Told in the span of a day, the film revolves around a man who witnesses something outside of his home only to be chased by a mysterious figure in a mask and then hide inside some chamber only to realize he stepped into a time machine where he finds himself in a time loop. It’s a film that explore a man who would relive an entire day where he would see himself while realizing the trouble he is causing as he tries to stop his other versions of himself from creating the same mistakes. Nacho Vigalondo’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it begins with its protagonist Hector (Karra Elejalde) arriving at home bringing things for his wife Clara (Candela Fernandez) as they’re renovating their home. While Clara leaves to get more supplies, Hector sits in a chair watching his surroundings with a binocular as he sees a topless woman where he gets a closer look as it leads to chaos involving a mysterious masked man. He would hide at a place where there’s a lab where meets a lab technician (Nacho Vigalondo) who would hide Hector in this chamber unaware that it is a time machine where Hector finds himself reliving the same day but also seeing versions of himself on that day.
Vigalondo’s direction is stylish as it is shot largely on this suburban location in Spain with the exception of the film’s opening shot at a nearby shopping building as it then cuts to Hector arriving with the trunk of his car open where all of the things he bought had fallen off. A lot of Vigalondo’s compositions are simple with its close-ups and medium shots while there are some wide shots of these locations as it include a forest, a house where the lab are set in, and other things that play into the film. It is clear that Vigalondo is working with a low budget yet he manages to use the locations and re-create scenes that were filmed the first time around and then film them again where Hector sees himself sitting on a lawn chair and looking at everything through the binoculars. It all play into what a version of Hector is doing from the first timeline to the one who is doing things in the time loop that he’s in as the scientist is trying to help Hector make sense of what he’s doing.
The usage of repetition is key to the film as it play into the idea of a man in a time loop as it also adds a lot of intrigue into who is the man in the mask from the first act and why this young woman (Barbara Goenaga) took off her clothes as Hector found her naked the first time around. Even as the second act has Hector not only deal with what his previous version was doing but also have revelations into what else had been going on and why time travel is a complicated concept. Vigalondo maintains that air of intrigue in the third act in which Hector has to deal with the actions he had taken as well as being aware of what he does to change the past as well as the future. Yet, Vigalondo also reveal the many complexities into the dangers of time travel as well as Hector having to make some decisions knowing the chaos he is creating as well as what he has to do. Overall, Vigalondo crafts a compelling and imaginative film about a man traveling through a time loop where he would encounter versions of himself.
Cinematographer Flavio Martinez Labiano does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it has a bit of a desaturated look in some of the coloring aspects of the film while it would have elements of grain for some of the exterior scenes at night. Editor Jose Luis Romeu does nice work with the editing as it has some unique jump-cuts and rhythmic cutting to help play into the suspense as well as these inspired moments of repetition. Art directors Jose Luis Arrizabalaga and Biaffra do amazing work with the look of the lab the young scientist runs including the time chamber that he has created. Hairstylist/makeup artist Susana Ibarretxe, with special makeup artists Oscar del Monte and Nacho Diaz, does brilliant work with the different looks that Hector would endure during his travels through time as he would also showcase different wounds and scars he would encounter with these mysterious figures.
Special effects supervisor Anthony C. Ciccarelli and visual effects supervisor Marcos Onaindia do terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects as it relates to the mask the mysterious killer is creating as well as other bits that play into the suspense. Sound designer Roberto Fernandez does superb work with the sound in the way music is heard from afar as well as other sparse elements that help play into the suspense. The film’s music by Eugenio Mira is wonderful for its low-key yet thrilling electronic score filled with ambient-inspired synthesizers and some orchestral strings to help play into the suspense while the only other piece of music used in the film is Blondie’s Picture This.
The film’s incredible ensemble cast features a notable small role from Juan Inciarte as both the mysterious man in the mask as well as a double for Hector while Nacho Vigalondo is fantastic as a young lab technician who has created a time machine while he is also aware of the many dangers that go into time travel. Barbara Goenaga is excellent as a young woman who would unknowingly play a role into the chaos as she would be nude unaware of what Hector wants and such. Candela Fernandez is brilliant as Hector’s wife Clara as a woman who is just trying to renovate her home while is later confused by all of the chaos that is happening around her. Finally, there’s Karra Elejalde in a phenomenal performance as Hector as a man whose curiosity into the things he sees gets him into trouble as he then deals with being a time traveler as well as some of the chaos he creates as it is a performance with some humor but also a man who also rationalizes on what he is dealing with.
Los Cronocrimenes is a marvelous film from Nacho Vigalondo. Featuring a great cast, effective ideas on time travel, and its witty approach to suspense. It is a film that play into the idea of time travel as well as what a man tries to do for his own future while also having to deal with the events of that day. In the end, Los Cronocrimenes is a remarkable film from Nacho Vigalondo.
Nacho Vigalondo Films: (Extraterrestrial (2011 film)) – (Open Windows) – Colossal (2016 film)
© thevoid99 2022
Written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, Colossal is the story of an unemployed writer who believes she is responsible for controlling a monster that is wreaking havoc somewhere on Earth. The film is an unconventional comedy in which a woman deals with her alcoholism and lack of progress in life as well as being strangely connected to a monster halfway across the world. Starring Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, and Tim Blake Nelson. Colossal is a strange yet exhilarating film from Nacho Vigalondo.
