Captain Marvel

Based on the Carol Danvers comic series by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan and the Captain Marvel comic series by Gene Colan and Stan Lee from Marvel Comics, Captain Marvel is the story of an alien warrior who has arrived on Earth to find some alien beings where she finds herself dealing with images that possibly relate to her past. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and screenplay by Boden, Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and Jac Schaeffer from a screen story by Nicole Perlman, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse, the film is an origin story of sorts of how Carol Danvers became Captain Marvel as she tries to figure her identity and role in this intergalactic conflict as she is portrayed by Brie Larson. Also starring Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Gemma Chan, Lashana Lynch, McKenna Grace, Akira Akbar, Clark Gregg, Annette Bening, Jude Law, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Captain Marvel is an adventurous and exhilarating film from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

It’s 1995 as a conflict between an elite group of alien warriors known as the Kree and an alien faction of shapeshifters known as Skrulls is heating up as a young Kree warrior named Vers is fighting the Skrulls where she lands somewhere in Los Angeles just as the Skrulls have also landed on Earth disguising themselves as humans. It’s a film that has this young woman who is dealing with images that could be lost memories as she finds herself on Los Angeles after a battle with Skrulls on their ship as it lead to all sorts of question. The film’s screenplay by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and Jac Schaeffer, with additional contributions by Bek Smith, does play into many of the tropes and schematics expected in a superhero film that is a part origin story as well as a part fish-out-of-water scenario. Even as it has twists and turns as it relates to this conflict between two alien races as this young warrior in Vers is haunted by what could be memories of a previous life as she would later learn to be a former Air Force pilot named Carol Danvers.

The first act does have this strange narrative as it relates to Vers living in Kree’s home planet of Hala as she is mentored and train by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) who tells her to keep her emotions in check as she is still dealing with her powers and is becoming unsure due to the images in her head. Once she lands on Earth at a Blockbuster video store, she would meet S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury who had been through a lot and thought he had seen it all until he sees what Vers is about as well as getting his first encounters with Skrulls as the second act is about the two teaming up together to discover a project called Pegasus created by Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening) who looks similar to the projection of Kree’s ruler known as Supreme Intelligence. It is also where Vers learns about her true identity as well as the events into what happened to her as well as more revelations about this conflict between the Kree and Skrulls.

The direction of Boden and Fleck does play into what is expected in a superhero film that is partially set in space but it is grounded with some dramatic elements that play into Vers’ journey as well as discovering her true identity. Shot on various locations in Los Angeles, parts of Southern California and Louisiana, the film does play into a world that is quite vast that Vers is a part of from the planets she’s in such as Hala and a border planet that play into this war between the Krees and Skrulls though not much established into the root of their conflict at first. The direction does become straightforward once Vers arrives on Earth and has to find the Skrulls as well as Boden and Fleck use some wide shots to establish the locations as well as the vast world of the universe and its surroundings. Even in scenes where Vers is meeting the Supreme Intelligence as an image that one would believe to be the Supreme Intelligence to be as it’s in this surreal world that bends the idea of reality and fantasy.

Much of Boden and Fleck’s direction emphasizes more on simple shots through close-ups and medium shots that include scenes of Vers and Fury trying to find some clues as they’re later joined by a mysterious cat named Goose as they also try to fight off against the Skrulls while Vers is making contact with Yon-Rogg through some 1990s tech that is barely working. The stuff involving 1990s technology is definitely played for laughs in how slow they were back then as the humor also play into Fury’s first interaction with the Skrulls and him getting to understand a world that is bigger than just Earth. Still, Boden and Fleck do become concerned with Vers coming to terms with her identity as she would meet Danvers’ friend in a former pilot in Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) who would tell Vers what happened as it would relate to something much bigger relating to the Kree/Skrulls conflict. It would force Vers to not only accept what happened to her but also realize what needs to be done to save the universe. Overall, Boden and Fleck craft a compelling yet exciting film about an alien warrior who learns about her true identity in an intergalactic conflict.

Cinematographer Ben Davis does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with the straightforward and sunny look of the daytime exteriors in California to the more naturalistic look of the scenes in Louisiana as well as some stylish lighting for some of the spaceship interiors. Editors Elliot Graham and Debbie Berman do terrific work with the editing as it has some stylistic usage of slow-motion shots and some quick-cuts to play into the action and some of the suspense and humor. Production designer Andy Nicholson, with set decorator Lauri Gaffin and supervising art director Andrew Max Cahn, does amazing work with the set design from the look of the spaceship interiors as well as the look of the archives section at a secret government facility and Rambeau’s home. Costume designer Sanja Milkovic Hays does fantastic work with the costumes from the look of the Kree uniforms as well as the more casual look of the people on Earth that play into the look of the 1990s.

Key special effects makeup artist Sabrina Wilson do brilliant work with the look of the Kree aliens as well as the look of the Skrulls as well as some minimal work in the younger versions of Nick Fury and his rookie partner Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). Special effects supervisor Daniel Sudick and visual effects supervisor Christopher Townsend do incredible work with the visual effects from the look of Fury and Coulson in their younger versions in the 1990s as well as the design of some of the planets including Hala and some of the powers that Vers is able to use. Sound designers David Acord and Kyrsten Mate, with sound editor Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, do superb work with the sound as it play into the sounds of some of the spaceships, jet engines, alien weapons, and other noises that play up the world that was the 1990s.

The film’s music by Pinar Toprak is wonderful for its soaring orchestral score that play into the sense of adventure and drama that occurs throughout the film while music supervisor Dave Jordan creates a killer music soundtrack that features a lot of the music of the 1990s from R.E.M., Nirvana, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa w/ En Vogue, Garbage, Hole, Elastica, No Doubt, Des’ree, and a couple of 80s songs from Heart and Lita Ford.

