A Most Wanted Man

Based on the novel by John le Carre`, A Most Wanted Man is the story of a German security agency leader who leads a team of German and U.S. security agents to track down a political refugee from Chechnya who has entered Hamburg. Directed by Anton Corbijn and screenplay by Andrew Bovell, the film is a suspense-thriller where a group of individuals track down a man who could be anything as they hope to protect the world. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, Daniel Bruhl, Nina Hoss, Grigoriy Dobrygin, and Willem Dafoe. A Most Wanted Man is a chilling yet evocative film from Anton Corbijn.

The film revolves around a security agent leader who learns that a half-Chechen, half-Russian man, who is the son of a Russian mafia leader, has arrived to Hamburg seeking political asylum as well as revealing he is the heir to money his father has hidden wanting nothing to do with it. It plays into this increasing sense of paranoia that looms around the world as this German security official is forced to go rogue with his team as they want to know what this young man is doing in Hamburg as he’s aided by an immigration lawyer and a wealthy banker who has the money that belongs to the young man. Andrew Bovell’s screenplay is quite unconventional in terms of its lack of grand suspenseful moments in favor of investigation and see if the man they’re targeting is a threat. Leading the pack is Gunther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as he is a man that’s seen a lot including the events in Beirut in the early 1980s as he is been asked to track down a noted Muslim philanthropist who is believed to be funding a terrorist group.

When Bachmann receives word that Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) is in Hamburg trying to seek asylum with the help of the immigration lawyer Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams) who hears about Karpov’s situation as well as the banker Tommy Brue (Willem Dafoe) whose father laundered money for Karpov’s father many years ago. Much of the first act is about Bachmann doing his job as well as deal with others wanting Bachmann to go after anyone and deal with them personally as he befriends the American securities agent Martha Sullivan (Robin Wright). The second act is about Bachmann trying to find Karpov and what he’s really trying to do as they target Richter for information and wanting her help. Richter and Brue are reluctant to help at first but they would be the ones to get Karpov to get access to his money as well as go after the Muslim philanthropist Dr. Abdullah (Homayoun Ershadi) where Bachmann has secret meetings with Dr. Abdullah’s son Jamal (Mehdi Dehbi). All of which leading to Bachmann finding a way to help both Karpov and Dr. Abdullah in the chance he could do something right and regain some idea of hope.

Anton Corbijn’s direction is quite straightforward though it has elements of style as it is shot largely on location in Hamburg, Germany with additional shots set in Berlin. While much of the compositions that Corbijn creates are straightforward in terms of the wide and medium shots. It’s his emphasis on the latter as well as close-ups that give the film an intimacy as well as the way Corbijn would shoot compositions or scenes of Bachmann doing surveillance with his team in a van. There are some hand-held shots in the film as well as a few stylized crane shots in parts of the film as Corbijn wanted to create something that feels real with the audience feeling like they’re a part of a team.

The direction also maintain a low-key approach to the suspense where it would give the film a slow pace that is challenging due to the lack of action for much of the film. It all plays into Bachmann trying to do what he feels is right yet has to contend with the fact that there’s others involved who have their own interest and ideas of justice. Even if that idea doesn’t involve what is right for a safe and secure society. Overall, Corbijn crafts a thrilling yet engaging film about a German securities agent trying to help a Chechen man gain asylum.

Cinematographer Benoit Delhomme does excellent work with the cinematography with its usage of low-key and colorful lights for many of the interior/exterior scenes set at night as well as a more natural look for the scenes set in the daytime. Editor Claire Simpson does fantastic work with the editing as it feature some jump-cuts to play into the suspense and drama while it is largely straightforward to play into its slow yet methodical pace. Production designer Sebastian T. Krawinkle, with set decorator Yesim Zolan and art director Sabine Engelberg, does nice work with the look of the places that Bachmann and his team work at including the interrogation base where they try to get answers from Richter as well as the home of Brue.

Costume designer Nicole Fischnaller does terrific work with the costumes as it largely straightforward in terms of the look of the characters with many of the top security officials wearing business-like clothing. Visual effects supervisor Malte Sarnes does some good work with the visual effects as it’s mostly set-dressing for a few locations. Sound designer Frank Kruse is brilliant for the sound in capturing the world as well as how audio is recorded during some of the surveillance as it’s a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Herbert Gronemeyer is amazing for its low-key mixture of electronic music and soft orchestral strings to play into the drama and suspense while the soundtrack features music from Gang of Four, Phil Phillips, Claudia Brucken, Brainbox, Tom Waits, and Roy Orbison that is played on location including a jukebox.

The casting by Simone Bar and Jina Jay is great as it feature some notable small roles from Derya Alabora and Tamer Yigit as a Muslim mother-and-son duo who take Karpov in, Kostja Ullmann and Franz Hartwig as a couple of Bachmann’s associates who help watch over Karpov and Richter, Vicky Krieps as a female agent who works for Bachmann, Rainer Bock as Bachmann’s superior who wants him to nab Dr. Abdullah, Mehdi Dehbi as Dr. Abdullah’s son Jamal, and Homayoun Ershadi as Dr. Abdullah as a Muslim philanthropist who is possibly connected in funding a terrorist organization as Bachmann wants to help him do good in the hopes he can be saved. Daniel Bruhl is superb as Bachmann’s jack-of-all-trades in Maximilian who helps watch over everything as well as do whatever he can to get things done.

