Set partially in a utopian alternate universe, the film revolves around a titular doll who lives in a world that is meant to represent all of the good qualities of young girls and women until she suddenly experiences an existential crisis where she and her boyfriend Ken travel to the real world to discover a world that is way more complicated. It is a film where this doll that is meant to be an inspiration for girls and women all over the world finds herself thinking about death and all sorts of things as her journey to the real world in Los Angeles has her coming to terms with who she is and the complicated feelings she’s developing. The film’s screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach has a simple structure that features bits of narration by Helen Mirren that adds to the drama that Barbie faces as well as her many variations that also include discontinued dolls such as Allan (Michael Cera) and the pregnant doll Midge (Emerald Fennell) as the former also goes through his own existential crisis.
The first act is set in this utopian universe known as Barbieland as it is this matriarchal society where Barbies rule the land while the Kens do recreational activities on the beach while the Barbies are doctors, lawyers, politicians, and such as its protagonist known as Stereotypical Barbie starts to crumble through her own existential crises as she turns to Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) for help where Barbie decides to go to the real world with Ken joining her as he also experiences an existential crisis. The film’s second act is set in Los Angeles where Barbie realizes that she isn’t this inspiration upon meeting a teenage girl in Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) whose mother Gloria (America Ferrera) works as a receptionist for Mattel’s CEO (Will Ferrell). Gloria is a fan of Barbie as she learns about what Barbie is going through as the CEO and his team of executives try to put Barbie back in her box in their idea that it would save their own universe. The film’s third act returns to Barbieland where things definitely go wrong as it relates to Ken’s own discovery of patriarchy in the real world with Barbie becoming more unsure of herself and her purpose in life whether it is real or plastic.
Gerwig’s direction is definitely wondrous for the fact that it pays tribute to cinema and its long history ranging from American musicals to the French cinema of the 1960s yet it begins with a scene that sort of spoofs Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. It opens with young girls playing with plastic baby dolls that doesn’t do much until they see a giant Barbie doll as it is all narrated by Helen Mirren that sets the tone for the film as well as the influence Barbie would have for young girls. Shot largely on location at the Warner Brothers Studio lot at Leavesden, England with the second act shot entirely on location in Los Angeles. Gerwig presents Barbieland as this world where it is artificial including the beach where there are these matte backgrounds and artificial lighting yet there is something beautiful in the way Gerwig presents it. Notably as the usage of the wide and medium shots showcase this world that is off the wall but also gorgeous with these immense set designs as well as some dance numbers choreographed by Jennifer White.
The scenes in Los Angeles is more straightforward with Gerwig using close-ups as it plays into Barbie’s interaction with the real world and the weight of emotion that she is dealing with as it includes this brief interaction with this old lady (Ann Roth). Gerwig also maintains this element of surrealism when Barbie is running from the CEO and his executives where she hides in a room where she meets another old woman in Ruth (Rhea Perlman) as it allows Barbie a glimpse into a world that is ordinary yet full of wonderment. The third act has Gerwig not only play into these gender politics and identities that men and women play into but also the many complications and contradictions both men and women deal with. Even as the Barbies realize the lack of power the Kens have as they also deal with the CEO and his executives who are forced to ponder their own roles in selling Barbie to the world. Then there’s Barbie and Ken as the film’s ending relates to who they are by themselves and their own purpose in the world. Overall, Gerwig crafts a rapturous and witty film about a living doll going on an existential crisis and discover her true purpose for womanhood.
Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its vibrant usage of colors in the usage of artificial lighting for the scenes in Barbieland including the scenes at night while the scenes in Los Angeles has a more naturalistic look in the film. Editor Nick Houy does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of style in the montage of Barbie and Ken traveling through the portal as well as some straightforward cutting that include shots where scenes are allowed to linger including the first party in the film’s first act. Production designer Sarah Greenwood, with set decorators Katie Spencer and Ashley Swanson plus supervising art directors Andrew Max Cahn and Dean Clegg, does phenomenal work with the look of Barbieland with its design of the dream houses that the Barbies live in as well as the places and the beach in Barbieland as well as the interiors of the Mattel building. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran does amazing work with the costumes from the different array of clothing the Barbies wear including some of the iconic dresses as well as the clothes that the Kens wear including some of the stuff in the film’s third act as it is a major highlight of the film.
Hair/makeup supervisors Robb Crafer and Lois McIntosh do fantastic work with the look of the Barbies and their different hairstyles as well as the look of Kens including the ones they would adopt in the film’s third act. Special effects supervisor Mark Holt, along with visual effects supervisors Glen Pratt and Ned Wilson, does brilliant work with the effects with the emphasis on stylized visual effects for some of the scenes in Barbieland including some practical effects such as a dog that Weird Barbie owns along with a few bits in the scenes in Los Angeles. Sound designers Dan Kenyon and Ai-Ling Lee do superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects that appear in Barbieland that add to the artificial element of the film as well as the natural sounds in the scenes set in Los Angeles.
The film’s music by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt is wonderful for its mixture of pop and electronic sounds with elements of orchestral textures to play into the adventure and humor while music supervisor George Drakoulias cultivate a fun music soundtrack that features an array of music that include contributions from Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua, Billie Eilish, Karol G with Aldo Ranks, Sam Smith, Tame Impala, Dominic Fike, Haim, the Kid Laroi, Khalid, Gayle, Ava Max, Fifty-Fifty with Kalil, PinkPantheress, the Indigo Girls, Matchbox Twenty, Brandi Carlisle with Catherine Carlisle, and Ryan Gosling singing his own song about Ken and a cover of Matchbox Twenty’s Push.
The casting by Lucy Bevan and Allison Jones is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Annie Mumulo as an anxiety-ridden mother at a middle school, legendary costume designer Ann Roth as the old lady that Barbie meets in Los Angeles, Connor Swindells as a Mattel intern who tells the CEO about a Barbie and Ken on the loose, Jamie Demetriou as the Mattel CFO, Rob Brydon as the cancelled Sugar Daddy Ken, Tom Strouton as the discontinued Earring Ken, the quartet of Olivia Brody, Isla Ashworth, Eire Farrell, and Daisy Duczmal as the four young girls in the 2001 sequence, Ryan Piers Williams as the el esposo de Gloria, Emerald Fennell as the discontinued pregnant Barbie known as Midge, and Rhea Perlman as a mysterious figure known as Ruth whom Barbie would meet at the Mattel building. In the roles of the variations of Ken, there’s Simu Liu as a rival of Ken, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa as a couple of Kens who are friends of Ken, Scott Evans as Ken’s rival’s friend who always backs up his Ken, and John Cena as merman Ken as they all provide some hilarious performances with Liu being the standout as the guy who has issues with Ken.
In the roles of the variations of Barbies, there’s Dua Lipa as a trio of mermaid Barbies, Ana Cruz Kanye as Supreme Court Judge Barbie, Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie, Ritu Arya as Journalist Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Lawyer Barbie, Emma Mackey as Physicist Barbie, Hari Neff as Dr. Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Writer Barbie, and Issa Rae as President Barbie as they’re all fantastic with their humor as well as what happens to them in the third act. Kate McKinnon is excellent as Weird Barbie as an outcast of sorts who has been to the real world and guides Barbie to go there while also being this representation of what young girls do with Weird Barbies. Ariana Greenblatt is brilliant as Sasha as a tween girl who believes Barbie represents a negative image to young women as she’s going through growing pains until she realizes how much her mother loves Barbie dolls and the fact that she can help change things.
