The film revolves around events in Derry, Maine where the group of seven kids, who confronted the clown Pennywise, known as the Losers have returned 27 years later following events involving mysterious murders in the town committed by Pennywise. It’s a film that has these adults not only fulfill an oath to return to Derry to defeat Pennywise once and for all but also to confront some demons. Gary Dauberman’s screenplay opens with the beating of a gay couple as one of them would be killed by Pennywise as it leads to Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs as a teenager/Isaiah Mustafa as an adult) to call the rest of the Losers. Dauberman’s script does a lot to establish the stakes and what the Losers must do but some of the execution and plot-pointing unfortunately leads to a messy narrative. Notably in a few flashbacks where some of the losers deal with moments from their past but also blur the idea of whether it’s a memory or a fantasy recreated as their younger selves. It gets confusing while some of the back story about Pennywise’s origins are confusing as well with Hanlon being the one to research everything in how to kill him once and for all.
Muschietti’s direction does have some style in its compositions and approach to suspense while also play into the idea of memory and nightmares. Shot on location at the Manitoba province in Canada with some of it shot in Toronto as Maine and New York City. Muschietti also dwell into the events that these characters have to cope with as he uses wide shots to get a scope of the locations including some of the nightmares they all have to deal with. The medium shots and close-ups that Muschietti uses to play into the interaction with the characters such as their reunion scene at a Chinese restaurant where it starts off fun but then becomes scary. This approach to wanting to be funny, dramatic, and serious is where the film does have tonal issues where Muschietti wants the film to be a lot of things but it never gets a balanced tone while there are other things in the film that never gets fully explained. Notably the character of Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton/Teach Grant) who is aided by the dead body of his friend Patrick (Owen Teague) as that is never fully explained.
Despite the messy elements in the film’s second act where it is bogged down by lots of exposition, Muschietti does manage to get things going for its third act with the climatic showdown between the Losers and Pennywise. It is a grand sequence that has a lot at stake but also forcing people to relieve their nightmares as well as confront their own guilt from the past as children. It is a sequence that has a lot going on while its aftermath does go a bit overlong at times though it’s quaint in comparison to some of the events in the second act. Overall, Muschietti crafts a riveting though flawed film about a group of adults who reunite to destroy a mysterious clown who terrorized them as kids 27 years ago.
Cinematographer Checco Varese does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for many of the interior/exterior scenes set at night to help maintain the eerie mood of the film. Editor Jason Ballantine does terrific work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few stylish cuts to play into the suspense and horror. Production designer Paul D. Austerberry, with set decorators Crystal North and Shane Vieau plus art director Nigel Churcher, does amazing work in not just the look of Derry but also the places the Losers go to as it play into their nightmares. Costume designer Luis Sequeira does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with the Losers wearing casual clothing.
Hair designer Stephanie Ingram, along with makeup designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., does brilliant work with the look of a few of the adult characters as well as the look of Pennywise. Special effects supervisor Kristy Hollidge and visual effect supervisor Nicholas Brooks do superb work with the visual effects from the look of Pennywise in his different incarnations to the design of some of the demons the Losers face. Sound designers Erick Ocampo, Randy Torres, and Bill R. Dean, with sound editor Nancy Nugent, do incredible work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as sound effects to create some suspense. The film’s music by Benjamin Wallfisch is wonderful for its eerie orchestral score that helps build up some of the film’s suspense and drama while its music soundtrack features pieces from Juice Newton, Cameo, and New Kids on the Block.
The casting by Rich Delia is marvelous as it feature notable small roles and appearances from Stephen King as a pawn shop owner, filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich as himself, Jess Weixler as Bill’s actress wife Audra, Juno Rinaldi and Megan Charpentier in respective roles as the older and younger version of Gretta, Will Beinbrick as Bev’s abusive husband Tom Rogan, Martha Girvin as Stan’s wife Patty, Xavier Dolan and Taylor Frey as a gay couple who are attacked by a gang early in the film with the former being a victim of Pennywise, Molly Atkinson in a dual role as Eddie’s mother and his wife, Luke Roesseler as a young boy Bill encountered in the second act, Ryan Keira Armstrong as a young girl with a strange birthmark on her face, Owen Teague as the dead corpse of Bowers’ friend Patrick, Jackson Robert Scott as Bill’s late younger brother George, and Teach Grant and Nicholas Hamilton in their respective roles as the older and younger version of the bully Henry Bowers with the former being a total psychopath hell bent on revenge towards the Losers. Bill Skarsgard is fantastic as Pennywise as the clown who terrorizes kids though he is hampered by the fact that he’s underused and not much information about who he really is emerges.
Andy Bean and Wyatt Oleff are terrific in their respective roles as the older and younger version of Stan Uris as the former appears briefly as the adult version who is the one person who doesn’t return mainly because he has a plan that would help the Losers with the former being the nerdy Jewish kid who starts to find his own path. James Ransone and Jack Dylan Grazer are superb in their respective versions of the adult and younger version of Eddie Kaspbrak as hypochondriac who still has issues but also comes to terms that he must face Pennywise while also finding a sense of humor. Jay Ryan and Jeremy Ray Taylor are excellent in their respective roles as the adult and younger version of Ben Hanscom as the latter is the fat yet resourceful kid with a crush on Bev while the former is a fit adult who still pines for Bev despite his success as an architect as he is eager to fight Pennywise. Isaiah Mustafa and Chosen Jacobs are brilliant in their respective role as Mike Hanlon as the one person who stayed in Derry to study on Pennywise and how to defeat as he would bring everyone together while figuring out how it could be done.
Bill Hader and Finn Wolfhard are amazing in their respective versions of Richie Tozier with Hader being the comedian who is reluctant to return as he copes with his own issues while he’s still a foul-mouthed and witty person like Wolfhard’s role as the young Tozier. James McAvoy and Jaeden Martell are incredible in their respective versions as the older and younger Bill Denbrough as the former is now a successful author who still has creative issues as he is eager to stop Pennywise while dealing with other issues that he still has as the latter. Finally, there’s Jessica Chastain and Sophia Lillis in a phenomenal performances as their respective versions of the adult and younger version of Bev Marsh with the latter being in a troubled marriage as well as admitting that she has some strange visions that she attained as the former.
It Chapter Two is a stellar film from Andy Muschietti. Despite its messy script, 169-minute running time, and inconsistent tone, the film is still a fascinating horror film thanks in parts to its ensemble cast and study of fear. In the end, It Chapter Two is a fine film from Andy Muschietti.
It Chapter One
© thevoid99 2020
Written, directed, and narrated by Peter Bogdanovich, The Great Buster: A Celebration is a documentary film that explores the life, career, and influence of silent film star/filmmaker Buster Keaton. Featuring interviews from various filmmakers, historians, actors, and comedians, the film follows the man’s life as well as his struggles to be relevant when silent films ended as well as the long overdue adulation he would ultimately receive before his passing in 1966 at the age of 70. The result is a rich and exhilarating film from Peter Bogdanovich.