Nina Hoss is fantastic as Bachmann’s right-hand woman Irna Frey as a woman who approaches things much more differently than Bachmann as she would prove to be someone that even Richter can trust. Grigoriy Dobrygin is excellent as Issa Karpov as a political fugitive who has fled Chechnya as he seeks political asylum as well as not wanting anything to do with his father’s dark legacy in the hopes he can start over. Willem Dafoe is brilliant as Tommy Brue as a wealthy banker who learned about what his father did for Karpov’s father as he tries to do whatever he can to put the money Karpov is supposed to inherit for good. Robin Wright is amazing as Martha Sullivan as an American securities agent who is trying to understand what Bachmann is doing as she is willing to help him despite her own motives as it relates to what her country wants.

Rachel McAdams is remarkable as Annabel Richter as an immigration lawyer who is trying to help Karpov gain asylum as well as deal with the severity of her situation as she is reluctant to trust Bachmann only to see what he’s really trying to do. Finally, there’s Philip Seymour Hoffman in a phenomenal performance as Gunther Bachmann as a securities agent official who is trying to find a way to stop any form of terrorism from happening as he learns about a political prisoner seeking asylum as he tries to do whatever he can to help as Hoffman displays a humility and weariness to his role as a man had seen a lot as this mission gives him some idea that he could bring hope to the world.

A Most Wanted Man is a marvelous film from Anton Corbijn that features an incredible leading performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his final film roles. Along with its great ensemble cast, themes on security and justice, and eerie visuals, it’s a film that explores the post-9/11 world where everyone is trying to identify who is on the right side and if the people that’s supposed to protect are in the right side. In the end, A Most Wanted Man is a sensational film from Anton Corbijn.

Anton Corbijn Films: Control (2007 film) - The American (2010 film) - (Life (2015 film))

© thevoid99 2017

Captain America: Civil War

Based on the comic character by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon and the comic series storyline by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, Captain America: Civil War is the story where a major international incident involving the Avengers forces the team to confront their actions where Captain America and Iron Man diverge over ideals only to go into a conflict with several other members of the team taking sides. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the film explores not just the idea of duty but also the aftermath of actions where both Captain America and Iron Man don’t see eye-to-eye where the former is forced to protect an old friend an incident that left people dead. Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Sebastian Stan, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Emily Van Camp, Daniel Bruhl, and William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross. Captain America: Civil War is a thrilling yet provocative film from Joe and Anthony Russo.

What happens when a group of superheroes are forced to make a decision where they have to answer to the United Nations in order to protect the world from evil forces while not all of them want to answer to anyone? That is pretty much what the film is about where an incident that unfortunately left innocent people killed forces the Avengers to make a decision through an accord created by the United Nations. The guilt-ridden Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) says yes to the accords feeling that the whole team needs to be in check and answer for their own faults. Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) doesn’t want to sign as he isn’t sure about answering to any kind of authority preferring to trust his own judgment. The two would diverge further following an international incident in which Rogers’ old friend Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) a major suspect as everyone is unaware that a terrorist in Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) is trying to tear the team apart.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the subject matter of whether or not anyone should answer to the authorities in order to do their jobs but also into the mindset of the team. Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Sam Wilson/Falcon both know where they stand on the issue while Vision (Paul Bettany) also would make a decision as he tries to understand everything this accord is all about. Yet, there are those like Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) who do take sides but don’t want to split the team or cause any harm. Especially Maximoff who feels guilty for causing an accident that killed innocent people while Romanoff understands what Stark is saying but doesn’t want to go against Rogers who she’s become very close to. Once the team begin to diverge more where Prince T’Challa of Wakanda/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) wants to go after the Winter Soldier thinking he is involved as he, along with Rhodes, Romanoff, and Vision, would join Stark.

The script does have a structure as it relates to the events that would tear the Avengers apart where the second half would force both Stark and Rogers to turn to a few outsiders where the former would bring in Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and the latter would get Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) as it would lead to a showdown between the two factions. Yet, neither of them want to kill each other as they all want to do what is right though only a few would later realize what is really going on. The film’s third act is about Zemo and his motivations for tearing the Avengers apart but also make some startling revelations that wouldn’t just create a further schism between Stark and Rogers. It would be a moment that prove that, despite their intentions to do good, neither man have any clue on what is right for the world.

Joe and Anthony Russo’s direction is quite vast as it plays into a world that is quite chaotic yet there are those that want to do what is right. Yet, there’s a lot of post-9/11 imagery that looms into the film where the Avengers are forced to see that they unfortunately left people to die. While much of the film is shot in and around Atlanta and its Pinewood Studios with a few of it shot in Germany, Brazil, and Puerto Rico. It does have this feel of a world that is on the verge of change where safety is the main concern but who will be the ones to protect the people? The usage of wide and medium shots to play into locations as well as these meetings that occur as well as a scene where Rogers learn who Sharon Carter/Agent 13 (Emily Van Camp) really is and who she is related to. Even the close-ups add a lot to some of the dramatic moments as it says a lot of where the characters stand but also that not everything is black-and-white.

