The film follows a young girl who is asked to attend a summer weekend hockey camp with her two friends until she gets news from them that would change everything where she deals with new emotions as well as the need to fit in with members of an elite high school hockey team. It is a film that explores a young girl becoming a teenager with her emotional avatars trying to figure out how to adjust to this new phase in her life while dealing with four new emotional avatars who are trying to take over. The film’s screenplay by Meg LaFauve and Dave Holstein, with additional contributions from Ronnie del Carmen, explore the five key emotions in Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira) who are overseeing the emotional state of Riley Andersen (Kensington Tallman) while they have created a new section under their main console in a tree-like series of threads known as Sense of Self that gives Riley her identity and personality. When the puberty alarm goes off, the team deals with not just their headquarters becoming shambolic but also meeting four new emotional avatars in Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser).
The new team led by Anxiety is trying to come up with many scenarios that she believes would hurt Riley leading to a power struggle in which Joy and her team are cast out along with their symbol of Riley’s Sense of Self that is discarded along with a mountain of bad memories forcing Joy and the gang on a new quest to return to headquarters. It is in this journey where Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust all work together to try and stop Anxiety from creating a sense of chaos where Riley wouldn’t just alienate her friends but also try to win over the team’s captain Val (Lilimar) for a spot in their elite hockey team. The script also has more development in the characters in which Fear, Disgust, and Anger do bring in more ideas with Joy becoming overwhelmed in trying to maintain her optimism while Sadness finds a way to return to headquarters and take control of Joy’s new discarding device that would allow their Sense of Self to return. Still, things become more complicated with Anxiety trying to steer Riley into a place where she feels she can be accepted that only adds to more problems.
Kelsey Mann’s direction is broad in its overall presentation where she expands this world that Riley’s mind is in as there are more islands that represent her personality with the Sense of Self being an underground where memories could be stored in a river and create new threads. With the aid of animation directors David Torres and Amanda Wagner and character designers Dean Heezen and Deanna Marsigliese, Mann creates a world that is vast where the main headquarters where Joy and her team are overseeing Riley’s emotional and mental state while the room where Riley’s memories are planted for the Sense of Self tree is world that is unique until Anxiety and her team would take over where there is a shift in tone in the film as well as the look of the Sense of Self tree that Anxiety has created. Mann’s compositions in the wide and medium shots do add to the sense of wonderment in the world. They include the scenes outside of headquarters where Riley’s memories are stored and archived including a vault where Riley’s secrets are held.
With the aid of cinematographers Adam Habib and Jonathan Pytko, production designer Jason Deamer, along with art directors Rona Liu, Laura Meyer, Keiko Murayama, Joshua West, and Bill Zahn, and visual effects supervisor Sudeep Rangaswamy, Mann would create new variations of worlds including Imagination Land that Joy and Sadness used to go but Anxiety’s arrival has changed things. Joy and the gang would also meet a couple of 2D hand-drawn animated characters in Bloofy (Ron Fuches) who was a character that Riley liked as a kid as well as Floofy’s assistant Pouchy (James Austin Johnson) as it adds to this sense of surrealism to what Joy and her team would deal with. The sense of lighting and mindfulness in Riley’s face adds to the complexity of her emotions where Mann really plays into the ideas of emotional and mental chaos. Even where Joy faces realizations in what Anxiety is trying to do along with Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment where these nine emotions all play a role in Riley in who she is and what she can be. Overall, Mann crafts a rich and evocative film about emotional avatars dealing with the complexities of a girl becoming a teenager.
Editor Maurissa Horwitz does brilliant work with the editing as it is straightforward to play into the humor and action while allowing shots to linger for some of the dramatic moments in the film. Sound designer Ren Klyce and sound editor Coya Elliott do amazing work with the sound as it plays into some unique sound effects as well as how a keyboard sounds in a device that Anxiety uses. The film’s music by Andrea Datzman is wonderful as it features variations of Michael Giacchino’s themes while creating some flourishing and bombastic orchestral pieces along with some electronic bits while the music soundtrack features some mixture of pop and indie music including a song by the Linda Lindas.
