Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story is the story about a theater director and an actress trying to have amicable divorce as it lead to a troubled custody battle for their son. The film is a study of a marriage disintegrating with two people who care about each other as they both go into different directions and cities but also want to be civil only to get into an ugly custody battle. Starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Azhy Robertson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, and Merritt Wever. Marriage Story is a witty yet touching film from Noah Baumbach.
The marriage between a theater director and his leading lady is ending as the two try to maintain an amicable divorce as the latter moves to Los Angeles to star in a pilot only for the show to be picked up leading to a chaotic custody battle for their young son. That is the film’s overall plot as it’s more about two people falling out of love and trying to understand what is best for their son but also for themselves just as they start to see the flaws in themselves in their marriage. Noah Baumbach’s screenplay is set into two different cities in New York and Los Angeles as the former is where Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) does much of his theater work as he’s about to get a prestigious grant that would help his theater company financially as well as be on Broadway. The latter is where Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) is about to star in a TV pilot as she once known as an actress of raunchy teen movies as her work in Charlie’s avant-garde plays have given her acclaim yet she wanted to branch out into doing different things.
The first act is about Charlie and Nicole trying to raise their eight-year old son Henry (Azhy Robertson) with the latter going to L.A. and live temporarily with her mother Sandra (Julie Hagerty) with Henry living with her. The two try to work out a long-distance relationship with Charlie staying in New York City to get his play on Broadway but Nicole’s series gets picked up and Charlie’s plans for his play with Nicole’s involvement falls by the wayside leaving to problems and Nicole hiring Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern) as her divorce attorney. Charlie is taken aback by the news of Nora prompting him to find a lawyer as he hires retired family lawyer Bert Spitz (Alan Alda) who is more about civility as he would be replaced another attorney Charlie met earlier in the brash Jay Marotta (Ray Liotta). Through many legal things and other things that forces Charlie to buy an apartment in Los Angeles, Charlie and Nicole’s desire for civility and making things work start to fall apart as their own faults come into play.
Baumbach’s direction does have elements of style in some of the compositions he creates yet much of his direction is straightforward. Shot on location in New York City and in Los Angeles as they’re both characters in the film. Baumbach does use close-ups and medium shots to play into the characters conversing with one another yet there are also a lot of wide shots for some of the rooms and places they’re in whether it’s Charlie’s L.A. apartment or Nora’s office. Baumbach does use the wide shots to play into this growing dissolution between Charlie and Nicole as well as their own sense of loneliness as they cope with the divorce. The direction has Baumbach emphasize on locations as it play into Charlie being lost in Los Angeles as he doesn’t know much about the city while he has a hard time trying to do things both in New York and in L.A. It’s one of the film’s comical moments as it play into Charlie’s own awkwardness towards L.A. as well as the fact that he always turns to Nicole’s mother for help as she likes Charlie as she doesn’t want to end their relationship.
The direction does intensify as it reaches the third act in the first court case as Baumbach has some unique compositions where it’s Jay and Nora in the foreground while Charlie and Nicole are in the background as Baumbach would use close-ups of Charlie and Nicole to understand what they’re dealing with. Even to the point that they are forced to realize why they broke up and are in this situation during an intensely dramatic scene as it is clear that both of them do love each other but also hate each other. Baumbach maintains that air of realism as well as not being afraid of painting both Charlie and Nicole as flawed people with good intentions as they want what is best for their son and for each other. Overall, Baumbach crafts a compelling and rapturous film about a couple divorcing each other and dealing with an ugly custody battle.
Cinematographer Robbie Ryan does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of low-key colors and lights for some of the scenes in New York City to the more vibrant look of Los Angeles in the daytime with some low-key looks for the scenes at night. Editor Jennifer Lame does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some jump-cuts to play into some of the humor while there’s an inventive montage sequence in the beginning to play into Charlie and Nicole’s notes for each other. Production designer Jade Healy, with set decorators Lizzie Boyle, Nickie Ritchie, and Adam Willis plus art directors Andrew Hull and Josh Petersen, does fantastic work with the look of Charlie and Nicole’s home in New York City as well as the home of Nicole’s mother’s house as well as the apartment that Charlie would live in in Los Angeles. Costume designer Mark Bridges does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of the Halloween costumes Charlie, Nicole, and Henry would wear
Special effects supervisor Joe Pancake and visual effects supervisor Vico Sharabani do terrific work with the look of the design in Charlie’s play as well as in Nicole’s TV pilot as much of the visual effects are minimal as they serve as set-dressing. Sound editor Christopher Scarabosio does superb work with the sound in the way airplanes sound as well as the sound of certain locations that add to the tense atmosphere of the film. The film’s music by Randy Newman is incredible for its somber piano-based score and lush orchestral pieces that play into some of the humor and drama as well as the melancholic tone of the film while music supervisor George Drakoulias provides a fun soundtrack that features mainly bits of instrumental pieces from Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips and Bill Evans along with show tunes that include songs by Stephen Sondheim.
The casting by Douglas Aibel and Francine Maisler is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Jasmine Cepha Jones, Mickey Sumner, and Wallace Shawn as actors in Charlie’s theater company, Mark O’Brien as a man Nicole meets late in the film in Carter, Brooke Bloom as Charlie’s theater manager whom he supposedly had a brief tryst with, Rich Fulcher as a judge, and Martha Kelly in a terrific one-scene performance as a court-appointed evaluator who watches Charlie’s time with Henry in an awkwardly-funny scene. Merritt Wever is superb as Nicole’s sister Cassie who is trying to help Nicole out while having a funny moment involving trying to hide the divorce papers for Charlie. Julie Hagerty is fantastic as Nicole’s mother Sandra as a former actress who is trying to maintain peace as she also helps Charlie find a lawyer in the hope to continue her own relationship with Charlie. Azhy Robertson is excellent as Charlie and Nicole’s son Henry as a young boy trying to find his role in the world where he finds joy in Los Angeles while having a hard time trying to understand what his parents are going through.
Alan Alda is brilliant as Bert Spitz as a retired family lawyer Charlie hires as he is a sensible lawyer who had seen a lot as he gives Charlie some advice on what to do and wanting to make it civil as it would play into Charlie’s frustrations. Ray Liotta is amazing as Jay Marotta as an attorney Charlie meets during the first act and eventually hire him as he’s a more ruthless attorney who also provides Charlie some harsh insights about what he is about go through as Liotta provides a lot of energy into his performance. Laura Dern is incredible as Nicole’s attorney Nora Fanshaw as a woman who understand what Nicole is going through but also has to find angles and such while is full of charisma as is it is Dern in one of her best performances of her career.
