Set in the late 19th Century during the Victorian era of London, the film revolves around a young woman who had killed herself only to be resurrected by a scientist as she goes on a journey of sexual discovery, identity, and ideals through some of the people she meets along the way including a greedy and nefarious attorney who lusts after her. It is a film that follows the life of this woman who despite having a brain transplant following her suicide as she would have the mind of a child that would then grow into a full-fledge woman with an appetite for sex and knowledge. Tony McNamara’s screenplay is filled with not just this unique study of a woman’s mental and emotional development but also through the people she meets in her life including the scientist in Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) who found her dead body in a river and would make a discovery as he would remove her brain and put in another brain and use electricity to revive her as he would call her Bella (Emma Stone).
Dr. Baxter and his maid Mrs. Prim (Vicki Pepperdine) would take care of Bella who would start off with the mind of a child learning to walk as one of his students in Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) would aid them both and take notes as he would fall for Bella. Yet, Bella gets the attention of the attorney Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) who would fall for her and convince Bella to travel with him around the world much to Dr. Baxter’s reluctance and Max’s refusal. Bella’s relationship with Duncan revolves around sex at first until she gets to know him as someone who is a control freak that couldn’t keep up with Bella’s thirst for sex and knowledge as they travel on a ship to Alexandria where she meets the cynical philosopher Harry Astley and the elderly German Martha Von Kurtzroc (Hanna Schygulla) who are both amazed by her. Yet, Bella would also encounter things that would challenge her ideals as it all plays into her own journey and revelations about her past life before her suicide.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ direction is quite sprawling in terms of not just the way he imagines some of the places that Bella would encounter but also a world that is just as odd and wondrous as she would imagine. Shot largely on location in Hungary with several interiors and sets made at the Origo Studios in Budapest, Lanthimos does play into this world that is full of wonders but also a reality that is too terrifying to ignore. Much of the film’s first act is shot in black-and-white with bits of color emerging in flashbacks as Lanthimos’ usage of fish-eyed lenses for wide shots add to the surrealistic tone of the film as well as this world where Bella is protected from during her time living with Dr. Baxter who is a father figure to her while also knows the truth about who she is. Max is also protective of her as he would take notes observing her while all three and Mrs. Prim are happy at Dr. Baxter’s lab in doing experiments including the hybrid animals that Dr. Baxter has surrounded himself. Still, Lanthimos’ direction also play into the outside world as its second act goes into full-blown color while it also play into this sense of manic energy into Bella’s hedonistic attitudes as she finds a partner in Duncan.
The scenes set in Lisbon, Alexandria, and the cruise ship they travel on are quite surreal as it is this strange mix of a futuristic world (by 19th Century standards) and the period of the time as it has something that feels artificial and dream-like. Lanthimos’ usage of the wide and medium shots add to the scope of that world while Lanthimos does maintain some intimacy including the usage of close-ups including some extreme close-ups that play into Bella’s sexual awakening. There is a lot of humor that play into Bella’s understanding of the world as well as humanity where its third act that begins in Paris where she learns a lot about the ways of the world and what Dr. Baxter was trying to shield her from. Especially as there’s revelations into her past life where Max feels the need to take a stand for her as well as realize the sacrifices that Dr. Baxter had done towards her. It all plays into a woman discovering herself but also a world where men do what they can to maintain the status quo unaware that she is willing to challenge these ideals. Overall, Lanthimos crafts a majestic yet wild film about a woman coming of age in her understanding of sex and its many ideals including her own identity.
Cinematographer Robbie Ryan does incredible work with the film’s cinematography from the striking imagery in the black-and-white photography in its daytime interior/exterior scenes to the exterior scenes at night as well as the lush colors for the scenes in Lisbon and the interiors in the ships as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of style as well as some unique jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts that add to some of the humor and drama. Production designer Shona Heath and James Price, with set decorator Zsuzsa Mihalek and senior art director Jonathan Houlding, do phenomenal work with the set design in the way Lisbon is presented as well as the interiors of the ships as well as the rooms and lab at Dr. Baxter’s home as it is a major highlight of the film. Costume designer Holly Waddington does fantastic work with the design of the dresses that Bella wears as well as the suits that the men wear during that period in the late 19th Century.
