The French Dispatch

 

Written and directed by Wes Anderson from a story by Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Hugo Guinness, The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun is the story of a French foreign bureau newspaper filled with American writers as they tell three stories that would be part of their final issue. The film is an anthology film that feature three different stories teach each tell something unique as well as the newspaper struggling to keep things going as the film is a love-letter to journalism. Starring Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Lea Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothee Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Almaric, Stephen Park, Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Liev Schreiber, Edward Norton, Cecile de France, Christoph Waltz, Tony Revolori, Lois Smith, Henry Winkler, Owen Wilson, and narration by Angelica Huston. The French Dispatch is a rapturous and evocative film from Wes Anderson.

Set in 1975 in the small town of Ennui, France, the film revolves a French foreign bureau newspaper whose editor had just died prompting its staff of American writers to finish its final issue that consists of three different stories. It is a film that explore the world of this magazine and the stories they tell as it all takes place in this small town in France that include three different stories plus a prologue, a small story about the town from a cycling reporter named Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson), and an epilogue. Wes Anderson’s screenplay is definitely inspired by the stories and the works of writers from The New Yorker as he play into this world of culture, politics, and adventure through the recollection of these writers. Sazerac’s story is just about the town this magazine is based on as it explore the many changes the town went through though its editor in Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) wonders why Sazerac also talks about some of the seedier aspects of the town as it sets the tone for the entire film.

The first story entitled The Concrete Masterpiece from the writer J.K.L. Berensen (Tilda Swinton) who hosts a lecture about the works of the artist Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio del Toro) and his own views on art including his relationship with his muse/prison guard in Simone (Lea Seydoux). It is a story that explore a man whose art is strange and abstract as a fellow prisoner in the art dealer Julien Cadazio (Adrien Brody) wants to show it to the world including Berensen’s old boss Upshur “Maw” Clampette (Lois Smith) while hoping Rosenthaler would make a grand masterpiece. The second story entitled Revisions to a Manifesto by Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand) explore a student protest revolution lead by Zeffirelli (Timothee Chalamet) whom Krementz gets close with yet finds herself having to deal with its complexities as well as vying for Zeffirelli’s affections with another student in Juliette (Lyna Khoudri). The third and final story entitled The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner by Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) was supposed to be about a dinner with Ennui’s police commissioner (Mathieu Almaric), that includes a revered chef/detective in Nescaffier (Stephen Park), where the commissioner’s son Gigi (Winston Ait Hellal) is kidnapped by a criminal syndicate over the arrest of an underworld accountant known as the Abacus (Willem Dafoe).

Anderson’s direction definitely bear a lot of the trademarks that he’s known for in his attention to detail in his framing, dolly-tracking shot camera movements, and other aspects that do play into his visual style. Shot largely on studios and locations in Angoulme in southwestern France, Anderson creates a world that is unique as the town of Ennui is this character where so much had happened as the first story by Sazerac as he’s riding on a bike revealed the town’s evolution as it is filled with these grand compare/contrast of what it looked like back in the first half of the 20th Century and what it would like in 1975. Shot largely on the 1:37:1 aspect ratio with some shots on different widescreen formats as well as some split-screens, Anderson uses the ratio to play into this world that is unique for this small town while much of the presentation is also shot in black-and-white except for much of the scenes at the magazine period and other bits in the three stories.

Anderson also draws upon some of the visual elements of the French New Wave in some of the compositions he creates in the medium and wide shots as he often captures so much detail into a room or in an entire setting. There are also some close-ups that Anderson uses to play into some of the drama and humor throughout the film as there is a lot of detail he brings that include moments of fantasy or reality. One of the stories also involve some comic-style animation supervised by Gwenn Germain in the style of The Adventures of Tintin for a key scene late in the film. The magazine itself that is illustrated by Javi Aznarez definitely owe a lot to the visuals of The New Yorker as it play into this idea of how a magazine can present stories for people to read with these interesting stories. While the narrative is straightforward though it is messy in some parts of the stories that are told as there’s small subplots and such in these stories. Anderson does play into the world of journalism in how they see things while the film is dedicated to many of those writers who did write for The New Yorker which some of the characters are based on. Overall, Anderson crafts a whimsical and exhilarating film about a French magazine run by Americans and the stories they tell in a small French town.

Cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its stylish usage of black-and-white film stock and its approach to lighting for some scenes as well as some of the colorful and vibrant lighting for the scenes in color including the scenes at night. Editor Andrew Weisblum does excellent work with the editing as its usage of jump-cuts help play into the humor and action as well as straightforward cuts to help play into the drama. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, with set decorator Rene DeAngelo and supervising art director Stephanne Cressend, does phenomenal work with the sets from the home of Zeffirelli and the place he hung out to the prison asylum that Rosenthaler does his work as well as the office at the magazine. Costume designer Milena Canonero does amazing work with the costumes from the look of the journalists as well as the many characters they encounter as it play into a lot of style with so much detail that include the motorcycle helmet that Juliette wears.

Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon and hair/makeup supervisor Fabienne Robineau do brilliant work with the look of the characters as they each have a distinctive personality as it adds to the film’s whimsical charm. Special effects supervisor Jean-Christophe Magnaud and visual effects supervisor Keith Devlin do terrific work with some of the film’s practical effects in some of the action as well as the design for some set pieces involving miniatures. Sound editor Christopher Scarabosio does superb work with the sound in the sound effects used for some of the objects and such including the sparse atmosphere for some scenes inside a room. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is tremendous for its rich and intricate music score filled with unique brass and string arrangements with elements of melodic string pieces and usage of harmoniums as well as piano solos performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet while music supervisor Randall Poster cultivates a soundtrack that features score pieces by Georges Delerue and Ennio Morricone as well as music from Grace Jones, Charles Aznavour, the Swingle Sisters, Chantal Goya, Gene Austin with Candy and Coco, Gus Viseur, and Jarvis Cocker as a French singer named Tip-Top.

