If Beale Street Could Talk

Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk is the story of a young woman who turns to her family for help in trying to free her lover who is wrongly charged with a crime as she hopes to free him before the birth of their first child. Written for the screen and directed by Barry Jenkins, the film is a period drama set in early 1970s Harlem as it play into a couple who meet and fall in love only for things to go wrong due to a false accusation. Starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King. If Beale Street Could Talk is an evocative and touching film from Barry Jenkins.

Set in early 1970s Harlem, the film revolves around a young couple whose life is in disarray when the man is accused of raping a young woman as those who know him are aware he’s innocent. Adding to the plight for this young man is that his girlfriend is pregnant as her family is trying to get him out of prison and prove he’s innocent in a world that is getting more complicated. It’s a film that play into the plight of two young lovers as they deal with the arrival of a baby as one family is willing to help yet the other, with the exception of the man’s father, chooses not to help. Barry Jenkins’ screenplay aims for a reflective narrative of sorts as it relates to the character of Clementine “Tish” Rivers (KiKi Layne) who looks back on her life with Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt (Stephan James) as well as the moment they conceived their child while cutting back to the present where Fonny is in jail as he just learned Tish is a few months pregnant.

The film moves back and forth to the times when Tish and Fonny were a couple as they knew each other since they were kids although Tish is a few years younger than Fonny. Their relationship is one filled with innocence and dreams as Fonny does whatever he can to learn a trade while also discovering his passion for being a sculptor. The flashback scenes also showcase moments of darkness such as a visit from Fonny’s friend Daniel Cartee (Brian Tyree Henry) who had just been released in prison as he reveals what he had seen as it would play into Fonny’s worries for the future following a terrible encounter with a racist police officer named Bell (Ed Skrein). The present narrative that play into Fonny’s time in prison as well as the impossibility of what had happened to this young woman in Victoria Rogers (Emily Rios) who suddenly returned to her home in Puerto Rico. While the Rivers’ attorney in Hayward (Finn Wittrock) is trying to help the family, there are complications prompting Tish’s mother Sharon (Regina King) to find Rogers herself as it present revelations about the severity of what happened to Rogers.

Jenkins’ direction definitely has this poetic tone to the film as it play into Tish’s recollections of her life with Fonny through voice over narration as well as playing into the ideas of the life she and Fonny could have but also be aware of the dark realities around them. Shot on location in New York City with Harlem being the predominant location as well as additional locations in the Dominican Republic as Puerto Rico. Jenkins does use wide shots to establish the locations but emphasizes more on close-ups and medium shots in carefully crafted compositions to maintain an intimacy between the characters. Most notably the scene where Tish and her family ask Fonny’s family for a drink where Tish’s father Joseph Rivers (Colman Domingo) and her older sister Ernestine (Teyonah Parris) are excited about the news of Tish and Fonny’s baby as is Fonny's father Frank Hunt (Michael Beach). Yet, Fonny’s mother (Aunjanue Ellis) and his sisters Adrienne (Ebony Obsidian) and Sheila (Dominique Thorne) aren’t happy with the news.

It’s among these simple yet tense scenes where Jenkins play into this tension as well as the severity of what Fonny is enduring as well as some of the fallacies into what he’s charged with as it relates to the different parts of New York City. The scenes at the prison where Fonny and Tish meet have Jenkins use some extreme close-ups but also medium shots for the setting as the latter is dealing with her pregnancy while there’s repetitious images of her at the subway. The film’s third act that play into Sharon going to Puerto Rico to find Rogers as it is this poignant sequence that play into Sharon’s desperation to get Rogers to tell the truth about Fonny and prove his innocence but it ends up being an uneasy task with lots of emotional repercussions.

Even as Jenkins reveals that what Fonny and Tish would deal with play into the fates of many others through pictures of African-Americans living in the ghettos during the 1970s and beyond but also show that they would find a way to maintain a sense of hope for their child. No matter how bad the circumstances can be and the injustice that many African-Americans have to suffer in the past and in the present as Jenkins reveals that despite all of these troubles. There is always hope through love. Overall, Jenkins crafts a rapturous and intoxicating film about a young woman hoping to free her lover from prison so he can be proved innocent and be with his family.

Cinematographer James Laxton does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of lights for some of the daytime/nighttime interiors and nighttime exteriors as well as the usage of natural lighting play into the beauty of the times despite some of its ugliness. Editors Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts as well a montage involving Tish dealing with her pregnancy and other stylish cuts that play into the drama. Production designer Mark Friedberg, with set decorators Devynne Lauchner and Kris Moran plus art directors Robert Pyzocha, Oliver Rivas Madera, and Jessica Shorten, does excellent work with the look of the family home of Tish’s parents as well as the home she and Fonny were eager to live as it would be something really special plus the Puerto Rican restaurant they like to go to. Costume designer Caroline Eselin does brilliant work with the costumes in terms of the stylish clothing the characters would wear to play into the times while Fonny’s mother is presented in this very uptight demeanor in her clothing as if she represents this false idea of purity.

Visual effects supervisors John Bair and John Mangia do nice work with the visual effects where it is largely set-dressing for some of the exteriors to help play into the period of the times. Sound designers Odin Benitez and Bryan Parker, along with sound editor/mixer Onnalee Blank, do fantastic work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sound of records being played from a record player and other sparse elements that is key to the film’s sound work. The film’s music by Nicholas Brittell is phenomenal for its rich and intoxicating orchestral score that has elements of lush string arrangements as well as operatic tones and other subtle themes as it is a major highlight of the film while music supervisor Gabe Hilfer creates a soundtrack that is filled with a mixture of blues, jazz, soul, Latin music, and other contemporary pieces of the time.

