Little Women (2019 film)

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

The French Lieutenant's Woman

Based on the novel by John Fowles, The French Lieutenant’s Woman is the story of a Victorian-era gentleman who falls for a social outcast during the 19th Century while two actors playing the characters in a production of the film fall in love with each other. Directed by Karel Reisz and screenplay by Harold Pinter, the film is an unusual drama that mixes the period film with postmodern aesthetics to play into two cross-cutting narratives that blur reality and fantasy. Starring Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Hilton McRae, Emily Morgan, Peter Vaughan, Leo McKern, Richard Griffiths, and Penelope Wilton. The French Lieutenant’s Woman is a ravishing and evocative film from Karel Weisz.

The film follows the love affair between a Victoria-era gentleman in Britain and a social outcast that is considered forbidden as the former is engaged to the daughter of a revered gentleman. At the same time, the story parallels with two actors taking part in a film production of the story that is being told as they’re having their own affair. Harold Pinter’s screenplay provides a cross-cutting narrative of sorts as the bulk of the film is about the story between the paleontologist Charles Smithson (Jeremy Irons) and this mysterious woman in Sarah Woodruff (Meryl Streep) whom he meets as she is standing on a pier during a windy and rainy day. Their relationship is one of intrigue from Smithson’s point of view as he is wondering about her story and why she is considered an outcast. Even as Smithson is reminding himself that he has an obligation to marry Ernestina (Lynsey Baxter) but remains entranced by Woodruff’s presence who often looks out at the sea as it relates to her sense of loss and longing as she had an affair with a married French officer.

Pinter’s script would also have this paralleling storyline in which the actors playing the characters of Smithson in Mike (Jeremy Irons) and Woodruff in the American actress Anna (Meryl Streep) who both begin an affair during the production as they try to figure out the story and characters they’re playing. Yet, their relationship has some complications as both of them are married to other people with Mike wanting to pursue Anna similar to what Smithson is doing in his pursuit towards Woodruff. Still, there is something about Woodruff that is compelling as she is a person that is anguished in her longing as it would often lead to episodes of madness which would drive Smithson into making impulsive decisions into his obsession for Woodruff.

Karel Reisz’s direction is quite exquisite for the way he would mirror certain locations of what it looked like in the 19th Century and what it would look like in the late 20th Century. Shot on various locations in Britain such as Lake Windermere, Exeter, Lyme Regis, the docks of London, and sets at the Twickenham Studios in Britain. The film does play into a world where many of the ideas of obsession and desire haven’t changed where Reisz would be in a certain location where the main story is taking place and then transport it to where the story is being told by the actors as they’re making the film. The approach to the compositions as well as trying to match it whether it’s in a wide or medium shot allows this line of fantasy and reality to emerge though the actors playing these characters are unaware of their relationship starting to mirror the way Smithson and Woodruff happens. Reisz’s close-ups would play into the growing relationship between the two couples in the film while he would create these exquisite wide shots to play into Woodruff’s sense of longing including this opening shot of Anna as Woodruff walking into the pier where Smithson would first meet her.

Reisz’s direction would also infuse elements of melodrama in some aspects of the main story as it relates to Smithson’s own search for Woodruff when she’s been sent away as he turns to others for help as they’re reluctant to knowing it would hurt his social status. Reisz would use some long shots to play into some of the monologues that happens including one in the forest where Woodruff reveals her affair with the French officer and how it ruined her to the point that she would turn into an outcast. The film’s third act would play into the pursuits of Smithson/Mike towards Woodruff/Anna with the latter in Anna attending a gathering held by Mike where it adds some confusion about what she wants to do in her relationship with Mike. Even as they’re about to film the ending as it is revealed that the book had multiple endings. One of which Reisz would make the choice as it add into the journey of these two couples with two different outcomes that blur reality and fiction. Overall, Reisz creates a riveting and enchanting film about a man pursuing an outcast in Victorian-era Britain with its players falling for each other.

Cinematographer Freddie Francis does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its low-key yet naturalistic look for many of the daytime exterior scenes in the forests as well as the usage of available lighting for scenes at night while the 20th Century scenes is presented with bits of style in its usage of artificial lighting. Editor John Bloom does excellent work with the editing with its stylish transitions in some match cutting of locations in its different time periods as well as some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Assheton Gordon, with set decorator Ann Mollo plus art directors Allan Cameron, Norman Dorme, and Terry Pritchard, does brilliant work with the look of the sets of the 19th Century scenes from the rooms and offices where Smithson goes to as well as the hotel room that Mike and Anna stay at.

Costume designer Tom Rand does fantastic work with the period costumes of the 19th Century scenes as it play into the look and mood of the characters while going for something more casual for the scenes with Mike and Anna. Sound editor Don Sharpe does superb work with the sound in creating some natural textures in some of the locations as well as capturing some of the chaos in the some of the locations. The film’s music by Carl Davis is wonderful for its somber orchestral score that play into the drama as well as in some of the romantic scenes while the soundtrack include a couple of pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The casting by Patsy Pollock is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Penelope Wilton as Mike’s wife Sonia, Peter Vaughan as Ernestina’s father, Richard Griffiths as a young nobleman Smithson gets drunk with, Emily Morgan as a young maid named Mary, Hilton McRae as Smithson’s assistant Sam, Lynsey Baxter as Smithson’s fiancée Ernestina, Charlotte Mitchell as an old woman Woodruff works for, and Leo McKern in a superb performance as Smithson’s mentor Dr. Grogan who helps Smithson trying to decide what is right. Finally, there’s the duo of Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep in phenomenal performances in their respective dual roles of Charles Smithson/Mike and Sarah Woodruff/Anna. Irons provides a determination as well as a sensitivity in his approach to Smithson who would eventually become obsessed while is more calm but troubled as Mike. Streep has this air of radiance in her approach as Woodruff as a woman filled with a lot of anguish and torment to express her madness while is a bit more aloof yet witty as Anna.

The French Lieutenant’s Woman is a sensational film from Karel Reisz that features great performances from Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons. Along with Harold Pinter’s inventive script, gorgeous visuals, and a sumptuous score, the film is truly an offbeat yet rapturous film that explores relationships and the pursuit of that in different time periods with two couples taking on paralleling journeys. In the end, The French Lieutenant’s Woman is an incredible film from Karel Reisz.

Karel Reisz Films: (Momma Don’t Allow) – (We Are the Lambeth Boys) – (Saturday Night and Sunday Morning) – (Night Must Fall) – (Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment) – (Isadora) – (The Gambler (1974 film)) – (Who’ll Stop the Rain) – (Sweet Dreams (1985 film)) – (Everybody Wins (1990 film))

© thevoid99 2018

Postcards from the Edge

Directed by Mike Nichols and written by Carrie Fisher that is based on her autobiographical novel, Postcards from the Edge is the story of a recovering drug-addicted actress who is forced to move back in with her boozy mother, who is also an entertainer, as she copes with her own troubled life and her turbulent relationship with her mother. The film is a fictionalized-take on Fisher’s own real-life relationship with her own mother Debbie Reynolds as well as her own substance abuse. Starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Richard Dreyfuss, Simon Callow, Annette Bening, Rob Reiner, and Gene Hackman. Postcards from the Edge is a witty and delightful film from Mike Nichols.