Prosthetic makeup designer Mark Coulier and hair/makeup prosthetic designer Nadia Stacey, along with hair/makeup supervisor Carolyn Cousins, do amazing work with the look of Dr. Baxter with his scars and deformed body parts as well as some of the scars that Bella has in her body. Special effects supervisors Balazs Hoffmann and Gabor Kiszelly, along with visual effects supervisor Simon Hughes, do terrific work in some of the visual design of some of the hybrid animals that Dr. Baxter have created as well as some set dressing including some of the cable cars at Lisbon. Sound designer Johnnie Burn does superb work with the sound in creating an atmosphere in the way Bella hears things as well as certain natural sounds and textures that play into the humor and drama. The film’s music by Jerskin Fendrix is brilliant for its unconventional music score filled with unique string and piano arrangements and textures that are offbeat in its presentation as well as some orchestral themes that have some discordant elements as it is a highlight of the film while music supervisors Anne Booty and Sarah Giles cultivate a soundtrack that largely features European folk music of that period performed by Carminho.
The casting by Dixie Chassay is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from composter Jerskin Fendrix as a restaurant musician in Lisbon, Carminho as a Fado performer Bella sees in Lisbon, Wayne Brett as a priest whom Bella would have sex with, Tom Stourton as a steward on the ship that Duncan tries to fight against, Vicki Pepperdine as Dr. Baxter’s maid/assistant Mrs. Prim who is very loyal to Dr. Baxter, Suzy Bemba as a prostitute in Toinette whom Bella would befriend and learn the ideas of socialism from, and Margaret Qualley in a terrific small role as Felicity as a replacement for Bella at the Baxter home as she provides a lot of humor as someone that has a hard time learning. Kathryn Hunter is superb as Madame Swiney as an aging brothel madam in Paris that gives Bella a job in the film’s third act as well as show her a broader view of the world through good and bad. Hanna Schygulla is fantastic as Martha Von Kurtzroc as an elderly passenger whom Bella befriends on the ship as she gives Bella some joy and insight as well as gaining her own sense of joy through Bella.
Jerrod Carmichael is excellent as the American philosopher in Harry Astley whom Bella meets on the ship towards Alexandria as a cynic who wants to show Bella the cruelties of the world while he also realizes that Bella’s viewpoint also has some upsides. Christopher Abbott is brilliant as Alfie Blessington as a cruel and sadistic general who is a key figure in Bella’s past as he is this representation of the darkest aspects of humanity and masculinity. Ramy Youssef is amazing as Max McCandles as a medical student that Dr. Baxter brings in to assist him as he falls for Bella while also coping with her absence as he copes with Dr. Baxter’s growing illness as he is someone that represents the best in men as he is also open-minded and caring. Mark Ruffalo is great as Duncan Wedderburn as this sleazy and hedonistic attorney that falls for Bella as he would take her around Europe only to be overwhelmed by her as he is full of dark humor and snobbery that adds to how awful his character is as it is one of Ruffalo’s finest performances.
Willem Dafoe is incredible as Dr. Godwin “God” Baxter as this scientist and surgeon who has a deformed face and hands while also is unable to fart as he is this odd yet caring figure who is trying to understand humanity while caring for Bella as if she’s his daughter as it is a very tender and somber performance from Dafoe. Finally, there’s Emma Stone in a magnificent performance as Bella Baxter as this woman who had been resurrected after committing suicide but with the brain of a baby as she would learn about things while there is also a sense of physicality that Stone brings to her performance. Stone also exudes this sense of wonderment and ferocity in her role as there’s a lot of energy and emotions into her role but also the willingness to be vulgar in a humorous way as it is a performance for the ages.
Poor Things is an outstanding film from Yorgos Lanthimos that features a towering leading performance from Emma Stone. Along with its ensemble cast, Tony McNamara’s riveting script, ravishing visuals, gorgeous cinematography, wondrous sound design, and Jerskin Fendrix’s offbeat score. It is a film that explores a woman’s journey to find herself but also her exploration of sex and identity as it is told in a grand and stylistic manner. In the end, Poor Things is a magnificent film from Yorgos Lanthimos.
Yorgos Lanthimos Films: (My Best Friend (2001 film)) – (Kinetta) – Dogtooth - (Alps) – The Lobster - (The Killing of a Sacred Deer) – The Favourite - Kinds of Kindness - (Bugonia)
© thevoid99 2023
Directed by Jamie M. Dagg and written by Benjamin and Paul China, Sweet Virginia is the story of a motel manager who befriends a mysterious visitor who may be involved in a wave of violence nearby. The film is a neo-noir thriller that explores unlikely friendship between two men as well as a small town coming undone by this wave of violence. Starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Odessa Young, and Jared Abrahamson. Sweet Virginia is a haunting yet gripping film from Jamie M. Dagg.