In the 1920s, one of the biggest stars of the silent film era was Buster Keaton whose stone-faced look and elaborate approach to physical comedy and action as it would influence many in the years to come. The film explores not just Keaton’s life including his struggles to make movies during the post-silent film era but also in some of his failures he would endure and comeback during the late 1940s. Narrated by its writer/director Peter Bogdanovich who shows a clip of himself on The Dick Cavett Show in the early 1970s with filmmaker Frank Capra as they talk about Keaton’s influence in cinema as other filmmakers ranging from comedy filmmakers like Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner to the likes of Werner Herzog, Quentin Tarantino, and Jon Watts as they all talk about what Keaton brought to the world of cinema. Watts especially as he reveals that Keaton’s stone-faced expression was an inspiration to the look of Spider-Man under his mask in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The film also goes into depth into Keaton’s personal life through historians and those who knew him including actors Norman Lloyd and Dick Van Dyke while comedian Richard Lewis talks about his friendship with Keaton’s widow Eleanor Norris as she would give him her husband’s famed hat. Actors/comedians such as Cybill Shepherd, Nick Kroll, Bill Hader, French Stewart, and Johnny Knoxville also talk about Keaton’s films and his approach to physical comedy as Knoxville reveals that part of the reasons he created Jackass and its films was to do stupid stunts but also to understand how Keaton was able to perfect the stunts and set pieces he created in his films. Much of the narrative that Bogdanovich creates is largely straightforward but it also play into the decline in his career as it relates to his time working with MGM where Keaton lost a lot of his creative control as several colleagues including Charles Chaplin urged Keaton to not sign with MGM but Keaton ended up taking the advice of those who were managing his business as it ended up being a bad business deal.
After two failed marriages and a career that is nearly dead, it would be his marriage to MGM dancer Eleanor Norris that would help as he would be hired by MGM to write gags and such as well as direct a gag for other filmmakers. The work for MGM and appearances in commercials and television would help revive Keaton’s career and financial fortunes as it would give him a memorable cameo in Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard as well as a memorable appearance in Chaplin’s 1952 film Limelight where the two shared the screen together. Lloyd revealed that Chaplin brought Keaton just to work with him and help him out as they created a great scene while the finale was partially directed by Keaton who helped Chaplin out with the scene. Many also discussed that as great as a filmmaker and physical comedian that Keaton is, some say he is underrated as an actor as historians and filmmakers do feel that Keaton had a lot more to offer. Even in his final years as it play into the films he was doing such as Beach Blanket Bingo as he was dealing with ill health but was enjoying his work.
Much of Bogdanovich’s direction is straightforward in the interviews which were shot with cinematographer Dustin Pearlman as it allow those who are interviewed the chance to be in their own world but also express their love for Keaton. Yet, it is through the footage of Keaton’s films and other archival footage that is the meat of the film with the aid of editor Bill Berg-Hillinger who would cultivate all of the footage including some of the rare TV clips and commercials. One aspect of the film that is crucial to the film are clips from the documentary Buster Keaton Rides Again which was a making-of documentary about a short film Keaton was making as it would be one of his last films. Sound editor David Barnaby would gather some audio archives as well as do some remastering in some of the film clips while music supervisor Chris Robertson cultivates an array of music scores from all of the film that Keaton was in as it help play into the humor and somber aspects of his life.
The Great Buster: A Celebration is an incredible film from Peter Bogdanovich. It’s a documentary that does a lot to explore the genius of Buster Keaton as well as the legacy he’s created in the world of film and the admirers he had gained for many years. Even as it showcases his films and why people love them as well as a look into his struggles after his years of stardom and control had faded away only to regain his dignity and overdue adulation he would receive for his gift. In the end, The Great Buster: A Celebration is a marvelous film from Peter Bogdanovich.
Buster Keaton Films: (The Rough House) – (One Week (1920 Short)) – (Convict 13) – (The Scarecrow (1920 short)) – (Neighbors (1920 short)) – (The Haunted House (1921 short)) – (Hard Luck (1921 short)) – (The High Sign) – (The Goat (1921 short)) – (The Playhouse) – (The Boat) – (The Paleface) – (Cops) – (My Wife’s Relations) – (The Blacksmith) – (The Frozen North) – (The Electric House) – (Day Dreams (1922 short)) – (The Balloonatic) – (The Love Nest) – (Three Ages) – (Our Hospitality) – Sherlock Jr. - The Navigator (1924 film) - Seven Chances - (Go West (1925 film)) – (Battling Butler) – The General (1926 film) - (College (1927 film)) – Steamboat Bill Jr. - The Cameraman - (Spite Marriage) – (The Gold Ghost) – (Allez Oop) – (Tars and Stripes) – (Gland Slam Opera) – (One Run Elmer) – (Blue Blazes) – (Mixed Magic) – (Love Nest on Wheels)
Peter Bogdanovich Films: Targets - (Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women) – (Directed by John Ford) – The Last Picture Show - (What’s Up Doc?) – Paper Moon - (Daisy Miller) – (At Long Last Love) – (Nickelodeon) – (Saint Jack) – (They All Laughed) – (Mask (1985 film)) – (Illegally Yours) – (Texasville) – (Noises Off) – (The Thing Called Love) – (To Sir with Love II) – (The Price of Heaven) – (Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Women) – (Naked City: A Killer Christmas) – (A Saintly Switch) – (The Cat’s Meow) – (The Mystery of Natalie Wood) – (Hustle (2004 film)) – (Runnin’ Down a Dream) – (She’s Funny That Way)
© thevoid99 2020
Written and directed by Rebecca Miller from a story by Karen Rinaldi, Maggie’s Plan is the story of a woman who falls in love with a married man only for things go wrong years later as she schemes to get him back to his ex-wife. The film is a romantic comedy of sorts as it plays into a woman who put herself into a situation only to find herself in serious trouble as she becomes part of a messy love triangle. Starring Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Travis Fimmel, Wallace Shawn, and Julianne Moore. Maggie’s Plan is a witty and whimsical film from Rebecca Miller.
The film follows a young woman who meets a writer as they fall in love despite the fact that he’s married to a college professor as they would later marry and have a child only for the marriage to lose its luster where the woman believes her husband is hung up on his ex-wife. It’s a film that explores a woman’s desire to wanting to become a mother only for her plans to just have a child without any emotional attachments to the father only for things to not exactly go her way. Rebecca Miller’s screenplay follows the titular protagonist (Greta Gerwig) who works at the New School in New York City where she’s the director of business development and outreach for the art and design students as she would meet another person at the school in John Harding (Ethan Hawke) over a bill where they have somewhat similar last names as Maggie’s surname is Hardin. Learning that Harding is working on a novelist and married to the famed writer Georgette Norgaard (Julianne Moore) who tenures at Columbia University.
Maggie and Harding befriend one another due to the former’s interest towards the latter’s novel as they suddenly begin an affair where the story moves three years later where they have a daughter named Lily (Ida Rohatyn). Yet, things become complicated as their relationship has hit a funk where Harding would help his ex-wife over business deals with Maggie watching over her teenage stepdaughter Justine (Mina Sundwall) and stepson Paul (Jackson Frazer). Maggie is convinced her relationship with Harding is going to end in divorce where she meets Norgaard about the idea of her getting back with Harding. It all play into Maggie’s need to control the situations as well as reclaim some idea of individuality as she often had to cancel meetings in her job and do all of the things that a mother does with Harding often too consumed with his own work and such. Norgaard is reluctant at first about Maggie’s plan as she’s still got issues with Maggie over her affair with Harding but also realizes that she still has feelings for her ex-husband.
