Thursday Movie Picks: Actors Who Are Family Members in Real-Life Playing Similar Family Roles in Film

 

For the 18th week of 2022 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We go into the subject of actors who are real-life family members playing the same family roles in films. There are those who are part of acting dynasties who work together to play certain roles with one another as it either adds a natural sense of chemistry or no chemistry at all. Here are my three picks:

1. John and Joan Cusack-Say Anything…

In Cameron Crowe’s feature-film directorial debut about a high school valedictorian embarking on a relationship with a slacker schoolmate who doesn’t have any ambition. The film feature both John and Joan Cusack playing siblings like they do in real-life with the latter playing the slacker’s single-mom sister as she is concerned about him being in a relationship with this young woman whose father doesn’t approve of it. The chemistry between the Cusacks do feel real as it do play into the way siblings act but also how a young man goes to his older sister when he says “I gave her my heart and she gives me a pen”.

2. Jake & Maggie Gyllenhaal-Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly’s 2001 cult film didn’t just feature a break-out performance from Jake as the titular role but also featured his real-life sister Maggie, who was a year away from her own break-out moment in Secretary, as Donnie’s older sister Elizabeth. The two have an infamous exchange early in the film where the two say some profane things to each other in front of the family with Daveigh Chase as the youngest sister Rose who then asks “what’s a fuck-ass?”

3. Meryl Streep & Mamie Gummer-Ricki and the Flash

In Jonathan Demme’s final feature film before his death in 2017 has Meryl Streep play a middle-aged woman still chasing her dreams of rock stardom with her band the Flash until she gets a call from her ex-husband that their daughter attempted suicide following news that her own husband has been cheating on her and is divorcing her. Playing Ricki’s daughter is Streep’s own daughter Mamie where the mother-daughter dynamic is engaging as well as being full of heart and humor. Even with someone like Streep, who was known for being this revered and serious actress, manages to loosen up as well as allow Mamie to shine making the film a joy to watch.

© thevoid99 2022

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

 

Based on the Marvel comics series by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the story of the titular sorcerer who finds himself dealing with new threats from different universes as well as an old ally prompting him to seek help from Wanda Maximoff as she would encounter her own troubles in the multiverse. Directed by Sam Raimi and screenplay by Michael Waldron, the film is an exploration into the different universes where Doctor Strange has to deal with versions of himself and those he knew as well as other threats as Benedict Cumberbatch reprises the role of Doctor Steven Strange with Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch. Also starring Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, Julian Hilliard, Jett Klyne, and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an enthralling and terrifying film from Sam Raimi.

Following events relating to Spider-Man, Doctor Steven Strange encounters something from another universe who chases a young woman in America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) who is also from another universe as Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) learn that something is happening in the different multiverse relating to Chavez’s power where Strange asks Wanda Maximoff for help. It is a film that play into many multiple universes as it also relates to a book that is the opposite of a book that Maximoff has from her own previous adventure as it brings hope to the multiverse. Michael Waldron’s screenplay does manage to showcase what is at stake but doesn’t really do much in doing more with the motivation of some of the characters with Maximoff being a major reason as her possession of the Darkhold has her wanting to find her sons Billy and Tommy Maximoff (Julian Hillard and Jett Klyne, respectively) in the multiverse as she believes Chavez is key to finding them.

Maximoff becomes an obstacle for Strange, Wong, and Chavez where Strange and Chavez travel through the multiverse where they meet a variation of Strange’s former friend Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is part of a mysterious organization known as the Illuminati. Strange also meets a variation of his former flame in Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) who is a scientist who works for the Illuminati and isn’t fond of any version of Strange due to his own commitments to his work as a Master of the Mystic Arts. The different versions of characters is a key component of the film but it does get confusing and for audiences that aren’t aware of Maximoff’s own adventure in WandaVision do get lost. There’s a lot of exposition that Waldron creates that is overwhelming but also confusing when it comes to the concept of dream-walking where a character dreams about being in another world and uses that variation of that character to do things. It is among the elements of the film that does drag the story and make it nonsensical at times along with some stories relating to the multiverse including a version of Doctor Strange who was working with the Illuminati and what he did to kill their version of Thanos.

Sam Raimi’s direction definitely bear some of his own visual style in terms of the zooms he uses as well as these set pieces that are elaborate. Shot largely on location in Britain including the Longcross Studios at Longcross, Surrey, Raimi does create a film that showcases a world that has different versions as the version of New York City that Strange lives in is different from the New York City that he and Chavez would go to where they would learn that a variation of Strange had died. The world-building that Raimi does through the usage of wide and medium shots not only showcase the different universes the characters are in but also these worlds that are unique such as a montage where Strange and Chavez travel through different multiverses that include a 2D animation bit as it showcase these variations of worlds that are all unique. It is among these lavish sequences where Raimi does play into the adventure and action but also with elements of humor as it relates to Strange’s interaction with Chavez as well as the rules of the multiverse.

Then there’s Raimi’s approach to horror as it relates to Maximoff’s own desire to find her sons through the multiverse as she is intent on using the Darkhold book as it is a MacGuffin of sorts as well as the opposite book known as the Book of Vishanti that Chavez and a version of Doctor Strange are trying to get in the film’s first sequence that also involves a gigantic one-eyed monster known as Gargantos. Raimi also play into some of the gory elements in horror but not overtly gory as there are some major deaths as well as moments such as a scene where Strange, Chavez, and Palmer are running away from a version of Maximoff as it has all of these scary moments expected from horror. The film’s climax does involve Strange having to go into places that is against the rules imposed on other masters of the mystic arts yet it all has to do with Chavez and her own powers to travel through the universe even though she is unable to control it. Yet, it also shows exactly what Strange has learned and what he has to do to save the universe while also coming to terms with the sacrifices he’s made in his own life. Overall, Raimi crafts an exhilarating and chilling film about a sorcerer traveling through the multiverse to stop a threat from destroying his own universe.

