Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Films That I Saw: November 2022

 

It’s the holiday season approach as it’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year but there is a valid reason to not be happy considering that there’s been a lot of shootings all over America as some didn’t even get the chance to have Thanksgiving while a 12-year old kid was killed at Atlantic Station in Atlanta in a shooting that left many people wounded. A fucking 12 year old is dead and for what? What is the point of all of these shootings? A lot of this could be avoided with laws for gun control but unfortunately here in America. We live in a democracy in which stupid people vote for stupid people that allow this kind of shit to happen which is exactly why democracy is bullshit. Here’s someone that will agree with me:



Aside from all of the chaos that has been going on here in Georgia and other parts of the country where it is clear that no one can get their shit together when it comes to common sense. The world is also going through chaos as China is dealing with protests over COVID while there’s protests in Iran and other parts of the world as it is clear how chaotic the 21st Century is so far. Yet, I’ve been focused more on just being home and getting my niece and nephew ready for the Christmas holidays as they’re just excited as I’ve been able to get them a few presents. I’ve been also keeping track on what’s going on in the World Cup despite my own issues with FIFA and the fact that it’s set in a small country in the Middle East that is a pure example of the corruption within FIFA. Even with the stories over slave labor that has been going on for years and their ban towards LGBTQ things and on alcohol.

Still, there is that part of me that wants to watch because of the game as I love watching futbol as it’s something I grew up on because of my dad as I feel like I have to watch some aspects of the game just for him. So far, it’s been exciting with some upsets so far but also some realizations into why this year’s World Cup hasn’t gotten a lot of excitement despite the ratings for the U.S.-England game a few days ago. Notably for the fact that it’s set in a country in the Middle East where it’s host lost three games in the group stage as it raises questions into why Qatar was even the host in the first place? Thankfully, there will be the World Cup coming to the U.S. in 2026 with Atlanta being one of cities to host a few games as it is something that my mother and I are hoping to go to.
In the month of November 2022, I saw a total of 24 films in 14 first-timers and 10 re-watches as it is down from last month largely due to the fact that I’m out with my mother for Christmas shopping and such as well as having to get a new furnace. One of the major highlights of the month has been my Blind Spot film in The Merchant of Four Seasons. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for November 2022:

1. Bones and All
2. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
3. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
4. A Married Woman
5. Code Unknown
6. Cul-de-Sac
7. 24 Hours in the Life of a Clown
8. Director by Night
9. Zen-Grogu and Dust Bunnies
10. Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium
Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I Saw

Assembled: The Making of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
The next entry in the MCU documentary series about not just the series but also in how it relates to the comics as well as internet culture. Yet, it is more about wanting to create a show that is different from other shows in the MCU as it borrowed elements from other shows but also explore the single life of women in their thirties. Featuring interviews with much of the show’s cast and crew members, it does play into this mixture of law-based shows with elements of comedy which was something the show’s star Tatiana Malsany wanted to do as it gave the show’s writers and directors more freedom to be out there and comical.

Starfuckers
A short that premiered on MUBI by Antonio Marziale has him play a former lover of a filmmaker who has hired a male escort to be this date for the filmmaker who is unaware of its intentions. It is a short filled with some dark humor and entrancing visuals with a climax that is total fucking camp. It is among the reasons why MUBI is a great service as it does a lot to showcase short films and often bring in gems that are worth seeking out as it also does a lot to bring voices for everyone including the LGBTQ community.

Zen-Grogu and Dust Bunnies
A short film made to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Disney+ comes in the form of a collaboration between Lucasfilms and Studio Ghibli with the latter bringing in Katsuya Kondo to direct this incredible animated short. It revolves around Grogu encountering dust bunnies as it is told in this rich hand-drawn animated style that Studio Ghibli is known for as it is something that subscribers of Disney+ would definitely enjoy.

Director by Night
Though it’s not really part of the Assembled documentary series, the documentary is still part of it in spirit in not just the behind-the-scenes work into the making of Werewolf by Night but it also showcases Michael Giacchino’s passion for filmmaking since he was a teenager as there’s clips of his many short films that he did as well as what he would do for this project for Marvel. Directed by his brother Anthony, the documentary doesn’t show Giacchino’s enthusiasm for this project but also a look into his life with his parents as well as reuniting with old friends to showcase some of the locations they used for the shorts they created. It is definitely one of the best entry in the documentary series for not just being something of its own but also go into great depth into what Giacchino does for the TV special.

Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium
An exclusive on Disney+ is a live concert presented during the Thanksgiving holidays at Dodger Stadium where Sir Elton John played what might be his final concert in the U.S. and what better way to end it than in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. With guest appearances from Dua Lipa, Kiki Dee, and Brandi Carlisle, the concert was incredible as I watched it my mother as it was an incredible show as Elton and his band played the hits but also some deep cuts. It was a great show and if this is really the end for Elton in the U.S. and will do a finale in 2023/2024. At least he’s going out in style.

Andor (episodes 9-12)
If this show doesn’t get any kind of recognition for accolades in not just the technical front but for the acting, writing, and directing. Then these awards don’t mean shit. The last four episodes of this season so far has fucking delivered and then-some that includes a phenomenal guest appearance from Andy Serkis as the tenth episode where Andor, Serkis’ character Kino, and others go on a prison break as it is one of the most intense moments ever captured on television. Its follow-ups are just as gripping in its drama and suspense with a finale that didn’t just deliver visually but also leaves the audience wanting for more as I am eager for what they will do in the second season.

Acapulco (season 2, episodes 3-7)
It’s been a while but I’m glad this show is finally getting an audience here in the U.S. while I’m happy to learn that it’s doing really well in countries in Latin America as it’s a show that more people need to see. It’s something my mother and I are enjoying as the last four episodes into the second season far have been delightful. I really enjoy the arc that the young Maximo is going through as he’s going through his own moral conundrum while there’s been some serious things that are happening as his sister Sara leaves home after their mother discovered she’s a lesbian and couldn’t accept it. Don Pablo chooses to leave Las Colinas to attend his grandson’s Baptism while there is also a lot that is happening. I love the performances from the cast while I also enjoyed the development of the characters including Chad as Chord Overstreet definitely reveals a lot of depth to him as someone who does mean well despite the fact that he’s an idiot yet he really does care about Julia and Las Colinas. As much as Ted Lasso has been this massive hit for Apple TV+, this show deserves to be in that pantheon.