Finally, there’s the duo of Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Charlie and Nicole Barber. Driver provides this element of quirkiness as a man who tends to live in his own head a lot yet is a good father and a good cook as he copes with having to move to Los Angeles to be near his son though he’s a New York person who loves what he does in theater. Johansson’s performance is filled with unique facial mannerisms but also a woman who is becoming melancholic over her marriage but also in what she wants for herself as she tries to find ways to be civil and a good mother to her son. Driver and Johansson together have this amazing chemistry in the way they deal with each other including in an intense argument scene that showcases two people who have a lot to vent but also realize how much they do care each other as it is a major moment for both of them who definitely give career-defining performances.
Marriage Story is an outstanding film from Noah Baumbach that feature sensational performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. Along with its ensemble cast, study of divorce and dissolution, gorgeous photography, Randy Newman’s amazing score, and Baumbach’s willingness to showcase the many highs and lows of divorce. It’s a film that is willing to explore a family coming apart but also wanting what is best for a child who is caught in the middle despite the parents’ attempt to be civil and fair. In the end, Marriage Story is a magnificent film from Noah Baumbach.
Noah Baumbach Films: Kicking and Screaming (1995 film) - Highball - Mr. Jealousy - The Squid & the Whale - Margot at the Wedding - Greenberg - Frances Ha - While We're Young - Mistress America - De Palma - The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) - (White Noise (2022 film)) - The Auteurs #41: Noah Baumbach
© thevoid99 2020
Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women is the story about the lives of four sisters who embark on different lives as one of them aspires to be a writer as well as trying to find herself during and after the American Civil War. Written for the screen and directed by Greta Gerwig, the film is a coming-of-age drama that explore four young women trying to find themselves as well as their roles in lives as well as rely on each other. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, and Meryl Streep. Little Women is a ravishing and vivacious film from Greta Gerwig.
The film revolves around four sisters living in Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War as their father is away as they all have different ambitions and dreams that they want to do while eventually finding their own identities in the years after the war. It’s a film that play into a world where women are expected to have certain roles for the world yet one of them wants to write while another wants to be an artist while another sister wants to belong and be part of society and another sister just wants to simply play piano. Greta Gerwig’s screenplay doesn’t aim for a traditional narrative but rather a somewhat non-linear narrative that is more deconstructive in order to explore the four March sisters in Margaret “Meg” (Emma Watson), Josephine “Jo” (Saoirse Ronan), Elizabeth “Beth” (Eliza Scanlen), and the youngest Amy (Florence Pugh).
The narrative opens with Jo trying to sell her stories and hoping to get published yet she chooses to remain anonymous as a writer and have her work be re-edited for money that she uses to help her family back in Concord while she’s in New York teaching at a boarding house. Much of the narrative have the sisters often looking back at certain moments of their lives during the final years of the American Civil War where their father (Bob Odenkirk) is serving for the Union as they live with their mother Marmee (Laura Dern) and family maid Hannah (Jayne Houdyshell) whom they consider family than a servant. Gerwig’s script does focus largely on Jo yet she does give a lot of considerable attention to the bratty but artistic Amy, the proper Meg, and the shy Beth. While Amy and Meg are given arcs that play into their development, Beth’s role is more at the center as she represents the best of the sisters while being a source of comfort to the elderly neighbor Mr. Laurence (Chris Cooper) through her piano playing while his grandson Theodore “Laurie” (Timothee Chamalet) becomes a friend of the sisters.
Gerwig’s direction is definitely rapturous in not just its presentation but also in some of the choices she makes in the way she presents the characters and their arcs. Shot largely on location in Boston as well as Concord, Massachusetts and parts of Harvard including the Arnold Arboretum as Paris, Gerwig recreates the world of mid-19th Century Massachusetts as there’s some wide shots of the locations while Gerwig would also use medium shots to get a look into Concord in the mid-19th Century and how it would change when Jo was living in the town to her return years later to help the ailing Beth. The usage of dolly tracking shots for a scene where Jo dances with Laurie outside of a party that Meg is attending as there is this air of energy and looseness that makes it so compelling as it play into Jo’s friendship with Laurie. Gerwig also creates matching compositions in the way to create shifting transitions where it would focus on a character from a certain moment in time to then where that person is years later as they reflect on the past.
Gerwig’s direction also has this atmosphere to the period while emphasizing on different seasons to help play into the mood of a scene as well as the journey that a character takes. Amy would be in Paris trying to learn how to paint like the greats while dealing with Laurie’s presence who is trying to woo her while Meg is in Concord trying to be a good wife but also wanting to fit in with the other women in Concord. The scenes of Jo with Beth play into their relationship but also how important Beth was to the family as someone who really did a lot more behind the scenes as well as encourage Jo to not stop writing. Gerwig would also find a way to wrap things up as it relate to Jo eventually finding herself as well as what she wants as a writer and as a woman along with her sisters finding their own identities with the people they care about around them. Overall, Gerwig crafts an evocative and intoxicating film about four sisters trying to find themselves in mid-19th Century America.
Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of natural blue lighting for some of the scenes in the winter as well as to create a mood along with some naturalistic photography in some of the daytime interiors and usage of candles at night. Editor Nick Houy does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts, montages, and slow-motion as it help play into the drama and some of the humor. Production designer Jess Gonchor, with set decorator Claire Kaufman and supervising art director Chris Farmer, does excellent work with the look of the March home as well as the Laurence estate as well as the home of Aunt March (Meryl Streep) as there’s a lot of great detail that play into the homes and how it reflect those characters. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran is amazing for its costumes in the design of the dresses that the women wear as it so much detail that play into the personalities of the characters with the clothes that the men wear throughout the film.
Visual effects supervisor Blake Goedde does terrific work with the visual effects as it is largely set dressing to help create the look of some of the places the characters go to in its exterior. Sound editors Skip Lievsay and Paul Urmsom do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the parties as well as the scenes on the beach and the pub scenes in New York. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is phenomenal for its rich and lush orchestral score that help play into the drama and some of its livelier moments as it is a highlight of the film as the music soundtrack also feature some classical pieces and traditional music pieces of the time.
The casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Maryanne Plunkett as the boarding house landlord Mrs. Kirke, Abby Quinn as a young society woman in Annie Moffat, Dash Barber as Amy’s beau Fred Vaughn, Sasha Frovola as the ailing German immigrant Mrs. Hummel, Jayne Houdyshell as the March’s longtime maid Hannah whom the girls treat as family, Bob Odenkirk as Father March, and Tracy Letts as the newspaper publisher Mr. Dashwood who is baffled by Jo’s stories as he reluctantly publishes them. James Norton is terrific as Laurie’s tutor John Brooke who would become Meg’s husband as he is concerned with her desire to fit in despite their lack of finances while Louis Garrel is superb as Friedrich Bhaer as a European literature professor who befriends Jo in New York while gives her some serious criticism about her work.