The film follows the turbulent love-hate relationship between a troubled actress and her boozy mother as the former has just recovered from a drug overdose where she is forced to move back home with her mother for insurance reasons or else she couldn’t work again. It’s a film that play into this troubled mother-daughter relationship between two women in the world of entertainment as the singer/actress/entertainer Doris Mann (Shirley MacLaine) is a woman that has a lot of connections and such but is in denial over her alcoholism. Doris’ daughter Suzanne Vale (Meryl Streep) is an actress that has been trying to step out of her mother’s shadow but has become a liability due to her drug abuse. Carrie Fisher’s screenplay doesn’t just play into the turmoil over this relationship but also two women who do care for each other but often bring the worst in each other.

Fisher’s script isn’t just filled with some witty dialogue that are quite memorable but also in the way Suzanne and Doris deal with their own situations. Much of the film is about Suzanne as it opens with her on a film set obviously under the influence and then the next morning be seen overdosing on a mixture of pills and drugs as she is dropped off by a one-night stand. It sets the course of Suzanne being forced into rehab as she tries to embrace sobriety yet she realizes what she has to do while also starring in a low-budget film just so that she can keep working. It become a series of humiliations that she has to endure though she would find some solace in dating a producer named Jack Faulkner (Dennis Quaid) but Doris doesn’t think he’s good news. Doris is just as interesting as she’s from the old school but has very little clue of what she does to Suzanne as it is clear she wants the attention but it only makes Suzanne very insecure.

Mike Nichols’ direction is quite simple in some respects yet it does have some elements of style starting with the film’s opening tracking shot that is essentially part of a film shoot that Suzanne is in as it goes on for a few minutes. Shot largely in Los Angeles and at some studio lots, the film does play into the high-octane world of Hollywood where there is so much expectations out there. While Nichols’ usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into moments that are intimate as well as in some of the dramatic moments. Nichols’ wide shots do play into that world of Hollywood from Suzanne’s homecoming party to what goes on at a film set and some of the scenes set on certain locations such as Faulkner’s lavish home. Nichols’ approach to comedy is quite low-key yet he always finds a way to keep things lively whether it’s in a few musical numbers or moments that has Suzanne in a humiliating moment and reacting to her situation. The dramatic moments are just as important as it play into Suzanne trying to make sense of why she’s so screwed up as well as confronting her mother about who she is and such. Overall, Nichols creates a riveting and engaging film about the tumultuous relationship between an entertainer and her recovering daughter.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s largely straightforward for many of the daytime interior/exterior scenes with some lighting for some of the studio interior shots and for the scenes at night. Editor Sam O’Steen does brilliant work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cutting to play into the comedy and some of the drama. Production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein, with set decorator Chris Butler and art director Kandy Stern, does fantastic work with the design of some of the Hollywood sets and how fake they look in low-budget films as well as the home where Doris lives in. Costume designer Ann Roth does nice work with the costumes from the posh clothing of Doris to the more casual look of Suzanne which both play into their personalities.

Hair stylist/makeup artist J. Roy Helland, with additional work by Greg Cannom does terrific work with the look of some of the characters with Cannom doing personal work for the character of Doris. Sound editor Stan Bochner does superb work with the sound as it play into the world of film as well as the moments in Suzanne‘s homecoming party. The film’s music by Carly Simon is wonderful as it‘s a mixture of low-key piano and orchestral music while music supervisor Howard Shore help provide a few score pieces of his own as well a selection of tunes that include a couple of standards as well as a song for the film’s ending.

The casting by Ellen Lewis and Juliet Taylor is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Dana Ivey as a wardrobe mistress, C.C.H. Pounder as a rehab supervisor, Robin Bartlett as Suzanne’s roommate in rehab, Oliver Platt as an associate producer who is concerned about Suzanne’s performance, Rob Reiner as a film producer who tells Suzanne that she needs to prove that she’s sober, Gary Morton as a studio executive who tells Suzanne that she needs to live with her mother for duration of the film shoot, Simon Callow as Suzanne’s new filmmaker who isn’t sure if Suzanne will be reliable, and Richard Dreyfuss in a superb small role as a doctor who would save Suzanne’s life after her overdose. Conrad Bain and Mary Wickes are fantastic as Doris’ parents with Wickes being hilarious as the mother who says some very funny shit throughout the film.

Annette Bening is wonderful in her one-scene performance as an actress co-starring in Suzanne’s film who would reveal some startling information relating to Faulkner. Gene Hackman is excellent as filmmaker Lowell Kolchek as a director who works with Suzanne early in the film as he is someone that cares about her but knows she is messed up where he is more sympathetic to her plight. Dennis Quaid is brilliant as Jack Faulkner as a film producer who is the one-night stand that Suzanne was with but doesn’t know as he is a guy full of charm but there is something off about him that only Doris knows. Finally, there’s the duo of Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Suzanne Vale and Doris Mann. Streep provides that sense of fragility and humility into her performance as a woman who is really fucked-up and is trying to recover but is having a hard time trying to find the root of her issues. MacLaine’s performance as Doris is someone that exudes charisma as well as be someone that likes to over-talk and such. Streep and MacLaine together are a marvel to watch in the way they deal with other from the arguments to trying to one-up each other.

Postcards from the Edge is an incredible film from Mike Nichols that features sensational performances from Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Along with Carrie Fisher’s intense screenplay, a fantastic supporting cast, and some very funny moments. It’s a film that doesn’t just play into the dysfunctions of a mother-daughter relationship but also dealing with expectations and identity. In the end, Postcards from the Edge is a spectacular film from Mike Nichols.

Mike Nichols Films: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - (The Graduate) - (Catch-22) - Carnal Knowledge - (The Day of the Dolphin) - (The Fortune) - (Gilda Live) - (Silkwood) - (Heartburn) - (Biloxi Blues) - Working Girl - (Regarding Henry) - (Wolf (1994 film)) - The Birdcage - (Primary Colors) - (What Planet Are You From?) - (Wit) - (Angels in America) - Closer (2004 film) - (Charlie Wilson’s War)

© thevoid99 2017

Suffragette

Directed by Sarah Gavron and written by Abi Morgan, Suffragette is the story of a laundress who takes part of the Suffragette movement in the 1910s in the hopes that she and other women would have the right to vote. The film is a historical drama set in the real-life period of women’s suffrage in Great Britain before World War I. Starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Brendan Gleeson, Natalie Press, Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, and Meryl Streep. Suffragette is a compelling yet evocative film from Sarah Gavron.