The casting by Douglas Aibel, Antoinette Boulat, and Jina Jay is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances in the different sections of the film. In the roles of the film’s magazine staff, there’s Anjelica Bette Fellini as a proofreader for the magazine, Wally Wolodarsky as a writer for the magazine who has finished an article, Pablo Pauly as a waiter at a café in the same building as the magazine is at, Griffin Dunne as the magazine’s legal advisor, Fisher Stevens as the magazine story editor, Jason Schwartzman as the magazine cartoonist Hermes Jones, and Elisabeth Moss as the magazine’s copy editor Alumna. From The Concrete Masterpiece, the small performances from Morgane Polanski as a girlfriend of the young Rosenthaler, Felix Moati as the head caterer at the big event, Denis Menochet as a prison guard, Henry Winkler and Bob Balaban in their respective roles as Cadazio’s uncles in Joe and Nick, and Tony Revolori as the young Rosenthaler are a joy to watch.

From Revisions to a Manifesto, the performances of Rupert Friend, Alex Lawther, Toheeb Jimoh, and Tom Hudson as stage actors in a play, Guillaume Gallienne and Cecile de France as Zeffirelli’s parents, Mohamed Belhadjine as a student named Mitch-Mitch, and Christoph Waltz as a family friend of Zeffirelli in Paul Duval are fun to watch with Waltz being the stand-out. From The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner, the performances from Mauricette Coudivat as Gigi’s mother, Hippolyte Girardot as the commissioner’s friend who used to work for the police, Saoirse Ronan as a drug-addicted showgirl who befriends Gigi, and Edward Norton as a kidnapper who is also a chauffeur for the underworld. In the roles of the journalists who tell these respective stories, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, and Jeffrey Wright are brilliant in their respective roles as Herbsaint Sazerac, J.K.L. Berensen, Lucinda Kremetz, and Roebuck Wright as they’re all based on real writers from The New Yorker with Wilson providing a calm persona to his character while Swinton and McDormand both provide low-key humor to their roles and Wright brings a charisma a gay writer.

Bill Murray is fantastic as the magazine editor-in-chief Arthur Howitzer Jr. who is based on The New Yorker co-founder Harold Ross as a man who doesn’t like anyone crying in his office while is also wondering about all of the things his writers does but is also someone that knows talent. The quartet of Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Lea Seydoux, and Lois Smith are amazing in their respective roles as the artist Moses Rosenthaler, the art dealer Julien Cadazio, the prison guard/muse Simone, and the art collector Upshur “Maw” Clampette with del Toro providing a gruff persona to his role while Brody is this comical man determined to get rich. Seydoux’s performance is definitely the best in the segment as someone who is the embodiment of discipline including the way she poses nude in certain ways as well as being Rosenthaler’s greatest motivator. Smith’s small performance as Clampette is full of humor but also someone who understands great art.

Timothee Chalamet and Lyna Khoudri are excellent in their respective roles as student activists Zeffirelli and Juliette with the former being the leader of a revolutionary who would befriend Kremetz who gives him ideas while the latter is a woman who is suspicious over Kremetz yet has feelings for Zeffirelli. The incredible performances of Liev Schreiber, Mathieu Almaric, Stephen Park, Willem Dafoe and Winston Ait Hellal in their respective roles as the TV talk show host, the police commissioner, the chef Nescaffier, the underworld accountant Abacus, and the commissioner’s son Gigi with Schreiber providing some wit in a role inspired by Dick Cavett while Almaric and Park both provide some humor in their respective roles with Park being the most restrained as a cook who makes great recipes. Dafoe provides humor as this accountant who is aware he’s in deep shit but is also hungry for food while Hellal brings a restraint to a kid who is quite intelligent but also knows Morse code.

The French Dispatch is a marvelous film from Wes Anderson. Featuring a great ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, incredible art direction, and an exhilarating music soundtrack. It is a film that explores the world of journalism as a magazine publishes its final issues that is filled with wonderful stories set in a small town in France. In the end, The French Dispatch is a remarkable film from Wes Anderson.

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

Wes Anderson Film 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) – (The Grand Budapest Hotel) – (Isle of Dogs) – (The French Dispatch) - (Asteroid City) - (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar)

© thevoid99 2022

Inherent Vice

Based on the novel by Thomas Pynchon, Inherent Vice is the story of a private investigator who is asked by a former flame to investigate the disappearance of her boyfriend as he goes into a wild and crazy adventure in 1970 Los Angeles. Written for the screen and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film is a mystery-comedy that is set during the Charles Manson trials in a transition period from the 1960s to the 1970s as a man is taking on different cases in a world that is very chaotic. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Jena Malone, Martin Short, Sasha Pieterse, Joanna Newsom, Jeannie Berlin, Maya Rudolph, Serena Scott Thomas, Martin Donovan, Michael K. Williams, and Eric Roberts. Inherent Vice is an off-the-wall yet exhilarating film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

Set in 1970 Los Angeles, the film revolves around a private investigator who takes part in the investigation of a millionaire as it leads to a series of strange cases involving real-estate, drugs, corruption, and all sorts of crazy things as Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) copes with his work. It’s a film that has a lot to follow as Sportello is a known stoner/hippie who works as a private investigator as he is good at what he does despite not getting much respect from the authorities. Yet, his unconventional tactics do provide some results where he’s asked by his former flame Shasta (Katherine Waterson) to find a lover as it reveals to be part of something big as other cases involving another disappearance from a musician named Coy Harlingen (Owen Wilson) starts to come into play.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s screenplay definitely takes in the idea of a private investigator on a case that is set in a world that is very chaotic as Sportello is a person that is often associated with hippies. It’s an association that is dangerous as there’s tension between hippies and the police due to the recent murders by Charles Manson. That association hasn’t made things easy for Sportello as he would often give some information to a LAPD detective in Christian F. “Bigfoot” Bjornsen (Josh Brolin) who isn’t fond of Sportello but knows that Sportello. Bigfoot is among the series of many characters that Sportello would encounter as a lot of them are quite eccentric at times but also play into a world that is very chaotic as it represents a change that is looming in the air. Even as the world of hard drugs start to come into play as it would mark the beginning of the end of the 1960s and its ideals for a much more cynical world that is the 1970s.

