Dark Waters

 

Based on the New York Times Magazine article The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Nightmare by Nathaniel Rich, Dark Waters is about an attorney’s battle against the chemical manufacturing company DuPont over their water contamination in a small town. Directed by Todd Haynes and screenplay by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan, the film is about the real-life battle between Robert Bilott and the DuPont Corporation in the mid-2000s over water contamination in a small Ohio town as Mark Ruffalo plays Bilott. Also starring Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, William Jackson Harper, and Bill Pullman. Dark Waters is a chilling and mesmerizing film from Todd Haynes.

Set largely from 1998 to 2015, the film is about the real-life battle between corporate defense attorney Robert Bilott and the chemical manufacturing company DuPont over water contamination in the small town of Parkersburg, West Virginia as the former’s grandmother lived there where she told a farmer to call Bilott over the deaths of his cows. It is a film that explore this man who is asked by his grandmother to help this farmer who is needing help as he had lost a lot of cows while showing evidence of deformed body parts. The film’s screenplay by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan is largely straightforward yet it follows a long period that play into legal battles and how Bilott kept fighting despite the strain it puts into his family life, his health, and issues involving the firm he works for as it’s a firm known for defending corporations. While the film briefly opens with a few people skinny-dipping onto a lake in 1975 where they’re forced to leave by a couple of men wearing jumpsuits as they spray something in the water. It sets the tone of what Bilott would discover as well as many revelations about what kind of chemicals DuPont has creates where Bilott at first is just doing his grandmother a favor even though his firm works for DuPont.

When the farmer Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp) reveal some of the locations as Bilott gets a closer look into the graveyard that Tennant had created for his dead cows as well as witnessing a cow being killed after acting crazy. Despite the lack of support he gets from the Taft Stettinius & Hollister law firm over his case, they do get eventually on board when the firm’s supervising partner Tom Terp (Tim Robbins) realizes what is at stake as well as the chemicals that DuPont had created known as perfluorooctanoic acid, that is used for Teflon non-sticking frying pans and carpet flooring, as the source that’s been contaminating not just the water at a nearby landfill in Parkersburg but at the town’s water where many of its locals are ill. Though the years of litigation, independent testing, and such would be long and arduous as well as reveal so much where Bilott realizes that he must fight despite the fact that it takes away a lot of his time from his family that includes his wife Sarah (Anne Hathaway).

Todd Haynes’ direction definitely has elements of style in his overall presentation but he also knows when to keep things straightforward. Shot on location in Cincinnati, Ohio as well as locations nearby including parts of areas in Ohio as Parkersburg, West Virginia, Haynes makes these locations central to the film as the small town of Parkersburg with several locals including the real Robert and Sarah Bilott as well as other characters do appear in the film in cameos. There are wide shots in some of the locations including shots of the DuPont chemical plant and the buildings in Cincinnati including the one where Bilott worked at. Still, much of Haynes’ direction emphasizes on intimacy in the close-ups and medium shots while also employing some unique dolly and tracking shots for some scenes to play into the atmosphere of a location whether it’s a local church in Parkersburg or a building hallway. Haynes’ direction also play into the dramatic suspense but also this feeling of a moment in time as it mainly from the late 90s to the 2010s as the Bilott home would often change that also feature a humorous bit where one of the sons isn’t happy about having to go to hardwood floors instead of carpet.

Still, Haynes maintains this sense of drama including moments where people representing DuPont want to target Bilott as well as locals from Parkersburg who feel that Bilott is disrupting their livelihood since they depend on DuPont for employment where they take it out on Tennant and another local in Darlene Kiger (Mare Winningham). While the third act does feel overwritten and at times does drag which Haynes definitely aimed for as it play into how long litigation gets where cases take years to do including data research. It does play into the struggles that Bilott went through but also revelations about his own worth and the sacrifices he made despite all of the strain he put on himself and his family all because he became concerned about a farmer. Overall, Haynes crafts an evocative yet haunting film about a corporate defense lawyer who fights for a farmer against a gigantic chemical manufacturing company.

Cinematographer Edward Lachman does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of blueish colors for some of the daytime exteriors as well as the emphasis on sepia-like lighting for some of the interior scenes at night. Editor Affonso Goncalves does excellent work with the editing as it features some jump-cuts, dissolves, and a montage where Bilott explains to his wife in his discovery. Production designer Hannah Beachler, with set decorator Helen Britten and art director Jesse Rosenthal, does amazing work with the evolving look in the interior of the Bilott family home as well as the Tennant farm in its exteriors to play into its decayed look. Costume designer Christopher Peterson does fantastic work with the clothes that play into the evolving style that Sarah would wear throughout the film with everything else from the suits that Bilott wears to the regular and casual clothing of the people at Parkersburg.

Prosthetic makeup effects designer Michael Marino does nice work in some of the film’s minimal effects involving not just the look of a few characters but also in the mutated animal internal organs that Tennant showed Bilott. Special effects supervisor Bob Riggs and visual effects supervisor Ed Chapman do terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects which is mainly bits of set-dressing but also in the video footage that Tennant had filmed in his farm. Sound designer Leslie Shatz does superb work with the sound as it help play into the way characters in locations sound including a few court rooms as well as some of the video that Bilott watched that Tennant film. The film’s music by Marcelo Zarvos is wonderful for its ambient-based score that play into the drama but also the sense of dread that emerges in the film while music supervisor Randall Poster creates a soundtrack that largely feature country music from acts like Willie Nelson, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, Reba McIntyre, and Deana Carter as well as music from Kenny Loggins, Stan Getz, and John Milton Barrett.

The casting by Laura Rosenthal is great as it feature some notable small rules and appearances including real-life people were involved in the case such as Rob and Sarah Bilott as a couple at a posh party, the deformed Bucky Bailey as a man asking Rob for sports scores, Jim Tennant as a diner patron, Darlene and Joe Kiger as church attendees, Elizabeth Marvel as the voice of a doctor talking to Bilott late in the film, the trio of Aidan Brogan, Nathan Slaughter, and Graham Caldwell in their respective roles as the eldest to youngest version of Teddy Bilott, Beau Hartwig and Jacob Bukowski in their respective roles as the oldest and youngest version of Tony Bilott, Keating P. Sharp as the 11-12 year old version of Charlie Bilott, Louisa Krause as the attorney Clara Pfeiffer who is one of the few that supports Bilott in his case, William Jackson Harper as a colleague of Bilott who is baffled by Bilott working on the case, Kevin Crowley as a local West Virginian attorney in Larry Winter who helps Bilott, Denise Dal Vera as Tennant’s wife Sandra, Richard Hagerman as Joe Kiger, Jim Azelvandre as Jim Tennant, and Bill Pullman in a superb performance as Harry Dietzler as an attorney who helps Bilott in the cases as he raises many questions about DuPont.