Following a murder at a restaurant/bar in a small Alaskan town, the film revolves in an unlikely friendship between a former rodeo champion who manages a motel and a mysterious drifter who has stopped by as the former isn’t aware that the latter is a hitman. It’s a film that play into a small town that is shaken by this act of violence while they try to move on as a few people deal with the tragedy as well as the motivations of why three men were killed inside a bar. The film’s screenplay by Benjamin and Paul China open with three men at a bar/restaurant getting ready to play a card game when this mysterious drifter in Elwood (Christopher Abbott) arrives wanting a late breakfast as he is refused only to gun down the three men. The film’s narrative follows the lives of Elwood and the motel manager Sam Rossi (Jon Bernthal) who runs the Sweet Virginia motel for his late brother while is an on-off affair with Bernadette Barrett (Rosemarie DeWitt) whose husband Tom (Joseph Lyle Taylor) was one of the three men killed by Elwood.
The script also play into why Elwood is in town as he had been hired to kill one of the men but ends up doing much more which only complicates things for one of the men’s wives in Lila (Imogen Poots) who thought she would inherit money only to learn that her husband was in some serious debt. Elwood’s stay in the town is extended as he would befriend Sam whom he had heard about through Sam’s time as a rodeo cowboy until he retired due to injury. Sam is a man that is someone who was poised for so much only to lose a lot as he’s divorced with a child who barely sees him as he spends his time with his niece Maggie (Odessa Young) whenever he’s not with Bernadette. There’s not much plot to the story as it’s more about characters living their lives but the drama and suspense do pick up toward its third act.
Jamie M. Dagg’s direction is largely straightforward although he doesn’t really go for anything stylistic other than some lingering long shots in parts of the film. Shot largely on locations in British Columbia in Canada including parts of Vancouver, Dagg’s direction does use some wide shots to establish the location but also in some eerie moments as it play into Elwood haunting certain characters or where he is about to go as there are also some medium shots from afar that show him talking on the phone and then beat up a couple of guys. There aren’t a lot of close-ups in Dagg’s direction except in some intimate moments as well as a chilling confrontation between Elwood and Lila late in the film. The film’s opening scene starts off slow while the violence is quite intense but not overtly-bloody and graphic where Dagg is more concerned with a town that is trying to understand what had happened and why as well as these two men ravaged by their past with Elwood also being someone who is extremely troubled. Even in the third act as it is about the money Elwood is owed for his services as the suspense is approached in a low-key manner that would also be followed by Elwood being confronted for his actions. Overall, Dagg crafts a riveting yet eerie film about a motel manager and his encounter with a mysterious yet troubled drifter.
Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagne does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it maintains a naturalistic look for scenes in the day and at night with its usage of available light as well as using some low-key lights for some interior scenes at night. Editor Duff Smith does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts to play into some of the conversations. Production designer Danny Vermette, with set decorator Robin Tilby and art director Justin Ludwig, does fantastic work with the look of Bernadette’s home in the interior as well as the bar/restaurant in the film’s opening scene and the motel that Sam runs.
Costume designer Mia Fiddis does terrific work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward that includes the ragged look of Elwood including some of the shirts he wears. The sound work of Brody Ratsoy is amazing for its low-key approach to the sound as it maintains something that feels natural but also help to play up the suspenseful moments of the film. The film’s music by Brooke and Will Blair is wonderful for its low-key ambient score that play sparingly into parts of the film as it add to drama and sense of loss that occur throughout the film while music supervisor Natasha Duprey provide a soundtrack of music that is played on location as it include a couple of pieces from the Butthole Surfers and Rolla Olak.
The casting by Kate Caldwell, Kara Eide, Melissa Kostenbauer, and Kris Woz is superb as it feature some notable small roles from Garry Chalk as one of the victims in the film’s opening sequence, Gabrielle Rose as an old woman living at the motel, Jonathan Tucker as Elwood’s intended target in Lila’s husband Mitchell, Joseph Lyle Taylor as Bernadette’s husband Tom, and Jared Abrahamson as a young mechanic named Paul who is asked by Elwood to help him retrieve the money he’s owed. Odessa Young is terrific as Sam’s niece Maggie as a teenage girl who helps him with the motel while pondering about her dad as well as her uncle’s own issues with the world in general. Rosemarie DeWitt is fantastic as Bernadette Barrett as a woman who had just lost her husband although she doesn’t feel anything about his passing leaning back to an on-again, off-again affair with Sam while dealing with some truths about her own marriage and how it fell apart.