Adding to the unique approach of the story is the narration as it’s told from the perspective of a friend of Sportello in Sortielge (Joanna Newsom) who is a small supporting character that definitely knows a lot about Sportello as she would often reveal his own flaws and his connection with Shasta whom he is in love with. It adds to the sense of melancholia in Sportello as he is motivated to find out why Shasta is in trouble as there’s a lot of very stylish dialogue that helps move the story. Especially as it plays to clues that Sportello has to figure out along with details which involves some very heavy revelations about what is happening and the sense of change that is coming. Some of which would prove to be uneasy for Sportello as he knows that he needs help in solving the case and to make things right for a few people.

Anderson’s direction definitely has an offbeat quality to the tone of the film where it has this strange mix of suspense, mystery, and humor as he shoots the film on location in Los Angeles and other nearby locations. Much of it involves these very simplistic yet entrancing compositions in its close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots along with some strange camera angles. There’s also some tracking shots that occur in the film while it’s kept to a minimum as Anderson is going for something that plays into a sense of time that is changing where things don’t make a lot of sense. Since it’s a story where a lot goes on, there are moments where the audience will find themselves lost which is probably what Anderson is intending to do as it plays into this world that Sportello is encountering where the parties become hazier and things are becoming darker. The direction also has these very comical moments that are very strange such as Sportello’s meeting with Harligen’s wife Hope (Jena Malone) where she shows him a baby picture as well as some of Sportello’s encounters with Bigfoot.

There’s also these little quirks that Anderson puts in as it relates to food such as the fact that Bigfoot always eats a chocolate banana while the feast for the hippies is pizza. These moments play into everything Sportello is encountering as it plays into a dangerous world of drugs and drug-trafficking that he doesn’t want to be a part of as there’s all of these things that emerge. Especially as Anderson’s direction has him diverting away from conventional ideas of storytelling where he would go into long and intimate takes to play into the conversations and the mysteries to unfold. The film’s climax plays into what Sportello is trying to discover as it is clear that it plays to a world that is changing as does the rules but he would do something that would show that he can accept these changes but not having to change his own principles. Overall, Anderson creates a very wild and sensational film about a private investigator going into a crazy adventure of intrigue and haze in 1970 Los Angeles.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does amazing work with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the beauty of the Californian sun and beaches in its daytime exteriors to the use of lights and filters for some scenes set at night to help set a mood into the mysterious world that Sportello would encounter. Editor Leslie Jones does brilliant work with the editing in its approach to dissolves and jump-cuts to play into some of the sense of longing in Sportello as well as some of the film‘s offbeat humor. Production designer David Crank, with set decorator Amy Wells and art director Ruth De Jong, does excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the different houses that Sportello would go to as well as the LAPD building and his quaint home that shows who he is.

Costume designer Mark Bridges does fantastic work with the costumes from the ragged clothes he would wear as well as suits he would wear in disguise as well as the colorful and stylish clothing of the characters he would meet. Hair stylist Patricia DeHaney and makeup artist Susan Stepanian do terrific work with the hairstyles of the characters as well as some of the makeup the women wear plus the dental prosthetics by David Beneke for the teeth that Hope Harlegin has to sport due to her past drug addiction. Visual effects supervisor Paul Graff does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects that involve a few set-dressing scenes as well as some very strange moments where Sportello sees Bigfoot on TV.

Sound designer Christopher Scarabosio does superb work with the sound to capture some of the craziness of the house parties that Sportello would go to as well as the way some of the phone conversations play out. The film’s music by Jonny Greenwood is great as he brings in this mixture of eerie and melancholic orchestral music as well as strange and offbeat electric-folk pieces that includes an unreleased cut by his band Radiohead while music supervisor Linda Cohen brings in a fun soundtrack of music from Can, Neil Young, the Association, Minnie Ripperton, The Marketts, Kyu Sakamoto, Les Baxter, and Chuck Jackson as it plays to the tone of the times and the sense of change that is emerging.

The casting by Cassandra Kulukundis is phenomenal as it is a massive ensemble that features notable small performances from Jillian Bell as a hippie, Erica Sullivan as a doctor in a clinic Sportello visit, Jefferson Mays as the head of that clinic, Timothy Simons and Sam Jaeger as a couple of FBI agents who hover around Sportello’s investigation, Jordan Christian Hearn as Sportello’s assistant Denis, Hong Chau as a masseuse named Jade who helps Sportello out in the investigation, Keith Jardine as a biker with a swastika tattoo on his face, Elaine Tan as Dr. Blatnoyd’s secretary, Shannon Collis as a masseuse that Sportello meets early in the film, and Peter McRobbie as a dealer whom Sportello suspects that Bigfoot knows and doesn’t like. Other memorable small yet fun performances include Michael K. Williams as a Black Panther figure of sorts who tells Sportello about a turf he had lost, Jeannie Berlin as an informer of Sportello who knows about the wealthy Wolfmann family, Martin Donovan as a politician that Sportello previously met who might know something, and Sasha Pieterse as that politician’s daughter who hangs around with Dr. Blatnoyd.