Chris Cooper is fantastic as Mr. Laurence as Laurie’s grandfather who laments over the loss of his daughter many years ago as he sees Beth as someone close to his daughter due to her love for the piano. Timothee Chalamet is excellent as Theodore “Laurie” Laurence as the grandson of Mr. Laurence who befriends Jo and the March sisters as he helps them be part of their plays as well as observe everything else while later falling for Amy in Paris. Meryl Streep is brilliant as Aunt March as Father March’s older sister who is rich while always offering the March girls advice about life and such as she often brings a lot of humor to her role. Laura Dern is amazing as Marmee as the March family matriarch who is always trying to bring some guidance and warmth to her daughters as well as someone who is also willing to help no matter how little her family have.
Eliza Scanlen is incredible as Elizabeth “Beth” March as the third older sister of the family who is shy as she prefers to play the piano to entertain others while is also the most observant as she would fall ill twice through scarlet fever where she would give Jo the motivation to keep on writing. Emma Watson is remarkable as Margaret “Meg” March as the eldest of the four sisters who wants to fit in and wear the finest clothes as she also acts in Jo’s plays but wants to have a family as she later deals with the desires to conform as well as be a good wife and mother to her children. Florence Pugh is phenomenal as Amy March as the youngest of the four sisters who is wild and bratty but also manages to be caring as she later goes to France to learn to be an artist as she copes with her work as well as her love life as she becomes unsure about Laurie. Finally, there’s Saoirse Ronan in a sensational performance as Josephine “Jo” March as the second oldest of the four sisters that wants to write and create stories while trying to stand out on her own as Ronan radiates with charisma as well as restraint to convey her own setbacks as it is a career-defining performance for Ronan.
Little Women is a tremendous film from Greta Gerwig that features top-notch performances from Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Chris Cooper, Timothee Chalamet, and Meryl Streep. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, Alexandre Desplat’s rapturous score, amazing set and costume design, and an inventive and compelling script. The film is definitely an adaptation that manages to be not just a fascinating character study and coming-of-age drama but also so much more in its take on identity, womanhood, and the dreams of these four sisters. In the end, Little Women is a magnificent film from Greta Gerwig.
Related: (Little Women (1917 film)) – (Little Women (1918 film)) – (Little Women (1933 film)) – (Little Women (1949 film)) – (Little Women (1994 film)) – (Little Women (2018 film))
Greta Gerwig Films: (Nights and Weekends) – Lady Bird - Barbie
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the short stories by Maile Meloy, Certain Women is a collection of three different stories involving women dealing with trials and tribulations in their lives. Written for the screen, directed, and edited by Kelly Reichardt, the film follows the lives of different women set in Montana as they deal with their place in the world as well as what they want. Starring Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, Lily Gladstone, James LeGros, Jared Harris, John Getz, Sara Rodier, and Rene Auberjonois. Certain Women is an engrossing yet evocative film from Kelly Reichardt.
Set in small parts of Montana, the film follows the lives of women in three different stories where they deal with something out of ordinary in their day-to-day lives. It all play into this location that is quaint yet it also has something that does feel extraordinary where it revolves around the lives of these three women. Rather than employ a cross-cutting narrative that can be confusing, Kelly Reichardt chose to go for something that is straightforward though its main characters are connected in some way despite rarely interacting with one another. The first story involves a lawyer named Laura Wells (Laura Dern) who is dealing with a client who has become disabled due to what happened at work. It would lead to a moment where he would hold a security guard hostage forcing her to deal with the situation and help him find some justice.
The second story revolves around a couple who want to build their dream home as they’ve set up camp at the site of the house as they want to buy stones from an old man. Yet, Gina Lewis (Michelle Williams) is also dealing with tension with her teenage daughter over the home she wants to build. The third story involves a lonely ranch hand named Jamie (Lily Gladstone) living outside of the small town where the characters live at as she unknowingly attends night school for a class on law where she falls for its young teacher in Beth Travis (Kristen Stewart). For Jamie, this sudden attraction has her wanting to break away from the monotonous life where she tries to find ways to woo Beth as they would go to a diner though Beth has to travel four hours from her town to go and teach in the smaller town and then drive four hours back. It all play into these events that the women had to endure as well as deal with something that can impact their lives.
Reichardt’s direction is actually very simple where doesn’t go into any kind of visual style nor does the film contain a lot of close-ups to emphasize more on the characters and their surroundings. Shot on location in the state of Montana with the town of Livingston being where much of the film is shot as well as other locations in the state. Reichardt would shoot the film during the winter period where it feels true for the location while she would use a lot of wide shots to play into this world that is sort of isolated from much of America in terms of its big cities and high-octane culture for something simpler. Reichardt’s approach to medium shots has more to do with the way characters interact with each other in situations or in how they deal with the typical aspects of their day-to-day life. Also serving as the film’s editor, Reichardt would emphasize a lot on long shots though knows when not to cut as she would infuse some jump-cuts for parts of the film as well as bits of suspense for the story involving Laura and her client. Reichardt would also maintain a sense of low-key melodrama for Gina’s story in her interaction with the old man while the story about Jamie and Beth is more light-hearted but also with a sense of restraint as the film would end with realistic conclusions for these characters who are all dealing with a sense of loneliness in their stark surrounding. Overall, Reichardt creates a riveting yet intoxicating about the extraordinary lives of women in Montana.
Cinematographer Christopher Blauvet does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely natural and low-key to play into the realistic yet gorgeous look of the daytime exteriors set in the winter to some low-key lighting for some of the scenes at night. Production designer Anthony Gasparro, with set decorator Pamela Day and art director Kat Ulmansiek, does fantastic work with the look of the tent Gina lives in as well as the classroom where Beth teaches. Costume designer April Napier does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual since it is set in the winter with its big coats, sweaters, and winter boots. Sound designer Kent Sparling does superb work with the sound as it is largely low-key to play into the locations that the characters are in as well as the scenes that play into the drama and suspense. The film’s music by Jeff Grace is wonderful as it’s largely low-key as it only appears sparingly in its mixture of folk and ambient music setting.