Imogen Poots is excellent as Lila McCabe as a young woman who hired Elwood for a job only for things to get complicated as it relates to money as she deals with what she’s done prompting her to try and avoid Elwood anyway she can. Christopher Abbott is brilliant as Elwood as a hitman drifting from town to town for a job as he starts to unravel over his lack of payment as he displays a creepiness and an instability that makes him a dangerous person to encounter. Finally, there’s Jon Bernthal in an amazing performance as Sam Rossi as a former rodeo champion who has retired due to injury to run his late brother’s motel as he tries to keep things to himself and engage in his relationship with Bernadette where he later befriends Elwood unaware of who Elwood really is as he later becomes troubled by some of the violence that is happening in his town.
Sweet Virginia is a marvelous film from Jamie M. Dagg. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, an eerie music score, and a chilling premise that play into loss and mental illness. It’s a neo-noir film that doesn’t play by the rules while doesn’t emphasize a lot on plot in favor of character study. In the end, Sweet Virginia is a remarkable film from Jamie M. Dagg.
© thevoid99 2019
Written and directed by Brady Corbet from a story by Corbet and Mona Fastvold, Vox Lux is the story of a pop singer trying to get her career back on track while dealing her past that included her response to a school shooting that prompted her and her sister to write a song. The film is a study of a woman dealing with stardom and the craziness of it while trying to be a mother to a teenage daughter. Starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Stacy Martin, Raffey Cassidy, Jennifer Ehle, Christopher Abbott, and narration by Willem Dafoe. Vox Lux is a riveting yet haunting film from Brady Corbet.
After surviving a school shooting that left her nearly paralyzed and force her to wear a neck brace for the rest of her life, a young girl writes a song with her sister in response to what happened as it would later make her into a pop star where she later struggles with the demands of stardom and motherhood as an adult. It’s a film that is essentially a character study of sorts that showcases this young woman who has been affected by tragedy as she tries to comprehend what had happened. Brady Corbet’s screenplay has an unusual structure in its study of Celeste Montgomery (Natalie Portman) from the time she was a teenage girl (Raffey Cassidy) who created a song with her older sister Eleanor (Stacy Martin) and then becoming a young pop star to being a major pop star who has become full of herself.
The film’s narration by Willem Dafoe provide some context into what Celeste would deal with but also events that would cause trouble in making Celeste lose touch with aspects of reality. Even in the film’s second act where she’s an adult with a teenage daughter in Albertine (Raffey Cassidy) just as she’s about to release a new album and launch a new tour. Yet, there’s still a lot of issues that Celeste is dealing with while is becoming more problematic while being estranged towards her older sister who has been taking care of Albertine. All of the drama as well as chaos that surrounds Celeste forces her to say things through her music although scandals and her own actions are starting to overshadow the music at a time when branding and image becomes more important.
Corbet’s direction is entrancing for his approach into telling the story of a young pop star’s life and her emergence into adulthood as it is shot on various locations with much of the film’s second half shot in New York City and nearby areas. While there are some wide shots of the locations and the film’s climatic concert sequence, much of Corbet’s direction emphasizes on medium shots and close-ups along with home movie video footage. The home movie footage that include Dafoe’s narration play into the innocence that the young Celeste and Eleanor endured where the former is to be signed with Eleanor on board as not just as a songwriter but also someone who is watching over the young Celeste. There’s a looseness to those moments in the home movie footage where the sisters travel to New York City and later Stockholm and London to make Celeste’s debut album with their manager (Jude Law) as it would later devolve into craziness. There are a lot of tracking shots and long-takes such as an early scene of the school shooting where it’s sudden and visceral in its execution.
When the film shifts towards the second half as it is set more than 15 years after the events where the young Celeste is making her first album. The film does have a different tone where does feel more polished in its camera movements and compositions. Most notably a diner scene between Celeste and Albertine as they talk where the former goes off on the diner’s manager all because he politely asked for a picture. The climatic concert scene that includes choreography by Benjamin Millipied is definitely extravagant yet it also play into this persona that Celeste has created as a way to escape from the horrors of the world despite the fact that she is indirectly connected to a recent event of violence. Still, it does reinforce the role of the pop singer and how they use music to heal despite their own flaws and artificial world they live in. Overall, Corbet crafts an evocative yet harrowing film about the tumultuous life of a pop singer.