Michelle Sinclair is superb as a sister of a dead suspect that meets with Sportello while Serena Scott Thomas is ravishing as the wife of a rich real estate man who is cheating on him. Maya Rudolph is wonderful as Sportello’s secretary Petunia as she is a pregnant nurse who is definitely smarter than Sportello while knowing he still has feelings for Shasta. Eric Roberts is terrific as the eccentric real estate mogul Mickey Wolfmann who disappears as he is connected to all sorts of things that intrigues Sportello. Martin Short is excellent as Dr. Blatnoyd as this offbeat dentist who has a penchant for cocaine as he is part of something secretive. Joanna Newsom is fantastic as Sortielge as a friend of Sportello who knows him very well as she is also this very intriguing observer. Jena Malone is amazing as Hope Harlingen as a former junkie and wife of Coy who gives Sportello information about her husband and why he might be alive. Owen Wilson is brilliant as Coy Harlingen as this musician who has disappeared as he is revealed to be something more as he is trying to hide from the people connected to these crimes.

Benicio del Toro is great as the attorney Sauncho Smilax Esq. as this oddball attorney who helps Sportello in the investigation while giving him information about some of the ins and outs of what is happening in Los Angeles. Reese Witherspoon is radiant as deputy D.A. Penny Kimball as a lover of sorts of Sportello who knows what is going on as she would help in uncovering parts of the mystery that is surrounding the case. Katherine Waterston is remarkable as Shay Fay Hepworth as a former lover of Sportello who returns in need of help as she has this evocative presence that is fascinating as she proves to be the one person that might understand him.

Josh Brolin is marvelous as Bigfoot as this straight-laced detective who despises hippies as he brings this very odd yet engaging performance as a man that is very intimidating but knows when Sportello is onto something and helps him. Finally, there’s Joaquin Phoenix in a tremendous performance as Larry “Doc” Sportello as this very weird stoner detective who is taking a case for his ex-girlfriend as he goes into a dangerous web of drugs and corruption as it’s a performance that has Phoenix be very funny. Even in scenes where he is treated as a foil while coping with times that are changing around him as it’s really one of Phoenix’s best performances.

Inherent Vice is a rapturous and truly off-the-wall film from Paul Thomas Anderson that features a great leading performance from Joaquin Phoenix. Armed with a brilliant supporting ensemble, a mind-bending premise, themes on a world that is changing, and a killer music soundtrack. It’s a film that refuses to define itself as it’s definitely not for everyone as it has so many twists and turns that will be hard to follow yet plays into a sense of haziness that goes into one man’s investigation to uncover the truth. In the end, Inherent Vice is a spectacularly odd yet dazzling film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

P.T. Anderson Films: Hard Eight/Sydney - Boogie Nights - Magnolia - Punch-Drunk Love - There Will Be Blood - The Master - Junun - Phantom Thread - Licorice Pizza

Related: The Shorts & Videos of P.T. Anderson - The Auteurs #15: Paul Thomas Anderson

© thevoid99 2015

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)

© thevoid99 2012

Cars 2/Hawaiian Vacation (short)

When Pixar studios released Cars back in 2006, it marked a new era for the studio as it created a new partnership with its longtime distributor in the Walt Disney Company. Despite being very successful in the box office and receiving good reviews, many cited Cars as the weakest film that Pixar released. Still, the film’s director John Lasseter decided to go ahead with plans for a sequel despite the loss of a couple of key voices in George Carlin and Paul Newman.

Directed by John Lasseter with additional direction by Brad Lewis along with a script by Ben Queen that is based on a story by Lasseter, Lewis, and Dan Fogelman. Cars 2 has Lightning McQueen taking part in a big international race as he asks his friend Mater and other Radiator Springs residents to help him out. Along the way, Mater is mistaken for an American spy as he becomes part of an international espionage with other spies helping him. A more ambitious film than its predecessor, Lasseter and company take the story to new worlds while paying homage to the spy film franchises of the James Bond and Jason Bourne movies.

Featuring a voice cast that includes returning voices from the previous film in Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Paul Dooley, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Katherine Helmond, Michael Wallis, and John Ratzenberger. The film also features another large ensemble that includes Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, Thomas Krestchmann, Jason Issacs, John Turturro, Joe Mantenga, Bruce Campbell, Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, and Michael Caine as Finn McMissile. Cars 2 for all of its visual flair and yearning to entertain is a messy yet underwhelming film from John Lasseter and Pixar.

Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation

Directed by Gary Rydstrom and screenplay by Rydstrom, Erik Benson, and Jason Katz that is based on a story by Benson and Christian Roman. Hawaiian Vacation is a mini-sequel to Toy Story 3 as Ken and Barbie sneak into Bonnie’s backpack hoping they would be in Hawaii for a vacation. Instead, they’re in Bonnie’s room during the winter time as Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the gang give Ken and Barbie a vacation they will never forget.

In what is set to be the first of a series of shorts from the Toy Story franchise, Hawaiian Vacation allows audiences to catch up with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the old gang to see how they’re settling with their new owner Bonnie as well as her other toys like Trixie, Mr. Pricklepants, Buttercup, and various others. When Ken and Barbie sneak into Bonnie’s backpack in hopes they would join her for a week trip to Hawaii, the plan doesn’t work out prompting Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys to give Ken and Barbie an unforgettable vacation. What happens is lots of funny moments that also includes a hilarious appearance from Spanish Buzz as it shows how much the toys care for each other. The result is truly not just one of the best shorts that Pixar has made but also a chance to see Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang (old and new) do what keeps the audiences smiling.

Cars 2

After winning a fourth Piston Cup in which it was re-named in honor of the late Hudson Hornet, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) returns home to Radiator Springs for a break. During a night out with Sally (Bonnie Hunt), a TV report about former oil tycoon Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard) has created a new alternative fuel called Allinol. Axlerod also announces a big international race featuring the best racers in the world to promote Allinol that is to feature F1 racer Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro) who claims to be faster than McQueen. Mater makes a call claiming that McQueen can beat him as McQueen decides to accept the challenge. Taking his entire pit crew to Tokyo for the first race, McQueen also takes Mater though isn’t sure how Mater will fit in to a world that different than Radiator Springs.

