Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Directed by David Yates and written by J.K. Rowling that is based on her fictional guidebook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the story about a British wizard who arrives in New York City where he tries to find three magical creatures who had escaped from his suitcase as he is aided by a demoted Auror, her Legilimens sister, and non-magical baker in retrieving them as he’s been accused of unleashing a mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the city. The film is a prequel of sorts to the Harry Potter universe as it takes place in 1926 New York City as it follows around a young Newt Scamander who would write the guidebook on magical creatures. Starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Carmen Ejogo, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, and Colin Farrell. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an extraordinary film from David Yates.

Set in 1926 New York City as the magical community is dealing with anti-wizard sentiment from individuals as well as the threat of Gellert Grindelwald wreaking terror around the world. The film revolves around a young British wizard in Newt Scamander who arrives to the city originally going to Arizona to bring a creature home where he would embark on a series of misadventures in the cities as he would be accused of unleashing a creature that is causing all of the trouble in the city. Among them would involve a non-magical man who would accidentally take Scamander’s luggage causing trouble when three magical creatures are loose forcing Scamander to retrieve them with the non-magical man and two other wizards. J.K. Rowling’s screenplay explore not just the wizarding world in New York City which is very different from Britain but also how they’re having a hard time trying to conceal it to the non-magical community as they’re called No-Majs.

There are multiple characters involved in the story that would play into Scamander’s search as well as him being a major suspect of the terror that is looming around the city. One of the antagonists is an anti-wizard activist in Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) who wants to expose the wizarding world as she turns to a newspaper publisher in Henry Shaw Sr. (Jon Voight) for help as he’s busy making a senate campaign for his son Henry Jr. (Josh Cowdery). Scamander would come across Barebone early in the film though she is unaware of what he really is as the meeting would set off a chain of events when one of his creatures in a niffler would go inside a bank as he would meet the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) who is trying to get a loan to start a bakery. Accidental events happen where Scamander is taken by the demoted Auror Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) for his actions where they go on a chase to find the three missing creatures with Kowalski and Tina’s younger sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) who is a Legilimens that is very interested in Kowalski.

Also involved in the search for the mysterious creature that is wreaking havoc in the city is a magical securities director in Percival Graves (Colin Farrell) who believes that Barebone’s adopted son Credence (Ezra Miller) might know what it is and where to find it in exchange to free him from the abuse of Barebone. Yet, so much is happening as it play into the search for the mysterious creature wreaking havoc in the city while the three creatures that Newt is trying to find prove to be more fascinating as he has a collection of them inside his luggage which he is studying for the book that he would later create. At the same time, he is trying to learn more about his new surrounding as he is also coping with his own issues which Queenie would learn accidentally as it play into his eccentric and awkward persona when he’s around people as he’s more comfortable with magical creatures and animals.

David Yates’ direction is definitely dazzling in terms of the world that he creates though the film begins with a montage of the chase for Grindelwald as he’s only seen briefly from the back as it sets the tone for much of the film with the wizarding community in New York City struggling to hide this terror from the non-magical community despite the verbal attacks from Barebone. Shot mainly at the Warner Brothers studio lot in Hertfordshire, England with some of it shot in London and St. George’s Hall in Liverpool as 1926 New York City. The film does play into a world that is filled with intrigue but it’s also quite rich in the way the wizarding community presents itself as house-elves are doing jobs and bartend speakeasies, goblins are the leaders of the financial world, trolls are also citizens, and there’s even a government based in New York City known as the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) led by President Seraphina Picquery (Carmen Ejogo).

There are also laws that is established such as that magical and non-magical people can’t socialize while magical creatures are banned which makes Scamander’s mission not just difficult but also the need to prove that he’s not the one causing trouble. There are some wide shots in the film to establish the locations yet Yates would use medium shots and close-ups to focus on the characters as they deal with trying to find the lost creatures as well as go after the mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the city. Yates would mix in elements of suspense and humor throughout the film as it would culminate with this grand third act as it play into the reveal of this mysterious creature as well as Scamander’s suspicions towards Graves who has his motives in wanting to find this creature. Especially in his interest towards the troubled Credence which makes Tina uneasy as Credence played a part in her demotion prompting her and Scamander the need to confront Graves. Overall, Yates creates an enchanting and exhilarating film about a British wizard trying to save New York City from a mysterious creature and retrieve three others from harm with the help of two American wizards and a No-Maj baker.

Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot does amazing work with the film’s beautiful cinematography as it has a sepia-like tone to the way some of the daytime exterior looks in terms of grey skies and sunny look as well as the usage of lights for some of the scenes at night including the interiors inside Scamander’s home-made zoo inside his luggage. Editor Mark Day does excellent work with the editing for its usage of montages for the opening sequence as well as some jump-cuts for some of the action and other stylish cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Stuart Craig, with art directors David Allday and Leslie Tomkins plus set decorator Anna Pinnock and associate set designer James Hambidge, does amazing work with the look of 1926 New York City from the home of MACUSA, the apartment that the Goldstein sisters live in, Newt’s zoo inside his luggage, and the dreary home of Barebone. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into the period of the mid-1920s with some dresses for the women as well as the clothes that President Picquery wears.

Hair/makeup designers Fae Hammond and Marilyn MacDonald do nice work with the look of the hairstyles of the women as well as the haircuts that men had and the makeup for a few of the characters in the film. Visual effect supervisors Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, and David Watkins do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of the different creatures that Scamander has collected including his pet plant-like creature in a bowtruckle as well as the look of the city and other magical things. Sound designers Glenn Freemantle and Eilam Hoffman do superb work with the sound from the way some of the creatures sound to the sounds of terror and suspense in some of the darker moments in the film. The film’s music by James Newton Howard is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that play into the action and suspense as well as some low-key music for the light-hearted moments while music supervisors Alejandro de la Llosa and Karen Elliott provide a jazz-like soundtrack to some of the original songs played in the film.

The casting by Fiona Weir is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Dan Hedaya as the voice of house-elf elevator operator, Kevin Guthrie as Tina’s supervisor, Ronan Rafferty as Henry Shaw Sr.’s youngest son Langdon who wants to help Barebone expose the wizarding world, Josh Cowdery as the cruel and arrogant Henry Shaw Jr., Jenn Murray as Barebone’s adopted eldest daughter, Faith-Wood Blagrove as Barebone’s youngest adopted daughter in Modesty whom Credence suspects to have magical powers, and Zoe Kravitz in a small role as the picture of Scamander’s former lover Leta Lestrange. Ron Perlman is terrific as the speakeasy owner Gnarlack as a goblin who was an informant of Tina as it is a charming role in this mixture of visual effects and performance-capture. Jon Voight is superb as Henry Shaw Sr. as a newspaper owner who would come across a major incident as he wants to go after the mysterious creature. Carmen Ejogo is fantastic as President Seraphina Picquery as the leader of MACUSA who is trying to ensure the law and make sure the magical world isn’t exposed as well. Samantha Morton is brilliant as Mary Lou Barebone as an anti-wizard activist who wants to expose the wizarding world as well as destroy wizard and witches while being very abusive towards Credence.