Tales from the Territories (2-8)
While it’s not as compelling nor, thankfully, as dark as Dark Side of the Ring, this series has a unique format of getting four or five people sitting in a table just talking about the old days as there’s been some hilarious stories. There are also some disgusting bits that it’s best to not be heard from again and other things as it is an incredible show for wrestling fans. So far, they’ve covered the AWA, Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Class Championship Wrestling from Texas, the wrestling scene in Portland, Stampede Wrestling in Canada, the Polynesian wrestling scene, and the feud between Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman in Memphis. There’s two more episodes to go with the next one on Jim Crockett Promotions in the Carolinas and the last one being about Mid-South. This show is just a joy to watch as it showcases what it was like before American pro wrestling with national through WWE.

Wrestling Match of the Month: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women’s Championship at AEW Full Gear



With one more month in the year to go, there are several who can be called the best wrestler of 2022: Sheamus, Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, Sami Zayn, and MJF. Yet, Jamie Hayter deserves to be in that conversation not just for her in-ring work but also her personality and how she’s managed to connect with the people through her work as she was able to get the chance to face longtime friend Toni Storm for the AEW World Women’s Championship at the Full Gear pay-per-view event. Though it was meant for the interim title, this past Wednesday made the announcement that due to Thunder Rosa’s injury and still being unable to compete until sometime next year. Toni Storm has been retroactively been named the undisputed champion as the match she and Hayter had was intense. It got a lot of crowd reaction as these two women really went at it despite the interference of Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. and Rebel in Hayter’s favor. Hayter would win the match and the championship as it was a big surprise but a surprise that paid off as Hayter is definitely a shining light in a division that is still dealing with issues in relation to booking and creative issues.

Top 10 Re-Watches

1. Police Story 2
2. Steamboat Willie
3. Riley’s First Date?
4. BURN-E
5. Jack-Jack Attack
6. Ye Olden Days
7. Thru the Mirror
8. Private Obsession
9. The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes
10. The Tigger Movie
Well, that is all for November 2022. The final month of the year will begin with an announcement for the 2023 Blind Spot Series as I’m set to watch my final Blind Spot choice for the year in Pedro Costa’s Letters from Fonthainas trilogy as well as whatever 2022 releases I can watch theatrically or at home. There’s also whatever films I have in my DVR that I will watch as my mother and I made the decision to just nuke the whole thing and be done with cable. Before I depart, I want to express my condolences to the friends and family of those who had passed away such as Irene Cara, Kevin Conroy, Clarence Gilyard, Albert Pyun, Charles Koppelman, Wilko Johnson, Jason David Frank, Nicki Aycox, Gallagher, Keith Levene, Leslie Phillips, and earlier today, Christine McVie. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…

© thevoid99 2022

Monday, November 28, 2022

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

 

Based on the Marvel Comics series by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a TV special in which the Guardians of the Galaxy take a break from saving the galaxy where Christmas is emerging where the gang decide to celebrate in the hopes of cheering up Peter Quill/Star-Lord. Written and directed for television by James Gunn, the special is a stop-gap of sorts in anticipation for the third film of the series as it is a tribute to Christmas specials but also a bunch of alien discover the concept and meaning of Christmas in all sorts of hilarity. Starring Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, with the voices of Maria Bakalova, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel, and special guest appearance from Kevin Bacon as himself. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a gut-busting, wild, and absolutely joyful TV special from James Gunn.

The special revolves around the Guardians of the Galaxy taking a breaking as they settled on the planet of Knowhere where it is Christmas time on Earth where the Guardians decide to celebrate Christmas to cheer up Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) with Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) going to Earth to get Quill the ultimate Christmas present. That is pretty much the premise as it play into a bunch of aliens learning about Christmas based on a story Kraglin Obfonteri (Sean Gunn) tells to the other Guardians about Quill as a teenage boy celebrating Christmas and angering Yondu Udonta (voice of Michael Rooker) who despises Christmas. James Gunn’s teleplay’s main narrative involve Drax and Mantis traveling to Earth to find Kevin Bacon in the hopes he could cheer them up while Mantis also has a secret of her own as it relates to Quill where she hopes this present would help cheer up Quill who still misses Gamora who remains missing following the final battle against Thanos. Yet, things eventually go insane and such while Drax and Mantis learn about Earth culture along the way and get drunk.

Gunn’s direction is stylish as it opens with an animated sequence about the young Quill and Kraglin celebrating Christmas and how it raised the ire of Yondu as it plays into Quill’s melancholia over the holiday as well as missing Gamora. Shot mainly at the Trilith Studios in Duluth, GA with additional locations in Los Angeles, California for the scenes on Earth. Gunn keeps a lot of the compositions straightforward as he makes Knowhere this place that has been rebuilt and a haven for all alien beings as well as a home for the Guardians where there’s a scene of Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper) talking with Cosmo the Dog (Fred with the voice of Maria Bakalova) putting something up in a medium-wide shot as the opening credits sequence have aliens playing a song where it is a comical moment on their view on Christmas and Quill’s reaction to it. There are some unique wide shots such as Drax and Mantis chasing Kevin Bacon in their attempt to take him to Knowhere while there are also some funny close-ups that Gunn creates to play into reactions. Even the moment where Mantis and Drax learn who Kevin Bacon really is as their reaction is just hilarious. Still, Gunn maintains that sense of heart while the animated sequences has an element of 70s/80s-inspired hand-drawn animation as it play into this sense of homage to Christmas specials of the past. Overall, Gunn crafts an exhilarating and heartfelt film about aliens trying to cheer up their half-human friend by giving him the ultimate Christmas present.

