Game Night

Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and written by Mark Perez, Game Night is the story of a group of friends whose night of fun becomes trouble when it turns into a real-life mystery involving burglars as the line of reality and fiction starts to blur. The film is a dark comedy in which a simple night of games and fun involving a group of friends turn into a nightmare while they wonder if they’re still playing a game or if it’s real. Starring Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Kyle Chandler, Michael C. Hall, and Jesse Plemons. Game Night is a wild yet exhilarating film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.

A couple who holds a game night with their friends is invited by the man’s older brother about a mystery game where the lines of reality and fantasy start to blur with many wonder if there’s real criminals involved and all sorts of shit whether it’s really a game. That is the film’s premise as screenwriter Mark Perez play into this couple in Max and Annie Davis (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, respectively) who love to play games and always compete with others yet they’re dealing with having to grow up as they both want a child. Yet, Max is stressed due to the fact that his older and more successful brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) is in town who always find a way to beat Max in any game. When Brooks decide to hold a game night in his home, Max and Annie bring their friends in Kevin and Michelle Sterling (Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury, respectively), Ryan Huddle (Billy Magnussen), and his date/co-worker Sarah Darcy (Sharon Horgan) for the game.

When Brooks reveals what the game is, the ideas of reality and fiction blur where everyone at first thinks they’re playing the game. Along the way, some personal issues would emerge for the players as they also become confused into what is real and what is fiction. Even to the point where Max learns that Brooks is involved with some criminal activities as it raises more questions about Max’s own issues with himself and questions into about wanting to be a father. All of the trouble and confusion forces Max and Annie to turn to their neighbor in the cop Gary (Jesse Plemons) whom they haven’t invited into the game nights due to his socially-awkward behavior and the fact that his wife had just left him. Gary’s involvement would only add more chaos as it relates to the blur of reality and fantasy.

The direction of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein does have elements of style in some scenes yet much of it is straightforward in terms of the visuals. Shot on location in Atlanta, the film does play into suburban world that Max, Annie, and their friends live in as opposed to the more upper-class home that Brooks live in along with the world of the city. While there are a few wide shots to establish the locations, much of the direction has Daley and Goldstein utilize medium shots and close-up whenever there’s scenes that focuses on a couple or the entire group as they’re put into the frame. Even as they maintain the humor through the confusion of reality and fiction as the characters play on as if it’s still a game only to intensify as the story progresses. One notable sequence inside the mansion of a supposed criminal involves this unique tracking shot that goes on for a minute in one take where the players are passing a Fabergé egg that they’re trying to steal for the game. Even as it would unveil something much bigger that Brooks is involved him where they all have to use their skills as players to help him. Overall, Daley and Goldstein create a thrilling yet whimsical comedy about a game night that becomes a wild adventure.

Cinematographer Barry Peterson does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of low-key lights for a scene at a bar along with the exteriors set at night. Editors Jamie Gross, Gregory Plotkin, and David Egan do terrific work with the editing with its usage of rhythmic cuts to play into the action and humor as well as capturing the chaos of the game. Production designer Michael Corenblith, plus set decorator Susan Benjamin and art director Hugh D.G. Moody, does fantastic work with the look of Brooks’ home in its interiors as well as some of the places the characters go to. Costume designer Debra McGuire does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with everyone wearing casual clothing.

Visual effects supervisor Patrick David does some fine work with the visual effects as it’s mainly set dressing for some big set pieces in the film that include its climax. Sound designer Cameron Frankley and sound editor Jon Michaels do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the humor as well as in some of the action scenes. The film’s music by Cliff Martinez is amazing for its electronic-based score that is mainly driven by 80s style synthesizers while music supervisors Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe provide a fun soundtrack that features music from Queen, Engelbert Humperdinck, Third Eye Blind, Drake, Duke Ellington, Hall & Oates, Billy Joel, April Wine, Hampton Hawes, and Dirty Streets.

The casting by Rich Delia and Tara Feldstein is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Camille Chen as a doctor that Max and Annie meet early in the film, Chelsea Perretti as a woman who runs a mystery game business, Zerrick Williams and Joshua Mikel as a couple of kidnappers, Malcolm Hughes as actor Denzel Washington, Jessica Lee as Gary’s ex-wife Debbie, and Jeffrey Wright in an un-credited cameo appearance as the FBI agent Ron Henderson. Other notable small roles include appearances from Danny Huston as a supposed crime boss named Donald Anderton and Michael C. Hall in a superb role as a mysterious figure who appears in the film’s climax. Kyle Chandler is fantastic as Max’s older brother Brooks as a man who seems to have it all and often upstages Max with his own competitiveness only to hide something much darker as it relates to the game that is being played. Jesse Plemons is incredible as Gary as Max and Annie’s neighbor who is a cop that feels left out of not being invited to game nights where he later tries to help them with a situation as it’s a low-key yet witty performance from Plemons.

Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury are excellent in their respective roles as Kevin and Michelle Sterling as a couple who are part of the game night as they deal with what is happening while dealing with issues of infidelity before they were married. Billy Magnussen and Sharon Horgan are brilliant in their respective roles as Ryan Huddle and Sarah Darcy as co-workers that are on a date though they don’t know much about each other with Ryan trying to win while Sarah is an outsider who doesn’t know anyone yet is the smartest person in the room. Finally, there’s Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in amazing performances in their respective roles as Max and Annie Davis as a couple who are highly-competitive gamers who are coping with becoming more responsible while being lost in the game they’re playing with Bateman as sort of the straight man of the two while McAdams gets to be more lively as the two together are a joy to watch.

Game Night is a spectacular film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a cool music score by Cliff Martinez, and a hilarious yet adventurous story. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to be out there while also being a lot of fun about a game that blur the ideas of reality and fiction. In the end, Game Night is a tremendous film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.

© thevoid99 2018

First Man

Based on the biography First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, First Man is about the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong from his early days as a pilot to being the first man to walk on the moon as he deals with challenges in his professional and personal life. Directed by Damien Chazelle and screenplay by Josh Singer, the film is an unconventional bio-pic of the famed astronaut who deals with the dangers of his job as well as the events in his personal life as he is played by Ryan Gosling. Also starring Claire Foy, Corey Stoll, Jason Clarke, Ciaran Hinds, Patrick Fugit, Christopher Abbott, Lukas Haas, and Kyle Chandler. First Man is an enthralling and evocative film from Damien Chazelle.