Set in 1912 Britain after many attempts to get the right for women to vote, the film is about a young laundress who finds herself being part of the Suffragettes movement where she eventually becomes an active member. It’s a film that follows a woman who is lured into a movement she is reluctant to be part of yet is unable to ignore the treatment that she has endured working in the laundry factor as she notices the teenage daughter of a Suffragette activist is being sexually harassed by her boss. Even as she also realizes that she doesn’t have the legal right to determine the future of her own son which prompts her to not only take part full-on but also learn what it means to stand up for herself and other women. Abi Morgan’s screenplay doesn’t just follow the journey of this young woman in Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan) but also the women she would meet as she takes part in this movement.

While she would get herself into some trouble as well as risk losing her son who is forced to be cared by his father Sonny (Ben Whishaw), Maud would find a purpose about what to do as she thinks about the women in the future. Still, she and the other Suffragettes would face numerous challenges and obstacles as they’re seen by those in the government including authority figures such as Inspector Steed (Brendan Gleeson) who is this unconventional antagonist of sorts. Notably as he actually cares about the women yet is aware of the job he has to do while he becomes disgusted with the tactics of those he works for. One aspect of the script that is underwhelming is the appearance of Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) as she is this mysterious figure who makes her appearance in the second act for a big speech and then she is gone as her character would disappear.

Sarah Gavron’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions that are created as it also has some ambition for the fact that it is shot on location in London and in studios to recreate some of the old buildings. The usage of the wide and medium shots play into the locations as well as the tense and grimy atmosphere of the factories where Maud and Sonny work at as it feels repressive and hard. By the time the film hit the streets, Gavron’s direction definitely becomes richer where it does play into this sense of time where protests are happening as well as a very intimate scene where Maud testifies to the government about her own experience as it would lead to a key moment in her development. There are these moments of violence in how the women are beaten by police as well as do small guerilla-style warfare by blowing up mailboxes. Gavron’s usage of close-ups are definitely entrancing as it play into the anguish that Maud endures as well as what she would have to sacrifice. Notably in the climax as it would play into a real-life key moment that would be the catalyst for the Suffragette movement as it would end with images of a real-life event of the movement. Overall, Gavron creates a fascinating and riveting drama about a young woman joining the Suffragettes movement in their right to have a say in the world.

Cinematographer Eduard Grau does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of low-key lights for the interior scenes at the factory as well as what London looked like at night including a key scene involving the bombing of a Parliament member‘s home. Editor Barney Pilling does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cutting to play into some of the intense moments in the film. Production designer Alice Normington, with art directors Jonathan Houlding and Choi Ho Man and set decorator Barbara Herman-Skelding, does amazing work with the look of the factory as well as the buildings that were prevalent in those times as well as a church where Maud would stay during her time as a Suffragette. Costume designer Jane Petrie does brilliant work with the costumes from the fancy dresses in those times as well as the ragged look of the women during that period of protest and activism.

Hair/makeup designer Sian Grigg does fantastic work with the look of the women in the hairstyles they had as well as some of the burns and scars in Maud‘s skin from years working as a laundress. Visual effects supervisor Simon Hughes does terrific work with the visual effects as it is mostly set-dressing to help create that look of 1912 London in its exterior setting. Sound editors Stephen Griffiths and Andy Shelley do superb work with the sound as it play into the frenzy of the crowd and the protests as well as in the sparse yet eerie moments at the prisons where some of the women would go for their actions. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is wonderful for its orchestral-based score with its lush string arrangements that play into the drama as well as some of the intense moments in the film while music supervisor Karen Elliot create a soundtrack that play into the music of the times.

The casting by Fiona Weir is remarkable as it feature some notable small roles from Adam Michael Dodd as Maud and Sonny‘s son George, Grace Stottor as Violet‘s teenage daughter Maggie, Finbar Lynch as Edith‘s loyal husband Hugh, Geoff Bell as the factory foreman Taylor whom Maud dislikes, Samuel West as a government official, and Adrian Schiller as Parliament minister David Lloyd George. Ben Whishaw is terrific as Maud’s husband Sonny as a man that is trying to maintain his role as a man while struggling to take care of his son when Maud isn’t around. Natalie Press is superb as Emily Davidson as a passionate activist who does a lot to herself for the cause as well as be the one person who would make a major sacrifice towards its climax. Romola Garai is fantastic as Alice Haughton as the wife of a government official who is trying to support the Suffragettes any way she can as well as get them to meet with the government. Meryl Streep is excellent in her brief role as Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst as she does have this great presence about her though it’s a role that is just merely a cameo that doesn’t do enough to establish the character.

Brendan Gleeson is amazing as Inspector Steed as a law enforcer whose job is to watch out for the Suffragettes as he is trying to do his job yet is someone that is sympathetic into what these women do as he tries to get them to do less time and such while becoming disgusted with the tactics of his government. Anne-Marie Duff is brilliant as Violet Miller as a woman who had just worked at the laundry factory as she is also quite committed to her work as a Suffragette inviting Maud into the action until she would deal with things beyond her control forcing her to take a step back. Helena Bonham Carter is great as Edith Ellyn as a pharmacist who is one of the organizers of the movement as she is also someone who gives Maud some perspective about what happens if women don‘t get a say about matters into the world. Carey Mulligan is incredible as Maud Watts as this young laundress who is trying to do her role as she is sucked into the world of the Suffragettes where she realizes what it means to her as it‘s performance filled with determination and anguish as it‘s one of Mulligan‘s finest performances to date.

Suffragette is a remarkable film from Sarah Gavron. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and some strong themes about women’s right to vote and say something about the world. It is a film that captures a moment in time that shows what women can do in a world that is afraid of change. In the end, Suffragette is a marvelous film from Sarah Gavron.

Sarah Gavron Films: (This Little Life) - (Brick Lane)

© thevoid99 2016

Ricki and the Flash

In Memory of Bernie Worrell (1944-2016)

Directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Diablo Cody, Ricki and the Flash is the story of a middle-aged rock singer who learns about her daughter’s divorce as she goes to see and help her while dealing with the family she left to pursue her dream as a rock star. The film is a simple family drama where a woman returns to her family to help her daughter as well as cope with the decision she made in abandoning them to pursue her dream. Starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Stan, Ben Platt, Nick Westrate, and Rick Springfield. Ricki and the Flash is an exhilarating and heartfelt film from Jonathan Demme.

The film follows a woman who abandoned her family to pursue her dreams to be a rock star as she finally returns home after hearing about her daughter getting a divorce. It’s a film where a woman not only deals with not just the decisions she made to pursue her dreams but also make an attempt to set things right again for herself and her family. Especially as she still wants to play music in California as she fronts a band called the Flash. Diablo Cody’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the world that Linda “Ricki” Rendazzo (Meryl Streep) lives where she plays at a bar with her band that includes her guitarist Greg (Rick Springfield) who has feelings for her. It’s also in the fact that Ricki is struggling to get by as she’s working at an organic supermarket and paying off her debts. The first half of the film is about Ricki returning to Indianapolis to see her ex-husband Pete (Kevin Kline) and their daughter Julie (Mamie Gummer) as the latter has fallen apart because her husband left her for another woman.