Cinematographer Henry Braham does brilliant work with the cinematography from the sunny look of the daytime exteriors in Los Angeles along with stylish holiday lighting for some of the scenes at night including scenes at Kevin Bacon’s home. Editors Greg D’Auria and Gregg Featherman do excellent work with the editing as it has some stylish moments including a montage in which Mantis has Drax take pictures at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre along with some rhythmic cuts to play into the humor. Production designer Beth Mickle, with set decorator Rosemary Brandenburg and supervising art director David Scott, does amazing work with the exteriors of decorations outside Kevin Bacon’s home as well as the decorations for the main area of Knowhere. Costume designer Judianna Makovsky does fantastic work with some of the Christmas-inspired clothes including the ugly sweaters.

The makeup work of Alexei Dmitriew and Sabrina Wilson do nice work with the look of the characters including a few ravagers and aliens that live in Knowhere. Visual effects supervisor Stephane Ceretti does terrific work with the visual effects in the design of the Guardians’ spaceship’s cloaking device as well as other visual bits to play into the world of outer space. Sound designer Nia Hansen, along with sound editors Coya Elliott and Steve Slanec, does superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects for some of the things at Knowhere as well as other sparse moments for scenes in Los Angeles. The TV special’s music by John Murphy is wonderful with its low-key score filled with holiday orchestral elements while music supervisors Dave Jordan and Trygge Toven create a fun mix of music that largely features holiday-based songs from Hanoi Rocks, the Pogues with Kirsty MacColl, Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, Smashing Pumpkins, Little Jackie, Low, the Waitresses, the Wombats, Fountains of Wayne, and a couple of original songs performed by the Old ‘97s including one with Kevin Bacon.

The casting by Sarah Halley Finn is incredible as it features an un-credited voice appearance from Bacon’s real-life wife/actress Kyra Sedgwick, Mark Hamill as a drunk ravager, Flula Borg as a bartender in Los Angeles, Luke Klein as the voice of the young Quill, the Old ‘97s as the alien band on Knowhere, and Michael Rooker in a superb voice performance as Yondu Udonta for the animated sequences. The duo of the dog named Fred and the voice of Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Dog is fantastic for the humor it brings but also the powers that Cosmo has to set up her future role for the Guardians. Sean Gunn is terrific as Kraglin Obfonteri who tells the Guardians the story of Quill and Yondu’s Christmas as he also does what he can to organize Christmas in Knowhere. Karen Gillan is excellent as Nebula as the most cynical of the group as she is reluctant to celebrate Christmas while she would end up bringing a big surprise for Rocket. Vin Diesel is brilliant in his voice performance as Groot as the tree-like alien who has bulked up as he also has created something special for the Guardians. Bradley Cooper is amazing in his voice role as Rocket Raccoon who also tries to do something special for Quill while getting something really special from Nebula in the end.

Chris Pratt is incredible as Peter Quill/Star-Lord as the half-human/half-Celestial space warrior as he copes with missing Gamora and dealing with Christmas as he also deals with the chaos that is around him as it allows him to play the foil. Kevin Bacon is great as himself as the famed actor who finds himself being abducted by aliens unaware of their intentions as he brings a lot of humor to his performance but also a lot of joy in what he does for Quill and the Guardians. Dave Bautista is phenomenal as Drax the Destroyer as the hulking alien who says a lot of dumb things but is also strong as he brings a lot of humor also revealing his loathing for Go-Bots. Finally, there’s Pom Klementieff in a sensational performance as Mantis as the empath-alien who wants to do something special for Quill as Klementieff doesn’t just bring a lot of heart and joy but also allows the character to have depth while also proving she can kick ass and be a team player.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a spectacular TV special from James Gunn. Featuring a great cast, wondrous visuals, a hilarious appearance from Kevin Bacon, and a killer music soundtrack. It is a special that isn’t just something that brings out the Christmas spirit in all of the right ways but it is also a special full of heart and laughter with its offbeat approach that is all in good fun. In the end, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a tremendous TV special from James Gunn.

James Gunn Films: (Slither) – (Super (2010 film)) - (Movie 43-Beezel) – The Suicide Squad (2021 film)

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 - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Thor: Love and Thunder - Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3The 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

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Bones and All

 

Based on the novel by Camille DeAngelis, Bones and All is the story of two young lovers who embark on a road trip while dealing with the fact that they’re both cannibals. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and screenplay by David Kajganich, the film is a road film that follows two young people who deal with their cannibalistic urges while meeting other cannibals during their trip through the U.S. Starring Timothee Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Michael Stuhlbarg, Andre Holland, Chloe Sevigny, David Gordon Green, Jake Horowitz, Jessica Harper, and Mark Rylance. Bones and All is an intoxicating and harrowing film from Luca Guadagnino.

Set in the 1980s, the film revolves around a young woman who has cannibalistic urges as she travels from Maryland to Minnesota to find out about her mother where she meets a young man who is also revealed to be a cannibal as they go on the road to be away from their urges. It is a film that play into these two young people who both have this hunger to eat people but ponder if they’re the only ones while meeting others along the way as they realize they’re not alone but also live very complicated lives. David Kajganich’s screenplay largely follows Maren Yearly (Taylor Russell) who lives with her father Frank (Andre Holland) as he would lock her in her room until she sneaked out to attend a sleepover with some school friends where something bad happened as she and Frank flee their home in Virginia and relocate to Maryland where Frank has abandoned her though he left her some money, her birth certificate, and a tape recording explaining why he left and aspects about who she is. Upon seeing her birth certificate and the identity of her mother, she decides to travel to Minnesota to find her.