Meanwhile, a British spy named Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) is trying to uncover a plot led by a bunch of old cars including a scientist named Professor Zundapp (Thomas Krestchmann). With help from a new agent in Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), McMissile tries to find the American agent at a party where they mistake Mater as the agent who unknowingly has the information that McMissile needs. At the first race in Tokyo, a series of miscommunications involving McMissile and Mater causes McQueen to lose the race as he gets Mater kicked out of the pit crew. With Mater Shiftwell and McMissile, his knowledge of engines have him be part of their team though he tries to tell them that he’s not a spy as they go to Paris and later Italy to see what is happening.

Arriving to Italy for the second part of the race, McQueen and team stay at Luigi (Tony Shalhoub) and Guido’s home village where McQueen feels guilty over his fight with Mater. Though the second race proved to be more successful for McQueen, he and Bernoulli wonder why the other cars they’re racing have been in accidents prompting blame towards Axelrod. Mater finds out what is going on as he, Shiftwell, and McMissile have been captured. With the third and last leg of the race in London, Mater and the spies learn what Zundapp and his cohorts are doing as it’s up to Mater to save the day for everyone including McQueen.

The film is about a World Grand Prix race taking place while a couple of British spies tries to uncover a plot to get rid of cars and alternative fuel to ensure the dependence of oil. That’s a good idea yet the problem is that the film has no idea what it wants to be. On the one hand, there is an exciting spy story that is reminiscent of the James Bond and Jason Bourne movies. Then there’s this story about racing cars that also keep things exciting and added to the middle for both is a character who is kind of a simpleton (except when it comes to car parts) who has never been to a world outside of Radiator Springs.

The character of Mater is a fun, enjoyable character where in the first film, he was just a supporting character that is used as a comic relief. In this film, he becomes the protagonist and it doesn’t really work. Mater works only in small doses but to have him as part of a story of international espionage just doesn’t really work. While there is some development about his character, it ends up being a bit heavy-handed along with the message about people accepting them for who they are. For some reason, that doesn’t work as it creates a film that is very uneven and messy.

Director John Lasseter does create some exciting moments in the racing and action sequences that keeps the audience entertained. Yet, the fact that he has two different storylines that does come together towards the end doesn’t really gel very well. With co-director Brad Lewis, Lasseter seems to try very hard to get everyone and care for the characters. Yet, there’s some from the previous film that aren’t in it very much while Lasseter does give the Doc Hudson character a fitting tribute. Yet, there’s also moments where there’s too many characters to keep track of as some new ones are cameos while others aren’t fleshed out as much. Despite Lasseter’s wonderful imagery and vast compositions along with some great action and racing sequences, he creates what is definitely a very uneven film that tries to do too much without a story that could be more simplified.

Cinematographers Sharon Calahan and Jeremy Lasky do some fine work with the cinematography and lighting. Particularly with the scenes in Tokyo at night that is very colorful along with the gorgeous look of the Italian seaside. Editor Stephen Schaffer does a nice job with the editing as he creates some amazing cuts to keep up with the rhythm of the action sequences including the opening sequence which is really an outstanding sequence on its own.

Art director Jay Shuster does a phenomenal job with the look for many of the locations on the film including Tokyo, Italy, Paris, London, and Radiator Springs. Shuster definitely adds a beauty and liveliness to the locations that does make it enjoyable to watch. Sound designer Tom Myers and co-sound editor Michael Silvers do an excellent job with the sound from the layers of explosions created to the sound of tires on the raceway to create something that is a spectacle for a film like this. The music by Michael Giacchino is pretty good as he creates a score that is a bit reminiscent of John Barry’s work for the James Bond movies while adding a bit of country flair for Mater. The film’s soundtrack includes a diverse array of music such as a cover of the Cars’ You Might Think by Weezer and a couple of songs by Brad Paisley that includes a duet with Robbie Williams which are all quite decent.

The voice cast that is assembled for this film is very large as there’s a lot of characters and appearances from many actors in the film. Among the large ensemble that appears in the film includes Bruce Campbell and Jason Issacs as spies, Jeff Garlin as a broken down car in Radiator Springs, and in the roles of various racers, John Lasseter, Jeff Gordon, and David Hobbs. Italian film legend Franco Nero makes a wonderful appearance as Luigi’s uncle who gives McQueen advice about friendship while Vanessa Redgrave does double duty as Luigi’s mother (with Sophia Loren providing the Italian voice) and as the Queen of England. Darrell Waltrip, Brent Musburger, and Lewis Hamilton are all right as broadcasters for the Grand Prix. Joe Mantegna and Peter Acer are pretty good as a couple of villains who are after Mater while Thomas Krestchmann is very funny as the evil scientist Professor Zundapp.

From the previous film, there’s John Ratzenberger as Mack, Katherine Helmond as Lizzie, Michael Wallis as the sheriff, Cheech Marin as Ramone, Jenifer Lewis as Flo, Paul Dooley as Sarge, Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, Guido Quaroni as Guido, and Bonnie Hunt as Sally are all very good with Shalhoub and Quaroni providing some funny moments while Lloyd Sherr is OK as Fillmore, who replaces the late George Carlin. Eddie Izzard is pretty good as Miles Axelrod, an oil tycoon trying to sell new alternative fuel while being the target of everything that is going wrong. Emily Mortimer is excellent as Holly Shiftwell, a new agent who goes on her first field mission while providing some of the technical readouts that McMissile needs.

Larry the Cable Guy is OK as Mater where at times, he can be quite funny but he’s best when he’s just a supporting character. Too much Larry the Cable Guy isn’t a good idea and his brand of low-brow humor isn’t for everyone which one of the reasons why having Mater as a protagonist doesn’t work. Owen Wilson is all right as Lightning McQueen as his character is a bit more mature while trying to deal with Mater’s presence whom he realize is really his best friend. John Turturro is great as Francesco Bernoulli, the F1 race car who always dazzle his character with charm and trying to outwit McQueen in a game of insults. Finally, there’s Michael Caine as Finn McMissile as Caine not only makes the character pretty cool but also engaging and witty. It’s definitely Caine doing what he does best as he makes Finn McMissile into a superb character that should have his own movie.

