The Insider

 

Based on the article from Vanity Fair entitled The Man Who Knew Too Much by Marie Brenner, The Insider is the story relating to a segment from 60 Minutes about a whistleblower in the tobacco industry where CBS producers deal with the chaos relating to what could be exposed. Directed by Michael Mann and screenplay by Mann and Eric Roth, the film is a drama that plays into a news story and the fallout that would endure in this news story that the tobacco industry does not want people to know. Starring Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Bruce McGill, Diane Venora, Michael Gambon, Lindsay Crouse, Debi Mazar, and Christopher Plummer as Mike Wallace. The Insider is a mesmerizing and haunting film by Michael Mann.

Set in the mid-1990s, the film revolves around a former tobacco company executive who is fired as he sends documents to a producer for the CBS show 60 Minutes which leads to bigger things about what this man knows despite the confidentiality agreement, he had signed to not speak out against this corporation he worked for. It is a film that explores a man who knows something about what the tobacco industry is doing as he is aware of what he is risking but also feels like the public needs to know as this producer believes this is a story that the world needs to hear. The film’s screenplay by Michael Mann and Eric Roth is straightforward in its narrative while it is really a study of two men trying to get the truth out to the public amidst the many obstacles, they would endure including death threats, smear campaigns, legal maneuvering, and corporate pressure. Even as both men are pushed to extremes and their backs against the wall as the idea of truth and integrity becomes less valued in favor of greed.

The first act opens with producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) in a Middle East country trying to convince the head of Hezbollah in Sheikh Falladah (Cliff Curtis) for an interview with Mike Wallace which he succeeds as it establishes the kind of reasoning and level of comfort Bergman has on those who want to talk to the press. Upon getting a box of documents at his home, Bergman learns who sent the box in former Brown & Williamson executive Dr. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) as they meet in a hotel where Dr. Wigand only tells him some details about the documents and nothing else due to a confidentiality agreement he signed following his termination. Bergman realizes that Dr. Wigand knows more following threats from the people at Brown & Williamson forcing Dr. Wigand to reveal what he knows in an interview with Mike Wallace that doesn’t get aired as his family is forced to move from an upper-class home to something more modest as it would take a toll on his marriage to his wife Liane (Diane Venora) who doesn’t know what has been going on until the threats come in.

The second act plays into Bergman and Dr. Wigand dealing with Brown & Williamson’s attempt to block everything the latter is to say as they get help from Richard Scruggs (Colm Feore) who has been battling the tobacco industry as he would represent Dr. Wigand with his own team in the state of Mississippi. It would also be this moment where Dr. Wigand must settle for a new line of work in being a high school chemistry teacher while also teaching Japanese though he does feel like he would have influence through his testimony. However, the film’s third act plays into the world of corporate politics where CBS find themselves being bought as there are those who want to suppress the story leaving Bergman and Dr. Wigand in a bigger mess than they’re both in where the former does what he can to go public about what is happening as it would mark a major change in the way news is presented to the public.

Mann’s direction is intoxicating in its overall presentation where it is shot on various locations including New York City, Los Angeles, Lebanon, the Bahamas, Big Bear Valley in California, and Pascagoula, Mississippi to play into a moment in time when news brought a sense of awareness to the world. Mann’s direction is stylish as he shoots much of the film with hand-held cameras to get a sense of urgency into what is happening inside the offices, a news studio, and inside a house. While there are some wide shots in some of the locations including some gorgeous compositions where Mann places a character on a location whether it is on a beach or at a golf park. Much of Mann’s direction emphasizes medium shots and close-ups to create an intimacy as well as a sense of dramatic suspense for the characters in the situations they are in. Even in scenes during meetings where Mann would carefully create compositions where the actor is at the forefront and who is in the background.

Mann’s direction also has this element of realism such as the deposition scene as it takes place in the actual building where Dr. Wigand’s real deposition took place in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Mann does create this sense of tension where the Brown & Williamson legal team keep interrupting one of Dr. Wigand’s lawyers who mouths off at one of them over the gag order towards Dr. Wigand in his native Kentucky. The film’s third act takes a major tonal shift though the air of dramatic suspense is still in tact as it play into corporate politics and how they can suppress a story. Even to the point that a few of Bergman’s allies, including Wallace reluctantly give in except for Bergman as he believes that he must do what he can to get Dr. Wigand’s story out as he feels it is a threat to the free press. The film’s ending is about what needs to be done but it comes at a price where everyone loses something but something much bigger is lost as it relates to what the news is. Notably as it marked a major change where the truth becomes compromised by the ideals and interests of others who want to have things their way. Overall, Mann crafts an evocative and exhilarating film about a news producer trying to get a former tobacco corporate executive to tell the truth to the American public.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key colors and lighting for some of the exterior scenes in the day and night including scenes in the rain as well as some stylish lighting for some of the interior scenes at CBS and at the different homes that Dr. Wigand would live in. Editors William Goldenberg, Paul Rubell, and David Rosenbloom do amazing work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts while also allowing shots to linger for a bit to play into the drama through some straightforward cutting as it is a highlight of the film. Production designer Brian Morris and art director Margie Stone McShirley do brilliant work with the look of the different homes that Dr. Wigand and his family live in as well as the interiors of the offices and studios for CBS in New York City and the other places that Bergman and his CBS crew go to. Costume designer Anna B. Sheppard does excellent work with the costumes as it is casual with the suits that Dr. Wigand wears as well as some of the clothing that Bergman wears.

Hair designer Vera Mitchell and makeup effects supervisor Keith VanderLaan do fantastic work with the look of Dr. Wigand in the grey hair that he has as well as the hairstyle of Mrs. Wigand. Visual effects supervisor Chris Watts does terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects in the usage of video as well as some set dressing for some scenes. Sound editors Gregg Baxter and Gregory King do superb work with the sound in the way cars sound up close and from afar in a suburb or in a city as well as the sparse textures in some of the sound mixes. The film’s music by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke is incredible for its world music-based score filled with vocals and dissonant instruments that play into the atmosphere of some of the drama as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s soundtrack features some additional score pieces by Graeme Ravell as well as pieces by Gustavo Santaolalla, Jan Garbarek, Massive Attack, Einstürzende Neubauten, Curt Sobel, Avro Part, the Casbah Orchestra, and David Darling.

The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Evan Podell as Bergman’s son, Breckin Meyer as Bergman’s stepson, Wings Hauser as a Brown & Williamson attorney at the deposition, Willie C. Carpenter as a newspaper editor friend of Bergman, Paul Perri and Wanda De Jesus as a couple of FBI agents posing as geologists meeting Bergman for a source of the whereabouts of an infamous American terrorist, Rip Torn as a CBS executive leader in John Scanlan, Roger Bart as a hotel manager who tries to relay a message to Dr. Wigand in a scene in the third act, real-life attorneys Jack Palladino and Mike Moore as themselves who help out Dr. Wigand, Gary Sandy as an attorney for Brown & Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur, Cliff Curtis as Hezbollah leader Sheikh Falladah, Renee Olstead as Dr. Wigand’s eldest daughter Deborah who suffers from acute asthma, Hailee Kate Eisenberg as Dr. Wigand’s youngest daughter Barbara, Stephen Tobolowsky as CBS News president Eric Kluster, Gina Gershon as CBS attorney Helen Caperelli, Bruce McGill as the attorney Ron Motley who is anti-tobacco crusader, Lynn Thigpen as a high school principal who hires Dr. Wigand, Pete Hamill as a reporter for the New York Times, Nestor Serrano as an FBI agent who tries to help Bergman over a few things, Linda Hart as an ex-wife of Dr. Wigand used for a smear campaign, and Michael Gambon in a superb small performance as the Brown & Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur who makes some serious threats towards Dr. Wigand.

Lindsay Crouse is fantastic in a small role as Bergman’s wife Sharon Tiller who is also a journalist that understands the chaos that Bergman is going through while is also someone who ensures that he does not lose himself. Debi Mazar is excellent as Debbie De Luca as a CBS News employee who helps Bergman in gathering sources and such while also having connections of her own regarding legal matters. Colm Feore is brilliant as Richard Scruggs as an attorney battling tobacco as he learns about Dr. Wigand’s situation as he realizes he help Dr. Wigand over his issues while also having him take part in this big battle against tobacco. Philip Baker Hall is amazing as 60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt who is aware of the importance of Dr. Wigand’s story while also finding himself dealing with corporate pressure as it relates to those wanting to buy CBS. Diane Venora is incredible as Liane Wigand as Dr. Wigand’s wife whose life changes because of the death threats and change of lifestyle while being shielded into what her husband is going through to the point that she becomes unsure if him being a whistleblower is a good idea.

