their daughter’s room. Costume designer Christina Blackaller does wonderful work with the costumes as it play into the ordinary look of Beatriz to the more posh look of Kathy and her friends.
Visual effects supervisors George Loucas and Scott Mitchell do nice work with the visual effects as it is largely minimal for some exterior set dressing including images that Beatriz would see. The sound work of Dan Snow is superb for its low-key atmosphere in the dinner scenes as well as how Beatriz would observe guests outside the house as she is listening to their conversations. The film’s music by Mark Mothersbaugh is terrific for its low-key approach to the music with its mixture of ambient, soft keyboard-based music, and somber orchestral music to play into the melancholia while music supervisor Margaret Yen provides a low-key soundtrack filled with kitsch music played in the background as well as an ambient piece by Brian Eno.
The casting by Joanna Colbert and Meredith Tucker is amazing as it features a few small roles from John Early as Grant and Kathy’s servant and Enrique Castillo as a tow truck driver. Jay Duplass and Chloe Sevigny are superb in their respective roles as the couple Alex and Shannon with the former being someone who likes to drink and do immature things while the latter is a snobbish woman who believes she has a lot to offer. Amy Landecker is fantastic as Strutt’s wife Jeana as a woman who doesn’t really know much about the world as well as being ignorant about everything she has. David Warshofsky is excellent as Kathy’s husband Grant who isn’t keen on having Beatriz at the dinner party but reluctantly gives in since Beatriz did a lot for his daughter.
Connie Britton is brilliant as Kathy as a woman who is kind of Beatriz though she’s is torn in her loyalty to Strutt for the lifestyle he’s brought to her and Grant as well as what Beatriz meant to her as it’s a tricky performance from Britton who could’ve been a one-dimensional character but shows there’s still an air of humanity despite her ignorance of what Beatriz is going through. John Lithgow is incredible as Doug Strutt as it’s a performance that just oozes this air of inhumanity, arrogance, and disdain as someone who is proud of what he’s done with little regard for what other people think and whom he’s hurt as it is one of Lithgow’s great performances. Finally, there’s Salma Hayek in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as a Mexican-American massage therapist who becomes an unexpected dinner guest as she deals with the other guests including Strutt whom she would despise as the night goes on as it’s a restrained performance from Hayek that shows a woman who’s endured so much loss and heartache as it’s Hayek in one of her defining performances.
Beatriz at Dinner is a sensational film from Miguel Arteta that features top-notch performances from Salma Hayek and John Lithgow. Featuring a compelling script by Mike White, a superb ensemble supporting cast, and a look into a world that is toxic with the person at the center of attention mirrors a certain figure who is probably the most hated individual of the 21st Century so far. In the end, Beatriz at Dinner is a spectacular film from Miguel Arteta.
Miguel Arteta Films: (Star Maps) – (Chuck & Buck) – (The Good Girl) – (Youth in Revolt) – Cedar Rapids - (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) – (Duck Butter)
© thevoid99 2018
Written and directed by Brian De Palma, Raising Cain is the story of a child psychiatrist who starts to unravel by his wife’s affair with another man as well as her concerns over the way he is raising their daughter. The film is an exploration into the world of duality where a man’s obsession in how to raise his daughter forces him to confront his own demons. Starring John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Steven Bauer, Frances Sternhagen, Gregg Henry, Gabrielle Carteris, Tom Bower, and Mel Harris. Raising Cain is a gripping yet stylish film from Brian De Palma.
The film revolves around a respected child psychologist whose demons relating to his father has come back to haunt him as he’s being asked by his father and twin brother to kidnap children for an experiment as he becomes more undone by his wife’s affair with another man. It’s a film that plays into a man being forced to take part in these killings of young mothers for his father as he deals with not just his twin brother but also other aspects of his personality as he becomes very attached to his own daughter. Brian De Palma’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the world of multiple personalities but also what drives a man to be undone by the fact that his marriage isn’t great as well as his own need to be too attentive towards his own daughter.
Adding to this chaos are the people Dr. Carter Nix (John Lithgow) is surrounded by including his own father and twin brother called Cain. Once Nix suspects his wife Jenny (Lolita Davidovich) is having an affair, Cain would take matter into his own hands where it’s second half plays into not just the investigation of these murders and kidnapping. It also plays into Nix’s own background and the experiments that his father did.
