Set in the 1950s, the film follows a wealthy industrialist who has named his only daughter as his sole heir as the two along with a tutor traveling around the fictional European country of Phoenicia to deal with various investors over money, he skimmed over to salvage a project that he hopes would help Phoenicia. It is a film that explores a man who had been through many near-death experiences involving plane crashes and assassination attempts on his life where he decides to bring his eldest child into the fold even though she is about to become a nun as she is reluctant to take part in his criminal activities. Wes Anderson’s screenplay has a narrative that is straightforward with some strange yet surreal sequences that involves its protagonist Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) often visiting the afterlife following every near-death experience. These events forces him to name his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) as his sole heir as he has 10 other sons who are all adolescent and unable to help Korda in his schemes. Joining them on this trip through Phoenicia is a Norwegian entomologist in Bjorn (Michael Cera) whom Korda hired as a tutor in his own increasing interest in insects.
The script also has a unique structure into the group of people that Korda has to meet to cover his losses that includes a consortium led by two American brothers in Leland (Tom Hanks) and Reagan (Bryan Cranston), the heir to Phoenicia in Prince Farouk (Riz Ahmed), a French nightclub owner in Marseille Bob (Mathieu Almaric), an American investor in Marty (Jeffrey Wright), Korda’s second-cousin Hilda (Scarlett Johansson), and his half-brother Uncle Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch) whom Korda believes killed Liesl’s mother many years ago. Korda would endure a series of challenges and events upon his journey as it would play into a character arc of his own as a man that is constantly dealing with assassins trying to kill him and other things while he gets to know Liesl. Liesl would have an arc of her own while also revealing her own quirks such as the fact that she carries a dagger and smokes with a pipe. Notably as she gains a view of the world though remains committed to her faith and becoming a nun. Bjorn is a character that is full of intrigue as he is fascinated by Liesl while he is also ambiguous in the things he talks about while often surrounds himself with insects as they fascinate him. The film also has a subplot relating to a government agent led by Excaliber (Rupert Friend) who is tailing Korda and his activities in the hope of disrupting everything for Korda.
Anderson’s direction is entrancing as it does play into his stylish usage of symmetrical compositions and diligence to everything he captures on film. Shot on location at the Babelsberg Studio in Germany and in a 1:48:1 aspect ratio format that is an unconventional presentation that is atypical with a lot of films. Anderson does maintain some unique compositions in some of the wide shots he creates to play into the fictional country of Phoenicia as it is a country between Europe and the Middle East. Anderson does maintain some stylish framing in the way he puts his actors in a medium shot or a close-up along with some intricate tracking shots where characters would move from one room to another. Anderson’s presentation of the scenes set in the afterlife are shot in black-and-white as there is an element of surrealism where Korda meet some people including his first wife (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a young Liesl (Beatrice Campbell) and a few others as it plays into his own brush with death.
The film also plays into the ideas of faith as it relates to Liesl who often prays during her journey while the sequence in which Korda meets with Bob at his nightclub that is being robbed by Communist revolutionaries led by Sergio (Richard Ayoade) as Korda, Liesl, and Bjorn would meet them again as they are all Atheists. There is a humorous take in how Anderson presents Atheism as it would help play in both Korda and Liesl’s character arcs as it relates to faith. Notably the former whose encounters with the afterlife through his near-death experiences forces him to contend with his own existence. The film’s climax relates to the final meetings with those he counted upon to help him save the project as well as confront Uncle Nubar who is the last investor who is also ambiguous into answering Liesl’s own questions about her mother. It would be followed by a ridiculous fight scene as well as other outlandish things followed by an epilogue that plays into the fate of Phoenicia, its project, and those close to Korda. Overall, Anderson crafts an evocative and enchanting film about a business tycoon trying to make amends with his estranged empire to save his criminal empire.
Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its stylish usage of lighting for interior scenes in the day and night as well as in the way some of the exterior scenes are lit including scenes at night such as a scene inside a crashed airplane with the usage of lamps and available light. Editor Barney Pilling, with additional work from Andrew Weisblum, does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, slow-motion shots, and other stylish cuts to play into the suspense, action, and humor also knowing when to have shots linger on for around a minute. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, with set decorator Anna Pinnock plus art directors Marc Bitz, Neneh Lucia, Anja Muller, Esther Schreiner, and Mariana Vasconcellos, does brilliant work with the look of the Korda estate, the unfinished train tunnel, and other places including interiors of the planes that Korda flies in as it is a highlight of the film. Costume designer Milena Canonero does amazing work with the costumes in the design of the suits that Korda and Bjorn wears as well as the nun outfit that Liesl wears and the clothes of some of the other characters including the sweatpants and shoes that Leland and Reagan wear.
Hair/makeup designer Heike Merker and prosthetics designer Mark Coulier do terrific work with the look of the characters in the hairstyles that Liesl and Bjorn have as well as the big beard that Uncle Nubar has. Special effects supervisor Gerd Nefzer, along with visual effects supervisors Craig Crawford and Steve Murgatroyd, does fantastic work with the look of some of the models and miniatures used in the film along with a few bits of visual effects as set dressing. Sound editors Wayne Lemmer and Christopher Scarabosio do superb work with the sound in the way planes sound from the inside as well as the sounds of certain objects including weapons. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is wonderful for its low-key piano-based orchestral score that plays into the suspense and drama with some soft percussive and a low-key string arrangement to play into some dangerous scenes. Music supervisor Randall Poster cultivated a soundtrack that features classical music pieces from Igor Stravinsky, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Modest Mussorgsky as well as music from Gene Krupa and Dizzy Gillespie.
The film’s casting by Douglas Aibel is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Beatrice Campbell as a young Liesl, Donald Sumpter as a chairman that Excaliber works for, Alex Jennings as Korda’s butler, Jason Watkins as Korda’s attorney, Stephen Park as Korda’s pilot, and in the roles of Korda’s 10 adolescent sons in Edward Hyland, Ogden Dawson, Kit Rakusen, Milo James, Hector Bateman-Harden, Benjamin Lake, Gunes Taner, Gabriel Ryan, Mohamad Momo Ramadan, and Jonathan Wirtz. Other notable small roles as figures of people that Korda sees in the afterlife include Charlotte Gainsbourg as Korda’s first wife, Willem Dafoe as an attorney in Knave, F. Murray Abraham as a prophet, and Bill Murray as God. Hope Davis is fantastic as the Mother Superior who arrives in the film’s third function as Liesl’s mentor who learns about Liesl’s journey as well as getting to know Korda where she decides to join him in his own scheme for the good of Phoenicia.
Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston are superb in their respective roles as the brothers Leland and Reagan as two American investors who are upset over their own financial loss as they would settle this dispute through a game of horse where Hanks and Cranston display their skills in the game. Riz Ahmed and Richard Ayoade are excellent in their respective roles as the Phoenician heir Prince Farouk and the guerilla leader Sergio with the former being an investor who believes that Korda will do good while the latter is a Communist revolutionary who decides to join Korda in the film’s third act in dealing with enemies of Korda. Rupert Friend and Mathieu Almaric are brilliant in their respective roles as the bureaucratic Excaliber and the nightclub owner Marseille Bob with the former being a government agent trying to disrupt Korda’s activities and the latter being another investor who has issues with what Korda wants only for his encounter with Sergio changes everything.
Jeffrey Wright and Scarlett Johansson are amazing in their respective roles as the American investor Marty and Cousin Hilda with the former being an investor who is also upset over what Korda wants while the latter is Korda’s second cousin who is unsure about wanting to marry Korda to save his business as she is also trying to handle things for herself. Benedict Cumberbatch is great as Uncle Nubar as Korda’s half-brother who is also an investor yet remains mysterious in his own dealings while is also unwilling to answer questions about the death of Liesl’s mother. Michael Cera is incredible as Bjorn as a Norwegian entomologist who is hired as a tutor for Korda while also being an administrative assistant where he is full of humor and intrigue as he is also someone that is fascinated by Liesl.
Mia Threapleton is tremendous in a break-out performance as Liesl as Korda’s estranged daughter who is becoming a nun as she is reluctant to join her father on a trip through Phoenicia where she gets to see many wonders of the world while also being someone who smokes a pipe and carries a dagger where she has quirks of her own like her father. Finally, there is Benicio del Toro in a phenomenal performance as Zsa-Zsa Korda as a business tycoon who has created schemes to swindle people out of money where he is ruthless in his pursuits until a series of near-death experiences forces him to make some changes in saving a project for the country of Phoenicia where he gains some insights about the ways of the world. It is a witty performance from del Toro who brings a lot of complexities of a man with irredeemable qualities, yet he puts in things that would make him redeemable during his journey as he also has some amazing low-key chemistry with Threapleton.
The Phoenician Scheme is a sensational film by Wes Anderson that features a great leading performance from Benicio del Toro and a major discovery in Mia Threapleton. Along with its ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, a sumptuous music soundtrack, and a story of redemption and meaning amidst bad decisions and near-death experiences. The film is an offbeat yet compelling film that does mark a newfound maturity from Anderson in its exploration of family dysfunction as well as characters trying to find redemption from their bad habits. In the end, The Phoenician Scheme is a phenomenal film by Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - Poison (2023 short) - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson Film Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) – (The Grand Budapest Hotel) – (Isle of Dogs) – (The French Dispatch) – (Asteroid City) – (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) – (The Phoenician Scheme)
© thevoid99 2023
The 17-minute short film revolves around a British man who is lying still as a friend of his learned there is a snake sleeping on the man’s stomach as he asks for a doctor to help observe the situation. It is a film that plays into a life-and-death scenario as Wes Anderson maintains a straightforward narrative into the script with Timber Woods (Dev Patel) being the narrator of sorts as he watches over his British friend Harry Pope (Benedict Cumberbatch) lying still on his bed as a snake has fallen asleep on his stomach. Woods calls Dr. Ganderbai (Ben Kingsley) about the situation as he arrives where he observes everything as he knows that Pope is in deep shit. It plays into this sense of tension along with some revelations about what is going on with Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes) popping in for a couple of scenes as he also talks about the snake that is on Pope’s stomach.
Anderson’s direction aims for a straightforward style while shooting much of the action is shot in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio with the two Dahl scenes shot in a 1:33:1 aspect ratio. Shot at Maidstone Studios in Kent, England, Anderson does bring in some unique compositions where the widescreen aspect ratio allows him to provide a bigger canvas to play into the suspense. Notably when Anderson uses wide and medium shots to get a scope into the situation including shots from above that plays into the scale of the room and what is at stake. There are also some close-ups as it plays into Pope as he is sweating as well as Dr. Ganderbai where it adds to the dramatic suspense. Even though Dr. Ganderbai would use some methods he knows that would prove to be risky, it adds to what is at stake. Overall, Anderson crafts a riveting yet whimsical film about a life-and-death situation involving a snake.
Cinematographer Robert Yeoman does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for many of the interior/exterior sets as well as the emphasis on heightened colors for the scenes involving Dahl. Editors Barney Pilling and Andrew Weisblum do excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, along with set decorators Cathy Featherstone and Anna Pinnock plus art directors Claire Peerless and Kevin Timon Hill, does brilliant work with the look of the home that Pope and Woods lived in as well as the artificial background sets and the home of Dr. Ganderbai. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone does fantastic work with the clothes of Dr. Ganderbai as well as the pajamas that Pope is wearing.
Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon does nice work with the look of the characters with their facial hair. Special effects supervisors Chris Reynolds and Nick Roberts do terrific work with the film’s minimal visual effects as it consists of moving sets and a brief shot of a snake that is in a jar that Dahl has with him. Sound mixer Valentino Gianni does superb work with the sound in the way sparse noises sound from outside as well as the emphasis on silence. Music supervisor Randall Poster does a wonderful job with the film’s minimal music soundtrack as it features a song by Jarvis Cocker in the film’s final credit in the feature-length version of the film.
The film’s remarkable ensemble cast includes two notable small roles from Benoit Herlin and Eliel Ford as a couple of stagehands with Ralph Fiennes in a superb appearance as Roald Dahl who comments on a couple of moments in the story. Dev Patel is incredible as Timber Woods as a friend of Pope who is narrating everything that is happening while also observing into a dangerous situation that could be fatal to Pope. Ben Kingsley is great as Dr. Ganderbai as a doctor who knows how to deal with snakes while he observes the severity of the situation knowing that one mistake is costly. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a tremendous performance as Harry Pope as a man lying in bed as he believes a snake is sleeping on his stomach as he is restrained but also terrified in this life-and-death situation.
Poison is a phenomenal short film by Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and a gripping story about a life-and-death situation. It is among one of Anderson’s finest short films as well as a great adaptation of a short story by Roald Dahl. In the end, Poison is a sensational film from Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited
- Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson Film Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) – (The Grand Budapest Hotel) – (Isle of Dogs) – (The French Dispatch) – (Asteroid City) - (The Phoenician Scheme)
© thevoid99 2024
The film is the simple story of a rich man who discovers a book about a doctor’s report on a guru who can see things without his eyes where the man hopes to master this skill to cheat at gambling. It is a film told in a multilayered style as it is told through different characters with Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes) doing the narration as well as how he authored this story with claims that it is based on a real man. Notably as the titular character (Benedict Cumberbatch) was at an event bored where he walked to the library where he discovered this book written by Dr. Chatterjee (Dev Patel) who recounts his meeting with a circus performer in Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley) who asked to be blindfolded for an upcoming performance. Dr. Chatterjee and his colleague Dr. Marshall (Richard Ayoade) would ask Khan these questions about where he learned this trade where Khan would tell the story of how he met this guru (Richard Ayoade) as it plays into Henry Sugar’s obsession to learn this skill, yet it would succeed in learning it, but its aftermath would prove to be unfulfilling.