Miller’s direction is straightforward in terms of the compositions and setting as it is shot largely in New York City during the winter as well as locations at upstate New York as Quebec. While there are some wide shots in some scenes, much of Miller’s direction rely on close-ups and medium shots as it relates to the characters interacting with one another. Even in scenes that are lightly comical as it relates to Maggie being with her friends including a man named Guy (Travis Fimmel) whom she originally wanted to impregnate her by donating his sperm. It’s among the lightly-comical moments that include the night Maggie tries to use Guy’s sperm to impregnate herself where Harding has rung the intercom to meet her as it would play into some silliness.
The scenes that showcases Harding’s marriage to Norgaard display that air of inequality where Norgaard is presented as someone that might seem pretentious yet she is revealed to be someone that is an intellectual but with a chip on her shoulder. In the film’s third act, it does become dramatic as it relates to Maggie and Harding yet would have an air of humor in the growing friendship between Maggie and Norgaard as Miller would show the two having common ground as well as create something together that would benefit everyone. Overall, Miller crafts a charming and enjoyable film about a woman’s scheme to get her husband back with his ex-wife that would eventually cause chaos in her own life.
Cinematographer Sam Levy does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward for its exterior look including the scenes set in Quebec that includes its low-key lighting for the interior scenes at night. Editor Sabine Hoffman does terrific work with the editing as it is straightforward with a few jump-cuts and montages with the latter playing into Maggie’s relationship with Harding early in the film. Production designer Alexandra Schiller, with set decorator Kendall Anderson and art director Brian Goodwin, does fantastic work with the look of the apartments the characters live in from the posh-look of Norgaard to the more Bohemian look of Maggie when she lives with Harding.
Costume designer Malgosia Turzanska does nice work with the costumes as it has a sense of style from the colorful look of Maggie to the more posh look of Norgaard. Sound editor Marlena Grzaslewicz does superb work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the hotel in Quebec to the exteriors of New York City. The film’s music by Michael Rohatyn is wonderful for its low-key score that mixes folk and indie music to play into the world of New York City while music supervisor Adam Horowitz provide a mix of music from reggae to rock.
The casting by Cindy Tolan is great as it feature some notable small roles from Wallace Shawn as a Q&A interviewer for Norgaard and Harding early in the film, Kathleen Hanna as a singer at an inn in Quebec, Ida Rohatyn as John and Maggie’s daughter Lily, Jackson Frazer as John and Georgette’s son Paul, and Mina Sundwall as John and Georgette’s teenage daughter Justine who is wondering why her dad is eating with her mom. Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph are superb in their respective roles as Tony and Felicia as friends of Maggie who have a family of their own as they’re concerned about her scheme with Tony being uncomfortable with the situation. Travis Fimmel is terrific as Guy as a friend of Maggie who makes and sells pickles as she wants him to donate his sperm to her only for things to not happen. Ethan Hawke is excellent as John Harding as a college professor for the New School that is trying to create a novel yet often neglects his parental duties and still has feelings for Georgette unaware of what he’s doing to Maggie.
Julianne Moore is incredible as Georgette Norgaard as a Danish intellectual/writer who is also a professor at Columbia University as she has some resentment and anger towards her ex-husband yet still has feelings for him where she would go along with Maggie’s plan only to befriend Maggie as it’s a charming performance from Moore. Finally, there’s Greta Gerwig in a remarkable performance as Maggie Hardin as a director for the New School who is eager to have a child where things don’t go as planned as she tries to take control of the situation in getting her husband back with his ex-wife only to realize her faults and accept about the way things are.
Maggie’s Plan is a marvelous film from Rebecca Miller that features great performances from Greta Gerwig and Julianne Moore. Along with its supporting cast and a witty story of a complicated love triangle, it’s a film that manages to bring something new to the romantic-comedy genre while being a woman’s film in its exploration for them to find their place in the world. In the end, Maggie’s Plan is a brilliant film from Rebecca Miller.
Rebecca Miller Films: (Angela (1995 film)) – Personal Velocity: Three Portraits - The Ballad of Jack and Rose - The Private Lives of Pippa Lee - Arthur Miller: Writer
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone and written and starring Schaffer, Taccone, and Andy Samberg, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is the story of a pop music artist who embarks on a world tour to promote his second album where everything goes wrong as he struggles with trying to be successful and popular. The film is told in a mockumentary fashion as it follows the life of a pop star who shares too much of himself as he does whatever he can to sell records and be in the spotlight unaware of the chaos he’s creating. Also starring Imogen Poots, Sarah Silverman, Joan Cusack, Maya Rudolph, Chris Redd, and Tim Meadows. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a hilarious and outlandish film from Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.
The film is told in a documentary fashion about the pop star Conner4Real (Andy Samberg) and the release of his sophomore solo release Connquest and its world tour as his attempts to be a bigger star and stay away from the shadow of his old group the Style Boyz. Yet, Conner4Real would endure not failure but also becoming desperate to be in the limelight where he would lose sight of things. Even as he would take part in publicity stunts that went wrong while his opening act in the hip-hop artist Hunter the Hungry (Chris Redd) would overshadow him and more. The film’s screenplay by the Lonely Island trio of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone doesn’t just play into the world of pop stardom where the individual is too open with his fans but is also so keen on becoming everything to all people that he’s kind of lost touch with reality.
Especially as there are people who are more interested in a Style Boyz reunion but Conner4Real refuses even though he has his former Style Boyz bandmate Owen (Jorma Taccone) as his DJ. The script’s narrative kind of moves back and forth with interviews from real musicians and other celebrity personalities with some such as Nas talk about how great the Style Boyz were and what broke them up as it relates to Conner becoming a bigger star than Owen and the band’s lyricist Lawrence (Akiva Schaffer) as the latter leaves the industry to become a farmer. The film also play into things that Conner does that are outlandish in his attempt to stay in the limelight as his goal is to perform at a pop music awards show.
The film’s direction by Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone is quite straightforward where it does play into conventional aesthetics of a documentary but it’s also not afraid to make fun of everything that is happening. Much of the compositions in the film are straightforward where they also use cellphones as cameras to play into the extreme openness of Conner. The concert scenes definitely have these massive wide and medium shots into how big Conner’s shows are but also have this element of being bloated to express Conner’s own ego and willingness to entertain as it makes fun of the many trends in contemporary music which also include Owen wearing some big prop on his head like other EDM artists. The film also has scenes where it makes fun of publicity stunts and other things where it does have an element of realism that is exaggerated but all for its humor. Especially as it goes into some offbeat moments as well as providing some satire such as a spoof on the celebrity news program TMZ as a lot of it is smacked on. Overall, Schaffer and Taccone create a fun and whimsical comedy about a pop star dealing with failure and his own ego.
Cinematographer Brandon Trost does excellent work with the cinematography as it is largely straightforward with some unique lighting for the concert scenes as well as some of the scenes set at night. Editors Jamie Gross, Craig Alpert, and Stacey Schroeder do terrific work with the editing as it largely feature some montage cutting into Conner‘s rise into stardom and some of the antics he does as well as some jump-cuts that are kind of common with documentaries. Production designer Jon Billington, with set decorator Lori Mazuer and art director Ramsey Avery, does amazing work with the look of the stage that Conner performs at with all of its lights and props as well as his tour bus and lavish mansion.