The action scenes are quite big and do have this air of spectacle as it relates to some of the powers that Ant-Man and Spider-Man would have as well as the intensity of the fighting. Even as they have this mix of humor from the two where it’s the latter that really shines as the character is someone that Rogers and other members in the team have a hard time disliking. The mixture of humor and action do help keep things entertaining while the Russos know when to give the action a break where there moments of exposition into what is going on. Yet, it doesn’t deter from the heart of the story as it relates to the conflict between Stark and Rogers where the two would have a showdown where they don’t just reveal what Zemo is doing but how he would tear them apart as it would also relate to Barnes and his work for Hydra. Overall, Joe and Anthony Russo create a sensational and compelling film about superheroes fighting each other over responsibility and who they should answer to.

Cinematographer Trent Opaloch does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to play into the look of the many locations as they feel vibrant and colorful while some of the interiors including the ones set at a secret base and in Siberia are quite eerie in their look. Editors Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt do nice work with the editing as it is straightforward in the dramatic and light-hearted moments while doing some stylish fast-cutting in some of the action while actually making sense of what is going on. Production designer Owen Paterson, with set decorator Ronald R. Reiss and supervising art director Greg Berry, does amazing work with the set from the look of the Avengers home base to the look of the international buildings including the council meeting and a secret base that appears in the film‘s third act. Costume designer Judianna Makovsky does terrific work with the costumes in the way some of the casual clothes the Avengers wear as well as the suit of Black Panther and a more vibrant suit of Spider-Man.

Special makeup effects artists Andre Freitas and Bart Mixon do brilliant work with the look of Vision but also an old nemesis Rogers would confront early in the film. Visual effects supervisors Huseyin Caner, Dan Deleeuw, and Ray Giarratana do fantastic work with the visual effects in the way the action scenes are presented as well as the look of a young Stark during his presentation at MIT early in the film. Sound designers Nia Hansen, David C. Hughes, and Shannon Mills, with co-sound editor Daniel Laurie, do superb work with the sound effects as well as the sounds of explosions and such to capture the element of terror and chaos that looms throughout the film. The film’s music by Henry Jackman is wonderful for its bombastic score that plays into much of the action and drama as its usage of strings and woodwinds also add a lot to its suspense while music supervisor Dave Jordan provides a decent soundtrack that features bits of contemporary and old music from Rogers’ past.

The casting by Sarah Finn is incredible as it features some notable small roles from John Slattery and Hope Davis in their respective roles as Stark’s parents in Howard and Maria Stark, Kerry Condon as the voice of Stark’s A.I. program F.R.I.D.A.Y., Alfre Woodward as a woman who confronts Stark over Sokovia where her son was killed, Jim Rash as a MIT spokesman, John Kani as T’Challa’s father King T’Chaka of Wakanda, Martin Freeman as a government official in Everett K. Ross who tries to make sure the Avengers are in control, Frank Grillo as an old nemesis in Brock Runlow/Crossbones who tries to stage a theft in Africa where he battles Rogers, and Marisa Tomei in a fantastic performance as Parker’s aunt May who is kept in the dark about what her nephew is doing as she is met by Stark unaware of what is going on. Daniel Bruhl is superb as Helmut Zemo as this terrorist who has a big reason for unleashing havoc as well as trying to tear the Avengers apart.

William Hurt is excellent as Thaddeus Ross as the Secretary of State who is tasked with getting the Avengers to be in check for their actions as he tries to instill some authority that makes nearly everyone uncomfortable. Don Cheadle and Anthony Mackie are brilliant in their respective roles as Rhodey/War Machine and Sam Wilson/Falcon as two heroes who are both in different sides with Col. Rhodes being in agreement with the accords and Wilson on the opposite as he also has to contend with Bucky over Rogers’ allegiance in a funny manner. Emily Van Camp is wonderful as Sharon Carter as a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works for the CIA as she tries to help Rogers find Barnes while providing an emotional connection as it relates to a person in Rogers’ past. Paul Bettany is terrific as Vision who tries to understand what the accord is about as he would participate in aiding Stark while trying to come to terms with the ideas of humanity as well as the fact that there are consequences.

Elizabeth Olsen is amazing as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch as a young woman with telekinetic powers who copes with an incident where she accidentally killed people as she also deal with the idea of authority where she sides with Rogers. Paul Rudd is hilarious as Scott Lang/Ant-Man who is asked by Rogers to aid them where he provides some very funny and exciting moments in the battle while Jeremy Renner is great as Clint Barton/Hawkeye who helps Rogers in the conflict as well as provide some funny banter of his own. Chadwick Boseman is marvelous as T’Challa/Black Panther as a prince who goes after Barnes over an incident as he sports a suit with cool nails as he proves to be a formidable warrior that can kick some ass. Scarlett Johansson is remarkable as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow as an assassin who is conflicted in her allegiance with Stark as she also understand what Rogers is feeling as she also realizes that not everything Stark wants to do is honorable.