The casting by Cindy Tolan is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Dave Franco as a landlord who shows Tish and Fonny this big loft home, Diego Luna as a Puerto Rican restauranteur who is a friend of Fonny, Finn Wittrock as the Rivers’ attorney Hayward who does what he can to help them knowing that he’s up for a big legal battle, Pedro Pascal as a local Puerto Rican hood in Pierto Alvarez who meets with Sharon about Rogers, Milanni Mines and Ethan Barrett in their respective roles as the adolescent versions of Tish and Fonny, Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne in their respective roles as Fonny’s sisters Adrienne and Sheila who aren’t excited about the news of Fonny’s new baby, and Emily Rios in a terrific performance as Victoria Rogers as a woman who had been raped and believes that Fonny is the one who raped her.

Michael Beach and Aunjanue Ellis are superb in their respective roles as Fonny’s parents in Frank and Mrs. Hunt with Beach as this man that is ecstatic about the arrival of a grandchild as he is eager to help his son get out of jail while Ellis has this chilling presence as a woman who is convinced her son is in jail because he sinned greatly against God. Ed Skrein is fantastic in his small role as the racist police officer Bell as a man that confronts Fonny one night and tries to get him arrested as he would later play a part in Fonny’s incarceration. Brian Tyree Henry is excellent as Daniel Carty as a friend of Fonny who had been paroled as he talks about his experience in prison as well as what he saw during his time. Colman Domingo and Teyonah Parris are brilliant in their respective roles as Tish’s father Joseph and older sister Ernestine as two people being supportive of Tish as well as do what they can to get Fonny out of jail and prove his innocence. Regina King is incredible as Tish’s mother Sharon as a woman that is supportive of her daughter as well as wanting to prove that Fonny is innocent as it’s an understated yet riveting performance from King who really is a major highlight of the film.

The performances of KiKi Layne and Stephan James are phenomenal in their respective roles as Tish and Fonny. Layne’s performance is one filled with innocence as a 19-year old woman trying to understand what Fonny is going through as well as deal with her pregnancy as it’s a calm yet radiant performance from Layne. James’ performance is one that is full of sensitivity and care but also someone who is aware of the dark aspects of the real world as he does show some anger during a confrontation with a man trying to harass Tish as well as the struggle he is having in prison. Layne and James together just have this natural chemistry in the way they spend time with one another as well as deal with the pain of being apart as they talk together in prison.

If Beale Street Could Talk is a tremendous film from Barry Jenkins. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, Nicholas Brittell’s gorgeous score, and themes of love and family trying to help one another. It’s a touching drama that play into the period of racial injustice and unfairness during 1970s Harlem as well as show what some people will do to provide some hope and love in these troubled times. In the end, If Beale Street Could Talk is a spectacular film from Barry Jenkins.

Barry Jenkins Films: Medicine for Melancholy – Moonlight - (The Underground Railroad (2021 Limited TV Series) - (Mufasa: The Lion King)

© thevoid99 2019

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Directed by Gareth Edwards and screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta with characters created by George Lucas, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the story of a group of Rebel spies who are tasked to find the plans of a new weapon by the Imperial Empire known as the Death Star. The film is a prequel to the original 1977 film as it play into a group of different individuals who go on a mission to find a way to destroy this new super weapon in the hope that a rebellion can bring balance back to the galaxy. Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen, Riz Ahmed, Genevieve O’Reilly, Jimmy Smits, Mads Mikkelsen, and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. Rogue One is a sprawling and gripping film from Gareth Edwards.

The film follows a young woman whose father is a renowned engineer as he has left a message about how to destroy a secret weapon the Imperial Empire called the Death Star. After being freed by Rebel spies, she reluctantly joins them as she is aided by an Imperial defector, a reprogrammed Imperial droid, two outsiders, and a Rebel officer who would retrieve something that could give hope to the Rebellion against the Imperial Empire. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it play into not just the idea of rebellion but also what is at stake and how this young woman finds herself needing to deal with the loss she’s been carrying for years as she is also unsure if she wants to help the Rebel Alliance. The film’s screenplay is filled with not just some complexities of this conflict that is brewing between the Imperial Empire and the Rebel Alliance but also a young woman caught in the middle as she is more concerned about reuniting with her father and learn about what he has been doing since he was taken from her.

The character of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is seen as someone who has been a small thorn for the Empire as she is first seen in a prison labor camp where she is released by some spies who want her help to find her father in Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) who has sent a message to the Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). Jyn knows Gerrera as he had raised her following her father’s abduction and her mother’s death where there is some history but Gerrera is reluctant to help the Rebel Alliance knowing that their own political ideals is what is holding them back. The script also reveal more about Galen who has been forced to help create the weapon that is the Death Star under the supervision of former friend/Imperial leader Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) who is hoping for some recognition but is contending with the thirst of glory with another Imperial leader in Grand Moff Tarkin (Guy Henry w/ digital facial re-creation and voice of Peter Cushing).

The script also reveal some of the flaws of the Rebellion as its intelligent officer Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is ordered to do something for the Rebel Alliance but he becomes unsure as he’s also filled with some guilt of what he had to do for the cause. Yet, there are those such as the former Imperial cargo pilot Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), the blind warrior Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), and mercenary Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) who all believe that there is some form of hope no matter how bad things with the Imperial Empire trying to take hold of the entire galaxy. Even as there is a scene in the second act where Jyn is in the middle of a Rebel Alliance meeting where it is clear how worried and fractured they are as they’re unwilling to take some kind of chance. Another aspect of the script that is unique is that it shows a much broader view of the galaxy as it’s set in different planets to play into the way the Imperial Empire is controlling everything as it has something that does feel real.

Gareth Edwards’ direction is definitely vast in terms of not just the different planets that is set throughout the film but also this sense of danger and repression that looms throughout the film. Shot on various locations such as Iceland, Jordan, the Laamu Atoll in the Maldives, and some interiors shot at Pinewood Studios in Britain. Edwards create something that does feel more broader as it establishes a galaxy where the Empire has dominated so much from moons and bases where they’re controlling every aspect of life in the galaxy. It’s something that feels oppressive and real as the sequence on the planet of Jedha where it has these unique camera angles, compositions, and shots that almost mirror events that is happening in real life. That sense of grounding realism in a sci-fi adventure film give Edwards a lot to focus on the story and characters without having it be overwhelmed by the visuals.