July 20, 1969 was a momentous moment in the history of civilization when Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon as it was the culmination of a decade long journey during the space race between the U.S. and Soviet Union to reach the impossible. For all of the fame that Armstrong would receive for this accomplishment lies a man who endured professional and personal challenges including moments of tragedy as he would withdraw from fame and even in his own family to focus on what he must do as an astronaut. Josh Singer’s screenplay focuses on Armstrong’s life as a test pilot in 1961 to the moment he returns home from the moon which would also include his first marriage to Janet Shearon (Claire Foy) as well as life with their children including the death of his daughter Karen at age 2 as she had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor and died of complications related to pneumonia.

The script would have Armstrong not just deal with the job in hand as he and other astronauts try to figure out what to do and also what not to do. Even as Armstrong would deal with a couple of tragedies while he would also have a near-death experience during the Gemini 8 mission with David Scott (Christopher Abbott) where the capsule docking with the Agena Target Vehicle as part of a docking experiment had the capsule separated and rolled around orbit. Yet, more problems including the Apollo 1 testing session that lead to the death of Virgil “Gus” Grissom (Shea Whigham), Ed White (Jason Clarke), and Roger Chaffee (Cory Michael Smith) forces Armstrong to make sure nothing else goes wrong as he would eventually be selected to command the Apollo 11 mission with Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) and Michael Collins (Lukas Haas).

Damien Chazelle’s direction is definitely intense not just for the idea of what it’s like being in a jet plane or in a space capsule but also the sense of fear of what to do in case something bad happens. Shot largely in locations near Atlanta including studios in Atlanta along with additional locations in Los Angeles, the film does play into a moment in time where so much is happening while there is an air of innocence into the Armstrong home life. Even as they would have other astronauts as neighbors and their kids playing with each other as Chazelle aimed for a natural look into these scenes as it would also play into the sense of loss that the Armstrong family would endure as well as the chaos that would happen during the course of Armstrong’s time as an astronaut including tragedy that affected this small community of people. Chazelle would use some wide shots for these scenes as well as a maintain a looseness into the camera by shooting with a hand-held camera for close-ups and medium shots to get an intimacy as well as some of the dramatic tension that occurs between the Armstrongs.

For the scenes inside the capsules, there is this claustrophobic element where Chazelle doesn’t just give the audience an idea of what it is like inside a space capsule, a test-jet plane, and other test modules as well as the lunar module. The usage of shaky camera during a rocket launch or seeing what Armstrong and his crew are seeing from their perspective adds to the sense of fear that these men have to face. Even in the sound where it has this element of something could go wrong add to the atmosphere of what is happening. The sequence set on the moon and its landing with stock footage of people watching the event happening is definitely a majestic moment with its usage of wide shots as a look into what Armstrong might be thinking about on the moon though his face isn’t shown on the helmet as it play into everything he’s endured to reach this monumental feat. Overall, Chazelle crafts a mesmerizing yet astonishing film about the life of Neil Armstrong and his struggles with his job and life at home.

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of natural lighting for many of the scenes in the neighborhood including the scenes at night along with some stark yet vibrant lighting for the scenes at the mission control centers in NASA and the low-key lighting for the scenes inside the space capsules and lunar module. Editor Tom Cross does excellent work with the editing as it has some unique rhythmic cuts to play into the drama along with some stylish jump-cut montages for a few recurring flashback scenes from Armstrong’s perspective. Production designer Nathan Crowley, with supervising art director Erik Osusky plus set decorators Randi Hockett and Kathy Lucas, does amazing work with the look of the machines and such for the astronaut training as well as the interior/exterior of the space capsules and how small they as well as the mission control rooms and the homes of the astronauts. Costume designer Mary Zophres does terrific work with the costumes from the clothes that everyone wears on a casual day as well as the astronaut clothes that are worn for the missions.

Special effects supervisor J.D. Schwalm and visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert do incredible work with the special effects with the look of the exteriors of outer space and the moon as well as the usage of practical effects to give the scenes in space an air of realism as it is a highlight of the film. Sound designer/sound editor Ai-Ling Lee and co-sound editor Mildred Iatrou do tremendous work with the film’s sound in creating that sense of atmosphere of what goes on in space where the metal sound like it’s bending or about to break as well as the lack of sound when someone is in outer space or on the moon as it’s a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Justin Hurwitz is superb for its usage of low-key strings, ambient pieces, and usage of the theremin to help maintain an atmosphere that is calm but also disconcerting at times in some of the drama and suspenseful moments in the film. The film’s music soundtrack features an array of music from the 1960s including a few classical and show tune pieces as well as some country and folk music from Gene Autrey, Peter, Paul, & Mary, the Kingston Trio, Samuel Hoffman with Les Baxter, Johnny Ace, the Chantels, and a poetic piece by Gil Scott-Heron who is seen briefly on the film as he is played by Leon Bridges.

The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Kris Swanberg as Elliot See’s wife Marilyn, Lucy Stafford as Karen Armstrong, Luke Winters and Gavin Warren in their respective roles as the older and younger version of Rick Armstrong, Conor Blodgett as Mark Armstrong, Ethan Embry as astronaut Pete Conrad, Pablo Schreiber as astronaut Jim Lovell , J.D. Evermore as NASA flight director Christopher C. Kraft Jr., Cory Michael Smith as astronaut Roger Chaffee, and Brian d’Arcy James as test pilot Joseph A. Walker who gets Armstrong on board to NASA. Shea Whigham is terrific as Virgil “Gus” Grissom as one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts who help the new astronauts prepare for what to expect for Gemini and later Apollo. Patrick Fugit is superb as Elliot See as an astronaut in training who befriends Armstrong as he was set to command his own mission only to die tragically during a training mission.

Olivia Hamilton is fantastic as Ed White’s wife Patricia who befriends Janet as they share their stories of fear for their husbands but also what they had to endure at home. Christopher Abbott is excellent as Dave Scott as Armstrong’s co-pilot on Gemini 8 who experiences that near-death experience as he also tries to understand what went wrong. Kyle Chandler is brilliant as NASA chief officer/former astronaut Deke Slayton who makes sure things go smoothly while Ciaran Hinds is amazing as Robert R. Gilruth who is a flight director for NASA who helps oversee the making of the Apollo missions. Jason Clarke is incredible as Ed White as an astronaut who would become the first American to do the spacewalk while trying to understand Armstrong’s distant persona as it relates to loss. Lukas Haas is remarkable as Michael Collins as the capsule module pilot who helps Armstrong and Aldrin reach the moon and ensure their safety.