Will Ferrell is amazing as the Mattel CEO who is troubled by the idea of Barbie and Ken in the real world as he deals with a lot of trouble while also finding a way to go to Barbieland where Ferrell’s reactions to everything around him is hilarious. Michael Cera is great as Allan as a discontinued doll who is often neglected by many in Barbieland until he starts to rebel against the events in the film’s third act where he becomes an ally to the Barbies. America Ferrera is phenomenal as Gloria as a Mattel receptionist for the CEO who is a fan of Barbie as she is dealing with all sorts of issues including her daughter Sasha as she also realizes what Barbie is dealing with as Ferrera has a great moment in a monologue that plays into the many contradictions that women deal with.
Ryan Gosling is magnificent as Ken as this doll who is just trying to get Barbie’s attention as well as be this boyfriend to her though he often feels neglected until he goes to the real world and discovers patriarchy where he finds some meaning but also becomes unsure of himself as Gosling brings in a lot of humor and heartbreak in his singing as it is a performance for the ages. Finally, there’s Margot Robbie in a tremendous performance as Barbie as this doll who experiences an existential crisis where she travels to the real world as she becomes more confused about her role where Robbie brings a lot of wit but also in displaying the sense of despair when Barbie becomes sad as it is an iconic performance from Robbie.
Barbie is a spectacular film from Greta Gerwig that features great leading performances from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Along with a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, a fun music soundtrack, immense art direction, and its themes on womanhood. It is a film that isn’t just entertaining in its humor and dazzling set pieces but also a film that showcases the importance of dolls and what they can do for children in proving they can be anything no matter how weird it can be. In the end, Barbie is a magnificent film from Greta Gerwig.
Greta Gerwig Films: (Nights and Weekend) – Lady Bird - Little Women (2019 film)
© thevoid99 2023
Set mainly in Austin, Texas in its respective music and arts scene, the film revolves around two songwriters/musicians, a music mogul, and a waitress as they all take part in whirlwind of a love affair that would each play into their ambitions and desires. It’s a film that doesn’t have much plot nor does it feature a traditional narrative due to the fact that its writer/director Terrence Malick didn’t write a script and created everything through notes and what he can capture on film. Yet, the film plays more into the themes of these four people who all meet as they fall in love but deal with temptation, doubt, and the search for meaning. Especially as Faye (Rooney Mara) is trying to make it into the music industry as she falls for the slightly-successful BV (Ryan Gosling) as she gets him to meet music mogul/lover Cook (Michael Fassbender). Yet, Faye continues her tumultuous affair with Cook who would marry the waitress Rhonda (Natalie Portman) but things go into strange turns due to Cook wanting to engage more into his decadent lifestyle with Faye and BV both trying to find something.
Malick’s direction definitely plays into the loose nature of the film’s unconventional narrative as it has this sense of freewheeling approach in the way he films everything around him. Shot largely on location near and in Austin, Texas with some shots in Mexico for a scene where BV, Faye, and Cook take a trip to Mexico. The usage of wide and medium shots not only allow Malick to get a look into the surroundings that these characters encounter but also in its connection with the world itself. Even as Malick would have characters also encounter elements of nature as it play into their search for love and identity while also encountering the chaos in the Austin music scene. The camera would often be in the middle of the action whether it’s in a mosh pit or people dancing in a rave. Malick’s close-ups add to the film’s unconventional tone as he always play into these characters and all of the highs and lows they endure as the four principle characters of Faye, BV, Cook, and Rhonda also express their feelings through voice-over narration.
Though the film centers on this music and arts scene in Austin, there are also these spiritual elements in the film though a lot of is subtle as it relates to journeys of these four characters. Notably as Faye is filled with doubt over her relationship with BV who has some issues with Cook over business reasons. Even as she learned that BV has been in a past relationship with Swedish singer Lykke Li and another former flame in Amanda (Cate Blanchett) whom he would briefly reconnect despite the fact that Faye would also continue her tumultuous affair with Cook to the point that he would have her and Rhonda in a brief three-way affair. Cook is this metaphoric figure of temptation and decadence who would often lure Faye into his world to the point that Rhonda feels neglected, lost, and yearning for answers leading her to go to the world of faith. The usage of music plays into this idea of people bringing together yet it is also used for decadence in Cook who continuously tries to find some sort of meaning through drugs and partying.
The film’s third act is about the journeys that these four characters endure where Malick showcases this air of loss through the trappings of temptation and decadence with some trying to find a bigger meaning in their lives with others forced to accept reality as well as cope with some of their poor decisions. Still, there are people who do give them some guidance as a way to cope with loss but also on love as Malick brings that sense of reality and gracefulness to show that as hard as the world can hit someone. It is all about getting hit and taking it to move forward as it play into the story that these four characters endure. While there’s a lot that is happening and can meander at times due to the film’s lack of a conventional narrative, Malick is able to maintain something that is more of a thematic study set against this culture of music and art with the four people at the center of it. Overall, Malick crafts an intoxicating and compelling about four people going through their own desires, doubts, and identity issues in Austin, Texas.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of natural lighting, available light, different film stocks, and digital photography adds to the look of the film with its vibrant colors as it is a major highlight of the film. Editors Rehman Nizar Ali, Hank Corwin, and Keith Fraase do amazing work with the editing with its stylish approach to jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts as it play into the film’s dream-like and gliding tone. Production designer Jack Fisk, with set decorator David Hack and art director Ruth De Jong, does brilliant work with the look of the homes of the characters including the hotel that Cook often parties at or the look of the stages at the South by Southwest music festival.
Costume designer Jacqueline West does excellent work with the costumes with its mixture of casual and stylish clothing including some of the designer clothes that some of the richer characters wear as well as the look of the music performers in the film. Sound designers Joel Dougherty and Will Patterson do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as how music sounds live and on stage as well as the way the voiceover narrations are mixed. Music supervisor Lauren Mikus does fantastic work with the film’s music soundtrack with its mixture of classical, rock, indie, electronic music, and other kinds ranging from classical cuts from Zbigniew Preisner, Gustav Mahler, Camile Saint-Saens, Maurice Ravel, Nicholas Britell, Avro Part, and Claude Debussy along with music from Iggy Pop, Public Image Ltd., the Black Lips, Florence + the Machines, Lykke Li, Patti Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan, Elmore James, Del Shannon, Neon Indian, and many others.
The casting by Francine Maisler and Lauren Grey is wonderful as it feature cameos from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Lydon, Florence Welch, Iggy Pop, Tegan & Sara, Die Antwoord, and the Black Lips as themselves as well as Swedish artist Lykke Li as a fictional version of herself as a former flame of BV and American punk rock legend Patti Smith as a woman who is helping Faye with a lot of advice about art and life. Other notable small roles include Linda Edmond as BV’s mother, Tom Sturridge and Austin Amelio as BV’s younger brothers, Val Kilmer as one of Cook’s clients in a performer named Duane, Dana Falconberry as Faye’s sister, Brady Coleman as Faye’s father, Neely Bingham as BV’s ailing father, and Holly Hunter in a fantastic performance as Rhonda’s mother Miranda who is eager to have a life without trouble but becomes concerned for her daughter’s well-being. Berenice Marlohe is excellent as the French artist Zoey whom Faye meets and has a brief affair with as a woman who would give Faye some attention. Cate Blanchett is brilliant in her small role as Amanda who is a former flame of BV as she rekindles her relationship with him but realizes there’s some cracks in the relationship.