The casting by Sarah Finn is great as it feature some notable small roles from London Fuller and McKenna Grace in their respective roles as the 6-year old and 13-year old versions of Danvers, Algenis Perez Soto and Rune Temte as a couple of members of Yon-Rogg’s team in their respective roles as Att-Lass and Bron-Char, Azari Akbar as the five-year old Monica Rambeau, Vik Sahay and Chuku Modu as a couple of Skrulls, and Stan Lee in a cameo as himself reading a script for a film role as he is also given a fitting tribute in the film’s pre-opening logo sequence. The performances of Reggie, Archie, Rizzo, and Gonzo in their performance as the cat Goose is a total joy to watch as it’s a cat that just knows where to steal a scene as well as be powerful in its own way. Akira Akbar is terrific as Maria Rambeau’s daughter Monica who would help Vers find herself again as well as be the one to provide her with a look that would be her own.Clark Gregg is superb as a younger version of Agent Phil Coulson as a rookie S.H.I.E.L.D. agent trying to get his ropes in the job while doing things that would make him a key ally for Fury.

Gemma Chan is wonderful as a Kree sniper in Minn-Erva who has a dislike towards Vers whom she sees as a threat to her position with Yon-Rogg. Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace are fantastic in their respective roles as Korath and Ronan the Accuser in their early versions as two Kree figures who art part of the conflict with Korath being Yon-Rogg’s second in command and Ronan as a high-ranking official hoping to destroy the Skrulls. Annette Bening is excellent in her dual role as the artificial intelligence leader of the Kree known as Supreme Intelligence as she is who Vers sees during their meetings while Bening also plays a scientist in Dr. Wendy Lawson who was conducting a major experiment known as Pegasus that is key to what happened to Danvers. Lashana Lynch is brilliant as Maria Rambeau as Danvers’ long-time friend and wing-woman who hadn’t seen Danvers in a long time as she tries to help her regain her identity but also get back in the game of flying. Ben Mendelsohn is amazing as the Skrull leader Talos who disguises himself as then-S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Keller where he plays a straight-laced official trying to defuse the situation with the Skrulls while he displays more humor and reason as Talos as someone who is complex but also has valid reasons for his issues with the Kree.

Jude Law is marvelous as Yon-Rogg as a Kree military leader who leads a band of mercenaries as he is also Vers’ mentor where he tries to get her to control her emotions while is also hiding some secrets about her. Samuel L. Jackson is remarkable as a younger version of Nick Fury who was then a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that believes he’s seen it all and isn’t the cynic that audiences would know him for in other films as someone that is upbeat as well as having a soft spot for cats. Finally, there’s Brie Larson in an incredible performance as Carol Danvers/Vers/Captain Marvel as a Kree warrior who is troubled by images that could be past memories of a pilot named Carol Danvers as she struggles with her identity and her role in a conflict as it’s a performance full of charm, determination, and drive as it’s one of Larson’s finest performances to date.

Captain Marvel is a marvelous film from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck that features a sensational performance from Brie Larson in the titular role. Along with its ensemble cast, sprawling visual effects, quirky humor, themes of war, and a killer music soundtrack. It’s a film that delivers in what is expected in a superhero film as well as provide some ideas of an intergalactic world set during the 1990s despite a few issues with the script. In the end, Captain Marvel is a remarkable film from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck Films: Half Nelson - Sugar (2008 film) - It’s Kind of a Funny Story – Mississippi Grind – The Auteurs #71: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck

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 - 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 - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

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

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World

© thevoid99 2019

20th Century Women

Written and directed by Mike Mills, 20th Century Women is the story of a single mother with a teenage boy who seeks the help of a teenage neighbor, a young punk artist, and a bohemian handyman in raising her son during the late 1970s. Based on Mills’ own life, the film is an exploration of a young boy coming of age as he is introduced to new things while his mother is dealing with her own role in life. Starring Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Lucas Jade Zumann, and Billy Crudup. 20th Century Women is an evocative and enchanting film from Mike Mills.

Set in 1979 Santa Barbara, the film revolves around a middle-aged single mother who is having a hard time connecting with her son as she is filled with a very unconventional group of people who live or frequent at her home including a punk artist, a teenage neighbor, and a handyman. She turns to them for help while dealing with the growing changes in the modern world which she has a hard time understanding including the emergence of punk and the growing sense of turmoil in America. Mike Mills’ screenplay doesn’t just explore a mother and son dealing with growing pains but also the emergence of new cultures and new things around them with the former trying to make sense of everything while the latter is just trying to find himself. Even as both of them provide voiceover commentary and such to express not just what they’re dealing with but also what is ahead as Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening) would reveal her own fate through the narration.

Dorothea’s son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) is only 15 years old as he has no idea what he wants to do nor who he is as his only real friend is his neighbor Julie (Elle Fanning) who is two years older than him as she would often sneak around to sleep in his bed just to talk and sleep. Living with Dorothea and Jamie is the punk artist Abbie (Greta Gerwig) who is recovering from cervical cancer as she spends her time doing art photography and make her money as a photographer as she and Julie would help Dorothea guide Jamie into manhood. The only other man living in Dorothea’s home is the handyman William (Billy Crudup) who doesn’t have much to offer to Jamie but manages to bond with Dorothea and Abbie as he helps them in their own issues. Mills’ script doesn’t just explore these unique individuals as they’re all going through some form of existentialism but also wonder what has put them in this certain moment in their lives.

Abbie with her health and views on feminism which she introduces Jamie to while Julie copes with being sexually-active and not wanting to have sex with Jamie because she wants to be his friend. For Dorothea, she is introduced to the L.A. punk culture that Jamie and Abbie is interested in as she’s introduced to by the latter with William as well as some of things in the modern world where it’s baffling at times but also exciting such as a moment where she and William compare/contrast to the music of Black Flag and Talking Heads to see this growing division in the world of punk. There are also moments in the dialogue that play into Jamie’s growth and interest in female sexuality as it would make Dorothea uneasy. Even as she would start to know things in Jamie’s life as she ponders if she’s made the right decision in having two different women guiding him into his manhood.