Corey Stoll is sensational as Buzz Aldrin as the film’s comic relief of sorts as he often says off-color things while being someone who does take his work serious as he would accompany Armstrong on their momentous mission to the moon. Claire Foy is phenomenal as Janet Shearon as Armstrong’s then-wife who deals with loss as well as the sense of fear of what could happen to her husband as she is also someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone as it is a riveting performance from Foy. Finally, there’s Ryan Gosling in a magnificent performance as Neil Armstrong as a test pilot/engineer who is tasked with what has to be done as he deals with the many dangers of his job but is also restrained and distant due to the fact that he’s still reeling from the loss of his daughter and later deal with the loss of colleagues as it’s a performance that is filled with restraint but also with a sense of determination and drive giving Gosling a career-defining performance.

First Man is a tremendous film from Damien Chazelle that features great performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, eerie sound design, a soothing yet haunting music score, and a gripping story about what astronauts had to endure and the chaos that goes on behind the scenes. It’s a film that doesn’t play towards the conventions of the bio-pic while also being this study of a man trying not to fail in preparation for his mission to go to the moon while dealing with grief. In the end, First Man is an outstanding film from Damien Chazelle.

Damien Chazelle Films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench – Whiplash - La La Land -Babylon (2022 film) - (The Auteurs #76: Damien Chazelle)

© thevoid99 2018

Manchester by the Sea

Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea is the story of a lonely janitor who is asked to raise his nephew following the death of his brother as he copes with his own faults in his life. It’s a film where a man reluctantly steps up to do what is right as well as deal with the demons in his own life. Starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, Gretchen Mol, and Kyle Chandler. Manchester by the Sea is a mesmerizing yet engrossing film from Kenneth Lonergan.

The film is a simple story of a man who learned that his brother died of a heart attack while learning his brother wants him to become his nephew’s guardian. It’s a film that follows this lonely janitor who isn’t just forced to return home and be given the responsibility to watch over his teenage nephew but also cope with the past as he remains troubled by family tragedy. Kenneth Lonergan’s screenplay has narrative that sort of moves back and forth in the life of Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) as he reflects on what he had when he was married to a woman named Randi (Michelle Williams) as they had a family. At the same time, he had a good relationship with his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) and nephew Patrick (Luca Hedges). Yet, something tragic happened that led to Lee and Randi splitting up and Lee moving away from the small town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts into a town near Boston where he works as a janitor.

The script doesn’t just follow Lee’s reluctance to raise Patrick but also Patrick’s own growing pains as he tries to distract himself from the reality over his father’s death. Especially as he is taken aback by his uncle who appears to not really wanting to be involved with him as he considers the option of reaching out to his estranged mother Elise (Gretchen Mol) whom Lee doesn’t like at all as she was an alcoholic and drug addict that Joe had to separate from. It adds to Lee’s struggle in wanting to do right to his late brother but also contend with the demons in his own life. Even as Lee’s attempt to connect with others has him wanting to be alone and not be reminded of the past where he continuously struggles with loss and wanting to do what is right.

Lonergan’s direction is definitely majestic in terms of the imagery that he creates as well as being shot almost entirely on location in Manchester-by-the-Sea which is a major character in the film as well as other small towns in Massachusetts. Though Lonergan doesn’t really go for anything that is visually-striking, he does present that is still simple in its composition but also has something more in terms of his observation of what is going on. Much of the film is shot during the wintertime as it adds a lot to not just the visuals but also in some of the situations the characters have to cope with. While Lonergan would use wide shots to play into the location and the beauty of wintertime in Massachusetts, he would more favor something intimate with the medium shots and close-ups. Especially in the former as it play into some of the awkward moments Lee would have in his attempts to connect with people such as the mother of one of Patrick’s girlfriends.

Lonergan’s direction is also quite loose as it has bits of humor but also a sense of something real into the world that Patrick is in as he plays hockey and is also in a garage band with friends and one of his girlfriends. The flashbacks of Lee’s life with Randi and their family is also quite loose as it play into the good times as well as what happened that would destroy everything for Lee. There is also something striking about how Lee presents himself in his isolation as it has some truth into that sense of loss where Lonergan’s framing is quite entrancing. Even in moments where he attempts to connect showcase someone that is quite damaged and still trying to get himself back on track. Its conclusion isn’t just about the reality of what Lee has to do for Patrick but also for himself as well as get help from the people who can be relied on in an often complicated world. Overall, Lonergan creates a ravishing yet somber film about a man dealing with the responsibility to taking care of his nephew following the death of his brother.

Cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from some of the sunny exteriors of the locations along with more gray and snowy look as well as the way some of the nighttime interior/exteriors are shot and lit. Editor Jennifer Lame does excellent work with the editing as it play into some of the drama and presentation of the flashbacks with the usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts. Production designer Ruth De Jong, with set decorator Florencia Martin and art director Jourdan Henderson, does fantastic work with the look of the single room that Lee lives in Quincy to the home of his brother and the boat they have.

Costume designer Melissa Toth does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual to play into the look of the wintertime. Sound designer Jacob Ribicoff does superb work with the sound as it play into not just the atmosphere of some of the locations but also in the way it is mixed to play into how music is heard on location or things that play into the drama. The film’s music by Lesley Barber is brilliant for its somber yet orchestral-based score that play into melancholic tone of the film while music supervisor Linda Cohen creates a soundtrack that features a lot of opera music as well as a mixture of rock and soul music to play into the locations or what is heard on the radio.