Mare Winningham is fantastic as Darlene Kiger as a woman who lives in Parkersburg who turns to Bilott over something she received as she realizes something isn’t right while also knowing that the town will go against her in her fight against DuPont. Victor Garber is excellent as an attorney for DuPont who at first helps Bilott out only to become confrontational and denying everything Bilott is asking for. Tim Robbins is brilliant as Tom Terp as a managing partner of the Taft Stettinius & Hollister law firm who isn’t supportive of Bilott in this case until he realizes the severity of Bilott’s discoveries as he realizes that they must sue DuPont or else they would look even worse by supporting them. Bill Camp is amazing as Wilbur Tennant as a farmer whose cows had died due to the poisoned water from a nearby landfill as a man who just wants justice despite the fact that he would be ill from the water in his land.

Anne Hathaway is incredible as Sarah Bilott as a housewife/former lawyer who is concerned about her husband’s work as well as what he discovered where she tries to deal with all of it but also defend him when people are going after him as it is Hathaway at her strongest and most stern. Finally, there’s Mark Ruffalo in a tremendous performance as Robert Bilott as a corporate defense attorney for the Taft Stettinius & Hollister law firm who is asked by his grandmother to help this farmer only to realize a lot of things went wrong where Ruffalo plays into this man’s own desperation to do what is right even if it brings a strain to his family as it is an engaging and somber performance from Ruffalo.

Dark Waters is an incredible film from Todd Haynes that features great performances from Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, and Bill Camp. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, a chilling music score, and its exploration over a real-life legal war against a giant corporation and the chemicals they created. It is a film that is a haunting drama that explore a man whose job is to protect corporations only to fight against a corporation that has harmed not just a small town but everyone forcing this man to fight for the good of the world. In the end, Dark Waters is a marvelous film from Todd Haynes.

Todd Haynes Films: Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story - Poison - Dottie Gets Spanked - Safe - Velvet Goldmine - Far from Heaven - I'm Not There - Mildred Pierce (2011 TV Miniseries) - Carol - Wonderstruck - The Velvet Underground – The Auteurs #3: Todd Haynes

© thevoid99 2022

Mission to Mars

Directed by Brian De Palma and screenplay by Jim Thomas, John Thomas, and Graham Yost from a story by Jim Thomas, John Thomas, and Lowell Cannon, Mission to Mars is the story of a group of astronauts who go on a rescue mission to Mars following a previous mission where things went wrong with one of their friends being its lone survivor. The film is a simple yet grand story about a rescue mission set in outer space where astronauts discovery the mysteries of the universe and this planet called Mars. Starring Gary Sinise, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O’Connell, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Kim Delaney, and Tim Robbins. Mission to Mars is an interesting but very lackluster film from Brian De Palma.

The film revolves around a rescue mission during an expedition on Mars where another group of astronauts make a huge discovery only for things go wrong leaving only one survivor and his friends doing the rescue mission. Along the way, many things go wrong as they all try to ponder what is going on in this planet of Mars as well as this mysterious thing in the planet. It’s a film that has a unique concept but there’s a lot of these aspects of sci-fi mumbo-jumbo and existentialist themes that really lose sight into the main story where it has no idea what it wants to be. The film’s script does do some fine work in establishing the characters and situations but try to do so much to make it so much more where it ends being very messy as well as feature some very idiotic dialogue. When the third act comes in for the reveal of what is inside this mountain that is shaped like a face. It is one of these reveals that is like “huh?”

Brian De Palma’s direction is quite stylish in not just the usage of tracking shots and scenes that are shot in zero gravity but also in the fact that creates a setting that does feel futuristic but not too futuristic. The setting of outer space with its space stations and space shuttles are very unique and does have De Palma take great stock into the images and everything. For the scenes set on Mars, much of it was shot in Jordan with some scenes shot in Vancouver and at the Canary Islands to create a world that feels vast and everything where De Palma does great usage of the wide shots. Despite some of these stylish moments and compositions, De Palma is unable to rise above many of the script’s shortcomings while the vortex sequence is quite silly in the way an astronaut is killed off. By the time the film reaches its climax into this mysterious thing in the planet and what it reveals, it ends being this very odd moment that is confusing where it wants the audience to believe in all of these things but it doesn’t anything rational or logical to back it up. Overall, De Palma creates a very messy and underwhelming film about a rescue/existential expedition on Mars.

Cinematographer Stephen H. Burum does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with its usage of filters for much of the film‘s exterior settings set on Mars as well as some unique lighting for the interiors of the ships. Editor Paul Hirsch does nice work with the editing as it helps play into the moments of suspense and drama as well as some bits of humor with its dissolves. Production designer Ed Verreaux, with art directors Andrew Neskoromny and Thomas Valentine and set decorator Lin MacDonald, does amazing work with the look of the space stations, its shuttles, and other vehicles used for the expeditions including some of its interiors. Costume designer Sanja Milkovic Hays does terrific work with the costumes from the look of the astronaut suits as well as the clothes they wear under the suits.

Visual effects supervisors John Knoll and Hoyt Yeatman does some fantastic work with some of the visual effects in the way Mars and the space stations looked though some of the sequences such as the vortex and what is revealed in the climax come off as very cheesy. Sound editors Lon Bender and Maurice Schell do superb work with some of the sound work in the film from the way some of the events that happen on Mars sound as well as the scenes set in space. The film’s music by Ennio Morricone is phenomenal as it’s one of the film’s highlights for its orchestral-based score that is filled with sweeping string arrangements as well as low-key pieces as it is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Denise Chamian is wonderful as it features some notable small roles from Robert Bailey Jr. as Luke’s son Bobby, Elise Neal as Luke’s wife Debra, as members of Luke’s crew in the Mars expedition in Jill Teed, Peter Outerbridge, and Kavan Smith, Kim Delaney in a small role as Jim’s late wife Maggie who wrote many ideas into the Mars expedition before her death, and Armin Mueller-Stahl as the Mars expedition leader Ramier Beck who ponders about the rescue mission and how it must not fail. Jerry O’Connell is alright as Phil Ohlmyer as an astronaut who is part of the rescue mission as he is a comic relief of sorts but not given much to do. Tim Robbins is superb as the rescue mission leader Woody Blake who knows what to do as well as realize the severity of the mission where things go wrong forcing him to make some drastic decisions.

Connie Nielsen is brilliant as Woody’s wife and astronaut Terri Fisher who is part of the rescue mission as well as be someone that is capable of getting things done. Don Cheadle is amazing as Luke Graham as the astronaut who is among the first to go to Mars until something goes wrong in a discovery where he copes with being its sole survivor and later being rescued where he feels that he needs to discover what he and his crew had seen. Finally, there’s Gary Sinise in an excellent performance as Jim McConnell as a widowed astronaut who works as a consultant until he is asked to take part despite his emotional baggage where he deals with the mission at hand as well as what is out there.