Despite some fun moments and some good technical work, Cars 2 is very disappointing film from John Lasseter and Pixar that tries too hard to do a lot with so little. While its action sequences, humor, and racing scenes will be enough to provide entertainment for younger audiences including kids. Adult fans might feel disappointed by the fact that it does too much while having the character of Mater as the protagonist isn’t for everyone who isn’t used to Larry the Cable Guy’s sense of humor. In the end, Cars 2 represents the first real dud for Pixar studios though it is still better than a lot of the mediocre animated film that has come out for the past 10 years.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters, Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2011

Cars

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/19/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Ever since the release of 1995's landmark film Toy Story, the 3-D computer-animated film changed the cinema forever with its unique look as animation was reinvented. The film coming from a fledgling studio called Pixar backed by Disney would become the predominant 3-D computer animation studio that would put out quality films that each had a unique look and feel. Since the release of Toy Story, Pixar studios and its film directors John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Brad Bird had created unique films that were often critically acclaimed and huge box office hits. In 2006, Pixar co-founder John Lasseter returned to the director's chair after co-directing 1999's Toy Story 2 for an entertaining, thrilling story about a race car and his exploration of life in the film simply entitled Cars.

Directed by John Lasseter along with co-director Joe Ranft based on their story co-written with Jorgen Klubien and Brenda Chapman. Cars tells the story of a rookie race car named Lightning McQueen who suddenly gets lost in a small, quaint little town called Radiator Springs on U.S. Route 66. After an accidental act of vandalism, McQueen is ordered to fix the town's road as he meets the town's eccentric characters while learning about life and racing. With an all-star cast that included Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Paul Dooley, George Carlin, Tony Shalhoub, Michael Keaton, Michael Wallis, Katherine Helmond, racing legend Richard Petty, and Pixar regular John Ratzenberg. Cars is an excellent, exciting, and entertaining film from John Lasseter and company.

It's the Dinoco 400 as a bunch of cars race for the coveted Piston Cup. Yet, the top three racers are longtime champion the King (Richard Petty), veteran contender Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton) and new rookie sensation Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson). Yet, despite McQueen's talents and charisma, the rookie is cocky and arrogant often working alone with a frustrated pit crew. Despite being in a three-way tie, McQueen dreams of winning King's old Dinoco sponsorship that would put him at the top even though he got a break from the Rusteze bumper ointment company. Hoping to make it to California before Hicks does to get the Dinoco deal with big truck Mack (John Ratzenberger), something happens as a tired Mack loses McQueen during the trip to California.

Lost, McQueen finds himself on the famed Route 66 where he enters the quaint town of Radiator Springs and causes trouble by accidentally ruining the town's road. After the old sheriff (Michael Wallis) arrests him, McQueen meets the town's judge Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) who orders him to fix the road for community service. Even as it was the town's local motel owner/Porsche Miss Sally (Bonnie Hunt) makes the suggestion in hopes to raise the town's spirit. Having to drag the road-paving machine Bessie, McQueen meets many of the town's locals including the tow-truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), the tire owner Luigi (Tony Shalhoub) and his assistant Guido (Guido Quaroni), the gas station owner Flo (Jenifer Lewis) and her paint-job artist Ramone (Cheech Marin), the hippie Volkswagen bus Filmore (George Carlin), the army surplus jeep Sarge (Paul Dooley), the elder bumper sticker patron Lizzie (Katherine Helmond), and the shy fire truck Red (Joe Ranft).

While McQueen has to contend with the town and its ways, he starts to find to find himself part of the town as he makes friends and learns about Doc Hudson's past as the racing legend Hudson Hornet. After being found by the media, McQueen reluctantly returns to his lavish lifestyle as he finds himself missing the town he's grown to love. With the race for the Piston Cup happening and McQueen uninspired, he gets some unexpected help to race for the championship.

While the film has the sheer look and spirit of all the Pixar films John Lasseter and his team had created. Cars stands out for its sense of entertainment, an exploration into the world of NASCAR as well as its look into the wonders of America on the road. Yet, what the film lacks is a strong story since in comparison to the films Pixar had created before and since. It's approach is also more commercial than the rest of its films since it's more geared for entertainment than taking any kind of artistic risks. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Despite a huge team of writers and contributors that included Bonnie Hunt, John Lasseter does do a fantastic job in creating a look and style to the film that is true to the spirit of road films, NASCAR, and the wonders of America. Yet, Lasseter is still a storyteller at heart as he provides memorable characters and development that allows the story to be memorable and filled with heart as well as some strong themes.

Cinematographer Jeremy Lasky along with production designers William Cone and Bob Pauley do a superb job in the film's look and lighting as well as capturing the look of the home town and the various locations they recreate for Radiator Springs and Route 66. Editor Ken Schretzmann does an excellent job with the film's cutting in the use of dissolves and transitions to tell the story without delving into hyper-fast cutting styles for the film's racing scenes. Sound editor Michael Silvers and sound designer Tom Myers do a fantastic job with the film's sound work in capturing the sound of tires squeals and engines running for the film's race scenes as well as various work where the sound work is one of the film's highlights. Animation directors James Ford Murphy and Bobby Podesta do an amazing work in the look for each character to give them personality with model cars they play as it works to give the entire film a unique look.

Longtime Pixar contributor Randy Newman does a wonderful job with the film's score that is a mix of ragtime and country music to capture the spirit of Middle America and the world of NASCAR. The soundtrack though is a mixed bag despite the fact that it captures the spirit of the film. With old-time music ranging from the Chords, Chuck Berry, Hank Williams, and Jimi Hendrix, the rest of the soundtrack includes such mainstream artists as Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, James Taylor, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and of all things, Kenny G.