The direction also has Edwards maintain something that is intimate as it relate to the characters where the film does have flashbacks as it relates to Jyn’s past but also opens with a sequence in which Jyn is forced to see her father be taken as well as the death of her mother in the hands of the Empire. While the film does have a dark and serious tone as it relates to the stakes and what this group of rogue rebels are going after. It does have some humor whether it’s comments from the reprogrammed Imperial droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) or some of the Easter Eggs that relates to the franchise. Still, the film does have something that is immediate into what is happening where does bear elements of war films for its climax which is once again grounded in reality but also with a sense of adventure. Especially as Edwards uses a lot of wide and medium shots to capture the scope of the battles on the planet and in space to play into a conflict that forces the Imperial Empire that they’re not all invincible. Overall, Edwards create a thrilling and engaging film about a band of rebels finding the key to destroy a major weapon and bring hope to a rebellious faction.

Cinematographer Grieg Fraser does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the way some of the scenes are lit in the exteriors for the different look in the planets as well as in the way some of the interiors are used in the lighting. Editors John Gilroy, Colin Goudie, and Jabez Olssen do excellent work with the editing as it play into the suspense and action while providing moments that do establish what is going on without deviating too much into conventional fast-cutting styles. Production designers Doug Chiang and Neil Lamont, with supervising art director Alastair Bullock and set decorator Lee Sandales, do amazing work with the design of some of the ships and bases of the two warring factions as well as the design other places including city exteriors from different planets. Costume designers David Crossman and Glyn Dillon do fantastic work with the design of the costumes from the ragged clothing of some of the rebels to the uniform of the Imperial including the one that Krennic wears. Makeup artist Amy Byrne and hair stylist Andrew Simonin do terrific work with the design on some of the creature in their facial designs as well as the look of Saw Gerrera in his declined state.

Visual effects supervisors Jonathan Cheetham, Luke Dodd, and John Knoll, along with special effects supervisor Neil Corbould, do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of some computer-created effects for some of scenes in space as well as the facial design of Grand Moff Tarkin that looks realistic as well as the usage of practical effects that help add a sense of realism to the film‘s look. Sound designers David Acord and Christopher Scarabosio, with sound editor Matthew Wood, do superb work with the sound as it play into the chaos of the battle scenes along with the sound of the droids and lasers. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is great as it feature elements of bombast and soaring string arrangements to play into the adventure and drama while knowing when to use some of the music made famous by John Williams as it is a highlight of the film.

The casting by Jina Jay is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Warwick Davis as a member of Gerrera’s partisans, Alistair Petrie as General Draven who orders Cassian to do something secret for the Rebellion, Ben Daniels as a general who would take part in the climatic battle, Beau and Dolly Gadsdon in their respective roles as the young and younger Jyn, Nick Kellington as an alien who took part in the battle that is famous for his laugh, Valene Kane as Jyn’s mother Lyra, Genevieve O’Reilly as Rebel Alliance co-founder Mon Mothma, and Jimmy Smits as Senator Bail Organa who is also trying to find some hope for the Rebellion. Guy Henry’s performance as Grand Moff Tarkin with the digital facial impression of the late Peter Cushing is definitely marvelous to watch as it brings a famed character back to life and give him some crucial importance to the story.

In the role of Darth Vader, Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous provide the physical performances of the famed Sith lord with the voice of James Earl Jones as the character is more intimidating than ever as he’s only in a few scenes but make it so memorable to watch. Forest Whitaker is excellent as former Clone Wars veteran/Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera as an old family friend of Jyn Erso who is trying to deal with Empire any way he can as he is suspicious about many until he sees Jyn and Galen Erso’s message where he realizes there is some form of hope emerging. Mads Mikkelsen is superb as Galen Erso as a renowned engineer who is forced to take part in the creation of the Death Star as he would send a message revealing that he has exposed a vulnerability that would destroy the Death Star. Ben Mendelsohn is fantastic as Orson Krennic as an Imperial director who oversees the construction of the Death Star as he hopes to get some recognition for his work as well as deal with the emergence of the Rebellion. Riz Ahmed is brilliant as Bodhi Rook as a former Imperial cargo pilot who defects to the Rebellion as he carries Galen Erso’s message while being someone who is aware of the grasp of control of the Empire as he wants to do what is right.

Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen are amazing in their respective roles as the mercenary Baze Malbus and the blind warrior Chirrut Imwe as two friends who are resourceful and can do a lot with Malbus being the powerhouse of the two and Imwe is someone that is highly skilled as the latter is also aware of the Force and believes he can wield its power. Diego Luna is remarkable as Cassian Andor as a Rebel intelligence officer who is tasked with getting information about Galen Erso with Jyn’s aid where he becomes conflicted with his actions where he sees the bigger picture of what needs to be done. Alan Tudyk is incredible as K-2SO in a mixture of motion-capture and voice work as this reprogrammed Imperial droid that is often spouting numbers and probabilities as he is this fun comic relief that annoys Andor but proves to be quite helpful. Finally, there’s Felicity Jones in a phenomenal performance as Jyn Erso as a young woman who is reluctant to help the Rebellion as she’s been through a lot yet realizes what is at stake while coping with the loss of her family which only drives to wanting to do something and bring hope to the galaxy.

Rogue One is a tremendous film from Gareth Edwards. Featuring a phenomenal ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, a gripping story, and a killer score. It’s a film that doesn’t just give help bring in some new ideas and such to a popular franchise but also provide enough moments that its fans can and enjoy as well as casual audiences to be engaged by. In the end, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a spectacular film from Gareth Edwards.

Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker

Related: The Star Wars Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas

Anthology Series: Solo: A Star Wars Story - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)

George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)

Gareth Edwards Films: (Monsters (2010 film)) - (Godzilla (2014 film))

© thevoid99 2017

Before Night Falls

Based on Reinaldo Arenas’ biography, Before Night Falls is the story about the life of the Cuban poet/novelist who was openly gay at a time when the political situation in Cuba was tense as homosexuality was considered very taboo. Directed by Julian Schnabel and screenplay by Schnabel, Cunningham O’Keefe, and Lazaro Gomez Carriles, the film is an exploration on the life of a man who would have a profound view of the world as he would write his experiences in and out of Cuba through his work as he is played by Javier Bardem. Also starring Olivier Martinez, Hector Babenco, Andrea Di Stefano, Santiago Magill, Michael Wincott, Sean Penn, and Johnny Depp. Before Night Falls is a ravishing and mesmerizing film from Julian Schnabel.

The film explores the life and works of Reinaldo Arenas through key periods in his life from coming of age during the Cuban Revolution to being a dissident over his homosexuality which would lead to his exile on the Mariel Boatlift of 1980. Told largely through Arenas’ own work and his poetry, the film showcases the events that would drive Arenas to write as well as his encounters with people and political situations that would inspire him. The film is told in different parts of his life from his childhood and desire to join the Revolution in its final days as well as key events that would get him attention for his writing as well as controversy as the Cuban government believe his writing his counter-revolutionary. The film’s screenplay plays into these events including a time during the 1970s were Arenas would become a fugitive over accusations of child molestation as he would be in prison which would inspire to write his most famous novel.

The script also plays into Arenas’ encounters with men that would drive his homosexuality as well as meet the film’s co-writer Lazaro Gomez Carriles (Olivier Martinez) who would be Arenas’ partner in Arenas’ final years. The use of voice-over narration plays into a reflective tone in Arenas’ view of his life in those times while his poetry and text from his own novels would add to the narration. Much of it would play into Arenas’ growing awareness of his homosexuality where it was very taboo during the early years of the Fidel Castro-led regime in Cuba. Even as homosexuality was seen as subversive with ideas of capitalism which was frowned upon though Arenas would counter those claims as false. By the time the film reaches its third act, it does become less reflective where Arenas adjust to his new life but also in the illness that would eventually claim his life.

Julian Schnabel’s direction is very stylish for the way he presents the film with not just some unique camera angles but also with evocative images that play into a sense of visual poetry that is in line with Arenas’ words. Though the film is shot largely on location in Mexico as Cuba, it does feel like a place that was once idyllic in its landscapes in the woods and old cities that were once full of life. Even amidst this sense of political chaos that would surround Arenas as Schanbel uses old footage of Cuba during its Revolution and at a time when Castro came into power. Schnabel definitely aims for this mix of cinema verite and stylish camera work to play into Arenas’ life from his time in the beach with his gay friends where they would hustle as well as Arenas in his surroundings in the forest where crane shots and all sorts of things are used to play into the beauty of those locations.

The direction also plays into these moments where Arenas talks about how to identify gays in 1960s Cuba as well as endure attempts to get his work published outside of Cuba as his writing succumbs to censorship. Especially as he is misidentified as a child molester in the mid-1970s by a couple of youths who had stolen his things. There are intimate moments that play into Arenas’ stay in prison such as the isolation cell he is in as it’s mixed with elements of fantasy and reality to play into what he is thinking about. Once the film arrives in New York City, it sorts of starts off as a documentary film until the drama into Arenas’ ailing health starts to arrive where the film does return to a more reflective tone as it plays into Arenas’ sense of longing for Cuba and the similarities it had in the way he looks at New York City. Overall, Schnabel crafts a very intoxicating and rapturous film about the life of a gay yet brave writer.

Cinematographers Xavier Perez Grobet and Guillermo Rosas do brilliant work with the film‘s lush and colorful cinematography with its high emphasis on green and natural colors for the scenes set at the forest along with stylish lights and filters for scenes at night while using low-key lights for some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Michael Berenbaum does amazing work with the editing in its usage of jump-cuts, montages, and stock footage to play into the sense of style as well as rhythmic cuts to match the tone of Arenas‘ narration of his work. Production designer Salvador Parra, with set decorator Laurie Friedman and art director Antonio Muno-Hierro, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of some of the interior buildings including the interrogation room that Arenas would be in as well as the apartment he would have in New York City. Costume designer Maria Estela Fernandez does excellent work with the costumes from the clothes that were worn in the 1960s including the stuff gay men wore as well as the tight pants and stylish shirts of the 70s they would wear to get themselves out of Cuba.

Makeup designer Ana Lozano does nice work with the look of Arenas throughout the years including his ailing look in the late 1980s where he loses bits of his hair and color in his face. Visual effects supervisor Randall Balsmeyer does terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects which is often served as set-dressing for the scenes in Cuba as well as the opening shot of the scene in New York City. Sound editor Robert Hein does superb work with the sound from the way some of the music on location is played along with the prison scenes as well as the intimate moments in New York City. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is phenomenal for its soaring and lush orchestral music to play into the drama while its soundtrack that is assembled by music supervisors Susan Jacobs and Olatz Lopez Garmendia features some original score pieces by Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson plus an array of Cuban music and some ambient-based score music by Popol Vuh.

The casting by Monica Nordhaus is incredible as it includes notable small roles from Olatz Lopez Garmendia as Arenas’ mother, Pedro Armendiaz Jr. as Arenas’ grandfather, Vito Maria Schnabel as the teenage Arenas, Diego Luna as a friend of the young Arenas, Sean Penn as a farmer who would accompany the teenage Arenas to a town where Castro and his rebels were, Francisco Gattorno and Marisol Padilla Sanchez as a couple of publishers who would bring Arenas’ writing to Europe, Michael Wincott as a mentor of Arenas who would encourage him to write, Najwa Nimri as the mentor’s wife, and Hector Babenco in a terrific performance as Virgillo Pinera who would help broaden Arenas’ view on literature by giving him books by great authors in order to become a better writer. Andrea di Stefano is excellent as one of Arenas’ early lovers Pepe Malas while Santiago Magill is superb as another of Arenas’ gay friends in Tomas Diego.