De Palma’s direction is engaging for the way he plays into a man coming undone by his family and their traits as De Palma doesn’t just go for stylish compositions but also play with the rhythms of suspense. Notably as De Palma goes for slanted angles and intricate tracking shots to play with some of the investigation and chaotic moments in the film. Among these sequences include one where Jenny is trying to bring a gift for her former lover Jack Dante (Steven Bauer) as it plays into these moments into where it blurs the idea of reality and fantasy. It plays to De Palma not only messing around with the schematics but also spend some of the second half where it’s about the world of duality and identity. Most notably a scene where police detectives talk to a former associate of Nix’s father in Dr. Waldheim (Frances Sternhagen) as it is told in this intricate tracking shot from a steadicam where Waldheim talks about what Nix’s father was doing and why there should be concern for Carter.
The film’s third act doesn’t just become about Carter but also plays into the experiments of his father where a lot is revealed but in a slow burn where it doesn’t rely on exposition but also a lot of guessing. At the same time, De Palma doesn’t go for anything that is conventional in terms of presenting the smaller characters as detectives prove to be quite competent as well as smart though they’re also flawed. Yet, the climax would prove to be inventive where De Palma wouldn’t just use some amazing compositions in the way he puts actors in the foreground and others in the background. It’s also in the way he would foreshadow something as well as create something that is lavish in something that could be very simple. Even in the way De Palma plays with twists and turns while creating moments that serves as a homage to classic horror/suspense films. Overall, De Palma creates a very lurid yet exciting film about a child psychologist falling apart over his marriage and dark family traits.
Cinematographer Stephen H. Burum does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography for may of its intricate lighting schemes for the scenes set at night as well as in its interior settings as it helps sets a mood for the film. Editors Paul Hirsch, Robert Dalva, and Bonnie Koehler do amazing work in the editing as it has some very offbeat rhythms to play with its suspenseful moments while creating some inventive montages that subvert the expectations in the concept of suspense. Production designer Doug Kraner, with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director Mark Billerman, does fantastic work with the look of Dr. Nix‘s home as well as the hotels and other places the characters go to including the police base.
Costume designer Bobbie Read does nice work with the costumes from the stylish clothes of Cain to some of the more casual yet clean clothes of the many other characters in the film. Sound editors John Morris and Jerry Ross do terrific work with the sound in the way some of the little moments in the locations sound as well as some of the mixing to help build up the suspense. The film’s music by Pino Donaggio does brilliant work with the film‘s score with its soaring orchestral score to play into the suspense and drama that is filled with lush strings as it’s a major highlight of the film.
The casting by Pam Dixon is superb as there’s some notable small roles from Gabriele Carteris as a babysitter, Teri Austin as a friend of Jenny’s, Mel Harris as a mother Dr. Nix meets with early in the film, Amanda Pombo as Dr. Nix and Jenny’s daughter Amy, and Barton Heyman as a retired detective who investigated a case involving Nix’s father. Gregg Henry and Tom Bower are excellent as two detectives who investigate the case of the murders and disappearing children where they’re initially dismissive about Dr. Nix and his claims until they realize that something isn’t right. Frances Sternhagen is fantastic as Dr. Weldheim as a former associate of Dr. Nix’s father who always suspected something about the studies that Dr. Nix’s father had done as she believes that these kidnappings have something to do with it.
Steven Bauer is terrific as Jack Dante as a widower of one of Jenny’s patients who is deeply in love with Jenny as he wants to rekindle a love affair only to be targeted by Cain. Lolita Davidovich is amazing as Jenny as a doctor who becomes concerned about her husband’s behavior and attentiveness towards their daughter as she finds solace in Jack which prompts her to confront Jack. Finally, there’s John Lithgow in an incredible performance in a series of roles from the very caring yet cowardice Carter where Lithgow is full of fright to the dark charm that is Cain where Lithgow is always cool and isn’t afraid to mock Carter. Lithgow also plays their father in a Scandinavian accent who orders Carter and Cain to do the job as it’s a performance where Lithgow is enjoying himself as he puts on a show that is fun to watch.