The casting by Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher is incredible as it features some notable small voice appearances from Flea, Paula Poundstone, and Bobby Moynihan as a few characters Joy and her team bump into, Frank Oz and Dave Goelz as a couple of mind cops, John Ratzenberger and Kirk Thatcher as a couple of construction people who destroy headquarters to create something new for the new avatars, Pete Docter as Dad’s Anger, Paula Pell as Mom’s Anger, Grace Lu and Sumayyah Nuridden-Green as Riley’s best friends in Grace and Bree respectively, Lilimar as the hockey team captain Val, Yvette Nicole Brown as Coach Roberts as the head of the hockey camp who takes the progress of her players seriously, and the duo of Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane as Riley’s parents who both deal with the fact that Riley is now a teenager with their emotional avatars realizing they’re about to enter a bumpy ride. The duo of Ron Fuches and James Austin Johnson are fantastic in their respective roles as the 2-D hand-drawn cartoon characters Bloofy and Pouchy whom Joy and her team meet in the back of the mind as they are childhood idols of Riley.
Yong Yea and Steve Purcell are superb in their respective roles as the video game character Lance Slashblade, who was a secret crush of Riley, and Deep Dark Secret as a gigantic figure who prefers to remain mysterious as he represents the deepest darkest secret that Riley does not want anyone to know. June Squibb is amazing in her brief role as a tenth avatar known as Nostalgia who pops in every now and then who arrives too early to be used. Kensington Tallman is excellent as Riley Andersen as the young girl who has become a teenager where she deals with many different emotions as well as a lot of uncertainty that plays into the many mistakes and confusion that teenagers often endure. Paul Walter Hauser and Adele Exarchopoulos are brilliant in their respective roles as the emotional avatars Embarrassment and Ennui with the former not saying much as he’s often shy and flustered over his actions where he unexpectedly bonds with Sadness while the latter is hilarious in how bored she is while having a rubbery look where Exarchopoulos allows Ennui to have some of the funniest lines in the film.
Ayo Edebiri is amazing as Envy as this tiny, cyan-colored avatar that is trying to do whatever she can to make Riley be impressive while is in awe of many things where Edebiri brings a lot of nuances to her voice. Tony Hale and Liza Lapira are incredible in their respective roles as Fear and Disgust with the former being more concerned with Riley’s state of mind while also being prepared for the worst while the latter brings a lot of humor in her own crush towards Slashblade while also dealing with Riley’s growing pains where she also must step up her game in trying to help Riley. Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black are great in their respective roles as Sadness and Anger with the former becoming concerned with what Anxiety is doing where she knows that Riley is going into emotional chaos while she befriends Embarrassment. Black’s voice role as Anger has a lot of humor in the way he overreacts and gets mad at while he also becomes aware of how overwhelmed Joy has become where he helps lead the charge to help Riley.
Maya Hawke is phenomenal in her voice role as Anxiety as this orange-like avatar that is this representation of anxiety that is trying to protect Riley by visualizing the worst possible case scenarios while also doing what she can to make Riley look cool in front of new people. Finally, there’s Amy Poehler in a spectacular voice performance of Joy as the leader of Riley’s emotional gang who is trying to maintain Riley’s emotional/mental state while hoping to discard bad memories as a way to protect her only to find herself in a power struggle with Anxiety as Poehler brings more emotional weight to her character who starts to become overwhelmed while also to coming to terms with the complexity of Riley’s emotional and mental well-being.
Inside Out 2 is a sensational film from Kelsey Mann and Pixar. Featuring a great ensemble voice cast, wondrous visuals, and its exploration of growing pains in the mind of a young teenage girl. The film is a coming-of-age film that does not just explore a girl’s mental state but also the many trials and tribulations that a bunch of emotions must endure to help this young girl’s state of mind as she is growing up and dealing with changes that can be horrifying but also welcoming. In the end, Inside Out 2 is a phenomenal film from Kelsey Mann.
Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) – (Finding Nemo) – The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up (2009 film) - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave (2012 film) - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) – (Cars 3) – Coco - The Incredibles 2 - (Onward) – Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) – Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) – (Elio (2024 film)) – (Toy Story 5)
© thevoid99 2024
Based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Love, Simon is the story of a closeted high schooler who is trying to find the identity of a classmate who has fallen in love with him while trying to come out to his family and friends and deal with someone threatening to reveal his secret. Directed by Greg Berlanti and screenplay by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the film is an exploration of a young man trying to discover himself during a time in his life as he questions what those close to him would think about him being possibly gay. Starring Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Logan Miller, Tony Hale, Josh Duhamel, and Jennifer Garner. Love, Simon is a heartwarming and riveting film from Greg Berlanti.