Johnny Depp is brilliant in a dual role as a prison drag queen named Bon Bon who would help try to get Arenas out of prison while being a far more sinister character in Lt. Victor in a chilling interrogation scene. Olivier Martinez is fantastic as Lazaro Gomez Carriles whom Arenas would meet at one point in the 1960s only to reconnect with him in the 1970s where Carriles aspires to be a writer and later becomes Arenas’ partner and caretaker. Finally, there’s Javier Bardem in a tremendous performance as Reinaldo Arenas as this very gifted poet who sees the world around him as he creates poems and novels to express his feelings while coping with the Castro regime as it’s a performance full of charm and humor but also a melancholia as it’s one of Bardem’s great performances.

Before Night Falls is a remarkable film from Julian Schnabel that features a truly sensational performance from Javier Bardem. The film isn’t just a unique portrait into one of the most captivating writers of the 20th Century but also a look into a man trying to maintain his identity in a troubled and complicated world. In the end, Before Night Falls is an outstanding film Julian Schnabel.

Julian Schnabel Films: Basquiat - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse - Miral - At Eternity's Gate - The Auteurs #43: Julian Schnabel

© thevoid99 2015

Frida (2002 film)

Based on the biography Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera, Frida is a story about life of the surrealist Mexican painter and her relationship with the painter Diego Rivera that would span for many years through ups and downs. Directed by Julie Taymor and screenplay by Clancy Sigal, Diane Lake, Gregory Nava, and Anna Thomas, the film is an unconventional take on Kahlo’s life from the accident she suffered at the 18 that would plague her for the rest of her life to the people she would meet in her lifetime. Playing Kahlo is Salma Hayek while Alfred Molina would play her husband in Diego Rivera. Also starring Geoffrey Rush, Valeria Golino, Ashley Judd, Mia Maestro, Roger Rees, Diego Luna, Edward Norton, and Antonio Banderas. Frida is a lavish yet extraordinary film from Julie Taymor.

The film is an offbeat and surrealistic telling of the life of Frida Kahlo from the year she would be severely injured from a bus accident in 1922 that would plague her for the rest of her life to her final year of her life in 1954. During this time, she would meet the mural artist Diego Rivera whom she would be married to in 1929 and later remarry in 1940 after a one-year divorce where their marriage was a dysfunctional one due to his flings with other women and her bisexuality. It’s a film that plays more into the art of Kahlo and the events of her life that would drive her art as she would be appreciated as well as reviled for her art as well as views on politics due to her affiliation with Marxism as she would meet and have an affair with Leon Trotsky (Geoffrey Rush).

Since Kahlo’s life was never a conventional one, a straight-forward bio-pic on the artist wouldn’t work as there’s so much to cover as the film’s screenplay sort of deviates from that schematics to play into moments of her life and relationship with Rivera. The first act of the story plays into the accident and Kahlo’s meeting with Rivera whom he would take Kahlo as a protégé only to become his new lover and wife in 1929. Yet, their relationship is a complicated one since Kahlo knows that Rivera likes to sleep with other women which Kahlo does begrudgingly accept since she is also promiscuous. Still, it would eventually cause trouble along with their own political affiliation with Marxism is put to the test in the film’s second act when Rivera is asked by Nelson Rockefeller (Edward Norton) to paint a mural at the Rockefeller Center which would get destroyed due to Rivera’s anti-capitalist views. A move that would leave Rivera returning to Mexico with his pride and ego wounded as his actions would cause a schism between him and Kahlo.

Despite all of the trials and tribulations that Kahlo and Rivera has, the latter is still loyal to the former despite his actions as he would support her from afar just as she would gain fame of her own. It plays into what Kahlo wants as an artist but all of the trappings of fame becomes fleeting where she later gets in trouble over her encounters with Trotsky which would prompt Rivera to come back to her life. Especially as her health would decline in the film’s third act where Rivera is willing to do whatever to get her back and be there for her.

Julie Taymor’s direction definitely plays to much of the surrealistic images that Kahlo creates in her paintings where it is filled with a sense of style as well as an extravagance that is off the wall. Especially as Taymor is playing to a sense of style which feels true to the world that Khalo lives in as she would shoot the film on location in Mexico in order to make the country as a character in the film that would influence Kahlo’s own work. Some of the paintings in the film that are Kahlo’s or re-creation of Kahlo’s work help tell the story into the events that would shape her life including own injury and her marriage as it’s expressed through her own art. Most notably the sequence of the bus accident that would be the cause of Kahlo’s life-suffering injury as it’s presented with an air of style from where the camera is at and the impact of its crash where it mirrors the painting that Kahlo would make later on in her life.

The direction also includes some unique elements of surrealism and humor such as a sequences where Kahlo and Rivera would each play into their own vices as well as the former’s interpretation of the latter’s taste for fame which includes a scene where she imagines Rivera as King Kong. Much of the direction includes some unique compositions in the simple and intimate moments where Taymor knows where to frame Kahlo as if she is recreating one of Kahlo’s paintings where its usage of close-ups and medium shots add to that sense of style. Even the use of wide shots in the scenes at Tenochtitlan at the pyramids where Kahlo shows Trotsky the sites as it displays Mexico at its most beautiful. Even in how Kahlo would view the country as her home which is exactly who she is no matter all of the riches and acclaim she would receive everywhere else. Overall, Taymor creates a very majestic and rapturous film about the life of one of the greatest painters in the 20th Century.

Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does amazing work with the film‘s dazzling and colorful cinematography for many of the film‘s exterior settings in the day while using some unique dark shadings and lighting schemes for some of the film‘s daytime and nighttime interior scenes. Editor Francoise Bonnot does fantastic work with the editing as it‘s very stylish with its usage of jump-cuts, montages, and dissolves as it plays into the frenetic energy of Kahlo‘s art as well as in some of the dramatic moments in the film. Production designer Felipe Fernandez del Paso, with set decorator Hania Robledo and art director Bernardo Trujillo, does brilliant work with the look of the Kahlo family home where Frida lived with her family as well as the Rivera studio and other places in Mexico as well as the look of the New York City apartment where Rivera and Kahlo lived during Rivera‘s period working for Rockefeller.