The voice cast is truly superb with cameo appearances from previous Pixar contributors Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Dave Foley, Billy Crystal, and John Goodman playing their respective Pixar characters in the form of cars as a tribute of sorts to John Ratzenberg’s contributions. Other noted cameo appearances from Bob Costas, Jay Leno, Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher as a Ferrari, Richard Petty's wife Lynda as Mrs. The King, Dale Earnhardt Jr. as Junior, racing legend Darrell Waltrip as Costas' co-broadcaster, Richard Kind and Edie McClurg as two vans trying to find directions, Jeremy Piven in a typecast but funny role as McQueen's agent Harv, and Finding Nemo director as the rusty car Fred. Other Pixar contributors like Lou Romano as a street racing car, the late Joe Ranft (whom the film was dedicated to) as Red and the Peterbilt truck, and John Ratzenberg as the truck Mack whose voice is so memorable that he's one of the reasons that Pixar is the best 3-D animation studio.

Michael Keaton is great as the cheating, 1980s stock-car with a mustache who likes to spur insults on McQueen and cheat as the rival that everyone loves to hate. Racing legend Richard Petty is also great in the role of The King, the 1970 Plymouth Superbird racing legend who gives McQueen advice on being a champion and such. Katherine Helmond is funny as the old 1923 Ford Model T car Lizzie who has some funny one-liners and is often forgetful. Jenifer Lewis is sassy as the 1957 Motorama show car gas station owner Flo who provides the best gas on Radiator Springs while Cheech Marin is cool as the 1959 Chevy Impala Lowrider Ramone who likes to give cars good paint jobs. Michael Wallis is good and funny as the 1949 Mercury Club Coupe police car who makes sure McQueen doesn't try to run away while having to get repairs for his old parts. Paul Dooley is also good as Willys Army model jeep Sarge who often banters with the 1969 VW Bus Fillmore, played wonderfully by George Carlin, who likes to sell organic fuel and listen to Jimi Hendrix.

Tony Shalhoub is excellent as Luigi, the 1959 Fiat 500 who sells tires and only pay attention to European racing circuit with a love for Ferraris yet it's Guido Quaroni as the little Isetta forklift named Guido that steals the show with his hope to put in new tires for a race as he says the word "Peet stop" with such delight. Larry the Cable Guy is hilarious as the rusty 1950s model tow truck Mater who befriends McQueen while teaching him how to drive backwards with fantasies of wanting to ride in a helicopter.

Bonnie Hunt is wonderfully subtle as the voice of reason in her role as the 2002 Porsche 911 model Sally Carrera who shows McQueen a world that is different from the world he's been as she becomes a potential love interest. Paul Newman is superb as 1951 Hudson Hornet model Doc Hudson who despises McQueen for who he is as he later reveals about his own racing past and what happened to him only to become his unlikely mentor. Owen Wilson is perfectly cast as the cocky, arrogant Lightning McQueen, a hybrid of Le Mans endurance racer and Ford, who goes through the biggest development as he learns about being a true winner and having a good team to back him up.

While Cars isn't as superb or as brilliant as other Pixar films, John Lasseter's tribute to NASCAR and the American road films is still an excellent 3-D animation feature film that has enough spark and entertainment value that is undoubtedly watchable. Fans of the films that Pixar have created will feel that Cars is the weakest of the bunch yet in comparison to most 3-D animated films not put out by Pixar. Cars still beats them in terms of heart and technical brilliance. In the end, for a film with memorable characters, lot of energy, and great themes, Cars is the film to go see.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters, Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2011

Midnight in Paris

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris tells the story of a Hollywood screenwriter who goes to Paris with his fiancée as he works on his first novel. Uninspired and feeling left out by his fiancée’s family and some friends, the man suddenly is transported back in time to 1920s Paris. Allen’s first feature set entirely in Paris, the film harkens back to days when things were much different than the Paris of the 2010s. Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Lea Seydoux, Adrien Brody, Kathy Bates, Alison Pill, and Carla Bruni. Midnight in Paris is a fun, exhilarating film from Woody Allen and company.

Gil (Owen Wilson) is a successful Hollywood screenwriter, who is about to marry his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams), is trying to work on his first novel. A visit to Paris with Inez’s parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) has Gil excited, Inez and her parents aren’t thrilled with the city. Gil then meets Inez’s old friend Paul (Michael Sheen) and his wife Carol (Nina Arianda) where they look at the city and sites where Paul always have some intellectual view about the sites, paintings, and various places. Gil feels threatened as Inez goes out Paul and Carol as he takes a walk around the city. When the clock struck at midnight, Gil sees a mysterious car arrive where he is taken to a party where he meets F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and his wife Zelda (Alison Pill) where they later introduce him to Josephine Baker (Sonia Rolland), Cole Porter (Yves Heck) and Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll).

Excited by meeting these people and the city itself, Gil wants to take Inez to this mysterious world as she doesn’t seem interested. Gil is then transported back to 1920s Paris where Hemingway introduces him to Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) who reads his manuscript while criticizing a painting by Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo). It is there that Gil meets Picasso’s current muse Adriana (Marion Cotillard) as he is wowed by his surroundings and Adriana. Gil would continue to make secret trips as during a museum trip with Inez, Paul, and Carol. Paul makes comments about the painting that Gil had saw Picasso worked on earlier where Gil manages to outwit him with the real story about the painting.

With Gil’s fascination towards the city and the past, he meets a young woman named Gabrielle (Lea Seydoux) who shares his love for Cole Porter as Gil makes more trips to 1920s Paris. When he and Adriana go on a night out, Gil meets Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), Luis Bunuel (Adrien de Van), and Man Ray (Tom Cordier) as they offer him advice about women. With Inez’s dad getting a detective (Gad Elmaleh) to follow Gil, Gil continues to go into adventures with Adriana as he ponders about his own life and desires.