A high school senior who seems to have it all finds himself confused about his identity after reading a post about a classmate who is struggling to come out of the closet prompting him to find out that person’s identity as well as wonder when to come out to friends and family. It’s a film about a young man trying to discover more about himself as well as falling for another young man who has chosen to remain anonymous as they both cope with idea of coming out. The film’s screenplay by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger follows the young life of Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) who is just a typical kid that has friends and a nice family but is dealing with the fact that he might be gay through this blog post where a classmate is struggling to come out. For Simon, he tries to figure out that person’s identity yet another classmate in Martin (Logan Miller) accidentally reads one of Simon’s emails and blackmails him so that he can get a chance to go out with one of Simon’s friends in Abby (Alexandra Shipp) whom Simon had met just six months ago.
The script also play into the anxieties of Simon wanting to tell family and friends as the first person he comes out to is Abby who agrees to keep it a secret but has no clue about Martin’s presence. Adding to the chaos is the search for the identity of this classmate known as Blue as Simon would have a few suspicions but he would eventually keep himself away from his friends unintentionally adding to the emotional turmoil he would endure.
Greg Berlanti’s direction is straightforward in terms of its visuals while also playing with the ideas expected in romantic films as well as teen comedies. Shot and set on various locations in and near Atlanta, Berlanti doesn’t try to aim for anything stylish in the visuals or create any sequences that are big to showcase the life of a teenager struggling to come out. While there’s some wide shots that Berlanti uses including for a fantasy musical sequence of Simon imagining having already being out and in college where the whole world is gay. Much of Berlanti’s compositions rely on close-ups and medium shots as well as using some real locations such as a Waffle House for a scene involving Simon, Abby, and Martin as well as a waiter who might be Blue. Even as he would use blue filters to play into the idea of who Blue is as whenever he’s typing things on his laptop. Berlanti also knows how to create that moment of drama as it relates to Simon having to come out and its aftermath where there are some revelations from the people who knew him but also from others who knew him from afar. Yet, Berlanti does instill some heart as it relates to Simon’s discovery about himself without trying to play too much into the typical elements expected in LGBT films and romantic comedies. Overall, Berlanti crafts a riveting and heartfelt film about a high school senior coping with his identity and the mystery of the person who is also struggling to come out.
Cinematographer John Guleserian does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward in its lighting and emphasis on natural colors for the daytime exterior scenes along with its usage of bluish filters for the idea of who Blue might be. Editor Harry Jierjian does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward including some rhythmic cuts for some key dramatic moments in the film. Production designer Aaron Osborne and set decorator Tasha Clarkson do fantastic work with the interiors of Simon’s family home as well as the school and a few places the characters go to.
Costume designer Eric Daman does terrific work with the Halloween costumes some of the characters wear including the clothes worn for a high school musical performance of Cabaret. Sound editor Donald Sylvester does superb work with the film’s sound in maintaining the raucous atmosphere of high school and in some of the parties as well as quieter scenes in some of the film’s dramatic moments. The film’s music by Rob Simonsen is wonderful for its synthesizer-driven music that harkens to the style of the 1980s as well as contemporary music while music supervisor Season Kent create a soundtrack that consists a mixture of modern pop/electro-pop music as well as older music from the Kinks, Warrant, Jackson 5, Whitney Houston, Bobby Pickett, Brenton Woods, and Violent Femmes.
The casting by Denise Chaiman, Tara Feldstein, and Chase Paris is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Nye Reynolds and Bryson Pitts in their respective roles as the 5 and 10-year old versions of Simon, Skye Mowbray as the younger version of Simon’s younger sister Nora, Natasha Rothwell as the drama teacher Ms. Albright, Clark Moore as the openly-gay student Ethan, Miles Heizer as a drama student whom Simon might think is Blue, Joey Pollari as a Waffle House waiter whom Simon also thinks could be Blue, and Keiyan Lonsdale as the school jock Abraham “Bram” Greenfeld whom Simon befriends as he would think Bram’s real identity is Blue. Tony Hale is terrific as Simon’s vice Principal Mr. Worth as a man who is liked by many for not being too strict yet expresses concern for Simon including a scene where Simon and Ethan are mocked as he lectures the students who mock them showing that he means business. Talitha Bateman is fantastic as Simon’s younger sister Nora who aspires to be a cook as she becomes concerned for her brother as well as knowing more about him than he already knows.
