Based on the film Yojimbo by Akira Kurosawa and co-writer Ryuzo Kikushima, Django is the story of a drifter and his mixed-race prostitute companion as they find themselves in the middle of a conflict between Confederate soldiers and Mexican revolutionaries. Directed by Sergio Corbucci and screenplay by Sergio and Bruno Corbucci, Franco Rossetti, Jose Gutierrez Maesso, and Piero Vivarelli with un-credited contributions from Fernando Di Leo and English contribution by Geoffrey Copleston from a story by Sergio and Bruno Corbucci. The film is a Spaghetti western that explores a man being put in the middle of a violent conflict leading to all sorts of chaos as it is the first film of a trilogy of films by Corbucci with Franco Nero in the titular role. Also stars Loredana Nusciak, Jose Bodalo, Angel Alvarez, and Eduardo Fajardo. Django is a violent yet gripping film by Sergio Corbucci.
Set years after the American Civil War, the film revolves around a drifter who is dragging a coffin where he is later accompanied by a mixed-races prostitute in a muddy town near the U.S.-Mexico border where a violent conflict between ex-Confederate Red Shirts and Mexican revolutionaries are brewing. It is a film that has this man trying to find a way to get both factions to kill each other while hoping to get something out of it and start a new life. The film’s screenplay has a straightforward narrative where its titular character is dragging a coffin where he sees a group of Mexican bandits harass and attempt to rape a Mexican American prostitute in Maria (Loredana Nusciak) until they are killed by Red Shirts who attempt to do the same as well as crucify her until Django kills them.
The script also has Django learning about the town they are in as it is a neutral town where both factions do not fight each other but the saloon owner Nathaniel (Angel Alvarez) still pays the Red Shirts protection money for himself and the five prostitutes that live in the saloon. The script also reveals that Django knows both leaders of the respective factions in Red Coats leader Major Jackson (Eduardo Fajardo) and the Mexican leader General Hugo Rodriguez (Jose Bodalo) as the latter was someone Django worked for while the former is someone Django has a grudge towards.
Sergio Corbucci’s direction is stylish in not just in its grimy and muddy presentation but also in its abrasive approach to violence. Shot on location at the Tor Caldara nature reserve in Lavinio, Italy with interiors shot at the Elios Studio in Rome as well as additional locations in Colmenar Viejo and La Pedriza near Madrid, Spain. Corbucci uses some of the Spanish locations for the desert areas while the muddy town where much of the action takes place has this desolate feel where there are little bits of green, yet it plays into a world that is neglected and used nothing more as a place where both factions can take advantage of the small group of people who live at the saloon. There are wide and medium shots that Corbucci would use to play into the scope of the locations while also finding ways to transition medium shots into these tight close-ups to play into the suspense and horror. Notably in the way Corbucci would present the violence as images of blood are prevalent throughout the film. One major sequence in the film that is shocking where Major Jackson and his soldiers are killing Mexican peasants where they would run, and they would shoot them from afar.
Corbucci’s direction also plays into some of the extreme elements in the violence in what Django uses to scare off the Red Shirts as well as a raid he takes part in with General Rodriguez. Still, Corbucci does reveal the extent of what Django wants to do while he also knows how to play gender politics seeing how Maria is often mistreated where he hopes to give her some freedom and a new life as it is something that he wants as well. The film’s third act does revolve around Django’s attempt to free himself from this conflict as well as wanting revenge towards Major Jackson. Corbucci would use some religious imagery as it plays into Major Jackson’s beliefs and what he wants to do with Django being the one person that needs to stop him. Overall, Corbucci crafts an exhilarating and intense film about a drifter who battles two warring factions in the West.
Cinematographer Enzo Barboni does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for the nighttime exterior/interior scenes as well as the usage of natural lighting for some of the daytime exteriors. Editors Nino Baragli and Sergio Montanari do incredible work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the action and suspense. Production/costume designer Carlo Simi, along with set decorator Francisco Canet, does amazing work with the look of the town that Django and Maria go into as well as Nathaniel’s saloon while Simi’s design of the dresses the prostitutes wear are colorful to play into the film’s offbeat look.
Sound recordist Bernardino Fronzetti does terrific work with the sound in the way gunfire sounds up close and afar as well as other sparse sound effects to play into the action and suspense. The film’s music by Luis Bacalov is phenomenal for its usage of sweeping orchestral textures in the strings and brass instruments that play into the suspense and drama along with other pieces that are offbeat in its usage of string instruments with a title song sung by Rocky Roberts that adds to its sense of adventure.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast features some notable small roles from Yvonne Sanson, Flora Carosello, and Silvana Bacci as a trio of prostitutes who work and live at the saloon, Cris Huerta as Mexican officer at a fort where Major Jackson stays at, Jose Canalejas and Remo De Angelis as a couple of henchmen for General Rodriguez, Jose Terron as a scarred henchman of Major Jackson, and Gino Pernice as Major Jackson’s spy Brother Jonathan who often poses as a priest that carries a Bible. Angel Alvarez is superb as Nathaniel as a saloon owner who is caught in the middle of the conflict as he sees Django as someone who can save the town as well as realize he is a good man that wants to help. Jose Bodalo is excellent as General Hugo Rodriguez as a Mexican revolutionary who is hoping to return to Mexico to counter anti-revolutionaries while is trying to goad Django into joining him. Eduardo Fajardo is brilliant as Major Jackson as a former Confederate officer who leads a faction of former Confederate soldiers in Red Shirts who hates Mexicans as he also tries to wreak havoc on those he sees as inferior.
Loredana Nusciak is amazing as Maria as mixed-race Mexican American prostitute who is saved by Django as she tries to sway him from getting into more dangerous adventures while also dealing with the abuse she gets from General Rodriguez. Finally, there’s Franco Nero in a tremendous performance as the titular character who is this drifter that drags a coffin wherever he goes where he hopes to get some revenge while also hoping to get something that will give him stability as it is an understated performance from Franco with Tony Russel doing the English dub in his voice performance which is typical of Spaghetti Westerns.