Cinematographer John Mathieson does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the vibrancy of the alternate version of Earth as well as some stylish lighting for a few interiors including the usage of red for Maximoff’s own world, and the dark colors in the world that Strange would encounter. Editors Bob Murawski and Tia Nolan do excellent work with the editing with its stylish usage of montages, jump-cuts, and other cuts to play into the suspense and horror. Production designer Charles Wood, with set decorator John Bush and supervising art director Thomas Brown, does amazing work with the look of the Kamar-Taj base in Nepal where Strange and Wong do their training as well as the base of the Illuminati and a secret palace that holds a dark secret. Costume designer Graham Churchyard does fantastic work with the costumes from Wanda’s Scarlet Witch costume as well as the different costumes of the different variations of Strange including the Cloak of Levitation that has a mind of its own as well as the casual look of America Chavez with her denim jacket with a LGBTQ pride pin on it. Hair/makeup designer Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou, along with prosthetics makeup designer Barrie Gower, does terrific work with the look of the different variations of Doctor Strange as well as the two different looks of Maximoff in her different hairstyles as it all play into the many variations of the multiverse.

Special effects supervisor Alan Roberts and visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of Gargantos as well as other magical effects that Strange and Wong uses along with some of the massive set pieces as the effects work is a major highlight. Sound editors Addison Teague and Katy Wood do superb work with the sound in the way some of the creatures sound as well as the way objects sound including the atmosphere of a location. The film’s music by Danny Elfman is phenomenal for the bombastic music themes that are created with its usage of orchestral elements for its suspense and action along with themes that do intensify the sense of horror while music supervisor Dave Jordan cultivate a soundtrack that feature different themes from other films and TV shows from Marvel for some of the characters in their alternate variations.

The casting by Sarah Haley Finn is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Bruce Campbell in a hilarious cameo as a pizza vendor from an alternate universe, Ross Marquand in a voice role as Ultron drones who work for the Illuminati, Ako Mitchell as Palmer’s new husband Charlie, screenwriter Michael Waldron as a guest at Palmer’s wedding, Momo Yeung and Daniel Swain as two masters who respectively run the Hong Kong and London sanctums, Ruth Livier and Chess Lopez as Chavez’s mothers from her memory as a child, Sheila Atm as a Mystic arts master who works closely with Wong at Kamar-Taj, Adam Hugill as the minotaur Mystic arts master Rintrah, and Michael Stuhlbarg in a terrific small role as Strange’s former surgeon rival Dr. Nic West who laments over being killed during the Blip and returning back only to deal with loss of his own as he and Strange both feel uncomfortable at Palmer’s wedding.

In the roles of the members of the Illuminati, Patrick Stewart’s performance as an alternate version of Charles Xavier/Professor X as well as Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, John Krasinski as Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, Lashana Lynch as an alternate version of Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel, and Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt are fun to watch although it is largely fan-service as they play into people who decide Strange’s fate as they also carry a secret about their own version of Doctor Strange. Julian Hillard and Jett Klyne are superb in their respective roles as Billy and Tommy Maximoff as the sons of Wanda Maximoff whom Wanda believes are alive as they’re just kids who already have a mother and are unaware of what Wanda is doing. Chiwetel Ejiofor is fantastic as an alternate version of Karl Mordo as a former colleague/mentor of Strange who is the Sorcerer Supreme in an alternate universe who believes Strange is dangerous and is up to no good.

Rachel McAdams is excellent as Christine Palmer as Doctor Strange’s former flame who gets married to another man while an alternate version of Palmer is a more stern scientist who isn’t willing to put up with Strange’s bullshit though she becomes protective of Chavez when it comes to a major threat as she is also far more capable of taking care of herself. Benedict Wong is brilliant as Wong as the Sorcerer Supreme who helps Strange in dealing with some of the chaos involved as he also has to contend with some dark forces as well as what Strange had to do to save everyone. Xochitl Gomez is amazing as America Chavez as a young teenage girl who has the power to travel through different multiverses but doesn’t know how to control her powers as she deals with being a source of power that people want as she is also someone who has a hard time trusting people for valid reasons.

Elizabeth Olsen is outstanding as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch as a woman with her own powers as she is convinced that her sons are in another universe while realizing another version of her is with her sons where Olsen brings a dark sense of humor and terror to her performance of a woman ravaged by loss and the need to control things. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a sensational performance as the titular character as a former surgeon turned sorcerer who is dealing with images from an alternate universe as he struggles with these revelations but also versions of himself and their faults with the need to not just save the world but also to help this young girl he’s grown to care for despite his own arrogance at times.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a marvelous film from Sam Raimi that features great performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, and a break-out performance from Xochitl Gomez. Despite the messy elements in the film’s screenplay and its emphasis on exposition that does drag the story, the film does succeed in its stake as well as the work from its supporting cast as well as its visuals, emphasis on suspense and horror, exploration of the multiverse, and Danny Elfman’s thrilling score. In the end, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a remarkable film from Sam Raimi.