Tom Holland is phenomenal as Peter Parker/Spider-Man as he’s just this regular teenager who is smart that is asked by Stark to help him where Holland exudes not just a lot of personality but also humor into his role as he is just a lot of fun to watch. Sebastian Stan is sensational as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier as Rogers’ old friend who copes with who he really is as well as knowing what could make him into this deadly assassin that couldn’t stop where he also is aware that is a target for something he didn’t do. Robert Downey Jr. is tremendous as Tony Stark/Iron Man as a man who is dealing with guilt and other issues who agrees to the accords while trying to stop Rogers and capture Barnes where revelations about Barnes would consume him. Finally, there’s Chris Evans in a spectacular performance as Steve Rogers/Captain America as a man who opposes the accords due to his distrust towards governments where he also copes with loss and responsibility where he also tries to protect his friend not fully aware of what Barnes had done forcing him to see the faults in himself.

Captain America: Civil War is a sensational film from Joe and Anthony Russo. Thanks in part to its large ensemble cast, compelling themes of regulations and responsibility, vast set pieces, and killer action. It’s a blockbuster film that manages to be a lot of things and more where it is entertaining as well as being very smart and provoke some discussions towards its audience without being heavy-handed. In the end, Captain America: Civil War is a phenomenal film from Joe and Anthony Russo.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One Films: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Marvel Phase Two Films: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Marvel Phase Three Films: Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Eternals – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

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

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

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

© thevoid99 2016

The Edukators

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/18/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Hans Weingartner, Die Fetten Jahre Sinde Vorbei ("the fat years are over") or in its international title The Edukators, the film is about three anti-capitalist radicals who decides to break into the homes of rich people and vandalize them. When they break into one house, they meet a rich businessman who catches them in the act as they kidnap as they go into a game of wits and passion against the businessman. Written by Weingartner and Katharina Held, the film is an exploration about the tension between generations and classes. Starring Daniel Bruhl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg, and Burghart Klaussner. The Edukators is a thrilling yet provocative film from Hans Weingartner.

With protests emerging in Berlin as youths rally against the capitalist democracy of its own country, two young men named Jan (Daniel Bruhl) and Peter (Stipe Erceg) are doing their part as a rag-tag group of hooligans known as the Edukators. By day, they do odd jobs to make a living but at night in their van, they break into the homes of rich people, rearrange furniture, steal nothing, overflow pools, and leave a message that represents their manifesto and hatred of the rich. Meanwhile, Peter's girlfriend Jule (Julia Jentsch) is dealing with a lot of money trouble. Having been evicted from her apartment and about to lose her deposit if she doesn't repaint her apartment, Jule moves in with Peter and Jan while still working as a waitress in a posh restaurant. Jule is also dealing with a debt that she has to pay over a car accident that involved a rich man and his Mercedes. When Peter has to go out of town for a trip to Spain, he asks Jan to help Jule out in repainting her apartment for her deposit. Jan sympathizes with Jule's financial troubles as she herself, is a protester against capitalism. Immediately, they become close as Jan lets her in on a secret as she learns that he's part of the Edukators gang.

When she decides to see what he does, she finds the home of Mr. Hardenberg (Burghart Klaussner), the man whose debt she's paying. The two break in as they do all of the things he and Peter does where the two suddenly fall for each other. Things seem to go great until Jules walks out of the house and an alarm goes off as she and Jan leave the house. Peter returns from Spain as Jule learns she left her cell phone at Hardenberg's home. Jan, Peter, and Jule go out on a night of the town as their night ends early. Jan and Jule decide to go back to Hardenberg's home to clean up evidence and fine Jule's cell phone. Suddenly, Hardenberg arrives early from his vacation as he catches Jule where Jan knocks him out unconsciously. Realizing they’re in trouble, they call Peter to help them out as they realize they have to leave the city with Hardenberg as their hostage. They drive to the German mountains to a remote cabin that belonged to Jule's uncle. The young trio and Hardenberg stay in the cabin as they talk to the rich businessman as they immediately get into a discussion over idealism and capitalism.

Yet, Hardenberg is revealed to be a former member of an idealist group in the late 60s but tells them that revolutions become short-lived when marriage and family came into the picture. With Peter becoming a bit paranoid and carrying a gun, Jan and Jule agree that Hardenberg should be treated with care and respect as he was given a chance to make a phone call in a nearby village. When Peter learns of Jan and Jule's attraction towards each other, everything begins to change as do their idealism as Jan wonders if the revolution that he's fought for is really worth living.

The film is essentially about political revolution and idealism through different generations and such. Yet, director Hans Weingartner and co-writer Katharina Held create a story that is more about how young people deal with their own ideas of revolution only to deal with a man who they assume is rich yet unaware of his own revolutionary past. The film's script is wonderfully written where the film's first half is about the introduction of the Edukators and their antics and then the second half is their escape and seclusion in the mountains. While the pacing in the second half does lag a bit, Weingartner's subtle yet observant direction is wonderful and also intimate for the four major to interact with each other.

The direction also works in its energy in the film's first half where it's shot on location in Berlin as Weingartner creates amazing compositions and framing while leaving everything a bit looser for the film's second half. Particularly with hand-held cameras that brings energy to the film in its sense of excitement as well as an array of humor and comedy. The result is a solid film that is entertaining and provocative from the mind of its director Hans Weingartner.