Django is a spectacular film from Sergio Corbucci that features a great leading performance from Franco Nero as the titular character. Along with its story of vengeance and justice, grimy setting, gorgeous visuals, an exhilarating ensemble cast, and Luis Enriquez Bacalov’s rich music score. The film is a western that is not afraid to into violent extremes as well as being a study of a man trying to get two warring factions to kill each other. In the end, Django is a tremendous film by Sergio Corbucci.
Written and directed by Justine Triet, In Bed with Victoria is the story of a thirty-something lawyer who attends a wedding where she meets an old friend and an old client as she finds herself in a relationship with the latter while dealing with the chaos in her personal and professional life. The film is an unconventional drama that plays into a woman dealing with her failures in life as she is trying to raise two kids as well as deal with her tumultuous life involving her ex-husband, a friend, and a former client who wants to help her. Starring Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste, Melvil Poupaud, Laurent Poitrenaux, Alice Daquet, Sophie Fillieres, and Laure Calamy. In Bed with Victoria is a mesmerizing and riveting film by Justine Triet.
The film revolves around a thirty-something lawyer who witnesses a violent incident at a wedding reception where she meets an old friend who is accused of the incident while also meeting a former client who would later become her assistant. It is a film that explore a woman and her tumultuous life where she is a single mother with two young daughters, an ex-husband who has become a blogger that has authored a story based on their marriage and being a lawyer with so much chaos in her life. Justine Triet’s screenplay, with additional contributions from Thomas Levy-Lasne, is straightforward in its narrative yet it is more of a character study for the film’s titular character in Victoria Spick (Virginie Efira) as she attends a wedding where she meets her old friend Vincent (Melvil Poupaud) who is with his wife Eve (Alice Daquet) and their dog. A former client in Sam (Vincent Lacoste) was also at the wedding as he was a former drug addict/dealer who has been clean for years but is in near-debt as he is hoping to go into law where Victoria hires him as an assistant as well as to watch her two young children when she’s at work.
Triet’s script also plays into the many complications in Victoria’s life as her ex-husband David (Laurent Poitrenaux) has published a story on his blog based on their marriage claiming it is fictional, but it had a lot of personal things that Victoria does not want to share. Things get worse when Victoria bumps into the bride at the wedding in Suzanna (Sabrina Seyvecou) who confronts her about Vincent as the unfortunate meeting led to a six-month suspension from practicing law. It all plays into Victoria’s sense of cynicism as well as the need for answers as she would go to her psychiatrist (Pierre Maillet) and a tarot card reader (Elsa Wolliaston) for those things. Even in engaging in sexual one-night stands with weird men would prove to be unfulfilling as she is on the verge of an emotional breakdown with Sam watching and trying to help her.
Triet’s direction does have some style in the visuals while much of it is straightforward in its approach to drama. Shot on location in Paris and areas near the city, Triet uses medium shots and close-ups to play into the interaction between characters as well as some key scenes where the first 10 minutes of the film play into the chaos of Victoria’s life as she would attend this wedding as the reception is filled with some crazy moments including animals and other bits. All of this before the title credits appear where Triet prepares everyone for what is to be this whirlwind of a woman’s life as she is about to go into total chaos. Triet does use some wide shots to establish the locations but also the world of courtrooms as they would become a key proponent for the film’s third act. Triet also knows when to slow things down when Victoria is at home or meeting a few people while much of the dramatic intensity occurs during a scene where she visits a bloggers meeting led by David that proves to be too much for her to manage.
Triet also maintains some visual repetition in the scenes where Victoria meets her psychiatrist and tarot card reader in the film’s first and second acts as the period where she is unable to work for six months highlight the messiness of everything where she would faint and pass out. The third act does have elements of dark humor as it plays into Victoria’s cynical view on love and the law where she reluctantly helps Vincent in his case against his wife who had chosen to divorce him because of a past tryst a long time ago. Vincent’s trial is one filled with a lot of humor involving a dog and a chimpanzee while Victoria’s own court battle against her husband is more serious though it plays into the idea of fiction and what can be used. It all plays into a woman on the verge of a breakdown as these two different legal events force her to confront her cynicism as well as figuring out who is there for her in her life. Overall, Triet crafts a compelling and witty film about a woman’s tumultuous life as she is being pushed to the edge.
Cinematographer Simon Beaufils does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lighting for many of the interior/exterior scenes at night as well as aiming for a naturalistic look for many of the daytime exterior scenes. Editor Laurent Senechal does amazing work with the editing with its stylish approach to montages as well as allowing shots to linger for a bit longer to play into the drama and humor. Production designer Olivier Meidinger does excellent work with the look of Victoria’s apartment in its messy state as well as the look of the courtrooms that Victoria would attend. Costume designer Charlotte Vayasse does fantastic work with the costumes in some of the designer dresses that Victoria and the other women wears as well as the robes the attorney wears.
Makeup artists Charlotte Desnos, Michelle Van Brussel, and Hue Lan Van Duc do terrific work with some of the film’s minimal makeup work in the look of the women as well as the messy state at the wedding reception sequence. Visual effects supervisor Niranjan Siva does wonderful work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects that are set dressing for a few locations. Sound editor Olivier Touche does superb work with the sound in the way sparse sounds are presented in interior locations as well as the sound of a court room and at parties. Music supervisor Thibault Deboaisne does nice work with the film’s music soundtrack that features an array of music ranging from classical to pop music with contributions from Metronomy, Harry Nilsson, Chilly Gonzales, Mel Torme, and Sarah Lancman.