Cody’s script also play into Ricki’s struggle with her family as well as the fact that the void she left was filled by Pete’s second wife Maureen (Audra McDonald) who did a lot for Julie as well Julie’s older brothers Joshua (Sebastian Stan) and Adam (Nick Westrate). The latter of which is gay while the former is about to get married to Ricki’s own surprise as she is also quite conservative in her views despite the music she plays. It adds a lot to the complexity of Ricki but also her own flaws as she is quite selfish as well as ignorant though she means well. Especially when she is confronted by Maureen despite what Ricki had done to help Julie as it would lead to this third act which revolves around Joshua’s wedding.

Jonathan Demme’s direction is quite stylish in terms of the looseness he creates for many of the scenes set in California while going for something that is more controlled and tight for the scenes set in Indianapolis as much of the film is shot in upstate New York. Yet, a lesser director would struggle with trying to create a balance in the two styles but Demme does find that balance where it never feels like two different films. Notably as the film features a lot of music from Ricki playing with her band as well as a scene where she plays a song to Pete and Julie. Demme’s usage of close-ups and medium shots for many of the scenes in Indianapolis are quite intriguing as well as playing into some of the family tension when Ricki sees her sons for the first time in years. The scenes at the bar where the Flash play is quite lively as it include some line dancing as well as moments that are quite raucous where Demme does use a few wide shots to capture the space of the bar. The film’s climax at Joshua’s wedding is a mixture of the different visual styles yet Demme does find a way for all of it to come together. Overall, Demme creates a touching yet entertaining film about middle-aged rocker coming home to help her daughter and mend old wounds with her family.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does excellent work with the cinematography as it is very straightforward with some unique lighting for the interiors at the bar and the scenes set at night in both California and Indianapolis. Editor Wyatt Smith does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few stylish cuts for some of the musical performances. Production designer Stuart Wurtzel, with set decorator George DeTitta Jr. and art director Patricia Woodbridge, does brilliant work with the look of the bar Ricki and the Flash play as well as the home that Pete and Maureen lives in at Indianapolis.

Costume designer Ann Roth does terrific work with the costumes from the stylish clothes of Ricki as well as the more straight-laced look of Pete and the mixture of both in Julie. Visual effects supervisor Luke DiTommaso does wonderful work with the minimal visual effects in the film as it‘s mostly a few set-dressing pieces for some of the scenes in Indianapolis. Sound mixer Jeff Pullman does superb work with the sound as it is straightforward as well as play into the energy of the concerts that Ricki and the Flash perform at. The film’s soundtrack features not just a lot of songs ranging from rock to pop music that Ricki and the Flash performs but also music from Spirit, the Feelies, and Electric Light Orchestra that is played in the background.

The casting by Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey is great as it features cameo appearances from Adam Shulman as a customer at Ricki’s supermarket, Bill Irwin as a father at a donut shop who is annoyed by Ricki and Julie’s conversation, Charlotte Rae as Pete’s mother, Beau Sia as Adam’s partner Desmond, and Gabriel Ebert as Julie’s ex-husband Max whom Pete and Ricki confront during a night-out with Julie. In roles as members of the Flash, there’s legendary Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell as keyboardist Billy, famed session drummer Joe Vitale as the drummer Joe, and famed session bassist Rick Rosas as the bassist Buster (whom the film is dedicated to) as they all provide a great presence to their roles as the musicians. Hailey Gates is wonderful as Joshua’s fiancee Emily who is bewildered by Ricki while Ben Platt is terrific as the bartender Daniel who worships at the altar of Ricki and the Flash. Nick Westrate and Sebastian Stan are excellent in their respective roles as Ricki’s sons Adam and Joshua with the former not really fond of his mother accusing her of being a homophobe with the latter wanting to make peace but is unsure of inviting her to the wedding.

Audra McDonald is brilliant as Pete’s wife Maureen who had become the maternal void filled for Ricki’s children as she tries to make peace with Ricki as well as give her some truths that Ricki has to face. Mamie Gummer is amazing as Julie as Ricki’s daughter who has become a wreck following a divorce as she is quite funny in the way she does things as well as be someone who is very fragile. Rick Springfield is fantastic as Greg as the Flash lead guitarist who is in love with Ricki as he gives her some advice as well as tell her how important she is as a mother. Kevin Kline is incredible as Pete as Ricki’s ex-husband who tells Ricki about Julie as he copes with Julie’s mood as well as trying to maintain the peace in the family while admitting he still cares about Ricki. Finally, there’s Meryl Streep in a sensational performance as Ricki Rendazzo as this middle-aged rocker that is trying to reach her dream while helping out her daughter get back on her feet as it’s a lively and entertaining performance from Streep.

Ricki and the Flash is a marvelous film from Jonathan Demme that features a dazzling performance from Meryl Streep. Also featuring a witty script by Diablo Cody, a fantastic ensemble cast, and a killer soundtrack, the film is a heartfelt yet entertaining film that manages to be fun as well as state the importance of family. In the end, Ricki and the Flash is a remarkable film from Jonathan Demme.

Jonathan Demme Films: (Caged Heat) - (Crazy Mama) - (Fighting Mad) - (Handle with Care) - (Last Embrace) - (Melvin & Howard) - (Who Am I This Time?) - (Swing Shift) - Stop Making Sense - (Something Wild) - (Swimming to Cambodia) - (Married to the Mob) - (The Silence of the Lambs) - (Cousin Bobby) - (Philadelphia) - (Storefront Hitchcock) - (Beloved) - (The Truth About Charlie) - (The Agronomist) - (The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)) - (Neil Young: Heart of Gold) - (Man from Plains) - Rachel Getting Married - (Neil Young Trunk Show) - (Neil Young Journeys) - (A Master Builder)

© thevoid99 2016

The Deer Hunter

Directed by Michael Cimino and screenplay by Deric Washburn from a story by Cimino, Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, and Quinn K. Redeker, The Deer Hunter is the story of three steelworkers from Pennsylvania who fight at the Vietnam War where their ideas of heroism has them encounter with the realness of war as one of them comes home changed and lost. The film into the idealism of men upon what they expected in the war as it is told the early years of the war to the Fall of Saigon in 1975. Starring Robert de Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, Chuck Aspergren, Rutanya Alda, and John Cazale. The Deer Hunter is a gripping yet haunting film from Michael Cimino.

The film is about three men who work at the steel mills in Pennsylvania as they come from families of Russian descent as they’re set to leave to serve the Vietnam War. Yet, it’s a film that is a coming-of-age tale of sorts as Michael Vronsky (Robert de Niro), Steven Pushkov (John Savage), and Nick Chevortarevich (Christopher Walken) who all experience three different journeys upon their encounter with war as they don’t just lose their innocence but also themselves. It’s told in three different acts as the film’s screenplay takes it time to establish the characters and what they encounter. The first act is set in Pennsylvania as Steven is marrying his pregnant girlfriend Angela (Rutanya Alda) as Michael, Nick, and friends Stan (John Cazale), Axel (Chuck Aspergren) and John (George Dzundza) embark on a final deer hunt before Michael, Nick, and Steven leave for war.