Cinematographers Matthias Schellenberg and Daniela Knapp do amazing work with the film's camera work from the colorful, stylish lighting for the film's interior and exterior night scenes in Berlin to the colorful, atmospheric look of the German mountains that has a natural yet loose feel that is gorgeous to watch. Editors Dirk Otelshoven and Andreas Woodraschke bring a great sense of style to the film's cutting with its rhythmic use of jump cuts in the film's first half to more slower yet rhythmic cuts for the film's second half to maintain a sense of pacing and style. Art director Christian M. Goldbeck does a great job in creating different looks to the homes of the Edukators and Hardenberg where the former features posters and such while Hardenberg's home is filled with a lot of posh things and a pool.

Costume/make-up designer Sylvia Pernegger is excellent in that same contrast in the art direction with the look of t-shirt and jeans of the Edukators to the rich clothing of Hardenberg. Sound designer Uwe Dresch with mixer Bernhard Maisch and sound recordist Stefan Soltau do a wonderful job in the sound work to contrast the differing atmospheres of Berlin and the German mountains that plays well to the tone of the film. Music composer Andreas Wodraschke creates a moody yet hypnotic electronic score that is sometimes filled with pulsating beats or sometimes quiet in the film's second half. The soundtrack is a mix of techno, German folk, and metal along with a haunting cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah by the late Jeff Buckley.

The casting by Silke Koch and Suse Marquardt is superb for its casting of extras and local actors in various parts. Yet, the film really belongs to its four principle actors. Veteran actor Burghart Klaussner is superb as a former idealist-turned-yuppie who becomes hostage as he's forced to confront his own lifestyle and his own past while trying to understand the Edukators' own political stance. Stipe Erceg is excellent as Peter, an anti-capitalist who is unaware of Jan's attraction to Jule only to take matters into his own hands when dealing with Hardenberg while trying to figure out his own role as a revolutionary.

Julia Jentsch is amazing as the frustrated Jule who turns to radicalism while getting Jan and Peter in trouble over a reckless thing. Jentsch is superb for her energy and compassion as well as an amazingly, natural beauty around her. Daniel Bruhl is brilliant as Jan, an unpredictable yet charismatic revolutionary who falls for Jule while forced to confront his own role and future as Bruhl's subtle performance is truly one to watch.

The Edukators is a wonderfully stylish yet entertaining film from director Hans Weingartner. With great performances from Daniel Bruhl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg, and Burghart Klaussner, it's a film that has a lot of energy, great discussions on politics and idealism, and interesting characters. In the end, The Edukators is an excellent film that deals with young revolutionaries trying to change the world only to find change in themselves.

© thevoid99 2014

Rush (2013 film)

Directed by Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan, Rush is the story of famed rivalry between Britain’s James Hunt and Austria’s Niki Lauda during the 1970s in the Formula One racing circuit where both men gained famed in their rivalry. The film is a dramatic account in the way the rivalry began and how these two different men became great friends despite their competitiveness toward one another as Chris Hemsworth plays Hunt and Daniel Bruhl plays Lauda. Also starring Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, Natalie Dormer, Christian McKay, and Pierfrancesco Favino. Rush is a thrilling yet engaging film from Ron Howard.

The film is a simple story about this legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda that culminated in the 1976 Formula One racing circuit where both men pushed each other to the edge to see who is the better driver. Even as they would risk their lives to do so where Lauda would survive a severe crash that left part his face burned and inhaling toxic fumes that would force him to make a dramatic return to retain his world championship. Yet, it’s a film that is more about this rivalry but also an unlikely friendship between these two very different men who both come from rich families who didn’t support them as well as this need to prove to themselves in the world of Formula One racing. Even as both men would also endure highs and lows in their professional and personal lives as they would get married to different women.

Peter Morgan’s screenplay takes its time to explore the seeds of this rivalry between Hunt and Lauda which began in 1970 where the two men in a Formula Three race in Britain as the more brash Hunt would caught the ire of the more technical-based Lauda as the latter is more concerned with precision and making sure everything goes right in the car than the more adventurous Hunt. The first act showcases the two men struggling to get into the Formula One circuit where Lauda would have to take a loan to get into a racing team while Hunt would gain a rich supporter and the attention of being married to British supermodel Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde) only to find himself without a proper sponsor. The second act is about the intensity of their rivalry which culminates in the 1976 Formula One racing season where Lauda would wed the German socialite Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara) as well as endure the crash that nearly killed him. Then comes the third act where it isn’t just about Lauda wanting to return but also Hunt trying to deal with the guilt in believing that he was responsible for Lauda’s crash as he would try to prove to himself to be a world champion.

Ron Howard’s direction is quite stylish not just in its look but also in the way he tells the story as he doesn’t just focus on this legendary rivalry but also the world of these two men outside of the racing circuits and what drives them to succeed. Howard recreates that sense of energy of the 1970s where the world of Formula One racing was becoming mainstream and it attracted everyone from the rich to the working class. Much of it would be shot in an array of styles from hand-held cameras to elaborate crane shots to capture not just the intensity of the race but also in the way the audience reacts to what is happening. Even as Howard would use some extreme close-ups into what goes on inside the car and how it plays as this extension of the two different racers. Howard’s compositions towards the world outside of racing is more simplistic with a flair of style as it plays into those different lives of Hunt and Lauda as the former is quite crazy and comical while the other is more subdued. Yet, it would get more dramatic in the third act as it plays to Lauda’s struggle to get back in the racing circuit after his near-fatal accident as well as Hunt trying to win with some honor. Even as underneath all of that animosity towards one another, there is a sense of respect that the two would gain for each other. Overall, Howard creates a very engaging and mesmerizing film about one of the greatest rivalries in Formula One racing.

Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle does brilliant work with the film‘s very stylized and colorful cinematography that plays to not just that vibrant look of the 1970s but also to maintain something that feels gritty at times but also dream-like in some respects as Mantle‘s work is a major highlight. Editors Daniel Hanley and Mike Hill do fantastic work with the editing as it is very stylized with a lot of jump-cuts and montages to play into the energy of the races as well as the world that Hunt lives in. Production designer Mark Digby, with set decorator Michelle Day and supervising art director Patrick Rolfe, does terrific work with the set design from the look of the homes that the characters live in as well as the design of the cars and what they look like from the inside. Costume designer Julian Day does excellent work with the costumes from the look of the 70s clothing the women wear to play into that world as well as the racing jumpsuits the men wore in the race.

Hair/makeup designer Fae Hammond and prosthetic makeup designer Mark Coulier do superb work with the look of the hairstyle of the 1970s as well as the look that Lauda would have after his near-fatal crash. The visual effects work of Jody Johnson, Mark Hodgkins, and Antoine Moulineau is terrific for some of the visual effects look in some of the racing scenes as well as some of the interiors of the cars. Sound designer Markus Stemler and sound editor Frank Kruse do amazing work with the film‘s sound from the way the engines sound to the atmosphere of the racing with the tires and such as it is captured with great detail. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer is wonderful for its orchestral score that features some soaring, bombastic moments as well as some quieter moments in the dramatic pieces while music supervisor Nick Angel creates a fun soundtrack that features music from the 70s like David Bowie, the Spencer David Group, Slade, Thin Lizzy, Jimmy Cliff, the Sweet Sensation, and Mud.

The casting by Nina Gold is incredible as the film features some notable small roles from Natalie Dormer as a nurse Hunt meets early in the film, Christian McKay as a lord who would invest Hunt early in his career, and Pierfrancesco Favino as the racer Clay Regazzoni who would be a mentor to Lauda as well as a teammate early in Lauda’s racing career. Olivia Wilde is terrific as the British supermodel Suzy Miller who would be Hunt’s wife early in his career as she is driven away by his own immaturity as she tries to ground him. Alexandra Maria Lara is amazing as Marlene as a socialite who would fall and marry Lauda as she would be the one person to ground Lauda and give him a life outside of racing.

Chris Hemsworth is great as the late James Hunt as this brash British driver who wants to succeed and have fun with it while dealing with his own failures and the presence of Lauda. Finally, there’s Daniel Bruhl in a phenomenal performance as Niki Lauda as this young Austrian who is known for being technical as he strives to succeed in his own terms while dealing with his own shyness and inability to connect with other people. Hemsworth and Bruhl have this wonderful rapport in the way they dislike each other but also in appreciating one another which adds to the film’s success.

Rush is a marvelous film from Ron Howard that features superb performances from Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl. The film is definitely an intriguing look into the world of Formula One racing as well as the legendary rivalry between Niki Lauda and the late James Hunt. In the end, Rush is a sensational film from Ron Howard.

© thevoid99 2014

LAMB Movie of the Month: Inglourious Basterds

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/23/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds is a World War II film that tells two different stories revolving around a sinister SS colonel known as the Jew Hunter. In one storyline, a group of Jewish-American soldiers go on a mission to take down Nazis with the help of a German actress and British/French officers. Another story involves a Jewish woman seeking revenge for the death of her family under the hands of the Jew Hunter. An ambitious film that is partially inspired by Spaghetti Westerns and World War II films. The film features an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Daniel Bruhl, Mike Myers, B.J. Novak, Samm Levine, Rod Taylor, and longtime Tarantino associate Samuel L. Jackson. Inglourious Basterds is a fun, lively, entertaining, and thrilling revisionist war film from Quentin Tarantino.

It's 1941 in France as a German Colonel named Hans Landa aka the Jew Hunter (Christoph Waltz) arrives onto the home of a local diary farmer named Pierre LaPadite (Denis Menochet) as Landa interrogates the diary man. Landa is trying to find a Jewish family hiding somewhere where he charms LaPadite about milk and comparing Jews to rats. Landa through his charming ways and in English, gets LaPadite to reveal the whereabouts about the family where he succeeds in nearly killing a whole family with the exception of a surviving Jewish woman named Shoshana Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent). Three years later in 1944, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) is leading a small platoon of Jewish-American soldiers including Staff Sergeant Donny Donowitz aka the Bear Jew (Eli Roth), Wilhelm Wicki (Gedeon Burkhard), Smithson Uvitch aka the Little Man (B.J. Novak), Omar Ulmer (Omar Doom), Michael Zimmerman (Michael Bacall), and Gerold Hischberg (Samm Levine). Raine wants 100 Nazi scalps from each of his troops as debts paid.