Cinematographer Lol Crawley does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward in terms of the visuals with some unique lighting for some of the interiors as well as the film’s climatic concert scene. Editor Matthew Hannam does fantastic work with the editing as it utilizes a few jump-cuts and montages with the latter for the home movie footage. Production designer Sam Lisenco, with set decorators Kendall Anderson and Olivia Peebles plus art director Julia Heymans, does brilliant work with the look of Celeste’s stage set as well as the scenes in the school and at Stockholm such as the recording studio and hotel rooms. Costume designer Keri Langerman does amazing work with the look of the clothes that the adult Celeste would wear that would play into this larger-than-life persona as well as be this idea of cool while everyone else looks a bit casual with Albertine sort of dressed up as a Goth.
Visual effects supervisor Asaf Yeger does nice work with some of the visual effects as it’s mainly set-dressing for some parts of the film including exteriors of 2000-2001 NYC. Sound designer Leslie Shatz does superb work with the sound in creating some effective sound mixes such as the sounds of gunshots as well as how music sounds in a venue or the atmosphere of a hotel room. The film’s music by Scott Walker is wonderful for its usage of ambient and classical-based pieces that help play into the drama while the original songs by Sia are effective and catchy as its approach to electro-pop have something that is engaging with the rest of the music soundtrack by music supervisor Margaret Yen include a couple of tracks by Sunrise in the Desert.
The casting by Cassandra Kulukundis is incredible as it feature some notable small roles from Matt Servitto and Meg Gibson as Celeste and Eleanor’s parents, Maria Dizzia as Celeste’s music teacher early in the film, Daniel London as a preacher early in the film, Leslie Silva as Celeste’s stylist, Micheal Richardson as a musician the young Celeste meets in Europe, and Christopher Abbott as a journalist who interviews the older Celeste and eventually piss her off. Jennifer Ehle is fantastic as Celeste’s publicist Josie who is trying to ensure Celeste’s career is going well as well as being realistic to the point that she is also protective of her during the latter parts of Celeste’s career. Jude Law is excellent as Celeste’s manager as a man who would handle the business aspects of Celeste’s career but also try and get her to be reasonable later on while he would unknowingly help cause the rift between Celeste and Eleanor.
Stacy Martin is brilliant as Eleanor as Celeste’s older sister who would be her collaborator in writing the songs they create as well as introduce her to all sorts of things that would later play into their rift with Martin displaying a restraint as someone who feels mistreated by the person she’s caring for. Raffey Cassidy is great in a dual role as the young Celeste and Celeste’s daughter Albertine where Cassidy displays an innocence and charm as the younger Celeste who is also aware of what happened to her and the need to connect which would be something Cassidy would delve into as Albertine as a young girl trying to understand her mother’s state of mind. Finally, there’s Natalie Portman in a spectacular performance as the older Celeste Montgomery as a pop star that is trying to make a comeback with a new album and tour where Portman is unleashed in displaying someone who can really bitchy and mean but also someone who is quite fragile as she needs to escape from the realities of celebrity by just singing as it’s a tour-de-force performance from Portman.
Vox Lux is a sensational film from Brady Corbet that features tremendous performances from Natalie Portman and Raffey Cassidy. Along with its supporting cast, study of trauma and escape, and an incredible music soundtrack from Scott Walker and Sia. It’s a film that explore the mind-set of a pop star who has been affected by tragedy forcing her to create a bubble that disconnects itself with reality with music being her saving grace. In the end, Vox Lux is a phenomenal film from Brady Corbet.
Brady Corbet Films: (The Childhood of a Leader) - The Brutalist
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the biography First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, First Man is about the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong from his early days as a pilot to being the first man to walk on the moon as he deals with challenges in his professional and personal life. Directed by Damien Chazelle and screenplay by Josh Singer, the film is an unconventional bio-pic of the famed astronaut who deals with the dangers of his job as well as the events in his personal life as he is played by Ryan Gosling. Also starring Claire Foy, Corey Stoll, Jason Clarke, Ciaran Hinds, Patrick Fugit, Christopher Abbott, Lukas Haas, and Kyle Chandler. First Man is an enthralling and evocative film from Damien Chazelle.