What if a person from the 2010s want to go back to a period when things were different and less complicated? That’s what Woody Allen asks in his film where a Hollywood screenwriter is dissatisfied with his own professional life as he finds comfort in the world of the 1920s. There, he gets to meet his idols and other notable figures where he learns about what to do as a writer and to follow his heart. He even seeks guidance from people from the present such as Gabrielle and a tour guide (Carla Bruni) who shares his love for Paris’ history. Yet, Allen brings a wonderful mix of humor and character study to this story as he creates something that is engaging and lively. A lot of the humor feels natural and fresh where there’s a scene where Gil gives Bunuel the idea of a film whose plotline is similar to Bunuel’s film The Exterminating Angel.

Allen’s script is filled with dazzling ideas about 1920s Paris as well as characters who have different reactions towards Paris. While Inez might not seem like an exciting character who is more interested in socializing and getting fine things for the wedding. She isn’t a total caricature as she is more fascinated by Paul, who is a pseudo-intellectual that really has no true opinions about anything. He essentially says things that he believes are based on facts and tries to make himself seem fascinating when he isn’t. The figures like F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Bunuel, Man Ray, Dali, Hemingway, Stein, and Picasso are more interesting because of the ideas they offer while some of it is played for laughs.

Allen’s direction is truly his most imaginative work as a director in many years. Allen just doesn’t go for this tourist idea of Paris but show the audience the kind of beauty it has whether it’s sunny or rainy. Whether it’s day or night, he sees things as if he’s Gil who is just enamored with Paris itself. Paris in its present time and the past is a character that is truly a joy to watch. Allen allows the camera to soak in the atmosphere of the city while creating some amazing shots and scenes that really brings something magical to this film. Overall, this is Allen at his best and certainly his most intoxicating film since his work in the 1980s.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji, along with Johanne Debas, does some amazing work with the photography from the gorgeous sunny look of Paris in the summer along with its look on a rainy day. The nighttime exteriors of Paris are also exquisite including the interiors at Stein’s home and the bars where the look is truly timeless. Khondji’s camera work is among one of the film’s technical highlights for the way he brings an old-school look to the fantasy of 1920s Paris. Editor Alisa Lepselter does some excellent work with the editing as she creates a wonderful opening montage of Paris in various locations and weather conditions. For the rest of the film, Lepselter keeps the editing straightforward along with some rhythmic cuts for some of the fun elements of the film.

Production designer Anne Siebel and set decorator Helene Dubreuil do a great job with the look of 1920s Paris that includes a wonderful merry-go-round and other objects. Notably the cars of the time that Gil rides on to the parties as the art direction is spectacular for its mixture of modern Paris and Paris of the past. Costume designer Sonia Grande does some fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes that Gil wears to the modern dresses that Inez wears. Yet, it’s the 1920s costumes such as the dresses that Zelda Fitzgerald and Adriana wear that are very lively along with the ragged look of Ernest Hemingway. Sound editor Robert Hein and mixer Jean-Marie Blondel do some wonderful work in capturing the raucous world of 1920s Paris along with atmosphere of the locations in modern Paris. The film’s music soundtrack is a wide array of music ranging from the songs of Cole Porter to 1920s jazz and rag time along with the serene music of Paris itself.

The casting by Stephane Foenkinos, Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto, and Juliet Taylor is definitely a major highlight of the film they created what is truly a superb ensemble cast. In small appearances as various famous individuals, there’s appearances from Sonia Rolland as Josephine Baker, Vincent Menjou Cortes as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Olivier Rabourdin as Paul Gauguin, David Lowe as T.S. Eliot, Tom Cordier as Man Ray, Adrien de Van as Louis Bunuel, Yves Heck as Cole Porter, and Marcial Di Fonzo Bo as Pablo Picasso. Adrien Brody is very funny as Salvador Dali who keeps talking about the tears of rhinos when giving advice to Gil about women and art. Corey Stoll is really good as Ernest Hemingway who gives Gil advice about writing and the guts anyone should take into living life to the fullest.

Other notable small performances include Carla Bruni as a tour guide who helps Gil in translating a book, Gad Elmaleh as a detective hired to see where Gil is going, and Lea Seydoux as a young woman who shares Gil’s love for Cole Porter. Tom Hiddleston is great as F. Scott Fitzgerald who helps Gil with the ideas of writing while Alison Pill is phenomenal as the lively yet melodramatic Zelda. Kathy Bates is wonderful as Gertrude Stein who helps Gil with his book while arguing with Picasso in French about his painting. Nina Arianda is very good as Paul’s wife while Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy are funny as Inez’s conservative parents.

Michael Sheen is brilliant as the intellectual douche-bag Paul who always spouts ideas and supposed facts to make him seem like he’s really smart as Sheen brings a slimy wit to a character that is truly a smart-ass. Rachel McAdams is excellent as Inez, Gil’s fiancée who wants to go out to clubs unaware of Gil’s struggles to write a novel as she becomes more fascinated by Paul. Marion Cotillard is radiant as Adriana, a muse of Picasso who falls for Gil as she shows him the world of art while giving him some perspective about the 1920s. Finally, there’s Owen Wilson in what is definitely his best performance as the wannabe novelist Gil. Wilson brings a wonderful charm to a guy unsure of his life and career only to find inspiration in Paris in its past and present while being enamored by Adriana and the people she’s with. It’s definitely Wilson at his funniest and liveliest in what is truly an outstanding performance.

After a period of some excellent films, good films, OK ones, and a few bad ones in the past 20 years, Midnight in Paris is definitely Woody Allen’s best film in more than 20 years. With a great ensemble cast featuring Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, and many others. It’s a film that is very exciting, entertaining, funny, and also extremely imaginative about a man going back to 1920s Paris and meet the famous people of those times. For longtime Allen fans, this film is a truly magnificent work as it proves that he’s still got it. Even as it goes up there with some of his best work in the 70s and 80s proving that despite some uneven work over the years, he’s still got some ideas left. In the end, Midnight in Paris is a triumphant film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What’s Up, Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah and 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 - 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 2011