Ezra Miller is excellent as Credence as Barebone’s adopted son who is troubled by the beatings he receives from Barebone as he befriends Graves who promises him a chance for freedom in exchange for knowledge of the mysterious creature wreaking havoc. Colin Farrell is amazing as Percival Graves as a magical securities director for MACUSA who is in charge of protecting wizards as he is very powerful while having his own reasons for helping Credence. Alison Sudol is incredible as Queenie Goldstein as Tina’s younger sister who is kind-hearted as well as being an accomplished Legilimens, the ability to read minds, where she knows what to do to help out her sister, Newt, and Jacob whenever they get into trouble.

Dan Fogler is marvelous as Jacob Kowalski as a No-Maj cannery worker who aspires to become a baker that finds himself being exposed to the world of magic via accident as he proves to be a helpful ally for Newt and prove his worth to the world of magic. Katherine Waterston is phenomenal as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein as a demoted Auror who works in a lowly position at MACUSA as a witch trying to do what is right as it was the reason she got demoted while helping Newt retrieve his creatures to realize that he’s not the one that is at fault for the chaos in the city. Finally, there’s Eddie Redmayne in a remarkable performance as Newt Scamander where Redmayne provides this very odd and eccentric collector of magical creatures who arrives to New York City where he unknowingly causes mayhem as Redmayne has this air of charm into his role but also that awkwardness that allows him to be vulnerable when it comes to people as he prefers the company of magical creatures.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a sensational film from David Yates and writer J.K. Rowling. Featuring a great ensemble cast, top-notch visual effects, amazing art direction, lovely visuals, and a compelling story about a wizard’s arrival into America. It’s a film that explores the world of magic in a different setting that allow audiences to be enchanted into what the magical world in America is like from the mind who brought Harry Potter into the world. In the end, Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them is a spectacular film from David Yates.

Harry Potter Universe Films: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban - Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire - Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 - Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – (Pt. 3) – (Pt. 4) – (Pt. 5)

© thevoid99 2017

Cosmopolis

Based on the novel by Don DeLillo, Cosmopolis is the story of a young multi-billionaire whose desire to get a haircut has him going onto a very strange journey where he encounters various people and embark on things that are very unsettling. Written for the screen and directed by David Cronenberg, the film plays into the life of a young man in the span of 24 hours as he starts to lose touch with reality as the world around him becomes chaotic. Starring Robert Pattinson, Sarah Gadon, Paul Giamatti, Samantha Morton, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Mathieu Almaric, and Juliette Binoche. Cosmopolis is drab and overwrought film from David Cronenberg.

The film is a simple story about a young billionaire who is in his limo driving through the traffic-laden streets of New York City just wanting a haircut. Yet, a visit from the U.S. president, a rapper’s funeral procession, and protests concerning about the state of capitalism puts this young man in one hellish day as he self-destructs slowly as his fortune falls and his own personal life starts to fall apart. It’s a premise that could’ve been engaging and also compelling to explore a man’s self-destruction as it would be in the hands of someone as revered as David Cronenberg. Instead, it’s an overblown and soulless film that doesn’t really have anything to say. For most of the story’s two-acts, the film’s protagonist in Eric Parker (Robert Pattinson) spends his time in his lavish, state-of-the-art limo talking to various advisors, analysts, workers, and such about his dwindling fortune while stepping out to do a few activities and eat a few meals with his wife Elsie (Sarah Gadon).

The screenplay is often filled with this very stylized dialogue where everyone talks in a certain rhythm that goes on too fast and features themes about finances and capitalist theories that doesn’t make any sense. Even as some of the dialogue is so poor that it’s often spoke in a very robotic fashion that just sucks out the life of the story. In the course of the story, Parker sleeps with a few women who aren’t married to him while dealing with the fact that he’s got an asymmetrical prostate as he has a hard time figuring out a currency where protesters are targeting him. The third act does break away from the monotony of the story but only to the point that it gets messier where Parker finally gets his haircut while trying to find out who is trying to kill him as the result almost ends up being the same thing about capitalism, life, and all that where it gets repetitive and loses ground into whatever arguments that Parker is going after.

Cronenberg’s direction should’ve been interesting as he spends much of the film inside a limo where it’s very intimate but also claustrophobic to showcase the cold world that Parker lives in. Instead, the story that Cronenberg is telling doesn’t hold much ground where this mixture of chaos outside of the limo and Parker trying to cage himself in his limo doesn’t do anything as the constant talking just drags the film. The moments where the film leaves the limo and into a few places doesn’t really have Cronenberg do much other than create a few interesting compositions but the way he directs his actors really bogs the film down even more. Even as its climax where Parker leaves the limo to get his haircut and confront whoever is trying to kill him only makes things worse as the film ends on a very abrupt and hollow note. Overall, Cronenberg creates an excruciatingly dull and lifeless film that had something to say but ends up saying nothing at all.

Cinematographer Peter Suschitzsky does nice work with the cinematography to play into its look of the city as it‘s in chaos while editor Ronald Sanders does some good work in the editing though it does have a hard time to keep up with the very talkative dialogue while not doing enough to build up some suspense. Production designer Arvinder Grewal and art director Joshu de Cartier do excellent work with the look of the limos and places Parker goes to while costume designer Denise Cronenberg creates some wonderful dresses that Elsie wears.

Visual effects supervisor Wojciech Zielinski does some bad work in some of the film‘s visual effects that includes a backdrop for the shots outside of the limo. Sound editor Wayne Griffin and Michael O’Farrell do some fine work with the sound to play into the chaotic nature in the locations. The film’s music by Howard Shore is terrific as it is low-key with its emphasis on brooding electronic music that includes some contributions from the Canadian band Metric to provide some dark textures into the soundtrack.

The casting by Deirdre Bowen definitely has a great collection of actors where there’s a few noteworthy performances from George Touliatos as the barber Anthony and Abdul Ayoola as Packer’s driver where the two have a nice conversation about their old lives as cab drivers. Other notable performances from Patricia McKenzie as a bodyguard of Packer, Emily Hampshire as finance chief, Jay Baruchel as his friend Shiner, Kevin Durand as Packer’s main bodyguard Torval, and Philip Nozuka as his analyst don’t really get much to do as they’re bogged down by the film’s atrocious dialogue that just has them over-explaining things.

For a cast that includes such revered talents as Mathieu Almaric, Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti, and Samantha Morton, they are unfortunately wasted in this film. Giamatti plays a disgruntled, troubled ex-employee of Packer who just talks and talks while Almaric is just a guy who slams a pie into Packer. Morton doesn’t do anything but talk about numbers and such as if she was a robot while Binoche plays an art consultant who sleeps with Packer as she talks about money and art. Sarah Gadon is terrible as Packer’s young wife Elsie as she only appears in a few scenes as the scenes she have with Pattinson are included with some bad dialogue that’s made worse by the fact that they’re talking like robots. Finally, there’s Robert Pattinson in a performance that is unsurprisingly typical of what he’s known for as he’s just a bore to watch as well as the fact that he talks like a robot in some respects while often does a lot of blank stare to showcase that he is indeed a very bland and soulless young man who can’t act worth a shit.