Visual effects supervisor David Niednagel does nice work with some of the visual effects that include some holograms and other weird shit that Conner uses for his shows. Sound editor George H. Anderson does superb work with the sound in the way the crowd sounds for the shows including that one fan at the upper deck during a non-sell out show. The film’s music score by Matthew Compton is wonderful as it is mostly low-key electronic music while music supervisors George Drakoulias and Randall Poster provided a soundtrack filled with pop and hip-hop include many original songs by the Lonely Island as music for Conner4Real, the Style Boyz, Hunter the Hungry, and other fictional performers.
The casting by Allison Jones is great as it feature some notable small roles and cameos from Danny Strong as a member of Conner’s entourage who is shorter than him, Joanna Newsome as Conner’s steam punk doctor, Bill Hader as a guitar tech, Will Forte as a bagpipes player, Will Arnett as a TMZ reporter, Kevin Nealon as a photographer, Ashley Moore as Conner’s personal assistant, James Buckley as a member of Conner’s entourage, and Weird Al Yankovic as a heavy metal singer. Other cameos with people playing themselves include Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Nas, Questlove, Jimmy Fallon, Snoop Dogg, Seal, Ringo Starr, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Pharrell Williams, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Win Butler and Regine Chassagne of Arcade Fire, RZA, and the Roots.
Joan Cusack is wonderful as Conner’s mother who joins the tour early on as well as be the one to give him his beloved turtle Maximus as a child. Imogen Poots is fantastic as Conner’s movie star girlfriend Ashley Wednesday as someone who goes along for the ride until a marriage proposal publicity stunt goes horribly wrong. Maya Rudolph is superb in her small role as Deborah as an executive for an appliance manufacturer that would sponsor Conner’s tour until a stunt to launch the tour goes wrong. Chris Redd is excellent as Hunter the Hungry as a brash up-and-coming rapper who becomes Conner’s opening act that started off as an ally only to overshadow and humiliate him. Sarah Silverman is brilliant as Conner’s publicist Paula Klein who tries to do whatever she can to get Conner for an appearance at an awards show while being a conscience of sorts who is aware that things aren’t going well. Tim Meadows is amazing as Conner’s manager Harry who also managed the Style Boyz and was a former member of Tony Toni Tone` that is trying to deal with the business and what is happening with Conner and the tour.
Akiva Schaffer is hilarious as Lawrence as a former member/lyricist of the Style Boyz who becomes a farmer as he feels underappreciated for his work while thinks Conner is going the wrong way with the music. Jorma Taccone is terrific as Owen as another former member of the Style Boyz who is Conner’s DJ that is trying to cope with the extravagance of the tour while being the one true friend that Conner has. Finally, there’s Andy Samberg in an incredible performance as Conner Friel/Conner4Real as a pop star who is embarking on a world tour for his second album unaware of how bad the record is as well as surrounding himself with too many people who aren’t honest with him as he loses touch with reality and literally exposes himself in the worst ways as it’s just so funny to watch.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is marvelous film from Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone that is a spot-on spoof on the extravagant world of contemporary pop music. It’s a film that isn’t just entertaining filled with a great cast, funny cameos, and some hilarious songs but it’s also a witty satire that showcases some of the drawbacks of 21st Century stardom. In the end, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a remarkable film from Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Akiva Schaffer and written by Pam Brady (with additional re-writes by Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone), Hot Rod is the story of an amateur stuntman who tries to raise money to pay for his stepfather’s heart transplant and later kick his ass just to earn his respect. The film is an unconventional comedy that plays into a young man trying to find himself with the aid of his half-brother and their misfit friends. Starring Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Isla Fisher, Will Arnett, Sissy Spacek, Chris Parnell, and Ian McShane. Hot Rod is an idiotic yet hilarious film from Akiva Schaffer.
What happens when a goofball that wants to become a stuntman decides to create a fundraiser for his stepfather’s heart transplant by pulling off the craziest stunt ever? That is what the film is about as it revolves around a delusional yet kind-hearted young man that is eager to gain the respect of his stepfather who often disrespects him verbally and physically because the young man is such a goofball. With the help of his half-brother, a couple of friends, and a grad student whom he has feelings for, Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) hopes to succeed and later give his stepfather the ass-kicking he deserves. Along the way, hilarity ensues as the film’s screenplay doesn’t just kind of spoof a few films of the 80s as it relates to BMX biker films and such but also all sorts of things.
Especially as Rod tries to do whatever to create stunts where it often becomes a disaster as he wouldn’t give up despite how bad the outcome is. Even as the film’s second half would force him to find out the truth about his father who he thought was a stuntman working for Evel Knievel. Still, Rod would eventually realize what he must do as it is part of him trying to become a man which is what his stepfather Frank (Ian McShane) has been trying to do to Rod though he is still convinced that Rod couldn’t kick his ass.
Akiva Schaffer’s direction is quite simple for most of the film in terms of its approach to comedy as well in the compositions. Shot on location in Vancouver and parts of British Columbia in Canada, the film is presented as this simple story set in the suburbs where Rod and his friends are trying to have fun. The usage of wide and medium shots help play into that sense of enjoyment including a weird but silly scene of Rod’s friends and his half-brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone) dancing to Stacey Q’s Two of Hearts with Rod and Denise (Isla Fisher) watching. There are also these weird moments in the film that are very off-the-wall and surreal as it plays into the film’s offbeat humor. Notably a moment where this character named Richardson (Chester Tam) is there just dancing for no fucking reason whatsoever. It’s among these quirks that are baffling but also fun such as a homage to Footloose as well as a scene of inspiration that goes horribly wrong. All of which plays into this young man wanting to pull off the ultimate stunt so he can save his stepfather and then kick his ass. Overall, Schaffer creates a silly yet exhilarating film about an amateur stuntman.
Cinematographer Andrew Dunn does excellent work with the cinematography from the colorful and sunny look of the daytime exterior scenes as well as some unique lighting for some of the interiors. Editor Malcolm Campbell does amazing work with the editing as it is straightforward but also playful in its usage of rhythmic cuts in the humorous and very silly moments. Production designer Stephen Altman, with set decorator Mary-Lou Storey and supervising art director Chris August, does fantastic work with the look of the home Rod lives with the family as well as some of the props that are made for the stunts. Costume designer Tish Monaghan does nice work with the costumes from the jumpsuit and cape that Rod wears to some of slacker-like clothing his friends wear.
Visual effects supervisor Charlene Eberle Douglas does terrific work with some of the minimal visual effects as it include some of the stunts that Rod tries to do as well as some of the crazier moments in the film. Sound designer Sean Garnhart does superb work with the sound in capturing some of the livelier moments of the film as well as the impact or lack of impact in the stunts. The film’s music by Trevor Rabin is wonderful for its mixture of rock and orchestral music to play into moments that are inspirational or comedic while music supervisor Steven Baker creates a fun soundtrack that largely consists of music from one of Rod’s favorite bands in Europe as well as music from acts like Stacey Q, Moving Pictures, Cutting Crew, The Lonely Island, Giorgio Moroder, John Farnham, and Queens of the Stone Age who make a cameo as glam metal band called Gown.