Raising Cain is a marvelous film from Brian De Palma that features a tour-de-force performance from Brian De Palma. Along with a strong supporting cast, dazzling visuals, and a sumptuous score by Pino Donnagio, the film is definitely one of De Palma’s more bawdy and entertaining films. In the end, Raising Cain is a thrilling and exhilarating film from Brian De Palma.
Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2015
Written and directed by Brian De Palma, Blow Out is the story of a sound effects technician who discovers he had recorded a murder after seeing a car crash into a creek. Inspired by Michaelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up, the film is an exploration into a man trying to uncover something that could be drastic as he finds himself getting more than he bargains for. Starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Dennis Franz, and John Lithgow. Blow Out is a stylish yet entrancing film from Brian De Palma.
When a sound effects technician is at creek recording some sound for sound effects, he witnesses a car crashing into the lake as he saves a woman was in the car where he realizes that this wasn’t an accident. It’s a film that isn’t just about sight and sound but also what this sound technician would uncover as the victim who was killed in the crash is a presidential candidate as questions come into play. At the same time, the sound technician Jack Terry (John Travolta) realizes that there’s a cover up as there are those who want to say it’s an accident as he doesn’t think so while he believes he and the young woman he saved in Sally (Nancy Allen) are targets in this cover-up.
Brian De Palma’s screenplay explores Jack’s obsession with what he heard as he think what he hears at first is a tire blow-out but through the tape he’s listening to. He realizes that it was a gunshot that hit a tire as he knows something isn’t right as he asks what Sally was in the car for. Once the story progresses as Jack is trying to see what is going on as he becomes aware of a cover-up. Things start to unravel more as it relates to Sally’s involvement as well as the man who took the pictures of the chase in Manny Karp (Dennis Franz) who using the photos so he can get some big money. Another person that is involved in these events is a mysterious man named Burke (John Lithgow) as it is clear he’s involved in these cover-ups as he helps drive the story as well as Jack’s own investigation where Jack knows he can only rely on himself and Sally since he doesn’t trust the police due to a bad experience working as a surveillance man for them.
De Palma’s direction is very ravishing for the way he presents the film as it begins as a creepy slasher film where it’s really a film within a film as it establishes what kind of work Jack does. It is De Palma sort of making fun of the world of horror including himself as it showcases how the slasher genre was becoming parody while it would also lead to some key moments into what Jack’s boss wants. Shot on location in Philadelphia, the film does play into this event as it relates to the anniversary of the Liberty Bell as it adds to this sense of suspense and paranoia that looks over Jack as he would try to do the right thing as well as turn to the police but things become complicated. De Palma’s approach to compositions from the way would shoot things in the foreground and the background add to the drama as well as the use of split-screens.
The direction also has De Palma create some unique ideas of framing in the way he creates the element of mystery from the usage of high angles and other stylistic shots as well as his usage of close-ups and medium shots. Even in scenes that involve Jack and Sally as they both talk about what is happening as there’s an attraction between the two yet both of them see the bigger picture of what is going on. Once it become clear that there are forces behind this cover-up, the film does get darker as it showcases what kind of power some have as it would play into this very thrilling climax. A climax that is very stylish but also has a sense of power into the way things are in the world and what Jack is being asked to do in his job. Overall, De Palma crafts a very smart and riveting film about a sound technician witnessing a murder through his eyes and ears.
Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does brilliant work with the film‘s very low-key yet stylish photography from some of the exterior scenes set at night to the naturalistic look of the city locations in the day as well as the film‘s climax as it‘s awash with lots of colors as the film also features additional photography from Laszlo Kovacs for the film‘s climax. Editor Paul Hirsch does amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other stylized cuts to play into the suspense and chilling elements of the film as well as the cheesier cuts in the film within the film. Production designer Paul Sylbert and set decorator Bruce Weintraub do nice work with the look of the home apartment of Manny as well as the home and workplace of Jack that showcases their different lifestyles.
Costume designer Ann Roth does terrific work with the clothes that Sally wears to present her unique style as someone who becomes aware of the target she has on her back. Sound editor Dan Sable does excellent work with the sound with the sound is cut as well as the many textures in the sound effects and such as it‘s one of the film‘s highlights. The film’s music by Pino Donaggio is fantastic for its orchestral bombast with its lush string arrangements and themes that play into the drama and suspense with elements of piano and low-key percussions as it helps drive the film as it is another of the film’s technical highlights.