Natalie Portman is incredible as Rhonda as a waitress/former kindergarten teacher who falls for Cook as she is tempted by what he offers but finds herself lost in his decadent lifestyle as she seeks to find something with more meaning. Michael Fassbender is amazing as Cook as a music mogul who is a man that offers a lot and wants to be part of the fun but gets upset whenever he doesn’t get what he wants as he is this charming figure of corruption and temptation. Ryan Gosling is remarkable as BV as a successful musician trying to figure out what to do next as he falls for Faye while dealing with some business and personal issues with Cook as it is a somber performance from Gosling as someone who has seen a lot and is searching for answers. Finally, there's Rooney Mara in a phenomenal performance as Faye as a musician trying to get her break despite her attachment with Cook and her growing feelings for BV as it has this air of radiance and anguish as it is one of Mara’s finest performances to date.
Song to Song is a sensational film from Terrence Malick. Featuring a great ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, a rich music soundtrack, and themes of identity, doubt, and temptation against the backdrop of a vibrant music and arts scene in Austin, Texas. It is a film that explore four people trying to find their way in the world in the music scene as well as endure many ideas despite the film’s unconventional narrative and lack of a strong plot which won’t appeal to a lot of people. In the end, Song to Song is a phenomenal film from Terrence Malick.
Terrence Malick Films: Badlands - Days of Heaven - The Thin Red Line - The New World - The Tree of Life - To the Wonder - Knight of Cups - Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience - (Voyage of Time: Life's Journey) – A Hidden Life – (The Way of the Wind)
© thevoid99 2020
Based on the biography First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, First Man is about the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong from his early days as a pilot to being the first man to walk on the moon as he deals with challenges in his professional and personal life. Directed by Damien Chazelle and screenplay by Josh Singer, the film is an unconventional bio-pic of the famed astronaut who deals with the dangers of his job as well as the events in his personal life as he is played by Ryan Gosling. Also starring Claire Foy, Corey Stoll, Jason Clarke, Ciaran Hinds, Patrick Fugit, Christopher Abbott, Lukas Haas, and Kyle Chandler. First Man is an enthralling and evocative film from Damien Chazelle.
July 20, 1969 was a momentous moment in the history of civilization when Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon as it was the culmination of a decade long journey during the space race between the U.S. and Soviet Union to reach the impossible. For all of the fame that Armstrong would receive for this accomplishment lies a man who endured professional and personal challenges including moments of tragedy as he would withdraw from fame and even in his own family to focus on what he must do as an astronaut. Josh Singer’s screenplay focuses on Armstrong’s life as a test pilot in 1961 to the moment he returns home from the moon which would also include his first marriage to Janet Shearon (Claire Foy) as well as life with their children including the death of his daughter Karen at age 2 as she had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor and died of complications related to pneumonia.
The script would have Armstrong not just deal with the job in hand as he and other astronauts try to figure out what to do and also what not to do. Even as Armstrong would deal with a couple of tragedies while he would also have a near-death experience during the Gemini 8 mission with David Scott (Christopher Abbott) where the capsule docking with the Agena Target Vehicle as part of a docking experiment had the capsule separated and rolled around orbit. Yet, more problems including the Apollo 1 testing session that lead to the death of Virgil “Gus” Grissom (Shea Whigham), Ed White (Jason Clarke), and Roger Chaffee (Cory Michael Smith) forces Armstrong to make sure nothing else goes wrong as he would eventually be selected to command the Apollo 11 mission with Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) and Michael Collins (Lukas Haas).
Damien Chazelle’s direction is definitely intense not just for the idea of what it’s like being in a jet plane or in a space capsule but also the sense of fear of what to do in case something bad happens. Shot largely in locations near Atlanta including studios in Atlanta along with additional locations in Los Angeles, the film does play into a moment in time where so much is happening while there is an air of innocence into the Armstrong home life. Even as they would have other astronauts as neighbors and their kids playing with each other as Chazelle aimed for a natural look into these scenes as it would also play into the sense of loss that the Armstrong family would endure as well as the chaos that would happen during the course of Armstrong’s time as an astronaut including tragedy that affected this small community of people. Chazelle would use some wide shots for these scenes as well as a maintain a looseness into the camera by shooting with a hand-held camera for close-ups and medium shots to get an intimacy as well as some of the dramatic tension that occurs between the Armstrongs.
For the scenes inside the capsules, there is this claustrophobic element where Chazelle doesn’t just give the audience an idea of what it is like inside a space capsule, a test-jet plane, and other test modules as well as the lunar module. The usage of shaky camera during a rocket launch or seeing what Armstrong and his crew are seeing from their perspective adds to the sense of fear that these men have to face. Even in the sound where it has this element of something could go wrong add to the atmosphere of what is happening. The sequence set on the moon and its landing with stock footage of people watching the event happening is definitely a majestic moment with its usage of wide shots as a look into what Armstrong might be thinking about on the moon though his face isn’t shown on the helmet as it play into everything he’s endured to reach this monumental feat. Overall, Chazelle crafts a mesmerizing yet astonishing film about the life of Neil Armstrong and his struggles with his job and life at home.
Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of natural lighting for many of the scenes in the neighborhood including the scenes at night along with some stark yet vibrant lighting for the scenes at the mission control centers in NASA and the low-key lighting for the scenes inside the space capsules and lunar module. Editor Tom Cross does excellent work with the editing as it has some unique rhythmic cuts to play into the drama along with some stylish jump-cut montages for a few recurring flashback scenes from Armstrong’s perspective. Production designer Nathan Crowley, with supervising art director Erik Osusky plus set decorators Randi Hockett and Kathy Lucas, does amazing work with the look of the machines and such for the astronaut training as well as the interior/exterior of the space capsules and how small they as well as the mission control rooms and the homes of the astronauts. Costume designer Mary Zophres does terrific work with the costumes from the clothes that everyone wears on a casual day as well as the astronaut clothes that are worn for the missions.
Special effects supervisor J.D. Schwalm and visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert do incredible work with the special effects with the look of the exteriors of outer space and the moon as well as the usage of practical effects to give the scenes in space an air of realism as it is a highlight of the film. Sound designer/sound editor Ai-Ling Lee and co-sound editor Mildred Iatrou do tremendous work with the film’s sound in creating that sense of atmosphere of what goes on in space where the metal sound like it’s bending or about to break as well as the lack of sound when someone is in outer space or on the moon as it’s a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Justin Hurwitz is superb for its usage of low-key strings, ambient pieces, and usage of the theremin to help maintain an atmosphere that is calm but also disconcerting at times in some of the drama and suspenseful moments in the film. The film’s music soundtrack features an array of music from the 1960s including a few classical and show tune pieces as well as some country and folk music from Gene Autrey, Peter, Paul, & Mary, the Kingston Trio, Samuel Hoffman with Les Baxter, Johnny Ace, the Chantels, and a poetic piece by Gil Scott-Heron who is seen briefly on the film as he is played by Leon Bridges.
The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Kris Swanberg as Elliot See’s wife Marilyn, Lucy Stafford as Karen Armstrong, Luke Winters and Gavin Warren in their respective roles as the older and younger version of Rick Armstrong, Conor Blodgett as Mark Armstrong, Ethan Embry as astronaut Pete Conrad, Pablo Schreiber as astronaut Jim Lovell , J.D. Evermore as NASA flight director Christopher C. Kraft Jr., Cory Michael Smith as astronaut Roger Chaffee, and Brian d’Arcy James as test pilot Joseph A. Walker who gets Armstrong on board to NASA. Shea Whigham is terrific as Virgil “Gus” Grissom as one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts who help the new astronauts prepare for what to expect for Gemini and later Apollo. Patrick Fugit is superb as Elliot See as an astronaut in training who befriends Armstrong as he was set to command his own mission only to die tragically during a training mission.