After attaining the service of a psychopathic German soldier named Hugo Stiglitz (Til Schweiger) as part of the Basterds crew, the Basterds manage to succeed in killing several Nazis including an officer named Werner Rachtman (Richard Sammel) after being beaten by Donowitz's baseball bat. A surviving soldier tells all of this to Adolf Hitler (Martin Wuttke) about what the Basterds have done. In France, Shoshana has renamed herself as Emmanuelle Mimieux where she runs a local cinema in Paris as she comes across a young German soldier named Frederick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl). Zoller pursues her wanting to discuss films with her as he is starring in a film by Dr. Joseph Goebbels (Sylvester Groth). Mimieux reluctantly meets with Goebbels, his assistant (Julie Dreyfus), and later the security officer who is none other than Col. Landa.

Mimieux decides to plot revenge against Landa and the Germans by holding a private screening for German officers and officials where the cinema would burn through nitrate film with help from her lover Marcel (Jacky Ido). Meanwhile in Britain around the same time, a dispatch officer named Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) is called upon by his superior General Ed Fenech (Mike Myers) about a rendezvous with a spy in German actress Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Krueger) at a tavern where he will meet with the Basterds team. Hicox arrives to the small town of Nadine to meet with the Basterds but a party involving a German staff sergeant (Alexander Fehling) who is celebrating the birth of his newborn son. Hicox and Stiglitz arrive to the party pretending to be Nazi officers where Hicox's German accent seemed odd to the sergeant and an SS officer (August Diehl). Things seem to go well until something goes wrong as plans for what to do next has been altered. With the Basterds now having to take control, they make a plan to assassinate Hitler, Goebbels, and other top Nazi officials at the movie theater while Shoshana has her own plans to kill the Nazis as everything comes to ahead in one entire night.

World War II films often deal with some kind of historical context and artifacts that relates to a certain event and battle that happens in that historic war. It is often considered to be the last great war that was fought with honor and something to fight for. For Quentin Tarantino who is an avid film buff, his longtime dream to make his own World War II film was something that he's been doing for many years. Though he nabbed the title from a 1978 Italian B-movie by Enzo Castellari with some alterations, it's a film that is a part homage to that war film but also a homage to the genres that Tarantino loved. War films, Spaghetti westerns, French New Wave, and German cinema. Really, this film is a re-imagining of the World War II from Tarantino's own, unique, style of witty dialogue, quirky humor, and gratuitous violence.

Does Tarantino succeed with this approach? Most definitely, especially with the structure of the script which is told in five chapters. The first chapter is entitled Once Upon a Time in Occupied France about Landa's reputation as the Jew Hunter, chapter two is about the Basterds, and chapter three is about Shoshana's plot for revenge. Then the film moves into more intense, psychological action scenes involving the plot to kill Hitler and the climatic event in which the Basterds take control. Amidst all of this are three central characters that drive the story. The first is Shoshana Dreyfus, a woman who survived the massacre of her own family by Colonel Landa as she had reinvented herself as a cinema owner in hopes to avenge the death of her family in the hands of the Nazis.

The second and most interesting of all of the characters in the film is Colonel Landa. Now a villain is certainly a character that audiences want to hate but Landa is a character that exudes charm and wit where audiences can't help but kind of like the guy. He speaks multiple languages fluently, he can be very witty, and play it cool. He's the villain that you kind of want to hang out with, drink milk, and have a smoke with in hopes that he doesn't have you killed. Finally, there's Aldo Raine who is clearly the comic relief of the film he's part Apache with a huge knife while sporting a Southern accent who clearly wants to kill every Nazi out there.

Tarantino's witty dialogue, which featured additional translation in German by renowned German director Tom Tykwer, along with a tight story structure and memorable characters shows Tarantino's strength as a writer. As a director, Tarantino manages to create memorable scenes and compositions that are truly exhilarating to watch. From the high-octane scenes of gunfights and massacres to the intense close-ups of characters in long yet eerie dramatic scenes. Notably the meeting with Landa and LaPadite, Tarantino knows how to bring dramatic tension as well as a suspense that builds up to what will happen. In scenes of humor, Tarantino makes it playful and fun as he clearly lets the actor have some fun with the performances. Overall, this film shows that Quentin Tarantino isn't at the top of his game. He clearly reveals that he is among one of the best American film auteurs out there.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson does an incredible job with the photography from the majestic, broad look of the cinema that Shoshana runs to the eerie, intimate setting in the tavern scene. Richardson's work is phenomenal as he keeps the camera moving with nice movements in scenes following the characters as well as the exteriors in the forests in France. Tarantino's longtime editor Sally Menke does some excellent work in the editing from the rhythmic cutting of the action scenes to the slow but methodical pacing of the dramatic sequences. Menke's editing works in providing a sense of rhythm and structure to the chapter breaks where for a film of over two-and-a-half hours. She succeed in making the film feel shorter while wishing it would be longer.