Mills’ direction definitely has a flair for style in the way it uses still photographs, film clips, and other things to play into not just the many images and events of the 20th Century but also what was looming into the 21st Century as it relates to the things then-U.S. president Jimmy Carter was saying in his crisis of confidence speech as it appears during a pivotal moment in its third act. Shot mainly in Santa Barbara, California with some locations shot in Los Angeles and New York City, the film plays into this sense of change that is looming in the year of 1979 just before the arrival of Ronald Reagan, the end of punk, and the uncertainty of the Cold War. While these images and ideas are certainly prevalent throughout the film, Mills focus on the life of these five unique people who are part of this very unconventional family. Mills’ usage of the wide shots aren’t just to establish the locations but also the growing disconnect that looms throughout the film between Dorothea and Jamie as well as the former’s own detachment from the modern world.

Mills’ direction also has these very intimate moments with the close-ups and medium shots as it play into Jamie’s relationship with Julie as well as the scene of Dorothea and William listening to Abbie’s punk records. Mills’ compositions are quite precise in the way he would put the actors in a frame while having a looseness in some of the scenes involving the punk shows. There are also these entrancing moments of scenes set on the road or Jamie on his skateboard as it play into everyone trying to find their own paths in life. Mills would also infuse elements that are quite surreal in the road scenes as well as these touching moments that showcase Dorothea’s own sense of nostalgia for the 1940s as well as her own sense of hope for Jamie when he becomes an adult. Overall, Mills crafts a touching yet majestic film about a middle-aged single mother trying to find some help to guide her teenage son into manhood.

Cinematographer Sean Porter does brilliant work with the film’s beautiful and colorful cinematography to capture the natural look of the daytime exterior scenes to the usage of low-key lights for some of the interior scenes at night. Editor Leslie Jones does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and montages that help play into the sense of time that the characters are dealing with. Production designer Christopher Jones, with set decorators Tracy Spadorica and Neil Wyzanowski, does fantastic work with the look of the house that Dorothea and Jamie live in as they’re trying to restore with William as well as their bedrooms that display their personalities. Costume designer Jennifer Johnson does nice work with the clothes as it is mostly casual to play into the look of the characters without deviating too much into certain styles that was so prominent in the late 1970s.

Visual effects supervisor Patrick Murphy does terrific work with a few of the film’s visual effects which is mainly for the driving scenes as it has this air of surrealism. Sound designer Frank Gaeta does superb work with the sound as it play into the way some of the music is presented as well as how certain sounds are captured naturally for some of the scenes at the house. The film’s music by Roger Neill is amazing as it is mainly this hypnotic ambient score that play into the sense of the unknown that the characters are embarking while music supervisor Howard Paar creates a mixture of music from the 40s such as big-band music from Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Fred Astaire, & Rudy Vallee as well as some of the music of the late 1970s from Devo, the Germs, Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Clash, David Bowie, Black Flag, Talking Heads, the Raincoats, the Buzzcocks, and Suicide.

The casting by Laura Rosenthal and Mark Bennett is great as it feature some notable small roles from Finn Roberts as a classmate of Jamie who despises Talking Heads, Allison Elliott as Julie’s mother, Thea Gill as Abby’s mother in a flashback, Waleed Zuaiter as a co-worker of Dorothea in Charlie, Darrell Britt-Gibson as the punk club bouncer Julian, and Alia Shawkat as a young woman Jamie meets at the punk club named Trish. Billy Crudup is brilliant as William as a bohemian handyman that is very good in making pots and fixing things as he talks frequently with Abbie and Dorothea about his failings with women while being a good listener for the two. Elle Fanning is amazing as Julie as a 17-year old high school student who is Jamie’s best friend as she copes with her growing pains and dealing with having sex as she doesn’t want sex to ruin her friendship with Jamie.

Greta Gerwig is excellent as Abbie as a punk photographer/artist who is trying to find herself as she also copes with the aftermath of her cervical cancer as well as introduce Jamie to ideas of feminism that causes some issues with Dorothea. Lucas Jade Zumann is fantastic as Jamie as a fifteen-year old kid dealing with growing pains and his own identity as well as try to understand his mother while exploring the world of punk rock and feminism in the hopes he can become a good man. Finally, there’s Annette Bening in an incredible performance as Dorothea Fields as a woman in her fifties that is dealing with a world that is ever-changing as she understands why she is disconnected from her son while wanting to explore the modern world as it’s a performance filled with humility but also some joy and realism as it’s one of Bening’s finest performances of her career.

20th Century Women is a phenomenal film from Mike Mills. Featuring a great ensemble cast, an incredible music score and soundtrack, gorgeous visuals, and a compelling story about family and growing up. It’s a film that explores life in the late 70s during a tumultuous yet exciting time where things are changing with an uncertainty all in the eyes of five different yet unique individuals. In the end, 20th Century Women is a spectacular film from Mike Mills.

Mike Mills Films: (Paperboys (2001 film)) - Thumbsucker - Beginners

© thevoid99 2017

Postcards from the Edge

Directed by Mike Nichols and written by Carrie Fisher that is based on her autobiographical novel, Postcards from the Edge is the story of a recovering drug-addicted actress who is forced to move back in with her boozy mother, who is also an entertainer, as she copes with her own troubled life and her turbulent relationship with her mother. The film is a fictionalized-take on Fisher’s own real-life relationship with her own mother Debbie Reynolds as well as her own substance abuse. Starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Richard Dreyfuss, Simon Callow, Annette Bening, Rob Reiner, and Gene Hackman. Postcards from the Edge is a witty and delightful film from Mike Nichols.