Olivia Hamilton is fantastic as Ed White’s wife Patricia who befriends Janet as they share their stories of fear for their husbands but also what they had to endure at home. Christopher Abbott is excellent as Dave Scott as Armstrong’s co-pilot on Gemini 8 who experiences that near-death experience as he also tries to understand what went wrong. Kyle Chandler is brilliant as NASA chief officer/former astronaut Deke Slayton who makes sure things go smoothly while Ciaran Hinds is amazing as Robert R. Gilruth who is a flight director for NASA who helps oversee the making of the Apollo missions. Jason Clarke is incredible as Ed White as an astronaut who would become the first American to do the spacewalk while trying to understand Armstrong’s distant persona as it relates to loss. Lukas Haas is remarkable as Michael Collins as the capsule module pilot who helps Armstrong and Aldrin reach the moon and ensure their safety.
Corey Stoll is sensational as Buzz Aldrin as the film’s comic relief of sorts as he often says off-color things while being someone who does take his work serious as he would accompany Armstrong on their momentous mission to the moon. Claire Foy is phenomenal as Janet Shearon as Armstrong’s then-wife who deals with loss as well as the sense of fear of what could happen to her husband as she is also someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone as it is a riveting performance from Foy. Finally, there’s Ryan Gosling in a magnificent performance as Neil Armstrong as a test pilot/engineer who is tasked with what has to be done as he deals with the many dangers of his job but is also restrained and distant due to the fact that he’s still reeling from the loss of his daughter and later deal with the loss of colleagues as it’s a performance that is filled with restraint but also with a sense of determination and drive giving Gosling a career-defining performance.
First Man is a tremendous film from Damien Chazelle that features great performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, eerie sound design, a soothing yet haunting music score, and a gripping story about what astronauts had to endure and the chaos that goes on behind the scenes. It’s a film that doesn’t play towards the conventions of the bio-pic while also being this study of a man trying not to fail in preparation for his mission to go to the moon while dealing with grief. In the end, First Man is an outstanding film from Damien Chazelle.
Damien Chazelle Films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench – Whiplash - La La Land -Babylon (2022 film) - (The Auteurs #76: Damien Chazelle)
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the characters from the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick, Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the 1982 film Blade Runner by Ridley Scott as it involves a police officer who makes a chilling discovery that would lead to the end of humanity as he turns to a man who had disappeared thirty years ago who had his own experience with replicants. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green from a story by Fancher, the film is a futuristic sci-fi film set in Los Angeles where a cop tries to save humanity as he also cope with what is at stake as the role of Officer K is played by Ryan Gosling with Harrison Ford reprising his role as Rick Deckard. Also starring Jared Leto, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Mackenzie Davis, Lennie James, Dave Bautista, Barkhad Abdi, Wood Harris, Carla Juri, and Robin Wright. Blade Runner 2049 is a sprawling yet intoxicating film from Denis Villeneuve.
Following a blackout just a few years after the events in 2019, an LAPD cop who hunts older replicants in order to rid of them for society where he makes a discovery that would change humanity. It’s a film that follows up what Rick Deckard had discovered years ago that eventually lead to his disappearance and what cop in Officer K is trying to find upon this discovery he made when he was trying to arrest an older replicant in Sapper Morton (Dave Bautista). In this discovery, K is dealing with what he’s found as he wonders if there is more to him than just being a cop who lives alone with a hologram AI named Joi (Ana de Armas) as his companion. The film’s screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green isn’t just about this sense of identity that K is dealing with but also in this discovery that everyone wants to know including a replicant manufacturer in Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) who sees it as the next big step into his creation.
The first act revolves around what K has discovered as he would meet with Wallace’s enforcer Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) who gives him some information about his discovery as it involves Deckard. Yet, K’s journey would lead him to try and find something as he would report to Lt. Joshi (Robin Wright) who believes that something is off as she wants K to find out what is going on but in secrecy as he’s later pursued by Luv. The second act isn’t just about what K is discovering but also more about his identity as he turns to Joi for help with that identity as it relates to a toy horse he believed he had when he was a child. Upon finding this toy horse and numbers on that horse that he also found on a tree when he was arresting Morton, it would eventually lead him to Deckard who has been in hiding. Upon meeting Deckard, K would realize what is at stake but also why Deckard had to leave as it relates to something bigger than himself as well as his own personal involvement.
Denis Villeneuve’s direction is definitely grand in terms of the scale of what he is creating as it is set in 2049 Los Angeles with futuristic versions of the state of California and Las Vegas as this mixture of farm country, cities, and wastelands. Shot mainly in Budapest, Hungary with some of it shot in Iceland, Spain, and other locations, the film definitely has a unique approach to the visual presentation as it begins in this kind of desolate yet beautiful land that is a place for synthetic farming as Villeneuve’s usage of the wide shots would showcase the scope of these locations. The scenes set in Los Angeles is cramped yet vast in terms of the holographic ads and other things that play into something that is futuristic as Villeneuve would create different look and feel for certain places and locations throughout the film.
The direction also utilizes some close-ups and medium shots for some unique compositions in the way characters interact with each other as well as some of the moments in the action. Villeneuve would include bits of humor in the film but much of the film is dramatic with some suspense and action as the drama relates to K’s loneliness and the revelations about what he discovered as it add to him questioning his own identity. By the time Deckard arrives in the film, it does recall elements of the past that includes this very eerie meeting between Deckard and Wallace into what the latter could do and why he needs this discovery that K made. All of which would have K play a big part into giving Deckard something he had lost and find peace over this loss as well as give K some meaning in his life. Overall, Villeneuve creates an exhilarating and rapturous film about a blade runner trying to save humanity by uncovering a discovery that could help those as well as stop a creator from playing God.
Cinematographer Roger Deakins does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography as it is a major highlight of the film for the way he would give various locations a different look and feel from the grey exteriors of the farming land and garbage wasteland to the usage of sepia-drenched lighting for the exteriors of Las Vegas and the array of lighting and shades for many of the film’s interior scenes. Editor Joe Walker does excellent work with the editing as it has some jump-cuts for some of the action as well as some straightforward cutting for the drama and suspense. Production designer Dennis Gassner, with set decorator Alessandra Querzola and supervising art director Paul Inglis, does brilliant work with the look of K’s apartment as well as the LAPD building and the place where the Wallace Corporation is and other aspects to make Los Angeles look really futuristic. Costume designer Renee April does fantastic work with the costumes as it does provide the characters some personalities into some of the clothing that Joi wears as well as the clothing of other characters to play into the futuristic world.
Hair supervisor Lizzie Lawson and makeup supervisor Csilla Blake-Horvath do terrific work with the look of some of the characters including a few prostitutes as well as Joi in the different personalities she takes to please K. Visual effects supervisors Pierre Buffin, Richard Clegg, Paul Lambert, Petr Marek, Viktor Muller, and John Nelson do incredible work with the visual effects from the look of the city in some parts as well as the holograms and some of the action sequences as it is top-notch work. Sound editor Mark A. Mangini and sound designer Theo Green do amazing work with the sound in creating some sound effects as well as in the way guns and the flying cars sound. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch is great for its mixture of electronic bombast and ambient textures to create a score that is always engaging and help to play into the action and suspense while music supervisor Deva Anderson brings in some music that K listens to like Frank Sinatra as well as a couple of songs by Elvis Presley and variations of Tears in the Rain by Vangelis.