July 20, 1969 was a momentous moment in the history of civilization when Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon as it was the culmination of a decade long journey during the space race between the U.S. and Soviet Union to reach the impossible. For all of the fame that Armstrong would receive for this accomplishment lies a man who endured professional and personal challenges including moments of tragedy as he would withdraw from fame and even in his own family to focus on what he must do as an astronaut. Josh Singer’s screenplay focuses on Armstrong’s life as a test pilot in 1961 to the moment he returns home from the moon which would also include his first marriage to Janet Shearon (Claire Foy) as well as life with their children including the death of his daughter Karen at age 2 as she had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor and died of complications related to pneumonia.
The script would have Armstrong not just deal with the job in hand as he and other astronauts try to figure out what to do and also what not to do. Even as Armstrong would deal with a couple of tragedies while he would also have a near-death experience during the Gemini 8 mission with David Scott (Christopher Abbott) where the capsule docking with the Agena Target Vehicle as part of a docking experiment had the capsule separated and rolled around orbit. Yet, more problems including the Apollo 1 testing session that lead to the death of Virgil “Gus” Grissom (Shea Whigham), Ed White (Jason Clarke), and Roger Chaffee (Cory Michael Smith) forces Armstrong to make sure nothing else goes wrong as he would eventually be selected to command the Apollo 11 mission with Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) and Michael Collins (Lukas Haas).
Damien Chazelle’s direction is definitely intense not just for the idea of what it’s like being in a jet plane or in a space capsule but also the sense of fear of what to do in case something bad happens. Shot largely in locations near Atlanta including studios in Atlanta along with additional locations in Los Angeles, the film does play into a moment in time where so much is happening while there is an air of innocence into the Armstrong home life. Even as they would have other astronauts as neighbors and their kids playing with each other as Chazelle aimed for a natural look into these scenes as it would also play into the sense of loss that the Armstrong family would endure as well as the chaos that would happen during the course of Armstrong’s time as an astronaut including tragedy that affected this small community of people. Chazelle would use some wide shots for these scenes as well as a maintain a looseness into the camera by shooting with a hand-held camera for close-ups and medium shots to get an intimacy as well as some of the dramatic tension that occurs between the Armstrongs.
For the scenes inside the capsules, there is this claustrophobic element where Chazelle doesn’t just give the audience an idea of what it is like inside a space capsule, a test-jet plane, and other test modules as well as the lunar module. The usage of shaky camera during a rocket launch or seeing what Armstrong and his crew are seeing from their perspective adds to the sense of fear that these men have to face. Even in the sound where it has this element of something could go wrong add to the atmosphere of what is happening. The sequence set on the moon and its landing with stock footage of people watching the event happening is definitely a majestic moment with its usage of wide shots as a look into what Armstrong might be thinking about on the moon though his face isn’t shown on the helmet as it play into everything he’s endured to reach this monumental feat. Overall, Chazelle crafts a mesmerizing yet astonishing film about the life of Neil Armstrong and his struggles with his job and life at home.
Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of natural lighting for many of the scenes in the neighborhood including the scenes at night along with some stark yet vibrant lighting for the scenes at the mission control centers in NASA and the low-key lighting for the scenes inside the space capsules and lunar module. Editor Tom Cross does excellent work with the editing as it has some unique rhythmic cuts to play into the drama along with some stylish jump-cut montages for a few recurring flashback scenes from Armstrong’s perspective. Production designer Nathan Crowley, with supervising art director Erik Osusky plus set decorators Randi Hockett and Kathy Lucas, does amazing work with the look of the machines and such for the astronaut training as well as the interior/exterior of the space capsules and how small they as well as the mission control rooms and the homes of the astronauts. Costume designer Mary Zophres does terrific work with the costumes from the clothes that everyone wears on a casual day as well as the astronaut clothes that are worn for the missions.
Special effects supervisor J.D. Schwalm and visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert do incredible work with the special effects with the look of the exteriors of outer space and the moon as well as the usage of practical effects to give the scenes in space an air of realism as it is a highlight of the film. Sound designer/sound editor Ai-Ling Lee and co-sound editor Mildred Iatrou do tremendous work with the film’s sound in creating that sense of atmosphere of what goes on in space where the metal sound like it’s bending or about to break as well as the lack of sound when someone is in outer space or on the moon as it’s a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Justin Hurwitz is superb for its usage of low-key strings, ambient pieces, and usage of the theremin to help maintain an atmosphere that is calm but also disconcerting at times in some of the drama and suspenseful moments in the film. The film’s music soundtrack features an array of music from the 1960s including a few classical and show tune pieces as well as some country and folk music from Gene Autrey, Peter, Paul, & Mary, the Kingston Trio, Samuel Hoffman with Les Baxter, Johnny Ace, the Chantels, and a poetic piece by Gil Scott-Heron who is seen briefly on the film as he is played by Leon Bridges.