The film follows the turbulent love-hate relationship between a troubled actress and her boozy mother as the former has just recovered from a drug overdose where she is forced to move back home with her mother for insurance reasons or else she couldn’t work again. It’s a film that play into this troubled mother-daughter relationship between two women in the world of entertainment as the singer/actress/entertainer Doris Mann (Shirley MacLaine) is a woman that has a lot of connections and such but is in denial over her alcoholism. Doris’ daughter Suzanne Vale (Meryl Streep) is an actress that has been trying to step out of her mother’s shadow but has become a liability due to her drug abuse. Carrie Fisher’s screenplay doesn’t just play into the turmoil over this relationship but also two women who do care for each other but often bring the worst in each other.

Fisher’s script isn’t just filled with some witty dialogue that are quite memorable but also in the way Suzanne and Doris deal with their own situations. Much of the film is about Suzanne as it opens with her on a film set obviously under the influence and then the next morning be seen overdosing on a mixture of pills and drugs as she is dropped off by a one-night stand. It sets the course of Suzanne being forced into rehab as she tries to embrace sobriety yet she realizes what she has to do while also starring in a low-budget film just so that she can keep working. It become a series of humiliations that she has to endure though she would find some solace in dating a producer named Jack Faulkner (Dennis Quaid) but Doris doesn’t think he’s good news. Doris is just as interesting as she’s from the old school but has very little clue of what she does to Suzanne as it is clear she wants the attention but it only makes Suzanne very insecure.

Mike Nichols’ direction is quite simple in some respects yet it does have some elements of style starting with the film’s opening tracking shot that is essentially part of a film shoot that Suzanne is in as it goes on for a few minutes. Shot largely in Los Angeles and at some studio lots, the film does play into the high-octane world of Hollywood where there is so much expectations out there. While Nichols’ usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into moments that are intimate as well as in some of the dramatic moments. Nichols’ wide shots do play into that world of Hollywood from Suzanne’s homecoming party to what goes on at a film set and some of the scenes set on certain locations such as Faulkner’s lavish home. Nichols’ approach to comedy is quite low-key yet he always finds a way to keep things lively whether it’s in a few musical numbers or moments that has Suzanne in a humiliating moment and reacting to her situation. The dramatic moments are just as important as it play into Suzanne trying to make sense of why she’s so screwed up as well as confronting her mother about who she is and such. Overall, Nichols creates a riveting and engaging film about the tumultuous relationship between an entertainer and her recovering daughter.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s largely straightforward for many of the daytime interior/exterior scenes with some lighting for some of the studio interior shots and for the scenes at night. Editor Sam O’Steen does brilliant work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cutting to play into the comedy and some of the drama. Production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein, with set decorator Chris Butler and art director Kandy Stern, does fantastic work with the design of some of the Hollywood sets and how fake they look in low-budget films as well as the home where Doris lives in. Costume designer Ann Roth does nice work with the costumes from the posh clothing of Doris to the more casual look of Suzanne which both play into their personalities.

Hair stylist/makeup artist J. Roy Helland, with additional work by Greg Cannom does terrific work with the look of some of the characters with Cannom doing personal work for the character of Doris. Sound editor Stan Bochner does superb work with the sound as it play into the world of film as well as the moments in Suzanne‘s homecoming party. The film’s music by Carly Simon is wonderful as it‘s a mixture of low-key piano and orchestral music while music supervisor Howard Shore help provide a few score pieces of his own as well a selection of tunes that include a couple of standards as well as a song for the film’s ending.

The casting by Ellen Lewis and Juliet Taylor is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Dana Ivey as a wardrobe mistress, C.C.H. Pounder as a rehab supervisor, Robin Bartlett as Suzanne’s roommate in rehab, Oliver Platt as an associate producer who is concerned about Suzanne’s performance, Rob Reiner as a film producer who tells Suzanne that she needs to prove that she’s sober, Gary Morton as a studio executive who tells Suzanne that she needs to live with her mother for duration of the film shoot, Simon Callow as Suzanne’s new filmmaker who isn’t sure if Suzanne will be reliable, and Richard Dreyfuss in a superb small role as a doctor who would save Suzanne’s life after her overdose. Conrad Bain and Mary Wickes are fantastic as Doris’ parents with Wickes being hilarious as the mother who says some very funny shit throughout the film.

Annette Bening is wonderful in her one-scene performance as an actress co-starring in Suzanne’s film who would reveal some startling information relating to Faulkner. Gene Hackman is excellent as filmmaker Lowell Kolchek as a director who works with Suzanne early in the film as he is someone that cares about her but knows she is messed up where he is more sympathetic to her plight. Dennis Quaid is brilliant as Jack Faulkner as a film producer who is the one-night stand that Suzanne was with but doesn’t know as he is a guy full of charm but there is something off about him that only Doris knows. Finally, there’s the duo of Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Suzanne Vale and Doris Mann. Streep provides that sense of fragility and humility into her performance as a woman who is really fucked-up and is trying to recover but is having a hard time trying to find the root of her issues. MacLaine’s performance as Doris is someone that exudes charisma as well as be someone that likes to over-talk and such. Streep and MacLaine together are a marvel to watch in the way they deal with other from the arguments to trying to one-up each other.

Postcards from the Edge is an incredible film from Mike Nichols that features sensational performances from Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Along with Carrie Fisher’s intense screenplay, a fantastic supporting cast, and some very funny moments. It’s a film that doesn’t just play into the dysfunctions of a mother-daughter relationship but also dealing with expectations and identity. In the end, Postcards from the Edge is a spectacular film from Mike Nichols.