The casting by Zsolt Csutak, Francine Maisler, and Lucinda Syson is marvelous as it feature a couple of cameo appearances from two characters from the original film in Edward James Olmos as Deckard’s old colleague Gaff and Sean Young as the replicant Rachael with help from Loren Peta as Young’s double. Other notable small roles include Wood Harris as a cop named Harris, David Dastmalchian as a police scientist named Coco, Barkhad Abdi as a black markets analyzer in Doc Badger, Lennie James as a wasteland businessman in Mister Cotton, Hiam Abbass as a mysterious underground leader in Freysa, and Dave Bautista in a superb small role as the replicant Sapper Morton. Mackenzie Davis is terrific as a replicant prostitute named Mariette who is asked by Luv to follow K while being very discreet about her true motive while Carla Juri is wonderful in a small role as a mysterious memory designer in Dr. Ana Stelline who creates memories for replicants.
Jared Leto is fantastic as the replicants creator Niander Wallace as a man who is trying to create a new form of replicants as a way to get rid of humanity’s flaws as he believes this new discovery would be the key to what he wants. Robin Wright is excellent as Lt. Joshi as a LAPD official who orders K to find out about this discovery as well as question his own offbeat behavior as she is aware of what is at stake. Sylvia Hoeks is brilliant as Luv as Wallace’s replicant enforcer who is tasked with finding more about this discovery as she is this dangerous and powerful individual who is eager to get what she wants by any means necessary. Ana de Armas is amazing as Joi as an artificial-intelligence hologram who serves as K’s companion that tries to help him understand as well as wanting to feel alive to prove that there is more to her than just some program.
Harrison Ford’s performance as Rick Deckard is incredible as he provides this sense of a man who had seen and experienced so much in his life as he tries to cover his tracks while dealing with this newfound revelation over this discovery that he was involved in that also includes Rachael whom he mourns for. Finally, there’s Ryan Gosling in a sensational performance as K as a cop who copes with his identity upon this discovery he’s made as well as wanting to get answers as he is quite tough but also flawed as it is a very grounded and restraint performance from Gosling who brings a lot to a role of someone dealing with loneliness and himself.
Blade Runner 2049 is a magnificent film from Denis Villeneuve that features top-notch performances from Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Along with its great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals courtesy of cinematographer Roger Deakins, a hypnotic score, and a compelling premise that explores the idea of identity and humanity. It’s a film that manages to be not just some sprawling sci-fi adventure film with elements of film noir, suspense, and action but also a film that says a lot about people and who they are as well as what can happen when one wants to use that power for his own reasons. In the end, Blade Runner 2049 is an outstanding film from Denis Villeneuve.
Related: Blade Runner - The Auteurs #68: Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve Films: August 32nd on Earth – Maelstrom – Polytechnique – Incendies - Prisoners (2013 film) - Enemy (2013 film) – Sicario - Arrival (2016 film) - Dune-Part One (2021 film) - Dune-Part Two - (Dune: Messiah)
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the novel by Michael Lewis, The Big Short is about the financial crisis in 2007 and 2008 and how a small number of individuals knew it was coming and tried to salvage what they would be lost. Directed by Adam McKay and screenplay by McKay and Charles Randolph, the film is an unconventional take on the crisis with its mixture of humor, drama, and moments that break down the fourth wall. Starring Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Marisa Tomei, Rafe Spall, Finn Wittrock, Hamish Linklater, Jeremy Strong, Melissa Leo, and Brad Pitt. The Big Short is a gripping and chilling film from Adam McKay.
Set in the mid-2000s just a few years before the world economy would collapse in such a massive way, the film follows the lives of a few different men who would make a discovery that would lead to its collapse. Told through three different narratives, the film follow the events of these men who wouldn’t just discover loans and bonds that would cause the housing market to become unstable but also do whatever they can to survive and profit from this upcoming financial collapse. The film’s screenplay by Adam McKay and Charles Randolph weaves through these multiple narratives as the storyline of the different individuals who would be part of this catastrophic event would all effect one’s narrative and such. Even as there’s moments where a character from one storyline is in the same place with other characters from that storyline but none of them really meet each other.
The character Dr. Michael Burry (Christian Bale) is this oddball hedge fund manager who is socially-inept as he would start the whole story going when he would look into numbers involving high-risk subprime loans as he decides to make a bet against market-based mortgage-based securities by using a credit default swap. Dr. Burry’s plans had bankers laughing thinking he would fail as his actions wouldn’t just get the unwanted attention of his mentor Lawrence Fields (Tracy Letts) but also the attention of a low-level salesman for Deutsche Banks in Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) who is the film’s narrator. He would learn about what Dr. Burry is planning where he joins forces with Front Point hedge fund manager Mark Baum (Steve Carell) after one of Baum’s employees called Vennett by accident as the two analyze what Dr. Burry has found. From a prospectus that Vennett created, two young investors in Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock) would find that prospectus as they would take part in the plan to buy credit default swaps with the advice of a former securities trader in Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt).
The film’s narrative would cross-cut through all three different storylines as well as explore all of the traits of these characters as Vennett is a man that is vain and interested in getting the money from the fallout that is to come while Baum is a man just trying to make sense of the world he’s working for as he’s also dealing with his brother’s suicide. The duo of Geller and Shipley are just two guys that wanted to be rich as they get the help of Rickert as they would make a move that would be big but there comes a moral price over what had happened as it would be a discovery that would make Baum not just uneasy but also realizing the large scale of what is to come. Each act opens with a quote as it play into these men making a discovery and see what would happen and then realize the massive scale of the risk as almost everyone in the financial world is against them. Yet, it’s a risk that is would showcase not just the sense of arrogance and indifference of these people in finance but also those who would be seriously affected by this crash.
McKay’s direction is definitely quite engaging for the way it explores the world of finance in all of its complexities and finding a way to make it accessible for anyone who has no clue about bonds, stocks, securities, or anything in the world of finance. Shot largely in New Orleans with some of it shot on other locations such as New York City and Las Vegas. McKay would create something that is grand in some scenes but maintain some intimacy in his usage of close-ups and medium shots as it relates to the drama. Especially in the usage of hand-held camera for these scenes while giving each storyline a different tone as the Dr. Burry storyline is often set in an office building while the stories involving Venette/Baum and the trio of Geller, Shipley, and Rickert also have different presentations though there is that one scene where the two groups are in the same sequence through an intricate tracking shot.
Since the idea of finances and all of the things that go on are considered very complex to anyone that has no idea about these things. McKay would use a few celebrities like actress Margot Robbie, singer/actress Selena Gomez, famed chef Anthony Bourdain, and the economist Richard Thaler to provide some comical expositions to reveal what is a mortgage-based security, a subprime loan, a collateralized debt obligation, and a synthetic CDO. McKay would also showcase images and footage of what was the culture of the world was like in the mid-2000s as people are unaware of what is happening as its third act is quite dark. Notably in the sense of immorality that is happening in the financial world and the people who really lose it all which makes characters like Baum and Rickert uneasy. Especially as it once again play into this air of cynicism and what often happens in the financial world on who is saved and who is left in the dust. Overall, McKay creates a haunting yet evocative film about a group of individuals who would make a discovery that would shake up the financial world in the late 2000s.
Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the usage of natural and low-key lights for the scenes at Dr. Burry’s office as well as the lighter look of the scenes at Baum’s office as well as some of the stylish yet low-key lights for some of the scenes in Las Vegas. Editor Hank Corwin does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, freeze-frames and other stylish cuts to help find ways to create smooth transitions for the different storylines as well as using montages to play into the growing sense of time. Production designer Clayton Hartley, with set decorator Linda Lee Sutton and art director Elliott Glick, does fantastic work with the look of the different offices as well as the garage office that Geller and Shipley work at and the home of Rickert. Costume designer Susan Matheson does nice work with the costumes as it’s mostly casual with the suits that the men wear as well as shorts and t-shirt look of Dr. Burry.