Wes Anderson’s direction plays in a style that includes a lot of static shots and so much mindfulness in the setting where it does feel like the fourth wall is broken. Shot on location at the Maidstone Studios in Kent, England, Anderson’s usage of un-broken long shots, unique camera angles, and sets being moved from set to another adds to this unconventional presentation where characters narrate this story and the layers upon which it plays into Sugar’s newfound obsession. While the film is shot in a 1:33:1 full-frame aspect ratio on 16mm film to maintain an intimate style while still using some wide shots. Anderson’s usage of medium shots and close-ups do add to the sense of whimsy as well as intrigue into whether these stories were true as the characters would talk to the camera to play into this ambiguity with actors also playing multiple roles. It would all play into this journey of a rich yet lonely man who wants more money and wealth, yet it is through this skill to see things without his eyes that would reveal so much more than what wealth can offer to him. Overall, Anderson crafts a delightful and rapturous film about a rich man’s discovery of a secret skill that can make him wealthier.
Cinematographer Robert Yeomen does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of vibrant colors and heightened lighting for some of the daytime exteriors as well as stylish lights and low-key lights for some scenes at night. Editors Barney Pilling and Andrew Weisblum do excellent work with the editing as it has a few jump-cuts while a lot of it is straightforward in its cutting in allowing shots to linger for a few minutes. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, with supervising art director Kevin Timon Hill plus set decorators Cathy Featherstone and Anna Pinnock, does brilliant work with the look of the sets in the interiors of Sugar’s home, the hospital in India, and some of the backdrops created for Khan’s story. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone does fantastic work with the costumes in the posh clothing that Sugar wears as well as the different clothing that Dahl and other characters wear.
Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon does amazing work with the hair/makeup design in the different looks that the characters would have included Sugar late in the film. Special effects supervisor Chris Reynolds, along with visual effects supervisors Jep Hill, David Lebensfeld, Tim Ledbury, and Grant Miller, does terrific work with the special effects in some of the backdrops with some little mechanical animation in the background and rear projection in a few bits. Sound editors Wayne Lemmer and Christopher Scarabosio do superb work with the sound as it plays into some of the natural sound effects as well as some sound effects created to play into the environment the characters are in. Music supervisor Randall Poster creates a wonderful soundtrack that consists of a classical music piece that is played sparingly in parts of the film.
The film’s ensemble cast features a few small appearances from Jarvis Cocker in various roles as friends of Sugar as well as a casino receptionist and David Gant as a casino croupier. Richard Ayoade is excellent in a dual role as Dr. Marshall who assists Dr. Chatterjee in his study of Khan as well as the Great Yogi who would teach Khan this trick to see things without his eyes. Dev Patel is amazing in a dual role as Dr. Chatterjee who is fascinated by Khan’s story where he would author the book that Sugar would read and as Sugar’s family accountant John Winston who would oversee Sugar’s business later in the film. Ben Kingsley is brilliant in a dual role as the circus performer Imdad Khan who would gain fame through a trick in seeing things without his eyes where he presents himself in a calm manner and in another role as a casino blackjack dealer.
Ralph Fiennes is incredible in a dual role as Roald Dahl as the man who revealed how learned this story about Henry Sugar and his meetings with him and in a small role as a policeman who is upset with an incident that Sugar causes. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a phenomenal dual performance as the titular character who is this wealthy man that becomes obsessed in learning this skill so he can win at gambling only to gain something even more fulfilling while Cumberbatch also plays a small role as a makeup artist who works for Sugar later in the film.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a tremendous film by Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, wondrous visuals, and an inventive screenplay. It is a short film that takes one of Roald Dahl’s overlooked short stories and turns into a story of a man’s obsession in a story he read only to find something far more valuable than what he originally intended to use with this skill he discovered. In the end, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a spectacular film from Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Swan – The Rat Catcher – Poison – The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson Film Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) – (The Grand Budapest Hotel) – (Isle of Dogs) – (The French Dispatch) – (Asteroid City)
© thevoid99 2024
Following events relating to Spider-Man, Doctor Steven Strange encounters something from another universe who chases a young woman in America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) who is also from another universe as Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) learn that something is happening in the different multiverse relating to Chavez’s power where Strange asks Wanda Maximoff for help. It is a film that play into many multiple universes as it also relates to a book that is the opposite of a book that Maximoff has from her own previous adventure as it brings hope to the multiverse. Michael Waldron’s screenplay does manage to showcase what is at stake but doesn’t really do much in doing more with the motivation of some of the characters with Maximoff being a major reason as her possession of the Darkhold has her wanting to find her sons Billy and Tommy Maximoff (Julian Hillard and Jett Klyne, respectively) in the multiverse as she believes Chavez is key to finding them.
Maximoff becomes an obstacle for Strange, Wong, and Chavez where Strange and Chavez travel through the multiverse where they meet a variation of Strange’s former friend Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is part of a mysterious organization known as the Illuminati. Strange also meets a variation of his former flame in Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) who is a scientist who works for the Illuminati and isn’t fond of any version of Strange due to his own commitments to his work as a Master of the Mystic Arts. The different versions of characters is a key component of the film but it does get confusing and for audiences that aren’t aware of Maximoff’s own adventure in WandaVision do get lost. There’s a lot of exposition that Waldron creates that is overwhelming but also confusing when it comes to the concept of dream-walking where a character dreams about being in another world and uses that variation of that character to do things. It is among the elements of the film that does drag the story and make it nonsensical at times along with some stories relating to the multiverse including a version of Doctor Strange who was working with the Illuminati and what he did to kill their version of Thanos.
Sam Raimi’s direction definitely bear some of his own visual style in terms of the zooms he uses as well as these set pieces that are elaborate. Shot largely on location in Britain including the Longcross Studios at Longcross, Surrey, Raimi does create a film that showcases a world that has different versions as the version of New York City that Strange lives in is different from the New York City that he and Chavez would go to where they would learn that a variation of Strange had died. The world-building that Raimi does through the usage of wide and medium shots not only showcase the different universes the characters are in but also these worlds that are unique such as a montage where Strange and Chavez travel through different multiverses that include a 2D animation bit as it showcase these variations of worlds that are all unique. It is among these lavish sequences where Raimi does play into the adventure and action but also with elements of humor as it relates to Strange’s interaction with Chavez as well as the rules of the multiverse.