Costume designer Julie Weiss does excellent work with the costumes to play into the look of the times as well as the clothes that Rivera wore as well as the dresses and suits that Kahlo would wear. Makeup artist Judy Chin and hairstylist Beatrice De Alba, with prosthetic makeup designer John E. Jackson, do incredible work with the makeup from the look of the unibrow of Kahlo‘s face as well as into the aging makeup of the characters throughout the years. Visual effects supervisors Jeremy Dawson and Dan Schrecker do superb work with the visual effects to play into the surreal look of Kahlo‘s paintings as they would come to life along with some strange sequences including a hospital scene that is full of macabre animation by Stephen and Timothy Quay. Sound designer Blake Leyh does terrific work with the film‘s sound to play into the atmosphere of some of the locations including the very chilling moment in the bus accident scene. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is wonderful for its mixture of lush orchestral music with traditional Mexican music to play into the drama of the film while music supervisors Sarah Botstein and Kathy Nelson bring in a soundtrack filled with jazz and traditional Mexican music of those times.

The film’s marvelous cast includes some notable small appearances from Saffron Burrows as a British woman Kahlo seduces in New York City, Lila Downs as a tango singer at a party, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez as the surrealist Andre Breton, Diego Luna as a schoolmate of the young Kahlo in Alex, Patricia Reyes Spindola as Kahlo’s mother, and Valeria Golino as Rivera’s second wife Lupe Marin whom Kahlo would befriend and paint a portrait of her. Antonio Banderas is terrific in a small role as the artist David Alfaro Siqueiros whom Rivera would argue with over politics while Ashley Judd is wonderful as the Italian photographer/artist Tina Modotti. Roger Rees is superb as Kahlo’s father Guillermo is also an artist as he copes with the injury that his daughter suffered while encouraging her to become an artist. Mia Maestro is excellent as Kahlo’s loyal sister Cristina who would later become Rivera’s assistant as it would later cause trouble.

Edward Norton is fantastic as Nelson Rockefeller who asks Rivera to make a mural at the Rockefeller Center until he sees whom Rivera would put in the mural. Geoffrey Rush is brilliant as Leon Trotsky as the Marxist revolutionary who is granted political asylum in Mexico as he befriends Rivera and Kahlo while having an affair with Kahlo. Alfred Molina is amazing as Diego Rivera as this mural painter who is large both in look and in personality as he’s an artist that is big on ideas while displaying Marxist ideals to help the people yet is a total contradiction since he also likes to party with the rich and famous as Molina showcases a man that is flawed yet full of charm and humility. Finally, there’s Salma Hayek in an incredible performance as the titular character as she displays not just charm but also a person that is willing to make a name for herself on her own terms while displaying a sense of individuality as it’s definitely Hayek at her most lively in terms of humor and drama.

Frida is a phenomenal film from Julie Taymor that features a remarkable performance from Salma Hayek in the titular role. Along with a very strong supporting performance from Alfred Molina as well as a great look and an offbeat yet engaging script. It’s a film that doesn’t just tell the story of a great artist but also a person who deals with all of the trappings of fame as she is willing to not make compromises on who she is or where she came from. In the end, Frida is a dazzling film from Julie Taymor.

Julie Taymor Films: Titus (1999 film) - Across the Universe - The Tempest - The Auteurs #42: Julie Taymor

© thevoid99 2015

Rudo y Cursi

Written and directed by Carlos Cuaron, Rudo y Cursi (Rude and Tacky) is the story of two brothers from a rural Mexican village who are discovered by a futbol scout as they each endure major success in the Mexican futbol league only to fall through different means. The film is an exploration into the world of the Mexican futbol culture as well as the relationship between two brothers as the film marks a reunion with Cuaron who co-wrote Y Tu Mama Tambien with his brother Alfonso and its stars in Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna as the two brothers. Also starring Guillermo Francella, Dolores Heredia, Adriana Paz, Jessica Mas, and Salvador Zerboni. Rudo y Cursi is an extraordinarily funny film from Carlos Cuaron.

The film is about the fortunes of two half-brothers who are discovered by a scout as they each become stars in the Mexican futbol league where the brothers not only deal with success but also a very corrupt world in the futbol league. It’s also a film that explores the relationship between these two brothers who both want different goals for themselves as Beto (Diego Luna) is a talented goalie who wants to succeed so he can help his wife Tona (Adriana Paz) and their two kids as well as the rest of his very dysfunctional family. His younger half-brother Tato (Gael Garcia Bernal) is also talented in futbol yet he has aspirations to make it as a singer. While the film is about these two brothers as they would respectively be called Rudo y Cursi, it’s mostly told from the perspective of the talent scout Batuta (Guillermo Francella) who narrates the film as he would talk about the way things work while his character is this mixture of angel and devil as he gives them what they want but also tries to profit from their misfortunes.

Carlos Cuaron’s screenplay definitely plays into the classic rise-and-fall scenario as well as exploring the corrupt world of Mexican futbol and the relationship between two brothers. The latter of which is inspired by Carlos’ own love-hate relationship with his older brother Alfonso who is one of the film’s producers. While both Beto and Tato want to succeed in futbol, they each have aspirations that showcases their differences. Beto wants to be known as the best goalie in Mexico as he is called Rudo for his rough approach to goalkeeping as he also has a family to support. Tato wants to use his talents in futbol so he can become a singer as he would get all of the perks of being a star despite gaining the name Cursi for his corny post-goal dance. Cuaron would inject a lot of crass dialogue that carries much of the film’s humor while also balancing with some drama once Beto and Tato deal with their misfortunes as well as face each other in the film’s climatic game where there’s a lot more at stake.