Mission to Mars is a very disappointing film from Brian De Palma. Despite its cast, some cool visual effects, and a mesmerizing score by Ennio Morricone, the film is just a sci-fi film that wants to be a lot of things only to end up being very lightweight in its ambitions. In the end, Mission to Mars is just a terrible film from Brian De Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2016

Human Nature (2001 film)

Directed by Michel Gondry and written by Charlie Kaufman, Human Nature is a multi-layered story about a psychologist who falls for a woman with a rare hormonal imbalance as the two find a man who had been raised by the wild in the hopes to get him back to civilization. The film explores the world of nature and how one tries to change another human being into being civilized only to create conflict about the idea of how to live. Starring Tim Robbins, Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto, Rosie Perez, Miguel Sandoval, Peter Dinklage, Mary Kay Place, and Robert Forster. Human Nature is a strange yet delightful film from Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

The film is about the idea of human nature in which a psychologist meets and falls for a woman with a rare hormonal imbalance that causes her to grow thick hair all over her body. While she tries to cure herself from that imbalance, the two find a man who had been raised in the wild as they try to get him back into the world civilization but it creates complications when the psychologist and his wife bicker over what is right and such. Notably as the psychologist tries to make this man conform to society but the man becomes conflicted with his role as a human being and what he once was. It’s a film that explores that conflict on what is natural and how people should behave as it is told from the three people who were involved in this experiment as they’re telling this story to other people.

Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay has a unique narrative as it is mostly told in flashback as its central protagonists in Dr. Nathan Profman (Tim Robbins), his wife Lila Jute (Patricia Arquette), and their subject named Puff (Rhys Ifans) all tell their stories about the conflict in human nature. For Lila, her rare hormonal imbalance that caused her to grow thick hair all over her body has made her a pariah as a child as she left society to live in the wild. After becoming a best-selling novelist and returning to society where she meets and falls for Nathan, she seems to have her life in control but still keeps her rare disease from Nathan. Until discovering Puff, Nathan’s idea of re-introducing Puff to human society causes trouble in Nathan’s relationship with Lila who becomes very insecure while Nathan begins an affair with his new French assistant Gabrielle (Miranda Otto). This would lead Lila to take Puff back to nature in the hopes to get him back into the world of the wild as complications would ensue.

Kaufman’s script is full of these ideas about the idea of human nature and how people should live. In Nathan, here’s a man that has all of these expectations put on him by his parents in which he has to live and act a certain way where he would later force Puff to live by these expectations in humanity. For Puff, he would become confused and frustrated by the restraints of humanity as he is unable to unleash his own sexual urges. It all has this sense of compelling drama that is told in a unique style where the narratives moves back-and-forth from the characters telling their stories to what happened in those stories. Yet, the script has some flaws as it featured some quirks that feels forced such as Nathan’s parents who have an adopted son that becomes their idea of the perfect child while there’s the character of Gabrielle who is interesting but there’s a secret about her that also feels forced as it suggests that her character is underwritten at times.

Michel Gondry’s direction is full of whimsical images as it plays to this world where there is this conflict between the world of the wild and the world of humanity. Some of which include some dream-like shots of Lila’s experiences in the wild where many of the scenes set in the forest feels free and such. Gondry’s direction is also intimate for some of the flashbacks of the lives that Lila and Nathan lived in as children as well as Nathan’s interview as it’s presented in a very serene yet wide look to display the sense of confusion he’s dealing with. While the quirky elements of the film does feel forced largely due to Kaufman’s desire to add humor the story, it only drags things for Gondry as it doesn’t match his own idea of whimsical humor. Despite the fact that the film is sort of uneven, Gondry does manage to create a compelling and charming film about the ups and downs of human nature.

Cinematographer Tim Maurice-Jones does excellent work with the cinematography from the look of Nathan‘s interview scene to some of the nighttime interior and exterior scenes the characters go into. Editor Russell Icke does brilliant work with the editing in creating some montages about the lives of the characters as children as well as to help structure the film in its unique narrative. Production designer K.K. Barrett, with set decorator Gene Serdena and art director Peter Andrus, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the lab that Nathan works as well as his interrogation room as well as some of the scenes in the forest.

Costume designer Nancy Steiner does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly business-like with its suits and dresses and such to play the sense of importance of what is expected in society. Visual effects supervisor Pierre Buffin does terrific work with some of the minimal visual effects such as the look of the lab mice that Nathan has to some of the backdrops of the forests. Sound editors Francois Blaignan and Walter Spencer do superb work with the sound to capture the low-key atmosphere of the scenes in the forest to the more chaotic work of human society. The film’s music by Gramae Revell is wonderful as it‘s a mostly orchestral score with some melodic-driven pieces while music supervisor Tracy McKnight creates a soundtrack filled with some classical music as well as an original song that Lila sings that features lyrics by Charlie Kaufman.

The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small performances from Toby Huss’ as Puff’s dad, Hilary Duff as a young Lila, Miguel Sandoval as Nathan’s shrink Wendell, Peter Dinklage as a friend of Lila in Frank whom she met during her time in the circus, and Rosie Perez as Lila’s doctor friend Louise. One small performance that doesn’t work which plays into the film’s forced quirkiness is in Anthony Wisnick as Nathan’s adolescent adopted brother as he’s essentially a prop while Robert Forster and Mary Kay Place are good as Nathan’s parents who play as this idea of perfection right to the hilt that would drive Nathan into becoming extremely insecure.

Miranda Otto is very good as Nathan’s French assistant Gabrielle who always talks in a French accent where she does go a bit overboard at times as Otto does display some nice humor despite some of the issues with the way her character is written. Rhys Ifans is amazing as Puff as a man who was raised in the wild by his father and then brought back to society as he displays the sense of conflict and confusion of someone who is forced to live by rules that goes against everything he felt. Tim Robbins is superb as Nathan as a man who tries to make Puff fit in with human society as he becomes conflicted by his love for Lila and his time with Gabrielle as he eventually becomes frustrated by his own confusion about the ways of the world. Finally, there’s Patricia Arquette in a remarkable performance as Lila as a woman who deals with a rare disease as she becomes confused with the ways of the world as she also realizes what Nathan is doing to Puff as she tries to get Puff back into the world of nature.

Human Nature is an enjoyable film from Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. While it is a flawed film, it is still an engaging one thanks to its cast and theme on human nature. Notably as it features some of the quirky elements and unique writing style of Kaufman and Gondry’s whimsical visuals which does showcase something that is daring despite its flaws. In the end, Human Nature is a stellar film from Michel Gondry.