Christopher Plummer is great as Mike Wallace as the famed journalist/reporter for 60 Minutes who would interview Dr. Wigand as he is aware of how the story is while later dealing with pressures from corporate in suppressing the story where he becomes unsure to give in or have the interview aired. Russell Crowe is phenomenal as Dr. Jeffrey Wigand as a former Brown & Williamson science executive who gets fired while he knows things that he feels could be harmful to the public about cigarettes where Crowe brings this sense of restraint and weariness of a man being pushed to the edge. Even where he sacrifices a lot where Crowe brings in one of his career-defining performances of a man just trying to do the right thing. Finally, there’s Al Pacino in a tremendous performance as Lowell Bergman as a producer for 60 Minutes who learns about this story and wants it out for the world to hear while also trying to help Dr. Wigand and his family over their death threats. It is a somber performance from Pacino, who does bring in some charm and wit while is also someone who believes in something only to see what is happening to the news media as it head towards the 21st Century with a weariness that is a lot to bear.

The Insider is an outstanding film by Michael Mann that features two top-notch leading performances from Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. Along with its great supporting cast, intoxicating visuals, stylish editing, study of truth and what those are willing to suppress it, and a mesmerizing score by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke. It is a film that explores two men trying to get something big known to the public while dealing with forces that does not want the people to know the truth about the dangers of tobacco. In the end, The Insider is a magnificent film by Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile - Thief - The Keep - Manhunter - L.A. Takedown - The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film) - Heat - Ali - Collateral - Miami Vice - Public Enemies - Blackhat - Ferrari – (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #73: Michael Mann Pt.1 – Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2024

Knives Out

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out is a whodunit that revolves around the death of a patriarch during a tumultuous family gathering as a detective tries to solve the case of this murder. The film is a suspense-drama that explores the murder of a man on his birthday with a detective questioning the motives of the man’s family as well as people close to him at this party leading all sorts of secrets and such in the family. Starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Jaeden Martell, Katherine Langford, Lakeith Stanfield, Edi Patterson, Noah Segan, K Callan, and Christopher Plummer. Knives Out is an exhilarating and whimsical film from Rian Johnson.

A birthday party for a celebrated crime novelist happens as he is found dead the next morning where investigators and a revered detective try to solve the case with the man’s caretaker being a prime suspect. It’s a film that is essentially a simple whodunit where a family deals with the death of the patriarch but also become concerned about their future as family members become suspects due to their issues with the patriarch. Rian Johnson's screenplay mainly takes place days after the death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) as his family including his caretaker Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) is met with investigators about what happened on his birthday. Thrombey’s two adult kids in the real estate mogul Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Walter who runs his father’s publishing company as well as Linda’s husband Richard Drysdale (Don Johnson) and daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) each talked about what they discussed with Harlan with the investigators lead by the private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) who is wondering who hired him believing that Harlan’s death was no accident.

Marta is a suspect as she was the last person to supposedly with Harlan that night as she also has a condition where if she lies, she will vomit as she assists Blanc though some believe that she did it. Adding to this toxic case of suspicion includes the presence of Linda and Richard’s son Ransom (Chris Evans) who is considered the black sheep of the family as he likes to stir up trouble. Even as it is clear that the family that also include Joni’s daughter Megan (Katherine Langford) and Walter’s son Jacob (Jaeden Martell) who is always seen on his phone and spouting alt-right views are full of trouble and might have motives as it pertains to Harlan’s will. Blanc believes there is a lot more that is going on while he also wonders who hired him anonymously with Marta gaining the ire of some of the people in Harlan’s family with a few exceptions including Ransom.

Johnson’s direction is largely straightforward in terms of its compositions but also has a flair for style in the way it presents certain scenes from different perspectives. Shot on various locations in and around areas in Boston, Massachusetts, the film uses the locations as characters with Harlan’s home being its main setting as it’s a home filled with antiques, animal heads, and all sorts of things that play into his many accomplishments. Johnson would use wide shots for some of the locations as well as capture the atmosphere of the birthday party to showcase how many people are there or in a high-angle camera shot. Yet, much of his direction is emphasized on close-ups and medium shots as it play into conversations between characters or tiny details that can relate to a clue in the investigation. Notably on floors, walkways, and other things in and out of the house that might lead to some kind of clue including vials in Marta’s medical bag as she knows the kind of medication Harlan needed as it is routine for her.

Johnson’s direction also play into some offbeat humor as it relates to the investigative tactics of Blanc as he is an intriguing figure who is good at what he does but is also good at reading people. He knows that not everything with Marta holds up but doesn’t see her as someone who has the motivations nor the heart to kill Harlan. Johnson’s direction does play into the idea of drama and suspense in its third act that include Blanc dealing with some of the intricacies of the mystery while Ransom becomes an integral part in the third act. Notably as into why he’s been the black sheep of the family as someone who never interacted nor did anything with the family preferring to live a playboy lifestyle. The mystery of Harlan’s death would come to ahead but also more revelations into who hired Blanc and why as it adds a lot more with some questions about what Harlan ultimately wanted for his family. Overall, Johnson crafts a witty yet riveting film about a whodunit on the death of a crime novelist.

Cinematographer Steve Yedlin does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it does have elements of low-key lighting some scenes at night while emphasizing more on a straightforward look for many of its exterior scenes. Editor Bob Ducsay does brilliant work with the editing as it has bits of slow-motion cut along with rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and comedy. Production designer David Crank, with set decorator David Schlesinger and art director Jeremy Woodward, is amazing for the look as it play into the look of the house including a circular decoration of knives in Harlan’s study as well as the office and his room as the house is a major highlight of the film. Costume designer Jenny Eagan does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the stylish clothes that Joni and Linda wear as well as the clothes of the other characters with the more humbled look of Marta.

Visual effects supervisor Tim Keene does terrific work with the visual effects as it is mainly set dressing for a few scenes including one involving arson. Sound designer Al Nelson does superb work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere as well as sounds that add intrigue into the night of Harlan’s death as well as sounds that add to the family chaos. The film’s music by Nathan Johnson is incredible for its orchestral score that help play into the suspense and drama as it is a highlight of the film while its soundtrack feature music from the Rolling Stones, Roxy Music, and other forms of music from pop to standards.

The casting by Mary Vernieu is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Frank Oz as Harlan’s lawyer, M. Emmet Walsh as a security officer at Harlan’s home, Marlene Forte as Marta’s mother, Shyrela Rodriguez as Marta’s sister Alicia, K Callan as Harlan’s elderly mother Wanetta who might’ve seen what really happened, Riki Lindholme as Walter’s wife Donna, Noah Segan as Trooper Wagner who aids in the investigation as he is also a fan of Harlan’s work, Edi Patterson as the family maid Fran who intensely dislikes Ransom as she was the one who discovered Harlan’s body, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a voice cameo as a detective in a TV show Alicia watches. Jaeden Martell is terrific as Walter and Donna’s son Jacob who spends much of his time on his phone while often says offensive that leans more towards extreme-conservative ideals. Katherine Langford is fantastic as Megan Thrombey as a college student who is always kind to Marta as she becomes concerned with the aftermath of the will while reluctantly takes part in the family schemes.

Lakeith Stansfield is superb as Detective Lieutenant Elliot as a local detective who takes part in the investigation as he is also someone who has some insight into what is really going on. Toni Collette is excellent as Joni Thrombey as Harlan’s daughter-in-law who is an influencer and guru who is a suspect due to failing business ventures as she is also someone who believes in a more healthy lifestyle. Don Johnson is brilliant as Harlan’s son-in-law Richard Drysdale as Linda’s husband who helps run his wife’s company as he becomes upset with Harlan over a discovery relating to Richard. Michael Shannon is amazing as Walter Thrombey as Harlan’s youngest son who runs his father’s publishing company as he walks with a cane due to an injured foot while having issues with his father over his plans that conflict with Walter’s ideas for his dad’s novels. Jamie Lee Curtis is incredible as Harlan’s eldest daughter in Linda who is suspicious about what happened to her father while becomes troubled by some of the revelations relating to her father’s will.