Cuaron’s direction is quite simple as he goes for something that is more engaging with his approach to hand-held cameras as well as some steadicam shots and some unique compositions. Much of it is shot on location in Mexico City and at the Cihuatlan Valley in Jalisco as the latter serves as the rural home where Beto and Tato lived in as the banana plantation is actually owned by the Cuaron family. Cuaron would use a lot of wide shots to capture the different landscapes where the rural home that the brothers lived seemed much simpler and quaint while Mexico City is a world where it’s big but also overwhelming considering the how chaotic it can be. Through some close-ups and medium shots, Cuaron also captures the atmosphere of what it’s like at a futbol game where he shoots these scenes from the perspective of the fans as well as what goes on at the field. Especially in the film’s climatic game where a lot is at stake while fans for both teams insult each other. Overall, Cuaron crafts a very entertaining and insightful film about two brothers who go to the city to chase their dreams only to face the dark realities of the Mexican futbol league.

Cinematographer Adam Kimmel does amazing work with the film‘s very rich and colorful cinematography from the grimy yet naturalistic look of the scenes of rural Mexico with the evocative images of the banana plantation as well as the vibrant look of Mexico City. Editor Alex Rodriguez does fantastic work in utilizing some stylish jump-cuts and other offbeat rhythms to play into the film‘s humorous tone. Production designer Eugenio Caballero does nice work with the set design from the look of the village where Beto and Tato lived with their family to the posh world of Mexico City. Costume designers Annai Ramos and Anna Terrazas do terrific work with the costumes from the more ragged look of the brothers in their rural environment to the more posh clothes they would wear in more upscale parties.

Visual effects supervisor Richard Briscoe does some good work with some of the minimal visual effects for a key moment in the film‘s ending as well as a few of the action in the futbol games. Sound designers Martin Hernandez and Alejandro Quevedo do brilliant work with the sound to capture the intimacy that goes on in the smaller moments at their homes as well as the raucous atmosphere of the futbol stadiums. The film’s music by Lenocio Lara and Felipe Perez Santiago is excellent for being very upbeat with its use of accordions and traditional Mexican instruments to play into its humor while music supervisor Annette Fradera brings in a soundtrack that includes lots of ranchero and other forms of Mexican music plus two different covers of Cheap Trick‘s I Want You to Want Me performed by Gael Garcia Bernal in a ranchero style and a more rock style by Los Odio! featuring Juan Son.

The casting by Kimberly Mullen, Mark Mullen, and Manuel Teil is wonderful as it features some notable small roles from Alfredo Alonso as a renowned drug lord in Don Casimiro who would marry Beto and Tato’s sister, Salvador Zerboni as Tato’s coach, Tania Esmerelda Aguilar as Beto and Tato’s sister Nadia, and Joaquin Cosio as Beto and Tato’s stepfather Arnulfo who often abuses their mother. Adriana Paz is terrific as Beto’s wife Tona who tries to get Beto to see reason while preferring to have the simpler life rather than the more tumultuous one her husband is in. Jessica Mas is very good as the model Maya Vega whose beauty entrances Tato as she is a woman that just wants to be with Tato because he’s the new hot star. Dolores Heredia is superb as Beto and Tato’s mother who hopes for the best for her two sons as she is a source of inspiration for the boys to succeed.

Guillermo Francella is brilliant as the talent scout Batuta as he’s a man that is very wise and can often bullshit his way into any kind of negotiation as Francella brings a lot of charm to the role while always having a fine woman at his side just to show how cool he is. Finally, there’s the duo of Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal in their respective roles as Beto and Tato as they both give marvelous performances. Luna brings an aggressiveness that allows his character to earn his nickname as he is someone who is wracked with conflict in wanting to do great but becomes homesick as he would gain a gambling problem. Bernal brings a swagger and humor to his role as a wannabe singer who has no clue about the fickleness of the music business. Bernal and Luna have great rapport together as they showcase the love-hate relationship between brothers through good and bad times.

Rudo y Cursi is a phenomenal film from Carlos Cuaron that features fantastic performances from Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna. It’s a film that is thoroughly entertaining in the way it explores the world of Mexican futbol as well as the tumultuous relationship between brothers. In the end, Rudo y Cursi is a sensational film from Carlos Cuaron.

© thevoid99 2014

Y Tu Mama Tambien

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and written by Alfonso and Carlos Cuaron, Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too) is the story of two teenage boys who go on a road trip through Mexico with a Spanish woman in her late 20s. There, the young boys deal with the rules they have created as they fall for this woman as they all try to reach a secret beach. The film is a coming-of-age film of sorts set in 1999 Mexico where the political landscape was changing. With narration by Daniel Gimenez Cacho, the film stars Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Andreas Almeida, Ana Lopez Mercado, Maria Aura, and Maribel Verdu. Y Tu Mama Tambien is a dreamy yet powerful road drama from Alfonso Cuaron.

With their girlfriends Ana (Ana Lopez Mercado) and Cecilia (Maria Aura) leaving for a trip to Europe, their respective boyfriends in Tenoch Iturbide (Diego Luna) and Julio Zapata (Gael Garcia Bernal) figure out what to do for the summer. Hanging out with their friend Saba (Andreas Almeida), the two have no idea what to do as they become bored until Tenoch’s sister is getting married as his father is a high-ranking government official. With the middle-class Julio also attending, the two meet up with a beautiful woman from Spain named Luisa (Maribel Verdu) whose novelist/professor husband Jano (Juan Carlos Remolina) is Tenoch’s cousin. After chatting with Luisa about a mysterious beach called la Boca del Cielo (Heaven’s Mouth), the two decide if they want to go to that beach.

After learning that Jano had been cheating on her, Luisa decides to go to the beach with Tenoch and Julio as they borrow Julio’s sister station wagon for this long road trip. There, Luisa learns about the boys’ manifesto that is filled with lots of rules as they drive through rural parts of Mexico as Luisa is still hurt over Jano’s confession. After the car’s radiator gets overheated as they stop in a town, the depressed Luisa would have sex with Tenoch to Julio’s confusion where makes a startling confession. Things start to get tense between the two friends as Luisa would also have sex with Julio where Tenoch would also make a confession driving a wedge between the two friends.