Logan Miller is superb as Martin Addison as a student who blackmails Simon in the hopes of hooking up with Abby where even though he’s a well-meaning person despite holding on to Simon’s secret. Alexandra Shipp and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. are excellent in their respective roles in Abby and Nick as a couple of Simon’s friends who are dealing with the chaos of high school as the former is among the first to learn about Simon’s secret. Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel are brilliant in their respective roles as Emily and Jack Spier as Simon and Nora’s parents who notice odd things about Simon while they also cope with the news of his secret with both of them coping with the news. Katherine Langford is amazing as Leah Burke as Simon’s longtime childhood friend who is trying to understand what Simon is dealing with while carrying a secret of her own as it would impact their friendship as well as so much more. Finally, there’s Nick Robinson in a remarkable performance as Simon Spier as a high school senior troubled by his growing sexual identity as he also tries to figure out the identity of a person named Blue as it’s calm and touching performance from Robinson who manages to capture the excitement and fear of coming out.
Love, Simon is a marvelous film from Greg Berlanti that features an incredible leading performance from Nick Robinson. Along with its supporting cast, study of homosexuality and coming out, and its exploration of young love. It’s a film that manages to be engaging as well as be daring at times to showcase the struggles of a young man trying to come out. In the end, Love, Simon is a splendid film from Greg Berlanti.
© thevoid99 2019
Directed by Josh Cooley and screenplay by Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton from a story by Cooley, Folsom, Stanton, John Lasseter, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, Valerie LaPointe, and Martin Hynes, Toy Story 4 is the fourth film of the Toy Story film series in which Woody, Buzz, and the old gang adjust to life under their new owner Bonnie who created a new toy out of a plastic spork she named Forky who deals with his being created and being a toy. The film is an unusual road movie of sorts that has Woody trying to help Forky with his new role in which the film deals with existentialism as well as the other lives of toys including Bo Peep who has lived a new life in the world of carnivals. Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Bonnie Hunt, Ally Maki, Jay Hernandez, Blake Clark, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Carlin, Estelle Harris, and Don Rickles in a posthumous voice appearance as Mr. Potato Head. Toy Story 4 is a majestic and heartwarming film from Josh Cooley and Pixar.
The film is about a group of toys trying to help a newly-created toy made out of a plastic spork named Forky (Tony Hale) adjust to his new role though he considers himself to be trash only for Woody (Tom Hanks) to try and show him the importance of his role to their owner Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). It’s a film that explores the idea of being a toy where Woody is aware that he’s being phased out unintentionally as he knows that Bonnie is having a hard time adjusting to growing up and going to kindergarten. The film’s screenplay by Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton explores not just Woody’s anxiety to make sure that Bonnie will be fine through this toy she made in Forky but also to see a world where toys can do so much more. Notably as Woody and the gang go on a road trip with Bonnie and her parents (Jay Hernandez and Lori Alan) where Woody notices Forky’s attempt to kill himself as he still thinks he’s trash. When Forky does escape from the RV and Woody tries to save him, they walk down to the nearest town where Woody discovers an old lamp at an antique store that his previous owner’s sister used to have.
It is in this town he reunites with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) whom he hadn’t seen in nine years after being given away to a new owner along with her three sheep as she has made a comfortable life traveling with a carnival of toys including the Canadian stunt toy Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), a couple of plush toys in Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele), and a pocket toy cop named Giggle McDimples (Ally Maki) who would help Woody retrieve Forky with Buzz joining to find Woody at the carnival as Forky meets a doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) who seems like an evil toy but is really an anti-hero as someone who never had a proper voice box nor was ever really played with. Caboom is a toy that believed to have failed his previous owner due to his inability to perform the stunts the commercial claimed the toy could do. It all play into this idea of existence which is quite bold for a film whose target audience is mainly children yet knows how to approach it without being too heavy-handed or complicated.