Visual effects supervisor Paul Linden does terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects which is essentially set-dressing to play into the period of the mid-2000s. Sound editor Becky Sullivan does superb work with the sound as it play into the world of parties and meetings where it can be raucous but also quiet. The film’s music by Nicholas Britell is wonderful for its low-key electronic score that play into the drama while the soundtrack features an array of music from rock, hip-hop, and pop music.
The casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is incredible as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Rudy Eisenzopf as the mortgage-backed security creator Lewis Ranieri, Max Greenfield and Billy Magnussen as two young mortgage brokers who con people into getting bad loans, Byron Mann as a CDO manager Baum talks to in Vegas about synthetic CDOs, Karen Gillian as the ex-girlfriend of Shipley’s brother who meets Shipley in Vegas who dismisses him as she had just quit the SEC, Adepero Oduye as Baum’s colleague Kathy Tao, Tracy Letts as Dr. Burry’s mentor Lawrence Fields who is aghast over what Dr. Burry did, Melissa Leo as a Standard & Poor’s employee who make some revelations to Baum about some of the dark aspects of the financial industry, and Marisa Tomei in a terrific small role as Baum’s wife Cynthia who is trying to help him with his own revelations as well as the loss of his brother.
John Magaro and Finn Wittrock are superb in their respective roles as Charlie Geller and Jamie Shipley as two young investors who discover Vennett’s prospectus as they try to take advantage of their discovery in the hopes they would get a chance to be part of the elite in finance. The trio of Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong, and Hamish Linklater in their respective roles as Baum’s three employees in the optimist Danny Moses, the rash and impulsive Vinny Daniel, and the reserved Porter Collins as three men who help Baum in figuring out numbers as well as discovering how much would be lost. Brad Pitt is excellent as Ben Rickert as a retired securities trader who helps Geller and Shipley with their discovery as it’s a very low-key yet humorous role as a man who reluctantly returns to the world of finance but what he discovers would make him uneasy.
Christian Bale is brilliant as Dr. Michael Burry as a hedge fund manager who would discover the instability of mortgage loans as this oddball that loves to listen to heavy metal as a man who is great with numbers but awkward when it comes to people as he tries to profit everything and ensure the trust of his investors. Ryan Gosling is amazing as Jared Vennette as a low-level salesman for a powerful bank who would discover Dr. Burry’s report and take advantage of his discovery while teaming with Baum to make some money as Gosling’s performance is funny in display his air of arrogance. Finally, there’s Steve Carell in a marvelous performance as Mark Baum as a hedge fund manager for a financial company who would team up with Vennette in betting against the market as he would make a startling discovery of what is going to happen that consumes him with guilt as Carell has this air of energy and anger in his performance that is coupled with humility and sadness.
The Big Short is a spectacular film from Adam McKay. Featuring an inventive script, an incredible ensemble cast, and witty views of financing with stylish moments of exposition that prove to be helpful. It’s a film that explores a moment in time where the world’s finance industry was hit by their own stupidity and those who saw it coming and tried to warn them. In the end, The Big Short is a phenomenal film from Adam McKay.
Adam McKay Films: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby - Step Brothers - The Other Guys - Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - (Backseat) - The Auteurs #63: Adam McKay
© thevoid99 2017
(Played Out of Competition at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival)
Directed by Shane Black and written by Black and Anthony Bagarozzi, The Nice Guys is the story of a down-on-his-luck private detective who teams up with an enforcer to find a missing young woman in 1977 Los Angeles amidst a world of corruption and pornography. The film is an offbeat neo-noir film that explores two mismatched men who work together to try and do good as they go into a wild adventure. Starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Margaret Qualley, Matt Bomer, Keith David, and Kim Basinger. The Nice Guys is a thrilling and exciting film from Shane Black.
The film revolves the worst private detective who reluctantly teams up with a brutish enforcer to find a missing young woman as she is connected to the death of a porn star. It’s a film with a simple premise involving mismatched men who work together to find this young woman as they venture into the world of pornography and its relation to the world of crime. The film’s screenplay by Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi is a mixture of noir with some offbeat humor as it play into the two protagonists who aren’t part of the police force nor do they do anything conventional which makes them a perfect team. The enforcer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) is a guy hired to beat people up as he would meet this loser private detective in Holland March (Ryan Gosling) during an assignment where he beats him up. When Healy is attacked by two thugs who is trying to find this missing young woman in Amelia Kuttner (Margaret Qualley), he turns to March for help with March’s young daughter Holly (Angourie Rice).
It’s not just the mystery that is so interesting but it’s also the characters as Healy and March are guys who try to help people but they never reach their full potential until they work together. During the course of the film as they work together to solve this mystery, Healy and March learn more about each other as they become unlikely friends with Holly gaining a second father of sorts in Healy. When the two meet up with a high-ranking official from the Department of Justice in Judith Kuttner (Kim Basinger) who is revealed to be Amelia’s mother. The search for Amelia becomes more complex as it becomes clear someone is after her since she knows something as it doesn’t just relate to her mother’s disdain towards pornography but also something to do with the auto industry.
Black’s direction is definitely stylish as it play into the world of 1970s culture as it begins with a young boy (Ty Simpkins) sneaking under his parents bed to see a porno magazine when a car suddenly crashes into his home with the body of the same naked woman from that magazine. Shot largely in Atlanta and Decatur, Georgia with many exterior locations in Los Angeles, the film play into a world that is in disarray with a gas shortage as well as a smog pollution looming over Los Angeles. Black would use some wide shots to establish some of the locations as well as go into this world of decadence as well as it play into a period where everything is unruly but exciting. Black would use some medium shots and close-ups to focus on the characters as well as some of these offbeat moments such as Holly reading a book in a yard next to her home or these surreal moments as it relates to some of the things March sees whenever he’s drunk.
Still, it help play into the story and development of these characters as it is about these two mismatched men trying to do good in the world no matter how fucked up things are. Even as it leads to this very extravagant yet thrilling climax involving all sorts of shit where it proves that these are two guys that can get the job done. Overall, Black creates a fun and exhilarating film about two mismatched men trying to find a missing young woman.
Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot does excellent work with the film’s colorful cinematography with its usage of colorful lights for some of the scenes at night as well as some natural lighting for the scenes set in the day with the exception of the low-lit bars. Editor Joel Negron does nice work with the editing as it has some unique style in its usage of jump-cuts as well as using rhythmic cuts to play into the comedy and suspense. Production designer Richard Bridgland, with set decorator Danielle Berman and art director David Utley, does brilliant work with the look of the different houses and places the characters go to as it play into the world of the late 1970s. Costume designer Kym Barrett does fantastic work with the period costumes from the dresses and clothes the women wear as well as the suits that Healy and March wear.
Visual effects supervisor Josh Saeta does terrific work with the visual effects as it is mainly some set dressing to recreate the look of 1977 Los Angeles as well as some backdrops for some of the driving scenes at night. Sound designer James Harrison and sound editor Oliver Tarney do superb work with the sound in creating some unique sound effects as well as play into the atmospheres involving the parties and some of the violence. The film’s music by John Ottman and David Buckley is wonderful as it is a mixture of orchestral-based pieces with elements of funk and jazz to play into the feel of the 1970s while music supervisor Randall Poster creates a fun soundtrack that features music from the Bee Gees, Earth, Wind, & Fire, the Temptations, Kool & the Gang, Andrew Gold, America, A Taste of Honey, Climax Blues Band, Brick, KISS, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Al Green, and Rupert Holmes.