The casting by Cynthia Arra and Youna de Peretti is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from co-writer Thomas Levy-Lasne as the groom, Sabrina Seyvecou as the bride, Arthur Harari as a chimpanzee trainer, Claire Burger as a former lover of Vincent who accused him of rape, Julie Moulier as a judge in Vincent & Eve’s case, Liv Harari and Jeanne Arra-Bellanger as David and Victoria’s daughters, Elsa Wolliaston as the tarot card reader, Pierre Maillet as Victoria’s psychiatrist, and Sophie Fillieres as a friend of Victoria who helps her out early on while also dealing with the chaos that is happening around Victoria. Laure Calamy is fantastic as Victoria’s lawyer Christelle who defends her against David where she tries to help Victoria in the case. Alice Daquet is superb as Vincent’s wife Eve who claims that he stabbed her while later suing him for divorce with claims over what he has done in their marriage though Victoria feels sympathetic towards her despite defending Vincent.
Laurent Poitrenaux is excellent as Victoria’s ex-husband David as this blogger that authored a story based on their marriage that is filled with salacious details that Victoria does not want to reveal publicly as he tries to manipulate the courts about what is fiction and reality. Melvil Poupaud is brilliant as Vincent as an old friend of Victoria that she meets at a wedding where he is accused of stabbing his wife where he asks for her help only to later help him when Eve sues him for divorce following a brief reconciliation that becomes even more toxic. Vincent Lacoste is amazing as Sam as a former client of Victoria who attends the wedding as he asks for a job in being Victoria’s assistant while falling for her as he deals with her troubled lifestyle and emotional breakdown. Finally, there’s Virginie Efira in a tremendous performance as Victoria Spick as a thirty-something lawyer who is raising two young daughters where Efira brings in some humor to her role as a woman that is being pushed to the edge while also yearning for some companion and stability despite her cynicism as it is one of Efira’s finest performances.
In Bed with Victoria is a sensational film from Justine Triet that features a great leading performance from Virginie Efira. Along with its supporting cast, compelling character study of a woman with a chaotic lifestyle, wondrous visuals, and an exhilarating music soundtrack. It is an unconventional comedy-drama that plays into a woman navigating the messiness of her professional and personal life in her search for stability. In the end, In Bed with Victoria is a phenomenal film by Justine Triet.
Justine Triet Films: Age of Panic - (Sybil (2019 film)) – (Anatomy of a Fall)
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou, Kinds of Kindness is a trilogy of stories in which a man is trying to take control of his life after being under total control from everyone while a second story involves a policeman who learns his wife has returned but is completely different and a third story involving a woman trying to find someone with special abilities and make that person a spiritual leader. The film is a loosely connected trilogy of stories that involves multiple characters dealing with their situations as well as going on a search for anyone that can sympathize with them. Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer. Kinds of Kindness is an extraordinarily absurd and whimsical film by Yorgos Lanthimos.
The film revolves around a trio of stories that all play into the idea of humanity with people encountering the absurd but also in situations that would prove to be challenging. All of which would feature a character mysteriously known as R.M.F. (Yorgos Stefanakos) as he is the titular character in all three different stories in the film. The first story entitled The Death of R.M.F. is about a man whose life is always in control until he refuses to finish an assignment he is asked to do where his life would fall apart. The second story in R.M.F. is Flying is about a police officer who learns his wife had been found after being lost in sea during a marine biology assignment, yet he realizes that something is not right as he believes the person who looks exactly like his wife is not really his wife. The third and final story in R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich is about two people trying to find someone who they believe possesses special abilities as they hope this person will become their spiritual leader for a secret cult. The film’s screenplay by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou is straightforward in its narrative, yet each story all plays into characters who are all in some strange situations as well as be in a world that is all absurd.
Lanthimos’ direction is stylish for the different approaches in telling the three different stories though they are all shot on location in New Orleans, Louisiana. Notably as some of his ideas of visual absurdity are kept to a restraint as it plays into more humanistic stories as the absurdity is more driven by the different plots in the film. Lanthimos would emphasize towards wide and medium shots in exploring some of the locations as well as to play into the sense of disconnect from reality. Lanthimos also uses close-ups to play towards some of the dramatic moments as well as some absurd and comical moments that occur in the film. Each story does have a distinctive tone as The Death of R.M.F. has an air of restraint in how the character of Robert Fletcher (Jesse Plemons) lives his day as it is always structured and controlled until he tries to kill someone for his boss/lover Raymond (Willem Dafoe) where he failed as his life falls apart where Lanthimos would maintain a sense of chaos that is burgeoning. In R.M.F. is Flying, the character of the police officer Daniel (Jesse Plemons) is coping with the loss of his wife Liz (Emma Stone) believing that she is lost at sea until he hears that Liz and another marine biologist had been found in an island.
Lanthimos’ direction in that segment is also restrained though the absurdity comes later when Daniel becomes more unhinged about this woman who is living his house where he asks her some odd things. Each segment would feature some offbeat ending that does play into this act of kindness though the third and final segment in R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich is much darker in its absurdity as it plays into the idea of cults that follows the two characters in Emily (Emma Stone) and Andrew (Jesse Plemons) are a part of as they try to find someone who they hope could be their spiritual leader. The direction has Lanthimos presenting a world that is offbeat where Emily and Andrew are part of this cult, yet they venture into the real world to find this person, though the former is also dealing with personal turmoil involving her ex-husband Joseph (Joe Alwyn) who would make things worse for her. It all plays into this desire to belong though reality would eventually kick in with an aftermath that all plays into the titular character of these three stories. Overall, Lanthimos crafts an exhilarating yet riveting film about a trilogy of tales revolving around people who deal with troubling circumstances in their lives.