The first act is about Maren’s life and the constant need to relocate as she decides to go to Minnesota despite the little money she has as she would make a stop at Columbus, Ohio where she meets an old man named Sully (Mark Rylance) who is revealed to be a cannibal with some eccentric views as well as what he does to those he eats. It is a key moment in the first act that play into Maren identifying other cannibals through her smell as it is how she meets Lee (Timothee Chalamet) as they both go on the road after Lee kills a man for verbally abusing a woman at a market. The second act is about the two going on the road where they meet a couple of cannibals in Jake (Michael Stuhlbarg) and Brad (David Gordon Green) as the latter was not born a cannibal but chose to become one while the former has a unique view on cannibalism as well as what he likes to do that makes both Maren and Lee uncomfortable. Even as it play into the former searching for her mother and weather she’s alive or not as it leads to all sorts of questions for herself but also for Lee who would briefly return home as the third act is about them dealing with their hunger as well as the people they kill.

Luca Guadagnino’s direction is mesmerizing for not just capturing Middle America in its most rural and open spaces but also in blending many genres in a film that is romantic but also scary in its approach to horror. Shot on various locations in Ohio, Nebraska, Kentucky, and Michigan, Guadagnino creates a film that does feel like a road movie since it starts off at a small town in Virginia where Maren is playing piano at a school where she meets with a classmate in Sherry (Kendle Coffey) who asks her to be at her sleepover. Guadagnino’s usage of the wide shots add a lot of depth of field into the locations including the scenes in Nebraska during the third act as it play into this crossroads that both Lee and Maren are dealing with. Still, Guadagnino does maintain some intimacy in the way he has characters interact with one another with some unique close-ups including a major moment in the film’s second act where Maren meets an old woman in Barbara Kerns (Jessica Harper) who would provide Maren some answers but with great reluctance.

Guadagnino’s presentation to the idea of cannibalism is terrifying such as the moment in the sleepover as it is shocking but the image of Maren and Sully eating an old woman who just died as blood is all over both of them is really terrifying though it’s the aftermath that makes it more discomforting. Notably when Lee and Maren meet Jake and Brad at a park near a watering hole as they all drink beer is when things are scary. It is a moment in the second that sets the tone for the struggles that Lee and Maren have as well as going into extremes as a cannibal where Lee would do something involving a carnival worker named Lance (Jake Horowitz) where it would raise questions into who they are and what are they doing. The film’s third isn’t just about Maren’s encounter with someone at a mental hospital who doesn’t just provide answers about who Maren is but also why her father never told her about her mother. It also leads to a second encounter with Sully that is way more discomforting as it play into the dangers of cannibalism that has Maren wanting to lead a normal life with Lee in the hopes that they won’t hurt anyone ever again. Overall, Guadagnino crafts a haunting yet evocative about cannibal lovers going on the road through America while trying to get of their hunger for human flesh.

Cinematographer Arseni Khachaturan does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as it play into the naturalistic exteriors as well as the scenes at night with its emphasis on low-key lighting as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Marco Costa does excellent work with the editing as it has a few jump-cuts and some stylish cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Elliott Hostetter, along with art director Victoria Resendez plus set decorators Merissa Lombardo and Rebecca Steele, does brilliant work with the look of the house Sully stayed in as well as some of the places Lee and Maren go to including the home of a man Lee killed that is filled with a lot of records. Costume designer Giulia Piersanti does fantastic work with the costumes as it plays into a more casual look including the torn-up jeans that Lee wears along with some of the weirder clothes that Sully wears.

Makeup designer Mark Garbarino and hair designer Massimo Gattabrusi do terrific work with the look of the characters from the colorful look of Lee as well as the look of Sully with his long hair and collection of hair that he has. Visual effects supervisors Virginia Cefaly, Alessio Bertotti, and Filippo Robino do nice work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects that include one major scene involving a character. The sound work of Michele Gualdrini, Geoff Maxwell, and Jim Morgan is superb for its sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sound of bones crunching to add to the element of horror. The film’s music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is phenomenal with its mixture of folk-based instrumentation with guitars by George Doering as it also has elements of ambient and classical bits as the score is among the highlights of the film while music supervisor Robin Urdang assembles a soundtrack that features an original song by Reznor and Ross with Mariqueen Maandig Reznor as well as contributions from Duran Duran, Joy Division, New Order, George Strait, Kiss, and other music ranging from country and pop from the 1980s.

The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Kendle Coffey as a schoolmate of Maren in Sherry, Sean Bridgers as a man harassing a mother and her kids at a grocery store, Burgess Byrd as a nurse at a mental hospital, Max Solis as a mechanic late in the film in Nebraska, Anna Cobb as Lee’s younger sister Kayla who doesn’t know about Lee’s condition as she is a reason for why Lee is protective of her, Jake Horowitz as a carnival worker that Lee meets as a target where things go wrong, and Jessica Harper in a terrific one-scene performance as an old woman who gives Maren some answers about her mother. Chloe Sevigny is fantastic in her one-scene role as a woman Maren meets at a mental hospital who had eaten her own hands as she would provide Maren some answers through a letter. Andre Holland is excellent as Maren’s father Frank as a man who often worries about his daughter’s condition and the danger she brings where he would leave only to leave her a recorded tape message that allows her to figure things out for herself.

David Gordon Green is superb in his small role as Brad as a friend of Jake who had discovered the world of cannibalism and has embraced the lifestyle while Michael Stuhlbarg is amazing as Jake who is a born cannibal that has some very intriguing views as well as what he does with those he eats as it is a chilling performance. Mark Rylance is incredible as Sully as this old man who has a strong sense of smell as he teaches Maren about how to track other cannibals while is also someone who is extremely creepy in his methods and how he tracks other cannibals. Timothee Chalamet is phenomenal as Lee as a young cannibal who is often on the road as he accompanies Maren in her journey while he kills those who feel are terrible though he would eventually question his own methods while also reveal more about himself. Finally, there’s Taylor Russell in a tremendous performance as Maren Yearly as an 18-year old woman who is just trying to understand more about herself as she goes on the road while dealing with her hunger and such as Russell showcases a lot of angst, confusion, and depth into her performance as it is a true breakout performance for the young actress.