The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Kris Swanberg as Elliot See’s wife Marilyn, Lucy Stafford as Karen Armstrong, Luke Winters and Gavin Warren in their respective roles as the older and younger version of Rick Armstrong, Conor Blodgett as Mark Armstrong, Ethan Embry as astronaut Pete Conrad, Pablo Schreiber as astronaut Jim Lovell , J.D. Evermore as NASA flight director Christopher C. Kraft Jr., Cory Michael Smith as astronaut Roger Chaffee, and Brian d’Arcy James as test pilot Joseph A. Walker who gets Armstrong on board to NASA. Shea Whigham is terrific as Virgil “Gus” Grissom as one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts who help the new astronauts prepare for what to expect for Gemini and later Apollo. Patrick Fugit is superb as Elliot See as an astronaut in training who befriends Armstrong as he was set to command his own mission only to die tragically during a training mission.
Olivia Hamilton is fantastic as Ed White’s wife Patricia who befriends Janet as they share their stories of fear for their husbands but also what they had to endure at home. Christopher Abbott is excellent as Dave Scott as Armstrong’s co-pilot on Gemini 8 who experiences that near-death experience as he also tries to understand what went wrong. Kyle Chandler is brilliant as NASA chief officer/former astronaut Deke Slayton who makes sure things go smoothly while Ciaran Hinds is amazing as Robert R. Gilruth who is a flight director for NASA who helps oversee the making of the Apollo missions. Jason Clarke is incredible as Ed White as an astronaut who would become the first American to do the spacewalk while trying to understand Armstrong’s distant persona as it relates to loss. Lukas Haas is remarkable as Michael Collins as the capsule module pilot who helps Armstrong and Aldrin reach the moon and ensure their safety.
Corey Stoll is sensational as Buzz Aldrin as the film’s comic relief of sorts as he often says off-color things while being someone who does take his work serious as he would accompany Armstrong on their momentous mission to the moon. Claire Foy is phenomenal as Janet Shearon as Armstrong’s then-wife who deals with loss as well as the sense of fear of what could happen to her husband as she is also someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone as it is a riveting performance from Foy. Finally, there’s Ryan Gosling in a magnificent performance as Neil Armstrong as a test pilot/engineer who is tasked with what has to be done as he deals with the many dangers of his job but is also restrained and distant due to the fact that he’s still reeling from the loss of his daughter and later deal with the loss of colleagues as it’s a performance that is filled with restraint but also with a sense of determination and drive giving Gosling a career-defining performance.
First Man is a tremendous film from Damien Chazelle that features great performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, eerie sound design, a soothing yet haunting music score, and a gripping story about what astronauts had to endure and the chaos that goes on behind the scenes. It’s a film that doesn’t play towards the conventions of the bio-pic while also being this study of a man trying not to fail in preparation for his mission to go to the moon while dealing with grief. In the end, First Man is an outstanding film from Damien Chazelle.
Damien Chazelle Films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench – Whiplash - La La Land -Babylon (2022 film) - (The Auteurs #76: Damien Chazelle)
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Todd Luiso and written by Susan Koskoff, Hello I Must Be Going is about a woman who moves back home with her parents following her divorce where she finds herself falling for a younger man. The film is an exploration of a woman trying to start over as she deals with divorce and failure. Starring Melanie Lynskey, Blythe Danner, John Rubenstein, Christopher Abbott, and Dan Futterman. Hello I Must Be Going is an extraordinary film from Todd Luiso.
The film is the simple story of a woman in her mid-30s who moves back home with her parents as she’s dealing with a divorce as she has no idea what to do as she’s in a state of depression. During a dinner party with her parents, her brother, her sister-in-law and a client of her father who brought his 19 year-old son, the woman engages into an affair with the young man where they’re both dealing with issues in their lives as the woman also feels being slighted by her mother who is hoping to go on a trip and retire. The film is essentially a character study of this woman named Amy (Melanie Lynskey) who spends her time at home moping as she is reluctant to get back into the world as she is trying to figure out why did she get divorced.