Cinematographer Robbie Ryan does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is straightforward for many of the daytime exterior scenes while also utilizing some black-and-white film stock for some offbeat inserts that add to the film’s surrealist tone. Editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of stylish cuts including some slow-motion shots and jump-cuts that add to the film’s humor. Production designer Anthony Gasparro, along with art directors Andrew Carnwath and Chris Cornwell plus set decorator Amy Beth Silver, does amazing work with look of the different homes the characters live in from the posh home that Raymond lives in as well as the motel room that Emily and Andrew stay at. Costume designer Jennifer Johnson does fantastic work with the costumes in the suits that Robert wears as well as the brown suit that Emily would wear and some of the stylish clothing that many characters wear.
Special effects makeup artist Adam Bailey and hair stylist Gabrielle Burns do terrific work in some of the film’s minimal makeup effects as well as some of the design of the hairstyles that some of the characters wear. Special effects supervisor Matt Kutcher and visual effects supervisor Sebastian Barker do nice work in some of the film’s minimal visual effects as it relates to some stunts involving cars and other offbeat visual inserts. Sound designer Johnnie Burn does superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects that are created as well as the usage of sparse and natural sounds for some key scenes in the film’s natural locations. The film’s music by Jersin Fendrix is incredible for its eerie music score that mainly consists of a few choral vocal arrangements and some discordant piano pieces that add to the drama and humor while music supervisors Anne Booty, Nick Payne, and Joe Rice cultivate a unique soundtrack that features music from the Eurythmics, Dio, and Cobrah.
The casting by Dixie Chassay is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Krystal Alayne Chambers as a cult member who is hoping to be cleansed, Merah Benoit as Emily and Joseph’s daughter whom Emily rarely sees, Yorgos Stefanakos as variations of a man known as R.M.F., and Hunter Schafer as a young woman named Anna who is observed by both Emily and Andrew to see if she has any powers. Joe Alwyn is terrific in a trio of small roles as a collector appraisal who shortchanges Robert over the sports memorabilia he possesses while he also plays car passenger that Daniel deals with, and as Emily’s ex-husband Joseph who has issues with Emily’s life in the cult as well as how to deal with their daughter. Hong Chau is fantastic in a trio of roles as Robert’s wife, the wife of Liz’s colleague, and as the wife of a cult leader in Aka where Chau brings a lot of low-key restraint and humor to the characters that she plays.
Mamoudou Athie is excellent in a trio of roles as Sarah’s swim coach, Daniel’s police officer partner Neil, and as a morgue nurse where he is quite prominent as Neil who is concerned over Daniel’s behavior considering Liz’s return. Margaret Qualley is brilliant in a quartet of roles as Raymond’s in-house lover Vivian, Neil’s wife Martha, and as identical twins in Ruth and Rebecca where Qualley brings a lot of different complexities to the characters with Rebecca being the weirdest as someone who goes to Emily and Andrew over her sister believing she’s the person they’re looking for. Willem Dafoe is amazing in a trio of role as Robert’s boss/lover Raymond, Liz’s father George, and a cult leader in Omi where Dafoe brings a lot of versatility to his roles as this stern yet caring figure for Robert as well as an offbeat man in Omi who is a true believer of this idea that they’re following believing that purified water from humans will give them long lives.
Finally, there’s Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in tremendous performances in the trios of roles they play. In the roles of Raymond’s temporary lover Rita, Daniel’s long-lost wife Liz, and the cult follower Emily, Stone provides a lot of different looks and nuances to the characters she plays with Liz being this woman who is trying to understand her husband’s odd behavior while being livelier and more humorous as Emily in her mission to find this spiritual being as well as trying to see her daughter. Plemons’ performances as Robert and Daniel are full of these complexities with former being a man whose life is structured in every way until he breaks from that structure while the latter is someone who becomes suspicious over his wife over the little things about her that he does not recognize. In the role of Emily’s partner Andrew, Plemons is more restrained as someone who helps her while also being in love with Omi as he is envious towards Emily over her connection with him.
Kinds of Kindness is a phenomenal film from Yorgos Lanthimos that features top-notch leading performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Along with its ensemble cast, wondrous visuals, an eerie music score, and riveting stories of humanity in troubling situations. It is a film that plays into a trio of offbeat stories that has a bit of surrealism as it involves people who are in situations that are beyond their control and to try and find some form of kindness. In the end, Kinds of Kindness is a sensational film by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Yorgos Lanthimos Films: (My Best Friend (2001 film)) – (Kinetta) – Dogtooth - (Alps) – The Lobster - (The Killing of a Sacred Deer) – The Favourite - Poor Things - (Bugonia)
Based on the short story by Roald Dahl, Poison is the story of a man who learns that a snake has slithered onto his stomach as a fellow traveler and a doctor try to save him. Written for the screen and directed by Wes Anderson, the short film is the fourth and final short film in a series of adaptations of stories by Roald Dahl where it explores a man dealing with a life-and-death situation where two men try to save him. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel, Eliel Ford, Benoit Herlin, and Ralph Fiennes. Poison is a chilling and mesmerizing short film by Wes Anderson.
The 17-minute short film revolves around a British man who is lying still as a friend of his learned there is a snake sleeping on the man’s stomach as he asks for a doctor to help observe the situation. It is a film that plays into a life-and-death scenario as Wes Anderson maintains a straightforward narrative into the script with Timber Woods (Dev Patel) being the narrator of sorts as he watches over his British friend Harry Pope (Benedict Cumberbatch) lying still on his bed as a snake has fallen asleep on his stomach. Woods calls Dr. Ganderbai (Ben Kingsley) about the situation as he arrives where he observes everything as he knows that Pope is in deep shit. It plays into this sense of tension along with some revelations about what is going on with Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes) popping in for a couple of scenes as he also talks about the snake that is on Pope’s stomach.
Anderson’s direction aims for a straightforward style while shooting much of the action is shot in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio with the two Dahl scenes shot in a 1:33:1 aspect ratio. Shot at Maidstone Studios in Kent, England, Anderson does bring in some unique compositions where the widescreen aspect ratio allows him to provide a bigger canvas to play into the suspense. Notably when Anderson uses wide and medium shots to get a scope into the situation including shots from above that plays into the scale of the room and what is at stake. There are also some close-ups as it plays into Pope as he is sweating as well as Dr. Ganderbai where it adds to the dramatic suspense. Even though Dr. Ganderbai would use some methods he knows that would prove to be risky, it adds to what is at stake. Overall, Anderson crafts a riveting yet whimsical film about a life-and-death situation involving a snake.