Cosmopolis is a fucking travesty of a film from someone as brilliant as David Cronenberg. Thanks in part to Robert Pattinson’s horrendous performance as well as its un-engaging story and overwritten dialogue. It’s a film that should’ve said something about a man’s self-destruction in the wake of a capitalist protest but instead says nothing profound. Even as it ends up being a cinematic downward spiral of nothingness that goes further into a spiral of ever-more nothingness. In the end, Cosmpolis is a film that just absolutely fucking sucks.

David Cronenberg Films: Stereo - Crimes of the Future - Shivers - Rabid - Fast Company - The Brood - Scanners - Videodrome - The Dead Zone - The Fly (1986 film) - Dead Ringers - Naked Lunch - M. Butterfly - Crash - eXistenZ - Spider - A History of Violence - Eastern Promises - A Dangerous Method - Maps to the Stars

The Auteurs #26: David Cronenberg: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2013

Sweet and Lowdown

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Sweet and Lowdown is the story about a 1930s jazz guitarist who prides himself in being the second-best guitarist in the world as he falls for a mute woman as he hopes to rise to the top. While it’s a largely fictional film, the film moves back-and-forth from a dramatic narrative to a documentary where Allen and many jazz experts talk about this man. Starring Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, Gretchen Mol, Brad Garrett, and John Waters. Sweet and Lowdown is a remarkable film from Woody Allen.

The film explores the life of a musician named Emmet Ray (Sean Penn) who was considered the greatest jazz guitarist in the early 20th Century, aside from Django Reinhardt whom Ray idolizes. Told by Woody Allen, filmmaker Douglas McGrath, and other experts in the world of jazz in a documentary format of sorts, they all talk about the legend of Ray and his exploits where he falls for a mute woman named Hattie (Samantha Morton) and deals with his role as an artist. For all of his gifts as a guitarist, he’s also very selfish as he gambles his money, cheats on women, and do all sorts of things. Throughout the entirety of the film, Allen and others talk about Ray’s story as it is told in a dramatic format where the character ventures into many moments in his life including a failed marriage and a relationship with this mute woman who loves him but he claims that he can’t fall in love with her because he’s an artist.

While Allen’s screenplay helps structure the story from documentary form to dramatic, it’s his direction that gives the film a sense of style in the way the story is told. Many of the interviews with Allen and the others are shot in a very straight, slight close-up while the rest of the film in the dramatic re-telling of Ray’s story is given a lot of style. Notably as Allen uses a lot of close-ups, wide shots, and some gorgeous compositions to play up that world of the 1930s including scenes set in New York and New Jersey. Even as Allen creates one notable sequences about a moment where Ray tries to confront his cheating wife Blanche (Uma Thurman) as it’s told in multiple versions depending on how real it might be. It would all play to some of the humor and drama that Allen wanted to create as the overall result is a truly enchanting and witty film about a great jazz guitarist and the selfishness that would play into his faults.

Cinematographer Zhao Fei does exquisite with the film‘s very colorful and vibrant cinematography from the look of the daytime exterior locations to the use of lights for some of the film‘s interiors in day and night. Editor Alisa Lepselter does nice work with the editing from the use of a few montages to some stylish dissolves to help play into some of the film‘s emotions. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator Jessica Lanier and art director Tom Warren, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the clubs and places Ray and the other characters go to as well as the crescent moon chair that Ray tried to arrive in for one disastrous show.

Costume designer Laura Bauer does brilliant work with the costumes from the suits that Ray wears to the different array of clothes that Hattie wears. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound from the atmosphere of the shows to the crazier moments in some of Ray‘s antics. Music arranger Dick Hyman creates an amazing soundtrack filled with many jazz pieces to play up the feel of the time while many of the guitar work is performed by Howard Alden.

The casting by Laura Rosenthal and Juliet Taylor is superb for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from filmmaker Douglas McGrath and jazz experts Ben Duncan and Nate Hentoff talking about the legend of Emmet Ray. Other noteworthy small performances include John Waters as a hotel owner, Brad Garrett as a mob leader, Gretchen Mol as a date of Ray late in the film, and Brian Markainson as Ray’s drummer Bill Shields. Anthony LaPaglia is excellent as mobster whom Blanche falls for and cheats on Ray while Uma Thurman is wonderful as Ray’s wife Blanche who is intrigued by his gift as she marries him while coming up with ideas for a novel.

Samantha Morton is phenomenal as Hattie where Morton doesn’t say a word throughout the film yet lets her facial expressions and body language do the acting as she brings a nice innocence to her character as well as how much she really means to Ray despite his selfishness. Finally, there’s Sean Penn in a magnificent performance as Emmet Ray as Penn brings a nice sense of wit and charm to his role as someone who proclaims himself to be an artist. Penn’s approach to comedy as well as drama allows Ray to be a very complex individual no matter how despicable he can be at times while Penn also shows he can mimic playing guitar very well in what is certainly is one of his great performances.

Sweet and Lowdown is an outstanding film from Woody Allen that features incredible performances from Sean Penn and Samantha Morton. The film is definitely one of Allen’s most touching and entertaining films as well as a unique piece into the world of jazz. It’s also a film that plays into the world of the artist and how they can fall into their own egos and let the good things in life pass them by. In the end, Sweet and Lowdown is a sensational 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 and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

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

© thevoid99 2013

In America

Directed by Jim Sheridan and written by Jim, Kristen, and Naomi Sheridan, In America is the story of an Irish family moving to New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen area to start a new life following the loss of their young son. There, they encounter the hardships of a new land while befriending an AIDS-stricken neighbor. The film is an exploration into the world of immigration told in the eyes of a young girl. Starring Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton, Djimon Hounsou, and introducing Sarah and Emma Bolger. In America is a heartwarming film from Jim Sheridan.

Following the death of their son Frankie, Johnny Sullivan (Paddy Considine), his wife Sarah (Samantha Morton), and their two daughters Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger) arrive to America to start a new life. Finally arriving in New York City, the Sullivans arrive at Hell’s Kitchen to live in an apartment filled with all sorts of people as Sarah got a job working at an ice cream parlor while Johnny tries to go to auditions to land acting jobs as he eventually becomes a cab driver. Though they struggle to get by, the Sullivans continue to live a decent life as Christy chronicles everything through her camcorder. Especially as things become tense between Johnny and Sarah over Frankie’s death when Sarah learns she is pregnant.

After meeting an AIDS-stricken painter named Mateo (Djimon Hounsou), the family enjoys his company though Johnny struggles to deal with his lack of emotions about everything. Yet, he eventually grows fond of Mateo’s presence as he await the birth of his new baby as he realize there’s a risk about the baby coming early or coming later which could mean some issues for Sarah in the later. When the baby arrives sooner than expected, Christy is willing to take a risk to save the baby as the family awaits for what will happen while pondering about what will happen to the ailing Mateo.

The film is about an Irish family coming to America to start a new life as they deal with near-poverty, cultural differences, and grief following the loss of their son to a brain tumor. There, they meet a painter suffering from AIDS while the family also deal with each other in an apartment in the Hell’s Kitchen area in New York City in the span of a year. It’s a story that is very universal about family trying to live the American dream in a world that is foreign to them. Yet, a lot of it is told from the perspective of a child who is granted three wishes from her late brother which she uses carefully in crucial parts of the story that includes a scene of Johnny trying to win Ariel an E.T. doll.