Bones and All is a magnificent film from Luca Guadagnino that features great performances from Taylor Russell, Timothee Chalamet, and Mark Rylance. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, blend of genres, gorgeous locations, ravishing visuals, and an intoxicating music score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It is a film that isn’t afraid to play into the idea of cannibalism but it is also this riveting love story set in 1980s America where two people deal with themselves and their need to not bring havoc around people. In the end, Bones and All is an outstanding film from Luca Guadagnino.

Related: (null 14)

Luca Guadagnino Films: (The Protagonists) - (Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory) - (Mundo civilzado) - (Cuoco contadino) - (Melissa P.) - (The Love Factory No. 3 Pippo Delbono - Bisogna morire) – I Am Love - (Bertolucci on Bertolucci) – A Bigger Splash - Call Me By Your Name - Suspiria (2018 film) - The Staggering Girl - (Fiori, Fiori, Fiori) – (Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams) – (We Are Who We Are (2020 TV series)) – (Challengers (2023 film))

© thevoid99 2022

Friday, November 25, 2022

2022 Blind Spot Series: The Merchant of Four Seasons

 

Written, directed, and scored by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Handler der vier Jahreszeiten (The Merchant of Four Seasons) is the story of a fruit vendor who struggles to make ends meet as he had lost his prestige as he deals with his social and emotional decline. The film is a comedy-drama that plays into a man who was once a war veteran and a policeman who deals with his new role in life. Starring Hans Hirschmuller, Irm Hermann, Andrea Schober, Gusti Kreissl, Kurt Raab, Heide Simon, Ingrid Caven, and Hanna Schygulla. Handler der vier Jahreszeiten is a riveting and somber film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Set in early 1950s Munich, the film follows a former policeman who had returned from the French Foreign Legion years ago as he struggles with his new life working as a fruit vendor as he laments over his marriage, the disdain he gets from his family, his longing for his former lover, and the state of his own life. It is a film that is a character study of sorts that plays into a man who is likeable and was doing well as a policeman until an incident began this downward spiral as well as being rejected by the love of his life where he would marry someone else and have a child only to treat them horribly. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s screenplay follows the plight of its protagonist Hans Epp (Hans Hirschmuller) who is first seen arriving from his service for the French Foreign Legion to see his mother (Gusti Kreissl) who isn’t happy that he’s home as she laments over a friend of his who had died and thought he was a better person as it sets the tone for the many hardships, criticism, and chaos that would loom for Hans.

Notably as it shifts to a few years later where Hans is peddling fruit on a cart with his wife Irmgard (Irm Hermann) who is taller and skinnier than him as they struggle to make ends meet as they have a daughter in Renate (Andrea Schober). Still, Hans is struggling to reconnect with his former flame (Ingrid Caven) who is already married and with a life of her own while he still ponders about his own life and how underwhelming it is. Even as he returns drunk as he laments about his past and comes home beating up Irmgard who goes to his mother and sisters where Hans would have a heart attack. Irmgard would reluctantly go back to Hans and help him run his fruit merchant business by getting someone else to do the job since Hans is unable to due to his health. Yet, things become complicated with Hans lamenting once again about his own existence and what he means to the people around him.

Fassbinder’s direction is largely straightforward in terms of its setting and location as it is shot in Munich while it also emphasizes a lot of characteristics similar to the American melodramas of Douglas Sirk. Notably in a scene where Hans goes to his mother’s house to apologize to Irmgard and Renate over what happened as his mother, sisters, his brother-in-law Kurt (Kurt Raab) watch where everyone but his older sister Anna (Hanna Schygulla) watch with disgust as it is the moment where Hans would have his heart attack. Much of Fassbinder’s compositions emphasize on medium shots and close-ups to play into the drama and dark humor while using the camera to play into a man dealing with isolation and resentment. There are also flashbacks that often appear in the film as it play into Hans’ life such as his time with his lover whom he is head over heels for as he has to leave her for military service while it also showcases the incident that got him fired from the police force. The latter of which is among some of the humorous moments of the film.

Also serving as the film’s music composer with arrangements from Peer Raben, Fassbinder aims for a low-key approach to the music as it is largely based on German folk music with Rocco Granata’s song Buona Notte being a key piece of music that is used as it plays into Hans’ nostalgia for a better love life and his feelings for his old lover. The film’s third act play into not just a reunion with an old friend from the Foreign Legion in Harry (Klaus Lowitsch) who would work with Hans and Irmgard as he would bring good fortune for them but Hans suddenly is filled with uncertainty over his own time as a merchant and how much he struggled. Even as it leads to this journey of him trying to find some meaning in his life as a dinner where he’s with his family as it is a discomforting moment because he’s the center of attention and he’s not comfortable with it at all where Renate thought about what her aunt Anna said in a scene during the film’s second act. Overall, Fassbinder crafts a rapturous yet chilling film about a man dealing with his own existence, life choices, and other things that has kept him down into despair.

Cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward for many of the daytime exterior scenes as well as using available and additional lighting for some of the interior scenes at night. Editor Thea Eymesz does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward while having rhythmic cuts to play into some of the flashbacks as well as some intense moments in the drama. Art director/costume designer Kurt Raab, along with co-costume designer Uta Wilhelm, does fantastic work with the look of the apartment that Hans live with his family as well as the family apartment where Hans’ mother lives in along with the clothes where many of Hans’ family including his mother wear posh-like clothing as opposed to Hans who wears more working-class clothing.

The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature notable small roles from Rainer Werner Fassbinder as an old friend of Hans whom he eats with at a restaurant where Harry works at, Elga Sorbas as the woman who would get Hans fired from the police force, Michael Fengler as a playboy trying to woo Irmgard when she’s walking home, the trio of Daniel Schmid, Harry Baer, and Marian Seldowsky as a trio of applicants being interviewed by Hans, Mark Bohm as the policeman who catches Hans in a compromising act that would get Hans fired, El Hedi ben Salem as an Arab soldier in a war flashback involving Hans and Harry, Peter Chatel as a doctor who tells Irmgard about the severity of Hans’ heart attack, and Walter Sedlmayr as a fruit cart seller who sells his cart to Irmgard. Karl Scheydt is terrific as a man named Anzell whom Hans hires to sell fruit for them as he was also someone Irmgard was with during Hans’ hospitalization.