The characterization of the three men showcase the different ideas of these men as Michael is a man who is no-nonsense as he believes in just one shot in order to kill a deer. Steven is a man who is quite loving and generous with his friends while Nick is the most introspective of the three as he loves hunting and the world of nature. Joined Stan, Axel, and John, they’re men who like to have a good time and such while Nick also has a girlfriend in Linda (Meryl Streep) whom Michael has feelings for. The first act is a look into innocence as well as some foreshadowing of the dark journey Michael, Nick, and Steven would encounter in the form of a drop of wine spilled on Angela’s bridal gown and the encounter with a soldier (Paul D’Amato) whom the three ask about the war as all the soldier says to them is “fuck it”.

The second act is set in Vietnam where Michael, Nick, and Steven not only encounter the horrors of war but also a world that is far more complicated where they’re captured by Vietcong soldiers who force them to play a sick, psychological game of Russian Roulette. The three would survive but the event would have bad repercussions as Nick and Michael would both take separate journeys while Steven becomes severely injured as he is later taken to a veterans hospital in the U.S. Nick would become lost in the dark world of Vietnam while Michael returns to America in its third act as a changed man as he becomes close to Linda while learning about Steven’s whereabouts that led him to learning what Nick’s been doing in Vietnam. It would play into this chilling climax about Nick’s descent as well as Michael trying to come to terms with what he’s lost and what he’s gained from his experience in the war.

Michael Cimino’s direction is definitely sprawling not just for the intimacy that he creates in the scenes at the wedding, its reception, as well as other scenes in the bars in the first act. It’s also these moments set in the mountains and forests where much of Cimino’s direction comes to life as he captures the mountains that were shot in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Washington, and Ohio to create something that feels like a world that is American at its most pure. Even in the small towns where Cimino’s direction has this sense of realism in the way men act towards each other and such as well as how they behave towards women. Some of which weren’t so good but some of it which includes the scenes between Michael and Linda are presented with great tenderness as they both deal with loss.

The direction has sequences that goes on for very long times such as the wedding and such where it establish some key moments for the characters as well as some small details that would occur. The scenes set in Vietnam was shot in Thailand as well as the infamous Russian Roulette sequence that is shot at the River Kwai. The scenes are very unsettling where there is a sense of unpredictability as it would play into the loss of innocence for the three men as Nick would descend further as he would be drawn by the world of Russian Roulette as it leads to this chilling climax during the Fall of Saigon where Michael tries to find him and take him home. It would be followed by this poignant epilogue that isn’t just about loss but how far the characters in the film have gone from the days of innocence in the late 1960s to the American nightmare at the fall of Saigon. Overall, Cimino crafts a very visceral yet touching film about three men and their chilling experience at the Vietnam War.

Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the lush scenery of the mountains in America to the desolate and eerie look of the scenes set in Vietnam as Zsigmond‘s work is a major highlight of the film. Editor Peter Zinner does excellent work with the editing from the news montage of the Fall of Saigon to some methodical cutting in the scenes at the wedding and its reception, the chilling scenes of war, and Michael‘s return to Saigon. Art directors Ron Hobbs and Kim Swados do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the river-prisons run by the Vietcong as well as the hall for the wedding reception.

The sound work of Richard Portman, William L. McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, and C. Darin Knight is amazing for its sound mixing in the way it captures the chaos of war as well as the craziness in the lively wedding reception sequence. The film’s music by Stanley Myers is exquisite for its orchestral-driven score to play into the sense of war as well as the calmness of small-town America as it includes the theme Catavina performed by classical guitarist John Williams while the film’s music soundtrack includes some traditional Russian folk and funeral music plus Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and God Bless America.

The casting by Cis Corman is incredible as it features some notable small roles from Paul D’Amato as a war veteran at the wedding reception, Shirley Stoler as Steven’s mother, Pierre Segui as Nick’s French friend at Vietnam Julien, and Rutanya Alda as Steven’s bride Angela who becomes lost following Steven’s disappearance after his injury at the war. Chuck Aspegren is excellent as the very joyful big man Axel as he often says “fuckin’ A” while George Dzundza is superb as the bar owner/friend John who also likes to make sure everyone has fun though he is unable to fight in the war due to his hands. Meryl Streep is amazing as Linda as a woman who shares her sense of loss with Michael over Nick while wondering if he’s still alive as it’s one of Streep’s finest performances.

In his final film performance, John Cazale is great as Stan as this cowardly yet kind man who often gets himself into bad situations while bringing in some humor as it’s a very unforgettable performance from the late actor. John Savage is brilliant as Steven as this young man who gets married in the film’s first act while encountering the horror of war as he would nearly lose his sanity as it’s a mesmerizing one. Christopher Walken is phenomenal as Nick as this introspective man whose encounter with Russian Roulette has him descend into madness as he loses himself as it’s a very chilling performance from Walken. Finally, there’s Robert de Niro in a tremendous performance as Michael as this no-nonsense straight-arrow whose encounter with war has him changed as he tries to deal with what he loses and what he could get back as it’s a very intense and engaging performance from de Niro.

The Deer Hunter is a remarkable film from Michael Cimino. Armed with a great cast led by Robert de Niro along with strong supporting work from Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, John Savage, and the late John Cazale. It’s definitely one of the finest films about war and the myth of the American Dream as a fantasy. Particularly as it’s a film about the Vietnam War and how it affected those who served in that war. In the end, The Deer Hunter is a sensational film from Michael Cimino.

Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt & Lightfoot - Heaven‘s Gate - Year of the Dragon - The Sicilian - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino

© thevoid99 2014

Adaptation

Directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie & Donald Kaufman that is based on the novel The Orchid Thief by Susan Orleans, Adaptation is the story of Charlie Kaufman’s struggle to adapt Orleans’ novel for a film project as he ends up putting himself into the story. The film is a multi-layered story that explores not just a screenwriter’s struggle but also showcase an author’s struggle in her book where she meets this eccentric orchid thief. Playing the Kaufman brothers in the film is Nicolas Cage while Meryl Streep plays Susan Orleans in this very strange yet largely dramatized world into the struggle that writers go through. Also starring Cara Seymour, Tilda Swinton, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ron Livingston, Brian Cox, and Chris Cooper. Adaptation is a mesmerizing yet offbeat film from Spike Jonze.

Being a writer is tough as is being a screenwriter where the film doesn’t just explore the world of writer’s block but also the struggle in the art of adapting another person’s work. Even as the film is about Charlie Kaufman’s struggle to understand Susan Orleans’ book which is about Orleans trying to understand the work of this poacher named John Laroche (Chris Cooper) who steals these rare orchids in south Florida. The film not only explores Orleans’ meetings with Laroche which would lead to write her book as well as deal with her own emotional struggles. The film also showcases Kaufman’s struggle in trying to be faithful to the book as he deals with deadlines as well as twin brother Donald who wants to become a screenwriter where he manages to create a clichéd psychological thriller that sells very well.