Then there’s Raimi’s approach to horror as it relates to Maximoff’s own desire to find her sons through the multiverse as she is intent on using the Darkhold book as it is a MacGuffin of sorts as well as the opposite book known as the Book of Vishanti that Chavez and a version of Doctor Strange are trying to get in the film’s first sequence that also involves a gigantic one-eyed monster known as Gargantos. Raimi also play into some of the gory elements in horror but not overtly gory as there are some major deaths as well as moments such as a scene where Strange, Chavez, and Palmer are running away from a version of Maximoff as it has all of these scary moments expected from horror. The film’s climax does involve Strange having to go into places that is against the rules imposed on other masters of the mystic arts yet it all has to do with Chavez and her own powers to travel through the universe even though she is unable to control it. Yet, it also shows exactly what Strange has learned and what he has to do to save the universe while also coming to terms with the sacrifices he’s made in his own life. Overall, Raimi crafts an exhilarating and chilling film about a sorcerer traveling through the multiverse to stop a threat from destroying his own universe.
Cinematographer John Mathieson does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the vibrancy of the alternate version of Earth as well as some stylish lighting for a few interiors including the usage of red for Maximoff’s own world, and the dark colors in the world that Strange would encounter. Editors Bob Murawski and Tia Nolan do excellent work with the editing with its stylish usage of montages, jump-cuts, and other cuts to play into the suspense and horror. Production designer Charles Wood, with set decorator John Bush and supervising art director Thomas Brown, does amazing work with the look of the Kamar-Taj base in Nepal where Strange and Wong do their training as well as the base of the Illuminati and a secret palace that holds a dark secret. Costume designer Graham Churchyard does fantastic work with the costumes from Wanda’s Scarlet Witch costume as well as the different costumes of the different variations of Strange including the Cloak of Levitation that has a mind of its own as well as the casual look of America Chavez with her denim jacket with a LGBTQ pride pin on it. Hair/makeup designer Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou, along with prosthetics makeup designer Barrie Gower, does terrific work with the look of the different variations of Doctor Strange as well as the two different looks of Maximoff in her different hairstyles as it all play into the many variations of the multiverse.
Special effects supervisor Alan Roberts and visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of Gargantos as well as other magical effects that Strange and Wong uses along with some of the massive set pieces as the effects work is a major highlight. Sound editors Addison Teague and Katy Wood do superb work with the sound in the way some of the creatures sound as well as the way objects sound including the atmosphere of a location. The film’s music by Danny Elfman is phenomenal for the bombastic music themes that are created with its usage of orchestral elements for its suspense and action along with themes that do intensify the sense of horror while music supervisor Dave Jordan cultivate a soundtrack that feature different themes from other films and TV shows from Marvel for some of the characters in their alternate variations.
The casting by Sarah Haley Finn is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Bruce Campbell in a hilarious cameo as a pizza vendor from an alternate universe, Ross Marquand in a voice role as Ultron drones who work for the Illuminati, Ako Mitchell as Palmer’s new husband Charlie, screenwriter Michael Waldron as a guest at Palmer’s wedding, Momo Yeung and Daniel Swain as two masters who respectively run the Hong Kong and London sanctums, Ruth Livier and Chess Lopez as Chavez’s mothers from her memory as a child, Sheila Atm as a Mystic arts master who works closely with Wong at Kamar-Taj, Adam Hugill as the minotaur Mystic arts master Rintrah, and Michael Stuhlbarg in a terrific small role as Strange’s former surgeon rival Dr. Nic West who laments over being killed during the Blip and returning back only to deal with loss of his own as he and Strange both feel uncomfortable at Palmer’s wedding.
In the roles of the members of the Illuminati, Patrick Stewart’s performance as an alternate version of Charles Xavier/Professor X as well as Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, John Krasinski as Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, Lashana Lynch as an alternate version of Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel, and Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt are fun to watch although it is largely fan-service as they play into people who decide Strange’s fate as they also carry a secret about their own version of Doctor Strange. Julian Hillard and Jett Klyne are superb in their respective roles as Billy and Tommy Maximoff as the sons of Wanda Maximoff whom Wanda believes are alive as they’re just kids who already have a mother and are unaware of what Wanda is doing. Chiwetel Ejiofor is fantastic as an alternate version of Karl Mordo as a former colleague/mentor of Strange who is the Sorcerer Supreme in an alternate universe who believes Strange is dangerous and is up to no good.
Rachel McAdams is excellent as Christine Palmer as Doctor Strange’s former flame who gets married to another man while an alternate version of Palmer is a more stern scientist who isn’t willing to put up with Strange’s bullshit though she becomes protective of Chavez when it comes to a major threat as she is also far more capable of taking care of herself. Benedict Wong is brilliant as Wong as the Sorcerer Supreme who helps Strange in dealing with some of the chaos involved as he also has to contend with some dark forces as well as what Strange had to do to save everyone. Xochitl Gomez is amazing as America Chavez as a young teenage girl who has the power to travel through different multiverses but doesn’t know how to control her powers as she deals with being a source of power that people want as she is also someone who has a hard time trusting people for valid reasons.
Elizabeth Olsen is outstanding as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch as a woman with her own powers as she is convinced that her sons are in another universe while realizing another version of her is with her sons where Olsen brings a dark sense of humor and terror to her performance of a woman ravaged by loss and the need to control things. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a sensational performance as the titular character as a former surgeon turned sorcerer who is dealing with images from an alternate universe as he struggles with these revelations but also versions of himself and their faults with the need to not just save the world but also to help this young girl he’s grown to care for despite his own arrogance at times.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a marvelous film from Sam Raimi that features great performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, and a break-out performance from Xochitl Gomez. Despite the messy elements in the film’s screenplay and its emphasis on exposition that does drag the story, the film does succeed in its stake as well as the work from its supporting cast as well as its visuals, emphasis on suspense and horror, exploration of the multiverse, and Danny Elfman’s thrilling score. In the end, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a remarkable film from Sam Raimi.
Sam Raimi Films: (It’s Murder!) – (Clockwork) – (Within the Woods) – The Evil Dead - (Crimewave) – Evil Dead II - (Darkman) – Army of Darkness - (The Quick and the Dead) – (A Simple Plan) – (For the Love of the Game) – (The Gift (2000 film)) – Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 (Drag Me to Hell) – (Oz, the Great and Powerful)
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers
Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man
Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man and the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Spider-Man: Far from Home
Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool 3) - (Captain America: Brave New World)
Phase 6: (Thunderbolts) – (Blade (2024 film)) - (Fantastic Four (2024 film)) – (Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) – (Avengers: Secret Wars)
© thevoid99 2022
Set in 1925 Montana, the film revolves around a rancher whose brother marries a local restauranteur whose son is known for acting a bit effeminate and talk with a bit of a lisp as he becomes uncomfortable with their presence as he becomes intimidating towards them. It is a film that explores a world where men and women have their place in the world but there is this sense of change where the definition of what men and women are begin to blur. Jane Campion’s screenplay is broken into a few chapters as it play into the relationship between the Burbank brothers in Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his younger brother George (Jesse Plemons) as the latter is an educated while the former prefers to maintain his lifestyle tending to the ranch as he has no interested in bathing nor show any kind of weakness. During a cattle drive where they stop at a nearby town at a restaurant run by Rose (Kirsten Dunst) whose son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a waiter where his lanky and effeminate presentation amuses Phil who would later mock Peter.