The casting by Douglas Aibel is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Ben O’Brien as the young Patrick, Stephen Henderson as Lee’s boss early in the film, Tom Kemp as Lee and Joe’s father in the flashback scenes, Chloe Dixon and Ellie Teeves as Lee and Randi’s daughters from the flashbacks, Josh Hamilton as Joe’s lawyer Wes, Erica McDermott as a boat yard boss who doesn’t want to give Lee a job for some unknown reasons, Kara Hayward and Anna Baryshnikov in their respective roles as two of Patrick’s girlfriends in Silvie and Sandy, Liam McNeil as Randi’s new husband, and Tate Donovan as Patrick’s hockey coach. C.J. Wilson is fantastic as longtime family friend George who helps out Lee and Patrick while being someone who knows about the family boat and how it works. Heather Burns is wonderful as Sandy’s mother Jill who is wondering what Sandy and Patrick are doing while trying to flirt with Lee as their lone meeting ends up being awkward. Matthew Broderick is superb as Rodney as Elsie’s new fiancée who is a devout Christian that Patrick tries to get to know as it ends up being very awkward. Gretchen Mol is excellent as Elsie as Patrick’s estranged mother who is infamous for her substance abuse where she responds to Patrick’s email as she invites to a lunch with Rodney that is just very uncomfortable.

Kyle Chandler is brilliant as Joe Chandler as a man that is the embodiment of responsibility and care as he does whatever to help Lee as well as be a good man until he is stricken by a rare heart disease. Lucas Hedges is amazing as Patrick as Joe’s son who doesn’t try to cope with the sudden death of his father but also wanting to stay home to be with friends and his father’s boat as well as wonder why his uncle is reluctant to look after him. Michelle Williams is incredible as Randi as Lee’s ex-wife who was a woman that Lee loved and cared for until tragedy happened as she becomes estranged until she hears about Joe’s death as Williams is just devastatingly radiant in a key scene she has late in the film. Finally, there’s Casey Affleck in a phenomenal performance as Lee Chandler as a man that had everything and lost it all as he tries to cope with the loss of his brother as well as the responsibility he has to bear for his nephew where Affleck displays that air of restraint and anguish into a man trying to isolate himself from the world as well as struggle to do what is right for his family.

Manchester by the Sea is a magnificent film from Kenneth Lonergan that features great performances from Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, and Lucas Hedges. Along with a brilliant supporting cast, an effective screenplay, gorgeous visuals, and a mesmerizing music soundtrack, it’s a film that explores not just grief but also a man coping with responsibility and the need to do right for his family. In the end, Manchester by the Sea is a rapturous film from Kenneth Lonergan.

Kenneth Lonergan Films: You Can Count on Me - Margaret (2011 film)

© thevoid99 2016

Carol (2015 film)

Based on the novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, Carol is the story of a love affair in the early 1950s between a young yet aspiring photographer and an older woman that is considered forbidden in those times. Directed by Todd Haynes and screenplay by Phyllis Nagy, the film is an exploration of a lesbian love affair being kept secret during a time where homosexuality was taboo. Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, and Kyle Chandler. Carol is a ravishing and evocative film from Todd Haynes.

Set during the holiday season of 1952, the film follows the forbidden love affair of a recently-divorced woman in her 40s and an aspiring photographer in her 20s as they keep it a secret. It’s a film that explores two women who are attracted to one another as they both seek something to escape in as the titular character (Cate Blanchett) isn’t just coping with the aftermath of a divorce as well as the expectations of being part of conventional society. For Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), she is just someone trying to find herself as she works temporarily as a shop girl in a mall where she would meet Carol Aird who is shopping for a Xmas present for her daughter. A simple suggestion would become something more as Therese would mail the gloves Carol accidentally left at the mall and return them in which Carol would invite Therese for lunch as it leads to a relationship. Phyllis Nagy’s script has a unique structure though it starts off with Carol and Therese having a dinner as it would be shown again in a different perspective as it then flashes back to Therese reflecting on her romance with Carol.

The first act is about the meeting of the two women but also the complications in their lives as Therese has a boyfriend in Richard (Jake Lacy) who wants to marry her but she isn’t sure as she wants to go into photography. Carol is dealing with her divorce from Harge (Kyle Chandler) who doesn’t want to let her go though he knows about her infatuation with other women including longtime friend Abby (Sarah Paulson). Things intensify when Harge threatens to take their daughter away as he wants to rekindle things with Carol who isn’t interested as she becomes conflicted. The second act is about the two women escaping from their problems as they go on a road trip around the country where their romance would reach its peak. The third act is about the two women both venturing into separate journeys as well as the decisions both women would make for themselves as well as wanting to meet each other as it goes back to the opening scene.

Todd Haynes’ direction definitely stylish in terms of the compositions and scenes he creates as it definitely recall elements of old-school Hollywood of the 1950s. Though it’s set partially in Manhattan and rural parts of America such as Ohio, the film is largely shot in Cincinnati as well as other parts of rural Ohio to play into this world of 1950s American suburbia and the city as Haynes would use some wide shots to establish the locations. Yet, Haynes would go for intimacy in the medium shots and close-ups as it relates to the drama such as the way Haynes would shoot things inside a car through a window or what is going on at a hotel room. Haynes’ direction would also have that air of simplicity in the way he would present these intimate moments between Carol and Therese as Haynes usage of reverse-shots and medium shots help play into the way their conversations are carried as well as what happens when the two are equals.

Haynes would also maintain a sense liveliness for the scenes set on the road but also some melodrama as it relates to the family drama that Carol is enduring where Haynes would bring in bits of melodrama but not in an over-the-top fashion. By the time the film reaches the third act where it’s about Carol and Therese on their own as well as longing for each other. It does play into a world that is starting to change where Therese is finding herself as an artist while Carol’s world is falling apart. The direction becomes more wide open visually while the opening scene of the two women meeting each other is shown a new perspective as well as emphasizing more of where these women are at this point in the story and where they could go. Overall, Haynes create a rapturous and mesmerizing film about two women falling in love with each other in the early 1950s.

Cinematographer Edward Lachman does brilliant work with the film‘s gorgeous cinematography as its usage of colors for many of the interior and exteriors would have this dream-like quality for many of the scenes set in the day and night while having a crispness in the image since the film is shot in 16mm with 35mm lenses. Editor Affonso Goncalves does excellent work with the editing as it‘s largely straightforward though it does have some rhythmic cuts to play into some of the melodrama. Production designer Judy Becker, with set decorator Heather Loeffler and art director Jesse Rosenthal, does amazing work with the set design from the way Carol‘s home looks like from inside as well as the apartment of Therese and the hotel rooms the two would stay at during the road trip. Costume designer Sandy Powell does fantastic work with the costumes from the dresses of the women as well as the hats and jewelries that they would wear.