Mike Nichols Films: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - (The Graduate) - (Catch-22) - Carnal Knowledge - (The Day of the Dolphin) - (The Fortune) - (Gilda Live) - (Silkwood) - (Heartburn) - (Biloxi Blues) - Working Girl - (Regarding Henry) - (Wolf (1994 film)) - The Birdcage - (Primary Colors) - (What Planet Are You From?) - (Wit) - (Angels in America) - Closer (2004 film) - (Charlie Wilson’s War)

© thevoid99 2017

Ginger & Rosa

Written and directed by Sally Potter, Ginger & Rosa is the story of two young girls living in the 1960s as they cope with the threat of nuclear holocaust during the Cold War as well as a growing divergence between the two. The film is a coming of age tale set entirely in the year of 1962 Britain during the period of the Cuban Missile Crisis as a young woman fears about the concept of no future. Starring Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt, Jodhi May, and Annette Bening. Ginger & Rosa is a compelling and touching film from Sally Potter.

The film revolves around the lives of two 17-year old girls in 1962 Britain as they cope with the idea of nuclear holocaust as they both diverge into different paths where one of them tries to do something about it while the other falls in love. It’s a film that is a coming-of-age tale set in the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis where two girls are trying to have fun but certain events in their lives would change things. While Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert) have many similarities in their personalities and adventures as they were both born on the same day to young mothers. The latter would find herself be drawn to Ginger’s free-spirited father Roland (Alessandro Nivola) in his views of being independent and wild as he encourages Ginger to do so. Yet, Ginger is becoming interested in poetry as she also tries to find herself through activism.

Sally Potter’s screenplay doesn’t just play into the relationship between the two girls but also the events that would drive them apart. Notably Rosa’s actions as she likes to drink and smoke while make out with boys while Ginger is confused if she wants that as she becomes more passionate about activism as well as poetry. While Rosa isn’t exactly a bad person but rather someone who does bad things, her lack of a father figure and need for one in Roland would create a schism in her friendship with Ginger who would also lash out over the state of the world. The film’s second half would have Ginger live with her father but it becomes clear that it’s not ideal where she turns to family friends including an experienced activist in Bella (Annette Bening) who knows what Ginger is dealing with but also tell her there is still a solution to the chaos of the world.

Potter’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions she creates yet does manage to create some dazzling visuals as it relates to the world that Ginger and Rosa are living in. Shot largely in locations near Kent in Britain, the film does play into a small-town yet post-war feel in a world that is changing but grounded as much of the film is set in a working class environment where kids are listening to jazz and rock n’ roll. While Potter uses a lot of wide shots to capture the scenes set on Roland’s boat and in some location shots, she maintains an intimacy with the medium shots and close-ups. Especially as it plays into Ginger’s own growing pains and confusion as it would culminate into the third act where she begins to realize that the world she is in as it relates to her father is just as complicated as what is happening around her. Even as Rosa becomes a more complicated person to the point that Ginger has no clue how to comprehend everything around her. Overall, Potter crafts a mesmerizing coming-of-age film about two teenage girls diverging into different paths amidst the growing threat of a nuclear holocaust.

Cinematographer Robbie Ryan does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography to create some very vibrant and colorful looks for many of the exterior scenes set in the day and night along with some low-key lighting for some of the interior scenes in the film. Editor Anders Refn does nice work with the editing as it is mostly straightforward with a few stylish bits such as an opening montage on Ginger and Rosa‘s lives as well as some scenes that play into Ginger‘s emotional turmoil. Production designer Carlos Conti, with set decorator Liz Griffiths and art director Andrea Matheson, does fantastic work with the look of Roland‘s home with its somewhat-Bohemian look that is a sharp contrast to the simplistic yet more spacious home that Ginger lives with her mother. Costume designer Holly Waddington does excellent work with the costumes with the look of early 1960s fashion including the turtleneck sweaters the girls would wear.

Hair/makeup designer Tara McDonald does terrific work with the hairstyles of Ginger and Rosa with the former having dyed red hair as well as the look of young men in Teddy-boy haircuts. Visual effects supervisor Martin Madsen does some fine work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects which is just essentially bits of set dressing for some of the locations. Sound editor Eddie Simonsen does superb work with the sound in not just capturing some of the moments in the locations but also in the way the reports on the radio about the Cuban Missile Crisis is being presented. Music supervisor Amy Ashworth creates a wonderful soundtrack that features different kinds of music from classical, jazz, and rock n’ roll as it features contributions from Franz Schubert, Little Richard, Chubby Checker, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Miles Davis, the Shadows, Les Paul, and Django Reinhardt.

The casting by Irene Lamb and Heidi Levitt is brilliant as it features some notable small roles from Andrew Hawley as the lead activist Tony that Ginger befriends, Luke Cloud as Rosa’s father who is only seen briefly early in the film, and Jodhi May in a wonderful role as Rosa’s mother Anoushka who deals with her daughter’s behavior as well as the activities she is doing. Oliver Platt and Timothy Spall are excellent in their roles as two family friends named Mark who help Ginger in dealing with the chaos of the world as well as provide their own insight into the way things are. Annette Bening is fantastic as Bella as an activist friend of the American Mark who would help Ginger in answers about the ways of the world while calling out on some of Roland’s own bullshit idealism.

Christina Hendricks is amazing as Ginger’s mother Natalie as a former artist turned homemaker who becomes overwhelmed with her daughter’s activities and her husband’s infidelities where she struggles to maintain some sanity over what is happening in her family life. Alessandro Nivola is superb as Ginger’s father Roland who is this free-spirited pacifist who encourages his daughter to be independent and free but often does a lot of bad things as it includes sleeping with other women and students where one of them would be too much for Ginger to deal with. Alice Englert is remarkable as Rosa as a 17-year old girl who becomes more fascinated by boys rather than the reality of nuclear holocaust as she starts to dress more stylish and act a certain way where she would make Ginger feel uncomfortable. Finally, there’s Elle Fanning in an incredible performance as Ginger as a 17-year old girl dealing with the reality of what is coming as she leans towards her poetry to cope with not just that reality but also the one close by as it relates to her disintegrating friendship with Rosa and her relationship with her father.