Sam Raimi Films: (It’s Murder!) – (Clockwork) – (Within the Woods) – The Evil Dead - (Crimewave) – Evil Dead II - (Darkman) – Army of Darkness - (The Quick and the Dead) – (A Simple Plan) – (For the Love of the Game) – (The Gift (2000 film)) – Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 (Drag Me to Hell) – (Oz, the Great and Powerful)

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man and the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool 3) - (Captain America: Brave New World)

Phase 6: (Thunderbolts) – (Blade (2024 film)) - (Fantastic Four (2024 film)) – (Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) – (Avengers: Secret Wars)

© thevoid99 2022

Thursday Movie Picks: Cinephiles in Movies

 

For the 17th week of 2022 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We go into the subject of cinephiles in movies as there are those who just love to watch movies and talk about films. Here are my three picks:

1. Cinema Paradiso

Giuseppe Tornatore’s touching story about a relationship between a young boy and a film projectionist at a small cinema in a small town in Sicily is truly one of the finest films ever made. Most notably for the fact that it showcases a boy’s love for the films and see what this projectionist would do as he would guide the boy to become a filmmaker who would be torn in reaching for his dreams or to seek another love. It is a film that still warms the heart as well as give audiences a good cry.

2. The Dreamers

Bernardo Bertolucci’s film set in the events of May of 1968 in Paris may be known more for its sexual content yet it is a film about two French siblings who meet an American student through their love of cinema as they also take part in what is happening in those times. Notably the closing of the Cinematheque Francaise is where they meet as they talk about films but also engage in sex as it does play into the different political ideals between this young American and these two French siblings. At the same time, they do things inspired by films as it also include an appearances from Jean-Pierre Leaud recreating his moment at the Cinematheque protest.

3. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

From Xan Cassavetes is a documentary about one of the very first pay-cable channels in America in Southern California that showcased films uncut, uncensored, and commercial-free and then a programmer in Jerry Harvey came in and made this channel something bigger. A channel that showed all sorts of foreign films, art films, do film festivals on certain themes or filmmakers, and would even hold events that gave films that had been re-cut by studios and be shown in their intended version. It is a documentary that is still a must see for anyone that loves cinema.

© thevoid99 2022

Films That I Saw: April 2022

 

I am so glad I don’t live in Florida. I would hate it there. The fact that it is now a Fascist state at this point in banning LGBTQ ideas, certain textbooks, more laws to oppress minorities in election, and then going to war with Disney. Yeah, I’m so glad I live in Georgia no matter how fucked up it is. Plus, the best thing about living in Georgia is that I have sport teams I can root for such as the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta United FC, and the Georgia Bulldogs football team. Sure, they don’t win everything and I will always vent if the Braves lose to the fucking Marlins. Still, I will root for them. I grew up on the Braves and Hawks as a kid and I will die rooting for them.

Florida used to be a fun place in the 80s and 90s but things changed the last time I went in 2003 in one of the most unpleasant vacation experiences I had in boarding a cruise ship which I hope to never board on ever again. Why would I want to go into that shithole? There are very few things that came out of Florida that is any good such as AEW, orange juice, Burt Reynolds, Kelly Reichardt, Miami Sound Machine, Universal Studios, a Cuban restaurant in Orlando that my parents liked a long time ago, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Disney World, and the Miami Hurricanes. The rest can fuck off.





It’s among the things in the world that is just fucking insane as France almost went into the far-right during their most recent election and had Emmanuel Macron lost. Europe would be in deep shit as the last thing they need is France becoming allies to Vladimir Putin. I know things are still intense in the Ukraine yet I will applaud them for just keep fighting and I do hope this country at least put some effort and money into helping them. Otherwise, we’d look bad if we don’t help them as some European countries such as Denmark, Spain, and Germany are willing to help because they fucking hate Putin. It’s not just these leaders of the world that is willing to stand up for the Ukraine but also the arts as I never thought I would hear something new from Pink Floyd at all as I’m glad that they made a song out of support for the people of Ukraine.

In the month of April 2022, I saw a total of 25 films in 15 first-timers and 10 re-watches with only one film directed by a woman as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. An improvement over the previous month mainly due to the many first-timers that I saw as the highlight of the month is definitely my Blind Spot film in Army of Shadows. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for April 2022:

1. The Northman

2. The Velvet Underground

3. CODA

4. The French Dispatch

5. Mood Indigo

6. Shark: Greg Norman and the Collapse of ‘96

7. The Eyes of Tammy Faye

8. Heaven Knows What

9. Gente del Po

10. N.U.

Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I’m Watching

Gente del Po

One of three shorts by Michelangelo Antonioni that I saw this month as this short is currently available on YouTube for free. This short from 1948 does play into Antonioni’s recurring study of alienation as it play into a group of people who live in river barges and aren’t part of the society of the times. It is a documentary that do play into the world of Italian neorealism as it has Antonioni keep things simple to show a lifestyle that is struggling to keep up with the modern world in post-war Italy.

N.U.

Another documentary short film, like its predecessor, that is available as an extra for the Criterion DVD/Blu-Ray release for Red Desert focuses on street sweepers and garbage men in Rome. It is another neo-realist short that do play into how these individuals do what they can to keep Rome clean yet aren’t appreciated by the modern world at that time as it is something for fans of Antonioni need to see.

Gianna Nannini-Fotoromanza





A music video made in 1984 for the Italian pop artist Gianna Nannini is something of an anomaly from Antonioni as it is probably one of the rare times he would helm something like this. Let alone a music video as very few filmmakers at the time would take part in this. Yet, it manages to have sensibilities that do play into the song while also having some visual touches that are definitely Antonioni as it’s something that Antonioni fans also need to watch.