The casting by Lyn Stalmaster is superb as it features some notable small performances from John Aquino as Detective McKay, John McMartin as the governor’s aide Lawrence Henry, John Hoffmeister as the governor who is running for president, Peter Boyden as Jack’s director Sam, and Curt May as the news reporter Frank Donahue. Dennis Franz is wonderful as Sally’s friend Manny who took the pictures of the crash as he realizes the kind of money would be astronomical unaware of the severity and lies he’s creating. John Lithgow is brilliant as Burke as a man who is hired to take care of things as he is good in creating chaos as well as spy on those whom he feels will unveil the truth.
Nancy Allen is fantastic as Sally as a young woman who was part of a conspiracy as she is unaware of the involvement as she tries to deal with the situations and help Jack reveal the truth. Finally, there’s John Travolta in an incredible performance as Jack Terry as this sound man who discovered that he had recorded an assassination as he realizes the danger of what is happening. It’s a performance where Travolta is quite restrained but also filled with a determination and humility that is engaging as he also has these amazing scenes with Allen as this film showcases Travolta in one of his finest performances of his career.
Blow Out is a phenomenal film from Brian De Palma that features a tremendous performance from John Travolta. Along with a great supporting cast, some amazing technical work, and Pino Donaggio’s mesmerizing score. It’s not just this smart and visually-stylish thriller but also an intriguing study into the world of conspiracy and what is seen and heard in an act of murder. In the end, Blow Out is an outstanding film from Brian De Palma.
Related: Blow-Up - The Conversation
Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Ira Sachs and written by Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias, Love is Strange is the story of a recently-married gay couple who are forced to live separately due to financial issues as they each deal with their new surroundings. The film is an exploration into same-sex marriage where two men who want to be together find themselves being forced to live apart and find homes with the aid of family and friends. Starring John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Charlie Tahan, and Cheyenne Jackson. Love is Strange is a touching and engaging film from Ira Sachs.
The film plays into two men who finally marry after being together for 40 years as they’re forced to live apart when one of them loses his job and financial issues would force the situation where the two would live among family and friends. It’s a film that plays into the world of two men who love each other as circumstances beyond their control force them to move out of their apartment and live with other people while trying to find a new home. There, the separation takes a toll on not just these two men but also the friends and family that give them a place to live. The film’s screenplay explores the dynamics of two men in different living situations as the painter Ben (John Lithgow) would live with his nephew Elliot (Darren Burrows) and his family while the music teacher George (Alfred Molina) would live with neighbors in a couple of gay cops.
It’s a situation that isn’t just tense but also quite strange as Ben finds himself chatting with Elliot’s wife Kate (Marisa Tomei) while rooming with her teenage son Joey (Charlie Tahan) who is going through growing pains. For George, living with Ted (Cheyenne Jackson) and Roberto (Manny Perez) becomes uneasy as Ted and Roberto often hold parties where George just wants something quiet. It creates not just a world where two men really long for each other but are hoping to adjust to their living situations hoping that it is temporary until they can find an affordable home. It’s a script that doesn’t have a lot of plot but rather rely more on characters and the environment they’re in as Ben and George are just two men who have been through a lot and aren’t sure if they can take another lifetime of just not being together.
Ira Sachs’ direction doesn’t feature a lot of stylistic shots but does contain some very interesting and mesmerizing compositions. Shot largely on location in New York City, Sachs goes for something that is very intimate as it’s more about the story rather than a certain landmark that is often seen in New York City. With a lot of close-ups and medium shots, Sachs maintains something that starts off lively until George’s firing where it becomes a bit more serious with some low-key humor. Sachs knows where to frame his actors for scenes which would play into the tension surrounding Ben and his nephew’s family where Ben feels like he is intruding. The scenes involving George living with his neighbors show a sense of awkwardness into how old he is and how young his neighbors are where Sachs knows where to place the camera. The scenes of Ben and George together do show a spark of life such as a scene late in the film of the two at a bar which definitely says a lot about their relationship without really saying anything. Overall, Sachs creates a mesmerizing and compelling story about a gay couple struggling to live apart.