Key hair stylist John Jack Curtin and makeup artist Anne Taylor do terrific work with the look of the hairstyles and the kind of makeup the women wore at the time to display their beauty. Visual effects supervisor Chris Haney does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects as it is mainly bits of set dressing to play into the period of early 1950s New York City. Sound editor James David Redding III does superb work with the sound in the way some of the sparse moments in the mall sounds as well as how music is heard in some of the rooms as it help establish that sense of atmosphere that Carol and Therese would encounter. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is incredible for its sumptuous orchestral score that play into the drama with its lush string arrangements that is very low-key in parts but also sweeping in some of the melodramatic moments while music supervisor Randall Poster creates a wonderful soundtrack of music from that period from artists and acts such as the Clovers, Billie Holliday, Georgia Gibbs, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Jo Stafford, Helen Foster and the Rovers, Perry Como, Annie Ross, Eddie Fisher, Pee Wee King and His Golden Cowboys, and many others.

The casting by Laura Rosenthal is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Sadie and K.K. Heim as Harge and Carol’s daughter Rindy, Trent Rowland as Therese’ colleague Jack who appears in the film’s opening sequence, Carrie Brownstein as a woman Therese meets at a party late in the film, Kevin Crowley as Carol’s attorney in regards to issues relating to Harge, Cory Michael Smith as a traveling salesman named Tommy that Carol and Therese meets, and John Magaro as Dannie McElroy as a newspaper writer who would get Therese a job as a photographer for a newspaper. Jake Lacy is excellent as Therese’s boyfriend Richard as a man who wants to give Therese a lot yet has no clue about what she’s feeling. Kyle Chandler is fantastic as Harge Aird as Carol’s ex-husband who is eager to get back with her yet would make threats relating to their daughter as he feels neglected in favor of other women.

Sarah Paulson is amazing as Abby Gerhard as Carol’s longtime friend who was once a lover of Carol as she is one of the few that knows about Carol’s relationship with Therese as she would be a crucial figure in the third act as it relates to Therese about Carol. Rooney Mara is phenomenal as Therese Belivet as a young woman who falls for the titular character as she tries to keep her feelings in check yet is fascinated by Carol as it is this restrained yet touching performance from Mara as she has a great sense of rapport with her co-star in Blanchett. Finally, there’s Cate Blanchett in a sensational performance as the titular character as a woman who is dealing with issues with her family as she becomes intrigued by Therese as she sees her as something special as there is an air of radiance and anguish in Blanchett’s performance which definitely stands as one of her best performances of her illustrious career.

Carol is a tremendous film from Todd Haynes that features astonishing performances from Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Along with a great supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, a fantastic music soundtrack and score, and a riveting story of forbidden love. It’s a film doesn’t just explore the complications of love but also what people will do to express it to each other. In the end, Carol is a spectacular film from Todd Haynes.

Todd Haynes Films: Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story - Poison - Dottie Gets Spanked - Safe - Velvet Goldmine - Far from Heaven - I'm Not There - Mildred Pierce (2011 miniseries) - Wonderstruck - Dark Waters (2019 film) - The Velvet Underground - The Auteurs #3: Todd Haynes

© thevoid99 2016

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 film)

Based on Jordan Belfort’s autobiographical novel, The Wolf of Wall Street is the story of Belfort’s rise to the top of Wall Street in the late 80s as he would later fall through his involvement in crime, corruption, and his battles with the federal government. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by Terence Winters, the film is an exploration into the excessive world of 1980s capitalism and greed where a man is eager to make money at any cost as Belfort is played by Leonardo diCaprio. Also starring Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Jean Dujardin, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau, and Matthew McConaughey. The Wolf of Wall Street is a wild, riotous, and absolutely insane film from Martin Scorsese.

The film’s simple concept is the classic rise and fall scenario of a stock broker named Jordan Belfort who decides to sell penny stock to common people in order to make lots of money and build a business for himself where he would be a major king of Wall Street in the late 80s and early 90s after the stock market crash of 1987. It’s a film that shows how this ambitious young man became a common trader working on Wall Street to forging his own empire where he gets everything and more in life only to be targeted by the FBI for money laundering and all sorts of illegal activities. Even as he brings in those who have no knowledge on how to sell stock be part of his empire where they would also fall with him.

Terence Winters’ screenplay uses that classic rise-and-fall scenario as it is told by Jordan Belfort who reveals his ambitions early on and how he would become this new king after the infamous October 1987 Black Monday crash. The Belfort character isn’t afraid to make himself un-likeable at times where the first scene he’s in is a montage of his very extravagant life where drives a white Porsche while getting a blow-job from his second wife Naomi (Margot Robbie) and working to make all sorts of crazy money and cap the night of more partying where he is snorting cocaine off of a hooker’s ass and then come home on a helicopter he’s trying to pilot. It’s a montage that showcases the life that Belfort leads that is unpredictable and at times very immoral. Yet, Belfort doesn’t seem to care because he’s having too much fun making a ridiculous amount of money with his friend Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) and the other lowly stockbrokers he trained to build his empire.

Much of the film is told through Belfort’s voice-over narration while there are moments where other characters speak in a voiceover that includes a scene in the third act where Belfort deals with a Swiss banker Jean-Jacques Saurel (Jean Dujardin) where the dialogue they say to each other in voiceover is pretty damn funny. It’s among these moments that Winters creates in his script that showcases not just Belfort’s growing paranoia due to his own drug abuse but also how out of touch he’s becoming as he becomes richer where the FBI agent Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler) takes notice to see if Belfort does anything illegal. Even as Belfort’s antics in selling stock to make lots of money and his refusal to rat out his own friends would get him in trouble.

To describe Martin Scorsese’s direction as excessive would be understating exactly what he’s presenting. It’s a whole lot more of than that where Scorsese isn’t afraid to infuse some very lowbrow humor involving drugs and such in a film that has a high concept with a near three-hour running time. The humor that is prevalent throughout the film includes a lot of debauchery which is expected in a film about greed yet he takes it to a whole new level. While some of it maybe an exaggeration into what Scorsese and Winters are telling but it is very comical into the antics that Belfort and his buddies do such as an orgy in an airplane or popping a decade-old Quaaludes. The latter of which involves a pretty long yet hilarious sequence that includes some of the most insane moments that Scorsese has ever presented where it mixes high and lowbrow humor.