The film’s screenplay by the Kaufman brothers doesn’t just explore Charlie’s struggles but also the sense of depression and self-loathing he’s carrying while he’s overseeing the production of Being John Malkovich which he wrote. It’s a film that has a lot of humor but it’s mostly dramatic where Charlie tries to write the screenplay where the narrative moves back-and-forth to Charlie’s struggles as well as the story of Orleans meeting Laroche and learn about his life while dealing with her own issues. It’s a narrative that has a lot of paralleling stories as well as voiceover narrations from both Orleans and Kaufman where it’s also a bit satirical at times when Charlie decides to attend a seminar by Robert McKee (Brian Cox) who discourages the use of voice-over narration.

Some of the film’s humor often involve Donald mooching into Charlie’s newfound success as he also wants to become a screenwriter as he would be the one to tell Charlie about McKee. Donald’s involvement in the story would be crucial for Charlie to not only to try to get in contact with Orleans but also ask her about the book. It would eventually lead into this very strange third act that not only reveals more about Orleans’ relationship with Laroche but also the latter’s obsession in why he wants to get these rare orchids. Notably as it would change the tone of the story into something much darker as it would also play into why Charlie had such a hard time understanding Orleans’ book.

Much of Spike Jonze’s direction is very straightforward since it is more of a straight comedy-drama with elements of meta-fiction and such. The scenes on the set of Being John Malkovich, where it features cameos from its stars John Cusack, Catherine Keener, and John Malkovich along with some crew members of that film, is one of the moments in the film that seems weird along with some of the fantasies that Charlie has in his head which includes women like Orleans, studio executive Valerie Thomas (Tilda Swinton), and a waitress he meets named Alice (Judy Greer). One element of weirdness in the film is the fact that there’s twin brothers in the film where Jonze manages to make great use of the split-photography for the brothers to interact.

Through the use of close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots, Jonze keeps things simple while going for something beautiful in the scenes set in South Florida where Laroche lives in as it is this exotic land that is sort of forbidden. There’s also a mix of something dark in the world as well as the presentation of Laroche as this ragged man who hangs around with Seminole Indians and lives in a trailer. The sense of meta-fiction and reality does collide where it does become a suspense film of sorts in the third act with bits of humor as it does lead to this climax where the Kaufman brothers discover the truth over Orleans’ relationship with Laroche. The result is a strange yet engrossing comedy-drama about a man trying to understand a woman’s book in the struggles of the idea of adaptation.

Cinematographer Lance Acord does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the lushness of the scenes set in Florida in its swamps as well as the scenes at the botanical gardens while much of the film is pretty straightforward. Editor Eric Zumbrunnen does excellent work with the editing in creating some unique montages and rhythmic cutting to play into some of the film‘s humor and drama. Production designer K.K. Barrett, with set decorator Gene Serdena and Peter Andrus, does fantastic work with the look of Orleans‘ New York apartment and the home of the Kaufman brothers as well as the ragged yet exotic world of Laroche. Costume designer Casey Storm does terrific work with the costumes where much of it is straightforward to play into the personalities of the characters.

Special makeup designer Tony Gardner does wonderful work with the look of the characters such as the look of the Kaufman brothers as well as the ragged look of Laroche. Visual effects supervisor Gray Marshall does some fine work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects that involve some of the fantasies that Charlie has as well as some of the scenes in Florida. Sound designer Richard Beggs and sound editor Michael Kirchberger do phenomenal work with the film‘s sound in not just some of the scenes at the parties but also the layer of intimacy in the scenes at the swamps. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is marvelous for its quirky yet somber score that plays into the different moods of the film while the soundtrack consists a wide array of music from Beck, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, and the Turtles..

The casting by Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis-Wagner is incredible as it features cameo appearances from John Cusack, John Malkovich, and Catherine Keener as themselves on the set of Being John Malkovich along with other notable cameos from filmmakers Curtis Hanson as Orleans’ husband and David O. Russell as a journalist from The New Yorker. Other notable small roles include Judy Greer as a waitress Charlie has a crush on, Litefoot and Jay Tavare as Seminole Indians who are friends of Laroche, Ron Livingston as Charlie’s brash agent, and Tilda Swinton as the film executive Valerie Thomas who is intrigued by Charlie’s pitch though has concerns over why he hasn’t finished the script. Maggie Gyllenhaal is wonderful as the makeup artist Caroline who dates Donald while helping Charlie to go to Robert McKee. Cara Seymour is excellent as Amelia as a woman Charlie falls for but is unable to express himself to her.

Brian Cox is fantastic as Robert McKee whom Charlie goes to for advice as Cox has this amazing presence as McKee where there’s no bullshit about him as he displays a lot about what is needed for good writing. Chris Cooper is superb as John Laroche as this eccentric yet intriguing orchid poacher who has this strange fascination for orchids as he invites Orleans into his world only for things to get even weirder. Meryl Streep is brilliant as Susan Orleans as this journalist/writer who is intrigued by Laroche only to become confused by his eccentricities as she would deal with her own issues and secrets. Finally, there’s Nicolas Cage in a remarkable dual performance as Charlie and Donald Kaufman. In Donald, Cage is more upbeat and energetic while he is much more somber and agitated as Charlie where Cage shows a lot of the struggle that Charlie goes through as it’s one of Cage’s best performances.

Adaptation is a phenomenal film from Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Thanks to its amazing cast led by Nicolas Cage, it’s a film that doesn’t just explore the difficulty of adapting another person’s work but also in the way that source can be confusing at times. It’s also a film that also makes fun of the typical clichés into the world of writing while also not afraid to give in to those clichés. In the end, Adaptation is a sensational film from Spike Jonze.

Spike Jonze Films: Being John Malkovich - Where the Wild Things Are - Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak - Her - My Mutant Brain

Related: The Auteurs #54: Spike Jonze - The 25 Essential Videos of Spike Jonze

© thevoid99 2014

Manhattan

Directed and starring Woody Allen with a script written by Allen and Marshall Brickman, Manhattan is the story of a comedy writer in his 40s who dates a 17-year old as he falls for his best friend‘s mistress. The film is an ode to Allen’s love of European cinema while maintaining his own brand of neurotic humor set into a stylish romantic comedy-drama. Also starring Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Michael Murphy, and Anne Byrne. Manhattan is an evocative yet witty film from Woody Allen.

Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) is a comedy writer trying to write his first novel as he spends part of his time dating a 17-year old drama school student named Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). While going out with Tracy and his friends Yale (Michael Murphy) and Emily (Anne Byrne) where Yale secretly reveals to Isaac that he’s met another woman at a party he wants Isaac to meet. Isaac is already dealing with a book his ex-wife Jill (Meryl Streep) is about to release that includes candid details about their marriage as she’s become a lesbian. Isaac meets Yale’s lover Mary Wilke (Diane Keaton) as their first meeting doesn’t go off well due to Mary’s snobbish comments about art and Ingmar Bergman. The two would meet again at an Equals Rights Amendment party where the two begin to start a friendship.