Michel Gondry Films: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Dave Chapelle’s Block Party - The Science of Sleep - Be Kind Rewind - Tokyo!: Interior Design - (The Thorn in the Heart) - The Green Hornet - The We & the I - Mood Indigo - (Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?) - (Microbe & Gasoline)

© thevoid99 2013

Pret-a-Porter

Directed by Robert Altman and written by Altman and Barbara Shulgasser, Prêt-a-Porter is the story about a group of very different people who attend Fashion Week in Paris as some are reporting the events while some are just attending to see what is out there. The film is an exploration into the world of fashion that involves many people in the course of a week. Starring Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren, Julia Roberts, Tim Robbins, Kim Basinger, Lili Taylor, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Chiara Mastroianni, Linda Hunt, Sally Kellerman, Stephen Rea, Anouk Aimee, Tracey Ullman, Rossy de Palma, Forest Whitaker, Rupert Everett, Lyle Lovett, and Lauren Bacall. Pret-a-Porter is a witty yet chaotic comedy from Robert Altman.

The film is about many different groups of people attending Fashion Week in Paris where a lot is happening while a prestigious fashion president had died believing that he had been murder. In the course of the film, a lot happens as a fashion TV reporter covers the events that is happening while lots of affairs between fashion designers are happening. Two American journalists are forced to share the same hotel room while covering what is happening and a fashion designer is dealing with possible bankruptcy. Fashion magazine editors spar with each other to go get a prestigious photographer while a woman goes on a shopping spree around the city. All in the course of an entire week as it leads to a climatic fashion show where a designer presents the ultimate show in grand style.

The screenplay by Robert Altman and Barbara Shulgasser doesn’t really have any kind of singular plot as it’s all about the chaos of Fashion Week. Notably as there’s journalists trying to cover the event and make sense of it as it involves a New York Times photographer (Lili Taylor) and a fashion TV reporter named Kitty Porter (Kim Basinger). Yet, there’s also this story about this French fashion president in Olivier de la Fontaine (Jean-Pierre Cassel) who meets a mysterious man named Sergei (Marcello Mastroianni) where something happens leading to de la Fontaine’s death as his wife Isabella (Sophia Loren) seems relieved though is lover in fashion designer Simone Lowenthal (Anouk Aimee) is saddened as she is dealing with losing her business where her son Jack (Rupert Everett) does something that will save her business but with some reservations. Things get crazier as two different American journalists in Anne Eisenhower (Julia Roberts) and Joe Flynn (Tim Robbins) are forced to share a hotel to cover what’s been happening.

Altman’s direction is definitely engaging for the way he explores the world of fashion and what goes on in Fashion Week. Taking on a style similar to cinema verite, Altman captures all of the craziness that occurs while going inside into what goes in the world of fashion as shows are being prepared and such. Notably as the film features cameos from celebrities, models, and fashion designers as they’re part of this crazy yet fascinating world. The direction is also intimate and straightforward for scenes inside the hotel rooms and offices where many people work out as well as some moments in the fashion runway. It is still about the show and the world that is happening which also includes Sergei trying to contact Isabella as they’re revealed to be former lovers. Their scenes together is essentially an ode to their appearance in Vittorio de Sica’s 1963 film Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. While it’s a film that can be described as a rambling mess due to the many storylines that happens. It is still a very enjoyable and very exhilarating film from Robert Altman.

Cinematographers Jean Lepine and Pierre Mignot do excellent work with the look of Paris during Fashion Week with its many landmarks as well as the scenes inside the fashion shows and some of the film‘s interior settings. Editors Geraldine Peroni and Suzy Elmiger do wonderful work with the editing to capture the sense of chaos that occurs in the world of fashion as well as more straightforward moments in the intimate scenes. Production Stephen Altman, with set decorator Francoise Dupertuis and art director William Abello, does nice work with the looks of the hotels and the runway shows that occur including the very street-based show one of the designers at a metro.

Costume designer Catherine Leterrier does terrific work with the non-designer clothes some of the characters wear to maintain their lack of style while most of the characters wear clothes that display their unique personalities. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does superb work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the runway shows to the chaos in some of the parties. The film’s music by Michel Legrand is delightful for its playful piano pieces and other cuts to play out the humor. Music supervisor Allan F. Nichols creates a fantastic soundtrack that features music from Massive Attack, Bjork, U2, Ini Kamoze, Salt-N-Pepa, the Rolling Stones, M People, Janet Jackson, the Cranberries, Pizzicato Five, Robert Palmer, Grace Jones, and many others to capture the spirit of the fashion world.

Finally, there’s the film’s amazing ensemble cast as it features cameo appearances from Bjork, Harry Belafonte, Cher, and David Copperfield along with supermodels like Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Carla Bruni, and Christy Turlington, and fashion designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Sonia Rykiel, Issey Miyake, Christian Lacroix, and Gianfranco Ferre for Christian Dior as themselves. In small but notable roles, there’s Alexandra Vandernoot as a TV reporter, Jean Rochefort and Michel Blanc as police investigators, Teri Garr as an obsessed shopper, Danny Aiello as the shopper’s husband, Rossy de Palma as Simone’s assistant Pilar, Chiara Mastroianni as Kitty Porter’s aide Sophie Choiset, Ute Lemper as the pregnant model Albertine, Kasia Figura as the dim-witted assistant of magazine editor Sissy, and Jean-Pierre Cassel as the Fashion Week president Olivier de la Fontaine.

Sally Kellerman, Linda Hunt, and Tracey Ullman are great in their respective rules as the dueling magazine editors Sissy Wannamaker, Regina Krumm, and Nina Scant who all try to nab Stephen Rea’s very devious photographer Milo O’Brannigan who would provide a prank of his own all three where Rea is very funny. Lauren Bacall is wonderful as the colorblind fashionista Slim Chrysler while Lyle Lovett is terrific as the cowboy boots designer Clint Lammereaux. Julia Roberts and Tim Robbins are excellent as the dueling journalists Anne Eisenhower and Joe Flynn where they eventually fall for each other as they share a hotel room together. Lili Taylor is superb as the NY Times photojournalist Fiona Ulrich while Kim Basinger is hilarious as the somewhat dim fashion TV reporter Kitty Porter. Forest Whitaker and Richard E. Grant are fantastic in their respective roles as fashion designers in the street-wise Cy Bianco and the snobbish Cort Romney.

Rupert Everett is pretty good as the slimy Jack Lowenthal who does something without his mother’s consent while Anouk Aimee is phenomenal as the respected fashion designer Simone Lowenthal who deals with Olivier’s death as well as the prospect of losing her business. Finally, there’s Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren in marvelous performances in their respective roles as Sergio/Sergei and Isabella where they play former lovers who finally meet after many years where Mastroianni brings a lot of humor with Loren bringing an element of class to her role as well as a sexiness that is still captivating.