Christopher Plummer is marvelous as Harlan Thrombey as a crime novelist who is at the center of the story as a man who cares deeply for Marta but also has concerns about his family where he makes some decisions that would upset them while his own death remains a mystery. Chris Evans is remarkable as Ransom Thrombey as Linda and Richard’s son who is the black sheep of the family that likes to cause trouble as he was first seen walking out of his grandfather’s office angrily where he reveals to have issues with his family about their possible inheritance as it’s a darkly comical performance from Evans who gets to steal the show at times. Daniel Craig is phenomenal as Benoit Blanc as a Southern private investigator who is hired by someone he has no clue about as he is trying to figure out what is going on as well as lead the investigation where he is aware that something is off where Craig is funny but also someone who is smart and is aware of his own flaws. Finally, there’s Ana de Armas in a tremendous performance as Marta Cabrera as Harlan’s caretaker who is a kind-hearted woman that helps Harlan in a lot of ways while is becoming a suspect over what happened to him as she also gets into greater trouble as it relates to Harlan’s wishes where de Armas is a revelation in displaying a woman’s innocence as well as her inability to lie without puking.

Knives Out is a spectacular film from Rian Johnson that features great performances from Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, and Daniel Craig. Along with its ensemble cast, suspenseful screenplay, evocative setting, and Nathan Johnson’s sumptuous score. It’s a whodunit that manages to have a lot of twists and turns while being filled with interesting characters and situations that are engaging and full of delight. In the end, Knives Out is a sensational film from Rian Johnson.

Rian Johnson Films: Brick - The Brothers Bloom - Looper - Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - (Knives Out 3)

© thevoid99 2019

All the Money in the World

Based on the non-fiction novel Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty, All the Money in the World is about the real-life story of the abduction of John Paul Getty III by an Italian Mafia group who hold him from ransom where his grandfather J. Paul Getty refuses to cooperate and give the group no money. Directed by Ridley Scott and screenplay by David Scarpa, the film is a dramatization about the real-life abduction of John Paul Getty III as his mother and a former CIA operative try to save him despite his grandfather’s refusal to pay anything for the boy’s safety. Starring Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Plummer, Romain Duris, Timothy Hutton, Stacy Martin, Andrew Buchan, and Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty. All the Money in the World is a gripping yet chilling film from Ridley Scott.

In July of 1973, 16-year old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) was kidnapped by a mysterious Mafia group in Rome as they hold him for a ransom of $17 million which his grandfather in J. Paul Getty responds with no deal. That is the film’s premise as a whole as it play into this real-life event relating to a large ransom that is to be paid by the richest man in the world yet he refuses believing it is a hoax. David Scarpa’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it begins with Paul’s kidnapping and stories about his grandfather’s wealth and how he got extremely wealthy but also a family life with his mother Abigail (Michelle Williams) and his father J. Paul Getty Jr. (Andrew Buchan) that was quaint and simple until the latter was given a big job from his father that eventually lead him to drug and alcohol abuse and Abigail divorcing him with a desire of wanting full custody of their children including Paul.

Getty would hire his Getty Oil negotiator Fletcher Chace (Mark Wahlberg) to see if Paul is really lying as well as to help Abigail through his previous work in the CIA. Chace initially works with Abigail just to help Getty but eventually realizes the seriousness of Abigail’s search as he would start to help her more. The script also play into Paul’s time as a hostage as his kidnapper Cinquanta (Romain Duris) becomes sympathetic while knows that Paul is just a good kid that is an unfortunate situation that is made worse following a mistake by a kidnapper and later be treated far more cruelly by Cinquanta’s boss Mammoliti (Marco Leonardi) raising the stakes. With Getty even considering paying the ransom, it would come with some conditions that add more furor to Abigail’s problems with the family with Chace in the middle over whom he should be loyal to as well as wanting get Paul back home to safety.

Ridley Scott’s direction is definitely vast in terms of its setting and the world that Getty lives in which is quite huge for someone who has amassed a great deal of wealth that he built himself. Shot on various locations in Italy, Great Britain, and parts of Jordan, the film does play into this world that has made Getty legendary for what he’s done such as a deal he made with Bedouin sheikhs in getting their oil to the world. While there are some wide shots of the locations where Getty and his family live in including the quaint world that his son, Abigail, and their kids were living in the mid-1960s in San Francisco. The usage of close-up and medium shots as it play into the relationships of the family and the dramatic tension that occur. Notably as the wide shots also play into the disconnect between Getty and his family as the former is surrounded by artifacts, stock reports, and all things that makes him comfortable yet he is aware of how cruel the world can be and doesn’t really trust anyone including his own family. Scott’s direction definitely play into this man’s need for control as well as wanting more money such as a scene of him inspecting this rare painting as he considers not buying it due to its condition not being suitable to him.

The scenes involving Paul’s kidnapping does have this air of intensity as it relates to Paul’s attempts to escape his captors as well as some of the brutal moments he endure. The dramatic intensity also occur with Abigail desperately trying to get her son back with Chace’s help as it include phone calls with Cinquanta and other officials. Even as Abigail tries to find ways to get the money herself without Getty’s help where Scott definitely know when to play up the drama as well as find some semblance of hope in the film. Scott’s direction definitely shows someone who can bring wonders to a story as simple as this but also show how professional and skillful he can do in re-creating scenes that were shot before with Kevin Spacey in the role of Getty only for Spacey’s personal life to nearly ruin things prompting Scott to do re-shoots with Christopher Plummer in the role for a nine-day shoot as if Spacey never existed. Overall, Scott creates a thrilling and captivating film about the real-life kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III and the ransom that his grandfather refused to pay.

Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of black-and-white for a few scenes including a flashback scene of Getty in his rise to great wealth as well as some colorful looks for some parts of the film such as bluish tints for the scenes at Getty’s home in Britain to the usage of low-key and desaturated colors for the scenes in Italy. Editor Claire Simpson does excellent work with the editing with its usage of rhythmic cuts as well as letting shots linger for a bit to play into the suspense and dramatic tension. Production designer Arthur Max, with set decorators Richard Roberts, Letizia Santucci, and Nasser Zoubi plus supervising art directors Andrew Munro and Cristina Onori, does amazing work with the look of the Getty estate and his buildings and such that is surrounded by valuable and priceless artifacts that is a sharp contrast to the home of Paul’s captors who live in decayed farms in the middle of desolate farmland. Costume designer Janty Yates does fantastic work with the look of the clothes that Paul wears that was a style of the 1970s as well as the look of Abigail from the 1960s.

Makeup designer Tina Earnshaw and hair designer Ferdinando Merolla do terrific work with the hairstyles of the time in the 1960s and 1970s for Getty’s family along with some gory makeup for a key scene in the film’s third act. Special effects supervisors Simon Cockren and Maurizio Corridori, with visual effects supervisor Gary Brozenich, do nice work with the visual effects as it feature bits of set dressing including one key shot of Getty in Saudi Arabia. Sound editor Oliver Tarney does superb work with the sound as it play into the tense atmosphere that Paul endures in his capture as well as the sparse sounds of stock machines at Getty’s home. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its low-key orchestral score that help play into the suspense and drama while its music soundtrack feature an array of music from rock, pop, classical, and opera from the Zombies, Gianni Morandi, the Rolling Stones, Fred Buscaglione, Domenica Arlotta and Giuseppe Buieti, and Camaleonti.

The casting by Carmen Cuba is great as it feature some notable small roles from Clive Wood as Getty’s butler Bullimore, Kit Cranston and Maya Kelly in their respective roles as the younger versions of Paul’s siblings in Mark and Aileen, Charlie Shotwell as the younger version of John Paul Getty III, Ghassan Massoud as an Arab sheikh who does business with Getty, Nicolas Vaporidis as an abductor who unfortunately reveals his identity, Giuseppe Bonifati as Gail’s attorney Giovanni Iacovoni, Marco Leonardi as Cinquanta’s boss Mammoliti who doesn’t care for Paul’s well-being, Stacy Martin as Getty’s secretary, Timothy Hutton as Getty’s attorney Oswald Hinge, and Andrew Buchan as Paul’s father John Paul Getty Jr. as alcoholic/drug-addicted father who is more concerned with getting high than being a father.

Romain Duris is fantastic as Cinquanta as the lead abductor who holds Paul for ransom while he gets to know the boy as he realizes he’s just a good kid that is put in a bad situation as he is aware of what his boss would do after things got bad where he would be the one to contact Gail about the ransom and ensure the boy’s safety. Charlie Plummer is excellent as John Paul Getty III as a sixteen-year old kid who is the grandson of the richest man in the world who is just a teenage boy that becomes the victim of a ransom that becomes troubling and as he deals with the physical, emotional, and mental torture he endures. Mark Wahlberg is brilliant as Fletcher Chace as an adviser for Getty who also used to work for the CIA as he is hired to find out if Paul is really creating a hoax only to help Gail in getting Paul back while questioning his own loyalty for Getty.