The casting by Mark Bennett and Gayle Keller is great as it feature some notable small roles from John Getz as the local sheriff in Livingston, Sara Rodier as Gina and Ryan’s teenage daughter Guthrie who doesn’t like her mother, James LeGros as Gina’s husband Ryan who is trying to keep the peace between mother and daughter, and Rene Auberjonois as the old man Albert whom Gina wants to buy some stones from in the hopes to build her dream house. Jared Harris is superb as Fuller as Laura’s client who is dealing with an injury that has kept him from working as he tries to get some money for the injury that happened to him where he becomes very desperate. Lily Gladstone is excellent as Jamie as a ranch hand who deals with her lonely and monotonous existence where she stumbles into a night school class where she befriends and falls for a lawyer teaching the class about the ideas of the law.
Kristen Stewart is fantastic as Beth as a lawyer who takes the teaching job four hours from where she lives as she copes with her own lonely existence and lack of stability where she finds a friend in Jamie whom she’s intrigued by. Michelle Williams is amazing as Gina as a woman that is eager to build her dream home as she also deals with the sense of disconnect with her daughter as well as some of the immorality she takes part in getting what she wants for her home unaware of Albert’s emotional attachment to the stones. Finally, there’s Laura Dern in a brilliant performance as Laura Wells as a lawyer who is trying to help her disabled client Fuller as well as deal with her own life that doesn’t have much excitement where a crisis would give her that bit of excitement.
Certain Women is a phenomenal film from Kelly Reichardt. Featuring a great cast, compelling stories on loneliness and the need to connect in a rural existence, gorgeous visuals, and a minimalist approach to its storytelling. It’s a film that explores a world that simple yet with characters that want more as they contend with their surroundings and need to either get out or make something of it. In the end, Certain Women is a sensational film from Kelly Reichardt.
Kelly Reichardt Films: River of Grass – Old Joy - Wendy and Lucy - Meek's Cutoff - Night Moves (2013 film) – First Cow - Showing Up - The Auteurs #72: Kelly Reichardt
© thevoid99 2018
Written for the screen and directed by Rian Johnson that is based on characters created by George Lucas, The Last Jedi (Star Wars: Episode VIII ) is the story of a continuing conflict between the First Order and the Resistance as a young woman finds Luke Skywalker in the hopes he can help out the Resistance while being trained in the art of the Force. The second part of a trilogy that explore the chaos of war, the film is also an exploration into the evolution of the Force in which Skywalker discovers a power that drove him away many years ago as he is played by Mark Hamill. Also starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, Anthony Daniels, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro, Joonas Suotamo, Jimmy Vee, and Carrie Fisher in her final performance as General Leia Organa. The Last Jedi is a visceral yet rapturous film from Rian Johnson.
Picking up where the previous film left off, the film revolves around a resistance who find themselves trying to evacuate their base to find a new one as they’re forced to confront the First Order who have been tracking them. With Resistance forces dwindling and little options left, the Resistance led by General Leia Organa is on a cruiser that is damaged and running low on fuel. Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) is trying to get Luke Skywalker back on board as he is reluctant to help the Resistance as he’s still coping with his own faults believing he failed his apprentice Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Rian Johnson’s screenplay, with contributions from Carrie Fisher, is filled with a lot of complexities as well as a lot of narrative arcs that relate to the Resistance struggling to survive as their fleet is in tatters. Rey's character arc with Luke that include Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and R2-D2 (Jimmy Vee) has her trying to find her place as well as get Luke to train her where he realizes the power that she has. Yet, Rey would find herself communicating with Ren through the Force which lead to some trouble and revelations about why he betrayed Luke.
Another narrative arc involves a leadership struggle in the Resistance following an attack on a large First Order ship where Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) has to deal with the Resistance’s deputy leader Vice Admiral Amilyn Hodo (Laura Dern) who is trying to decide what to do next knowing that the First Order can still track the Resistance through light-speed. Poe would strategize a plan to disable a tracking device from a Star Destroyer with Finn (John Boyega) and the droid BB-8 (voice of Ben Burtt and Bill Hader) teaming with a mechanic in Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) to find a hacker to disable that tracking device. It’s an arc that showcases not just Poe’s own development as someone who is very impulsive and reckless in his actions as he needs to know how to be a leader as well as Finn trying to find his place in the Resistance where he befriends Rose who is dealing with loss. Another arc play into Ren’s rivalry with First Order leader General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) in trying to win the approval of the First Order’s leader Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) who wants to destroy the Resistance while that narrative also showcases Ren’s own struggle with himself.
Johnson’s direction is definitely astronomical into not just the different worlds that the characters go to but also have half the film’s narrative set in space where the Resistance is being pursued by the First Order. With much of the film shot on Pinewood Studios in London as well as scenes shot on location in Ireland, Iceland, Mexico, and Bolivia, the film showcases a world that is starting to come apart as well as see some of the darkest aspects of war. The film begins with the Resistance in evacuation mode where it is immediate as it showcases what the Resistance tries to do but also how the First Order would retaliate. It’s a massive sequence which also has elements of character development that showcases what Poe would do to confront the First Order but it comes at a great cost as there is a lot of drama that goes on where General Leia rightfully scolds Poe for his recklessness.
Johnson’s usage of the wide shots capture not just some of the damage that goes on in war but also into the vast world of the galaxy that the characters are in that include Rose and Finn’s journey to this planet that houses a casino for the galaxy’s wealthiest people. It’s a sequence that is strange as it play into a reality about war where it’s a world of decadence and riches that Rose knows and despises where she and Finn try to find this mysterious hacker where they meet this mysterious man named DJ (Benicio del Toro). There are some close-ups and medium shots that Johnson would use as it include these unique Force conversations between Rey and Kylo who are both dealing their place in the Force. It’s told with some unique reverse shots and scenes that are surreal while Johnson would also include a flashback sequence of what really happened when Kylo betrayed Skywalker.
It’s among these chilling moments as well as the scene where Rey meets Snoke for the first time as it would lead an intense sequence that is about the ideas of the Jedi and the Sith. Johnson would also infuse some humor into the film as it include moments of humility for Poe as well as Snoke’s confrontation towards General Hux. Yet, it is all about this battle between good and evil where the latter has put the former into a corner where the film’s climax is about survival with all that is left for the Resistance. It’s a majestic sequence that has a lot happening as well as characters coming together for a moment that could be the end of everything or just the beginning. Overall, Johnson crafts a riveting and gripping film about a group of resistance fighters trying to survive against an evil empire intent on ruling the galaxy.
Cinematographer Steve Yedlin does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the naturalistic look of the scenes set in the planet of Ahch-To where Luke has been hiding out to the low-key and stylish lighting for the scenes in the spaceships, the casinos, and at the caves in an old Rebellion fortress. Editor Bob Ducsay does excellent work with the editing with its usage of stylish dissolves and match-cuts as well as some rhythmic cutting into the action and suspense as it add some intrigue and establishing what is at stake. Production designer Rick Heinrichs, with set decorator Richard Roberts and senior art director Phil Sims, does amazing work with the look of the cruiser and transport for the Resistance in its interiors to the look of the lavish casino that Finn and Rose go to as well as Snoke’s main room inside the large Star Destroyer.