The casting by Susan Taylor Brouse, Lynne Carrow, and Allison Jones is great as it features some notable small roles from director Akiva Schaffer as a guy giving Dave acid, Brittany Tiplady as Dave’s younger sister, Alvin Sanders as furious boss upset over one of Rod’s stunts, Mark Acheson as a homeless dude giving Rod’s friends instruction during a montage, Britt Irvin as a fast-food cashier Rod tries to go out with to impress Denise, and Chester Tam as a guy named Richardson who likes to dance erotically for no reason other than just be cool. Chris Parnell is terrific as an AM radio host Barry Pasternak who wants to host the stunt event as he dislikes color TV and FM radio while Will Arnett is superb as Denise’s dick-head boyfriend Jonathan who thinks Rod and his buddies are uncool. Sissy Spacek is excellent as Rod and Kevin’s mother Marie who understands what Rod is trying to do but also tell him the truth about who his father really is.
Ian McShane is fantastic as Frank as Rod’s stepfather who doesn’t think highly of Rod as just this immature goofball and a loser as it’s a very comical performance from McShane. Danny McBride is amazing as Rico as Rod’s friend who helps build ramps and such while being the tough guy with a heart of gold. Bill Hader is brilliant as Dave as Rod’s friend who helps in organizing as well as get people ready for the stunts while having a moment where he would trip on acid as it’s major plot point in the film. Jorma Taccone is marvelous as Rod’s half-brother Kevin as the nerdy yet kind-hearted guy who helps films and edit all of Rod’s videos. Isla Fisher is remarkable as Denise as a grad student who joins Rod’s team as she helps him with the stunts as well as give him confidence seeing that he is at least doing something he loves instead of the people she’s met in college. Finally, there’s Andy Samberg who is awesome as Rod Kimble as this dim-witted, delusional, and gutsy young guy who likes to put on a fake mustache to think he’s a man when he is really still a kid at heart as it’s a very funny performance to watch.
Hot Rod is a spectacular film from Akiva Schaffer. Featuring a great cast, a fun soundtrack, and a hilarious premise that is filled with a lot of offbeat and quirky humor. It’s a film that doesn’t take itself seriously while also proving that it can be stupid fun no matter how idiotic things are. In the end, Hot Rod is a phenomenal film from Akiva Schaffer.
© thevoid99 2016
Directed by Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen and screenplay by Docter, Meg LaFauve, and Josh Cooley from a story Docter and del Carmen, Inside Out is the story about five figures representing different emotions who observe a young girl who copes with moving to a new city as they embark onto an adventure. The film explores not just a family dealing with a new move as it is largely told by emotional spirits who observe everything that is happening in these ongoing changes in life. Featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, Kyle MacLachlan, Diane Lane, and Kaitlyn Dias. Inside Out is a compelling yet evocative film from Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen.
Lava
Written and directed by James Ford McMurphy, Lava is a musical short film that revolves a volcano falling in love. It is a simple short story where a volcano is singing to find someone to love as he often sees two of everything while being unaware that there’s a volcano under the sea looking for him. It’s a visually-exhilarating and evocative short film that features the voices of Kuana Torres Kahele and Napua Greig as these volcanoes as they both sing the song continuously which is presented in a traditional Hawaiian presentation. The result isn’t just one of Pixar’s finest shorts but also a love story that manages to be so much more.
Inside Out
The film revolves around the five emotions inside the mind of a young girl as she copes with moving from Minnesota to San Francisco as things go wrong prompting two key emotional figures to retrieve some core memories that define this young girl. It’s a story that is about a young girl growing up and coping with changes in her life as she struggles to adapt to her new situation only to act out in ways she couldn’t understand. Most notably as her two main emotions in Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) struggle to retrieve core emotions from a world of long-term emotions where Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader), and Anger (Lewis Black) are forced to take over where things go wrong. Even as they would try to do something to make her happy again but realize that all five emotions need each.
The film’s screenplay does start off with the birth of Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) and the emergence of Joy who would be the leader of controlling Riley’s emotions as she is later joined by Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger. Joy would also make sure that Riley’s most important moment would emerge as they would represent core memories and special islands that represent her personality. When Riley is forced to move from Minnesota to San Francisco with her parents (Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane), things become complicated where Joy tries to maintain control but an incident where Sadness touches a core memory orb would trouble things as an attempt to discard it would force Joy and Sadness out of their headquarters and into the world where Riley’s long term memories are at. The script doesn’t just have elements of adventure but also drama and humor as there is a balance to the many things that occur in the film. Most notably as the five emotional figures are well-rounded characters who are just trying to manage a young girl’s emotional state.
The direction of Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen is quite vast in not just their approach to the world that Riley and her family is in but how it’s viewed from her emotional figures. It is presented with a richness in the 3D-computer animation style as it plays into not just the world that these characters are in but also what they need to do. Though much of what Riley experience is controlled by Joy, the sense of curiosity from Sadness would be the catalyst for what is to come. Most notably as it plays into the sense of change that Riley would encounter in San Francisco ranging from all sorts of things include veggie pizza, not having things at the home already, and not feeling the need to play hockey. It plays into not just a girl growing up but finding herself at odds with her surroundings as she becomes moody where Anger, Disgust, and Fear try to make her happy but a lot of comical hi-jinks ensue and more.
The direction also plays into some very strange moments where Joy and Sadness meet with an old imaginary friend of Riley in Bing Bong (Richard Kind) where they try to catch a train to the headquarters as the stop into a world that is literally abstract. It plays into things that these emotions aren’t able to comprehend as they’re growing along with Riley where Joy is forced to come to terms that she can’t control everything. What would happen wouldn’t just be moments that are very emotional but also some realization that all of these emotions have to be together help develop a person in its growth despite all of the growing pains this young girl would go through. Overall, Docter and del Carmen create a sprawling yet riveting film about a group of emotions watching the development of a young girl.
Editor Kevin Nolting does excellent work by going for something straightforward with some montages for the film‘s opening pre-credits sequence that plays into the life of young Riley. Production designer Ralph Eggleston and art director Bert Berry do amazing work with the look of the headquarters where the emotions do their job as well as the land outside of headquarters and the dark abyss in between. Sound designer Ren Klyce and sound editor Shannon Mills do fantastic work with the sound from the sound effects that occur in the world outside of headquarters as well as the places that Riley goes to. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino does brilliant work with the film’s music as it features an orchestral score that is very playful as well as some quirky elements that play into its humor and themes to play into its sense of despair.
The casting by Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher is incredible as it features voice work from Pixar regular John Ratzenberger as a cloud, Bobby Moynihan and Paula Poundstone as a couple of forgetters who suck out fading long-term memories, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea as a mind-worker cop, Frank Oz and Dave Goelz as a couple of security guards, Paula Pell in a dual role as a dream director and the mother’s anger, Josh Cooley as the fear manifestation in the form of a clown, Lori Alan as mother’s sadness, Pete Docter as father’s anger, Rashida Jones as a cool girl’s various voices of emotions, and Carlos Alazraqui in a dual voice role as father’s fear and an imaginary Brazilian helicopter pilot. Richard Kind is terrific as the voice of an old imaginary friend named Bing Bong who helps Joy and Sadness find their way back as he also hopes that Riley would remember him. Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane are superb as Riley’s parents who deal with Riley’s sudden moodiness as it relates to their new living situation and changes in their life. Kaitlyn Dias is amazing as the voice of Riley as an 11-year old girl who deals with growing pains and changes in her life as Dias brings a realist approach to anyone who has deal with growing pains in that age.