Cinematographer Robert Yeoman does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for many of the interior/exterior sets as well as the emphasis on heightened colors for the scenes involving Dahl. Editors Barney Pilling and Andrew Weisblum do excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, along with set decorators Cathy Featherstone and Anna Pinnock plus art directors Claire Peerless and Kevin Timon Hill, does brilliant work with the look of the home that Pope and Woods lived in as well as the artificial background sets and the home of Dr. Ganderbai. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone does fantastic work with the clothes of Dr. Ganderbai as well as the pajamas that Pope is wearing.
Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon does nice work with the look of the characters with their facial hair. Special effects supervisors Chris Reynolds and Nick Roberts do terrific work with the film’s minimal visual effects as it consists of moving sets and a brief shot of a snake that is in a jar that Dahl has with him. Sound mixer Valentino Gianni does superb work with the sound in the way sparse noises sound from outside as well as the emphasis on silence. Music supervisor Randall Poster does a wonderful job with the film’s minimal music soundtrack as it features a song by Jarvis Cocker in the film’s final credit in the feature-length version of the film.
The film’s remarkable ensemble cast includes two notable small roles from Benoit Herlin and Eliel Ford as a couple of stagehands with Ralph Fiennes in a superb appearance as Roald Dahl who comments on a couple of moments in the story. Dev Patel is incredible as Timber Woods as a friend of Pope who is narrating everything that is happening while also observing into a dangerous situation that could be fatal to Pope. Ben Kingsley is great as Dr. Ganderbai as a doctor who knows how to deal with snakes while he observes the severity of the situation knowing that one mistake is costly. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a tremendous performance as Harry Pope as a man lying in bed as he believes a snake is sleeping on his stomach as he is restrained but also terrified in this life-and-death situation.
Poison is a phenomenal short film by Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and a gripping story about a life-and-death situation. It is among one of Anderson’s finest short films as well as a great adaptation of a short story by Roald Dahl. In the end, Poison is a sensational film from Wes Anderson.
Summer has officially begun and… IT’S HOT AS FUCK!!!!! Honestly, this is ridiculous heat for June and thank goodness I had gotten some money to repair a tube in the air conditioning two months ago. Seriously, this is not a good time to go outside these days and why would anyone want to go in 90-to-100-degree weather with horrible humidity. The fact that more than 1,300 pilgrims died at Mecca during Haji season is terrible while something happened to a friend of my mother where her grandchild’s car seat nearly went on fire because of the heat and thank goodness she got the kid out in time. My niece and nephew usually would want to go outside but this heat has forced them to stay in the house. Watch Disney+ or YouTube while I was fortunate to download a few games for Mateo to play including some learning games.
I’m just glad that I can stay home while my mother and I can pick up my niece and nephew during noon at a therapy center for them since they’re autistic as we would go to Chik-Fil-A once a week as the kids really like the food there and Mateo likes to play in the indoor playground at the place. I am aware of some of the horrible social/business affiliations the franchise has but I am more concerned with my niece and nephew eating good food and having a good time. Right now, I am just indifferent when it comes to politics and social matters. Plus, I am so over these fucking climate protesters who are just a nuisance in disrupting events and wreaking havoc at museums and certain world landmarks. What did Stonehenge ever do to them? Honestly, these protesters should be knocked on their asses by dancing dwarves with Spinal Tap playing in the background.
It has been five years since the passing of my father as I do think about him every now and then as I have learned some things about why this troubled relationship between my father and his sisters has been as if they have done some horrible things to him. One of my uncles who is married to one of those bitches fucked over my dad over money as there used to be this tradition where my parents, my sisters, and I would drive to Newnan every Christmas Eve to spend the holidays with them as it was a fucking bore. I hated going there and then in 2000, I told them “I’m not going” as I chose to stay home. The last time they went to that awful house was during the Christmas holidays in 2008 when my dad found out that my uncle had spent the money that was owed to my dad on these new trucks he bought. It pissed him off and my aunts were saying awful things about my youngest sister Cynthia who was at the party as my mother got mad as they left the party as they came home much earlier than I expected to as they were pissed. A month later, Cynthia died as my aunts were in my house for much of that month and it was terrible.
I tend to think that my sister’s passing, a lot of the toxic attitudes of my relatives from my father’s side, and all sorts of personal issues are what led to my own depression in 2010. My mother had told me about what they did as we have not seen them in five years and want nothing to do with them. I can forgive my father for his faults and issues as there were moments that were difficult. However, I cannot forgive my father’s siblings for not just lying to him and saying awful things about my mother, myself, and my siblings. They also stole from us and took advantage of us as they were envious of us because we had what we needed. Sure, they had bigger houses and all this lame shit with some horrible people around them, but they lack character, taste, and love.
In the month of June 2024, I saw a total of 23 films in 12 first timers and 11 re-watches with one first-timer being a film directed by a woman as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. Not a bad month although I didn’t have much time to watch a lot of things due to the presence of my niece and nephew though I did get a major highlight this month in my Blind Spot film in The Informer. Here are the top ten first timers that I saw for June 2024:
INXS is truly one of the great acts from Australia as their approach to post-punk, funk, pop, and rock n’ roll has made them one of the most enduring acts of the 1980s and 1990s. This documentary about its late singer Michael Hutchence is a fascinating film that explores a man who was truly one of the greatest frontmen ever in rock n’ roll as he had the look, charisma, voice, and a quality that few singers have had ever since. The documentary is told through archival footage as well as audio interviews from those who knew him including his bandmates in INXS, managers, Bono, other musicians, and a few of his former girlfriends including Kylie Minogue and Helena Christensen. It does have a few flaws as it doesn’t do enough to explore some of his solo work while he was still in INXS, but it does tell a lot about his own insecurities and faults as it would escalate in August of 1992 when he got into a fight with an angry cab driver in Copenhagen where Hutchence fell on a street curb. The injury would not just cost him his sense of smell but also some changes as the film also had some revelations about his chaotic relationship with Paula Yates and everything that led to his suicide in November of 1997. It is a film worth seeing not just to know more about Hutchence but also essential for fans of INXS.