Longtime Tarantino production designer David Wasco along with set decorator Sandy Reynolds-Wasco and art director Sebastian T. Krawinkel does a spectacular job with the look of the cinema from its marble floors, seats, balconies, and the Nazi banners where the look overall is grand. Even the scenes at the tavern and Nazi prisons are well-made and decorated to look like a grand World War II period film. The costume design by Anna B. Sheppard are wonderful from the red dress that Shoshana wears at the premiere, the dress that Bridget von Hammersmark wears at the tavern, to the Nazi SS uniforms that several actors wear as the costumes are phenomenal. The sound work by sound editor Wylie Stateman and designers Harry Cohen & Ann Scibelli is amazing from the sound of Donowitz's bat, the gunshot, projector machines, the sound of theater, and everything else is brilliant.

The soundtrack supervised by Mary Ramos is brilliant as a lot of the music features score material from various films including The Battle of Algiers. A lot of the score pieces come from the famed Italian film composer Ennio Morricone. Along with pieces from Billy Preston, Lalo Schifrin, and a song from the 1982 Paul Schrader remake of Cat People by David Bowie and Giorgio Moroder. It's a soundtrack that works in creating tension and moments of action as it works on all of its sequences from start to finish.

The casting by Simone Bar, Olivier Carbone, Jenny Jue, and Johanna Ray is amazing with voice cameos from two associates of Quentin Tarantino. Harvey Keitel as the voice of the Basterds superior and Samuel L. Jackson as a man narrating some back story for a couple of key characters. Small appearances from Lea Seydoux, Tina Rodriguez, and Lena Friedrich as the daughters of LaPedite, Rod Taylor as Winston Churchill, Julie Dreyfus as Goebbels' translator/assistant, Bo Svenson as an American officer in Goebbels' film, Jacky Ido as Shoshana's lover Marcel, Martin Wuttke as Adolf Hitler, Sylvester Groth as Dr. Joseph Goebbels, and Richard Sammel as Sgt. Werner Rachtman. Other notable small roles such as Samm Levine, Paul Rust, Michael Bacall, and Gedeon Burkhard as the Basterds have a few memorable moments while Soenke Mohring is good as Private Butz, the man who is sent alive by the Basterds to Hitler.

Notable appearances from Mike Myers as a British general is good while Michael Fassbender has an excellent role as Lt. Archie Hicox. In the tavern scene, August Diehl is great as a SS officer who notices Hicox's odd accent along with Alexander Fehling as a young German soldier celebrating his son's birth. Denis Menochet is excellent as LaPadite in the film's opening yet tense dramatic scene while Til Schweiger is great as Hugo Stiglitz, a psychopathic German who likes to kill Nazis. Daniel Bruhl is excellent as a young German soldier trying to win over Shoshana unaware of her true identity while Diane Krueger is very good as Bridget von Hammersmark, a German spy who finds herself in huge trouble. In other notable roles as the Basterds, Omar Doom is funny as Omar while B.J. Novak has a great scene as Uvitch. Famed horror director Eli Roth gets a huge standout role as Donny Donowitz aka the Bear Jew who loves to kill Nazis with a baseball bat.

In what has to be one of his best film roles, Brad Pitt is wonderful as Lt. Aldo Raine. Sporting a Southern accent with a drawl that is fun to hear. While Pitt has been known for being a lead in either action films or drama, he's definitely at his best when he's doing comedy. Here, he gets to be cool yet funny while a scene in which he attempts to speak Italian is comedy gold as it's definitely one of his best roles of his career. French newcomer Melanie Laurent is brilliant as Shoshana Dreyfus, a French-Jewish woman seeking revenge for the death of her parents as she deals with a young German soldier, Col. Landa, and Dr. Goebbels while wanting to make her own film signaling the death of Nazis. Laurent's performance is definitely wonderful in its subtleties, dramatic tones, and scenes where she is really the heart of the film as it's definitely a breakthrough role for the French actress.

Finally, there's Christoph Waltz in what has to be one of the best performances of the decade. In the role of Col. Hans Landa, Waltz's sense of charm, wit, exuberance, and sly coolness only tops Pitt's performance to a tilt. Yet, there's a subtlety to him where it's clear that he's dangerous but is willing to be cool about it while not be overly threatening or violent. Waltz's allows the Landa character to just smile, be a likeable guy, and is willing to just get his way with a glass of milk, some strudel with cream, a German cigarette, and smile. Whether it's in German, French, Italian, or English, Christoph Waltz is far and out the best performance of the film and certainly one of the most enjoyable villains on screen in years.

Inglourious Basterds is flat-out, one of the year's most entertaining, thrilling, and fun films of 2009 thanks to Quentin Tarantino's sprawling direction. With a top-notch cast that includes superb performances from Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, and Brad Pitt, it's a film that is pure entertainment with lots of great action scenes, intense suspense, and lots of witty humor. While it may not be a great World War II feature in terms of historical context, it's a film that does make the idea of killing Nazis a whole lot of fun. In the end, for a film that has lots of gratuitous yet joyful violence, lots of witty dialogue, funny scenes, and something to cheer for. Inglourious Basterds is the film to see from Quentin Tarantino.

Quentin Tarantino Films: Reservoir Dogs - Pulp Fiction - Four Rooms-The Man from Hollywood - Jackie Brown - Kill Bill - Grindhouse-Death Proof - Django Unchained - The Hateful Eight - Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Related: The Auteurs #17: Quentin Tarantino - Growing Up with Quentin Tarantino

© thevoid99 2012