Costume designer Michael Kaplan does fantastic work with the costumes from the dresses that General Leia and Vice Admiral Hodo wears to the clothes of the people at the casino. Hair/makeup designer Peter King does superb work with the look of Vice Admiral Hodo with her purple hair as well as the people at the casino who look very posh and decadent. Creature designer Neal Scanlan does incredible work with the look of the tiny creatures at the planet of Ahch-To known as the Porgs as well as some of the inhabitants of the planet and at the casino and the caves. Special effects supervisor Chris Corbould and visual effects supervisor Ben Morris do marvelous work with the design of some of the visual effects for the scenes in space as well as in the design of some of the creatures with its mixture of old-school practical effects and computer-created visual effects.
Sound designers Ben Burtt and Ren Klyce, with sound editor Matthew Wood, do remarkable work with the sound with the sound effects in how the droids make their sounds including an Imperial BB-unit and the sounds of some of the creatures in the film. The film’s music by John Williams is phenomenal for its bombastic orchestral score that is filled with lush string arrangements and themes that range from heavy to somber as it is one of the film’s major highlights.
The casting by Nina Gold, Milivoj Mestrovic, and Mary Vernieu is great as it feature some notable small roles from Timothy D. Rose as Admiral Ackbar, Mike Quinn as Nien Nubb, Veronica Ngo as Rose’s bomber sister Paige, Billie Lourd as Resistance lieutenant Connix, Jimmy Vee as Luke’s old droid R2-D2 who is dealing with Porgs and wanting Luke to come home, the voice of Ben Burtt and Bill Hader as the droid BB-8 who provide some funny and cool moments in the film, Justin Theroux as a big-time gambler at the casino, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca with special consultation by Peter Mayhew who deals with trying to get Luke home and the Porgs, Anthony Daniels as the protocol droid C-3PO who frets over the situation of the Resistance, Lupita Nyong’o as the famed pirate Maz Kanata who provides Poe some information while dealing with a war involving other pirates, and Gwendoline Christie as the Stormtroopers commander Captain Phasma who has a huge grudge towards Finn as she is willing to go after him anyway she can. Benicio del Toro is superb as a codebreaker/hacker named DJ as a man who is willing to help anyone all for money to display his own cynical views on war.
Domhnall Gleeson is fantastic as General Hux as a First Order military leader that is hell-bent on destroying the Resistance and wanting to win over Snoke where he’s not afraid to be a punching bag in some of the most hilarious moments. Laura Dern is amazing as Vice Admiral Amilyn Hodo as a Resistance leader that briefly takes over for an injured Leia as she spars with Poe over what to do as she is someone that knows what is at stake and what needs to be done as it’s a very graceful performance from Dern. Kelly Marie Tran is wonderful as Rose Tico as a Resistance mechanic who aids Finn and BB-8 in a mission to find a codebreaker to help the Resistance evade the First Order as she is someone who is aware of the corruption of the galaxy as well as being someone that is willing to fight for what is right. Andy Serkis is brilliant as Supreme Leader Snoke as the mysterious Sith lord and leader of the First Order who is eager to know who Rey is and what he can do for her as well as ordering Kylo to bring her in an attempt to get back in his favor.
Oscar Isaac is excellent as Poe Dameron as the Resistance pilot who copes with the leadership struggle in the Resistance as he tries to create a secret mission as he’s forced to deal with some of the reckless decisions he’s made in his need to learn how to be a leader. John Boyega is marvelous as Finn as a former Stormtroooper who decides to take part in a secret mission created by Poe as he would see exactly what is happening and what the First Order is trying to do. Adam Driver is remarkable as Kylo Ren as Luke’s former apprentice who has turned to the dark side of the Force as he copes with failures in the past as well as his own internal conflict into the role he wants to take. Daisy Ridley is incredible as Rey as a scavenger who is trying to find out who she is and her place in the galaxy while trying to get Luke back into the Resistance while dealing with all sorts of things as it’s a powerful performance from Ridley.
Mark Hamill is phenomenal as Luke Skywalker as the famed Jedi master who has distanced himself from the art of the Jedi as there’s an air of nihilism about Luke’s view on the Jedi due to the fact that he’s consumed with guilt over Kylo and his reluctance to train Rey which lead to some revelations over his failures as a Jedi master. Finally, there’s Carrie Fisher in a radiant performance as General Leia Organa as the Resistance leader who is trying to carry a sense of hope for the Resistance as she knows how grim things are as it’s a performance of grace and elegance where Fisher delivers a performance that is one for the ages as it’s a fitting finale for the late Carrie Fisher.
The Last Jedi is a tremendous film from Rian Johnson. Featuring a great cast, dazzling visual effects, a riveting script with many revelations and character arcs, John Williams’ sumptuous score, and high-octane action. It’s a film that manages to be a lot of things expected in a sci-fi epic while also taking some risks to showcase some of the dark aspects of war and the idea of failure and redemption. In the end, The Last Jedi is a spectacular film from Rian Johnson.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Rise of Skywalker
Anthology Series: Rogue One - Solo: A Star Wars Story – (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
Related: The Star Wars Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 – (American Graffiti)
Rian Johnson Films: Brick - The Brothers Bloom - Looper - Knives Out - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - (Knives Out 3)
© thevoid99 2017
Directed and edited by Ramin Bahrani and screenplay by Bahrani and Amir Naderi from a story by Bahrani and Bahareh Azimi, 99 Homes is the story of a young man who joins forces with the man who evicted him from his house by evicting other people from their houses so he, his mother, and son a chance to find a home again. The film follows the real-life situations of people losing their homes during periods of recession where a young man succumbs to greed in his desperation to survive. Starring Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, and Laura Dern. 99 Homes is an eerie yet harrowing film from Ramin Bahrani.
The film follows the life of a young man who had just lost another job as he is trying to save his home until he becomes evicted forcing him, his mother, and his son to live at a motel where he would later work with the man who evicted him. It’s a film that explores a man’s desperate need to survive as he is trying to do what is right for his mother and son. Yet, it would cause some moral implications as he would work with this real estate operator who makes a business in evicting people from their homes and then sell it off for more money. The film’s screenplay by Ramin Bahrani and Amir Naderi doesn’t just explore this growing world in which people don’t just lose their homes to the banks due to troubling economic circumstances but also what happens to those homes as a man who would lose his family home would take part in something that is considered greedy and immoral. The character of Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) is someone who’s worked in construction and can do repairs as he is struggling to find work while his mother Lynn (Laura Dern) works as a hairdresser as they can barely get by.