Michelle Williams is amazing as Gail Harris as Paul’s mother who is trying to get her son back any way she can as she also is aware of her former father-in-law’s refusal to help out as well as to try and control her life as it’s a fierce and gripping performance from Williams. Finally, there’s Christopher Plummer in an incredible performance as J. Paul Getty as the then-richest man in the world who is willing to find ways to make money and have the most priceless artifacts out there as he believes that his grandson is faking his abduction while there is this sense of warmth in the performance that shows the complexity of Getty as it’s another of Plummer’s masterful performances.

All the Money in the World is a remarkable film from Ridley Scott that features great performances from Christopher Plummer, Michelle Williams, and Mark Wahlberg. Along with its ensemble cast, stylish visuals, and intense approach to suspense and drama. It’s a film that showcases a real-life event and what some will do to get a person back as well as how one person is trying to protect his own world believing that there is no price for anything. In the end, All the Money in the World is a sensational film from Ridley Scott.

Ridley Scott Films: (The Duellists) – Alien - Blade Runner - (Legend) – (Someone to Watch Over Me) – (Black Rain) – (Thelma & Louise) – (1492: Conquest of Paradise) – (White Squall) – (G.I. Jane) – (Gladiator) – (Hannibal) – (Black Hawk Down) – (Matchstick Men) – (Kingdom of Heaven) – (A Good Year) – (American Gangster) – (Body of Lies) – (Robin Hood (2010 film)) – Prometheus - (The Counselor) – (Exodus: Gods and Kings) – The Martian - (Alien: Covenant)

© thevoid99 2019

12 Monkeys

Based on the short film La jetee by Chris Marker, 12 Monkeys is the story about a convicted criminal living in a post-apocalyptic world as he’s sent back in time to find information about a virus that is already plaguing the world as he later deals with trouble. Directed by Terry Gilliam and screenplay by David and Janet Peoples, the film is an exploration into the world of time-travel and chaos as a man deals with his past while doing whatever he can to save the future. Starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeleine Stowe, David Morse, and Christopher Plummer. 12 Monkeys is a stylish yet mesmerizing sci-fi film from Terry Gilliam.

In a post-apocalyptic future where 1% of the world had survived a plague that had wiped out the human race, James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a convicted criminal who volunteers to take part in a time-travel experiment to retrieve information about the source of the virus that started the plague. In return, Cole would receive a pardon for his work as he is sent back to the period of 1996-1997 where the virus started. Yet, he finds himself in 1990 as he is sent to a psychiatric ward where he meets a crazed young man named Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt). At the hospital, he’s being examined where Cole learns that it’s 1990 while making claims to his doctors about a virus that is going to spread that is going to cause a plague. After an escape attempt with help from Goines, Cole returns back to the future where he reveals what went wrong.

The scientists send Cole back in time where he finally makes it to 1996 where he kidnaps a psychiatrist named Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe) who was Cole’s doctor at the hospital six years earlier as they drive from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Cole has discovered that Goines is the founder of an underground army known as the Twelve Monkeys as he hopes to confront Cole as he tries to search for him. Cole finally learns where Goines is as he is the son of a revered scientist (Christopher Plummer) where Cole finally confronts Goines only for things to become more confusing. After returning back to the future to reveal what he learned, Cole begins to doubt about everything he’s been through.

Back in 1996, Railly begins to review her diagnosis about Cole where she makes some startling discoveries that has her realizing what’s really going on. After convincing the scientists to send him back to 1996, he returns to 1996 where Railly meets him trying to tell him that a plague is really going to happen. Upon realizing what will happen, the two make a discovery about what is going on as Cole does whatever it takes to stop the plague from happening.

The film is essentially the story of a man going back in time to try and find out who started a plague that would nearly wipe out civilization while he deals with all sorts of things that has him confused about his mission. A lot of which has him encountering all sorts of people including a crazed man who would eventually lead an underground army that might’ve started the plague and a psychiatrist who would eventually piece out all of the things that he’s saying. During these missions and encounters, he also deals with recurring dreams where he sees a young boy witnessing a murder. Since it is inspired by Chris Marker’s 1962 short film La jetee about a man living in a post-apocalyptic world where he goes back in time and has a recurring dream about a boy (Joseph Melito) witnessing a man die. The film expands Marker’s short film into something far grander.

The screenplay definitely uses the basic elements of Marker’s short while adding more stakes to the story as well as a lot of ambiguity. Notably in the character of Jeffrey Goines who is this very crazy young man that the film’s protagonist meets where their encounter would have Goines come up with something big that would later drive the plot. Yet, Goines ends up becoming more abstract in his ambitions whether no one really knows what he’s up to and maybe he doesn’t know what he’s doing as it’s up to James Cole to find out. Cole is a man who definitely has no idea what he’s doing as he seemed content to collect insects for samples to scientists while hoping to get a decent life. By taking part in this experiment, he becomes more confused about what is real as he eventually starts to realize what is going on.

Adding to Cole’s journey who would eventually play to his fate about whether it’s true or not is Kathryn Railly who doubts everything Cole says at first. Even as she would become some best-selling novelist who has a lot of theories about certain things only to realize that something could actually happen. Yet, she faces her own persecution from doctors and police when they believe that she has gone crazy. The screenplay not only succeeds in creating characters that are engaging as well as scenes that play out to the suspense of the film. It also features some small stories and dialogue relating to a missing boy that would play to what Cole knows and Railly’s realization about what is going on.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is definitely stylish for the way he presents the film as not just a sci-fi film but also something that feels modern where Gilliam was able to work around with his budget limitations. For the scenes in the future, Gilliam creates something that is filled with ruins as it’s set in Philadelphia and Baltimore where it seems like a world that is ravaged and animals are there to roam freely. While there is a bit of visual effects for a few scenes involving animals, it is set mostly in a world where it is grim and troubled as there’s a lot of strange things that play up to a future that is still trying to figure out its technology and its purpose.

For the scenes set in the 1990s, Gilliam keeps things simple in terms of the presentation though he goes for very stylistic slanted camera angles to help tell the story. A lot of which it to play up Cole’s view of the world where he has no idea where he is. Gilliam also employs lots of close-ups and medium shots to help tell the story while utilizing a few moments that pays homage to La jetee in the recurring dream sequences. Gilliam also uses wandering cameras to play up the suspense and drama that heightens things including the film’s climatic finale that captures the true spirit of Chris Marker’s famed short. Overall, Gilliam creates a truly marvelous and exhilarating film that does more in what is expected in a sci-fi film.

Cinematographer Roger Pratt does brilliant work with the film‘s vibrant yet stylish look from the somewhat grimy look of the futuristic scenes to more straightforward yet ethereal lighting schemes for the scenes set in the 1990s. Editor Mick Audsley does excellent work with the editing from the stylish montages of the dream scenes to the more rhythmic cuts for the film‘s suspenseful moments. Production designer Jeffrey Beecroft, along with set decorator Crispian Sallis and art director William Ladd Skinner, does spectacular work with the set pieces from some of the decayed places set in the 1990s that Cole and Railly encounter to the more grimy look of the futuristic scenes with its TV ball.

Costume designer Julie Weiss does nice work with the costumes by keeping things straightforward for the most part though the character of Railly gets to wear the more stylish clothes throughout the film. Hair and makeup designer Christine Beveridge does terrific work with the look of the characters such as Jeffrey Goines‘ mid-90s look as well as other looks that were inspired by the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Sound editor Peter Joly does superb work with the sound work from the haunting atmosphere of the futuristic set pieces to the more chaotic sounds of the scenes in the 1990s. The film’s music by Paul Buckmaster is wonderful for its low-key yet soaring orchestral score to play out the drama as well as some playful themes for the Jeffrey Goines character. The rest of the soundtrack features music from Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, B.J. Cole, Tom Waits, and a score piece from Bernard Herrmann.

The casting by Margery Simkin is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Matt Ross and Lisa Gay Hamilton as a couple of activists, Carol Florence as a scientist who monitors Cole’s reports, Jon Seda as a fellow inmate of Cole, Christopher Meloni as a police lieutenant who interrogates Railly after her kidnapping, Joseph Melito as the boy in Cole’s dream, and David Morse as the assistant to Dr. Goines. Christopher Plummer is pretty good in a small role as Goines’ father who is bewildered by his son’s eccentric activities.

Brad Pitt is brilliant as Jeffrey Goines as a man who is extremely unpredictable and abstract as someone who is very outgoing as well as displaying a physicality that is just eerie to watch as it’s definitely one of Pitt’s great performances. Madeleine Stowe is wonderful as Kathryn Railly as a psychiatrist who tries to understand what Cole is doing only to piece up things that would raise lots of questions into what Cole is up to. Finally, there’s Bruce Willis in a remarkable performance as James Cole as a man seeking to find a way to a decent life only to take part in an experiment that has him confused as well as vulnerable as it’s definitely one of Willis’ finest performances.