Pret-a-Porter is an excellent film from Robert Altman. Featuring a wild ensemble cast full of actors, models, fashion designers, and all sorts of people. It’s a film that captures the craziness that is Fashion Week while taking time to inject humor into that world. While the film is a bit of a mess, it is still enjoyable for the way Altman explores a world that is fascinating. In the end, Pret-a-Porter is a remarkable film from Robert Altman.

Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion

© thevoid99 2013

Short Cuts

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/23/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver, Short Cuts is a multi-layered story involving 22 characters dealing with their lives in the course of a few days in California. Directed by Robert Altman and screenplay by Altman and Frank Barhydt, the film is an ensemble piece that explores the lives of various people some of whom are connected and those that aren't. With an all-star cast that includes Lily Tomlin, Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore, Buck Henry, Peter Gallagher, Fred Ward, Anne Archer, Chris Penn, Robert Downey Jr., Huey Lewis, Jack Lemmon, Lyle Lovett, Andie MacDowell, Madeleine Stowe, Bruce Davison, Frances McDormand, Tom Waits, Annie Ross, Lori Singer, Lili Taylor, Dirk Blocker, Zane Cassidy, and Jarrett Lennon. Short Cuts is a sprawling yet exuberant film from Robert Altman.

Stormy Weathers (Peter Gallagher) is a helicopter pilot who is dropping off pesticides all over the suburban home and valleys in California while Dr. Ralph Wyman (Matthew Modine) and his wife/artist Marian (Julianne Moore) are watching a string quartet that features the cellist Zoe (Lori Singer) with their friends Stuart (Fred Ward) and Claire Kane (Anne Archer). Zoe's mother Tess Trainer (Annie Ross) is a nightclub jazz singer where Bill (Robert Downey Jr.) and Honey Bush (Lili Taylor) are watching the show. Honey's mother Doreen (Lily Tomlin) is a diner waitress who gets a visit from her limo driver husband Earl (Tom Waits) while Howard Finnigan (Bruce Davison) is making a report about the pesticide drops while his wife Ann (Andie MacDowell) and their son Casey (Zane Cassidy) watch him on TV. Meanwhile, an angry cop named Gene Shepard (Tim Robbins) leaves his wife Sherri (Madeleine Stowe) claiming he's going to a meeting when he's really having an affair with a realtor named Betty (Frances McDormand) whose ex-husband is Stormy who had just called their son Chad (Jarrett Lennon) about Betty's birthday.

With Finnigans planning a birthday party for Casey, a pool cleaner named Jerry Kaiser (Chris Penn) arrives to clean the pool while getting a call to clean Tess' pool. Stuart goes on a fishing trip with Vern Miller (Huey Lewis) and Gordon Johnson (Buck Henry) where they make a chilling discovery at the river where they're fishing at. Tired by Earl's drunk appearances, Doreen leaves in a huff where she accidentally hits Casey with her car only for Casey to recover quickly where he walks back home. After returning home from the bakery, Ann finds her son in a state of shock unaware of what's happened to him as she takes him to the hospital where Dr. Wyman checks up on him. With Howard also at the hospital to hear about Casey, he gets an unexpected visit from his estranged father Paul (Jack Lemmon) who makes a startling confession about his own infidelities. Earl goes to the jazz club to see Tess singing as she is dealing with her own issues with Zoe who is in a state of depression.

Jerry and his wife Lois (Jennifer Jason Leigh) goes on a trip with Bill and Honey as Jerry is having issues with Lois while Sherri visits her sister Marian where they talk about infidelity where Sherri learns about Marian and Ralph's marital problems. After a tense visit from Stormy, Betty tells Gene that she's going out for the weekend with her son though Gene thinks she's lying where he later spies on her. On the day of the Wymans' barbeque party where Stuart and Claire attend unaware of Ralph and Marian's issues. With everyone upset and unhappy about their lives, everyone would come together in a moment of clarity as well as deal with tragedy.

Whereas most ensemble features, especially as ambitious as this one, tend to connect characters with one another and at times, tend to be contrived. For this film, Altman chooses to throw away the idea of a plot and just let a story or some scene tell itself. Definitely inspired by the works of Raymond Carver, Short Cuts is a film that doesn't have a lot of themes or any sense of morality or judgement. The whole film is really about people, ordinary people living their life through the disappointments, the daily struggles, and frustrations of what goes on. The characters are people that audiences can relate to in every way and form. It's the many characters that drive the film's stories and how each group of characters relate to another group. It's all done in the Altman spirit of improvisation, overlapping dialogue, and intertwining moments that allows the audience to get to know the characters and the situations.

While some audiences might find some of the stories and characters' situation hard to follow, the payoff over what happens is fulfilling. From the story of Jerry being neglected by his wife to the story of a disgruntled baker being left with an expensive cake. Neglect is a small theme from a booze-drinking jazz singer who is unaware of her daughter's depression to a phone-sex operator not wanting to talk dirty to her husband. The characters of Tess and Lois aren't totally bad since Lois is trying to make money for her family while Tess is just depressed over environment. Infidelity is another issue whether it's Marian and Ralph in a very high-octane emotional scene, Gene's cheating and his awful lies that often entertain his wife, and the heartbreaking confession from Paul Finnigan telling his son what happened. All of these scenes through the script that Altman co-wrote and his direction is very observant. Even in some of the film's intense, emotional moments where Altman moves his camera to convey something that is powerful and not taking it too close to capture this emotional moment.

Cinematographer Walt Lloyd does an excellent job in capturing Los Angeles with his intimate, sprawling photography while making several scenes in the film's interior settings to be intimate and observant. Altman's late editor Geraldine Peroni does an amazing job in shifting the differing stories from one to another and connecting characters to another without making it too confusing. It's also very rhythmic to the energy and style of the film. Production designer Stephen Altman and art director Jerry Fleming do an excellent job in creating the look of the homes of the different characters and the personalities to represent each group. Costume designer John Hay also plays to the different atmosphere of the characters in the costumes from the hippie-like clothing of Honey Bush to the posh look that Marian wears. Sound editor Eliza Paley also goes for atmosphere in the film's opening sequences the sounds of helicopters flying over Los Angeles and in the places where people get together. Music composer Mark Isham brings a melodic, jazz driven score to play to the character of Tess while also doing some subtle, orchestral score work to convey the film's drama.