The loss of their home is humiliating as Dennis’ son Connor (Noah Lomax) is forced to witness everything as the hotel they temporarily live at is filled with people who had also lost their homes. When Dennis tries to find his tools where he believes had been stolen and confronts the man who he thinks is the thief. He gets the attention of the real estate operator Rick Carter (Michael Shannon) who likes Dennis’ determination as he gets him to do some work where Dennis learns more about what Carter does. Dennis would do the things that Carter does in evicting people and getting people money to sell their homes as he would struggle with what he’s doing. Yet, the money he would make gives him the chance to have his home back as he doesn’t tell his mother nor his son what he really does. The film’s script does have a structure as it play into Dennis’ need to make money as the third act would reveal the implication of his actions but also what gets lost in the things he does.
Bahrani’s direction is definitely mesmerizing for the way he explores this divide in America between social classes where the rich is living without any kind of problems while the poor and middle class struggle to get by as some no longer have homes. While it is set in Orlando, Florida where there are some wide establish shots of the city. It is shot mainly on location in New Orleans to play into the world of suburbia and urban areas where Dennis and his family are forced to live in as well as the houses that Carter is trying to sell as he would later find himself competing with another real estate company during its third act. Much of Bahrani’s direction throughout the film has him emphasizing on more intimate shots with medium shots and close-ups as well as use hand-held cameras to get a sense of realism throughout the film.
Also serving as the film’s editor, Bahrani would play into the drama as he goes for a straightforward approach to the editing as it helps build up the drama and some of the moments of suspense. Even in moments that are simple as it play into why Carter is doing what he does which show some very cynical ideas about the ways of the world and why those who work hard for what they don’t often don’t get what they want. There are some truths to what Carter is saying but what he puts Dennis into showcases that air of immorality and guilt that Dennis would deal with in the third act where he has a dramatic encounter with someone whose house he evicted. Even as it play into events that are quite chilling as well as what some will do to keep their house in every legal way only to be hit with something that is unexpected. Especially as Dennis is forced to see things up close and deal with the consequences of not just his actions but the deal he made to get back his home. Overall, Bahrani creates a riveting yet chilling film about a young man taking a job in helping a man evict people from their homes.
Cinematographer Bobby Bukowski does brilliant work with the film’s rich and colorful cinematography to capture many of the daytime exteriors along with some scenes at night to make it look like a Floridian summer of sorts. Production designer Alex Digerlando, with set decorator Monique Champagne and art director Christina Eunji Kim, does excellent work with the look of Dennis’ family home and the cramped look of the motel room he, his mother, and son are staying in as well as the more spacious and posh home of Carter. Costume designer Meghan Kasperlik does nice work with the clothes as it is mostly casual and ragged with a cleaner and somewhat posh look for Carter and later Dennis.
Sound editor Odin Benitez does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of some of the locations including a party scenes and things heard outside of Dennis’ motel room. The film’s music by Antony Partos and Matteo Zingales is fantastic as it’s mostly an ambient-based score filled with soothing synthesizers and electronic textures while music supervisor Michael Hill provides a soundtrack that is mostly low-key filled with hip-hop, rock, and pop as well as a classical piece from Richard Wagner.
The casting by Douglas Aibel and Tracy Kilpatrick is great as it feature some notable small roles from Nadiyah Skyy as Carter’s mistress, Nicole Barre as Carter’s wife, Javier Molina as a friend of Dennis who helps him uninstall air condition machines and pool pumps, Cynthia Santiago as the wife of a man who is trying to save their home, and Clancy Brown as a rich businessman that Carter is trying to make a deal with. Tim Guinee is terrific as a homeowner in Frank Greene who is trying to save his home every legal way as he knows Dennis because his son meets Connor early in the film as he is also caught stealing water and electricity from a home owned by Carter. Noah Lomax is fantastic as Dennis’ son Connor as a young kid dealing with the new situation he’s in as he’s hoping to go back home while being unaware of what his father is really doing.
Laura Dern is excellent as Dennis’ mother Lynn as a hairdresser who is kept in the dark about what her son is doing as she is aware of the reality of what is happening but has a harder time learning the truth about what Dennis is doing. Andrew Garfield is amazing as Dennis Nash as an unemployed single father who is trying to make money and do anything to get his house back only to put himself into a world of greed and guilt as Garfield displays that anguish and determination of a man trying to survive. Finally, there’s Michal Shannon in a brilliant performance as Rick Carter as a real estate operator that is quite shady but also determined to make money and bring Dennis into the fold as there’s a sense of charm in Shannon’s performance but also a role that is quite cunning that doesn’t make him into someone that is totally evil.
99 Homes is a phenomenal film from Ramin Bahrani that features incredible performances from Michael Shannon, Andrew Garfield, and Laura Dern. Along with its rapturous script, realistic locations, and a themes of greed, loss, and survival, it’s a film that definitely has a lot to say while showing a dark reality of America as its people lose their homes all because of a missed payment with no chance of getting it back. In the end, 99 Homes is a sensational film from Ramin Bahrani.
Ramin Bahrani Films: Man Push Cart - Chop Shop - Goodbye Solo - Plastic Bag - At Any Price - (Fahrenheit 451 (2018 film)) - The Auteurs #55: Ramin Bahrani
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed, Wild is the story of a troubled woman who decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail to cope with loss, her divorce, and other issues as a way to reflect on her life. Directed and co-edited by Jean-Marc Vallee and screenplay by Nick Hornby, the film is a look into a woman trying to find redemption as she takes on a major challenge as it’s a dramatic take on Strayed’s real-life story with Reese Witherspoon playing the role of Cheryl Strayed. Also starring Thomas Sadoski, Michael Huisman, Gaby Hoffman, and Laura Dern. Wild is an entrancing and riveting film from Jean-Marc Vallee.
The film revolves around Cheryl Strayed’s 94-day journey in hiking the Pacific Coast Trail as she deals with the death of her mother, a divorce, and her descent into drug addiction where she tries to find herself again. It’s a film that has a simple plot yet it is more about a woman trying to take this challenge after hitting bottom in her life as she reflects not just the passing of her mother Bobbi (Laura Dern) but also the events that lead to her own troubles as she nearly killed herself through addiction. Nick Hornby’s script has a back-and-forth reflective narrative where Strayed looks back in her life as she thinks about the life she had with her mother whom she adores but also how it fell apart when she died. During the course of her journey on the trail, Strayed deal with her inexperience as well as getting some of the wrong equipment and other challenges as it seemed like she wouldn’t succeed. Still, she finds a way while also thinking about her own faults as she does get packages from her ex-husband Paul (Thomas Sadoski) during her stops on the trail.