D.I.Y. Duck
This 3-minute short film from Disney Animation Studios that celebrates Donald Duck’s 90th birthday is a hilarious hand-drawn animated short in which Donald is hoping to read a book only for the lamp to not work. He tries to install a new lightbulb, but it does not work where he would constantly travel to a hardware store to get a bunch of things as everything goes wrong. It is truly what to expect in a Donald Duck short, but it is so fun to watch.
Wham!
This documentary from Netflix about one of the big four acts of the Second British Invasion of the 1980s that included Duran Duran, Culture Club, and Spandau Ballet is about the rise of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in how they formed this duo that would rule pop music in the 1980s. Directed by Chris Smith and a film that also utilizes archival footage and interviews including some rare and unseen footage left in the vaults. The film shows the formation of this group from two schoolboys who had a love for music with Michael being someone who would get better at it as he would have a grand vision for how he wanted the music to be. Ridgeley’s role proves to be crucial as he was the one that encouraged Michael as part of the reason into why they split up is because Michael wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. Yet, Michael often gave Ridgeley a lot of credit for helping him in gaining the confidence to be a solo artist as this is a phenomenal film to see for not just fans of Wham! It is also a look into the art of pop music and how it took two young British kids to make it big.
City Hunter
Anyone who has followed the career of Jackie Chan will know that this film is not one of his favorites as it does not have much of a plot and it has some dumb and dated jokes that will not fly today. However, it is so fun to watch as it revolves around a detective and his often-neglected assistant, who is his late partner’s daughter, stowing away on a cruise ship where it had been taken over by terrorists. Adding to Chan’s conundrum is that he is hungry for food and is surrounded by beautiful women while trying to protect a business magnate’s daughter. Along the way, lots of shenanigans ensue including some fight scenes where Chan gets some help from Bruce Lee and one of the most hilarious fight sequences ever involving the video game Street Fighter in which Chan plays multiple characters from that game including Chun-Li where he looks beautiful in drag. Just watch the clip below:
Lady Chatterley’s Lover
This film is a true gem and certainly better than I thought it would be as it had a looseness that I did not expect to see and feel. Notably as Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre created something that is different from previous adaptations of D.H. Lawrence’s novel as it is also vastly superior to the famed 1981 film adaptation by Just Jaeckin starring the late, great Sylvia Kristel in the titular role that leaned a bit more towards softcore porn. This version does maintain its approach to explicit nudity but there is a more primal approach to the sex scenes as well as a sense of innocence thanks in part to Emma Corrin’s tremendous performance as Lady Chatterley with Jack O’Connell providing an incredible performance as her lover in the groundskeeper Oliver Mellors. It is a film filled with rich visuals with its usage of hand-held cameras and a majestic score by Isabella Summers. It also has a great supporting cast, including Joely Richardson as Sir Chatterley’s caretaker Mrs. Bolton as it is a bold choice since she played Lady Chatterley in the 1993 TV miniseries.
Who Killed WCW?
From VICE is a new documentary series made by the people of Dark Side of the Ring and co-produced by Dwayne “The Crock” Johnson is about the rise and fall of World Championship Wrestling as it is a four-part documentary series that features interviews with the Crock but also Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, Diamond Dallas Page, Konnan, Booker T, Brad Siegel, Ted Turner’s son Teddy Jr., Madusa, and others as it talks about how WCW had risen from the ashes of Jim Crockett Promotions for the NWA when it got bought by Ted Turner in 1988 as a regional promotion into a big-time national promotion that was seen by many. The series unfortunately has some holes as it plays into a lot of things that did hurt WCW while they also went into conspiracy theory mode into how it got sold to WWE with several blaming head of Turner Programming in Jamie Kellner who had just died days before the final episode of this series aired.
However, one of the people who is interviewed was someone who wrote a book about WCW as that book revealed that the reason Kellner cancelled WCW programming was because Bischoff and Fusient Media had a clause in their contract over the ownership of the timeslots of TNT and TBS in case WCW programming got cancelled. It is a fine series, but it does not really go into a lot about what killed WCW where it was made to make WWE look great since the Crock is a member of the board of WWE’s new owners in TKO.
The Acolyte (season 1, episodes 1-5)
While I will admit that the show is not perfect and does not reach the heights of other series such as The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka. I do feel like some of the criticism the show has received has been unfair and it mostly comes from a bunch of whiny fanboys with sand in their vaginas. So far with episodes left in the season, it is a show with a lot of intrigue as it plays into the mystery into the deaths of three Jedi masters in the hands of a young woman trying to prove herself to her mysterious master. Starring Amandla Stenberg in a dual role as long-lost twin sisters Osha and Mae with the former being a former Jedi Padawan who has given up the life to be a mechanic-for-hire while the latter is a young woman seeking revenge on the Jedi masters whom she believed killed her family. Stenberg is impressive as is Lee Jung-Jae as Osha’s former master Sol who is among those that is targeted as it has some great appearances from Carrie Anne-Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Dafne Keen as Sol’s new Padawan Jecki. The most recent episode is the most intense as it includes some serious lightsaber battles and deaths that rock the series as well as the reveal of Mae’s master.