Tip-Top-Aline





Directed by Wes Anderson, the video for the song that is sung by Jarvis Cocker as Tip-Top is presented in hand-drawn animation similar to The Adventures of Tin-Tin. It is a hilarious video yet the song is incredible as it presented in a style that is definitely Wes Anderson. It is an incredible music video that just works as a nice accompaniment to The French Dispatch.

ASSEMBLED: The Making of Eternals

As part of the MCU documentary series from Disney+ is this documentary about what it took to make Chloe Zhao’s film. It does show a lot of what goes on and Zhao’s desire to have a sense of physicality and realism into the film. Even if it features insight from the cast as well as the art directors and visual effects team who do put in a lot of work into the visuals. It is definitely an amazing documentary even though the final film itself wasn’t that great.

Shark: Greg Norman and the Collapse of ‘96

From 30 to 30 is a new documentary from the ESPN doc series as it explore the career of famed Australian golfer Greg Norman. Norman is undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers in the game yet he is among those that never won the Masters and wear that green jacket. The documentary isn’t just about Norman’s career as well as his rivalry with Nick Faldo in the 1990s but also Norman’s own style and how managed to be successful despite lackluster attempts to win the Masters in the 1980s. Then came 1996 as it seemed like Norman was finally going to win it but the final round is where everything crashed as Norman himself observes exactly what went wrong yet it is how he accepted his defeat that makes him the revered player that everyone knows and love as it is a tremendous documentary from ESPN.

Manufraktur

A short film by Peter Tscherkassky that I saw on MUBI is a three-minute experimental short film that largely consists of found footage involving cars. With its dazzling edits, it is a short film that is intriguing to watch as it is one of the reasons why I’m enjoying MUBI right now.

Moon Knight (episodes 2-5)

With one more episode coming, it is clear that this show is definitely something of its own and it manages to be really incredible. Notably for the performance of Oscar Isaac in the roles of Steven Grant/Marc Spector as the most recent episode explore who this person is and why he has dis-associative identity disorder. The show also has Ethan Hawke in a great performance as the show’s antagonist Arthur Harlow while May Calamawy’s performance as Spector’s wife Layla is a real standout as she can kick ass but also be her own woman. The third episode featured a great appearance from Gaspard Ulliel in one of his final acting performances as he was awesome in that episode and I’m glad the show did a dedication to him. This is already becoming a great show as I await for what will happen next.

Wrestling Match of the Month: FTR vs. the Briscoe Brothers for the ROH World Tag Team Championship at Supercard of Honor XV





If there’s one tag team right now that is the hottest thing in professional wrestling, it’s FTR. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler are a relic of the old school as they were the guys that were inspired by what Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard did in the NWA in the 1980s but also with a love of technical wrestling. They were one of the teams that were loved when they were in NXT for the late 2010s but when they got promoted into the main roster in WWE. They were treated like a joke as their arrival in AEW in 2020 gave them not just a new home but a place where they can be appreciated. While they arrived mainly as heels, the fact that these are two guys from North Carolina who don’t really do anything flashy nor play to the trends of other tag teams while also admitting to just being guys that wrestle to make money to feed their families somehow connected with the crowd.

This month alone has been FTR’s time as their match at the Supercard of Honor XV against the Briscoe Brothers for the ROH World Tag Team Championship is a match that is tag team wrestling at its most pure. You had a more unconventional and aggressive style the Briscoes are known for but FTR managed to find a way and win while also playing fair. It was a match that fans of tag team wrestling need to see while the match FTR had days later against the Young Bucks in which FTR would defend both the ROH and AAA tag titles showed exactly why they’re considered the best tag team working today. It’s no question that they should be next in line to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship for the 2nd time but why stop there? There’s a big AEW-New Japan Pro Wrestling show coming in June in Chicago at the United Center so why not go for the IWGP Tag Team Championships as well? FTR all the way baby!

Book to Read: Cimino: The Deer Hunter, Heaven’s Gate, and the Price of a Vision by Charles Elton

I don’t consider myself an avid book reader as I buy a book every now and then yet I heard about this book from both Indiewire and Criterion as I got it at Amazon since my mother likes to buy a few books at Amazon. It is a book about the controversial filmmaker Michael Cimino as it goes into a lot of details about his life as well as his career as a commercial filmmaker and how he got into Hollywood and being discovered by Clint Eastwood. It also play into the what went wrong during the production of Heaven’s Gate as there are some revelations into not just what Cimino did but also the fact that the executives at United Artists really should’ve taken responsibility for the production to become troubled. It is an incredible book that I think fans of the filmmaker should read as it also play into his struggles to recover from the failure of Heaven’s Gate and why he stopped making films after The Sunchaser.

Top 10 Re-Watches

1. The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

2. Doctor Strange

3. Fernando Nation

4. Four Days in October

5. Jordan Rides the Bus

6. Milk

7. Dog

8. Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor

9. Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven’s Gate

10. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Well, that is it for April. Next month from May 17 to 28, I will be doing the Cannes Festival Marathon but I will not announce any line-up as I decide to improvise instead where I will just watch whatever is available that did play at Cannes including a few DVD/Blu-Rays I have. Other than that, there will be my next Blind Spot as well as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as that’s all I have planned for next month. That is all I have planned including whatever is in my watchlist as I am now counting the final days of my time with cable TV as the most recent cable bill my mother and I received has us really upset and we’re taking serious consideration in getting rid of it for good and go full-on streaming. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…

© thevoid99 2022

Heaven Knows What

 

Based on the memoir Mad Love in New York City by Arielle Holmes, Heaven Knows What is the story of a young heroin addict living in the streets of New York City as she deals with an on-again, off-again relationship with a young man while trying to get her next fix. Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie and screenplay by Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, the film is an exploration of drug addiction and a young woman dealing with her own issues as well as a tumultuous relationship with another junkie. Starring Arielle Holmes, Buddy Duress, Ron “Necro” Braustein, Eleonore Hendricks, Caleb Landry Jones, and Yuri Pleskun. Heaven Knows What is a gripping and evocative film from the Safdie Brothers.