The screenplay is told in a very loose fashion as Christy chronicles everything not just on her camcorder but her memories as she is trying to see her parents deal with grief while caring for her younger sister as they deal with their new surroundings. Notably in a scene where their mother and a friend from the ice cream parlor made Halloween costumes while all of the kids at the Catholic school were costumes that were bought to express the alienation between the sisters and the other kids. Yet, it’s part of their development as the family would find a friend in Mateo who feels alienated because of his disease yet is warmed by the presence of Christy and Ariel.

Jim Sheridan’s direction is truly magical in the way he shoots the film with a great sense of beauty and realism as some of it shot with a camcorder to present Christy’s perspective of everything she is seeing past and present. Shot on location in New York City where it serves as a character of its own, Sheridan’s fluid direction definitely wanders around the location while he creates key scenes to help move the story forward or to make proper introduction of characters such as the scene where the girls meet Mateo for the first time. While a lot of the presentation is simple, the way Sheridan plays out the drama and some of the more lighter moments of the film is to have the actors be natural as they can be. While some of the moments do revel in sentimentality, it’s earned because of the grief that surrounds the film as well as the fact that it’s a story about a family. Overall, Sheridan creates a truly dazzling and touching film that explores the life of an Irish family in America.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does a brilliant job with the film‘s photography from the grainy video camera look of the camcorder camera shots to the more pristine look of the NYC locations for its exterior settings as well as some wonderful shots for some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Naomi Geraghty does excellent work with the editing in creating stylish montages to play up some of the drama and light-hearted moments of the film as well as some straightforward cuts to play out the drama. Production designer Mark Geraghty, along with set decorator Johnny Byrne and art director Susie Cullen, does fantastic work with the set such as the look of the Sullivans‘ apartment as well as apartment of Mateo.

Costume designer Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh does very good work with the costumes as a lot of it is very casual to play up to the seasons of NYC. Sound editor Nigel Mills does superb work with the sound from the scene where the Sullivans arrive to New York City to hear an array of sounds coming from the car radio. The film’s score by Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer is terrific for its low-key sound filled with xylophones and soft brass instruments to play up the whimsy along with some low-key electronic music for some of its dramatic moments. Music supervisor David Donohue creates a soundtrack that filled with different kinds of music ranging from rock like the Lovin’ Spoonful, the Byrds, and a cover of the Eagles’ Desperado, sung by Sarah Bolger, along with Latin and classical music as well as an original song in Time Enough for Tears co-written by Bono and sung by Andrea Corr of the Corrs that truly expresses the film as a whole.

The casting by Sally Osoba is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small appearances from Juan Carlos Hernandez as tenant named Papo and Merina Millsapp as Sarah’s ice cream parlor friend Marina. Emma Bolger is wonderful as the young Ariel who tries to understand everything around her as she is the first one to connect with Mateo. Sarah Bolger is amazing as Christy who tries to observe everything around her while giving answers to Ariel about the way the world works. Djimon Hounsou is great as Mateo, a mysterious painter who is first heard screaming as he becomes this angry man who suddenly is greeted with warmth by this family. Samantha Morton is superb as Sarah who tries to come to terms with Johnny’s lack of emotion as well as dealing with her own pregnancy. Paddy Considine is excellent as Johnny who tries to deal with his lack of emotions as well as the grief he’s dealing with as it’s a very lively performance from Considine.

In America is an extraordinary film from Jim Sheridan featuring an outstanding ensemble cast and a touching story that audiences will relate to. It’s a film that is very accessible in the way family are played out in all sorts of dysfunctions as well as a truly compelling film about how immigrants integrate themselves into the new world. For fans of Jim Sheridan, the film is definitely his most accessible feature as he brings a truly personal feel to this story. In the end, In America is a marvelous film from Jim Sheridan.

Jim Sheridan Films: (My Left Foot) - (The Field) - (In the Name of the Father) - (The Boxer) - (Get Rich or Die Tryin’) - (Brothers (2009 film)) - (Dream House)

© thevoid99 2012

Code 46

Originally Written and Posted on 7/21/07 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, Code 46 is a futuristic film about a fraud investigator who falls in love with a woman who is breaking a law concerning human production in relations to clones. Shot in locations like Shanghai and India, the film is not entirely science fiction but mixed in with film-noir and drama. Starring Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Om Puri, Jeanne Balibar, and Nina Wadia. Code 46 is a mesmerizing, haunting film from the team of Frank Cottrell Bryce and Michael Winterbottom.

In a non-too distant future where genetics is now the law with people living in cities are referred to people living in the inside while those in poor worlds live in the outside. Traveling has also been restricted while human contact in relation to similar genetic strands that is a violation known as Code 46. For 25-year old Maria Gonzalez (Samantha Morton), who lives in Shanghai, she has been to both worlds as she keeps having a recurring dream that follows her closer and closer every year on her birthday to await her faith. Arriving into Shanghai to discover a frauds investigation is a Seattle investigator named William Geld (Tim Robbins). Sent to interview people at a company called the Sphinx that manufactures insurance documents, he meets the company's boss Bahkland (Om Puri). He finds the suspect in Maria as William finds himself attracted to her. Instead, William pins the crime on another person as he pursues Maria personally.

After engaging Maria, the two immediately have a conversation while she reveals that she creates fake insurance documents for friends and such to help in their traveling destinations. The two go to a club where she meets a friend Damian, (David Fahm) whom she gives a document, as the two leave to their apartment where a one-night stand occurs. Having to return home to Seattle where his wife Sylvie (Jeanne Balibar) and son Jim (Taro Sherabayani), William leaves Shanghai with Maria a free woman. Upon his return, he receives a report from his superior (Shelley King) about Damian as he has to come back for a further investigation. After talking to Bahkland, he learns that Maria has been taken to a facility outside of the city. After talking to a medic (Benedict Wong), he goes to the facility where he meets a receptionist (Nina Wadia) whom he tries to charm but this time around, doesn't work.

Eventually, he talks to a doctor (Essie Davis) in the facility who revealed that Maria had violated Code 46 where the result was that she had an old finger replaced while everything she known for 10 days had been erased. With little memory of William, Maria is also unaware that she was pregnant before getting it terminated by the law that is stated in Code 46. Needing to return home, William learns through an airline check-in person (Archie Panjabi) that his traveling papers have been expired. With Maria, now out of the facility, she was able to get a fake paper for William as the two leave for Jebel Ali in the Middle East where her father used to live. Hoping to live a life outside of codes and everything, the two embark on a relationship as eventually, William's genetic connection to Maria would catch up with them as would the genetic law.

While the film isn't really a dystopian film or a sci-fi in traditional formats. Michael Winterbottom and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce use these themes to convey a high-concept of how science can rule the land and also restrict certain laws. Similar to what Andrew Niccol's Gattaca had in terms of its plot. The film is really about a future where a man and woman couldn't fall in love due to the genetic similarities it has. While the film might be overwhelming to some audiences for its conceptual tone by Boyce's script. The film's love story and subsequent tone of alienation is well-written by Boyce as the characters are explored as well as the landscapes their in.