Finally, there's the film's huge ensemble cast. Included in the cast are some small yet memorable performances from comedian Charles Rocket, Michael Beach and Andi Chapman as a couple who asks Honey Bush to watch over her house, Susie Cusack and Deborah Falconer as a couple of bicyclists, Margery Bond, and Nashville actor Robert DoQui. Jarrett Lennon is excellent as the Captain Planet-obsessed Chad Weathers and Zane Cassidy is great as Casey Finnigan. Lyle Lovett is wonderful as the disgruntled baker Bitkower while 80s pop singer Huey Lewis and writer Buck Henry are great as the fishing buddies Vern and Gordon, respectively.

Robert Downey Jr. is funny as the quirky, horny Bill Bush with Lily Taylor as the eccentric yet concerned Honey, who seems troubled by her own relationship towards her stepfather. Jennifer Jason Leigh is excellent as the phone-sex operator Lois who tries to maintain her family's security with the late Chris Penn giving a great performance as the neglected, sexually-frustrated Jerry.

Penn's Footloose co-star Lori Singer is great as the depressed, neglected Zoe who channels all of her emotions through her cello playing. Annie Ross is wonderful as the drunk jazz singer whose drinking is caused by her hatred for her dead husband while being unkind towards her daughter. Andie MacDowell is excellent in her role as Ann Finnigan whose life is in chaos over her son's life hanging by a thread and the strange phone calls she's getting. Bruce Davison is also excellent as Howard Finnigan whose misguided anger over his son's accident leads him into trouble while having to face his own demons.

The late yet legendary Jack Lemmon gives an amazing, scene-stealing performance as Paul Finnigan with a heartbreaking performance in which he tells his son about his infidelity and the anticipation of meeting his grandson for the first time. Anne Archer is wonderful as the loving wife Claire who is in shock over her husband's reaction towards a dead body while Fred Ward is great as Stuart who is unsure of what to do in seeing a dead body. Matthew Modine is excellent as the conservative yet consumed Dr. Ralph Wyman whose work and home life has been in conflict.

Julianne Moore delivers a knock-out performance as Marian Wyman who is forced to reveal her own dark secret to her husband in a very powerful scene that also required her to do it in very naked way. It's a great performance from Moore. Madeleine Stowe is funny as Marian's sister Sherri who is amused by her husband's lies and awareness that he cheats on her knowing it'll get the best of him. Tim Robbins is excellent as the mean, cheating Gene Shepard who is forced to question his own infidelity which starts to go nowhere.

Frances McDormand gives a fine yet angst-ridden performance as a woman whose affairs start to crumble with the appearance of her ex-husband as McDormand shows the kind of selfishness and loneliness her character brings. Peter Gallagher is very funny as Stormy Weathers who learns of his ex-wife's affairs and decides to take some funny actions towards it. Singer Tom Waits is wonderfully touching as the verbally-abusive alcoholic Earl whose own life has taken a turn while trying to deal with his marriage. Lily Tomlin is great as Doreen whose own life is in a change of direction after an incident that forces her to re-examine things while dealing with her own tumultuous life with Earl.

Short Cuts is a magnificent film from Robert Altman. Armed with a spectacular array of actors and ideas about family and doing what is right. While it's a big film with lots of characters and storylines, it's a film that does lose itself in the sense of chaos that is prevalent in the film while it is also a showcase for the actors. In the end, Short Cuts is a towering achievement from Robert Altman.

Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple) - (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion

© thevoid99 2013

The Player

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/17/07 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Robert Altman and written by Michael Tolkin that was based on his novel, The Player is about a Hollywood executive who thinks he's being blackmailed by a screenwriter over a rejected script as he accidentally kills the man leading to all sorts of trouble. The film explores the world of Hollywood and the film industry itself about how they run things. With a cast that included 60 cameos, the film stars Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Whoopi Goldberg, Lyle Lovett, Cynthia Stevenson, Richard E. Grant, Fred Ward, Peter Gallagher, Brion James, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Sydney Pollock. Plus, appearances by many, many, many, many actors, writers, producers, and directors. The Player is a witty yet entertaining satire Robert Altman.

Working as a studio exec, Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) is a mover and shaker who hears writers and directors making pitch after pitch. Among them is director Alan Rudolph and another is writer Buck Henry who is pitching an idea for a sequel to The Graduate that he wrote. Surrounded by the likes of people including his girlfriend and story editor Bonnie (Cynthia Stevenson), Griffin seems to be the man in line to replace his boss Joel Levison (Brion James) as the studio head. Then came Larry Levy (Peter Gallagher) who has left Fox to join the studio and is now becoming the likely replacement. Mill's mentor Dick Mellon (Sydney Pollack) suggest to try and make moves and get Levy as an ally. Making things worse for Mill is a series of mysterious postcards he's been getting from a disgruntled writer whose screenplay he has rejected. Talking with his head of security in Walter Stuckel (Fred Ward), he finds the name of a writer he rejected named David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio).

Going to his address home, he finds a Icelandic woman named June Gudmundsdottir (Greta Scacchi) painting the house where he calls her from his mobile phone where they have a conversation and Kahane's whereabouts. He finds Kahane at a screening for Vittorio de Sica's The Bicycle Thief where the two have a conversation about endings and the script that Mill rejected about Kahane's life as a student in Japan. After an argument in a parking lot, the two have a fight where Mill accidentally kills Kahane. The next day, the news of Kahane's murder is all over Hollywood as Stuckel interrogates Mill about what had happened. After attending a funeral for Kahane, Mill meets June who finds herself out of place in the funeral as Mill learns he is being followed by a man named DeLongpre (Lyle Lovett). Mill is then investigated by a detective from Pasadena named Susan Avery (Whoopi Goldberg) who is charmed by Mill and his knowledge of film.

After getting away from an investigation, Mill receives another letter where he realizes that he killed the wrong man. The letters continue where Mill receives comfort from June as he decides to meet the man who sent him the letters. Unfortunately, he never meets him and instead, meets a British director named Tom Oakley (Richard E. Grant) and his co-writer Andy Civella (Dean Stockwell) about a film called Habeas Corpus. The pitch is successful despite the fact that it's against everything that Hollywood has been known for. Mill takes Oakley's pitch to Levy who decides to make it into his project despite the fact that they're not going into the traditional Hollywood format. After going into another investigation with Avery and meets DeLongpre, Mill learns that he's a suspect and he's being ridiculed after DeLongpre mentions Tod Browning's Freaks. Hoping to make an escape from everything, Mill takes a vacation to Mexico with June as he awaits his own fate.