Jean-Marc Vallee’s direction is mesmerizing not just for the fact that it was shot on location in the many spots of the Pacific Crest Trail but also create something that feels natural. Also shot in locations around California and Oregon, Vallee creates many of the flashback scenes with a sense of intimacy with its usage of close-ups and medium shots from Strayed’s time of happiness with her mother and the early years of her marriage to Paul as well as her descent into heroin addiction and promiscuous sex. The scenes set on the trail has Vallee using more wide shots to establish the locations while going for something that feels real as if the audience is along for the journey.
The usage of hand-held cameras, high and low angles as well as compositions that play into something real definitely adds some weight to what Strayed is encountering. Even as there are these moments that play into her own grief where she would see her mother or something that is symbolic. All of which play into a journey that a woman has to take in the need to move on in the next phase of her life. Overall, Vallee creates a fascinating yet evocative film about a woman taking on a personal journey to find herself again.
Cinematographer Yves Berlanger does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the naturalistic and colorful look of the exterior locations in the trail along with some lighting for some scenes in the cities as well as some lights for some scenes at night including naturalistic lights on the trail. Editors Jean-Marc Vallee, in his John Mac McMurphy pseudonym, and Martin Pensa do excellent work with the editing with its stylish montages for some of Strayed‘s flashbacks as well as some jump-cuts and other cuts to play into the drama. Production designer John Paino, with set decorator Robert Covelman and art director Javiera Varas, does nice work with the look of the motels and places Strayed has been in as well as her family home with her mother and some of the places on the trail.
Costume designer Melissa Bruning does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with a lot of the look play into the period of the mid-90s which the film is set in. Visual effects supervisors Marc Cote and Jean-Francois Ferland does some fine work with the visual effects as it‘s mainly set dressing along with the design of a few animals that Strayed would encounter. Sound editors Mildred Iatrou and Ai-Ling Lee do superb work with the sound as it play into the natural elements of the locations as well as some of the textures of things that Strayed hears in the flashbacks. Music supervisor Susan Jacobs creates a fantastic soundtrack that features an array of music from Stevie Ray Vaughn, Paul McCartney & Wings, Leonard Cohen, the Shangri-Las, Free, Portishead, Billy Shaw, Lucinda Williams, the Hollies, Bruce Springsteen, Pat Methany Group, Elvis Presley, and Simon & Garfunkel.
The casting of David Rubin is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Art Alexakis of Everclear as a tattoo artist, Mo McRae as a reporter who mistakes Cheryl as a hobo, Cliff DeYoung as a man at a trail stop who helps Cheryl find the right equipment, Cathryn de Prume as a hiker who is also walking the trail that Cheryl befriends, Bobbi Lindstrom Strayed as the young Cheryl, Jason Newell as Cheryl’s alcoholic father in the flashbacks, W. Earl Brown as a construction worker who gives Cheryl a place to crash for a day, Jan Hoag as the construction worker’s wife, Ray Buckley as Cheryl’s junkie lover, and the real Cheryl Strayed as the woman who would drop Cheryl off at the beginning of the film. Other noteworthy small roles include Brian Van Holt as a park ranger who lets Cheryl get her package late in the film, Michael Huisman as a man Cheryl meets and sleeps with in Oregon during a stop late in the trail, and Kevin Rankin as a fellow hiker who is also on the trail that helps Cheryl find her way.
Gaby Hoffmann is superb as Cheryl’s friend Aimee who would be one of the few that Cheryl would contact during her trail as well as be the one to call her out in the flashbacks on her self-destructive behavior. Keene McRae is terrific as Cheryl’s younger brother Leif who is seen in flashbacks as someone who has a hard time losing his mother as he often couldn’t face it while having to do something that would add more pain to him and Cheryl. Thomas Sadoski is excellent as Cheryl’s ex-husband Paul who is seen as a bitter man that was mistreated in the flashbacks only to become someone reluctant to help Cheryl out in sending packages. Laura Dern is incredible as Cheryl’s mother Bobbi as a free-spirited woman who is the one person that Cheryl treasures more than anyone until she becomes ill as she would be a spirit to help her daughter. Finally, there’s Reese Witherspoon in a phenomenal performance as Cheryl Strayed as a troubled woman whose descent into addiction and self-destruction would force her to make a change by taking the challenge of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Witherspoon’s performance is definitely a marvel to watch in the way she struggles with her inexperience in camping but also present a physicality and drive that is key to the performance as it is one of Witherspoon’s finest achievements.
Wild is a remarkable film from Jean-Marc Vallee that features great performances from Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. It’s a film that isn’t just about a woman taking on a major challenge but it’s also a film that explores a woman dealing with grief and disappointment as she tries to find redemption in her journey. In the end, Wild is a sensational film from Jean-Marc Vallee.
Jean-Marc Vallee Films: (Black List) - (Los Locos) - (Loser Love) - (C.R.A.Z.Y.) - The Young Victoria - (Café de Flore) - Dallas Buyers Club - Demolition (2015 film) - (Big Little Lies (TV miniseries))
© thevoid99 2016
Part 2 (2002-2013)
Darkened Room VIDEO Shot as an eight-minute experimental film with digital cameras that was seen on his website, the film plays into a young woman (Jordan Ladd) crying in a sofa as a Japanese woman (Etsuko Shikata) is in Tokyo talking about bananas. It’s a film that doesn’t have much plot as it would feature a brunette woman (Cerina Vincent) coming in to the room for the short’s second half. It’s a short that is quite dramatic but also has this sense of the unknown where it’s not trying to explain itself or be anything other than an experiment.
DumbLand VIDEO In a return of sorts to the world of animation, Lynch creates eight episodes where its entire series run at nearly 30 minutes which plays into the life of a dim-witted white-trash man named Randy. Set to crudely-drawn hand-made animation, the short series present Lynch at his most absurd in terms of just off-the-wall stupidity and low-brow humor. Yet, it is so goddamn funny into the situations Randy and his family go into involving a neighbor, a doctor, a treadmill, a clothesline, a man with a stick inside his mouth, Randy’s son having a toothache, his uncle Bob, and ants. All of which involves Randy reacting to these situations in the most idiotic way as it’s one of Lynch’s most entertaining shorts.