The direction of Winterbottom is superb in revealing this sense of alienation. Especially the locations that he uses throughout the film. While a traditional sci-fi film, even in Hollywood standards, would create sets, gadgets, and other things to make a film look and feel futuristic. Winterbottom instead, goes for an approach where it's the locations whether it's the airport, bridges, and skyscrapers in Shanghai to make the film look like it's the future. There's gadgets seen but they're similar to what people are using now.

It's just that Winterbottom approached it, as if he's making something low-budget. The scenes in Shanghai, notably the exterior sequences have a dream-like setting that is similar to not just the films of Wong Kar-Wai but also Sofia Coppola's 2003 classic Lost in Translation. The film doesn't take itself too seriously as Winterbottom creates a unique vision to his film.

Cinematographers Marcel Zyskind and Alwin H. Kuchler create a unique, dreamy look to the film's Shanghai sequences while more documentary-like, hand-held camera style that Winterbottom is known for is seen through the India section of the film. The camera work really signifies the different feel and look of the inside/outside world of the future. Production designer Mark Tidesley and art directors Mark Digby and Denis Schnegg creates wonderful sets and objects to convey the futuristic feel like the phones that are seen on screen to the memory diaries. Costume designer Natalie Ward doesn't go for an entirely futuristic feel but rather a look where the clothes look more like clothes seen in present time.

Editor Peter Christelis brings a nice, stylistic approach to the film's editing with use of jump-cuts and slow speeds to convey the emotions of the film and its characters. Sound editor Joakim Sundstrom and recordist Stuart Wilson add to that emotional, dreamy tone with the film's sound to convey that dystopian feel where everything feels a bit overcrowded and claustrophobic to the number of people talking and such. The film's score composed by David Holmes and Stephen Hilton is very haunting as its filled with dreamy, ambient-like tones to give that futuristic feel. The film's soundtrack features cuts ranging from Indian and Chinese music, Fatboy Slim, Coldplay, a cover of Bob Marley's No Woman, No Cry, and a hilarious karaoke version of The Clash's Should I Stay Or Should I Go? sung by none other than Mick Jones of the Clash.

The film's cast is unique as it features memorable small performances from Essie Davis, Archie Panjabi, David Fahm, Jeanne Balibar, Taro Sherabayani, Benedict Wong, Nina Wadia, Shelley King, Togo Igawa as William's driver early in the film, Nabil Elouahabi as a vendor, and Nabil Massad as the Jebel Ali hotel owner. Om Puri is great as the charming, laid-back Bahkland, who is trying to watch everything in his company while being just as complex to William.

Tim Robbins is in brilliant form as William Geld. Without going into any kind of dramatic form of acting, Robbins brings a subtlety and wit to his role as an investigator who is attracted to his own suspect. The restraint Robbins give is wonderful as he has great chemistry with his co-star Samantha Morton. Morton is brilliant and complex as Maria Gonzalez as a woman with recurring dreams and her own ideals about the world. Morton also displays a grace and rawness that is rarely seen in film as she proves to be an enchantress on screen. She never gives a dull moment throughout the entire film.

While it's nowhere near some of Michael Winterbottom's films of the 2000s, Code 46 is still an enchanting and intoxicating film that includes great performances from Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton along with Frank Cottrell Boyce's high-concept script. While some of the film's science and political content might confuse audiences, the love story and dreamy tone does have something to offer. Still, the film shows what Michael Winterbottom could do in any type of genre where he goes for something unconventional rather than what is expected. In the end, Code 46 is a superb film from Michael Winterbottom and company.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You (1998 film)) - Wonderland (1999 film) - The Claim - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - 9 Songs - Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) - The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of An Angel)

© thevoid99 2012

Jesus' Son

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/6/04 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on Denis Johnson's collection of short stories, Jesus' Son is the story of a 1970s heroin addict who tries to do good only continually mess things up as he wound encounter tragedy and redemption. Directed by Alison Maclean and screenplay by Oren Moverman, David Urritia, and Elizabeth Cuthrell, the film explores a young man trying to deal with addiction as well as doing what is right. Starring Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Jack Black, John Ventimiglia, Denis Leary, Will Patton, Holly Hunter, and Dennis Hopper. Jesus' Son is an extraordinary film from Alison Maclean.

A young drifter named FH aka Fuckhead (Billy Crudup) is hitchhiking as he hopes to return to Iowa to meet his girlfriend Michelle (Samantha Morton). After a horrifying car accident that he was apart of, FH looks back at his life where he recalls the moment he meets Michelle three years earlier at a party held by a guy named McInnes (John Ventimiglia) as the two later have another encounter where FH's friends Jack (Mark Webber) and Dundun (Michael Shannon) watch something horrifying happen. FH meets Michelle again a year later as the two start a tumultuous relationship as they would become full-blown heroin addicts that would have its wandering moods as it would often include FH's incompetence.

With Michelle gone, FH reaches out to fellow addict Wayne (Denis Leary) where the two make money in destroying an abandoned home and steal some cables where they both earn a good payday. The success allows FH to get back with Michelle though she presents some startling news that would prompt him to try and clean up. Working with another addict in Georgie (Jack Black) as an night-shift orderly in a hospital, the two delve into several hijinks as a doctor (Greg Germann) examines a patient with a knife in his eye where Georgie would make things worse. The two go on a road trip where they would kill a pregnant bunny as they tried to take care of the baby bunnies only for FH to screw things up as usual.

After another breakup with Michelle who leaves him to work in Mexico with a guy named John Smith (Will Patton), FH would have a strange encounter with a snakeskin-jacket man (Alan Davidson) as he tries to deal with his own relapsing drug addiction. After another reunion with Michelle that doesn't go well, FH eventually goes to rehab as he meets with a former addict named Bill (Dennis Hopper) whose story would help FH changes his life. After moving to Phoenix, he meets a former alcoholic named Mira (Holly Hunter) and works at nursing home while being entranced by a singer (Rebecca Kimball). With this new life, FH wonders about where he is going with this new life.

What makes Jesus' Son such an interesting film is in Alison Maclean's direction. While the film's script at times is hard to follow with its flashbacks and varied subplots, MacLean and the screenwriters make sure the story is appealing in its offbeat structure and tone. Even by adding elements of black comedy and drama, the film doesn't lose itself in it's pacing. In the more harrowing scenes of hallucinations, MacLean brings up the surreal tone of drug addiction at its darkest and campy. Even the film's look by cinematographer Adam Kimmel is amazingly captured in the film's three-act structure. From its blue look early on to the more colorful, hazy tone in the second to a more cleaner, enlightened tone in its final act. Even the film's music with an original score from Joe Henry as well as a wide mix of music from the 70s ranging from rock, pop, soul, and country to enhance the gritty, natural tone of the film.

The film's cast is extraordinary from its group of smaller roles played by Mark Webber, Michael Shannon, Alan Davidson, John Ventimiglia, and Greg Germann to its veterans like Dennis Hopper, Will Patton, and Holly Hunter in their small but respective roles that are performed wonderfully. Standing out in the supporting cast easily is Jack Black who delivers a hilarious, brash performance as Georgie by giving the film some much-needed comic relief. Denis Leary also provides a funny performance as Wayne as he comes out of the film like a drunk by beating people up and fucking things up as possible in one of Leary's best performances.