Lewis Black is brilliant as Anger as he represents someone that knows when to push buttons as he comes up with a plan that he thinks will get Riley to become happy. Bill Hader is hilarious as Fear as someone who is constantly scared as he always list things that should go wrong on a certain day. Mindy Kaling is excellent as Disgust as a manifestation who makes Riley say no to broccoli and other things while giving Riley things not to like. Phyllis Smith is phenomenal as Sadness where Smith brings a lot of emotional weight and curiosity to the role as it adds a balance to Riley’s emotional turmoil. Finally, there’s Amy Poehler in a remarkable voice performance as Joy as the upbeat head of emotions who tries to maintain some control unaware of how troubled Riley is in her growing pains forcing her to grow up a bit as it’s that great mix of humor and realism in Poehler’s voice.
Inside Out is a tremendous film from Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen as it is definitely one of Pixar’s finest films. It’s a film that doesn’t just explore the idea of growing pains but also one that is told through various emotions that try to cope with changing times and changing worlds. It’s also a film that manages to be so much in terms of bending genres as well as be something that kids and adults could relate to in terms of growing up and change. In the end, Inside Out is a magnificent film from Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen, and Pixar.
Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)
© thevoid99 2015
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/7/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions
Directed by Greg Mottola and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Superbad tells the story of two high school boys whose days of high school is about to finish. Deciding to go out in style where they were invited to a party, one of their friends is asked to supply alcohol where after a robbery gone bad, the boy gets the attention of two inept cops who use him to relive their youth. With Judd Apatow as a producer, the film is a raunchier film than Apatow's other material as his cohorts Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg recount the days of their youth. Starring Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen. Superbad is a hilarious and boisterous comedy from Greg Mottola.
It's near the end of the school year as Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) are hoping to score some chicks and such as they're both set to separate with Evan going to Dartmouth in the fall. Joining Evan to Dartmouth is their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who also hopes to join in a graduation party. When Seth hears that Jules (Emma Stone) is having a party, she asks if he can supply the beer. Seth is excited as he hopes to use the beer to score with Jules while Evan decides to go as after he managed to convince a girl he likes named Becca (Martha MacIsaac) if she wants to go. She says yes and asks him if he could bring a special vodka. Though Evan and Seth don’t have a Fake ID, Fogell manages to score one under the alias, McLovin'.
McLovin' tries to score some beer with a Fake ID only to be assaulted by a robber. With Evan and Seth looking on outside, they're convinced that Fogell is in trouble with the cops as Seth gets hit by a car as the driver named Francis (Joe Lo Truglio) tries to apologize by taking them to a party. Fogell meanwhile, is interrogated by two cops named Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (Seth Rogen) as they take McLovin' to some wild shenanigans where he becomes accepted. Seth and Evan meanwhile, arrive at Francis' party where he gets beat up by its host Mark (Kevin Corrigan) while things get crazy when Evan is forced to sing to some drunken guys while Seth has an encounter with Mark’s girlfriend (Carla Gallo) that gets him in trouble. Seth and Evan leave with two detergent containers worth of booze yet the tension between the two boys start to rise over Evan's departure to Dartmouth.
After Fogell's night out with Slater and Michaels, things get tense when an encounter with Seth and Evan lead to some trouble as the three boys finally managed to escape the cops with Fogell carrying the booze he managed to score at the liquor store hours earlier. After arriving to Jules' party, everything becomes great only until Evan and Seth realize their own flaws while McLovin' lives up to his name with some surprising help.
While the film is based on the teenage lives of both its writers and executive producers Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, it does have something relevant to men, teens and adults, who remember their high school lives. The film's plot is simple, two boys wanting to party, get laid, get drunk, and have a whole lot of fun. Yet, there's more to this story as Goldberg and Rogen focus on the film's core story about these two young men and their long-standing friendship that is about to end. That plot device also leads to a conflict between the two boys as the more abrasive Seth is angry at the very sensitive Evan over this departure and as the film develops, secrets are unveiled and they're not really the same people in the beginning of the film.
One subplot that balances the film's study of teenage friendship is the story that involves Fogell and the two cops he hang around, who are trying to relive their own youths after feeling disappointed by in the world of adulthood. Goldberg and Rogen are definitely smart enough to create stories that men can relate to while for women, it gives them an ideas of what guys are and even though it's from the perspective of guys, not men. Women might relate to their own youths of young woman who probably also want to get drunk and party as well. The humor overall is very raunchy, far more raunchier than the films that Judd Apatow directed due to its coarse dialogue that is definitely shocking to some audiences. Yet, teenagers do talk like that, they think about sex, they watch sex, that's what being a teenager is.
Director Greg Mottola understands that as well as his direction is solid throughout. From its opening credits that is in the style of 1970s cinema, the film has a 70s feel of sorts with its funk-drenched music, ode to porno films, and hilarious situations. Yet, there's also a modern feel that plays to the film's humor. A lot of it has a spontaneous feel with the action being a bit unexpected and such. Still, Mottola lets the actors act in a relaxed approach as he gives them a moment from the comedy yet still manage to let them be funny. Even through wild antics as the film definitely brings laugh after laugh after laugh. Overall, Mottola's direction is superb.
Cinematographer Russ T. Alsobrook does some fine work with the film's look, notably the exterior nighttime sequences that are awash with sepia-color tones and yellow lights along with the film's interior scenes for the parties. Editor William Kerr does some nice work for the film's editing as it manages to have a nice, leisurely pace to help with the film's humor along with some great transitional cuts. Production designer Chris L. Spellman & art director Gerald Sullivan do excellent work on the look of the parties including the home of Mark in all of its debauchery while costume designer Debra McGuire does fine work in the look of the clothes that looks very contemporary. Sound editor George H. Anderson is also good with the film’s sound, notably the use of sirens, car squeals, and such to convey the action. The drawings of Seth's penis doodles are wonderfully drawn by Evan Goldberg's brother David.
The score of Lyle Workman is excellent with its homage to 70s funk that is very bouncy courtesy of legendary Parliament-Funkadelic members Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell in their respective playing of the bass and keyboards. The rest of the soundtrack is filled with loads of 70s funk and soul music that includes KC & the Sunshine Band, the Four Tops, The Bar-Kays, Guess Who, Rick James, and other assorted cuts from Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes, Nugent by himself, the Rapture, Motorhead, and Van Halen. It's a killer soundtrack that is fun to listen to.
The cast is overall brilliant feature appearances from David Krumholtz and Martin Starr as party guys, Erica Vittina Phillips as the liquor store cashier, Carla Gallo as Mark's girlfriend, and Seth Rogen's father Mark as a man chasing Seth and Evan with a bat. Brooke Dillman is funny as the home economics teacher while Clement Blake is great as a drunken wino, Matthew Bass as a star of a porno Seth, Evan, and Fogell watch with cameos from porno actresses Aurora Snow and Jenna Haze. Roger Iwami as Evan's classmate Miroki, Laura Seay as Jules' friend Shirley, Marcella Lentz-Pope as Becca's friend Gabby, Joe Nunez as a liquor store clerk, and Aviva Farber as Fogell's crush Nicola.