The film follows a young woman who is addicted to heroin as she tries to get her next fix while roaming around New York City as she also contends with her on-again, off-again boyfriend who treats everyone like shit. It is a film that is really the study of a woman who is homeless and needing a fix where she deals with trying to scrounge money for her fix but also contend with her abusive boyfriend. The film’s screenplay by Josh Safdie and Ronal Bronstein is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it focuses on the life of Harley Boggs (Arielle Holmes) as she roams around the city while dealing with the coldness from her boyfriend Ilya (Caleb Landry Jones) to the point that she slashes her wrists in front of him where she goes to the hospital. Following her release, she continues to pursue Ilya but also befriends the low-level dealer Mike (Buddy Duress) by trying to get money and such as well as be around him to get her fix. Throughout the film, Mike questions why Harley continues to be around Ilya who is cold and abusive as he is reluctant to give her heroin though he has to do whatever to continue his business as well as feeding his own addiction.

The direction of Josh and Benny Safdie definitely has a raw quality to the overall presentation as if they’re showcasing everything on location in and around New York City through a form of cinema verite. Yet, it is a style that does give the film that realism it needed to showcase the grit and grime of Harley’s own lifestyle as she would often sit in a place with a sign needing money while would often take part in thefts at convenience stores. There are some wide shots the Safdies use to not just establish certain locations but also wisely avoid notable landmarks of the city by grounding the film in the streets where they use medium shots to play into the characters in certain spots. Notably a scene where Harley and Mike steal some mail to see if they can find something they can make money from as it play into the way junkies and dealers survive.

The Safdies also maintain this sense of desperation of how junkies live and go for their fix as the usage of close-ups play into that desperation including these shots of Harley on a bed with a pink neon light all over her. The film also showcases some graphic moments of violence such as a moment early in the film where Harley cuts herself in front of Ilya to prove her love to him as well as a fight between Ilya and Mike. It is among these moments that do feel real but also in Harley’s own blindness in her love for Ilya even though a lot of what Mike says about him is spot-on as it does play into this cycle of abuse. The third act doesn’t just showcase Harley’s own devotion towards Ilya but also some truths about Ilya as he is someone that can show love but it is only fleeting. Overall, Josh and Benny Safdie craft a mesmerizing yet harrowing film about the life of a heroin addict in the streets of New York City.

Cinematographer Sean Price Williams does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward to play into the air of realism where it is shot with available light for many of its exteriors with bits of lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Benny Sadie and Ronald Bronstein do excellent work with the editing as it does have some style in its usage of jump-cuts and other straightforward cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Audrey Turner and art director Blake LaRue do fantastic work with the look of some of the homes that the characters crash at as well as a home where Mike lives in.

Visual effects supervisor Adam Teninbaum does terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects as it largely relates to a key moment late in the film that would play into something big. Sound mixers Evan Mangiamele and Benny Safdie do superb work with the sound as it play into the natural elements of the locations as well as how music is played on a location. The film’s music by Paul Grimstad and Ariel Pink, with additional pieces by Isao Tomita, is incredible for its eerie electronic score that play into some of the dark moments of the film with some somber pieces from Tomita as well as music from Burzum, James Dashow, Headhunterz, and Tangerine Dream for its soundtrack.

The casting by Eleonore Hendricks and Josh Safdie do wonderful work as it feature some notable small roles from Diana Singh as a woman who let Mike and Harley live at her home as long as they pay rent, Yuri Pleskun as a drug dealer named Tommy, Mike Patellis as Mike’s supplier Marcos who gives Harley a motorcycle ride, Aaron Keller as a Hasidic man who gives Harley money to get high, Benjamin Hampton as Mike’s friend Antoine, Eleonore Hendricks as Ilya’s friend Erica who would be a girlfriend to Mike during his break from Harley, and Ron “Necro” Braustein as a friend of Ilya and Harley in Skully who is hoping to help Harley out following her suicide attempt. Buddy Duress is amazing as Mike as a drug dealer who makes Harley his assistant of sorts while also giving her the fix she needs while also having issues with Ilya.

Caleb Landry Jones is brilliant as Ilya as Harley’s on-again, off-again boyfriend who is quite cold and verbally abusive towards her as he is also someone dangerous despite the fact that he does have some love for her. Finally, there’s Arielle Holmes in a phenomenal performance as Harley Boggs as a young heroin addict dealing with a tumultuous relationship as well as her own addiction where she deals with a self-destructive lifestyle and lots of uncertainty as there’s a raw nature to her performance as well as showcase the reality of how junkies live.

Heaven Knows What is a phenomenal film from Josh and Benny Safdie that features a great leading performance from Arielle Holmes. Along with its ensemble cast, gripping character study, raw visuals, and a hypnotic music score and soundtrack. It is a film that explore the life of a drug addict as she deals with trying to find a home and win back her boyfriend despite the fact that he’s cruel to her. In the end, Heaven Knows What is an incredible film from Josh and Benny Safdie.