Samantha Morton is astonishing as Michelle by portraying a beautiful addict who can be unlikable at times yet for the British actress, Morton provides a sense of sexiness and sympathy in her troubled performance as an addict. Billy Crudup is amazing as the film's protagonist FH by being charming and loveable in his role despite being a total fuck-up. Crudup carries the film with ease and strong dramatic moments without being too vulnerable or too stupid. Crudup gives one of his best performances of his career, particularly as the film's narrator.

Jesus' Son is an entrancing yet harrowing film from Alison Maclean that features terrific performances from Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton. Along with a great supporting cast that includes Jack Black and Denis Leary, it's a film that explores the dark world of drug addiction as well as a man yearning to find redemption. Notably as it revolves a guy who tries not to live up to his namesake as incompetent fuck-up. In the end, Jesus' Son is a powerful drama from Alison Maclean.

(C) thevoid99 2012

Synecdoche, New York

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/6/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York tells the story of a playwright who tries to work on a play that goes on 40 years as he questions his own mortality and the women in his life as he struggles to create his most ambitious play yet. Inspired by Kaufman's own work in the theater, the film explores Kaufman's themes of surrealism and the creative process in this complex, high-art story. With an all-star cast that includes Kaufman regular Catherine Keener along with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, Emily Watson, Tom Noonan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis, and Dianne Wiest. Synecdoche, New York is a high-concept, complex, and provocative directorial debut from Charlie Kaufman.

Playwright Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has just mounted a play of Death of a Salesman that features a young actress named Claire Keen (Michelle Williams). While Cotard has a nice home life with wife/painter Adele (Catherine Keener) and their 4-year old daughter Olive (Sadie Goldstein), an incident involving a sink has him going to doctor where he's ill with numerous diseases. After attending couples counseling with therapist Madeline Gravis (Hope Davis), Adele leaves Cotard as she and her friend Maria (Jennifer Jason Leigh) take Olive to Berlin to venture into the city's art world. Caden befriends box office holder Hazel (Samantha Morton) as he deals with sudden success and own personal issues. While he and Hazel have a brief affair, Caden finds companionship with Claire as he receives a prestigious grant where he would stage a grand play based on his own life.

Claire joins Caden in the development of the play, Caden decides to stage it in an old factory where the staging of the play would become bigger for several years as he later marries Claire. After a trip to Berlin to meet Olive only to discover that she's grown under Maria's influence into a dark world. Caden's relationship with Claire falters as Hazel returns to his life as a married woman where she would assist Caden in the play's development. After casting an unknown named Sammy Barnathan (Tom Noonan) to play Caden, things become confusing prompting Claire to leave with their daughter Ariel while Sammy starts to put his own ideas about the play. When a British actress named Tammy (Emily Watson) comes in to play Hazel, things eventually become confusing as reality and fiction blurs for the overwhelmed Caden.

With Hazel hung up on Sammy, Caden tries to deal with Adele's success in the art world where he would sneak into her apartment and clean her place in the guise of a maid named Ellen. The character would eventually be played by Millicent Weems (Dianne Wiest) where things would unravel due to Sammy's presence as he becomes too much like Caden. With his own health failing and learning about what Olive had become, many around Caden wonder if the play will ever open.

If Charlie Kaufman has a theme that's prominent with some of work, it's about the artist and how the artist struggles to create that great work. While scripts like Being John Malkovich, Adaptation., Human Nature, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind explore the mind of the creators in a humorous way. Synecdoche, New York is far different as the film explores an artist's mind as he creates something from his own life as it's continuing where reality and fiction blur. The film also explores death as this man is aware that he's sick and not feeling well realizing he's about to die. Yet, it becomes this long, 40 year period where he's trying to keep himself alive while seeing everything around him evaporate as well as his world between reality and fiction.

Kaufman's screenplay is definitely complex in this story about a man dealing with his own mortality and life with women as he creates a play about his life. Filled with funny dialogue, heartbreaking stories, and such. There's also something loose about the way Kaufman is telling the story as he has the characters make things up as they go along. While there's time where the idea of reality and fiction blur, Kaufman as a storyteller is trying to challenge the audience in the world of the creative process. The result isn't perfect depending on what type of audience Kaufman is aiming for as the pacing of the film and story drags at times. Notably its ending where people wonder how it's going to end as it's definitely drawn out. Still, Kaufman creates something with his screenplay that is definitely provocative and intelligent.

Kaufman's direction is definitely surprising as he uses some unconventional styles of coverage in creating the film. Taking his background in theater, he definitely uses many of the film's rehearsal scenes where the actors in the background are acting while whoever is in that scene are acting. Yet, Kaufman doesn't go for conventional styles of coverage as he sticks to where the emotion of the performances are as he's capturing it as he's just filming it and knowing when not to cut. Kaufman definitely has learned from people like Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry where as a director. He's definitely creating a style of his own. While there's flaws in the direction due to its pacing, drawn-out ending, and his unconventional approach to telling the story. Kaufman overall creates a film that is truly original and mesmerizing.

Cinematographer Frederick Elmes does an amazing with the film's stylish photography with some moody interior shots of the smoky-fire house with soft lens in those scenes. In some of the hospital and hallway scenes, it's in a blue-green style that's effective with the mood of its protagonist. Elmes' work in the exterior is great as he keeps the camera on the protagonist as it moves constantly and stopping at times to see where everything is taking place. Elmes work is truly magnificent in its photography and camera work as he reveals a wide scope into the world of theater and its ambitions. Editor Robert Frazen does fine work with the film's rhythmic cutting and transitional cuts that work in keeping the story moving despite its slow, turgid pacing.

Production designer Mark Friedberg, along with set decorator Lydia Marks and art director Adam Stockhausen, does spectacular work with the film's set designs. Notably in the big play scene where they create numerous replicas of the warehouse inside of the warehouse and another inside. With the look of the town and everything else, it's truly amazing as Friedberg's design is definitely brilliant in its staging and look. Other scenes shot in the homes are done wonderfully to reveal the contrasting world between Adele's posh lifestyle and the drab world that Caden lives in. Costume designer Melissa Toth does fantastic work with the evolving style of the female characters as the film goes on where the character of Hazel had this look, frizzy look to something more sophisticated as it progresses. The clothes that the women wear are superb while the look of Caden in all of its blandness is excellent for the way his character is.

Visual effects supervisor Mark Russell does excellent work with the recreation of the buildings as well as the zeppelin that flies around in the city. Makeup designer head Judy Chin does brilliant work with the aging look of the characters with the use of wigs and such along with the tattoo designs by Tim Kern for the adult Olive character. Sound designer Eugene Gearty and editor Philip Stockton do terrific work in the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the theater as well as other sounds to convey the troubled mind of Caden. Music composer Jon Brion creates a melancholic, heavy score filled with somber notes and jazz touches to help create the mood of Caden's mind along with original songs co-written with Kaufman done in a jazz style. With vocals by Sadie Goldstein on one track and Deanna Storey on three other songs. It's definitely a noteworthy yet haunting soundtrack from Jon Brion.