Well, that is all for June. Coming in July where I hope to watch a couple of theatrical releases in Kinds of Kindness and The Bikeriders while I also hope to watch films by Justine Triet and Michael Mann as the latter of which is for the Auteurs series as I have not gotten started on it. My next Blind Spot film will be Sergio Corbucci’s Django as well as whatever is available on streaming services that I have access to. Before I bid adieu, I want to express my condolences on those who have passed away this month as it includes such giant figures as Willie Mays, Anouk Aimee, Donald Sutherland, Jerry West, and Francoise Hardy along with other notable figures in Martin Mull, music producer Peter Collins, Orlando Cepeda, Sika Anoa’i of the Wild Samoans, Bill Cobbs, Tamayo Perry, editor Bud S. Smith, American football player Darren Lewis, Taylor Wily, No Wave music legend James Chance, costume designer Anthea Sylbert, Buzz Cason, actress Evan Evans, pro wrestler James Castle, voice actress Nancy MacKenzie, Tony Lo Bianco, Yoshiko Kuga, songwriter Mark James, Eric Vu-An, Chet Walker, Kinky Friedman, Larry Allen, and Brother Marquis of 2 Live Crew. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…
Based on the short story by Roald Dahl, The Rat Catcher is the story of a reporter and a mechanic who follows an exterminator and learns about his methods in catching a rat. Written for the screen and directed by Wes Anderson, the short film is the third film in a series of adaptations of short stories by Dahl where it explores a man’s unconventional approach to catching rats. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Eliel Ford, Benoit Herlin, and Till Sennhenn. The Rat Catcher is an exhilarating and haunting film by Wes Anderson.
The 18-minute short film revolves around a rat catcher who is asked to catch some rats for a reporter and a mechanic in a small English town as they deal with his methods. It is a film told through a reporter (Richard Ayoade) who talks about meeting this rat catcher (Ralph Fiennes) who has these unconventional methods in catching rats where the reporter and a mechanic (Rupert Friend) watch as they are baffled by this man’s unconventional methods. The script is straightforward in its narrative while it plays into these two men who are fascinated and later troubled by the methods of this rat catcher. Notably as he reveals things in what he does to catch rats as well as his own thoughts that eventually become off-putting to the two men.
Anderson’s direction is straightforward in its presentation as it is shot on location at Maidstone Studios in Kent, England where Anderson maintains a meticulous approach to detail in the overall setting. Shot in a 1:33:1 aspect ratio, Anderson would use some wide shots to get a scope in a few shots in the location including a haybale where the rat catcher would try to trap rats. Still, much of the direction has Anderson utilizing close-ups and medium shots including a brief stop-motion animated sequence involving a rat that would lead to a sequence in which the rat catcher and the mechanic pretending to be a rat have a showdown. Anderson still brings in some offbeat humor including a brief appearance of Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes) who comments on the methods of the rat catcher as well as some troubling revelations as it relates to rats. Overall, Anderson crafts a whimsical yet chilling film about a rat catcher and his unconventional methods of catching rats.
Cinematographer Robert Yeoman does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on yellowish colors to heighten some of the exteriors while using some low-key lighting for the fight scene between the rat catcher and the rat. Editor Barney Pilling and Andrew Weisblum do excellent work with the editing as there are some jump-cuts in a few scenes including the fight while much of it is straightforward to play into its humor and drama. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, along with art director Claire Peerless plus set decorators Cathy Featherstone and Anna Pinnock, does amazing work with the sets including the buildings that both the reporter and mechanic work at as well as some backdrops and the design of the hay bale. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone does fantastic work with the costumes as it is straightforward in the suit that the reporter wears as well as the jumpsuit the mechanic wears.
Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon does incredible work with the look of the rat catcher with his contact lenses, long fingernails, and long hair as he looks like a rat. Special effects supervisor Chris Reynolds does nice work with the film’s minimal visual effects that plays into the film’s lone stop-motion animated sequence involving the rat. Sound mixer Valentino Gianni does superb work with the sound in capturing the natural elements on set as well as the way a rat would sound from afar or up-close.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast features some notable small roles from Eliel Ford, Benoit Herlin, and Till Sennhenn as stagehands who appear to bring in props or costumes. Rupert Friend is excellent as the mechanic who is fascinated by the rat catcher’s methods though is later troubled by them as well as playing the rat for the fight scene. Richard Ayoade is brilliant as the reporter who is also the film’s narrator as he observes everything the rat catcher does while also becoming uncomfortable with the rat catcher’s methods. Finally, there’s Ralph Fiennes in an incredible performance in a dual role as the titular character and Roald Dahl where he brings a northern accent in the former along with some exaggerated facial expressions where it is comical and eerie at times while he is more subdued in the latter.
The Rat Catcher is a phenomenal film by Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and a story of two men observing the actions of a rat catcher. It is an offbeat yet engaging short film that explores a man’s method of catching rats as well as some troubling revelations about what he does. In the end, The Rat Catcher is a sensational film from Wes Anderson.
Based on the novel by Liam O’Flaherty, The Informer is the story of a former IRA soldier who decides to inform to the British about IRA activities in the hopes he can escape to America with his girlfriend where he would later deal with guilt of his actions. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by Dudley Nichols, the film is an exploration of man’s role in the Irish War of Independence conflict where he gets a chance to leave Ireland but must contend with what he must where he would alienate himself from those he cared about. Starring Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel, Preston Foster, Margot Grahame, Wallace Ford, and Una O’Connor. The Informer is a gripping and somber film by John Ford.
Set in the span of 12 hours in 1922 during the Irish War of Independence, the film follows a disgraced IRA officer who decides to inform on his best friend to the British in the hopes he can use the reward to take himself and his girlfriend to America only for the IRA to become suspicious over what had happened. It is a film that explores a man’s decision to inform his friend to the British so he can take his girlfriend to America where he would spend the reward money getting drunk and lavish his spendings on the people who are unaware of how he got the money. Dudley Nichols’ screenplay is straightforward in its narrative as it follows Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen) who had just been ousted by the IRA for refusing to kill a British soldier as his girlfriend Katie (Margot Grahame) is hoping to go to America but a ticket for both costs 20 pounds.