Cinematographer Christos Voudouris does excellent work with the cinematography to capture the look of the outside exteriors in the day including a skyline that Ben is trying to paint. Editor Affonso Goncalves and Michael Taylor do terrific work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward with a few stylistic cuts including a montage of George talking about his firing to his former students. Production designer Amy Williams, with set decorator Kendall Anderson and art director Steve Grise, does fantastic work with the look of the different apartments from the quaint look of the old apartment Ben and George lived in to the more spacious but unsettling home that Ben would live in with his nephew and his family.
Costume designer Arjun Bhasin does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the exception of a few stylish clothes that Ben and George wear. Visual effects supervisor Lucien Harriot does good work with the minimal visual effects as it relates to the view that Ben is painting. Sound designer Kent Sparling does superb work with the sound to create some montages for George‘s letter to his student as well as creating something that feels natural though there‘s moments where some of the music on location does overwhelm the dialogue. Music supervisor Susan Jacobs creates a wonderful soundtrack that includes contemporary music as well as classical pieces by Chopin and Beethoven as much of it is played on location and on set.
The casting by Avy Kaufman is amazing as it features some notable small performances from John Cullum as George’s former boss who would fire him, Harriet Sansom Harris as a lesbian cop friend of Ted and Roberto, Christina Kirk as a family friend named Mindy who has a home in upstate New York, Christian Coulson as a young man George would meet at a party, Eric Tabach as Joey’s friend Vlad who would befriend Ben, and Manny Perez as the gay cop Roberto. Cheyenne Jackson is terrific as Ben and George’s neighbor Ted who is also a gay cop that would introduce George to Game of Thrones as well as his world of parties that George isn’t comfortable with. Darren Burrows is superb as Ben’s nephew Elliot who copes with the new situation as well as his son’s growing pains while often being away at work.
Charlie Tahan is excellent as Elliot and Kate’s teenage son Joey who copes with the living situation as he starts to act out while dealing with his own growing pains. Marisa Tomei is fantastic as Elliot’s wife who adores Ben and George but becomes annoyed with the living situation as she tries to get her own work done while helping Ben in finding a home for him and George. Finally, there’s Alfred Molina and John Lithgow in remarkable performances in their respective roles as George and Ben. Molina provides a melancholia as George who copes with his own living situation while dealing with the loss of his job as a Catholic school music teacher as Molina maintains a low-key yet evocative performance. Lithgow provides a liveliness to the role of Ben as a painter who is trying to cope with being separated as well as getting old where Lithgow displays some humility and the ability to be the quiet observer as it relates to his own family.
Love is Strange is a marvelous film from Ira Sachs that features great performances from John Lithgow and Alfred Molina. Along with a great supporting cast led by Marisa Tomei, the film is a delightful and heartwarming comedy-drama that explores the relationship of two men as they cope with being apart due to a very complicated situation. In the end, Love is Strange is a sensational film from Ira Sachs.
Ira Sachs Films: (The Delta) - (Forty Shades of Blue) - (Married Life) - (Keep the Lights On)
© thevoid99 2015
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 2/25/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.
Based on the Broadway musical by Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger, Dreamgirls is the story of three young women from Detroit trying to make it as singers as they go from singing backup for a popular R&B singer to becoming a popular singing group with the help of a ruthless and sleazy car salesman who becomes their manager. Written for the screen and directed by Bill Condon, the film is an exploration of three women trying to succeed as they would pay a major price for their success where two of these women would embark into their own individual journeys. Starring Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Washington, Sharon Leal, Hinton Battle, and introducing Jennifer Hudson. Dreamgirls is a sensational and lively film from Bill Condon.