12 Monkeys is a phenomenal film from Terry Gilliam that features top-notch performances from Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and Brad Pitt. The film is definitely not just a great tribute to Chris Marker’s La jetee but also one of Gilliam’s most fully-realized and engaging films. It’s also one of Gilliam’s more accessible films in terms of its imagery as well as injecting small bits of humor into a story that is very bleak. In the end, 12 Monkeys is a triumphant film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - The Fisher King - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

Related: La Jetee

© thevoid99 2012

Beginners

Written and directed by Mike Mills, Beginners is the story of a man reflecting on his father’s final years while forging a new relationship a young woman. The film also reveals the man coming to term with his father’s news of announcing that he’s gay. Starring Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Mary Page Keller, and Christopher Plummer. Beginners is an extraordinary film from Mike Mills.

Following the death of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer), Oliver (Ewan McGregor) tries to come to terms with his father’s death as well as the news that his father came out of the closet years ago after the death of his mother Georgia (Mary Page Keller). While Oliver reflects on his father’s final years as a gay man and a young lover named Andy (Goran Visnjic), Oliver spends most of time with his father’s dog Arthur while working as an artist. At a costume party, Oliver meets a French actress named Anna (Melanie Laurent) as the two hit it off. While embarking on a relationship, Oliver continues to reflect on his relationship with his father while helping Anna deal with her own issues with her father.

The film is really an exploration of a man coming to terms with his father’s death and those final years when his father declared himself to be openly gay. Through a reflective narrative that moves back and forth told from the perspective of Oliver, it reveals how Oliver felt about his father’s coming out as he also reflects on his time as an adolescent (Keegan Boos) when he’s with his mother. During this period of reflection and mourning, Oliver meets Anna who represents a change in his life as she is someone who is quirky but also caring while admitting to having her own personal issues.

Mike Mills’ screenplay revels in its unconventional narrative style as it moves back and forth from Oliver’s past to his time with Anna. Notably as it features Oliver discussing about his parents’ marriage as he wonders if Hal really did love Georgia. This would impact Oliver’s relationship with Anna as she is also someone who is quite complicated as she doesn’t feel comfortable talking about her dad. Once the story progresses where Oliver reflects on Hal’s final moments with Andy and other gay friends, Oliver would get to know his father as it would definitely give him ideas about his own relationship with Anna.

Mills’ direction is quite straightforward in terms of its presentation but he does allow a lot of stylistic touches in the film. Notably the montages of collages to represent Oliver’s narration about the times his parents lived and such. The direction has Mills create a lot of interesting compositions in the way he shoots his actors in a scene and have them be natural in their surroundings as well as moments. Even as it plays to a lot of humor that isn’t forced or low-key to maintain the natural tone of the film. Overall, Mills creates a very fascinating yet poignant film about love and reflection.

Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen does excellent work with the film‘s photography by creating dazzling lighting schemes to play up the beauty of the locations set in Los Angeles. Editor Olivier Bugge Coutte does brilliant work with the editing by utilizing stylistic-jump cuts to play out the humor and collage montages as well as creating wonderful transitions to move the story back and forth. Production designer Shane Valentino and Coryander Friend do nice work with the look of Hal’s home as well as Oliver’s home and the hotel room that Anna stays in.

Costume designer Jennifer Johnson creates some amazing costumes for the film‘s costume parties scenes as well as the stylish dresses that Anna wears. Sound designer Leslie Shatz does terrific work with the sound from the atmosphere of the places that Oliver and Anna go to the more quiet moments involving Oliver and Hal. The film’s music by Roger Neill, Dave Palmer, and Brian Reitzell is superb for its plaintive, piano-driven score with elements of jazz and classical to play up some of the film‘s melancholia. Music supervisor Robin Urdang creates a very diverse soundtrack that features an array of styles from jazz, rock, pop, and electronic music to play out the different time periods the characters encounter.

The casting by Nicole Daniels and Courtney Sheinin is great for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Kai Lennox and China Shavers as friends of Oliver and Lou Taylor Pucci as a magician at the party where Oliver meets Anna. Small roles from Keegan Boos as the young Oliver and Mary Page Keller as Oliver’s mother Georgia are wonderful to watch as is Goran Visnjic as Hal’s younger boyfriend Andy. One performance that is a joy to watch is the Jack Terrier Cosmo as Hal’s dog Arthur as he has some great moments that are just fun to watch.

Christopher Plummer is phenomenal as Hal where Plummer brings an enthusiasm and energy that is compelling to watch as a man discovering the joys of being openly-gay while coming to terms with everything he had lost as it’s really one of Plummer’s great performances. Melanie Laurent is incredible as the whimsical Anna by displaying a great sense of charm and wit to her performance that is also balanced by her own melancholia. Finally, there’s Ewan McGregor in a fantastic performance as the reflective Oliver as McGregor brings a great sense of restraint as a man mourning the loss of his parents while dealing with the new relationship he’s embarking on as he also brings some joy to the character that gives McGregor one of his finest performances.

Beginners is a charming and captivating film from Mike Mills that features marvelous performances from Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent, and Christopher Plummer. The film is truly one of the most intriguing pieces about coming out and understanding told from a man reflecting on his father. It’s also a nice romantic comedy of sorts that doesn’t play to conventions while reveling in its naturalistic tone. In the end, Beginners is a superb film from Mike Mills.

Mike Mills Films: (The Paperboys) - Thumbsucker - 20th Century Women

© thevoid99 2012

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film)

Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the story of a disgraced journalist who is hired by a billionaire to discover the disappearance of the man’s niece some 36 years ago. The journalist then teams up with an unconventional researcher where they uncover a bigger secret that revolves around the murder of women many years back. Directed by David Fincher and screenplay by Steve Zaillian, the U.S. version of the film shows a very different take on the popular Swedish novel. Starring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright, Steven Berkoff, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson, Goran Visijnic, and Stellan Skarsgard. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a thrilling yet mesmerizing film from David Fincher.

After losing a libel case against billionaire Hans-Erik Wennerstrom (Ulf Friedberg), journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is facing a prison sentence as well as the possible loss of Millennium magazine which he runs with editor/lover Erika Berger (Robin Wright). When an attorney named Dirch Frode (Steven Berkoff) contacts Blomkvist about coming to Hedeby Island in Hedestad, Blomkvist reluctantly goes to meet aging billionaire Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). The ailing Vanger has just received another flower portrait as he is still haunted by the disappearance of his niece Harriet (Moa Garpendal) some 40 years ago where he asks Blomkvist to solve the mystery while offering him information on Wennerstrom that Blomkvist could use as he moves to a nearby cottage.

Meanwhile, a young researcher named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) is dealing with the stroke of her state-sponsored guardian as her finances are handled by a sadistic lawyer named Nils Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen). After some horrific sexual encounters with Bjurman, Salander fights back as she was able to get some money while still hacking into Blomkvist’s computer whom she was hired by Frode to look into. After a visit from his teenage daughter Pernilla (Josefin Asplund), Blomkvist makes a breakthrough in finding out Harriet’s disappearance which relates to the Vanger family association with the Nazis and the mysterious murders that had occurred in Sweden for many years. After Vanger falls ill and the family want Blomkvist out, Blomkvist still wants to continue as Frode suggests getting Salander to help out as the two meet.

With Salander and Blomkvist each delving into the mysteries of these murders as Salander travels around Sweden while Blomkvist talks to people in the family. Both realize that someone doesn’t want them to finish the investigation as they’re getting closer to solving the mystery. With Blomkvist also dealing with a possible prison sentence, Lisbeth helps him out with his own legal issues by making some moves on her own as the two would eventually uncover the mystery of Harriett Vanger’s disappearance.

The film is about a journalist and a researcher uncovering the disappearance of a young girl some 36 years ago who was possibly killed. Yet, it’s also about two very different people whose job is to find things as they come together in this mystery where it would lead to religious-driven yet ritualistic murders, a family’s Nazi past, and what happened to this young girl. Screenwriter Steve Zaillian creates a story that is faithful to the book and has a similar structure of sorts to the 2009 version of the film. The major difference is that smaller characters such as Erika Berger, Dirch Frode, security officer Dragan Armansky (Goran Visijnic), and Nils Bjurman are given more to do while there is also some ambiguity that concerns the character of Anita Vanger (Joely Richardson) whom had not contacted the family for years.