Klaus Lowitsch is superb as Harry as an old war buddy of Hans who helps out him out while also being attentive towards Renate. Heide Simon and Kurt Raab are fantastic in their respective role as Hans’ younger sister Heide and her husband Kurt as they’re both critical of him with the latter being arrogant towards since he feels like a bigger success than Hans. Andrea Schober is excellent as Renate as Hans and Irmgard’s daughter who is a young girl just trying to understand what is going on as she also thinks about what her aunt said to her about her father’s issues as it would haunt her late in the film. Ingrid Caven is brilliant as Hans’ former lover as a woman who was the love of his life until he goes to the Foreign Legion only to marry someone else as she also pines for him despite that he’s married as well. Gusti Kreissl is amazing as Hans’ mother who always treats him with disdain and disappointment until he became successful yet is often cold towards him.

Hanna Schygulla is incredible as Hans’ older sister Anna who is the only person in his family who really cared about him despite being cynical around him yet is the one person who understands his issues while also telling Renate about his own plight. Irm Hermann is remarkable as Han’s wife Irmgard who deals with her husband’s cruelty and wild mood swings as she seeks to find happiness for herself only to deal with uncertainty in her desires and doing what is right for Hans. Finally, there’s Hans Hirschmuller in a sensational performance as Hans Epp as a man who tried to do everything right only to be met with disdain, neglect, and disappointment where Hirschmuller brings in the right kind of physicality to his performance but also someone who can be cruel towards those who care about him as it is an immensely riveting performance from Hirschmuller.

Handler der vier Jahreszeiten is a phenomenal film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder that features a great leading performance from Hans Hirschmuller. Along with its ensemble supporting cast, simplistic yet effective visuals, and its study of depression, disappointment, and self-destruction. It is a film that explore a man lamenting over what he doesn’t have and what he’s lost as well as the sense of mistreatment he has endured from those around him. In the end, Handler der vier Jahreszeiten is a sensational film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Films: Love is Colder than Death - (Katzelmacher) - (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?) - (Rio das Mortes) - (The American Soldier) - (Whity) - (Beware of a Holy Whore) - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant - Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day - (Jailbait) - World on a Wire - Ali: Fear Eats the Soul - (Martha (1974 film)) - (Effi Briest) - (Fox and His Friends) - (Mother Kuster’s Trip to Heaven) – (I Only Want You to Love Me) – Satan's Brew - (Chinese Roulette) - (Germany in Autumn) - (Despair) - (In a Year of 13 Moons) – The Marriage of Maria Braun - (Third Generation) - (Berlin Alexanderplatz) - (Lili Marleen) – Lola (1981 film) - Veronika Voss - Querelle

© thevoid99 2022

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Tout va bien

 

Written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin, Tout va bien (Everything’s All Right) is the story of an American reporter and her has-been French New Wave filmmaker husband who go to a sausage factory to report on a strike that is happening. The film is an exploration of two people capturing a strike that is happening as it play into the events of May of ’68 in France as well as the many fallacies of revolutions in the aftermath of that event. Starring Jane Fonda, Yves Montand, and Vittorio Caprioli. Tout va bien is an intriguing though messy film from Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin.

Set four years after the chaotic events of May of ’68 in France, the film revolves around a has-been filmmaker and his American reporter wife who go to a sausage factory where it has been taken over by the workers as they’re locked inside the manager’s office with the manager. It is a film that explore this air of social and political chaos that is emerging in a factory with leftist workers trying to get better wages and such as they would humiliate the factory manager to show the shit they had to endure from him. The film’s screenplay doesn’t really have a straightforward narrative as much of its first two acts is set largely in the factory with glimpses of life outside of the factory for the filmmaker Jacques (Yves Montand) and his American wife Suzanne (Jane Fonda) in their occupations and married life. Even as they are locked in an office with the factory manager (Vittorio Caprioli) as there are scenes where there is narration as it play into what is going on with characters talking about their political and social situations.

The film’s direction from Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin is stylish in not just mixing documentary filmmaking style with a narrative style as there are scenes in the factory where it is shot inside a studio set. Notably as there’s this wide tracking dolly-shot where Godard and Gorin shoot the entire factory set from room to room as it plays into the sense of chaos but also people trying to figure out what to do next. There are also close-ups and medium shots that occur including a close-up in which a young woman (Anne Wiazemsky) talks about the demands of the workers but also a lot of fallacies into Leftist views as they would want more and more in a largely-capitalist society.

The direction also has these elements that play into these moments of chaos as it relates to the struggles of the working class and their disdain for the bourgeoisie through these brief breaks from the narrative yet the third act when Jacques and Suzanne are released from the factory is where things become really uneven. Notably as it play into what Jacques and Suzanne are doing and the compromises they make as it feels like it is part of something else with a scene late in the film in which Suzanne is in a market where it is this commentary on capitalism but there’s a man spouting communist rhetoric in the middle of the market while a bunch of young people are running around and announcing that everything in the market is free with police coming in to stop the chaos. It is a moment that is entrancing visually but its message into these clashing ideals ends up being all about nothing as it showcases the many fallacies of political ideals while it’s ending is really a non-ending in which the narrator speaks with a woman about how to end the film. Overall, Godard and Gorin craft a fascinating but uneven film about a filmmaker and his reporter wife trying to understand the social and political chaos inside a sausage factory.