While Hollywood is looked at as a place where risk isn't worth taking, Robert Altman is aware of how cruel the film industry can be. Despite Altman's cynicism, he choose to make Hollywood's slick world and turn it upside down to see how it works and how absurd it is. Altman and writer Michael Tolkin aren't making fun of it but reveal how the industry had changed from the Golden Age of Hollywood and the 1970s to the more commercial, blockbuster-driven 1980s and early 1990s. There's moments where Walter Stuckel talks about how the MTV-editing style has really ruined films while talking about Touch of Evil by Orson Welles where it had an opening, one-take, eight-minute sequence. Altman does the same thing to convey that style while he also reveals Hollywood's cynicism about reality and their idea for the happy ending which is totally Hollywood.

The film is really about this individual who is a mover-and-shaker of Hollywood who is confronted by a mysterious writer who is angry over rejection. When he meets Kahane, they discuss about the endings of Hollywood and art films. Griffin Mill is the protagonist but a villain as well. Yet, Mill is a character audience is supposed to hate because he hates writers for their demand to have control. Still, Mill is a character whose charm and personality is so winning, it's hard to hate a guy like that. While Altman chose to focus on this shady character like Mill, he makes Mill the driving force of this story about Hollywood and how they work.

Then comes the ending which is both ambiguous and ironic. Particularly on what the whole conflict of what is discussed during the movie. Altman makes the ending work for its humor as well as his approach by adding the same Altman-esque sense of improvisation and overlapping dialogue where the cameo appearances from actors have their moment expressing their frustration and excitements over films. The result is truly an entertaining and witty film from the late, great Robert Altman.

Cinematographer Jean Lepine does some excellent camerawork that's mostly done in a documentary-like style with no flashy photography or anything stylish. Altman's son and longtime production designer Stephen Altman and art director Jerry Fleming do amazing work in capturing the posh, slick look of Hollywood and the arty home of June. Costume designer Alexander Julian also does excellent work in creating the suits and clothing of the studio executives as well as the flowing clothes of June. Altman's longtime editor, the late Geraldine Peroni along with Maysie Hoy does excellent work in the editing to shift sequence to sequence while going into perspective cuts to convey the sense of atmosphere in the studios as well as that one-take opening sequence. Sound editor Michael P. Redbourn does some fine work in the film's sound to reveal the sense of tension of some of the film's suspenseful sequences. Music composer Thomas Newman brings a wonderfully melodic and suspenseful score to some of the film's suspense while adding a lot of playful melodies for the rest of the film.

Then there's the cast that is filled with many cameos that it's really up to the viewer to see who is there and such. Smaller performances from Gina Gershon, Jeremy Piven, and Randall Batinkoff as the young executives are wonderful with Dina Merrill as head assistant Celia and Angela Hall as Mill's secretary Jan. The late Brion James is excellent as the old yet wise Joel Levison while Peter Gallagher is great as the smarmy, slick Larry Levy. Lyle Lovett is great as the mysterious DeLongpre whose mysterious presence and motives only reveal the humor in the film Freaks.

Whoopi Goldberg is great as the detective Susan Avery who is charmed by Mill but also counters his charm in wanting to close a case while has a great line during a witness scene. Sydney Pollock is excellent in a small role as Mill's longtime advisor who cautions him on what to do with his career and how to deal with everything else that could affect it. Fred Ward is wonderfully funny as the security chief who loves the old film noir and detective stories of the 1940s and 1950s while revealing his disgust towards the films of the 1980s.

Dean Stockwell and Richard E. Grant are wonderfully funny as the writers of a film with Grant as the director who reveal their intentions while having a funny scene of telling Andie MacDowell not to go to Montana in reference to the film Heaven's Gate. Cynthia Stevenson is great as the moralistic girlfriend of Mill in Bonnie, who seems like the only person in the film that tries to do the right thing. Especially in the film's ending when she's forced to see a film that's changed and doesn't fit in with what Hollywood wants.

Vincent D'Onofrio is great as the frustrated yet brilliant David Kahane whose hatred for studios and Hollywood reveal the talents and how Hollywood has little time for talent and more for marketing and money. Greta Scacchi is excellent as the arty yet sweet June who doesn't understand anything about David and feels more in line in what Mill wants as Scacchi is the perfect leading lady for Mill. Finally, there's Tim Robbins in one of his great performances as the sleazy yet charming Griffin Mill. Though Robbins is playing a very devious villain, he manages to make the character likeable enough without a lot of emotions as he's just an asshole who just wants to make money and be a player. It's a great performance from Tim Robbins.

The Player is a fantastic film from Robert Altman that features a marvelous performance from Tim Robbins. The film isn't just a very funny take on the world of Hollywood but also in the way it shows a world as cruel as Hollywood. It's also a very rich ensemble piece that features a lot of funny references to the world of film. In the end, The Player is a brilliant film from Robert Altman.

Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple) - (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - Short Cuts - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion

© thevoid99 2013

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

Green Lantern

Based on the DC comics by John Broome and Gil Kane, Green Lantern is the story of a young fighter pilot who meets a wounded alien that gives a powerful ring as he would become part of an elite group of intergalactic fighters protecting the world against evil. Directed by Martin Campbell with a script by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, and Michael Goldenberg from a story concept by Berlanti, Green, and Guggenheim. The film is an origin story of how Hal Jordan became part of the Green Lantern Corps as he would battle the dark force of fear known as Parallax. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett, Jay O. Sanders, Taika Waititi, Temuera Morrison, and the voices of Michael Clarke Duncan, Clancy Brown, and Geoffrey Rush. Green Lantern is a very typical and uninspiring superhero origin story.

When the evil force known as Parallax (Clancy Brown) has broken out of his prison in a lost planet, he goes after the Green Lantern fighter Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) of Sector 2814. Sur escapes Parallax’s wrath but is wounded as he makes his nearest destination towards Earth. Meanwhile, a test fighter pilot named Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) has caused more trouble for his longtime friend Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) during a test where he would cost several jobs. Later that night, Hal is summoned by a mysterious green light where he would meet the ailing Sur who gives him a green ring and a small lantern as he chooses Jordan to be the new Green Lantern. Sur’s body is later retrieved by the government as they call upon Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) to examine the body as he becomes exposed by a mysterious yellow substance.

After learning about the Green Lantern’s powers, Hal is transported to the planet of Oa where he would meet several Green Lanterns as he learns about the role of the Green Lanterns. Befriending Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush) and Kilowag (Michael Clarke Duncan), the latter of which trains him, while Hal also deals with one of the Green Lanterns’ leaders in Sinestro (Mark Strong) who feels that Hal is too weak to become part of the Green Lantern Corps. Hal returns home to Earth unsure about his role until a party celebrating Carol’s success in nabbing a contract where Hector is at the party with his father Senator Hammond (Tim Robbins) who is happy about the contract. Yet, Hector’s exposure to the yellow substance has him reading minds as he decides to take his anger out on his father by trying to crash the helicopter until Hal as a Green Lantern saves the day.