It's 1962 in Detroit as three girls named Effie White (Jennifer Hudson), Deena Jones (Beyonce Knowles), and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose) are about to perform as the Dreamettes at a talent competition in a Detroit theater. Along with Effie's brother C.C. (Keith Robinson) who is their songwriter, they hope to win big. Instead, they’re defeated as they managed to catch the attention of an ambition Cadillac dealer named Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx) who decides to give them a break. After talking to a man named Marty (Danny Glover) who is the manager to popular R&B singer James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy), the Dreamettes become his backup group. The married Early falls for Lorrell as they tour around the country in African-American theaters. Hoping to break into the mainstream, Curtis decides to employ C.C. to write a song for Early called Cadillac Car that becomes a R&B hit. Unfortunately, the song was then remade into a pop song by a white act that steals its thunder. Deciding to resort to payola with help from Wayne (Hinton Battle), Curtis manages to get another C.C. White-penned song Steppin' To The Bad Side for James Early that becomes a smash hit. Forming a new label called Rainbow Records, Curtis hopes to make the label big with James as his premier act.
With Marty out of the picture, Curtis reinvents James as a crooner by premiering his act at a Miami nightclub. Curtis then notices that a young white man taking a look at Deena. Deciding to break the Dreamettes from James to form their own act. He makes a decision to have Deena sing lead instead of the full-figured Effie, who has a superior voice. Effie reluctantly goes with the move at the insistence of everyone including C.C. Now called the Dreams, they become a huge hit all over the world as their success in the mid-60s nearly rivals the popularity of the Beatles. Yet with success mounting, Effie becomes frustrated as she is convinced that Curtis, who is her boyfriend, is sleeping with Deena. The mounting tension finally leads to Effie being kicked out of the group and replaced by Curtis' secretary Michelle Morris (Sharon Leal) for a New Years Eve performance at a Las Vegas nightclub.
Eight years later in 1973, Deena Jones and the Dreams become a huge success but Deena suddenly finds herself unhappy with her success as Curtis has huge plans to have her star in a film version about Cleopatra. With Rainbow Records now based in Los Angeles, Curtis hopes to go into bigger territory as he has other acts making money for him. Back in Detroit, Effie has now become a single mother with a child named Magic (Mariah I. Wilson) living on welfare with her father Ronald (Alexander Folk) looking on them as he maintains contact with her brother C.C. Effie eventually, swallows her pride as she gets help from Marty to revitalize her career. Back in Los Angeles, C.C. becomes disillusioned with Curtis tampering his music and the direction Rainbow Records is heading. Even as Curtis loses interest in helping James Early's career in which his star has faded and has succumbed to drug abuse, things start to fall apart. C.C. finally leaves Los Angeles to help Effie with her career as he writes a song called One Night Only that starts to climb up the charts in Detroit. Yet, Curtis strikes back when he has Deena and the Dreams to record a disco-version of the song that becomes a smash. When Deena learns what Curtis did and all of the things he's been doing to her, she makes a move that not only helps Effie but also would find inspiration for her own individuality.
The film is essentially inspired by Motown and the rise of the Supremes that included some legendary myths about Diana Ross' affair with Motown's Berry Gordy who chose her to sing lead in the Supremes instead of Florence Ballard who tragically died in the 70s after being kicked out of the group in the late 60s. While screenwriter and director Bill Condon doesn't make any actual references to that truth, the film is really a focus on these three talented young women who become a singing group and hoping to make it as well as the harsh reality that is the music industry. While the film's sense of glossy lavishness and high-production musical numbers might not be for everyone. It still helps carry the story while underneath all those songs is a study of greed in the industry that is now becoming more relevant than ever as the music industry itself, is starting to shoot itself in the foot.
Yet, Condon's focus on the Dreams rise from pop to disco as well as other characters including James Early and Curtis Taylor Jr. Condon's direction plays like a true musical with amazing musical numbers that are often either a band-like performance, a recording, or some kind of lavish production. While Condon lets the audience know that a musical number is coming, it doesn't come out forced and flows naturally as if it's part of the story. The use of wide shots to emphasize the lavish productions, dance numbers, and performances works to convey that feel of the musical. The result is a solid film from the mind of Bill Condon.
Cinematographer Tobias A. Schleissler does an excellent job in the film's look from the stylish lighting of the musical performances to the colorful exteriors of the locations including Detroit and Los Angeles. Editor Virginia Katz does a solid job in the film's cutting without resorting to fast-paced cutting styles in most mainstream features. Instead, Katz maintains the film's spontaneity for its musical performances. Production designer John Myhre and set decorator Nancy Haigh do a fantastic job in creating the set designs for the musical numbers, the nightclub scenes, and the first Rainbow Records building to capture the sense of period of the 60s and the 70s. Costume designer Sharen Davis does a wonderful job in capturing the look of the period with the costumes from the glam-like dresses, 60s go-go clothing, 70s glam with afros, and sparkles with help from a team of make-up and costume designers.