Josh Cooley’s direction opens with a flashback scene set nine years before the events of the main narrative is when Bo Peep and her sheep along with its lamp is being taken away where Woody has a conversation with Bo before her departure after saving R.C. from being swept down a drain storm. It then shifts into the journey that Woody, Buzz, Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. Potato Head, Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris), Slinky the Dog (Blake Clark), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), the Pizza Planet aliens (Jeff Pidgeon), and Rex (Wallace Shawn) had taken as they would become part of a new family with Dolly (Bonnie Hunt), Trixie (Kristen Schaal), Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), and Buttercup (Jeff Garlin) with Bonnie as their owner. With the aid of animation director Aaron J. Hartline, Cooley does broaden the scale more as it relates to the world that Woody and the gang embark on in this road trip while they’re keeping watch on Forky who is convinced he is trash where Cooley’s direction would maintain some intimate compositions in the close-ups and medium shots for conversations between Woody and Forky.
Cooley’s usage of the wide shots play into the scope of the world that Woody and the gang go to which is a traveling carnival along with a nearby antique store where Gabby Gabby and her army of ventriloquist dummies in the Bensons live in. With the aid of cinematographers Patrick Lin and Jean-Claude Kalache, Cooley would maintain a visual atmosphere inside the store including a few places that Bo knows where to go and hide while the exteriors of the carnival at night are among some of the great visual elements of the film. It add to the drama that Woody has to endure upon in his attempt to retrieve Forky where he also has to come to terms with the fact about all toys when they’re being phased out where Bo offers him a world that proves to be just as lively. Even as he would get Forky to understand his role and Buzz to take on a bigger role for Bonnie as it all play into the importance of toys in a child’s development but also what toys can do without their owners and help other toys. Overall, Cooley crafts a touching yet intoxicating film about toys dealing with their roles while helping a hand-crafted toy understand about his identity.
Editor Axel Gedde does excellent work with the editing as it play into some of the humor and drama with its usage of rhythmic cuts as well as a montage of Forky trying to destroy himself. Production designer Bob Pauley and art director Laura Phillips do amazing work with the look of the interior of the antique store as well as the design of the carnival and its rides as it add to the visual splendor of the film. Sound designer Ren Klyce and co-supervising sound editor Coya Elliott do fantastic work with the sound in some of the sound effects that are created as well as the layers of sound in the carnival scenes along with the broken voice box of Gabby Gabby. The film’s music by Randy Newman is brilliant for its mixture of lush orchestral music with a French-inspired theme for Caboom in his flashback and bits of country including a few original songs by Newman where one of them is performed by Chris Stapleton.
The casting by Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher is incredible as it feature voice appearances from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea as a Duke Caboom commercial announcer, Bill Hader as a carny named Axel, Alan Oppenheimer as a clock known as Old Timer, Mel Brooks as dusty old elephant in Melephant Brooks, Patricia Arquette as the mother of a young girl named Harmony, Carl Reiner as a dusty rhino in Carl Reineroceros, Carol Burnett as a dusty chair named Chairol Burnett, Betty White as a toy named Bitey White, Lila Sage Bromley as a young girl named Harmony, Melissa Villasenor as Bonnie’s kindergarten teacher Karen Beverly, Ricky Henderson as a bobblehead figure of himself, John Morris and Jack McGraw in their respective roles as the older and younger version of Andy, and Laurie Metcalf as Andy’s mom in the flashback scene.
Other noteworthy appearances in voice roles include Jay Hernandez and Lori Alan as Bonnie’s parents, Carl Weathers as miniature versions of the toy Combat Carl, June Squibb as the antiques owner, Emily Davis as the trio of Bo Peep’s sheep, and Steve Purcell as the ventriloquist dummies in the Benson Dummies. Reprising their roles from previous entries, the voice performances of Jeff Garlin as the unicorn Buttercup, Bonnie Hunt as the doll Dolly, Kristen Schaal as the triceratops Trixie, Timothy Dalton as the hedgehog Mr. Pricklepants, Wallace Shawn as the T-rex Rex, Blake Clark as the slinky toy-dog Slinky, John Ratzenberger as the piggy bank Hamm, Joan Cusack as cow-girl Jessie with her horse Bulls-eye, Estelle Harris, as Mrs. Potato Head, and Don Rickles via archival material as Mr. Potato Head as they’re all fantastic with Cusack as the standout as Jessie rallying the toys with Rickles being one of two individuals that includes animator Adam Burke whom the film is dedicated to.