Seeing a bounty for his friend Frankie McPhillip (Wallace Ford) for 20 pounds, Nolan rats out to the British army where they succeed in finding him as Nolan gets his reward where he would spend the rest of the night spending his money on getting drunk and entertaining the locals while IRA leader Dan Gallagher (Preston Foster) wants to know what happened to McPhillip where he asks Nolan only to later suspect Nolan. Even as the night becomes more chaotic when Gallagher realizes something is up, he is also personally involved since he is in a relationship with McPhillip’s sister (Heather Angel).
John Ford’s direction is atmospheric for the overall setting of the film as it is shot at the RKO Studios lot in Hollywood which plays as this small Irish town at night filled with fog and light. While there are some wide shots to establish the locations, much of Ford’s direction emphasizes on medium shots and close-ups with the latter playing into some of the emotional reactions that Nolan is dealing with. Even as he would get drunk throughout where the medium and wide shots have Ford highlight the space of a room or a pub where Nolan is the center of attention. Ford also maintains this air of intrigue as it relates to what Nolan has done and how it would affect the IRA, with Gallagher being a commandant who runs a local faction of the IRA as he is also a friend of McPhillip. Even as there are scenes of IRA members carrying pistols but also having to hide from the British soldiers who would often march in the streets as it adds to the sense of danger that is happening in Ireland at that time.
Ford also plays into this exploration of guilt in Nolan where he would hide his shame through drink and partying where he would even crash into a high-society party where he buys drinks a British woman for Kate. It is one of the few moments of humor that occurs in the film that involves Nolan and a friend of his in Terry (J.M. Kerrigan) though the film would remain serious and intense during its third act when a kangaroo court occurs where Nolan tries to accuse someone of being the informer. Ford would maintain this sense of dread while its climax is about Gallagher realizing the truth and what is at stake with Nolan’s act of selfishness would also come into play once Katie finds out what he did. Overall, Ford crafts a thrilling and compelling film about a man who informed on his friend during the Irish War of Independence.
Cinematographer Joseph H. August does incredible work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its usage of fog and shadow to help maintain a chilling atmosphere for the exteriors while using low-key lights for some interior scenes at the homes for a few characters. Editor George Hively does excellent work with the editing as it features some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense while most of it is straightforward. Art director Van Nest Polglase and set decorator Julia Heron do brilliant work with the look of the interior of the pubs as well as the secret places where IRA hold their meetings and the exterior of some of the buildings that Nolan goes into. Costume designer Walter Plunkett does terrific work with the costumes with some of the posh clothing the women wear along with more rugged look of the men including lots of trench coats the IRA wears.
Makeup artist Robert J. Schiffer does nice work with the makeup in the look of the women at the posh party scene. The special effects work of Harry Redmond Sr. and Harry Redmond Jr. is fantastic for some of the scenes involving gunplay as it plays into the chaos and conflict between the IRA and the British. The sound work of Hugh McDowell Jr. and Robert Wise is superb for the sound in the way a fight would sound in and out of a pub as well as the chaos that goes on in the pub and in the streets. The film’s music by Max Steiner is wonderful for its sweeping orchestral score that features elements of Irish woodwinds and melodies that play into the land of Ireland along with layers of drum cadences and soaring strings as well as a soundtrack that is filled with traditional Irish folk songs as the music is a highlight of the film.
The film’s remarkable cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Dennis O’Dea as the street singer, Grizelda Harvey as the English lady living in a posh house who looks like Katie, May Boley as the owner of the posh house in Madame Betty, D’Arcy Corrigan as a blind man who was given a one-pound note from Nolan, Francis Ford as a judge in the kangaroo court, Joseph Sauers and Neil Fitzgerald as a couple of IRA officers respectively in Bartly Mulholland and Tommy Connor with the former being suspicious of Nolan, and Donald Meek as the local tailor Peter Mulligan whom Nolan accuses of being the informer. Una O’Connor is fantastic in her small role as McPhillips’ mother who is shocked over what has happened while J.M. Kerrigan is superb as Terry as a friend of Nolan who helps him spend the money and party where he unfortunately enables his actions. Wallace Ford is excellent as Frankie McPhillip as an IRA officer who was Nolan’s best friend as well as a target for the British for killing a British soldier where he hopes to see his mother and sister while still doing things for the IRA.
Margot Grahame is brilliant as Katie Madden as Nolan’s girlfriend who hopes to go to America as she becomes surprised by the idea becoming a reality until she learns about what Nolan did to get the money. Preston Foster is amazing as Dan Gallagher as an IRA commander who runs his own local faction where he becomes suspicious on what happened to McPhillip as he is also in love with McPhillip’s sister where he becomes suspicious towards Nolan as he knows that Nolan has become a liability to the IRA. Heather Angel is incredible as McPhillip’s sister Mary who is troubled by what had happened as well as becoming tired of the violence as she hopes Gallagher would smooth things out only to realize that Nolan is the one that has been making a mess. Finally, there’s Victor McLaglen in a phenomenal performance as Gypo Nolan as a former IRA officer who had been ousted for letting go a British soldier as he decides to rat out McPhillip to the British for money where he tries to not feel guilty by imagining him and Katie going to America as well as drinking a lot and accusing someone else as it is this chilling performance that requires a lot of physicality as it is one of McLaglen’s finest performances.
The Informer is an incredible film from John Ford that features a tremendous leading performance from Victor McLaglen. Along with its ensemble cast, intoxicating visuals, Max Steiner’s riveting music score, and a compelling story of guilt and greed during the Irish War of Independence. It is a suspense drama that explores a man’s willingness to get something good going in his life only to do something awful as it would cost him everything as well as the plight of the people who know him. In the end, The Informer is a phenomenal film from John Ford.