Joe Lo Truglio of The State fame is funny as the creepy Francis, a driver who hits Seth while trying to get them to a party while Kevin Corrigan plays Francis' former friend Mark with a lot of attitude as a dude who doesn't like to be messed with. Stacy Edwards, known to indie fans as the deaf woman in In the Company of Men, is funny as Evan's mother whom Seth seems to have a crush on her because of her cleavage. Emma Stone is amazing as Jules, the girl Seth has a crush on her as she reveals that though she likes to party, she isn't really a wild person. Martha MacIsaac meanwhile, is also good as Becca, the girl Evan likes as she hopes to win him over but in a way that forces Evan to rethink things. Bill Hader and Seth Rogen are hilarious as the two cops Slater and Michaels as two inept men who are trying to relive their youth and wild ways through Fogell.
Jonah Hill is very funny as the boisterous, profane Seth as his performance is really the funniest of the film with the excessive use of the word "fuck" while often saying obscene things about sex and body parts. Hill's performance is definitely a highlight as he is the wildest character of the entire film. Michael Cera is great as the more sensitive Evan, the young man who wants to do things right while trying to come to terms about the end of his friendship with Seth. Cera's performance is the perfect counterpoint to Hill's more abrasive performance as the two have great chemistry that it's in the tradition of most comedy duos. The film's best performance and scene-stealer is newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogell aka McLovin'. Mintz-Plasse's performance is truly phenomenal as this nerdy, skinny kid who tries to act like the coolest kid in the world yet unwittingly gets himself into a strange situation. Often the foil for Seth's jokes, he ends up becoming the coolest character of the film as he tries to act like a total gangsta while managing to be one of the greatest guys ever on film.
Superbad is a remarkable film from Greg Mottola. Armed with a great that includes Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen. It's a film that manages to explore the exuberance and uncertainty of youth while telling it in such a raunchy and uncompromising way. In the end, Superbad is a fun and exciting film from Greg Mottola.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Craig Johnson and written by Johnson and Mark Heyman, The Skeleton Twins is the story of two estranged twin siblings who come together following their respective suicide attempts as they deal with the pain of their childhood as well as what went wrong in their life. The film showcases a world where two siblings are at the end of their ropes in their life as they seek to help each other. Starring Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Boyd Holbrook, Ty Burrell, and Joanna Gleason. The Skeleton Twins is a witty yet somber film from Craig Johnson.
The film explores the lives of two estranged twin siblings as they haven’t seen or spoken to each other in a decade where they come together following their respective suicide attempts. For Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig), their lives as adults haven’t gone well as they planned where Milo moves back to his small New York town following his suicide attempt to live with Maggie and her husband Lance (Luke Wilson). While Milo and Maggie both deal with the failures of their adult lives, they also wondered where did everything go wrong as they also cope with their father’s passing many years ago. It’s a film that doesn’t just explore the world of siblings but also in how they try to re-forge the bond of their already fragile relationship.
The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the lives of their two siblings but also what drove them to not contact each other for a decade as part of that reason is their New Age mother (Joanna Gleason) whom Maggie really dislikes. Especially as Maggie is becoming insecure about the prospect of being a parent as she and Lance are trying to have kids while Maggie embarks into an affair with her scuba diving instructor Billy (Boyd Holbrook). Milo meanwhile, wants to rekindle a relationship with his old high school English teacher Rich (Ty Burrell) whom they had an affair when Milo was 15. The siblings deal with their own issues as they also deal with their own relationship where Milo would befriend Lance whom he realizes that he’s just a good guy as it plays into the question of what Maggie is going through.
Craig Johnson’s direction is quite simple where most of it is shot around parts of Brooklyn in New York City where it has a sense of intimacy that occurs where there’s very little wide shots. Johnson instead uses some medium shots and close-ups to tell the story as it plays into this relationship between estranged twin siblings. Johnson’s compositions in the way he captures conversations as well as some of the film’s humor plays into this relationship where Milo is often very outgoing while Maggie is a bit more introverted and mature. Even in a sequence where Milo tries to cheer Maggie up by lip-syncing to Starship’s Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now as it becomes of the film’s highlights. Still, Johnson knows that there has to be some dramatic outcome though the result does make the film a bit uneven. However, it does manage to have a payoff where it plays to the bond between the two no matter how troubled their lives are. Overall, Johnson creates a very engaging and enjoyable film about the troubled lives of twin siblings.
Cinematographer Reed Morano does excellent work with the cinematography from the look of the locations of the small New York town in the daytime during the fall season to some unique lighting schemes at night as well as some scenes in the pool. Editor Jennifer Lee does nice work with the editing as it‘s pretty straightforward for the most part as it does include a few montages of Milo and Maggie as children. Production designer Ola Maslik and set decorator Lauren DeTitta do wonderful work with the set pieces from the home that Maggie and Lance live in to the book store where Rich works at.
Costume designer Mikaela Wohl does fantastic work with the costumes from the casual clothes many of the characters wear to the Halloween costumes Milo and Maggie wear on that day. Sound designers Matt A. Schoenfeld and Ian Stynes do terrific work with the sound from the sparse sounds in the scenes in the pool to the raucous atmosphere in the bar scenes. The film’s music by Nathan Larson is amazing as it is a mix of electronic and indie that plays into the melancholia and humor of the film while music supervisor Meghan Currier creates a fun soundtrack that features a lot of new wave and 80s music from acts like Blondie, OMD, and Starship.
The casting by Avy Kaufman is great as it features some notable small roles from Truck Hudson as a security guard that arrests Milo, Kathleen Rose Perkins as an old schoolmate of Maggie that runs into Maggie at an ice cream shop, Eddie Schweighardt and Sydney Lucas in their respective roles as the young Milo and Maggie, and Joanna Gleason in a wonderful performance as Milo and Maggie’s estranged New Age mother Judy whose attempt to reconnect with her children ends up being a disaster. Boyd Holbrook is superb as the Australian scuba diving instructor Billy whom Maggie would sleep with while Ty Burrell is excellent as Milo’s former English teacher Rich who is reluctant to have an affair with Milo as he has a new life of his own.
Luke Wilson is brilliant as Lance as an all-around nice guy who tries to cheer up Milo by having him work with him while revealing that he just wants what everybody wants which is to be happy. Finally, there’s the duo of Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig in amazing performances in their respective roles as Milo and Maggie. Hader brings this unique mix of comedy and drama as a failed actor who tries to kill himself as he returns home to figure out what to do while also understanding that his own sister is just as fucked up as he is. Wiig brings a more restrained approach to her character as someone who is unhappy in her life as she tries to be the mature one while not knowing how to deal with the idea of being a mother as she becomes more insecure. Hader and Wiig have this natural chemistry in the way they act with one another as well as bringing in a lot of laughs.
The Skeleton Twins is a remarkable from Craig Johnson that features incredible performances from Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. The film isn’t just a story that is sweet but also very melancholic in the way it explore twin sibling relationships but also in the idea of loss and uncertainty as these two people try to cope with it. In the end, The Skeleton Twins is sensational film from Craig Johnson.