The casting by Sarah Finn is incredible as it feature some notable small roles from Ty Simpkins as the kid who finds the dead body of a naked porn star, Daisy Tahan as Holly’s friend Jessica, Yvonne Zima as a porn princess, Jack Kilmer as a friend of Amelia named Chet, Murielle Telio as the dead porn star Misty Mountains, Beau Knapp as a thug known as Blue Face, Yaya DeCosta as Judith Kuttner’s secretary Tally, Keith David as a thug who teams up with Blue Face, Matt Bomer as a mysterious hitman named John Boy, and Lois Smith as an old lady who claims her niece Misty is alive. Kim Basinger is excellent as Amelia’s mother Judith Kuttner as a top official for the department of justice who is eager to find her daughter as well as be very ambiguous about her war against pornography as well as dealing with a case involving the auto industry.
Margaret Qualley is brilliant as Amelia as a young woman that is trying not to be found by anyone as she knows something that could cause a lot of trouble as she is full of energy as well as naiveté thinking she could do something when it’s really more complicated. Angourie Rice is amazing as Holly March as Holland’s daughter who is a lot smarter than her father as well as be the conscious of sorts as she brings a lot of energy but also some wit as she is the real standout in the film. Finally, there’s the duo of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Jackson Healy and Holland March. Crowe is the straight man of the two as someone that is cool with beating people up as he uses his street smart to get things done while also being very funny in a restrained manner. Gosling is definitely the funnier of the two as someone who is kind of a bumbling idiot that always screw things up despite his good intentions. Crowe and Gosling have a great sense of rapport together as they’re always fun to watch while bringing out the best in each other.
The Nice Guys is a remarkable film from Shane Black that features top-notch performances from Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. Along with a great supporting cast, nice visuals, and a fun premise, the film is definitely a neo-noir film that doesn’t take itself seriously while bringing in the things needed for an action-suspense film. In the end, The Nice Guys is an incredible film from Shane Black.
Shane Black Films: (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) - Iron Man 3 - (The Predator (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2017
Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, La La Land is the story of an aspiring actress who moves to Los Angeles where she meets a jazz pianist as they fall in love while trying to find success together in Hollywood. The film is a mixture of fantasy and reality as it play into the hopes and dreams of two people trying to make it in the city of dreams. Starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, and J.K. Simmons. La La Land is a ravishing and evocative film from Damien Chazelle.
Set in the city of dreams that is Los Angeles/Hollywood, the film is an exploration of two people trying to reach their dreams as they struggle to make it as they lean on each other unsure if they both can succeed. While it’s a story that is often common with many old-school ideas of Hollywood of people going there and wanting to be part of that world. It is told in a very stylistic fashion as it play into this conflict of fantasy and reality which would blend in some respects for its two central protagonists in the jazz pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and the aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone) as they both go through many trials and tribulations in their journey to find fame and happiness. Damien Chazelle’s screenplay is mainly told in the span of an entire year structured by season where it begins with winter as the two are first seen in a traffic jam with Sebastian having road rage.
The two would meet again later on as it would play into an element of fantasy but then reality would return as they wouldn’t see each other again until Mia attends a party where Sebastian is playing in an 80s cover band. The two would forge a friendship that eventually becomes a romantic relationship bonded by their wishes to succeed where Mia wants to become an actress and succeed while Sebastian is hoping to open a jazz club where more authentic jazz music is played. Yet, they also have to contend with some form of reality whether Mia has to go numerous audition and cope with failure and rejection while Sebastian is forced to face some truth about the world of jazz where his ideas of the music is becoming extinct. Once the story reaches towards summer and fall, that specter of reality would come more and more into play but there is still some glimmer of what both Sebastian and Mia want for themselves and each other.
Chazelle’s direction isn’t just stylish but also play against many of the conventional aspects of modern-day cinema in favor of something that is more traditionalist and harkening back to the cinema of the past. The film’s opening sequence and musical number is a great example of what Chazelle is going for. It is set in a traffic jam in Los Angeles which lead to people singing as the usage of wide and medium shots capture the scope of what is happening as it’s all done in one entire take with a tracking shot without the need to cut. Many of the musical numbers would be presented in that similar approach as it doesn’t just play against some of the elements of what the genre had become but also creating something that is more dream-like and with a sense of fantasy. Aiding Chazelle in the dancing and how the choreography would play into the story is choreographer Mandy Moore who would provide moments of dance that has a sense of movement that help establish what is going on where it can be dazzling and intricate or just simple and somber.
The non-musical moments are still just as vital not only in playing to the story but also have the sense of intimacy as it relate to the conflicts that Sebastian and Mia are both going through. Especially in the film’s second half where they don’t just encounter failure but also what people will do to be successful. One noted montage sequence of Mia trying to do something to kick-start her own career while Sebastian would do something as a way to survive would show two people who love and care for each other going into diverging paths. The film’s third act set in the fall would be a moment where it is about facing not just reality head-on but also see if there is some kind of hope that can emerge. Notably as Chazelle would create something that mixes fantasy and reality into a scene that is just powerful which would be followed a more dazzling sequence towards the end of the film as it play into hopes and dreams of those who want something so bad to succeed on their own terms. Overall, Chazelle creates a majestic yet enthralling film about two people trying to make it in the city of dreams.
Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the way he captures every ounce of color in some of the dance sequences in day and night as well as the way some of the jazz clubs and restaurants are lit along with the gorgeous scene inside and outside of the Griffith Observatory. Editor Tom Cross does brilliant work with the editing as it doesn‘t play by modern-day editing rules as it favors something that is straightforward with some stylish montages and rhythmic cutting that play into some of the music. Production designer David Wasco, with set decorator Sandy Reynolds-Wasco and art director Austin Gorg, does excellent work with the design of the apartment homes of Sebastian and Mia as well as some of places they go to as well as the jazz club that Sebastian likes to hang out and the movie theater they would visit one night.
Costume designer Mary Zophres does incredible work with the costumes from the design and gorgeous colors of the dresses that Mia and the women wear as well as the look of the clothes for some of the dancers in the film. Visual effects supervisors Chris LeDoux, Tim LeDoux, and John L. Weckworth do fantastic work with the visual effects such as the floating dance sequence inside the Griffith Observatory and other sequences that help play into this world of fantasy. Sound designer/editor Ai-Ling Lee and sound editor Mildred Iatrou do superb work with the sound in the way some of the live music is presented as well as some of the sparse elements in the sound to play into the non-musical moments.
The film’s music by Justin Hurwitz is phenomenal as its score is a mixture of jazz and orchestral music to play into that air of excitement but also the dramatic elements of the film. The songs also help as most of them are written by Hurwitz and the duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul that help play into the situations and moods the characters are in while another original song written by Hurwitz, Marius de Vries, John Stephens, and Angelique Cinelu is a reflection of the kind of music that Sebastian doesn’t want to be a part of as the entire music score and soundtrack is a highlight of the film.
The casting by Deborah Aquila and Tricia Wood is terrific as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Josh Pence as a brother of Mia’s boyfriend early in the film, the trio of Callie Hernandez, Sonoya Mizuno, and Jessica Rothe as Mia’s roommates, Meagan Fay as Mia’s mother, Tom Everett Scott as a man named David who appears late in the film, Finn Wittrock as Mia’s boyfriend early in the film in Greg, and J.K. Simmons in a superb cameo appearance as a restaurant owner named Bill who wants Sebastian to play the music as it is. Rosemary DeWitt is excellent as Sebastian’s older sister Laura who tries to ensure her brother about the realities of the world but also hope that he can succeed. John Legend is brilliant as Sebastian’s old high school classmate Keith as a musician who leads a very popular and successful jazz-pop where he wants Sebastian to be a part of as a source of income.