Ginger & Rosa is a marvelous film from Sally Potter that features a mesmerizing performance from Elle Fanning. Along with a great supporting cast as well as a compelling premise that play into real world situations from the views of a young lady. It’s a coming-of-age film that plays a lot into what happens when a bomb will drop and two young girls different reaction to that reality. In the end, Ginger & Rosa is a rapturous film from Sally Potter.

Sally Potter Films: (The Gold Diggers) - (Orlando) - (The Tango Lesson) - (The Man Who Cried) - (Yes) - (Rage)

© thevoid99 2016

And the Oscar Goes To...

Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, And the Oscar Goes to… is a documentary about the history of the Academy Awards from its inception to the ceremony that it would become in its many years. Narrated by Anjelica Huston, the film features interviews from actors, filmmakers, and technicians who had won or were nominated for the Oscar as they talk about the good and the bad. The result is an insightful documentary from Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.

The film explores the history of the Academy Awards which was founded as a way to celebrate achievement in films while gathering the studios in the early 20th Century to celebrate and award actors, set designers, costume designers, editors, and such without the interference of the Union. Despite some issues during the Great Depression with the Union and the 1950s blacklist that would ban those who had been blacklisted at the time. Actors such as Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, Annette Bening, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Cher, and Ellen Burstyn along with filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Jason Reitman, and Phil Alden Robinson talk about the importance of the Oscars but also the downside.

The downside reveals that despite winning the awards, there’s a room full of losers there that feel very disappointed as producer Kathleen Kennedy talked about the 11 nominations that The Color Purple had and ended up winning zero. Cher admits that it’s nice to be nominated, at first, until the ceremony where you end up feeling like a loser. Benicio del Toro reveals that while it’s fun to win, it’s not so good for the fact that there were other actors in the category that you won where there’s a feeling that they gave a better performance.

Directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman also use a lot of archival footage dating from the first televised Academy Awards in the early 1950s when television arrived to the world. With the help of editors Brad Fuller, Brian Johnson, and Jake Pushinsky, the use of archival footage as well as backstage clips showcase the sense of pageantry and chaos that goes in the presentation as Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal play into how difficult it was to host the Oscars. Cinematographer Nancy Schreiber, production designer Michael Fitzgerald, and sound editor Wade Barnett do much of the work for the interviews that is displayed on the film. The film’s music by Jeff Beal is low-key in terms of its orchestral arrangements that plays into some of the somber and humorous moments of the film.

And the Oscar Goes to… is an excellent documentary from Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. While it’s not a perfect documentary where it did overlook some good moments and some bad ones. It does showcase the Oscars in all of its glory as well as why not everyone is so happy about it. Still, it does manage to showcase its importance and why people always watch the ceremony. In the end, And the Oscar Goes to… is a superb documentary from Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.

© thevoid99 2014

Ruby Sparks

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and written and starring Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks is the story of a novelist struggling to write a novel as he creates his idea of the perfect woman only for her to actually come to life. The film is a look into the world of writers and their imagination and how their creation can sometimes go out of control. Also starring Paul Dano, Elliott Gould, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Chris Messina, and Steve Coogan. Ruby Sparks is a witty and charming film from Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

The world of writing often contains struggles where one person has this big success yet has trouble comprehending why it was successful in the first place and how to create a follow-up worthy of that success. In this film, it is about a young writer whose first novel was considered a classic yet it’s been 10 years since he wrote a new novel as he’s struggle to write a second one. Dealing with writer’s block and a break-up, he suddenly has these dreams about his idea of the perfect woman where he writes about her. Then she appears out of nowhere as they would have a relationship while he realizes that he can do things to her through his typewriter only for things to eventually go out of control. Even as the writer is forced to face some harsh truths about himself and all of his flaws as his relationship with his creation starts to wind down.

Zoe Kazan’s screenplay is largely a comedy though it does have a lot of truths into what writers go through when they try to write. A lot of it involves writers just facing the blank page and having no idea what to do as Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano) has a lot of pressure on him to deliver the second novel. Kazan’s script does reveal the pratfalls of the sophomore slump where Calvin spends his time talking to his shrink (Elliott Gould) and his brother Harry (Chris Messina) revealing all of his problems. Then comes these dreams that appear in Calvin’s head as he sees his idea of the perfect woman in this titular character that Kazan also plays. She is definitely someone who is quirky, offbeat, comical, melancholic, twee, and all of the things that Calvin wants. Once Harry learns what Calvin has created, he encourages him to do things as if Calvin is the creator.

After introducing Ruby to his mother (Annette Bening) and stepfather (Antonio Banderas) where Ruby seems to enjoy herself and starts to flesh out on her own. Calvin starts to take control as the second act winds down yet it eventually goes out of control where Ruby becomes more complicated as if she was human as she becomes needy, lazy, fluent in French, and all sorts of things as it’s done in a comical but also light-dramatic manner. Even as the third act is a bit dramatic as it unveils more of Calvin’s flaws as a person and as a writer where he has to face some truths about himself.

The direction of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris is quite straightforward in terms of its framing and presentation yet they manage to keep things very lively throughout the film. Notably as it’s shot largely in Los Angeles and parts of California where it is this sunny world where a young writer is struggling to create his second novel. A lot of it involves simple shots that are carefully framed to establish this sense of difficulty a man faces as a writer while it includes some scenes where Calvin has to attend Q&A sessions about his first book to explore the world of the writer. Things loosen up once Ruby appears in the film as there’s elements of dream-like sequences as well as a scene where Calvin imagines Ruby’s life as he lies down on a couch during a therapy session. There are scenes that add a sense of improvisation and chaos to play out the comedy where it is very stylized as well as the drama that occurs in the third act. Overall, Dayton and Faris create a very fascinating and engaging comedy-drama about creation and how imagination can become reality.