The first act is about the relationship between the brothers as well as George’s yearning to marry Rose as he would do so much to Phil’s annoyance as her presence would cause tension just as Rose is trying to bring a few changes as well as invite Phil and George’s parents and the governor (Keith Carradine) and his wife (Alison Bruce) for a dinner. The second act is about Peter’s arrival to the ranch following his time in college where he’s studying medicine and surgery where he tries to stay away from Phil and his ranchers but also makes a discovery about Phil that would change their relationship in the film’s second half. It is where this theme of masculinity come into play as Phil would become open to show Peter the ideas of being a rancher that Peter takes great interest in. Yet, Rose becomes uneasy about it as she turns to alcohol to cope as she would do something that only anger both Phil and Peter.
Campion’s direction is definitely intoxicating for the presentation she creates as it is set in the American West that is Montana though it is shot on the Maniototo plains in the Central Otago region in New Zealand with several interiors shot on sound stages in Auckland. Campion’s direction is often filled with gazing wide shots of these locations where they are major characters in the film as it play into this world that is untouched by modern society which suits Phil and the world he cares about. Campion would also use medium shots and close-ups to get a look into some of the attention to detail in the locations including a small flower in the field or something is symbolic. Most notably in a shrine for Phil’s mentor named Bronco Henry as he would tell stories about his exploits as it serves as this idea of what Phil wants to maintain with his cowhands who are also this embodiment of intense masculinity. Even as there is that moment where Phil notices some flowers made out of paper that Peter had created and burns it up as a form of intimidation and mocking.
There are also these shots that play into the tension between Rose and Phil such as a scene of the latter trying to play a piano piece with Phil on the floor above play that same piece with his banjo as a form of intimidation. Campion also play up the tension during a key scene where Phil and his cowhands are on the river with Phil at another location in the forest by himself where Peter makes this major discovery. This revelation for the second half is where Phil realizes that he and Peter are a lot alike in the way they see things but also that Peter is a lot stronger than both Phil and Rose would believe as Peter is fascinated by the idea of what it’s like to be a cowboy. For Rose, it’s a terrifying idea as she becomes more troubled and fearful as it adds some chaos in the film’s third act. It is Peter’s actions in the third act in what he’s learned from Phil is key to this unexpected bond between these two men who don’t feel like they belong in the modern world despite the things that Peter is studying yet he’s more intrigued by a world that is much simpler and uncompromising. Overall, Campion crafts a ravishing yet captivating film about a tough rancher’s encounter with his new sister-in-law and her effeminate son.
Cinematographer Ari Wegner does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its emphasis on natural lighting for many of the exteriors including some scenes in the forests are just gorgeous to watch while many of the nighttime interior scenes are used with available light to help set a mood. Editor Peter Sciberras does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama as well as some of the dramatic tension that occurs within the film. Production designer Grant Major, with supervising art director Mark Robins plus set decorators Gareth Edwards and Amber Richards, does amazing work with the look of the ranch and its interiors with how spacious the dining room is as well as Phil’s room that he shared with George and some of the exteriors including the stable where Phil keeps a lot of Bronco Henry’s possessions. Costume designer Kirsty Cameron does fantastic work with the costumes from the golden dress Rose wears to a dinner with the governor and others to the more rough-clothing and chaps that Phil and his cowhands wear.
Hair and makeup designer Noriko Watanabe does terrific work with the look of the characters from the dirty look of Phil as well as the hairstyle of the women during those times. Special effects supervisor Brendan Durey and visual effects supervisor Jason Hawkins do nice work with some of the effects as it relates to some of the horse riding and a few bits of set dressing for some scenes. Sound editor Robert Mackenzie and sound designer Dave Whitehead do brilliant work with the sound in the way cows and horses sound from afar as well as other sparse moments including the comb that Peter carries along with musical instruments as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Jonny Greenwood is phenomenal as its usage of discordant strings, eerie piano pieces, and lush orchestral string pieces add to the drama as it is a major highlight of the film while music supervisor Andrew Kotatko bring in a few classical and folk pieces that are performed in the film.
The casting by Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba, and Nina Gold is remarkable as it feature some notable small roles from Alice Englert as a young hooker who dances with a cowhand, Adam Beach as a Native American that wants to buy one of Phil’s rawhide, Maeson Stone Skuccedal as the Native American’s son, Sean Keenan and George Mason as a couple of Phil’s cowhands, Alice Bruce as the governor’s wife who is eager to meet Phil, Keith Carradine as the governor who is fascinated by Phil’s workmanship, Peter Carroll and Frances Conroy as Phil and George’s parents who are eager to see Rose in welcoming her to the family, Genevieve Lemon as the housekeeper Mrs. Lewis who kind of runs the ranch while telling Rose on a few house rules, and Thomasin McKenzie in a fantastic small role as the young maid Lola who works at the house and help Rose in a few things. Jesse Plemons is marvelous as George Burbank as Phil’s younger brother who is a more educated and kinder person than Phil as he would marry Rose as a way to have his own life instead of being intimidated by his brother.
Kirsten Dunst is incredible as Rose Gordon as a restauranteur who is intimidated by Phil as she is troubled by his presence that drives her to drink while becomes protective of Peter when he starts to befriend Phil where she does something that would upset them both. Kodi Smit-McPhee is phenomenal as Peter Gordon as a young man who has this effeminate presentation to him in the fact that he’s also very skinny yet Smit-McPhee makes Peter a far more intriguing individual who would do things that Rose would not approve of but Phil might’ve as well as show that he’s willing to learn as it play into his own ideas of life lessons. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a magnificent performance as Phil Burbank as a rancher who is more content with doing work with the ranch and living a rough and tumble lifestyle as he is wary at Rose believing she is being disruptive but takes a liking towards Peter in the film’s second half as there is this ambiguity and complexity to Cumberbatch’s performance that can be chilling but also has this air of sensitivity that is definitely a career-defining performance for Cumberbatch.
The Power of the Dog is an outstanding film from Jane Campion that features phenomenal performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Kirsten Dunst. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous locations, ravishing visuals, Jonny Greenwood’s unsettling score, a chilling soundtrack, and its themes on masculinity in an ever-changing world. It is a film that doesn’t play by the conventions of what it means to be a man or how to be one in a world that is removed from conventional society but rather to take an identity and own it no matter how hard society can hit. In the end, The Power of the Dog is a tremendous film from Jane Campion.
Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Piano - The Portrait of a Lady - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - Top of the Lake (Season 1) - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) – The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion
© thevoid99 2022
Based on the comic series by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and the comic storylines The Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin and the Infinity series by Jonathan Hickman, Avengers: Infinity War is the story of the fractured superhero group who reunite to stop an alien who is trying to collect six stones in the hopes of destroying the universe as the Avengers seek help from the Guardians of the Galaxy. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley, the film is the first of a two-part film series in which the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy team up with other heroes to stop this being known as Thanos in collecting the stones and save the world.
With an all-star cast that include Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, Dave Bautista, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Pom Klementieff, Don Cheadle, Winston Duke, Letitia Wright, Benedict Wong, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Karen Gillan, Peter Dinklage, Carrie Coon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio del Toro, plus the voice work of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, and Josh Brolin as Thanos. Avengers: Infinity War is a sprawling yet visceral film from Joe and Anthony Russo.
Set a few years after events that broke up the Avengers, the sudden arrival of alien ships featuring members of the Black Order who serve the alien despot Thanos have arrived to Earth to find two of the six infinity stones left on Earth forcing members of the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop it from happening. It’s a film with a simple premise with stakes that are huge as the six infinity stones are all based on the elements that arrived after the Big Bang where Thanos is seeking to get all six and put into a gauntlet where he can destroy half the universe with the snap of his finger. The film’s screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley is a multi-narrative script which picks up following events in which Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is stopped by Thanos and the Black Order as he later meets up with the Guardians of the Galaxy who agree to help Thor.
Back on Earth in New York City, Tony Stark/Iron Man meets up with Dr. Steven Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Wong (Benedict Wong) where they received a warning from Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) as they’re confronted by two members of the Black Order who want Strange since he carries the time stone as Iron Man is later aided by Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland). Banner would call Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) about what he saw as Rogers, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) deal with the other half of the Black Order who are trying to get the mind stone from Vision (Paul Bettany) who had been in hiding in Glasgow, Scotland with Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) as they all turn to James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle) for help despite Rhodes being ordered to arrest Rogers and associates for going against the Sokovia accords. They, along with Banner, would go to Wakanda to get help from King T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) who is aware that Thanos and the Black Order is after Vision. For all of the strands of narrative to occur as it all play into the same thing of these heroes trying to get the remaining infinity stones from Thanos.
There are also so much more that is happening as it relates to Thanos who is this alien figure that is in the belief that he wants to restore balance to the universe and he is convinced that by killing trillions of beings. He can save everything and he needs the six stones to do it as it’s something his adopted daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana) knows as she is the only person that knows where the mysterious soul stone is as there is this unique relationship with the two in an established flashback as he would save her as a child while he and the Black Order wipe out of her home planet. It would play into a sense of conflict for members of the Guardians of the Galaxy including Peter Quill/Starlord (Chris Pratt) who had fallen for Gamora as he wants to protect her from Thanos. It’s not just this arc over Thanos/Gamora that invests into a lot of emotional moments as the storyline for Vision/Maximoff is just as important as they’ve become a couple that are deeply in love and Maximoff is desperate to protect Vision. It would later lead to all of the Avengers including Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), T’Challa’s allies, and the Guardians to fight for the universe.
Joe and Anthony Russo’s direction is definitely grand in terms of not just what is at stake but also for the fact that it’s set both on Earth and various parts of the universe. Shot largely in Pinewood Studios near Atlanta, Georgia with additional locations shot in New York City and Atlanta. The film does play into a universe that is big where it opens with Thor being attacked by Thanos and the Black Order where it is a very menacing sequence as it play into what kind of figure Thanos is and how ruthless he is. The Russos’ direction would include a lot of unique compositions in the wide and medium shots to get a scale of how big this war is between the Avengers and Thanos as well as the fact that there’s several factions in the Avengers and Guardians that are trying to get whatever infinity stones that Thanos hasn’t acquired yet. While it is a dark film with some nihilistic elements that is intense in terms of how it impacts the story. There are elements of humor in the film.
Among them involves Thor’s interaction with Quill as the latter doesn’t seem fond of Thor because the former is cooler and gets along easily with Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voice of Vin Diesel) while another funny exchange involves the banter between Stark and Dr. Strange as two men with big egos who think they’re better than everyone. Still, the Russos do know when to take the break from the action as it relates to the Avengers trying to understand the infinity stones and what is at stake as well as Thor, Rocket, and Groot traveling to a mysterious planet to create a weapon that can kill Thanos with the help of a giant elf in Eitri (Peter Dinklage). By the time Stark, Dr. Strange, and Parker would meet other members of the Guardians including Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Gamora’s adopted sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) at Thanos’ home planet Titan. The film’s climax which takes place both at Wakanda and at Titan is intense where most of the Avengers take on Thanos’ army and members of the Black Order while Stark, Parker, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians take on Thanos as it is followed by something that is a real punch to the gut.
It plays into the possibilities of what happens if Thanos succeeds in his mission and the costs as it’s not just Thanos who would do something to achieve that. The Avengers and the Guardians would also pay a major price in their attempts to stop him where everyone knows what is at stake but some completely lose sight of that in favor of personal gain with some willing to make sacrifices. Its ending is really unlike many superhero/blockbuster films as it revolves into something much bigger than everyone. Even in the film’s lone post-credit sequence plays up into this sense of a universe that is now shaken to its core as it all goes back to Thanos’ nihilistic idea of the universe in general. Overall, the Russo Brothers craft a visceral and rapturous film about a collection of heroes trying to stop a madman from destroying an entire universe.
Cinematographer Trent Opaloch does excellent work with the film’s cinematography in the way the planet Titan looks in its pink-like shading as well as the scenes in space along with the exteriors in New York City and other locations. Editors Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidtt do terrific work with the editing as it is conventional in terms of its approach to the action with its fast-cutting while allowing scenes to simmer as it does establish what is going on without going into frenetic speed cuts. Production designer Charles Wood, with set decorator Leslie Pope and supervising art director Ray Chan, does brilliant work with the look of the spaceships that Thanos has for the Black Order as well as the look of the different planets the characters go to as well as the Avengers home base and Wakanda. Costume designer Judianna Makovsky does nice work with the costumes as it include the look of Spider-Man’s Iron-Spider suit as well as the clothes of the Black Order.
Special makeup effects artists Laura Dandridge, Andre Freitas, Bruce Spaulding Fuller, Tim J. Hays, Christopher Allen Nelson, and LuAndra Whitehurst do fantastic work with the look of the characters including the members of the Black Order and some of the smaller characters that Thor and Thanos would meet. Special effects supervisors Daniel Sudick and Patrick Edward White, along with visual effects supervisors Jeff Capogreco, Dan DeLeeuw, Varun Hadkar, Kelly Port, and Doug Spilatro, do incredible work with the visual effects as it play into the action including some chilling scenes involving Thanos and what he can do with his gauntlet as well as some of the powers that relate to Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and the other heroes. Sound designers David Farmer, Nia Hansen, and Shannon Mills, along with co-sound editor Daniel Laurie, do superb work with the sound as it play into some of the sound effects in the film as well as how some of the weapons sound and the noises the spaceships make. The film’s music by Alan Silvestri is phenomenal as it feature some soaring orchestral themes for the heroes as well as some somber pieces and some bombastic themes for Thanos while music supervisor Dave Jordan provides a fun soundtrack that includes Black Panther’s theme and the Spinners’ Rubberband Man to introduce the Guardians.