While Isaac continues to date Tracy and hang out with Mary, Tracy reveals she’s going to London to study acting as they move into a new apartment together that turned out to be a bad idea. Isaac’s growing attraction to Mary rises as her relationship with Yale is starting to fall apart. Isaac decides to make his move towards Mary and break-up with Tracy so he can get his chance to win over Mary. At a holiday with Yale and Emily, Isaac thinks he has everything going for him until Mary reveals some news that would devastate him.

The film is about a comedy writer’s love life as it is complicated by the appearance of his friend’s mistress whom he falls for. That’s pretty much a simple summation of the plot as it also explores a man who is struggling to find some idea of love at a place he loves that is also starting to change. The screenplay that Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman creates is a study of a man trying to juggle his love life while is also dealing with what his ex-wife will reveal in an upcoming book. The script is also very loose in its approach to narrative and dialogue as it allows Allen to create a story where it reflects on a man’s love for not just women but New York City itself.

Allen’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way he captures New York City as a place of beauty of as if it is presented at a different time. Shot entirely in black-and-white, the film adds a beauty that is very timeless to its look as well as atmosphere where it could’ve been told in a different time yet things are also changing as the city is a character in the film. With these amazing tracking shots for scenes where Isaac would often run around the city or he takes Tracy or Mary to museums to look at art. The way Allen allows the 2:35:1 theatrical aspect ratio for widescreen gives him a lot of room to breathe and widen his compositions. Notably as he uses that framing device to create these gorgeous shots of the cities including shots of the NYC freeway to capture the feel of the movement that occurs. The overall work Allen does in the film is truly outstanding as it is one of his key work in his revered career.

Cinematographer Gordon Willis does a brilliant job with the film‘s black-and-white cinematography that adds a truly lush yet stylish look to the film such as the dark scene where Isaac and Mary walk into a room full of planets. The approach to lighting is exquisite in the way that scene is shot while the nighttime and the famous Queensboro bridge shot have an air of beauty that really defies description. Editor Susan E. Morse does a fantastic job with the editing as she employs stylish rhythmic cuts and fantastic montages, such as the opening and closing scenes, to create a dazzling array of images of New York City. Production designer Mel Bourne and set decorator Robert Drumheller does an excellent job with the set pieces created such as the apartment Isaac stays in with Tracy early in the film as well as the shabby new one he gets in the second act along with the set piece of the planets that is a joy to watch.

Costume designer Albert Wolsky does a nice job with the costumes as it‘s mostly kept casual for the characters with Tracy sporting a more youthful and mature look while Mary has a more refined yet quirky look to her wardrobe. Sound editor Dan Sable does a terrific job with the sound to capture the raucous energy of the city as well as the intimacy of some of the interior location that occurs. The soundtrack largely consists of the music of George Gershwin, notably Rhapsody in Blue, as it plays to emphasize the sense of drama and fantasy conveyed throughout the film.

The casting by Juliet Taylor is superb as it includes some appearances from famed NYC politician Bella Azbug as well as Karen Allen and David Rasche as TV actors that Isaac works at. Other notable small roles include Wallace Shawn as Mary’s ex-husband, Karen Ludwig as Jill’s girlfriend Connie and Damion Scheller as Isaac and Mary’s son. Meryl Streep is very good as Isaac’s ambitious ex-wife Jill as is Anne Byrne as Yale’s kind wife Emily who enjoys the presence of the young Tracy. Michael Murphy is stellar as Isaac’s friend Yale who is trying to juggle his own affairs as he becomes desperate over his relationship with Mary to be more than just an affair.

Mariel Hemingway is wonderful as the young Tracy who enjoys Isaac’s company and his wisdom while wanting to prove something to herself as Hemingway displays a great maturity to her character which includes a very devastating break-up scene. Diane Keaton is excellent as the culturally-interested Mary who befriends Isaac as she becomes fascinated by him and New York City as she brings a calm sense of humor and understated approach to drama to her character. Finally, there’s Woody Allen in a fantastic performance as Isaac. While it’s another variation of his nebbish character, it does give Allen the chance to create a character who is trying to find love and often do things while his approach to humor is more restrained than usual as it’s one of his finest performances.

Manhattan is a rich and enjoyable film from Woody Allen as it features an outstanding ensemble that includes Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, and Michael Murphy. For anyone that is into the works of Woody Allen, this film is pretty much essential while it’s also one of his best work. For newcomers, it’s a worthy introduction to what he’s able to do as a filmmaker rather than as an actor. In the end, Manhattan is spectacular and intoxicating film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What’s Up, Tiger Lily? - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories-Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don't Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2012

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/26/09.

One of the most beloved novelists in the history of literature, Roald Dahl's witty tales have always been beloved by many. One of them was Fantastic Mr. Fox about a fox who outwits three nasty hunters to feed his family and friends. The book's clever humor and theme about family remains one of Dahl's finest work as other stories like Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, James & the Giant Peach, the Witches, and Matilda were all made into feature films as either live-action or stop-motion animation. Now Fantastic Mr. Fox is now made into a feature film but as a stop-motion animation film from the visual mind of one of cinema's most creative auteurs in Wes Anderson.

Directed by Wes Anderson with a script adaptation by Anderson and Noah Baumbach. Fantastic Mr. Fox is an expansive re-telling of Dahl's famed novel with elements of existentialism and broad humor. A mixture of Anderson's unique visual style and quirky soundtrack choices as well as Dahl's own dark sense of humor and themes about family. It's a film that revels in the best of both worlds as Anderson not only creates a faithful adaptation of sorts of Dahl's book but also makes it his own that works with his own style as a director. With an all-star voice cast that includes such Anderson associates as Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Anderson, Adrien Brody, Wallace Wolodarsky, Willem Dafoe, and Brian Cox along with George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Helen McCroy, and Jarvis Cocker. Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the most inventive and mesmerizing animated films that's ever been created.

Living in a valley near farms, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) and his wife Felicity (Meryl Streep) are stealing food where they are trapped as Mr. Fox vows to never steal again. Two years later (12 in fox years), Mr. Fox and Felicity live peacefully at a hole with their son Ash (Jason Schwartzman). Fox wants to live in a fancier home as he turns to a real estate weasel agent (Wes Anderson) and a superintendent named Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), an opossum, as the home overlooks the farms of the three nastiest farmers in the land. The chicken farmer Boggis (Robin Hurlstone), the duck and goose farmer Bunce (Hugo Guinness), and apple cider farmer Bean (Michael Gambon). After consulting with his lawyer Clive Badger (Bill Murray) where Badger warns about buying the house, Fox and his family moves in along with Fox's nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson) who is proven to be a natural talent in athletics and all sorts of things much to Ash's dismay.