Cinematographer Armand Marco does brilliant work with the film’s editing as it is largely straightforward to play into the film’s documentary-like tone but also with some vibrant colors for the interior scenes inside the factory. Editors Claudine Merlin and Kenout Peltier do terrific work with the editing as it has some jump-cuts to play into some the action and chaos while much of it is straightforward for some of the long shots in the film. Production designer Jacques Dugied does amazing work with the look of the interiors of the factory with great attention to detail in its stage-like setting. The special effects by Jean-Claude Dolbert and Paul Trielli do wonderful work with some of the film’s minimal effects as it play into the sets but also in the work that Jacques does. The sound work of Antoine Bonfanti and Bernard Ortion is superb as it is largely straightforward in the atmosphere of the factory and in the occupations that Jacques and Suzanne have in their lives.

The film’s excellent ensemble cast feature small roles from Eric Chartier, Castel Casti, Elizabeth Chauvin, and Hughette Mieville as factory employees rebelling against their boss, Louis Bugette as an old employee who talks about the conditions in the factory, Pierre Oudrey as a man working for the workers in getting their demands, Anne Wiazemsky as a Leftist woman talking in a monologue about the fallacies of the workers’ demands, and Vittorio Caprioli as the factory owner who is annoyed by the negotiation tactics as well as the humiliation of enduring the troubling working conditions his employees had to endure.

Yves Montand is brilliant as Jacques as a once-revered filmmaker who does commercials for a living who goes to the factory to help his wife’s report where he is later troubled by his experience as well as his disillusionment with politics. Finally, there’s Jane Fonda in an incredible performance as Suzanne as an American reporter working for an American company in France who goes to this factory as she finds herself siding with the workers but feels compromised by the people she works for while also dealing with her own marital issues as she copes with the chaos around her but also in her own life.

Tout va bien is a superb film from Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin. While it does a messy and uneven narrative with political commentary that is all over the place. It is still a fascinating film that explore the lessons learned and unlearned following the events of May ’68 as well as being a film that explore a certain period in Godard’s career that had him stray away from narrative-based films. In the end, Tout va bien is a terrific yet flawed film from Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin.

Jean-Luc Godard Films: All the Boys are Called Patrick - Charlotte et son Jules - A Bout de Souffle - The Little Soldier - A Woman is a Woman - Vivre sa Vie - Les Carabiniers - Contempt - Bande a Part - A Married Woman - Alphaville - Pierrot le fou - Masculin Feminin - Made in U.S.A. - Two or Three Things I Know About Her - La ChinoiseWeekend (1967 film) - Sympathy for the Devil (One Plus One) - (Joy of Learning) - (British Sounds) - (Letter to Jane) - (One A.M.) - (Number Two) - (Here and Elsewhere) - (Every Man for Himself) - (Passion) - (First Name: Carmen) - Hail, Mary - (Soft and Hard) - (Detective) - (King Lear (1987 film)) - (Keep Your Right Up) - (Nouvelle Vague) - (Allemagne 90 neuf zero) - (JLG/JLG - Self-Portrait in December) - For Ever Mozart - (Historie(s) de Cinema) - (In Praise of Love) - (Notre musique) - (Film Socialisme) - (Adieu au Language) – (The Image Book)

© thevoid99 2022

Friday, November 18, 2022

Cul-de-Sac

 

Directed by Roman Polanski and written by Polanski and Gerard Brach, Cul-de-Sac is the story of a couple’s home that is invaded by an American gangster who is hiding as his presence would cause chaos at the house. The film is an exploration of a couple living in isolation as they deal with an outsider who invades their home where a lot of things unravel. Starring Donald Pleasence, Francoise Dorleac, Lionel Stander, William Franklyn, Robert Dorning, Marie Kean, Geoffrey Sumner, Renee Houston, Iain Quarrier, Jacqueline Bisset, Trevor Delaney, and Jack MacGowran. Cul-de-Sac is a riveting and exhilarating film from Roman Polanski.

Set in a remote island castle in Britain, the film revolves around an American gangster who is on the run with his ailing Irish partner as he hides in the castle home of a British man and his young French wife where things become chaotic in the course of a few days. It is a film that is sort of a home invasion film yet it is an exploration of three people in isolation as they deal with bad weather, sexual tension, visitors, and other things that makes these few days chaotic. The film’s screenplay by Roman Polanski and Gerard Bach is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it is their approach to the three main characters is what makes it unique as the American gangster Dickie (Lionel Stander) is trying to escape with his partner Albie (Jack MacGowran) who is injured following a botched robbery as they drive towards a causeway that is being submerged by the rising tide. Dickie walks through the tide to get help as he finds a castle that is owned by the middle-aged George (Donald Pleasance) and his young French wife Teresa (Francoise Dorleac) who spends her time messing around with a young neighbor.

Upon discovering Dickie at their home, George and Teresa are frightened by his presence though Dickie is someone that just needs help as he’s trying to contact his boss over what happened as George and Teresa do help him retrieve the ailing Albie. Yet, things however don’t go well as it leads to chaos but also moments of the couple getting to know Dickie with him and George hitting it off on their views on life despite the former’s rudeness and the latter’s own lack of masculine rage. Things get complicated when the three learn some friends of George are about to visit to see the castle as Dickie plays along as a servant though he gets annoyed by a child who ends up being more trouble for everyone making both George and Teresa upset as well.

Polanski’s direction is stylish as it is shot on location at Lindisfarne with the island’s actual castle being the home where George and Teresa live in with the exception of a few rooms in the castle that are used. The film opens with this wide shot of a car coming into a causeway and then crashing onto a marker and then to a medium shot of Dickie and Albie talking with the former leaving to get help. Polanski’s compositions and direction are filled with dazzling imagery as well as long shots that goes on for minutes including a beachside conversation between George and Dickie as they’re both drunk and lament over things in their lives while Teresa is in the background swimming naked on the beach. It is among some of the images that Polanski uses to play into this sense of isolation in this island with these rising tides but also this sense of uncertainty as it relates to Dickie’s boss whom he is waiting for. It is among the things that play into the dramatic tension with Teresa not being comfortable with Dickie’s presence though she is sympathetic to his situation as well as his sense of loyalty towards Albie.