Much of Scorsese’s direction is stylish in not just his compositions but also in some of the action that occurs where many of the scenes in the stock building that Belfort runs is like a jungle where even a monkey works at the place. It is all about selling bullshit to people whether they’re rich or poor where there is this great scene early in the film in which Belfort shows his old buddies the idea of selling. Much of it is shot in New York City as well as Britain, Switzerland, and the Mediterranean as it is about excess at its most debauched. Of course, the third act has Scorsese sort of slow things down a bit but also find ways for everything to come down and crash hard. Overall, Scorsese crafts a film that is like a wild rollercoaster ride times a 100 that is full of chaos, shock value, and lots of laughs.

Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the sunny look of the scenes in New York and in the Mediterranean to some of the interior scenes as well as some of the stuff that occurs at night. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does fantastic work with the film‘s editing where it does emphasize on style from its use of montages, slow-motion cuts, jump-cuts, and all sorts of things to play out the decadence. Production designer Bob Shaw, with set decorator Ellen Christansen and art director Chris Shriver, does amazing work with the look of the mansion that Belfort lives in as well as the place he works where it was once a garage and then turned into an empire as well as the look of the yacht he would buy in the film‘s second act.

Costume designer Sandy Powell does excellent work with the clothes such as the stuff the women wear in the late 80s as well as the sexy clothes that Naomi would wear or not wear. Prosthetic makeup designer Michael Marino does nice work with the prosthetic teeth that Jonah Hill wears to play Donnie as well as some of the look of Belfort‘s team with their fake hair and such. Visual effects supervisors Robert Legato and Dan Seddon do terrific work with some of the film‘s visual effects such as the cocaine flying in the room in slow-motion to a very extravagant scene involving the yacht in treacherous waters. Sound editors Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton do superb work with the sound from the way phones and computers are heard to the sounds of revving engines and such to play into that world of excess.

Music supervisor Randall Poster and compiler Robbie Robertson create a music soundtrack that is pretty wild. Ranging from rock, blues, and hip-hop, the music in the film is definitely a highlight where it includes cuts by Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, the Lemonheads, Romeo Void, Joe Cuba, Naughty by Nature, Bo Diddley, Billy Joel, Malcolm McLaren, Cypress Hill, Devo, Sir-Mix-a-Lot, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings making an appearance as the wedding band singing Goldfinger, the Foo Fighters, Umberto Tozzi, Plastic Bertrand, and an original track by Robbie Robertson with Matthew McConaughey.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is just incredible for the large ensemble that was created for the film. Among these notable small roles include Spike Jonze as a lowly stock analyst who would show Belfort the penny stocks, Shea Whigham as the yacht’s captain, Christine Ebersole as Jordan’s mother, Katarina Cas as Brad’s European wife Chantelle who would have money taped to her body, Jake Hoffman as women’s shoe designer Steve Madden, Mackenzie Meehan as Donnie’s wife, Jon Spinogatti as Naomi and Jordan’s gay butler at the apartment, and Jon Favreau as Belfort’s securities officer who would deal with the FBI and ensure that they don’t interfere. In the roles of Belfort’s fellow stockbrokers, there’s Stephanie Kurtzuba as the single mom turned power broker Kimmie Belzer, Kenneth Choi as Walter, P.J. Byrne as the wild Rugrat who has big connections, Brian Saca as Robbie Feinberg, and Ethan Suplee as Toby Welch.

Rob Reiner is very funny as Belfort’s father Max who is shocked by his son’s job and wealth where he helps him while being a very brash man who refuses to take shit from anyone. Jon Bernthal is excellent as Belfort’s friend Brad who works on the outside to ensure that the money goes into the pockets of Belford and associates. Cristin Milioti is wonderful as Belfort’s first wife Teresa who is this simple Jersey girl who becomes alienated by Belfort’s growing power and later discovering his infidelity. Jean Dujardin is fantastic as the Swiss banker Jean-Jacques Saurel who appears in the film’s third act as he is someone that Belfort doesn’t like yet is a very sly businessman who is just fun to watch. Joanna Lumley is superb as Naomi’s aunt Emma who would aid Belfort in his money laundering schemes in Europe where Lumley also brings in some humor to the film.

Matthew McConaughey is amazing in a small but crucial role as Belfort’s mentor Mark Hanna who shows Belfort the ropes and how to keep his energy going as McConaughey makes every moment he appears in the first act as just one full of joy. Kyle Chandler is great as Patrick Denham as this straight-laced FBI agent who despises Belfort as he wants to do what he feels is right for America and take down those who are ripping off the American people. Margot Robbie is brilliant as Belfort’s second wife Naomi as this very sensual woman who becomes everything that Belfort wants yet has a hard time dealing with his excesses and consumption for everything where she manages to go to toe-to-toe with diCaprio in some very intense scenes. Jonah Hill is phenomenal as Donnie Azoff as a lowly working-class man who quits his job to make the kind of money that Belfort has as he becomes Belfort’s sidekick while doing all sorts of crazy things that range from being extremely funny to just extremely terrifying.

Finally, there’s Leonardo diCaprio in what is absolutely an unforgettable performance as Jordan Belfort. It’s a role where diCaprio isn’t afraid to do all sorts of lewd things where he can be inspiring with some of the monologues he carries while showing that he is also hilarious. Some of which proves that this is someone who should be in comedies as he has a natural charm and gift to be funny while also being very dark. It’s one where diCaprio isn’t afraid to be an asshole or do the kind of things that make people wonder how is still alive from all of that cocaine and Quaaludes. It’s a truly tour-de-force performance that proves that diCaprio is among one of the best actors working today.

The Wolf of Wall Street is an outstanding yet thrilling film from Martin Scorsese that features a towering performance from Leonardo diCaprio. Along with a kick-ass soundtrack and a great supporting cast, it’s a film that explores the world of decadence and greed at its most extreme and debauched. Especially as Scorsese and screenwriter Terence Winters infuse it with some dark, lowbrow humor that makes the film far more enjoyable as it’s definitely one of Scorsese’s most entertaining films. In the end, The Wolf of Wall Street is a magnificent 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 Fifty Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2013

The Spectacular Now

Based on the novel by Tim Tharp, The Spectacular Now is the story of a high school senior who faces reality after being dumped by his girlfriend as he meets another young woman who would change his idea about living in the now. Directed by James Ponsoldt and screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the film is a coming-of-age story of sorts that revolves around high school life where a young man doesn‘t think about the future as he prefers to live in the now. Starring Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Kyle Chandler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The Spectacular Now is a charming yet engaging film from James Ponsoldt.