While a lot of the suspense, violent content, and subplots relating to Lisbeth’s own life and Blomkvist’s own legal issues are there. There are a few flaws in the script in Zaillian’s approach to the story such as an inclusion of a scene where Erika visits Blomkvist at Hedestad to make a deal with Vanger about the magazine which does help out the part in Blomkvist’s own legal and financial issues. It just doesn’t really seem to fit in with the film while some of the discovery of clues aren’t as drawn out though the scene where Blomkvist’s daughter talks about Bible quotes leading to Blomkvist finding out a clue is a nice creation of its own. Despite those drawbacks, Zaillian’s script is still quite engaging for its suspense as well as creating fantastic development for the film’s main characters.

David Fincher’s direction of the film is truly hypnotic from an extremely crazy opening credits sequence to the entrancing images of the Swedish location in its snowy scenes as well as some of the nighttime scenes. There is also an intensity to the way Fincher films Lisbeth’s motorcycle rides and a chase scene in the third act while he also keeps it simple for some conversation-driven and dramatic scenes. Still, Fincher’s mastery in suspense is quite energetic without being too fast while building momentum to allow the mystery to unfold. Overall, Fincher creates a very solid and exciting film that is gritty and also exotic in its imagery.

Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth does a superb job with the film‘s stylish yet gorgeous cinematography from the snowy landscapes of the Hedeby Island to the low-colored yet eerie look of the nighttime exteriors of the highways and cities plus the interiors that are filled low-lights to play out some of the darker portions of the film. Editors Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall do a fantastic job with the editing in creating montages of Lisbeth and Blomkvist each doing their own investigation while utilizing jump-cuts and other stylistic-cuts to help maintain a slightly fast but leisured pace for the film.

Production designer Donald Graham Burt, along with set decorator K.C. Fox and art director Mikael Varhelyi, does an excellent job with the set pieces created such as the large home of Henrik Vanger to the small cottage that Blomkvist and Lisbeth lived in during the investigation. Costume designer Trish Summerville does a wonderful job with the costumes from the casual yet cold clothing for the entire cast to the more Gothic, punk-inspired look of Lisbeth. Visual effects supervisor Eric Barba does a fine job with the minimal visual effects used in the film to add a few touches for the film‘s visual look. Sound designer Ren Klyce does a phenomenal job with the sound work to help enhance some of the chilling suspense of the film as well as play up the cold location of the island that Vanger lives in.

The film’s music includes pieces ranging from electronic, metal, and pop that’s played on location including one of the most disturbing uses of Enya’s Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) for a very gruesome scene. Yet, the large portion of the film’s score and soundtrack is dominated by Nine Inch Nails’ mastermind Trent Reznor and longtime cohort Atticus Ross. The score by Reznor and Ross has an unsettling feel due to the electronic arrangements the band puts into the sound ranging from dark ambient to intense yet dissonant industrial-driven pieces. Reznor and Ross also contribute a couple of covers such as Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, with Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karen O, and Bryan Ferry’s Is Your Love Strong Enough? performed by Reznor and Ross’ group How to Destroy Angels. The overall work is truly outstanding though it doesn’t top Reznor and Ross’ previous work in the soundtrack for The Social Network.

The casting by Laray Mayfield is terrific for the ensemble that is created which includes small yet notable performances from Julian Sands as a young Henry Vanger, Moa Garpendal as the missing girl Harriet, Josefin Asplund as Blomkvist’s daughter Pernilla, Embeth Davidtz as Blomkvist’s sister Annika, Elodie Yung as Lisbeth’s girlfriend Miriam, Donald Sumpter as local police investigator Morell, Goran Visijnic as security officer Armansky, Ulf Friedberg as Blomkvist’s billionaire target von Wennerstrom, Geraldine James as Harriet’s cousin Cecilia, Per Myrberg as Henrik’s Nazi-brother Harald, Jurgen Klein as Henrik’s other yet deceased brother Gottfried, and Tony Way as Lisbeth’s hacker friend Plague.

Other noteworthy supporting roles include Steven Berkoff as Vanger’s lawyer Dirch Frode and Joely Richardson in a wonderful performance as the mysterious Anita Vanger. Robin Wright is very good as Blomkvist’s lover/co-editor Erika Berger while Yorick van Wageningen is supremely awesome in a very evil role as Lisbeth’s new guardian Nils Bjurman. Stellan Skarsgard is excellent as the charming yet mysterious Martin Vanger, Harriet’s brother. Christopher Plummer is superb as the ailing Henri Vanger who asks Blomkvist to solve a murder while also to help him deal with his ruined reputation.

Daniel Craig is brilliant as disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist as Craig brings a quiet yet determined approach to the character as well as a complexity to a man that wants to redeem himself following a libel case. Finally, there’s Rooney Mara in a magnificent breakthrough performance as Lisbeth Salander. While Mara brings a more intense yet reserved performance in the role that was played by Noomi Rapace in the 2009 Swedish film. Mara does manage to make Salander into her own in the way she deals with abuse as well as being the one person who is smarter than Blomkvist. The chemistry that Craig and Mara has is fun to watch as they’re two different people who manage to find common ground in trying to solve the mystery as they really are the highlight of the film.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a remarkable film from David Fincher that features outstanding performances from Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig along with great technical work and a haunting score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. While it’s a very different from the 2009 Swedish film, Fincher is able to give the film his own take on Stieg Larsson’s novel by infusing his own visual style into the film. In the end, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a smart yet exciting thriller from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - Se7en - The Game - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - Gone Girl

Related: null 2 - The 15 Essential Videos of David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

Millennium Trilogy (Swedish): The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - (The Girl Who Played with Fire) - (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest)

© thevoid99 2011

Up/Partly Cloudy (short)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/30/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Since 1995, Pixar has been the animated studio that changed the face of cinema and animation itself. Led by co-founder John Lassetter, Pixar in its association with Disney helped introduce the world to 3-D computer animation for many years with its first feature film Toy Story. Eight films later which included such hits like Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monster's Inc., Cars, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and 2008's WALL-E. The studio continues to push the boundaries of animation with its team of directors including Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Brad Bird. Since its founding in the mid-1980s, Pixar has continued to score massive critical acclaim and box office as in 2009. The studio released its 10th film by having it being the opening film at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. For the studio, it was a huge achievement as it was the first animated film to open the festival with a simple story about an old man and a boy scout going on an adventure entitled Up.

Directed by Pete Docter, with additional directing by Bob Peterson, and screenplay by Bob Peterson with story credits from Ronnie del Carmen plus additional, un-credited work by Thomas McCarthy. Up tells the story of a widowed, retired 78-year old man whose house is about to be destroyed. To fulfill the wishes of his late wife, the man blows up millions of balloons for his house to be lifted up in the air unaware that he is taking an 8-year-old boy scout on an adventure to South America with help from a dog and a tropical bird.

Inspired by the story of Miguel de Cervantes' Man of La Mancha along with films like Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo and Roland Joffe's The Mission. The film is a simple adventure tale filled with the same kind of humor and brilliant animation that Pixar is famous for. Even as the film pushes the boundary of 3D technology without any kind of gimmicks. Along with the accompanying short film Party Cloudy by Peter Sohn about a lonely cloud and a stork. Up features the voices of Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Ellie Docter, Delroy Lindo, Pixar regular John Ratzenberger, and Christopher Plummer. Up is a charming, adventurous film from Pete Docter and company.

Partly Cloudy

Written and directed by Peter Sohn. The short film tells the story of a gray cloud trying to fit in with other clouds by creating things. While the clouds create babies, puppies, and kittens with lots of things for storks. One stork has to work with the gray cloud who creates baby gators, rams, and other wild creatures that the stork is forced to endure. Feeling sad that he couldn't create something cute, he is afraid that he will be rejected.

The short has a nice little plot that is simple while it's mostly silent with its array of light humor and sentimentality in terms of its cloud. Overall, it's a wonderful, accompanying short film for the big feature film Up.

Up

A young boy named Carl Fredricksen (Jeremy Leary) watches a newsreel about the famed explorer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer) whose attempt to discover Paradise Falls in South America became a disaster due to false claims over a mysterious skeletal creature he found. Carl later meets a young girl named Ellie (Ellie Docter) who is an adventurous girl as they become friends and eventually a couple. Many years later, the 78-year old Carl (Edward Asner) is a retired widow whose home is in danger of being destroyed by a construction site. After an incident with a construction worker, Carl is forced to go to a retirement home. Instead, he decides to fulfill Ellie's dream of going to Paradise Falls by blowing up a million balloons for his house to fly away from the city. Carl seems relieved until he realized he had taken a passenger in a young Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai).