The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is phenomenal for its array of actors that she assembled. Small performances from Jerry Adler and Lynn Cohen as Caden's parents, Peter Friedman as a doctor, Josh Pais as an opthamologist, Amy Wright as the burning house realtor, Rosemary Murphy as the woman at the hallway Caden meets, Christopher Evan Welch as a pastor, Robin Weigert as the adult Olive, Deidre O'Connell as Ellen's mother, Kat Peters as the young Ellen, Daisy Tahan as Caden and Claire's daughter Ariel, and Paul Sparks as Derek are all memorable in their individual scenes. Sadie Goldstein is wonderful as the young Olive with some funny lines and some great scenes with Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Jennifer Jason Leigh is good in her small role as Maria, Adele's friend who manipulates Olive into becoming a tattoo model while later sporting a German accent to be an enemy of Caden.

Hope Davis is funny as a manipulative, sexy therapist who helps Caden with his problems but only for her own gain. Tom Noonan is great as Sammy, a doppelganger of Caden who plays the part of Caden so well that he ends up charming Hazel. Emily Watson is wonderfully funny as Hazel's doppelganger as she mimics everything Hazel does on character but as herself, she's a dreary Briton who threatens to change things for the play. Dianne Wiest is amazing as a dual role of Adele's maid Ellen with her dreary life and the actress Millicent who ends up becoming a driving force to the play late in the film as Weist's performance is phenomenal. Catherine Keener is excellent as Adele, Caden's sympathetic first wife who couldn't deal with the fact that her marriage to Caden is going to work as she leaves to become the person that shadows Caden for the rest of his life.

Michelle Williams is brilliant as Claire, Caden's second wife and then-leading actress who becomes supportive only to later be frustrated by the prolonging of the play as she seeks other ventures. Samantha Morton is great as Hazel, the woman who longed to be with Caden only to be rejected at first and move on, then become his creative partner and later, equal. Morton's performance is just wonderful as she and Hoffman have amazing chemistry that is touching and funny. Finally, there's Philip Seymour Hoffman in a tour-de-force performance as Caden Cotard. Hoffman's performance is just great in revealing the anguished and tortured soul of a man who loses himself into his own creation while his own life falls apart. Yet, Hoffman carries the film with such pain and humor that it's definitely his best performance to date as an actor.

Synecdoche, New York is a brilliant, provocative, and highly-original film from Charlie Kaufman. Fans of Kaufman's view of surrealism, the artistic process, and the tortured soul will enjoy the film for its high-concept and intense exploration into the world of theater and art. Mainstream audiences though, might be baffled by the film's concept and story along with its slow pacing and unconventional humor. It's definitely a film for an art-house film-going audience as they often wanted to be challenged by something like this. The average movie-goer might not understand the film in its concept though the performances by the ensemble cast led by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Samantha Morton do bring something accessible. It might not be for the average movie-goer but this isn't something they shouldn't entirely dismiss. In the end, Synecdoche, New York is a wild, imaginative, and innovative film from Charlie Kaufman.

Related: Anomalisa

© thevoid99 2012

Control (2007 film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/16/09 w/ Additional Edits.

If there's one band that deserves to be put in the same realm of brilliance as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and many others in terms of influence. Joy Division deserves to be in that list. Though they only released two studio albums and lasted for about four years from 1976-1980. The band came out from the punk rock music scene in the U.K. after seeing the Sex Pistols in late 1976 along with members of the Buzzcocks, the Smiths, Mick Hucknall, and people that would form Factory Records. While the band would later become even famous as New Order following Joy Division's demise due to the suicide of Ian Curtis on May 18, 1980. Joy Division's influence has been influential as they helped set the stage for the early 80s post-punk scene.

One of those individuals who saw Joy Division live and even did photographs and music videos was Anton Corbijn. Corbijn is known as an associate shooting photographs and videos for acts like U2, Depeche Mode, and post-Black Album Metallica. Corbijn's unique, black-and-white, colorless music videos and photographs have a distinctive look that is grainy yet beautiful. For years, Corbijn's video work and photography have been acclaimed by many as they all await for Corbijn to make a feature film. In 2007, Corbijn finally made his feature film debut by focusing on the band that he saw back in the late 70s in Joy Division named after one of their songs entitled Control.

Directed by Anton Corbijn with an adapted screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh, based on the novel Touching From a Distance by Ian Curtis' widow Deborah Curtis. Control is about the life of Ian Curtis from his days in the early 70s where he met his wife to the days when he formed Warsaw that would become Joy Division. The film also focused on Curtis' troubles with manic depression and epilepsy as well as his affair with Belgian fan Annik Honore. Starring Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Toby Kebbell, Alexandra Maria Lara, Joe Anderson, James Antony Pearson, Harry Treadaway, Craig Parkinson, and Ben Naylor. Control is a powerful yet eerie drama from Anton Corbijn.

It's 1973 in Macclesfield as a young Ian Curtis (Sam Riley) is walking around picking up a new copy of David Bowie's Aladdin Sane. Arriving into his room are his best friend Nick (Matthew McNulty) and Nick's new girlfriend Deborah (Samantha Morton) as they listen to the new Bowie album. While Ian seems normal, he does however go into daydreams in school while he befriends Deborah over their love of books and music as they attended a Bowie concert. After a few years of dating, the two marry though Ian remains somewhat reclusive in his attempt to write poetry. Then one day, the two attend a concert featuring the Sex Pistols. Also attending was Granada TV host Tony Wilson (Craig Parkinson) and three guys from a band called Warsaw in Bernard Sumner (James Anthony Pearson), Peter Hook (Joe Anderson), and Terry Mason (Andrew Sheridan).

The concert turned out to be an event that would change the fact of Manchester all together, Ian asked Warsaw if they needed a singer as he's in the band. Though Ian still works in an employment center getting jobs for people, he finds time to be in the band as they found a new drummer in Stephen Morris (Harry Treadaway) while Terry became their manager. The band, now known as Joy Division, raised money to make an EP which got the attention of Tony Wilson who mentions it on his TV show but didn't play it. The band is upset over Wilson's half-hearted mention as they give him grief until a performance impresses Wilson and a local DJ named Rob Gretton (Toby Kebbel) who offers to manage the band. Things start to come around as Deborah reveals she is pregnant while the band became a big hit in Manchester. After doing sessions with producer Martin Hannett (Ben Naylor) to record their debut album Unknown Pleasures. Things seemed fine until Ian's job at the agency had a strange encounter with a young, epileptic woman (Nicola Harrison) who had a fit as she would provide the inspiration to the song She's Lost Control.

A show in London was a disaster as on the way back, Ian started to have an epileptic seizure of his own. Realizing the seriousness of his condition, he goes into medication where the side effects of it take its toll. Forcing to quit his job, he does the band as a full-time job while Deborah gave birth to their newborn daughter Natalie. The newfound pressures of a family life and the band getting some success, Curtis finds solace in a Belgian fan named Annik Honore (Alexandra Maria Lara) whom he would have an affair with. Deborah becomes suspicious that Ian might be having an affair as Ian found inspiration to write the song Love Will Tear Us Apart to express his torn feelings for Deborah and Annik. Just as the band is recording their second album Closer and set to have an American tour in May of 1980, the pressure on Ian becomes too much as his epilepsy becomes more troubling to the point that he couldn't do another show. Even as friends try to help that would unfortunately lead to tragedy.