Cinematographer Matthew Libatique does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography as it plays to the beauty of the Californian locations as well as some of its nighttime scenes in Los Angeles. Editor Pamela Martin does nice work with the editing as it‘s quite stylized with the use of jump-cuts to capture some of the energy of the humor as well as a few fade-outs to help structure the story. Production designer Judy Becker, with set decorator Matthew Flood Ferguson and art director Alexander Wei, does amazing work with the look of Calvin‘s home as well as the bohemian home of his mother and stepfather.

Costume designer Nancy Steiner does wonderful work with the costumes in the stylish clothes that Ruby wears from her colorful socks to the dresses she wears. Sound editors Aaron Glascock and Byron Wilson do superb work with the sound from the intimacy of Calvin‘s home to some of the moments at the social gatherings Calvin and Ruby attend. The film’s music by Nick Urata is brilliant for its lush, orchestral score to play out some of the humor and romantic elements of the film. Music supervisor Dan Wilcox creates a fantastic soundtrack that consists a mix of classical music, French pop, and some indie music.

The casting by Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis-Wagner is just phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it features some memorable small appearances from Aasif Mandvi as Calvin’s agent Cyrus, Toni Trucks as Harry’s wife Susie, Alia Shawkat as a fan of Calvin’s whom he met at the Q&A session, and Deborah Ann Woll as Calvin’s ex-girlfriend Lila who confronts him at a party. Elliott Gould is excellent as Calvin’s therapist Dr. Rosenthal who tries to understand Calvin while Steve Coogan is superb as a fellow novelist who tries to give Calvin some advice. Chris Messina is wonderful as Calvin’s older brother Harry who is baffled by Ruby’s appearance as he gives Calvin some advice on what to do with Ruby. Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas are great in their respective roles as Calvin’s bohemian mother Gertrude and his artistic stepfather Mort where they are a joy to watch as they bring more fun to the film.

Paul Dano is brilliant as Calvin Weir-Fields as a young man just troubled by the pressures he has as a writer as he’s seeking some form of inspiration as Dano has this great sense of comic timing and dramatic humility to make Calvin an engaging and flawed individual. Finally, there’s Zoe Kazan in a remarkable performance as the titular character as she displays all of the attributes of what an ideal dream girl is as well as distorting it to make her a more realistic person who is very flawed and complicated. It’s truly a real breakthrough for Kazan as she and Dano are the highlights of the film with their approach to comedy and drama.

Ruby Sparks is a marvelous film from Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris that features an amazing ensemble cast and a very captivating and humorous script from its star and screenwriter Zoe Kazan. It’s a film that doesn’t just explore the world of the writers but also subverts the idea of reality and fantasy to see how the creation can go overboard and overwhelm the creator. In the end, Ruby Sparks is a sensational film from Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris Films: Little Miss Sunshine - Battle of the Sexes (2017 film)


© thevoid99 2013

The Kids Are All Right

Directed by Lisa Cholodenko with a screenplay written with Stuart Blumberg. The Kids Are All Right tells the story of a lesbian couple who are raising two teenage kids in California. When the kids want to find the identity of their sperm donor father, they find out who their father as it shakes up the lives of the kids’ mothers who reluctantly let him in to their world. Starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, and Mark Ruffalo. The Kids Are All Right is a witty though flawed film from Lisa Cholodenko and company.

Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a married lesbian couple living in Los Angeles with two teenagers named Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson). Nic is a doctor who likes to maintain things in the house while Jules is a housewife who is about to start a landscaping business. It’s summer as the 18-year old Joni is about to leave for college while the 15-year old Laser wonders who is their father since both their moms were impregnated by a man through a sperm donor.

After discovering that the man’s name is Paul (Mark Ruffalo), a bohemian restaurant owner who likes to create live a carefree lifestyle. Joni and Laser meet the man as Joni is impressed by him though she and Laser decide to keep things secretive. While Nic and Jules are going through a bit of a rough patch over their sex life, they also wonder about Laser’s friendship with his skateboard buddy Clay (Eddie Hassell). After a strange encounter with Laser and Clay which turned out to be a misunderstanding, they learn about Paul as Nic and Jules reluctantly invite Paul to dinner.

Paul meets Jules and Nic where everything is cool though Nic isn’t so keen on him. Jules however, is surprised that he needed a landscaper for his backyard garden as she befriends Paul. Though Nic wasn’t sure about Jules working with Paul, Jules felt free working with Paul while Joni and Laser were also enjoying their time with him. The connection between Paul and Jules becomes more evident though the two realize what relationship they might have with each other could ruin things. Realizing that Paul isn’t the nuisance that she perceived him to be, Nic decides to eat at Paul’s home. Things start out fun and relaxed until Nic makes a horrible discovery that would change the dynamics of the family.

The film is about a family led by two lesbian mothers whose quaint, unconventional life is disrupted when their kids discover who their father is. That’s the plot in a nutshell as it would lead to things that would threaten the marriage between Jules and Nic along with their relationship with their own kids. The screenplay by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg starts off promising with the introduction of Paul and the way his relationship develops with the other characters. Though there’s a few flaws in some parts, notably the character of Laser that feels underwritten. It seems fine though the subplot concerning Jules and Paul’s own attraction each other would set up something that would lead to the more emotional third act.