The casting by Sarah Finn is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Jacob Batalon as Peter’s friend Ned, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Benicio del Toro as the Collector, Gwyneth Paltrow as Tony’s fiancé Pepper Potts, Tom Hiddleston as Thor’s adopted brother Loki, Letitia Wright as T’Challa’s sister Princess Shuri, William Hurt as defense secretary Thaddeus Ross who wants Steve Rogers and other associates arrested, Peter Dinklage as the legendary weapons creator Eitri who helps Thor create a weapon to stop Thanos, Winston Duke as the Jabari tribe leader M’Baku, Danai Gurira as the Dora Milaje leader Okoye, Kerry Condon as the voice of Stark’s A.I. tech, Ariana Greenblatt as the young Gamora, and Benedict Wong as the mystic arts master Wong who helps Doctor Strange and Stark deal with members of the Black Order. In the roles of Thanos’ disciples in the Black Order, the performances of Terry Notary as the big monster Cull Obsidian, Michael James Shaw as the vicious Corvus Glaive, Tom Vaughn-Lawlor as the telekinetic Ebony Maw, and Carrie Coon as the powerful Proxima Midnight are superb as villains who are loyal to Thanos.
The performances of Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, and Sebastian Stan are superb in their respective roles as Sam Wilson/Falcon, James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier as members of the Avengers who take part in fighting Thanos’ forces with Rhodes being the one to defy the world’s council orders while Barnes feeling more at peace in his time in Wakanda. The performances of Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper/Sean Gunn, Vin Diesel/Terry Notary, and Karen Gillan are fantastic in their respective roles as Guardians of the Galaxy members Drax the Destroyer, Mantis, Rocket, Groot, and Nebula as the space warriors who are willing to fight Thanos with Bautista and Klementieff as the comic reliefs while Gillan provides a weighted role as Gamora’s adopted sister who has a legit grudge towards Thanos. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are excellent in their respective roles as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch and Vision as they provide some of the emotional moments in the film with Maximoff trying to protect Vision as she copes with the idea of losing him altogether.
Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana are brilliant in their respective roles as Peter Quill/Starlord and Gamora as members of the Guardians of the Galaxy who have fallen for each other as Pratt provides some humor in his banter towards Thor and Stark while Saldana brings a lot of weight to her role as Gamora who hates Thanos but knows she couldn’t lie to him. Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland are amazing in their respective roles as T’Challa/Black Panther and Peter Parker/Spider-Man with Boseman as the reserved king of Wakanda who leads the battle against Thanos in his country while Holland is funny as Parker who says a lot of pop culture things that annoys Stark and Doctor Strange. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. are remarkable in their respective roles as Steve Rogers/Captain America and Tony Stark/Iron Man as the two leaders of the Avengers who both battle Thanos in separate narrative threads as they endure the reality of their situation with Evans as a hardened Rogers who knows what needs to be done and Downey as a determined Stark who has issues with Thanos over the chaos he had brought to him many years before.
The performances of Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Hemsworth, and Mark Ruffalo in their respective roles as Doctor Steven Strange, Thor, and Bruce Banner/the Hulk are incredible with Cumberbatch being the mystic arts master who is trying to figure out every scenario as he’s protecting the time stone while Hemsworth brings a weighted performance as Thor who copes with failure and anger and Ruffalo provides a comical performance of sorts as Banner who endures anxiety over the Hulk’s brief fight with Thanos. Finally, there’s Josh Brolin in tremendous performance as Thanos as the alien despot who is hell-bent on destroying the universe as it’s a chilling performance that has Brolin using motion-capture to provide the terror of Thanos where it’s calm but eerie in the way he explains his motives as he creates a villain for the ages.
Avengers: Infinity War is a spectacular film from Joe and Anthony Russo. Featuring an incredible ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, high-octane set pieces, thrilling action sequences, a mesmerizing score, and a haunting story of destruction and nihilism. It’s a superhero blockbuster film that goes all out and more in terms of not just be entertaining but also going into places many films wouldn’t dare in delving into dark themes as well as the concept of loss in the grandest of ways. In the end, Avengers: Infinity War is a phenomenal film from Joe and Anthony Russo.
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 - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - 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 2018
Based on the comic series by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber, Thor: Ragnarok is the story of the godly figure who finds himself in danger when a mysterious figure has returned to Asgard to wreak havoc forcing Thor to seek help from an ally and other figures. Directed by Taika Waititi and screenplay by Eric Pearson Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost, the film is an exploration of a man trying to fulfill his role but also rectify the mistakes of the past as Chris Hemsworth reprises the role of Thor. Also starring Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Jeff Goldblum, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin. Thor: Ragnarok is a sprawling yet witty film from Taika Waititi.
Two years after the events in Sokovia where Thor helped the Avengers saved its people, the film follows the godly figure trying to get answers about the Infinity Stones where he learns that a mysterious figure named Hela (Cate Blanchett) is returning to Asgard to make her claim to its throne and its people. It’s a film that has Thor not only try to find out the whereabouts of his father but also deal with the sins that Odin had been carrying as it include Hela who is revealed to be Thor’s older sister that was cast out of Asgard due to her dark ambitions. With the help of his adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor tries to stop Hela only for things to go wrong as she takes control of Asgard while Thor finds himself in the planet of Sakaar. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the sins that Odin has laid upon for his sons who are forced to work together and deal with themselves but also realize the role that Thor is destined to carry as he is Asgard’s true heir.
The script also has this unique structure that doesn’t just play into the development of the story but also the characters as Thor is first seen imprisoned by the fire demon Surtur (voice of Clancy Brown) in his search for the Infinity Stones where he also learns of the prophecy known as Ragnarok that will deal with the end of Asgard which had been in Thor’s mind for some time. Upon his return to Asgard where he learns that his father had been away, he turns to Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help where he and Loki find Odin’s whereabouts who reveal his own sins and the return of Hela. The second act isn’t just about Hela taking over Asgard as well as deal with a resistance led by Heimdall (Idris Elba) who had taken the sword that controls the Bridge to all nine realms. It’s also about Thor in the planet of Sakaar where he’s captured by a woman named Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) where he’s forced to become a gladiator for amusement of the planet’s leader in the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) where its champion is none other than the Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). Thor has to convince the Hulk to join him in saving Asgard as well as Valkyrie who was once part of an army of warriors that tried to stop Hela years ago.