The film follows an alcoholic writer who is forced to return home to New Jersey after her boyfriend breaks up with her where she learns that is connected with a monster creating chaos in Seoul, South Korea. It’s a film that plays into a woman dealing with not just her failures and lack of progress in life but also this sense that she could be responsible for possibly killing people half a way across the world. Nacho Vigalondo’s screenplay follows the protagonist Gloria (Anne Hathaway) who spends much of her time going out to cope with her uncertainty which angers her boyfriend Tim (Dan Stevens) who kicks her out of their New York City apartment. Upon returning to her hometown and to her unfurnished family home, she reconnects with her childhood friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) who runs a local bar as she would eventually work there and drink there often until she learns about this monster destroying things in Seoul.
Realizing her connection to the monster and how it might’ve happened as she has to appear at a certain time and a certain location. Things would intensify during the second act is relates to Oscar and his own faults in his life in how he’s trying to run a bar that isn’t going well despite the fact that there’s so much he can do. Yet, his frustrations would eventually cause Gloria to deal with her own faults but what she can to control her life as well as being the monster who would eventually deal with another evil force that is causing more havoc in Seoul.
Vigalondo’s direction does have elements of style but balances it with humor and drama in order to create something that is straightforward which is sort of unexpected in comparison to films about monsters. Shot largely in Vancouver as New Jersey and parts of Seoul and New York City, the film is essentially set in the suburbs where in the middle of the area between Gloria’s family home and Oscar’s bar is this playground where much of the action involving this monster happens. There are some wide shots in some of the action that involve the monster as well as in some establishing location shots and scenes in the bar. Yet, Vigalondo would use close-ups and medium shots to play into some of the comedic and dramatic events including some unique compositions in how Gloria’s movements on a certain spot in the playground would match how the monster would move. The third act as it relates to how Gloria is connected with the monster and the location refers to a prologue that occurred 25 years earlier in Seoul as it all play into a recurring flashback involving a young Gloria and Oscar at the site before the playground emerged. Even as it would force Gloria to do something as it relates to the lack of control she’s had in her life and the need to take control of it. Overall, Vigalondo crafts a riveting yet witty film about a woman’s strange connection with a monster wreaking havoc in Seoul.
Cinematographer Eric Kress does excellent work with the cinematography from the damp, autumn-like look of the exterior scenes in New Jersey to the low-key lighting and moods for the scenes in the bar. Editors Ben Baudhuin and Luke Doolan do superb work with the editing as it does have some offbeat rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and action as it relates to Gloria’s connection with the monster. Production designer Sue Chan, with set decorator Josh Plaw and art director Roger Fires, does fantastic work with the look of Gloria’s family home without the furniture as well as the look of the bar that Oscar runs. Costume designer Antoinette Messam does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward for the fact that most of the characters wear casual clothing.
Visual effects supervisor Phil Jones does brilliant work with the look of the monster as well as the evil force it would face including the film’s climax. Sound editor Mark Gingras does terrific work with the sound in the way the monster sounds as well as the atmosphere of Oscar’s bar and the air sirens that would pop up at a certain time. The film’s music by Bear McCreary is wonderful for its low-key mixture of orchestral music and electronic music to play into the elements of sci-fi and comedy while music supervisor Linda Cohen provides a fun soundtrack that features elements of rock, hip-hop, and indie music.
The casting by Maureen Webb is incredible as it feature a couple of notable small roles from Hannah Cheramy as the young Gloria and Nathan Ellison as the young Oscar. Austin Stowell is terrific as a friend of Oscar in Joel whom Gloria is attracted to while Tim Blake Nelson is superb as another friend of Oscar in Garth who often rambles yet is also struggling with his own sobriety from drugs. Dan Stevens is fantastic as Gloria’s boyfriend Tim who is pretty much an asshole that often berates her for her issues while not doing much to help her in order to make himself feel superior. Jason Sudeikis is brilliant as Oscar as an old friend of Gloria who is running a bar and is dealing with his own lack of progress in his life as it’s a complex performance that is filled with some dark aspects that makes him a very unique character. Finally, there’s Anne Hathaway in a sensational performance as Gloria as it’s an offbeat and lively performance from Hathaway who displays a charisma and vulnerability as well as showing someone that is troubled and in need of control as it’s really one of the best performances of her career so far.
Colossal is a phenomenal film from Nacho Vigalondo that features a tremendous performance from Anne Hathaway. Along with its top-notch visual effects, great ensemble cast, and its offbeat approach to sci-fi, black comedy, and drama. It’s a film that explore a woman dealing with her lack of progress and control in life until she starts to realize her strange connection to a monster wreaking havoc in Seoul. In the end, Colossal is an incredible film from Nacho Vigalondo.
Nacho Vigalondo Films: Timecrimes – (Extraterrestrial (2011 film)) – (Open Windows)
© thevoid99 2018