Susan Koskoff’s screenplay takes it time to explore Amy’s life as this new-divorcee who is angry over the fact that her ex-husband David (Dan Futterman) cheated on her and ended their marriage. She’s back at home not sure what to do and she annoys her mother Ruth (Blythe Danner) who is overlooking the renovation of the house while her father Stan (John Rubenstein) is doing one final job before he can retire. Upon meeting Jeremy (Christopher Abbott) at a dinner party where they have a secret affair, the two vent on their frustrations in life as Jeremy wants to stop acting while his parents think he’s gay. Amy’s affair with Jeremy would later cause some very strange moments where they’re nearly found out but it would also make Amy face her own faults but also try to figure out what went wrong in her marriage as she feels like her mother is blaming her for ruining her own life.
Todd Luiso’s direction is very understated in its simplicity where he uses a lot of close-ups and some medium shots to explore a woman dealing with the state of her life. Much of it includes some hand-held shots and some intimate moments such as a few scenes where Amy and Jeremy would have sex in the car and then talk about their frustrations in life. Shot largely in Westport, Connecticut, the film has a look and feel that seems like it could be anywhere yet it does maintain something that is low-key while Luiso also finds way to have some of the film’s humorous moments be played out naturally such as a scene of Amy coming out of the pool naked singing the Canadian anthem only to be caught by Jeremy’s mother. It’s among these moments that play into Amy’s growth and understanding as a woman as well as trying to find herself. Overall, Luiso crafts a very solid yet mesmerizing film about a woman trying to figure out the next stage in her life.
Cinematographer Julie Kirkwood does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the low-key use of lights for the scenes at night as well as the use of colors for some of the daytime scenes. Editor Tom McArdle does terrific work with the editing as it‘s very understated while using a few rhythmic cuts to play out some of the humor. Production designer Russell Barnes and set decorator Daniel R. Kersting do amazing work with the look of the home that Amy’s parents live as well as the house that Jeremy lives in with his parents.
Costume designer Bobby Frederick Tilley does nice work with the costumes from the casual look of the main characters to some of the dresses that Amy wears for dinner dates and such. Sound mixer Christopher J. Leone does fantastic work with some of the film‘s sound to convey some of the atmosphere of the locations as well as some of the mix of sounds in the party scenes. The film’s music by Laura Veirs is wonderful as it is a largely folk-based score with arpeggio guitars along with some original songs by Veirs while music supervisor Holly Adams creates a similar soundtrack that includes contributions from other lesser-known artists with the exception of a song from Billy Squier.
The casting by Kerry Barden, Allison Estrin, and Paul Schnee is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some appearances from Meera Simhan as an old high school classmate of Amy’s, Tori Feinstein as Amy’s niece Caley, Daniel Eric Gold and Sara Chase in their respective roles of Amy’s brother Noah and his wife Missy, Jimmi Simpson as a guy Amy went on a blind date with, Damian Young as Jeremy’s stepfather, and Julie White in a very funny performance as Jeremy’s mother who tries to figure him out as she’s also a therapist. Dan Futterman is terrific in a one-scene performance as Amy’s ex-husband David who meets with Amy where they just try to settle things as he wonders about the things he did.
Christopher Abbott is excellent as Jeremy as a young 19-year old actor who is frustrated with his choice of profession as well as the fact that he is trying to figure out what to do as he falls for Amy. John Rubenstein is superb as Amy’s father Stan as someone who is always caring and making sure she is okay while dealing with the fact that he is set to retire. Blythe Danner is amazing as Amy’s mother Ruth as a woman just obsessed with renovating her house and making sure she will enjoy her husband’s retirement while being a bit snippy towards Amy and her situation. Finally, there’s Melanie Lynskey in a remarkable performance as Amy as this woman in her mid-30s dealing with divorce where Lynskey brings this nice mix of understated drama and humor to the performance that makes Amy a very unique and relatable woman.
Hello I Must Be Going is a phenomenal film from Todd Luiso that features an incredible performance from Melanie Lynskey. Along with strong supporting work from Blythe Danner, John Rubenstein, and Christopher Abbott, the film is a very witty yet engaging portrait of a woman dealing with divorce and failure as she tries to get herself back up. In the end, Hello I Must Be Going is a delightful film from Todd Luiso.
© thevoid99 2013