Bio-pics are often filled with the cliches that comes around when it comes to a musician or a singer. Corbijn and screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh does manage to stray away from those cliches by not starting out at the very beginning. Plus, Ian Curtis isn't some revered figure like a Tina Turner, Ray Charles, or even Johnny Cash. Instead, he's more of a tragic figure who would end up losing himself altogether due to manic depression and his troubles with epilepsy. While the screenplay does have a great structure in showing the band's rise and such. It does become uneven where in the first half, it moves pretty quickly from 1973-1978 but by the second half when Ian Curtis' marriage to Deborah disintegrates along with the presence of Annik. Things do slow down a bit as it focuses on that final year of Curtis' life. Therefore, the film that started off nicely kind of loses its momentum from the film's first half.

Another problem with the film, though in some respects is unfair, is that a wealth of the material that is covered along with personalities like Martin Hannett, Rob Gretton, and Tony Wilson are already known and told in another film. 2002's 24 Hour Party People by Michael Winterbottom about Factory Records. Though some of the dramatic interpretation about Wilson's signing the band to his label is different from Winterbottom's tale. The version told in 24 Hour Party People along with the personalities seemed better told though that film really bases things on exaggerations and legends. At the same time, with a lot of bio-pics, there's liberty into the dramatization of things though it's told truthfully. The men of Joy Division were a brash and always cursing. It's often due to the approach of both screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh and director Anton Corbijn.

Corbijn's presentation of the film is unique, though it doesn't have the grainy black-and-white look of his famed photographs and video work. The black-and-white look with touches of gray in a more polished yet eerie look does manage to give the film an arty yet nostalgic look. The compositions and still shots Corbijn create are striking while capturing the exuberance and chaos of a Joy Division show with the actors actually playing and singing these famous songs. Corbijn also does eerie camera movements for the film's second half to convey the dark tone of that half. Despite some flaws with the story and some dramatic liberties, Corbijn does create a film that is unconventional but also entrancing.

Cinematographer Martin Ruhe does a great job with the film's black-and-white cinematography that truly conveys a sense of nostalgia as well as look that plays up to the dark feel of the music of Joy Division. From the bright look of the concert halls and exterior/interior daytime shots to the dark, look of some interiors at night to convey the mood of what Ian Curtis was going through at the time. Editor Andrew Hulme does some excellent work with the film's cutting creating some smooth transitions and jump-cuts to keep the film's rhythm going though it does slow down in the film's second half due to its narrative approach.

Production designer Chris Roope and art director Philip Elton do spectacular work with the look of the 1970s music halls and venues along with the suburban homes that Ian Curtis and his colleagues live in. The items includes some vinyl records as well as posters of the heroes that Curtis looked up to at the time. Costume designer Julian Day does fine work with the film's costumes which includes some early 70s clothes and dresses to the more straightforward, simple clothing that the band wears in the late 70s along with the dresses the women wear. Sound editors Peter Baldock and Thomas Huhn do fantastic work with the sound in capturing the sounds of records and the live shows that are played throughout the entire film in all of its chaos.

The film's soundtrack features a lot of the original music from Joy Division as well as some eerie, somber score contribution from New Order. Yet, the soundtrack also features classic cuts from the likes of David Bowie, Roxy Music, Iggy Pop, the Buzzcocks, the Sex Pistols, Kraftwerk, and the Velvet Underground. All of which are great except for one things. A blasphemous cover of Shadowplay by the Killers who take the song to bloated heights as it's dark, eerie minimalist performance is now stretched into something more epic and poppy. All of which Joy Division aren't and it's an insult to the music of Joy Division has made.

The casting by Shaheeh Baig is excellent with a notable appearance from legendary punk poet John Cooper Clarke as himself in an appearance reciting one of his famous poems. Small roles from Lotti Closs as future New Order keyboardist Gillian Gilbert, Eady Williams as the baby Natalie Curtis, Joseph Marshall as Crispy Ambulance vocalist Alan who takes over for Ian on one troubled show, and Nicola Harrison as the epileptic young woman are memorable. Ben Naylor is good as the late, legendary producer Martin Hannett though couldn't live up to the larger-than-life personality that Andy Serkis portrayed in 24 Hour Party People. Matthew McNulty is good as Ian's schoolfriend Nick while Andrew Sheridan is also good as early manager Terry Mason. Craig Parkinson is very good in his role as Tony Wilson providing some humor to the character but again, he couldn't live up to the exuberant, smug performance that Steve Coogan gave in 24 Hour Party People.

In the roles of the band members in Joy Division, who would also become New Order, Harry Treadaway is very good in a small role as drummer Stephen Morris while James Antony Pearson is really good as Bernard Sumner who got more to do while being the one person trying to help Ian. Joe Anderson is great as Peter Hook in his shaggy, bearded look while being the guy who will get into a fight for his band and fart backstage. Alexandra Maria Lara is excellent as Annik Honore, a Belgian journalist who falls for Ian Curtis as she is unaware that she is tearing up his marriage to Deborah. Toby Kebbell is great as the late Rob Gretton, the band's manager who often spews profanity and insults while being the man to help the band keep things together.

Samantha Morton is phenomenal as Deborah Curtis with her innocent, shy personality early in the film to a woman just hurt by her husband's affairs and neglect. Morton's performance is really the heart of the film as she plays up to the woman who had been Ian's biggest fan only to be betrayed despite her love for him. It's a great role from an actress who rarely gives a bad performance. The film's big breakthrough is Sam Riley as Ian Curtis. Riley definitely looks like Curtis as he can sell the despair and intense performance of Curtis the singer while his dramatic approach to Curtis' own struggle is entrancing as it's definitely a fantastic performance from the young actor.

The film made its premiere as part of the Director's Forthnight at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival where it won the section's top prize. The film was met with high anticipation as it was well-received from critics and fans of the band. While it would win several awards from the British Independent Film Awards, the reaction from the members of Joy Division/New Order were well-receptive. Especially at a turbulent time for the band that would eventually led to Peter Hook's departure from the group while at the same time, a documentary on the band was released simply titled Joy Division.

Control is an excellent yet well-told bio-pic on the late Ian Curtis and the band Joy Division from director Anton Corbijn. Thanks in part to the performances of Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, and Toby Kebbell. It's a film that does give audience, who don't know anything about Joy Division, a chance to see how revered they are in the music world despite their lack of a large profile. Fans of Joy Division/New Order will be glad the film is told faithfully though might have a few issues over some of the dramatization that is told. Yet, the story of Joy Division is better told through its documentary as well as the Michael Winterbottom film 24 Hour Party People, the latter of which is more entertaining. In the end, despite its flaws, Control is a well-made bio-pic from Anton Corbijn on the legendary Ian Curtis and the band Joy Division.

Related: (24 Hour Party People) - The American - Joy Division (2007 film) - A Most Wanted Man - (Life (2015 film))

Joy Division Albums: (Unknown Pleasures) - (Closer) - (Still) - (Substance) - (Warsaw) - (Heart and Soul) - (The Complete BBC Recordings) - (Preston 28 February 1980) - (Les Baines Douches 18 December 1979)

© thevoid99 2011