Out Yonder (Neighbor Boy) VIDEO In another experimental short of sorts that Lynch would make for his website, it has him and his son Austin sitting on lawn chairs observing a young neighbor who is creating a racket. It’s a short that has the two Lynches talking in squeaky voices about this gigantic neighbor who just wants milk as all sorts of craziness occurs. It’s a short that is quite simple yet it also shows Lynch’s knack for low-brow and offbeat humor as it showcases that he can find humor in not just the absurd but also in the surreal.
Rabbits VIDEO In a four-episode series where it’s shot entirely in a single room with only three characters, the short is a strange mix of horror, comedy, drama, and avant-garde where Scott Coffey, Naomi Watts, and Laura Elena Harring all play rabbits who converge in a single room in a wide static shot. Through some very strange dialogue, the short uses some laugh-tracks and other sound effects to play off the idea of a sitcom yet many of the things said are very dark. It’s definitely Lynch at his darkest and most surreal but certainly one of the most intriguing projects he ever did.
Boat Made as part of the Dynamic No. 1 DVD film collection of shorts Lynch did for his website, the short is a simple story of a young woman talking about a boat as she goes on a trip with a man on this boat. Featuring the voice of Emily Stofle, the film features Lynch driving the boat himself as it has this air of hypnotic textures in the voiceover with Lynch providing pristine yet intoxicating images through the digital camera.
Bug Crawls VIDEO A digital video/animated short is a simple story that revolves around a bug crawling on top of a house just as a blimp passes by. It’s a simple 4 minute short that reveals what happens when a bug crawls over the house as it’s a short that harkens back to Lynch’s early work. Especially in what happens when a door is revealed as it’s a short with only two simple cuts and that is it making it one of Lynch’s finest works.
Lamp Lamp - David Lynch from Félix Al-karaz Al-wazir on Vimeo .The thirty-minute short film is essentially David Lynch making a lamp where he reveals not just his meticulous approach into making the appliance but also in the craft and dedication into making the stand with the help of a tree. It’s also a short that looks into the workshop Lynch has where he does things outside of films while he would film himself doing everything that is happening. Even as he would take breaks during the making of this lamp stand.
Industrial Soundscape VIDEO This ten-minute animated short is essentially a loop where machines do the same thing to create sound textures as it is shot in an entire static shot where the only thing that changes is the sound to play into this mix of ambient and industrial music. It’s Lynch using film to display his love for music as it play into not just his own dark sensibilities but also his willingness to try different things.
Intervalometer Experiments VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO A trio of short films where Lynch would shoot simple things through the digital camera showcases the filmmaker once again trying to do something simple and find something entrancing. Whether it’s a room, some steps, or the sunset, it’s all shot in time-lapse presentation which allows the ordinary to become extraordinary. Even as it plays into these simple events being told in the span of a day.
More Things That Happened VIDEO Featuring 75 minutes of material that didn’t make the final cut of INLAND EMPIRE , the short is essentially a collection of scenes and outtakes that is turned into a project that is entirely its own. The material included additional subplots that related to the film as it involve Laura Dern’s Sue character and her marriage as well as insights the lives of prostitutes in Hollywood, the work of the Phantom in the film, and other aspects that relate to Sue. The scenes are interesting while as a whole film, it’s an odd and dense one that won’t be for everyone. Yet, it is still one of the most fascinating things that Lynch has ever done.
Ballerina VIDEO The 12-minute short film is essentially a ballerina dancing to music though the soundtrack is largely dark-ambient music that is reminiscent of the music in many of Lynch’s films. Yet, it is presented with images that are very cloudy as it dissolves over the ballerina dancing where it has this dream-like quality to the short. It is one of Lynch’s most beautiful short films as well as one of his essentials that proves he can find beauty in dark places.
Absurda VIDEO A three-minute short made specifically for the anthology film Chacun son Cinema that celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, Lynch’s short segment plays into a group of teens going into a movie theater. An old man would present them the film that is filled with horrifying images that comes to life as it plays into not just Lynch’s own take on horror and surrealism. While it is a very short segment, it is definitely one Lynch’s best works.
Blue Green VIDEO Made as a music video collaboration with David Vegara, the short is a simple yet offbeat short that has a child skipping around a factory while a young woman wanders around in the street and buildings. It is a short that isn’t trying to say anything yet doesn’t need any kind of explanation as it’s just Lynch being himself and having fun making a short inside a factory.
Dream #7 VIDEO This 10-15 second short plays into not just Lynch’s own ideas of surrealism but also in the fact that he is willing to strange things no matter how long or how short the film is. A digital animation short involves an egg and an eye and what does it all mean? Well, does it need to mean anything? Still, it is one inventive short.
Lady Blue Shanghai VIDEO A 15-minute short made for Dior which stars Marion Cotillard as well as Emily Stofle, Gong Tao, Cheng Hong, Lu Yong, and Nie Fei. It’s a short that revolves a woman who returns to her hotel in Shanghai where she finds a mysterious blue purse not knowing where it came from as she starts to see things believing that she’s been to Shanghai before. Shot in digital video, the short has this air of beauty that Lynch is often not known for yet he manages to do so much with the film as well as flesh out a mesmerizing performance from Marion Cotillard. The short itself is truly one of Lynch’s best works.
The 3 Rs VIDEO This 65-second short that Lynch made for the 2011 Venice Film Festival is a simple short which revolves around surreal images shot mostly in black-and-white where Lynch has a man holding two rocks though people are really wondering how many rocks he’s really holding. It’s definitely in line as an avant-garde short but it offers so much more where it ranges from being scary to being comical.
Idem Paris VIDEO The 8-minute documentary short has Lynch go into the Idem Paris fine art studio print which reveals the art in making lithographic processing. Shot on high-definition digital video in black-and-white, the film is essentially a documentary with no dialogue or anything strange but rather something very straightforward about what these people do at Idem Paris. Even as these are people who work very hard at what they do and be dedicated to an art form that doesn’t require new technology as they often try to fix or refine the machines they’re using. It’s definitely one of Lynch’s best films that showcases his love for the world of art.
No matter what form David Lynch is doing, his work in short films definitely adds to his already legendary status as an artist. Whether it’s in musical performances, commercials, animation, or just something straightforward. Lynch always find something to say no matter how small or how short these films are as it is an indication of his power as a filmmaker. Even if it plays into the absurd, the fear, or just being absolutely comical as it shows why people love David Lynch.
David Lynch Films: Eraserhead - The Elephant Man - Dune - Blue Velvet - Wild at Heart - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - Lost Highway - The Straight Story - Mulholland Dr. - INLAND EMPIRE - The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 1 - The Music Videos of David Lynch
The Auteurs #50: David Lynch: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4
© thevoid99 2015