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are excellent in their respective roles as the stuffed plush toys Ducky and Bunny as they both provide some great comic relief as two toys who have never been played with as they cause a lot of mayhem. Christina Hendricks is brilliant as the doll Gabby Gabby as a toy who had never been played with due to a faulty talk box as she is eager to have Woody’s talk box in the hope of being played with. Keanu Reeves is incredible as Duke Caboom as a Canadian daredevil toy that is known for his poses but is also filled with doubt as it relates to his inability to live up to expectations for his old owner. Madeleine McGraw is wonderful as Bonnie as a young girl who is dealing with growing pains as she becomes attached to her creation in Forky while becoming worried about his whereabouts. Ally Maki is amazing as the tiny pocket toy Giggle McDimples as a toy who is known for her giggles yet is also Bo Peep’s side kick of sorts as she is funny as well as being cool.
Tony Hale is marvelous as Forky as a spork turned into a toy by Bonnie as he copes with his anxieties and being about being a toy as all he’s known for is trash where he later understands the role of being a toy and his importance in Bonnie’s development as a person. Annie Potts is remarkable as Bo Peep as an old toy of Andy’s who has lived a new life traveling in the world of carnivals where she has found a new purpose to help out toys but also see the world. Tim Allen is sensational as Buzz Lightyear as the space toy who is Woody’s best friend as he deals with his own identity as someone that needs to be a leader and help Bonnie out in her development as he also copes his own identity as a toy. Finally, there’s Tom Hanks in a phenomenal performance as Woody as this cowboy toy who starts to realize that he is being phased out as he tries to help out Forky with his identity as he also tries to maintain his importance only to realize that there is so much out there as it is a great performance from Hanks.
Toy Story 4 is a tremendous film from Josh Cooley and Pixar. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, a sumptuous music score, and touching themes on existentialism and growing up. It’s a film that definitely does a lot to explore how much toys mean to children as well as the idea of being a toy in a touching and somber way. In the end, Toy Story 4 is a spectacular film from Josh Cooley and Pixar.
Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) – (Finding Nemo) – The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) – (Cars 3) – Coco - The Incredibles 2 - (Onward) – Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)
© thevoid99 2019
Directed by Marc Forster and written by Zach Helm, Stranger Than Fiction is the story of an IRS auditor who learns that he’s a character in a book that’s being written as he also learns that he is about to die. The film is an exploration into a man learning about his death as he tries to make some changes where he falls for an anarchist baker while the writer tries to figure out how to end her book. Starring Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Tony Hale, Linda Hunt, and Dustin Hoffman. Stranger Than Fiction is a quirky yet charming film from Marc Forster.
The world of reality and fiction is very unique as the film is an exploration of a man who hears a mysterious voice where he learns that he is a character for a book being written as the writer reveals that he will die. While dealing with this crisis about his death, Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) tries to come to terms with his work as an IRS auditor as he falls for an anarchist baker in Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Especially as he decides to live his life without thinking about numbers while coming to a literary professor about his experiences. Meanwhile, the book’s writer in Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) is dealing with trying to find a way to kill Harold Crick for her book where Crick eventually finds out the identity of the narrator he’s been hearing. It all plays into a writer dealing with her own artistic morality and a man dealing with who he is as they both endure their own existential crises.
Zach Helm’s screenplay starts off playing into what Harold Crick does as he lives his life based on numbers as it is part of a routine that he does. Much of it is told through Eiffel’s narration where all of a sudden, Crick starts to hear her voice as it would affect his work where he would meet his greatest challenge in Ana who despises everything that Harold does as she refuses to pay taxes that she owes. Harold’s encounter with Ana and some of things that’s happening to him in his life would force him to make some changes as he seeks the advice of literary professor Jules Hibbert (Dustin Hoffman) who is asked to find any idea on who the author is which adds to this blur of reality and fiction.
Especially as some of the fiction is played in Eiffel’s head as she struggles with writer’s block while she is being watched by an assistant in Penny Escher (Queen Latifah) who is making sure that Eiffel finishes her book. Yet, reality and fiction would eventually collide when Eiffel learns that the character she is creating is indeed real where it would play not just into her conflict about her ending but also a conflict in Harold over what he would do. Even as Hibbert would play a role into Harold’s fate based on his literary expertise as it plays into the conflict of what is right for the sake of art.