Carl reluctantly takes Russell who is hoping to get one last merit badge to become a Senior Explorer. Upon their destination to South America, they reach the ravine where Paradise Falls is though it's at the other side of that ravine. Having to drag the house, they encounter a large, colorful bird that Russell names Kevin as they also meet a dog named Dug (Bob Peterson) who has a voicebox on his neck to talk. Realizing that Kevin is trying to reach out to other birds of its species, Carl and Russell meet up with other dogs including Alpha (Bob Peterson), Beta (Delroy Lindo), and Gamma (Jerome Ranft) as they're the owners of the legendary Charles Muntz. Carl is enamored by Muntz who is trying to find the bird that is revealed to be Kevin as Muntz goes after the bird.

With Carl more concerned about his house as he finally reaches his destination, Russell decides to save Kevin as Carl reluctantly takes part with help from Dug. With Muntz holding Kevin at his dirigible, Carl and Muntz battle while Russell tries to save the bird with help from Dug and other dogs.

The film is essentially an adventure tale about an old man wanting to fulfill the wishes of his late wife. Along the way, he encounters characters and creatures that would shape his journey similar to the adventures of Don Quixote. While the story and tale is simple, it's a film that is filled with mesmerizing images and montages with a story that is definitely enchanting. Even with the characters that surround the film as Carl Fredricksen is a combination of the crankiness of Walter Matthau, the look of Spencer Tracy, and the determination of Don Quixote. For his Sancho Panza, there's Russell. A young Asian-American boy who serves as the eternal optimist who is hoping to get a great experience while helping Carl in his hopes to become a Senior Explorer. Yet, there's something about Russell that is also sad since he's a boy who doesn't see his father very much where Carl becomes this reluctant father figure of sorts.

The film's antagonist is Charles Muntz, a man who is part Charles Lindbergh, part Howard Hughes, and also a bit like the title character of Werner Herzog's 1982 classic film Fitzcarraldo. Muntz is a man obsessed with finding the bird that is named Kevin in hopes to restore his credibility as an explorer. Instead, he becomes insane and heartless as the man whom Carl idolized has now become a mad recluse surrounded by dogs with electronic collars that has different voices. The leading dog of that group is Alpha whose collar is often malfunctioned where his voice ends up have him talking like a chipmunk. Whereas Alpha is a mean, bossy dog, there's Dug who is the exact opposite as he hopes to be loved by someone like Carl who reluctantly takes him as part of his adventure.

The screenplay is wonderfully structured with some great dialogue and character development. Though the story does have a sense of predictability, it's adventure and development in character makes the story a whole, worthwhile event to be enamored by. All of this is helped by Pete Docter's direction. Docter's approach to the story has this great opening sequence of young Carl meeting Ellie as a kid which leads to this incredible montage of them growing up into adults and such. That sequence of montages alone features no dialogue at all as it's accompanied by music. Then comes the main story as it is filled with a great sense of adventure.

A lot of the scenes in South America were based on locations in Venezuelan mountains and some parts of Brazil. The rugged look of the jungles along with its blistering colors and grand scope is really entrancing to watch. Yet, several scenes which involves Russell and Carl dragging the house does reference the film Fitzcarraldo, which was about a man trying to drag a steamboat ship on top of a mountain. The direction and action sequences definitely keep the adrenaline going with a mix of broad, light-hearted humor and sweeping melodrama in relation to Carl's feelings over Ellie which doesn't go into overly sentimental territory. What Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson does create is a spectacular, enjoyable film that is adventurous and fun to watch.

The look of the film from its gorgeous colorful cinematography in the lighting shades of the house and the look of the jungle is brilliant. Even the art direction and location detail by production designer Ricky Nievara with a team of art directors is splendid in the look of Carl's house as well as the rugged locations of the Paradise Falls ravine with an array of rocks coming from the tepui mountains of Venezuela. The sound work is brilliant from the sounds of the water falls, creatures, and storms is great. The music of Michael Giacchino, a regular Pixar collaborator, is splendid with its mix of old-time, early 20th Century rag time music to the sweeping arrangements in the adventure scenes as it's some excellent work from Giacchino.

The voice cast is phenomenal with director Pete Docter playing the Wilderness Explorers leader and his daughter Ellie playing the role of the young Ellie with great enthusiasm and energy. Other notable small voice roles as the dogs are Delroy Lindo and Jerome Ranft as the comical lieutenants of Alpha's crew who often laughs at his squeaky voice. Jeremy Leary is very good as the young Carl with his quiet personality and love for Charles Muntz. Co-director and screenwriter Bob Peterson does excellent work in providing some great humor as the voice of Alpha while doing something mean while being normal and fun as Dug. Pixar regular John Ratzenberger is excellent in a small role as a construction worker who tries to get Carl out of his house as he provides a nice dose of humor to the film.

Christopher Plummer is great as Charles Muntz in voicing the mad personality who is on the brink of insanity as Plummer provides the great vocal work for the film's antagonist. Jordan Nagai is wonderful as the voice of Russell with an exuberance and liveliness that is an 8-year old along with a dose of realism as he faces new challenges and reality. Nagai's voice is definitely the standout as he voices the sheer innocence of a young boy. Finally, there's Edward Asner in one of his best roles yet as the voice of Carl Fredricksen. Asner provides the great mix of bitterness and desire of a man trying to deal with his wife's death while fulfilling a sense of adventure that he needed. It's definitely a role that is lively but also filled with real life regrets and frustrations of a man just trying to fulfill some last wishes as Asner brings some life into the heroic role of Carl Fredricksen.

Up is a tremendous film from Pete Docter. With a great cast of actors providing voices along with some amazing visuals and scenery that lives up to Pixar's unique standards. Fans of the Pixar films will no doubt rank this as one of its finest while it crosses many barriers from an adventure film that kids will enjoy to the fully realized character development that adults and art house fans can enjoy. In the end, Up is a lively film that raises spirits while proving that Pixar is still the animation studio that keeps on putting great stories for everyone to enjoy.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters, Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - 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 2011

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/17/10.

One of the most beloved but controversial directors in cinema, Terry Gilliam is a director who is known for a broad vision that doesn't fit in with what Hollywood wants. Despite acclaimed features like Time Bandits, Brazil, The Fisher King, and 12 Monkeys that were moderate commercial hits. Gilliam would often have budget troubles which had been notorious for his 1988 flop The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Though his films would often have a devoted following of fans since his days working as a member of Monty Python, funds for his projects were not easy for him to get.

The 2000s however, would be a very rough decade for Gilliam. Production for his ambitious yet radical re-telling of Miguel de Cervantes' Man of La Mancha entitled The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. The project that starred Johnny Depp and Jean Rochefort as Don Quixote was filled with lots of trouble as the $32.1 million film was officially scrapped in November 2000 as it was documented for the 2002 documentary Lost in La Mancha. 2003 was also a tough year for Gilliam as he worked on his next project The Brothers Grimm where he and Tony Grisoni couldn't get proper credit for their script re-write while Gilliam battled it out with Bob and Harvey Weinstein over who should shoot the film and final cut privileges.

The film was eventually released in the fall of 2005 after several delays to some mixed reviews and decent box offices. Gilliam also released another film that same year to film festivals with Tideland, a surreal adaptation of Mitch Cullin's novel that was widely panned by critics in its fall 2006 release. Yet, the film's DVD release wasn't well-received by Gilliam as his troubles to keep getting funding for projects were troubled. In late 2007, a new project by Gilliam was finally in the works which was considered another ambitious project about Gilliam's themes of imagination. Starring in the film was Heath Ledger who had previously worked with Gilliam in The Brothers Grimm. Things seem to go well until January 22, 2008 when the young actor died of an apparent overdose of prescription pills.

Ledger's death seemed to mark the end of another Gilliam project but the director didn't give up as he decided to keep the footage that he shot with Ledger. At the same time, the parts that Ledger didn't film would be filled by other actors. The project was finally finished in 2009 despite a lot of trouble as Gilliam dedicated the film to Ledger along with producer William Vince entitled The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.

Directed by Terry Gilliam with a script he co-wrote with collaborator Charles McKeown, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus tells the story of a traveling circus troupe leader who makes a deal with the Devil to live a thousand years. When the Devil comes to collect the deal by taking the doctor's daughter, the doctor makes a deal to save her by trying to obtain five souls with help from a mysterious outsider as they travel to different worlds inside the doctor's imagination machine. Playing the title character is Christopher Plummer while the outsider named Tony is played by Heath Ledger in his final performance as the film revels in Gilliam's themes of man versus reality. Also starring Lily Cole, Tom Waits, Verne Troyer, Andrew Garfield, Peter Stormare, and in the other roles of Tony, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is a whimsical, entertaining, and spellbinding film from Terry Gilliam and company.

Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is in modern-day London with a traveling circus troupe trying to entertain people throughout the city. Yet, with help from his daughter Valentina, a young performer named Anton (Andrew Garfield), and a dwarf named Percy (Verne Troyer). The troupe tries to entertain people but would often be dismissed or heckled by people who seem uninterested. For the 1000-year old doctor, it's a struggle as the Devil (Tom Waits) is lurking around to collect on a deal that the doctor made many years back. The deal was that for any child the doctor has at the age of 16, the Devil must collect while the doctor would be granted immortality as he met the devil many years ago when the doctor was just a monk.

Then on one night while traveling through London, a shadow of a man being hanged under the bridge as he was saved. Waking up, the man whose name is Tony (Heath Ledger) has no idea who he is as the doctor reluctantly takes him in while Valentina falls for him much to Anton's dismay. Attempts to stage the show, while getting people inside the imaginarium mirror where people would go into the mind of Dr. Parnassus where their own imagination would enamor them, has unfortunately been troubled as the Devil makes a deal with the doctor to have five souls to believe in the imaginarium where if Dr. Parnassus succeeds, he could keep his daughter.

Anton hears what is going on as he tries to take a woman into the imaginarium but only to cause trouble. Tony has a new idea to revamp the entire stage on the day of Valentina's sixteenth birthday. There, Tony woos his way to get women inside where he would sport different faces inside as everything seems to go well until a group of Russian men would chase Tony inside the imaginarium. The Devil ends up collecting their souls while Anton would make a discover of Tony's true identity. With less than hours away before the Devil can collect his prize, Valentina learns what was all of this about with Tony deciding to make a desperate move to save her as the Devil is ready to make more trouble.

The film recalls a lot of Gilliam's themes of man vs. reality where the character of Dr. Parnassus is a man who likes to tell stories in order to entertain people. For the Devil, Dr. Parnassus' ability to get people's attention was something that he was intrigued by as he gave the doctor immortality to keep telling stories and entertain. Yet, immortality comes with a price where Parnassus wanted to experience things that humans want and often joining the doctor in this long journey is Percy, who is the film's conscience of sorts. Yet, the experience to love would only come at a price for the doctor as the film does become a battle between the desire of one's soul with the help of a few characters.

Terry Gilliam and co-writer Charles McKeown create a film that is about a man dealing with the harsh realities to entertain people and his own immortality where he faces changing times and the Devil lurking around to collect on a deal. Inside the imaginarium where the doctor hopes to get people inside where they can live a certain fantasy. The doctor's job is to make it happen though the Devil would appear to tempt people and collect their soul. The script is well-structured though at times, the story lags a bit in its pacing as Gilliam and McKeown does bring a lot of depth, humor, and drama to the story and the characters in the story. Notably Tony who carries a dark secret about who he is since he can't remember where inside the imaginarium. He takes on a different face and personality which would reveal the kind of person that he really is while the Tony in the real world has no clue and tries to hide it from himself. The script is overall fantastic in what Gilliam and McKeown created in terms of what its idea of imagination.

The direction of Gilliam is definitely superb as it revels in a grim world of reality with wondrous fantasy. Shot mostly in London with sets and visual effects pieces in Vancouver, Gilliam does create a film that sort of lives up to his grand, ambitious ideas where things are huge and everything seems unreal. The scenes where the Devil first meets Dr. Parnassus at a monk place is truly fascinating along with scenes in the desert and such. In London, there's a look that is very gritty where Gilliam doesn't go for a wide depth of field. It's mostly close-ups and location shots of where the characters are while inside the carriage where the imaginarium is stored, it's more intimate and at times, claustrophobic. The scenes inside the imaginarium are truly whimsical and fantastic as it plays up to Gilliam's strange mind and visual swirls that are reminiscent of his work with Monty Python. From the way Gilliam composes several effects shot to its comical tone, it is definitely a Gilliam film all the way as it is his most rewarding work since Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.

Gilliam's longtime cinematographer Nicola Pecorini does fantastic work with the film's stark, gritty visuals for the nighttime scenes in London along with the dazzling look of the imaginarium stage when it's revamp and inside a mall. The look for the scenes inside the imaginarium are colorful with bright lights and colors as Perconi's work is superb. Editor Mick Audsley does some very good work with the editing to maintain a certain rhythm and style along with smooth transitions for some of the film's dramatic and comical scenes. For the more intense, adventure-like sequences, the film is cut with a fast-paced rhythm as the editing is well-crafted.

Production Anastasia Masaro with set decorators Caroline Smith and Shane Vieau along with a couple of art directors plus Gilliam do a spectacular job with the film's set designs. From the carriage that carries the imaginarium stage to the stage itself where at first, it was a ragged stage that wasn't well put together until it was revamped into something classier. The look of the film in its set designs is phenomenal like a lot of the set works in Gilliam's films. Costume designer Monique Prudhomme is excellent for the ragged clothing that everyone wears when they're not performing to the more dazzle look that everyone else wears where at one point, Verne Troyer has to look like an African child for Tony's revamp of the imaginarium stage that can be seen as offensive but there's a humor to it that even the character knows that it's wrong.

The visual effects are truly amazing in its whimsical look from the candy world that Anton stumbles to the more romantic yet troubled look that Tony and Valentina venture through. Led by its team supervised by Richard Bain and John Paul Docherty, the look of the imaginarium along with the design of the monk structure that Dr. Parnassus was a part of, it's truly dazzling. The sound design of Andre Jacquemin is excellent for many of the film's adventure sequences along with the sound of the carriage and locations. The music score of Mychel and Jeff Danna is wonderful for its circus like tone with playful musical pieces along with lush orchestral pieces for the film's dramatic and adventure sequences with big, heavy arrangements on some of its darker elements. One of the most comical elements of the music involves a group of policemen wearing lingerie stockings and high heels as they sing a song that is truly silly but fun.

The casting by Irene Lamb and Maureen Webb is excellent with some notable appearances from Peter Stormare as a politician in a fantasy sequence plus Maggie Steed as a woman with a lot of Louis Viutton objects who goes inside the imaginarium, Paloma Faith as a woman who is wooed by Tony into the imaginarium but doesn't get there, and Richard Riddel as a drunk who heckles the troupe early in the film. Verne Troyer gives what is probably his best performance of his career as Percy, Dr. Parnassus' longtime traveling companion who is really the straight man of the film while making sure Dr. Parnassus isn't doing anything wrong as he is also the film's conscience of sorts. Tom Waits is great as the Devil but is known as Mr. Nick who is a charmer and a man that is willing to tempt Parnassus into playing games as Waits is just fun to watch throughout the film.

Andrew Garfield is really good as Anton, a performer who likes to do magic tricks and wow the crowd while struggling to maintain his feelings for Valentina until Tony comes in and intervenes. Lily Cole is also good as Valentina, Dr. Parnassus' daughter who yearns for a better life while trying to take care of her father as she also deals everything else around her including Tony. Christopher Plummer is great as the film's title character, a man tormented by his own immortality while struggling to keep things going while dealing with the devil as it is definitely a mesmerizing performance from the veteran actor.

Finally, there's Heath Ledger in his final performance as Tony and as far as final performances go. This is certainly a fitting bow though it doesn't top the brilliance of his penultimate role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Ledger's performance is full of charm, wit, and humor as it clearly shows an actor who was seemingly having a good time and it's a shame that audiences will never get to see the likes of him ever again as it definitely a fantastic performance from the late, great actor. Helping Ledger in filling the role of Tony through imaginarium are Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell as they all do a fantastic job. Depp with his light-comic performance with a sense of wit. Law with his playful yet smarmy tone and Farrell with a greasy yet charming performance as they all embody part of Ledger's persona as the three actors do great work while it is great to note that they gave their earnings to Ledger's daughter Mathilda.

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is a remarkable yet enjoyable film from Terry Gilliam and company featuring a fantastic final performance from Heath Ledger. Along with top-notch performances from Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, and Verne Troyer plus Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell filling in for Ledger. It's a film that shows that Terry Gilliam still has it when it comes to whimsical and ambitious ideas. While it may not rank with a lot of his great films like Brazil, The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys, and a couple of other films. It is certainly a film that is definitely his best in quite a long time after a decade of trouble. While mainstream audiences might enjoy the film for its entertaining factor and whimsical humor along with some star power. The film is a bit eccentric in some places but it's what happen when they see a Terry Gilliam film. In the end, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is an excellent film from Terry Gilliam along with a fond farewell from Heath Ledger.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2010