Safdie Brothers Films: (The Pleasure of Being Robbed) – (Daddy Longlegs) – (Lenny Cooke) – Good Time (2017 film) – (Uncut Gems)

© thevoid99 2022

The Northman

 

Based on the legend of Amleth, The Northman is the story of a prince who witnesses the murder of his father in the hands of his uncle who has also taken his mother prompting the prince to go on a two-decade journey to become a Viking and seek vengeance. Directed by Robert Eggers and screenplay by Eggers and Sjon, the film is a revenge story of sorts but also how a boy becomes a man in not just reclaiming his family’s honor but also to find his own identity. Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Any Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Claes Bang, Bjork, Willem Dafoe, and Nicole Kidman. The Northman is a visceral yet ravishing film from Robert Eggers.

The film is the story of a young prince who witnesses the murder of his father by his uncle forcing the young prince to flee as he later grows into a man seeking revenge as he is aided by a slave in reclaiming his throne. It is a film with a simple premise where it isn’t just about revenge but also a boy becoming a man and trying to find himself and the fate of his quest. The film’s screenplay by Robert Eggers and Sjon is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it is more about the journey that its protagonist Amleth (Alexander Skarsgard) takes from the time he witnesses his father in King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke) be murdered by his uncle Fjornir (Claes Bang) when Amleth was a child (Oscar Novak) as its first act is about Amleth making an oath to get revenge on his uncle and save his mother in Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman) from his clutches. The first act also shows him becoming a Viking where he helps attack villages and such until an encounter with a Seeress (Bjork) who tells him that Fjornir has been exiled from Norway and is in Iceland with his mother, his eldest son Thorir (Gustav Lindh), and their youngest in Gunnar (Elliott Rose).

The second act revolves Amleth going to Iceland by posing as a slave where he meets another slave in Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy) who claims to be a sorceress as she would help Amleth in seeking revenge. Yet, things become complicated as Amleth learns about Gunnar and the new world that Fjornir and Gudrun live in as they kept a low profile while Amleth also learns that his father’s jester Heimir (Willem Dafoe) had also been killed by Fjornir where Amleth meets the He-Witch (Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson) who serves a medium for Heimir for Amleth. Amleth doesn’t reveal himself directly to his mother as he and Olga continue to work in secrecy as they would fall in love but things do get more troubling following some revelations leading into its third act. Notably as it does play into Amleth’s own devotion to his father and his father’s devotion to the spiritual world and nature itself.

Eggers’ direction definitely has elements of style but also this element of physicality into the world that these characters live in as it is intense and at times, unforgiving. Shot on various locations in parts of Great Britain as well as Ireland and Iceland, Eggers maintains this sense of physicality in these locations with the first twenty minutes set in this cold mountain forest where there are these gorgeous imagery with the daytime exteriors and interiors having this sense of the cold and the scenes at night were it is all about natural lighting that include this spiritual ceremony hosted by Heimir for the young Amleth and King Aurvandill. The usage of close-ups and medium shot in that ceremony also include these surrealistic images that play into this connection with the spiritual world as they would occur often in the film including a shot of a young Amleth on a horse running towards the light that is Valhalla.

Eggers also uses a lot of wide shots to get a scope of these locations but also these surroundings the characters are in as it also play into a moment in time that is brutal but also entrancing. Notably in shots where Eggers uses the wide shots in using these dolly-tracking shots to showcase the places that Amleth is in whether it is the palace building he’s in as a child or the place to retrieve a sword that he needs for his quest. The usage of the dolly-tracking shots would also play into the suspense including scenes late in the second act where Fjornir deals with these mysterious attacks where Eggers also maintains this air of brutality in the violence as it would intensify in the third act. Notably the climatic showdown between Amleth and Fjornir as it is told in a stylized manner that owes more to the prophecy that Amleth had to follow yet there are these surrealistic elements that bring a lot of power to this climax. Overall, Eggers crafts a mesmerizing yet unsettling film about a young Viking prince going on a quest for vengeance against his uncle.

Cinematographer Jarin Blaschke does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its stylish usage of filters for a few surrealistic shots while much of it is natural in some of the interiors with its usage of fire as light as well as its emphasis on available light for some of the exterior scenes. Editor Louise Ford does excellent work with the editing as its emphasis on having shots play out while also emphasizing on jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts to help play into the suspense and action. Production designer Craig Lathrop, with set decorators Pancho Chamorro and Niamh Coulter plus art directors Robert Cowper and Paul Ghirardini, does incredible work with the film’s art direction in the design of the village and castle that the young Amleth lived in to the fortress that he would attack as a Viking and the home that Fjornir would live in with Gudrun. Costume designer Linda Muir does fantastic work with the costumes from the design of some of the gowns that Gudrun wear as well as the armor that Fjornir and King Aurvandill wore as well as some of the wool clothes the other characters wore.

Hair/makeup designer Maralyn Sherman, with special effects makeup designer David White, does brilliant work with the look of a few characters with the Seeress being a major example as well as the look of a few spiritual figures that Amleth meets. Special effects supervisor Sam Conway, along with visual effects supervisors Angela Barson, Colin McCusker, and David Scott, does terrific work with some of the visual effects that include some of the film’s surrealistic imagery as well as some of the animals the characters encounter. Sound editors James Harrison and Steve Little, along with sound designers Jimmy Boyle and David Volpe, do phenomenal work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as the usage of layered dialogue for some of the surrealistic moments as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough is remarkable as it is a highlight of the film with its usage of percussions, discordant strings, and other sounds to help create an unsettling tone for the film.