The film is about this young man named Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) who likes to live in the now as he likes to drink and party while being cool with everyone. Yet, his longtime girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson) dumps him as Sutter thinks she’ll come back until he meets another schoolmate named Aimee (Shailene Woodley) who is different from other girls. There, Sutter not only finds a young woman he might want to spend his time with while she challenges him to face the real world as he doesn’t think about the future at all as he just wants to live in the moment. Even as he has to deal with who he is as well as the fact about his parents split up as he lives with his mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh).

The film’s screenplay is largely told from Sutter’s perspective as he is this guy that loves to party with the people in his school, he loves to drink despite the fact that he’s only 18, and he loves to work at a men’s clothing story where he’s also buzzed most of the times. Yet, he’s also quite flawed as he often thinks about himself and being the guy that ladies love where he would often think about Cassidy who has a new boyfriend. Even Sutter’s friend Ricky (Masam Holden) thinks that Sutter won’t do the right thing to Aimee as he knows that she’s just a really good girl who could get hurt.

Fortunately, Aimee is able to hold on to her own while she doesn’t mind taking a sip of alcohol as she has some issues at home. Still, her time with Sutter would help make some decisions of her own about her future while she would be the one to push Sutter to find out about his dad (Kyle Chandler) whom he hadn’t seen for many years. Yet, that would be a moment in the third act that would force Sutter to think about where he might go if he continues to act the way he is. Notably as he also has to get answers from his mother and his older sister Holly (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) about why they don’t talk much about his dad.

James Ponsoldt’s direction is quite straightforward as he doesn’t really go for anything that is over stylized as he just wants to keep the presentation simple. Shot in location in Athen, Georgia, Ponsoldt does manage to create some unique compositions and scenes that is filled with some humor but also some low-key drama. Ponsoldt knows how to put the camera into a frame and how to create an atmosphere in a scene where it is all about telling a story as Ponsoldt also has a few montages to play up Sutter’s own sense of misadventures where he might have no idea about what he did. Still, Ponsoldt does create some tension in some scenes such as the eventual meeting between Sutter and his dad which showcases some chilling realities that Sutter might face. Even as the third act would have Sutter face things about himself as well as how it would impact his relationship with Aimee. Overall, Ponsoldt creates a very tender yet exhilarating film about a young man dealing with a possible future with the help of a young woman.

Cinematographer Jess Hall does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to play up the gorgeous look of the daytime scenes in Athens to some more-low key yet stylish lights for the scenes at night. Editor Darin Navarro does nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward while it has a few montages and some methodical cuts for some the dramatic-suspense that occurs. Production designer Linda Sena and set decorator Jess Royal do terrific work with the set pieces from the look of the school the characters frequent at to Aimee‘s room that displays her unique personality.

Costume designer Peggy Stamper does wonderful work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the exception of the prom dresses the girls wear. Visual effects supervisor Matthew Bramante does superb work with the film‘s minimal visual effects where it plays in only one scene that is very dramatic as it‘s one that is very unexpected. Sound editor Ryan Collins does marvelous work with the sound to play up the atmosphere of the parties as well as some of the smaller moments in the film. The film’s music by Rob Simonsen is fantastic for its low-key score that is a mixture of indie and ambient music while music supervisors Gabe Hilfer and Season Kent create a fun soundtrack that is a mix of country, hip-hop, electronic dance music, and indie music.

The casting by Angela Demo and Barbara J. McCarthy is brilliant for the ensemble that is featured as it includes some notable performances from Masam Holden as Sutter’s friend Ricky, Andre Royo as Sutter’s math teacher who is concerned about his future, Dayo Okeniyi as Cassidy’s new boyfriend who feels threatened by Sutter’s presence, Kaitlyn Dever as Aimee’s concerned friend Krystal, and Bob Odenkirk in a terrific standout performance as Sutter’s boss who appreciates Sutter’s help but has concerns for his well-being. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is excellent in a small role as Sutter’s holder sister Holly who becomes concerned about Sutter’s questions in relation to their father where she eventually gives him an answer. Brie Larson is wonderful as Sutter’s ex-girlfriend Cassidy who has a hard time trying to move on while revealing her frustrations towards Sutter.

Kyle Chandler is superb as Sutter and Holly’s estranged father Tommy who seems like a nice guy but reveals a lot of flaws that would eventually make Sutter realize what he might become. Jennifer Jason Leigh is amazing in a small yet crucial role as Sutter and Holly’s mom Sara who is concerned with Sutter’s life and behavior while being very cagey about his father as she does have this great scene where she talks to her son about why she hid the truth.

Finally, there’s the duo of Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller in remarkable performances in their respective roles as Aimee and Sutter. Woodley brings some wit and energy to her role as a young woman who is an outsider but also someone that is very engaging as Woodley makes Aimee a very unique character. Teller adds a sense of charm to the role of Sutter as someone who seems un-likeable for his lack of ambition and such but makes up for it by playing it cool while later dealing with his flaws. Teller and Woodley make a great pair in the way they interact as well as bring some realism to the situations they encounter.

The Spectacular Now is a phenomenal film from James Ponsoldt that features riveting performances from Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. The film isn’t just a tender yet engrossing coming-of-age film but also one that explores the world of youth and how they try to live in the now unaware that there’s a whole world ahead of them as it’s told by a lost young man. In the end, The Spectacular Now is a sensational film from James Ponsoldt.

James Ponsoldt Films: (Off the Black) - Smashed - The End of the Tour - (The Circle (2017 film))

© thevoid99 2013

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

Super 8

Written and directed by J.J. Abrams, Super 8 is the story of a group of kids in the late 1970s trying to make a movie when they encounter a train accident that involves something a strange being prompting the military to be involved. The film is a sci-fi film of sorts that recalls some of the family adventure films that Steven Spielberg made during the 1980s as Abrams pays homage to those movies. Starring Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Riley Griffiths, Zach Mills, Gabriel Basso, Ryan Lee, Ron Eldard, Glynn Turman, and Noah Emmerich. Super 8 is an incredible and imaginative film from J.J. Abrams.