After befriending Kylie, Fox and Kylie decides to go and steal food through a series of small-time thefts though Felicity is suspicious. During a trip to steal cider from Bean's farm with help from Kristofferson, the trio nearly gets in trouble as they encounter a rat (Willem Dafoe) and Mrs. Bean (Helen McCroy). The thefts have made the farmers upset where Bean comes up with an idea to camp outside the tree house and kill the entire fox family and Kylie. The raid leaves Mr. Fox without a tail as things get worse as the farmers dig through the house forcing the entire party to dig underground and hide and continue so once the farmers brought tractors and explosions to make things worse.

With everyone hungry and all of the creatures in the forest angry at Fox for all of this, Fox decides to stage a raid with other creatures to steal food from the farms while Mrs. Fox and other creatures stay at Badger's home. The raid becomes a success as a feast occurs until Ash decides to get his dad's tail back with Kristofferson's help only to face problems for everyone. With the farmers becoming more destructive, it's up to Mr. Fox to save everyone with some help involved from all other creatures.

While the original story of Fantastic Mr. Fox is a short little story that can last for a few hours to read. Turning into a film while using the large bulk of the book as part of the second act seems like a radical approach of the story. Yet, Wes Anderson and co-writer Noah Baumbach manage to create a film that isn't just faithful to Roald Dahl's original tale. They also add more elements of ideas that coincide with Anderson's own cinematic themes of family, existentialism, and growing up. The difference is that Anderson chooses to underplay his themes a bit into something that is more accessible and not too high-concept.

The dialogue is mostly told through Anderson's own fast, quick-witted style with a mixture of the witty dialogue of Dahl's own text in the book. Notably the song that the kids sing about the farmers which is kept. Some of the dialogue is told in an adult manner like a scene where Fox and Badger want to say profane things to each other. It could've been done with words of profanity but Anderson and Baumbach chooses to clean it up and make it funnier which seems to work for the adults but also not make it too racy for kids.

Anderson's direction is filled with some of his trademark shots and colorful visual style. The major difference is that it's not as overt as it was in his other films while presenting it in a very different cinematic style. Using stop-motion animation with the help of animation director Mark Gustafson, the film has a look that isn't reminiscent of the work from the creators of Wallace & Gromit or Henry Selick (who was originally involved but chose to do other projects). Instead, it's a look of its own while it plays up to Anderson's own visual style. From the way he composes a film to how he will shoot an entire scene with tracking shots one frame at a time.

Anderson's attentive to detail from the look of the fur and clothing to the close-ups of the eyes of the characters add something that is definitely marvelous to look at. Even action sequences and comical scenes have a look and feel that is truly stunning in its presentation and execution. The result overall isn't just Anderson's best work since 1998's Rushmore which seems like an overused term. It also shows that he is definitely one of the most inventive and original directors of his generation.

The cinematography of Tristan Oliver is phenomenal in its look from the lighting of the scenes in it daytime or nighttime settings. Even as Oliver sets an atmosphere in the look of the underground holes that the Fox family and Kylie hide in with the use of fake fires and such. Particularly in scenes at night with the help of some visual effects from supervisor Tim Ledbury in some very comical scenes involving electrical fences. The editing by Andrew Weisblum is brilliant for its pacing and moments to break the film down in chapters as if the book comes to life in some aspects. The transitions are well-done as well as its sense of rhythm in terms of the fact that it's all stop-motion where it has to be shot one frame at a time for a movement of a character.

The art direction by production designer Nelson Lowry is exquisite in its attention to detail and how it's designed. Particularly a lot of the set pieces come from the style of Anderson's recent films in terms of its framing and compositions as Lowry does a great job with the look of the tree houses, farms, and all sorts of locations. Sound editors David Evans and Jacob Ribicoff do a great job in the recreation of the sounds of barking dogs, sirens, gun shots, and tractors as it is all well-made to create an atmosphere for the film and its numerous sequences.

The music of Alexandre Desplat is definitely mesmerizing as it is a mixture of brimming orchestral pieces and twangy, country-style music with foot-stomping rhythms, banjos, and all sorts of organic instruments. Desplat's orchestral work also features boys choirs singing to the song Boggis, Bunce, and Bean hate to hear along with all sorts of atmospheric pieces with the use of chimes and strings. One of the standout cuts in the soundtrack is an original song by Jarvis Cocker which he co-wrote with Wes Anderson that is a playful romp about Mr. Fox's shenanigans. The soundtrack itself is definitely one of Anderson's best that features score pieces by George Delerue from the films of Francois Truffaut plus songs by the Beach Boys, The Bobby Fuller Four, Cole Porter, Burl Ives, and another trademark of Anderson's films, the Rolling Stones doing Street Fighting Man.

The voice casting is definitely marvelous with appearances from Anderson associates like Adrien Brody as field mouse helping out in the final mission, Brian Cox as a news reporter, and Roman Coppola as a squirrel contractor. Other voices include Karen Duffy as an otter, film director Garth Jennings as Bean's dim-witted son Juman Malouf as Ash's crush Agnes, Helen McCroy as Mrs. Bean, and Wes Anderson himself as the voice of a real-estate weasel. Robin Hurlstone and Hugo Guinness are excellent as the voices of Boggis and Bunce, respectively as they're given a few funny lines while Jarvis Cocker is great in his role as Petey, Bean's assistant who likes to sing with a banjo. Owen Wilson has a small but memorable cameo as the voice of Ash and Kristofferson's coach Skip who explains the rules of a cricket-like game called Whackbat while Willem Dafoe is great as the villainous, paranoid Rat who says bad things about Mrs. Fox.

Wallace Wolodarsky is great as the funny yet mild-mannered Kylie, an opossum who often sports crazy eyes whenever he kind of blacks out. Eric Anderson is really good as the laid-back Kristofferson, a fox who likes to meditate and just let things be. Michael Gambon is also good as Bean, the nastiest farmer who is a great shot while persistent in catching Mr. Fox. Bill Murray is hilarious as Clive Badger, a lawyer who claims to be a demolition expert while having a funny argument with Mr. Fox. Jason Schwartzman is wonderful as Ash, the despondent son who is having a hard time with the fact that he's different from his dad. Meryl Streep is great as Felicity (named after Roald Dahl's widow) who is calm and to the point while being the person who can ground Mr. Fox. Finally, there's George Clooney who is perfect as the voice of Mr. Fox with his calm, laid-back delivery and enthusiasm in his mix of light humor and drama as he brings the character to life.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is indeed, a fantastic film from Wes Anderson with an amazing voice cast, superb animation, an amazing soundtrack, and great attention to detail in the animation. In an age where animated films have succumb to the 3D trend in order to get audiences into the movie theaters. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a film that doesn't play to any kind of gimmicks nor current film trends that is going on while allowing audiences of all ages to have fun and be engaged by an incredible story. Fans of Roald Dahl's story might be bewildered by Anderson's radical take on the story but will be happy to see how faithful it is to the book. In the end, Fantastic Mr. Fox is definitely the year's best animated film while proving that Wes Anderson is indeed one of cinema's most unique talents.

Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - Poison - The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom)

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