The casting by Kharmel Cochrane is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Ralph Ineson as a ship captain Amleth and Olga meet late in the film, Magne Osnes as a berserker priest who had become a father figure for Amleth, Kate Dickie as a senior slave who sort of runs Fjornir’s farm, Olwen Fouere as Fjornir’s priestess, Hafpor Julius Bjornsson as a rival tribe champion that Amleth fights during a game of knattleikr, Eldar Skar and Phill Martin as a couple of Fjornir’s housecarls with the former who lost his nose from a fight with the young Amleth, and Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson as the He-Witch as a spiritual figure who would serve as a medium for Heimir. Oscar Novak and Elliott Rose are terrific in their respective roles as the young Amleth and his eventual half-brother Gunnar as two young boys who both adore their fathers with the former feeling the need to get revenge while the other is struggling to prove to himself as a prince. Gustav Lindh is superb as Fjornir’s eldest son Thorir the Proud as a prince who is eager to rule over the slaves as he takes a disliking towards Amleth unaware of his true identity.

Bjork is fantastic in her brief role as a Seeress as this mysterious spiritual figure who would guide and remind Amleth of his quest for revenge while Willem Dafoe’s brief role as King Aurvandill’s jester Heimir is excellent for its sense of energy and intrigue as someone who doesn’t just favor the spiritual world but also the physical world. Ethan Hawke is brilliant as King Aurvandill as a man of simple ideas as he has a close bond with his son while he is also a man who loves nature and the spiritual world. Nicole Kidman is amazing as Queen Gudrun as a woman who is Amleth’s mother but is unaware of his identity believing he had died where she is devoted to her son and stepson/nephew as she also brings a lot of ambiguity to her role. Claes Bang is incredible as Fjornir as King Aurvandill’s brother who would take the throne feeling that his brother is too much of a savage as he is also someone that wants to make his own mark following his own exile.

Anya Taylor-Joy is sensational as Olga as a slave who claims to be a sorceress as she befriends and later falls for Amleth where she doesn’t just help him in getting his revenge but is also someone who also has a connection with nature and the spiritual world in the hope that a better future would come. Finally, there’s Alexander Skarsgard in a phenomenal performance as Amleth as a young prince who goes on a quest for vengeance to avenge his father and save his mother where he deals with the complexities of his mission and the added stakes as it relates to his family as well as his uncle where Skarsgard brings in a lot of restraint but also an intensity into his performance where it is a major breakout performance for him.

The Northman is a tremendous film from Robert Eggers that features great performances from Alexander Skarsgard and Anya Taylor-Joy. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous yet grimy visuals, intense music score, eerie sound design, its study of revenge and fate, and its idea of myth and spirituality. It is a film that doesn’t play by the rules when it comes to revenge films while it is also a study of a man trying to do what is right while facing obstacles that would push him further into his quest. In the end, The Northman is a spectacular film from Robert Eggers.

Robert Eggers Films: The VVitch - The Lighthouse (2019 film) - Nosferatu (2024 film) - (The Auteurs #75: Robert Eggers)

© thevoid99 2022

2022 Blind Spot Series: Army of Shadows

 

Based on the novel by Joseph Kessel, L’Armee des ombres (Army of Shadows) is the story of various individuals in the French Resistance during World War II as they deal with the sacrifices and struggles during the war against Nazi Germany. Written for the screen and directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, the film is a study of the live in the Resistance as well as what people had to do to fight against Nazi Germany as well as making uneasy decisions in the war. Starring Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and Simone Signoret. L’Armee des ombres is a rapturous and chilling film from Jean-Pierre Melville.

Told in the span of a year from 1942 to 1943 in Vichy France during World War II, the film follows the lives of a few individuals who are involved in the French Resistance as they deal with fighting and scheming against Nazi Germany while also making uneasy decisions. It is a film that explore a few key individuals who are part of this resistance against the Nazis as they all have to make uneasy decisions as it would involving having to kill those who become a liability in exposing the Resistance. Jean-Pierre Melville’s screenplay is straightforward in its narrative yet it has strands of characters it follow with a Resistance leader in Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura) who is first seen arriving at a prison camp where he is later transferred to the Gestapo only to escape as he runs a network with longtime friend Felix Lepercq (Paul Crauchet), a burly veteran in Guillaume Vermesch aka Le Bison (Christian Barbier), and a young recruit in Claude Ullmann aka the Mask (Claude Mann). The first act is about Gerbier’s brief time in prison, his escape, and also uncovering a traitor prompting him to take action.

The second act is about an unexpected meeting between Lepercq and a former pilot in Jean-Francois Jardie (Jean-Pierre Cassel) whose older brother is the philosopher Luc Jardie (Paul Meurisse) whom Gerbier admires. Jean-Francois would also gain the support of a woman in Mathilde (Simone Signoret) who would become part of Gerbier’s network and later run things during the third act when Gerbier is captured. Still, there are a lot of complexities in the film’s second half about the demands of being in the Resistance but also the fact that someone can’t carry any sentimental value as it would have them link to family who might know something or be used as blackmail. Even as a few would be captured and endure brutal torment by the Nazis as it play into how dangerous things were during Nazi Germany’s occupation of France.