Though the character of Nic might seem like an uptight, controlling mother who doesn’t like the idea of her daughter riding on a motorcycle with her dad. It’s only because she is having a hard time dealing with this new person in the lives of her children. Even for someone who isn’t well-educated, scruffy-looking, and more of a free-spirit. Yet, there are similarities to Paul and Nic that become more evident including in one point when Paul meets Laser’s friend Clay. It’s clear that he has the same opinion about Clay that Nic and Jules seem to have.

While her character would eventually relax by the time the third act arrives, there comes a moment in the film where everything would crash and lead to some heavy-handed drama. Particularly to do with what Jules and Paul did though the truth is really more complicated and the kids are understandably upset. The problem with that the third act late in the film is that it leaves the film unresolved for one character while there’s also monologues that comes across as preachy and melodramatic. For some reason, it didn’t seem to work as it has this very promising story but no real ending. Not even something that can very open and loose where it can leave a lot of interpretation. It’s just that it doesn’t do things that a story like this should happen.

Cholodenko’s direction is enjoyable to watch in the way she creates intimate and wonderful scenes where characters just interact. Shot on location in Los Angeles, the film has a gorgeous look that recalls the sunny, lively world of Los Angeles. Even in places like the garden that Paul works in along with his home to represent the way the characters live in. Still, Cholodenko is more interested in characters and their interaction towards another. Even in creating humor where it feels natural such as the way Jules is trying to pleasure herself sexually.

The direction for the most part plays it straight and relaxed until in parts of the third act where it becomes very dramatic. Including in one scene where there’s a slow-motion cut from Nic’s perspective about what she just learned that comes across as very manipulative. It’s the one scene that really doesn’t work and the way its presented feels unnecessary and out of place with the rest of the film. Despite the flaws the film has, notably in sections of the third act and its ending. Lisa Cholodenko has created a lively, engaging film about unconventional families.

Cinematographer Igor Jadue-Lillo does a fine job with the film‘s colorful, vibrant photography from the sunny, natural look for many of the film‘s daytime exterior scenes. Even in the nighttime scenes and exteriors where the intimacy of film really comes into place as it is some good, straightforward work from Jadue-Lillo. Editor Jeffrey M. Werner does a very good job with the film’s editing as it mostly plays it straight including some rhythmic cuts for a scene where Joni rides with Paul on his motorcycle. Even in helping to create some great dramatic moments except for one scene where the slow-motion ends up ruining the drama.

Production designer Julie Berghoff, along with set decorator David Cook and art director James Connelly, does an excellent job with the differing looks of the places the characters interact. Whether it’s the more organized home of Jules and Nic or the bohemian world that Paul lives as the art direction is the film‘s technical highlight. Costume designer Mary Claire Hannan does a nice-job with the film‘s costumes from the youthful clothing the kids wear along with the more rugged looks that Jules and Paul sport to the more somewhat-conservative look that Nic wears.

Sound designers Frank Gaeta and Elmo Weber do some nice work with the film’s sound whether its creating a natural atmosphere for quiet scenes or scenes where there’s a party going on. Music composer Carter Burwell does some fantastic work with the film’s mostly folk-driven score with washy electric guitar tracks as it plays in a plaintive tone. Even as the rest of the soundtrack is filled with indie stuff such as MGMT, Vampire Weekend, and Tame Impala to old-school stuff from Joni Mitchell and David Bowie.

The casting by Laura Rosenthal is wonderful for its array of small but memorable performances such as Joaquin Garrido as Jules’ landscaping assistant Luis, Zosia Mamet as Joni’s sex-obsessed friend Sasha, Kunal Sharma as Joni’s quiet male friend Jai, Eddie Hassell as Laser’s abrasive pal Clay, and Yaya DaCosta as Paul’s sometimes lover Tanya.

Josh Hutcherson is very good as Laser despite the fact that he is underwritten. Even in the way his relationship with Paul is developed which at times is awkward though he does bring in some excellent humor to the character and scenes in the film. Mia Wasikowska is superb as Joni, the 18-year old college-bound girl who finds a connection with Paul while feeling uptight about Sasha’s sexual comments. Notably in scenes where her character has a chance to lash out and rebel against Nic’s sense of control as Wasikowska is marvelous to watch.

Mark Ruffalo is amazing as Paul, a bohemian man who discovers that he’s the father of two kids as he is unsure what to do. Yet, Ruffalo makes Paul a charming though somewhat-immature man who is just trying to be a good guy and a grown up. Even in scenes where he feels that he’s going to fuck things up yet he brings a lot of sympathy to a character that isn’t entirely likeable but an overall good guy. Julianne Moore is excellent as Jules, a laid-back housewife wanting satisfaction in her new career as she finds some fulfillment in Paul as Moore and Ruffalo have excellent chemistry. Even as Moore feels like she is someone having a hard time with this new relationship as she brings a lot of humor to the way she reacts despite some clunky moments late in the film.

Annette Bening is pretty good as Nic, the disciplinary yet understanding person of the film who has a hard time dealing with the new person in her family’s lives. While it’s a role where Bening is restrained and in good fashion. She gets to show her bitchiness throughout the film as it starts off fine though by the third act. It kind of falls apart where she has this awful monologue that makes her look childish while some very emotional parts in her performance gets a little overdone at times. It’s probably Bening’s best performance since Kevin Costner’s widely-underrated western Open Range which shows that she can be good when she doesn’t overact or go a lot of heavy lifting.

The Kids Are All Right is a stellar though flawed film from Lisa Cholodenko. While it has a great cast that features Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, and Josh Hutcherson. It’s a film that shows what a modern family with same-sex couples can be along with someone from the opposite sex can bring. Despite some good ideas about family, it’s a film that does fall flat due to some heavy-handed ideals towards the end of the film which does kind of ruin things. In the end, The Kids Are All Right is an entertaining and engaging film from Lisa Cholodenko.

Lisa Cholodenko Films: (High Art) - Laurel Canyon - (Cavedweller)

© thevoid99 2011