Finally, there’s the duo of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is spectacular performances in their respective roles as Sebastian Wilder and Mia Dolan. Gosling brings that air of frustration and determination into someone who is an ardent traditionalist towards jazz as he tries to do whatever he can to survive no matter how humiliating it can be. Stone provides that humility to her own role as a young woman that is just trying to succeed through audition after audition while displaying that air of charm that is so intoxicating. Gosling and Stone together have this chemistry that is just riveting to watch from how they sing and dance with each other to the moments where they cope with their own failures and desire to succeed.
La La Land is an outstanding film from Damien Chazelle that features sensational performances from Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Featuring beautiful visuals, an evocative music soundtrack, top-notch technical work, and a story that is definitely appealing in its conflict of reality and fantasy. It’s a film that doesn’t just create something that is entertaining enough for the audiences but offers a whole lot more about the dreams and hope of two people in the city of dreams. In the end, La La Land is a magnificent film from Damien Chazelle.
Damien Chazelle Films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench - Whiplash - First Man - Babylon (2022 film) - (The Auteurs #76: Damien Chazelle)
© thevoid99 2017
(Played at the Un Certain Regarde Section at 2014 Cannes Film Festival)
Written and directed by Ryan Gosling, Lost River is the story of a single mother who tries to save her home by taking a mysterious job while her son would try to help where he learns about a mysterious underwater city. The film is a mixture of fantasy with elements of film noir that plays into a world that doesn’t make sense as many characters deal with this strange world they’re in. Starring Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Ben Mendelsohn, Iain De Caestecker, Matt Smith, Barbara Steele, and Eva Mendes. Lost River is an evocative yet rapturous film from Ryan Gosling.
Set in Detroit, the film revolves around a single mother trying to raise her two sons as one of them is a teenager and the other is an infant where she takes a mysterious job to save her home while the teenage son deals with a local gangster as he tries to find ways to help his mother. It’s a film that does have a simple story but it also has these elements of surrealism as well as the idea of innocence lost. Even as this small town Billy (Christina Hendricks) is living with her sons Bones (Iain De Caestecker) and the infant Franky (Landyn Stewart) is a place that is just in ruins while it’s nearby this reservoir that is covering a city that used to be there. Ryan Gosling’s script doesn’t just play into this idea of survival but what Billy and Bones have to do as the former has to work for a bank manager who also moonlights as the manager of a strange vaudeville club that emphasizes a lot on macabre imagery.
In the latter, he befriends his neighbor Rat (Saoirse Ronan) who tells him about this mysterious underwater city that used to be there as she believes that this little town could be saved if someone retrieve a piece of the city underwater. Though Bones doesn’t believe that, he still has to deal with the fact that his encounter with the local gangster Bully (Matt Smith) has him become a target where he has to hide as what he does to his enemies are quite gruesome. Even as Rat becomes targeted where Bones realizes what he has to do as does Billy who realizes where the real money is made at this club she is working for. All of which play into a world that has become corrupt and repressive where a mother and son are forced to take action.
Gosling’s direction is definitely very stylized in not just its imagery but also in mood where it a film that feels very dream-like yet rooted in reality. Shot on location in Detroit and areas nearby, the film has this strange mixture of the harsh realities of urban life with its empty and ruined houses that is joined with a world that is very surreal as it relates to the reservoir that Bones encounters and the club that Billy would work at. Gosling’s approach to compositions in his usage of wide and medium shots not only capture a world that is very unique but also one that has a sense of beauty despite its sense of decay. The way he would film certain images or create scenes that play into that mix of ugliness and beauty showcase Gosling’s gift to find that delicate balance as it relates to some scenes between Bones and Rat. The elements of surrealism that is in this club where women pretend to be killed for everyone’s pleasure is quite offbeat in its humor yet it also has something that is dream-like.
Even with Gosling’s approach to close-ups as well as these scenes that are quite strange and comical as it adds to a world that doesn’t make sense for its lead characters. The element of dream-like images mixed in with these strange and harsh surroundings would add to the film’s climax which is quite emotional where both Billy and Bones would make a decision as it relates to the reality they live in. A reality that both know they have to face where it’s no longer about a house they’re trying to save but really themselves and Franky. Overall, Gosling creates a ravishing yet eerie film about a mother and son trying to survive in a decaying environment filled with strange secrets.
Cinematographer Benoit Debie does phenomenal work with the film‘s cinematography with its usage of naturalistic and dream-like images for scenes set in the day along with some of the interiors with its stylish usage of neon lights including some of the scenes set at the club where Billy would work at. Editors Nico Leunen and Valdis Oskarsdottir do excellent work with the editing as they use some stylish jump-cuts to play into some of the drama and action along with some of the offbeat moments in the film where much of the editing is stylized yet adds a lot to what is shown. Production designer Beth Mickle, with set decorator Lisa K. Sessions and art director Erick Donaldson, does amazing work with the look of the club that Billy would work including the secret room as well as the room and home where Rat lives in.
Costume designer Erin Benach does fantastic work with the costumes from the lavish clothes of the women at the club to the look of Bully. Special makeup effects artist Michael Fontaine and prosthetics designer Michael Marino do brilliant work with the look of the macabre, gory makeup Billy and several other women would sport into their stage performances at the club as well as the look of Bully‘s henchman. Visual effects supervisor Janelle Croshaw does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects in the macabre performances at the club as well as a few set-dressing scenes such as the old pathway to an old town that is now underwater.
Sound designer Lon Bender does a superb job with the sound to play into the world of the clubs and some of the locations as well as some of the eerie moments at the home base of Bully. The film’s music by Johnny Jewel is great as it is this mixture of electronic music and ambient to play into some of the drama and surreal moments in the film while music supervisor Richard Walters provides a soundtrack that features some of Jewel’s original music from his Italians Do It Better label from acts like the Chromatics, Desire, Symmetry, Glass Candy, and other songs sung by Saoirse Ronan and Ben Mendelsohn as well as a standard called Deep Purple.
The casting by Kathy Mooney and Jennifer Venditti is wonderful as it features some notable small roles from Torrey Wigfield as Bully’s henchman Face, Rob Zabrecky as the club’s MC, Landyn Stewart as Billy’s infant son Franky, Reda Kateb as a kind cab driver who would drive Billy to the club, and Eva Mendes in a superb performance as the club performer Cat who would show Billy the ropes to performing and working at the club including the room where the real money is made. Barbara Steele is terrific in a largely silent role as Rat’s catatonic grandmother who watches old movies based on happier days. Matt Smith is fantastic as the local gangster Bully as a man who instills fear in everyone while being horrific in the way he handles people as it’s a role full of charm and energy. Ben Mendelsohn is excellent as Dave as a bank manager who also moonlights as a club owner where he offers Billy a chance to keep her house but also do things that are very intense.
Saoirse Ronan is brilliant as Rat as this young girl who is a neighbor of Bones as she befriends him while telling him the legend about this underwater city as it’s a performance full of restraint but also charm. Iain De Caestecker is amazing as Bones as a teenager who spends his time stripping down houses where his encounter with Bully nearly gets him in trouble until he encounters what could be the lost city as he realizes it might be the key to get him out of this small town. Finally, there’s Christina Hendricks in a remarkable performance as Billy as this single mother that is trying to save her home from debt where she goes into a world that is very strange only to realize that she is entering a world that is just very dark and complicated.
Lost River is a phenomenal film from Ryan Gosling. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and an intoxicating soundtrack. It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules while not being afraid to be weird as well as delve into elements of surrealism and fantasy. In the end, Lost River is a spectacular film from Ryan Gosling.
© thevoid99 2016