Melville’s direction is entrancing in its presentation as it is shot on various locations in France including parts of Paris including a shot of the Arc de Triomphe where Nazi soldiers are marching in the foreground with the Arc in the background. Melville’s direction definitely emphasizes less on many of Paris’ familiar sites in order to create an atmosphere of a world that is bleak and intense. Melville’s usage of the wide and medium shots do play into the world that is Vichy France where there is a lot of attention to detail in the prison camps, the prison cells, and other places as location is key to the film. Notably in the scene where Gerbier first escapes and then hides at a barbershop where a barber (Serge Reggiani) would help him as it helps set a tone for some of the moments of suspense. One of which include Gerbier trying to get aboard a British submarine to meet with British officials in aiding the Resistance as well as the return back on plane where they had to endure anti-aircraft attacks. There are also these elements in the direction such as a scene where Jean-Francois is stepping out on a train as he is carrying something important to the Resistance as he has to find a way to pass the Nazi guards.

Melville also maintains some offbeat elements such as Gerbier in London where he finds himself in a dancehall where British military personnel are dancing while bombs are falling around them as well as a scene in a prison where the Nazis give the prisoners a chance to survive. There are also these intense moments where Melville would use close-ups as things do intensify in the third act as it relates to not just setbacks and uneasy decisions but also what is at stake for the Resistance. Even as things get personal and an air of uncertainty emerges into who to trust and how the Resistance can move forward. Notably as the climax and its aftermath is about all of the uneasy decisions one have to make during war and the sacrifices they are forced to make to free their own country from the hands of another. Overall, Melville crafts a gripping and intoxicating film about the life of a few individuals working for the French Resistance.

Cinematographer Pierre Lhomme, with additional work from Walter Wottitz, does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural lighting along with soft light for some scenes including its emphasis on grey and blue colors to help set a visual tone for the film. Editor Francoise Bonnot does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of transition wipes, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts to help play into the suspense and drama. Art director Theobald Meurisse and set decorator Roger Volper do excellent work with the look of the prison cells, the houses the characters hide out at, and some of the places they go to. Costume designer Madame Colette Baudot does fantastic work with the costume as it does bear some style with the men wearing suits as well as the uniforms the French police and the Nazis wear with Mathilde wearing all sorts of clothes including a nurse’s uniform during an attempted prison break.

The makeup work of Maud Begon is terrific for the way two major characters look following their interrogations with the Nazis in how badly they were beaten by them. Sound designers Jacques Carrere, Alex Pront, and Jean Neni, with sound editing by Robert Pouret, do superb work with the sound in the way gunfire sounds as well as these scenes where it revolves around the location to play into the suspense. The film’s music by Eric Demarsan is incredible for its eerie music score with brooding string arrangements as well as its usage of an organ to help maintain a suspenseful mood as it is a highlight of the film.

The film’s marvelous cast feature some notable small roles from Adrien Cayla-Legrand as Charles de Gaulle, Nathalie Delon in an un-credited appearance as Jean-Francois’ date at a bar, Anthony Stuart as a Royal Air Force major, Colin Mann as a British pilot who gives Gerbier instructions on his return to France via parachute, Albert Michel as a policeman at a train station, Alain Mottet as a commander at a prison camp, Serge Reggianni as a barber who helps hide Gerbier following his prison escape, Alain Libolt as a young man who is revealed to be a traitor to the Resistance, Jean-Marie Robain as a baron who aids the Resistance in giving them a temporary home base and such, Denis Sadler as a Gestapo doctor, and Andre Dewavrin in a brief appearance as himself in the role of a Resistance colonel. Christian Barbier and Claude Mann are superb in their respective roles as the Bison and the Mask as two members of the Resistance who take part in some of the killings and such with the former being the most loyal including towards Mathilde while the latter is a newer recruit who proves to be resourceful.

Paul Crauchet is fantastic as Felix Lepercq as an older member of the Resistance who is close with Gerbier as he would later be captured by the Nazis and endure some of the most physical brutality in their interrogation methods. Simone Signoret is amazing as Mathilde as a member of the Resistance who helps in organizing things including an attempted prison break for Lepercq as well as other things as she proves to be loyal despite her own faults as it relates to her life at home. Jean-Pierre Cassel is excellent as Jean-Francois Jardie as a former pilot who joins the Resistance while giving Gerbier access to his older brother only to find himself at odds with some of the ideals of the Resistance. Paul Meurisse is brilliant as Luc Jardie as a philosopher who joins the Resistance as he is someone that Gerbier admires while also being someone who has ideas with the Resistance that would alienate some. Finally, there’s Lino Ventura in a phenomenal performance as Philippe Gerbier as a leader of the Resistance who gets captured while trying to maintain his rule as well as keeping the Resistance a secret from the Nazis as well as having to make uneasy decisions knowing what is at stake as it is a restrained yet unsettling performance from Gerbier.

L’Armee des ombres is a magnificent film from Jean-Pierre Melville. Featuring a great ensemble cast, mesmerizing visuals, an eerie music soundtrack, and chilling suspense in its relation to life during World War II in German-occupied France. It is a film that definitely showcases a lot of the actions of the French Resistance as well as why they had to operate in the shadows as well as doing things that others might not want to do in war. In the end, L’Armee des ombres is an outstanding film from Jean-Pierre Melville.

Jean-Pierre Melville: 24 Hours in the Life of a Clown – Le silence de la mer - Les enfants terribles - (Quand tu liras cette letter) - Bob le flambeur - (Two Men in Manhattan) – (Leon Morin, Priest) – (Le Doulos) – Magnet of Doom - Le deuxime souffle - Le Samourai - Le cercle rouge - (Un flic)

© thevoid99 2022