After a battle to fight Parallax fails, Sinestro goes to the Guardians to help create something that will fight Parallax while Hal learns about what is happening to Hector who has become more powerful where the two learn that Parallax is coming. With Hector already realizing what he needs to do to fight Hal, Hal goes back Oa to reveal the Guardians where Parallax is going as he asks for help. Though the Guardians and Sinestro become impressed by Hal’s will to fight, they let him return to Earth to fight alone as Hal would face Hector and the dark force that is Parallax.

The film is essentially an origin story of how a guy becomes a superhero and saves the day. It’s a story that is often told again and again in a lot of origin stories about superheroes. The big question is that does the story of the Green Lantern standout from all of the others? Not exactly. The stories about the Green Lanterns, the origin of Parallax, and how Hal Jordan became a Green Lantern are the most interesting parts of the story. It’s just that everything else including Jordan’s own issues about the death of his father (Jon Tenney), his relationship with Carol Ferris, and theme of fear vs. will isn’t that interesting. Notably the latter which is told in a very heavy-handed manner that requires a lot of exposition that overdoes itself.

The film’s screenplay is definitely the weakest aspect of the film not just in terms of following a formula but not doing enough to make the film’s central characters to be very interesting. While the Hector Hammond character doesn’t start out as a villain because he’s just a small-time college professor who feels slighted by his dad. He becomes a very cartoonish character that ends up being a patsy for Parallax who is just nothing more than a big head surrounded by dark clouds that just sucks the life of scared people and creatures. Since the film is also meant to try and appeal more than just a comic book audience, the screenwriters try to inject some humor that will appeal to much younger audience that doesn’t really work either as it tries too hard to be a lot of things for a superhero action-blockbuster.

Martin Campbell’s direction has moments that does keep the audience be engaged and into the story. There’s some interesting scenes that is well shot such as the tension between Hector and his father, Hal dealing with his own family, and some of moments in Oa where Hal is introduced to this strange world. Everything else however feels quite pedestrian of what is expected in the genre. There’s wide shots of a city that’s about to be attacked as well as very big visual effects pieces that includes the climatic battle between Hal and Parallax. None of it is boring but it doesn’t bring anything new to the superhero genre. A lot of the compositions and directing actors to do this doesn’t have anything exciting while Campbell’s approach to the humor feels very forced. The overall work is pretty mediocre as Martin Campbell ends up creating another superhero film that doesn’t do much to stand out on its own.

Cinematographer Dion Bebe does a pretty good job with the cinematography such as some of the nighttime exteriors and interiors to help set a mood though there isn’t a lot of it is very interesting. Editor Stuart Baird does decent work with the editing to play up the intensity of the action though it‘s mostly typical of what is expected in a film like this. Production designer Grant Major, along with set decorator Anne Kuljian and art director Francois Audouy, does some fine work with the set pieces created such as the contract party and offices along with the look for the sets of Oa. Costume designer Ngila Dickson does some OK work with the costumes which is notable for the look of the Green Lantern uniforms as well as the fashionable dresses of Carol.

Visual effects supervisor Karen E. Goulekas, Kent Houston, and Gregory L. McMurry do some effects work that isn‘t very good at all. A lot of it doesn’t really do any effort to make it feel more realistic while the overall presentation of the look of outer space and the planet Oa isn’t impressive as the whole look of it feels too artificial. Sound editors Karen M. Baker and Per Hallberg do some nice work with the sound effects whether it‘s the sound of jet engines and gunfire along with some of the things Hal does to fight Hector and Parallax. The film’s score by James Newton Howard is all right as it‘s just a typical score filled with bombastic orchestral arrangements with bits of guitars to add more heaviness to the music. Additional music by Joints Jumpin’ is played in the background in the film’s party scene to add a bit of jazzy entertainment to the music.

The casting by Pam Dixon is stellar for the ensemble that is created though none of them really get a chance to stand out or do anything that is memorable. Among those making appearances include Jon Tenney as Hal’s father, Gattlin Griffith as the young Hal, Jay O. Sanders as Carol’s father, and Taika Waititi as Hal’s comic relief friend Thomas Kalmaku. The voice performances by Michael Clarke Duncan and Geoffrey Rush in their respective roles as the tough trainer Kilowag and the kinder Tomar-Re are really good with Duncan providing humor and Rush being the wise one. Clancy Brown’s voice work as Parallax isn’t good as all he does is talk in a gruff voice and act all threatening. Angela Bassett in the role of Senator Hammond’s scientist aide Dr. Amanda Waller is an unremarkable one as she just plays a lackey of his where Bassett looks like she’s sleepwalking throughout the film.

Tim Robbins is OK as the ambitious Senator Hammond who feels disappointed by Hector until he is threatened by Hector’s new powers while Temuera Morrison is really good as the fearless warrior Abin Sur who gives Hal the ring. Mark Strong is excellent in the role of Green Lanterns leader Sinestro who tries to deal with Hal’s presence as well as the dark force of Parallax. Peter Sarsgaard is decent as Hector Hammond who starts off as this curious scientist only to devolve into a crazed antagonist that doesn’t really work due to the bad makeup job and Sarsgaard screaming like a girl throughout the film. Blake Lively gives a serviceable but uninspired performance as Carol Ferris where all she does is look good, act frustrated at Hal, and all sorts of things were she’s hampered by the script’s weakness but also her own performance where she doesn’t really show much range in a very typical part.

Finally, there’s Ryan Reynolds as the film’s protagonist Hal Jordan. While it’s a role that allows Reynolds to carry a film where he would display his witty charm. It’s a very disappointing performance as Reynolds doesn’t really get a chance to stretch out as he is also hampered by the film’s weak script and lackluster direction. While the Jordan character is a guy who is unsure about himself and Reynolds does allow the character to be engaging. The stuff where he has to try and emote in a very serious manner or to be a badass doesn’t really work.

Green Lantern is a very bloated film that emphasizes more on creating a visually-exciting superhero blockbuster rather than something that will allow itself to standout. Despite the efforts of Ryan Reynolds and Mark Strong, it’s a film that wants to be a lot of things to its audience. It may be watchable and at times, fun but the overall work is just unimpressive as Martin Campbell just creates something that doesn’t really do more than what the genre wants. In the end, Green Lantern is a truly terrible and uninspiring film that doesn’t do enough to entertain its audience.

Martin Campbell Films: (The Sex Thief) - (Eskimo Nell) - (Three for All) - (Criminal Law) - (Defenseless) - (Cast a Deadly Spell) - (No Escape) - (GoldenEye) - (The Mask of Zorro) - (Vertical Limit) - (Beyond Borders) - (The Legend of Zorro) - (Casino Royale (2006 film)) - (Edge of Darkness)

© thevoid99 2012