In a small Ohio town, a group of kids led by Charles Kaznyk (Riley Griffiths) is making a Super 8mm zombie movie for an upcoming film festival. Helping Charles is his best friend Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) in makeup and other things along with their friends in Preston (Zach Mills), Martin (Gabriel Basso), and Cary (Ryan Lee). Wanting to up the ante of the production, Charles successfully asks his classmate Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) to be in the film as the love interest where they shoot a scene at a train station. There, the kids encounter a horrific train accident where a truck crashed into the train as they wonder what is going on.

After the incident that is talked about all over town, some mysterious disappearances happen as Joe’s father Deputy Jack Lamb (Kyle Chandler) is handling the case as he tries to get answers from Air Force Colonel Nelec (Noah Emmerich). Joe, Charles, Alice, and the rest of the gang continue to create their movie as they begin to wonder what is really going on as the Air Force starts to get involved. With Jack pondering about what the Air Force is doing, more mysterious disappearances happen as Alice’s father Louis (Ron Eldard) witnesses Alice being captured by a mysterious creature. When Joe learns about what happened to Alice, he and his friends decide to find her where they discover what the mysterious creature is doing and why the Air Force is after it.

The film is essentially the story about a group of kids who encounter a train accident where they discover some mysterious things happening as people disappear and the Air Force gets involved. While these kids are simply trying to make a low-budget Super 8mm zombie movie, they have to deal with all of these things happening while one of them becomes attracted to the girl in the group. It’s an adventure story told largely from the perspective of kids that recalls a lot of the children-adventure movies that Steven Spielberg had produced like The Goonies where it’s about a group of kids driving the story.

J.J. Abrams’ screenplay does have this unique narrative that revolves around these kids growing up in the late 1970s where all they want to do is make a zombie movie. Even as they would eventually find footage of the accident they encounter that turns the movie into a suspense-thriller involving all sorts of things. There’s also a subplot in the narrative that involves Joe and his father as they’re both mourning as the loss of Joe’s mother in an accident that Alice’s father Louis had unknowingly been involved in. This would eventually cause tension between father and son once Joe becomes friends with Alice as it would also bring tension between he and Charles. Still, they would all band together to eventually uncover the mystery of this creature and why it’s here as they also to deal with the Air Force and its brutish colonel.

Abrams’ direction is definitely stylish from the way he recreates a small town set in 1979 to the array of special effects-driven action sequences that appears in the film. Still, Abrams is focused on the story of these kids where he creates some amazing compositions in the way he frames his young actors as well as the idea of what it’s like to make a movie. With some amazing wide shots of the locations, that are shot in West Virginia, Abrams truly understands the idea of life in a small town while keeping the shots simple and to the point. Abrams also utilizes his approach to lens flares for many of the film’s nighttime scenes where it adds to some of the film’s sci-fi visual ideas. Notably in the film’s climatic moments where Joe and his friends would make their discovery. Overall, Abrams crafts a very solid and thoroughly engaging film that is a joy to watch.

Cinematographer Larry Fong does excellent work with the film‘s stylish photography with some wonderfully naturalistic shots of the locations for its exteriors along with the use of grainy Super 8mm film for the movie the kids are making. Editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey do nice work with the editing by playing up the energy of the action sequences while utilizing more methodical cuts for the film‘s dramatic moments. Production designer Martin Whist, along with art director David Scott and set decorators Fainche MacCarthy and Dave Kann, does fantastic work with the look of the small town as well as some of the locations including the train debris in the film.

Costume designer Ha Nguyen does terrific work with the costumes by playing up the look of the late 1970s in the clothes that the kids wear. Visual effects supervisors Russell Earl, Kim Liberi, and Dennis Muren do brilliant work with the visual effects that are created such as the climatic creature and the train crash sequence. Sound designer Ben Burtt and co-sound editor Matthew Wood do superb work with the sound to create amazing sound textures for some of the film‘s action sequences along with more sparse mixes in the intimate moments. The film’s score by Michael Giacchino is amazing for its orchestral-driven pieces ranging from suspenseful driven pieces to a lush, dramatic theme to play the sense of loss that Joe is dealing with. Music supervisor George Drakoulias creates a fun soundtrack that features a lot of music of the late 70s from acts like Blondie, Chic, the Knack, Electric Light Orchestra, the Cars, and the Commodores to play out that period.

The casting by April Webster and Alyssa Weisberg is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Joel McKinnon Miller and Jessica Tuck as Charles’ parents, Amanda Michalka as Charles’ older sister Jen, David Gallagher as photo shop clerk Donny, and Glynn Turman as the mysterious Dr. Woodward. Noah Emmerich is very good as the secretive yet villainous Colonel Nelec who is trying to hide things and cause problems for the town. Ron Eldard is terrific as the troubled Louis Dainard who feels guilty over what happened to Joe’s mother as he also deals with Alice’s friendship with Joe. Kyle Chandler is wonderful as Joe’s father Jack who tries to deal with his son’s activities while trying to figure out what Colonel Nelec and the Air Force are doing.

Zach Mills is funny as helpful Preston while Gabriel Basso is superb as often scared Martin who always throws up in certain parts of the film. Ryan Lee is great as the fireworks-loving Cary who likes to blow things up and always does something really silly. Riley Griffiths is excellent as the creative Charles who always says some profane things while trying to rally everyone to make his movie. Joel Courtney is brilliant as Joe who tries to deal with all of the chaos that is happening around him while being the one to lead the gang into discovering what is going around them. Finally, there’s Elle Fanning in a marvelous performance as Alice Dainard as she displays a great sense of energy and depth into a young girl who joins the boys in an adventure as she definitely delivers in a truly mesmerizing performance.

Super 8 is a fun and thrilling sci-fi adventure film from J.J. Abrams. Thanks to a very talented ensemble cast that is led by its young actors in Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning. It’s a film that is full of exciting and funny moments that has all of the hallmarks of a typical summer blockbuster but with substance and characters to care for. In the end, Super 8 is a remarkable film from J.J. Abrams.

J.J. Abrams Films: (Mission: Impossible 3) - (Star Trek (2009 film)) - (Star Trek 2)

© thevoid99 2012