Marc Forster’s direction is very simple in terms of his compositions yet manages to infuse a lot of light-humor and drama to play into the quirkiness of the film. Much of it is shot on location in Chicago which plays into this world that is quite modern but also quaint as it serves as this unique reality in Harold’s life where he has his routines only for things to fall apart in the course of the film. Some of the direction include some unique wide shots, medium shots, and close-ups along with some very engaging approach to the framing in the way Crick is portrayed early on as he is shown in very tight framing devices. Things definitely change once he starts to loosen up and the film begins to feel much looser while the scenes involving Eiffel are a mixture of differing styles where she’s dreaming in some scenes while her struggles are shown in very direct medium shots and close-ups. Even as Forster maintains that idea of comedy vs. tragedy that adds to the film’s conflict where it would play into the climax over what might be Harold’s death. Overall, Forster crafts a very exhilarating and witty portrait of a man who learns about his death as he starts to live and defy the expectations of his possible fate.
Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer does excellent work with the film’s cinematography where he infuses a few shadings and such for some of the film’s interior settings along with low-key lights for some scenes set at night while keeping the daytime scenes very simple. Editor Chesse does nice work with the editing with its rhythmic cuts to play into some of the film’s action and humor while infusing a few montages in the film. Production designer Kevin Thompson, with set decorator Ford Wheeler and art director Craig Johnson, does fantastic work with the very lifeless look of Harold‘s apartment and the IRS office to the more colorful and lively look of Ana‘s bakery and home.
Costume designer Frank L. Fleming does terrific work with the costumes as it’s mostly casual while the clothes that Ana wears play to her anarchist ideals. Visual effects supervisor Kevin Tod Haug does amazing work with the visual effects that often pop-up to play into Harold’s obsession with numbers. Sound editor Geoffrey G. Rubay is superb for the way it plays into some of the film’s locations as well as Harold’s reactions to what he’s hearing. The film’s brilliant music soundtrack is supervised by Brian Reitzell and Britt Daniels as they provide their own score that mixes a few orchestral pieces with some post-punk based cuts while the soundtrack includes pieces by the Clash, the Jam, Spoon, Wreckless Eric, Delta 5, and M83.
The film’s casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is great as it features some notable small performances from Linda Hunt and Tom Hulce as two shrinks that Harold meets upon his breakdown plus a terrific performance from Tony Hale as Crick’s co-worker and friend Dave who tries to find a fun life outside of work. Queen Latifah is excellent as Penny who watches over Eiffel to see if she’ll finish the book while being baffled by Eiffel’s quirky behavior. Dustin Hoffman is amazing as Professor Jules Hibbert as this very smart man who knows about the ideas of literature as he tries to help Harold over his situation while being someone who will play into Harold’s fate. Emma Thompson is brilliant as Karen Eiffel as a revered novelist who is struggling to finish her book and kill Harold Crick as Thompson brings a lot of humor to her character as well as an internal conflict over artistic morality.
Maggie Gyllenhaal is fantastic as Ana Pascal as this fiery baker who refuses to pay her taxes due to her anarchist beliefs as she tries to torture Harold only to realize that he’s not a bad guy as it’s a performance full of humor and warmth. Finally, there’s Will Ferrell in a remarkable performance as Harold Crick where it’s Ferrell in a very restrained performance where he endures all sorts of humiliating moments while trying display someone who had been obsessed with his routines only to be alive as it’s a performance with a lot of heart that showcases Will Ferrell doing more than what is expected from him in the comedies he’s usually in.
Stranger Than Fiction is a phenomenal film from Marc Forster that features a winning lead performance from Will Ferrell. Along with great supporting work from Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, and Dustin Hoffman. It’s a film that plays into the world of reality and fiction plus a man trying to find a new lease on life. In the end, Stranger Than Fiction is a witty yet sensational film from Marc Forster.
Marc Forster Films: (Everything Put Together) - (Monster’s Ball) - Finding Neverland - (Stay (2005 film)) - (The Kite Runner) - Quantum of Solace - (Machine Gun Preacher) - (World War Z)
© thevoid99 2014