Polanski also brings in bits of humor from a scene early in the film where George puts on some makeup as a way to express his lack of masculinity while wearing one of his wife’s nightgowns as it only brings trouble upon meeting Dickie for the first time. Even as the humor would play into the sequence where George’s friends arrive to see the castle and have lunch as they expect to have a big feast. Yet, things don’t go well as a child is wreaking havoc angering Dickie and Teresa as things would intensify due to the fact that a guest brought a double-barrel rifle as it would ultimately push George to the edge. Even as Teresa starts to act out as she feels suffocated by the presence of these two middle-aged men where the tension ultimately boils over as it also play into Dickie’s desire to leave but is unsure about the fates of George and Teresa and whether he has to kill them so that they don’t know anything only for things to go wrong as it relates to other desires and such. Overall, Polanski crafts a chilling yet offbeat film about an American criminal hiding and taking control at the castle home of a middle-aged Englishmen and his young French wife.

Cinematographer Gilbert Taylor does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography as it help set a mood for some of the scenes at night as well as some of the daytime interior scenes as well as some of the scenes during the morning. Editor Alastair McIntyre does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Voytek and art director George Lack do fantastic work with the interiors for the scenes in the castle including Teresa’s chicken house where she houses all of her chickens until it becomes a makeshift garage.

The special effects work of Les Bowie is terrific for a scene on the causeway where the tide is rising where Albie is being trapped in the car along with a few bits in the film’s climax. The sound work of Stephen Dalby is superb for the natural elements of the sound that is captured on location as well as how music is sound from a record player from another room. The film’s music by Krzysztof Komeda is incredible for its jazzy score with elements of piano and trumpets to play into the film’s offbeat tone as well as some of its suspenseful moments with a music soundtrack that is also filled with jazz music.

The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles as Jacqueline Bisset as a young guest that is part of George’s circle of friends, Trevor Delaney as a young boy named Horace who is the son of one of the guests who causes a lot of trouble and panic, William Franklyn as another guest in Cecil whom Teresa takes a liking to, Iain Quarrier as a young man named Christopher whom Teresa was with as they try to find shrimp and their own naked bodies, Geoffrey Sumner and Renee` Houston as Christopher’s parents who live nearby, and the duo of Robert Dorning and Marie Kean in their respective roles in Philip and Marion Mayweather as two of George’s friends who are also Horace’s parents as they often say unkind things to the point that they push George to the edge.

Jack MacGowran is excellent as Albie as an ailing gangster who is dealing with his wounds while he is waiting in a car as he deals with a rising tide and later the severity of his wounds. Francoise Dorleac is brilliant as Teresa as a young Frenchwoman who is married to the middle-aged George as she deals with his lack of masculinity as she often gets sexual satisfaction from other men while she also finds herself disgusted by Dickie despite his own views on the world. Lionel Stander is amazing as Dickie as an American gangster dealing with an ailing partner, a botched robbery, and other things as he tries to get some news from his boss but also deal with his injury and his own fate while trying to do his own thing while befriending George. Finally, there’s Donald Pleasence in a fantastic performance as George as a middle-aged man who is just trying to enjoy retirement as he endures the presence of Dickie whom he would befriend while dealing with all sorts of things including his own lack of masculinity and the pain he’s carrying as it relates to loss.

Cul-de-Sac is a phenomenal film from Roman Polanski. Featuring great performances from Donald Pleasence, Francoise Dorleac, and Lionel Stander as well as gorgeous visuals, chilling suspense, a minimalist premise, and Krzysztof Komeda’s sumptuous score. It is a film that explore a couple dealing with a criminal in a castle on an isolated island as they deal with their surroundings and all sorts of things that would eventually bring chaos. In the end, Cul-de-Sac is a sensational film from Roman Polanski.

Roman Polanski Films: Knife in the Water - Repulsion - The Fearless Vampire Killers - Rosemary's Baby - Macbeth (1971 film) - (What?) – Chinatown - The TenantTess (1979 film) - (Pirates) – Frantic - Bitter Moon - Death and the Maiden - The Ninth Gate - The Pianist - Oliver Twist (2005 film) - The Ghost Writer - Carnage (2011 film) - (Venus in Fur) – (Based on a True Story) – (An Officer and a Spy) – (The Palace)

© thevoid99 2022

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Thursday Movie Picks: Book Adaptations

 

For the 45th week of 2022 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We return to the subject of book adaptations as it is a subject often revisited considering that there’s a lot of films that are based on books. Even documentaries with some being controversial and often filled with a lot of bullshit. Here are my three picks as they’re all films by Jean-Pierre Melville:

1. Magnet of Doom
Based on Georges Simonon’s novel is a film in which a young boxer accompanies a banker from Paris to New York City to collect money in the hope he can be away from his family and other criminal forces. It is an unconventional film that stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Charles Vanel as these two men who are both down on their luck as they travel to America in the hope they can get a new start but encounter trouble as they hide in New Orleans unsure and uncertain where to go and what to do next. It is a study of corruption and crime as it is one of many recurring themes that Melville would explore.

2. Le deuxieme souffle
An adaptation of Jose Giovanni’s novel that explore the story of an escaped criminal who takes part in one final job while being pursued by a police investigator. It seems like a typical cat-and-mouse film but Melville often does something different as it revolves around the criminal underworld in France where there are certain codes that criminals have to follow. It is a film that also explore these themes where there is no honor among thieves.

3. Army of Shadows
Joseph Kessel’s novel that revolves around the world of the French Resistance and the sacrifices they made during their time in Nazi-occupied France in World War II is definitely Melville’s finest work to date. Notably as it is a film that is unforgiving in what people had to do while it also play into the ideas of loyalty where so much is at stake. Even as it also showcase life in the prisons where there are moments that are chilling and discomforting to watch as well as those in the Resistance trying to escape the prisons. It is a film that needs to be seen as well as study about the dangers of war and life in Nazi-occupied France.

© thevoid99 2022