© thevoid99 2014
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/20/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions
Directed by Nicholas Stoller and written and starring Jason Segel, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the story of a TV music composer whose TV-star girlfriend breaks up with him as he drowns his sorrow by taking a trip to Hawaii only to learn that his ex-girlfriend is there with her new rock-star boyfriend as he gains the pity of a hotel receptionist. The film is an exploration into the world of break-ups and how a man tries to deal with a four-year relationship coming to an end as it's told in a largely comedic manner. Also starring Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Bader, Jonah Hill, and Paul Rudd. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a witty yet touching romantic-comedy from Nicholas Stoller.
Breaking up is a moment that is hard for most people to deal with as the film is about this TV music composer named Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) who is dumped by his longtime TV actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) as he becomes depressed and despondent only to take the suggestion of his step-brother Brian (Bill Hader) to travel to Hawaii as he learns that Sarah is staying at the same resort he has checked himself into as she has a new boyfriend in British rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). Taking pity on Peter is the hotel receptionist Rachel (Mila Kunis) who had also been through her own relationship issues as the two become friends while Peter would see Sarah during the vacation where he wonders what went wrong and what did he do as well as other things that made their relationship doomed. Especially as Sarah starts to notice Peter's growing friendship with Rachel as Sarah's relationship with Aldous becomes chaotic.
Jason Segel's screenplay does have a few subplots in the people that Peter meets such as a newlywed couple in Darald and Wyoma (Jack McBrayer and Maria Thayer, respectively), a chef named Kemo (Taylor Willy), a bartender named Dwayne, (Davon McDonald), a waiter named Matthew (Jonah Hill) who has a crush on Aldous, and a stoner surf instructor named Kunu (Paul Rudd). Yet, it does play into the world that Peter encounters as he tries to process the heartbreak he's going through as he would often cry hysterically over the break-up. Some parts of the script allows Peter to reflect on some moments about the relationship as his time with Rachel would prove to be helpful into realizing that there's so much more than Sarah Marshall. Especially as Sarah would face her own issues as well as her reasons into breaking up with Peter where even though Peter did play some role into the disillusion of their relationship. It was Sarah that did a lot to make things worse though her character isn't a total bitch.
Director Nicholas Stoller does a solid job with the film's direction while maintaining an intimate setting for the film's characters and their interaction with each other. The use of the Hawaiian locales are truly inspiring and colorful as it brings a lively look to the entire film in comparison to other Apatow-produced features as the film would also include some full-frontal male nudity to add to the raunchy humor of the film. Stoller's improvisation and also knack of humor is similar to the work of Blake Edwards, notably "10" that had a similar presence of a man dealing with a break-up only to fall for some young woman. The result is a comedy that is funny through and through with big laughs and lots of heart as well as real, lively characters.
Cinematographer Russ T. Alsobrook does a great job with the film's intimate, dark look for Los Angeles that is a huge contrast to the colorful, bright look of Hawaii in all of its exterior and interior locales. Editor William Kerr is excellent for giving the film a leisurely-paced feel without any kind of fast cuts to maintain a straightforward look and feel. Production designer Jackson De Govia and set decorator K.C. Fox do a great job in creating the look of the Hawaiian resorts and locales that feels like Hawaii itself. Costume designer Leesa Evans creates a wonderful look in the costumes from the dresses that Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis wears to the shirts that the men wear. Sound editor George H. Anderson does a superb job with the film's sound to convey the atmosphere that is Hawaii. Music composer Lyle Workman brings a wonderful score to convey its tropic look while the soundtrack featuring the Smiths, Jason Segal, Russell Brand, and covers of many pop songs in a Hawaiian style are wonderful. Notably Segal's own songs in the Dracula musical that are top-notch funny.
The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is wonderfully assembled with cameo appearances from such character actors as Gedde Watanabe as the hotel's manager and Branscombe Richard as a luau bartender named Keoki to other notable cameos by surfer Kala Alexander, Apatow regular Carla Gallo as one of Peter's bad dates, and appearances by Access Hollywood reporter Billy Bush, William Baldwin, and Jason Bateman. Taylor Willy and Davon McDonald are funny as two hotel employees Peter befriends as they tell him to stop crying and get his act together while Steve Landesberg is great as a pediatrician who tells him to sleep other women. Liz Cackowski is good as Brian's wife Liz who tries to help but at one becomes part of a sick, raunchy joke by Peter. Apatow cohorts Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill are hilarious in their respective roles as the stoner surf instructor Chuck/Kunu and the hotel's waiter Matthew. Rudd's stoned-out performance is filled with huge laughs including a hilarious scene where he makes fun of Aldous' British accent while Hill is great for his crush on Aldous which suggests that he's a closet homosexual.
30 Rock star Jack McBrayer and Hill's Accepted co-star Maria Thayer are great as an overly-excited newlywed couple where McBrayer's character has a fear of sex as he tries to deal with it with some unlikely help from Aldous. Bill Hader is funny as Peter's stepbrother Brian who tells Peter to get over Sarah while saying bad things about her and such as Hader is funny in his role. One of the film's funniest performances comes from British actor/musician/TV personality Russell Brand as Aldous Snow, a cocky yet whimsical man who likes to do strange sex moves in bed or on the stage. Yet, sporting many tattoos, the man despite some of his actions and off-kilter personality is just... cool. Brand's performance is just funny throughout the entire film as he reveals that despite his own nature, the character of Aldous Snow will always remain cool.
Kristen Bell is excellent in the role of Sarah Marshall who, despite her actions in breaking Peter's heart, is a full character who is trying to move on with Aldous only to realize that she might not have a future and how much she actually loved Peter. Bell brings a nice touch of sexiness, humor, and certainly a bit of bitchiness to her role as a young woman who doesn't really understand love. The film's big revelation and certainly one of the film's best performances is Mila Kunis who some might remember for her role as Jackie in the TV show That 70's Show. Kunis' lively, free-spirited performance is a joy to watch as she helps Peter deal with his heartbreak, curse out her ex-boyfriend, and observe Sarah Marshall. Kunis adds some sexiness to her own but it's the way she portrays Rachel with such heart and warmth as the girl Peter should be with.
Then there's Jason Segel, an Apatow regular, who delivers a great performance as Peter Bretter. Segel's performance is filled with a lot of laughs as he cries about his break-up, cries after sex, and also expose himself during some moments that are supposed to be sad but end up being funny. Segal is truly genius as he doesn't do any kind of raunchy gags but brings sympathy to a guy who is trying to get over Sarah Marshall while wondering what broke them up. He's also funny when he's doing his stuff that involves his Dracula musical that shows his wonderful talents. He's also worthy of doing something dramatic while having wonderful chemistry with both Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis. Segal gives a real star-making performance that will put him in great company among his Apatow cohorts.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a hilarious yet heartfelt comedy from Nicholas Stoller that features amazing work from Jason Segel and Mila Kunis. Along with a great supporting cast that includes Kristen Bell and Russell Brand, it's a film that has a lot of raunchy elements that is expected from the Judd Apatow-produced comedies but also a lot of heart that allows the film to be more engaging and accessible to a wider audience. In the end, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a remarkable film from Nicholas Stoller.
Nicholas Stoller Films: (Get Him to the Greek) - (The Five-Year Engagement) - Neighbors (2014 film) - Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising - (Storks (2016 film))
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