Taika Waititi’s direction is very offbeat not just for the fact that it’s a film with grand visuals and set in a large universe but it’s also approached with a sense of humor mixed in with bits of tragedy. Though shot mainly on soundstages at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, the film also shoots on location in New York City and parts of Australia with the latter as the forest and mountains in Asgard. Waititi does create something that is grounded but also maintain the importance of the different lands and galaxies where it is very diverse as well as filled with all sorts of ideas of the world that Thor is encountering. Waititi would use some wide shots for those locations but also in some of the battle scenes and in the gladiator showdown between Thor and Hulk as the latter is this mixture of humor and drama. He would also use some close-ups and medium shots as it play into the situations that Thor is in whether it’s being imprisoned at Sakaar where he would befriend other gladiators including a rock-like creature named Korg (Taika Waititi) or coping with the sins of his father.
The direction doesn’t showcase the motivations of Hela in the need to claim her place in the throne as Asgard’s sole ruler but also infuse with some dark humor where Hela is someone that is just hell-bent on wreaking havoc. Waititi would also showcase Asgard when Odin isn’t available as it include this play of Thor and Loki’s adventures where Thor is watching with befuddlement. It’s among these offbeat moments in the film that add a lighter touch to the action and drama as well as the scenes in Sakaar where the Grandmaster is this oddball man that is ruling a planet yet he’s so weird. The film’s climax in which Thor, Loki, the Hulk, and Valkyrie battle Hela and her army as it does play into Thor’s own insecurities into not living up to his own claim for Asgard’s throne. All of which forces him to unveil his true powers and bring some redemption for his father to save the people of Asgard. Overall, Waititi crafts an exhilarating and evocative film about a god trying to save his people from his evil sister with the help of a few allies.
Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the colorful exteriors of the scenes in Sakaar and Asgard as well as some of the interiors for the scenes at Dr. Strange’s home and at the palace of Asgard. Editors Joel Negron and Zene Baker do excellent work with the editing as it is stylized with conventional fast-cutting in the action but also use some straightforward cuts for the non-action scenes to establish what is going on. Production designers Dan Hennah and Ra Vincent, with set decorator Beverley Dunn plus art directors Bill Booth, Brendan Heffernan, Richard Hobbs, Alex McCarroll, and Laura Ng, do amazing work with the look of the different worlds from Dr. Strange’s New York home, the places in Asgard, and the coliseum at Sakaar. Costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo does fantastic work with the costumes from the design of the gladiator gear to the clothes that Hela, Valkyrie, and the Grandmaster wear to play into their offbeat personalities.
Hair designer Lucy Vannella and makeup designer Vincenzo Mastrantonio do terrific work with the look of Hela in her hairstyle as well as Thor’s haircut before the gladiator battle and the makeup some of the people at Sakaar wear. Special effects supervisors Brian Cox and R. Bruce Steinheimer, with visual effects supervisors Megan Flood, Jake Morrison, and Stuart White, do incredible work with the visual effects from the look of the Hulk and some of the creatures Thor encounters to the look of the planet that Sutur lives in. Sound designers David Farmer and Shannon Mills, with co-sound editor Daniel Laurie, do superb work with the sound in creating sound effects for some of the action as well as the way the Hulk sounds and some of the objects in the different planets such as the guns at Sakaar.
The film’s music by Mark Motherbaugh is wonderful for its mixture of electronic synth-pop with elements of orchestral bombast as the latter play into some of the adventure and action while the electronic pieces play into the world of Sakaar while music supervisor Dave Jordan provide a soundtrack that is just as offbeat from the usage of Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory to Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song which makes perfect sense for the film’s action scenes as its lyrics features a lot of Norse mythology that relates to Thor.
The casting by Sarah Finn and Kirsty McGregor is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Clancy Brown as the voice of the fire demon Sutur, the trio of the Warrior Three in Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, and Zachary Levi as Fandral who are among the first to confront Hela at Asgard, Rachel House as the Grandmaster’s bodyguard Topaz, director Taika Waititi as the rock-like gladiator Korg who provides some funny commentary about Thor’s situation, the obligatory Stan Lee cameo as Thor’s barber, and Benedict Cumberbatch in a brief but terrific appearance as Doctor Stephen Strange who helps Thor find the whereabouts of Odin through his own powers. Karl Urban is superb as the Asgardian warrior Skurge who watches over the Biofrost as he becomes a reluctant aide to Hela where he copes with the choices he makes. Anthony Hopkins is fantastic as Odin as Thor and Hela’s father and king of Asgard who deals with his own exile as well as the regrets he made in his life where he ponders what will happen to Thor and Loki upon Hela’s return.
Idris Elba is excellent as Heimdall as the former watcher of the Biofrost who has become a fugitive due to events from the last film as he leads a resistance against Hela where he does whatever he can to help the people of Asgard. Jeff Goldblum is brilliant as the Grandmaster as the odd leader of Sakaar who rules the planet with a mighty fist but also with some eccentric ideas as he cares more about having gladiator shows than cleaning up his dirty planet. Tom Hiddleston is amazing as Loki as Thor’s adopted brother who has been trying to create mischief at Asgard due to Odin’s absence as he deals with the presence of Hela while being very conflicted into helping Thor and Asgard or himself as he also struggles with his own shortcomings. Tessa Thompson is remarkable as Valkyrie as a former Asgardian warrior who had fought with Hela a long time ago as she is reeling from bad memories while unsure if she wants to help Thor in order to find her own redemption. Mark Ruffalo is incredible as the Hulk/Bruce Banner where he appears briefly as Banner as the man who had been lost in the role of the Hulk as he tries to comprehend what has happened to him whereas the Hulk has become a figure that feels loved and appreciated at Sakaar instead of being seen as a monster on Earth.
Cate Blanchett is phenomenal as Hela as Odin’s first-born child who had been his executioner and right-hand woman until her ambitions overwhelm him as this woman that is just pissed off in being exiled as Blanchett provides a bit of camp but also has this air of charisma that makes her so interesting in being one of the best villains in the MCU. Finally, there’s Chris Hemsworth in a sensational performance as Thor as the Norse god who is trying to find answers about the Infinity Stones only to learn about the revelation that he has an evil older sister where he deals with his own shortcomings as Hemsworth displays some humility as well as some great comedic timing that adds to his sense of humility.
Thor: Ragnarok is a spectacular film from Taika Waititi that features great performances from Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins. Along with its supporting cast, dazzling visuals, killer music soundtrack, and themes on sins and duty. It’s a film that manages to be compelling in its themes while providing moments that are exciting as well as being very funny. In the end, Thor: Ragnarok is a tremendous film from Taika Waititi.
Taika Waititi Films: Two Cars, One Night - Eagle vs. Shark - Boy (2010 film) - What We Do in the Shadows - Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Jojo Rabbit - Next Goal Wins (2023 film) - (Klara and the Sun) - Auteurs #64: Taika Waititi
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers (2012 film)
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 - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home
Post-Infinity 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
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