Sound designer/editor Richard E. Yawn does an excellent job in capturing the essence of performance in the staging and dancing along with the differing atmospheres of Detroit and the polished places. Choreographer Fatima Robinson does a wonderful job on the dancing to help capture the rhythm and melody of the songs. The songs of Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger from the musical return as they're definitely memorable with such songs as Fake Your Way To The Top, Cadillac Car, Steppin' To The Bad Side, Family, Dreamgirls, Heavy, When I First Saw You, One Night Only (and its disco reprise), and the famous, And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going. New songs for the film like the thumping soul song Love You Like I Do by Henry Krieger and Sediah Garrett for Jennifer Hudson, Listen by Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, and Beyonce Knowles, Patience by Henry Krieger and Willie Reale for Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, and Eddie Murphy, and Perfect World by Krieger and Sediah Garrett for the Jackson 5 dopplegangers the Campbell Connection. The new songs are great to convey the mood of the times and its connection to the film's story.
The casting by Debra Zane and Jay Binder is wonderfully assembled with notable appearances from Jaleel White as a talent booker, Dawnn Lewis as James' wife Melba, Yvette Carson as Deena's mother May, Ken Page as a club owner who lets Effie sing, and cameo appearances from John Krasinski and John Lithgow as filmmakers talking to Deena about a project and one of the original Dreamgirls stage actresses Loretta Devine as a jazz singer. Mariah I. Wilson is excellent as Effie's daughter Magic along with Alexander Folk as Effie and C.C.'s father. Hinton Battle, another actor who appeared in the Broadway version, is excellent as Curtis' cohort who is forced to do bad deeds for Curtis including payola. Sharon Leal is terrific as the Cindy Songbird-inspired Michelle Morris who replaces Effie unaware of what she's doing to the group.
Keith Robinson is excellent as songwriter C.C. White who tries to create great songs for James Early and the Dreams only to get up in success and then become disillusioned by Curtis' view of music and its purpose. Anika Noni Rose is wonderful as Lorrell Robinson who is the glue of the group trying to keep the dreams together while falling for James and becomes his mistress as she is trying to figure out their relationship. Danny Glover is great as James' manager Marty who tries to help him make it and without any kind of seedy business moves like payola as he later becomes Effie's mentor as he tries to help revive her career. Beyonce Knowles is good and appropriately cast as Deena Jones who is known more for her beauty and pop-like voice as a woman who is trying to find her true identity. Knowles is good when she's singing though her work as a dramatic actress is a bit spotty. She's engaging but lacks the depth in being very dramatic.
Eddie Murphy is in excellent form as the James Brown-inspired James "Thunder" Early who is filled with charm and wit about being an original and a star. Then when he is forced to become a commercial singer, he becomes frustrated turning to drug addiction while trying to reclaim his identity and stardom. Murphy's performance both acting wise and in musical performance is brilliant, even in his singing that is top-notch. Jamie Foxx is great as the sleazy, ambitious Curtis Taylor Jr. who wants to make in the business at any cost as he has a lot of charm and bravado in his role while doing an amazing rendition of When I First Saw You that proves Foxx's many talents. The film's best and breakthrough performance definitely goes to Jennifer Hudson as Effie White. Hudson manages to be both engaging and powerful as the big girl with an attitude who knows that all she can do is sing. Hudson is great and subtle in her dramatic acting while it's her work as a singer that is just divine
Dreamgirls is a phenomenal film from Bill Condon that features brilliant performances from Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, and Danny Glover. It's a film that manages to be more than just an entertaining musical but also a compelling piece into the cynical world of the music industry. It's also a film about control and how those become compromised as they want to find their own voice in the world. In the end, Dreamgirls is a remarkable film from Bill Condon.
© thevoid99 2015
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 - Tenet - Oppenheimer - The Auteurs #13: Christopher Nolan
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