After Luisa eases the tension and taking over, the three finally land on a beach where they meet a fisherman named Chuy (Silverio Palacios) and his family who takes them to la Boca del Cielo where they hang out with his family and have a great time. There, the three would ultimately have the time of their lives while the two boys would face an uncertain future in the trip‘s aftermath.

The film is essentially a road drama where two teenage boys and an older woman travel through Mexico to go to a mysterious beach as they would deal with personal issues about themselves while the friendship of the boys is also tested by temptation and startling confessions. Throughout this coming-of-age journey through rural Mexico, there’s a lot that is happening around them told through a narrator who reveals bits about the lives of the characters as well as the surroundings where things are changing.

The screenplay that Alfonso and Carlos Cauron creates is a story that bends genres where it’s a coming-of-age film of sorts with elements of the road movie as well as a melodrama of sorts that concerns the character of Lucia who is dealing with a lot of things including her husband’s infidelity. It’s also a film about sex where Tenoch and Julio each have girlfriends but neither of them are very experienced as indicated by their many rules including their own sexual moments with Lucia. During this journey, the friendship between Tenoch and Julio starts to disintegrate because they each broke the rules that they and their other friends made. By the time they arrive at the beach and things seem to calm down between the three, there is an uncertainty over what will happen.

The screenplay also succeeds in not just creating characters that are very interesting as well as flawed but also manage to find a way to utilize the narration to be part of the story. Notably as it unveils some details into the lives of its characters while providing insight to the places the main characters encounter. Some of it involves a lot of the political changes that is surrounding Mexico as the film is set in 1999 as its penultimate scene reveals the end of the PRI party reign. Throughout the narration and the dialogue of the character, there is also an element where the Cuaron brothers take shots at the chauvinistic attitude towards homosexuality. Notably as Tenoch and Julio reveal that one of their friends is gay and they have a hard time dealing with it because homosexuality was sort of frowned upon in Mexico at that time. It’s a very complex and drawn-out script that does a lot while not straying into conventional ideas of drama.

Cuaron’s direction is truly entrancing in the way he presents the film through its wandering images and uncompromising ideas towards sex. Notably as the film opens with Tenoch and his girlfriend having sex as they make a vow to not stray into their relationship. Cuaron doesn’t shy away from the fact that the sex will be open and exposed though it doesn’t stray too far into explicit content. Plus, it’s presented with humor as there’s a scene of Tenoch and Julio masturbating on diving boards where a shot of semen is dropped onto the pool. It’s among the many uncompromising ideas Cuaron wants to display in his approach to sex as well as making it feel real.

Since the film is shot on location in various place of Mexico, there is a cinema verite style to the shoot as it includes a lot of hand-held camera work to get into some crowd scenes or smaller moments in the rural parts of Mexico to focus on something that is actually happening. Notably as the camera is always there to exemplify the beauty that is Mexico from its poorest areas to the rich parties such as Tenoch’s sister’s wedding where the Mexican president is present. Overall, Cuaron creates a truly delightful and hypnotic road film that bends various genres and gives a very uncompromising approach towards sex.

Cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki does amazing work with the film‘s rich cinematography that is filled with amazing natural lights for many of the film‘s daytime exterior shots and locations including the beach along with some gorgeous lighting schemes for some of its nighttime interior shots. Editor Alex Rodriguez, with Cuaron, does excellent work with the editing to play up some the rhythm of some of the film‘s sex scenes as well as hilarious comic montages involving Tenoch and Julio that doesn‘t delve into fast-cuts by emphasizing on a more methodical approach to the pacing. Production designers Marc Bedia and Miguel Angel Alvarez, with set decorator Roberto Loera and co-art director Diana Quiroz, do superb work with the set pieces such as the posh home of Tenoch‘s family to the middle-class home of Julio‘s family with some of the set pieces like a local ceremony Tenoch, Julio, and Luisa encounter.

Costume designer Gabriela Diaque does wonderful work with the costumes from the casual clothing of its characters to the gorgeous white dress that Luisa wears at the wedding party. Sound designer Ruy Garcia does fantastic work with the sound from the atmosphere of the parties to the intimate sounds of the beach locations the characters are at. Music supervisors Annette Fradera and Liza Richardson do brilliant work in creating a music soundtrack that mixes to various genres. From low-key ambient pieces from Brian Eno, Bran Van 3000, Miho Hatori, and Natalie Imbruglia to wild alternative Mexico music from Café Tacuba and Molotov with Dub Pistols. Along with music by Eagle Eye Cherry covering the Bee Gees and Senor Coconut covering Kraftwerk, there’s also ranchero music and a wonderful ballad by Marco Antonio Solis in one of the film’s key moments. Playing in the closing credits is the soaring Watermelon in Easter Hay by Frank Zappa.

The casting by Manuel Teil is incredible for the cast that is assembled as it features appearances from Emilio Echevarria as Tenoch’s dad, Diana Bracho as Tenoch’s mother, Juan Carlos Remolina as Luisa’s husband Jano, and Silverio Palacios as the Campos-loving fisherman Chuy. Other notable roles include Ana Lopez Mercado and Maria Aura as the respective girlfriends of Tenoch and Julio in Ana and Cecilia. The film’s funniest performance comes from Andreas Almeida as Tenoch and Julio’s stoner friend Saba who always likes to get high and be cool with the people.

Maribel Verdu is phenomenal as Luisa, the wife of Tenoch’s cousin who is dealing with her own existential issues as well as her husband’s infidelity as she goes on a trip to escape while teaching the young boys how to seduce women as it’s a very entrancing yet mesmerizing performance from the Spanish actress. Finally, there’s Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna in outstanding performances in their respective roles of Julio and Tenoch. With Bernal as the middle class Julio and Luna as the more posh Tenoch, the two bring a lot of humor and energy to their characters as well as a sense of humility when the two betray each other. In the scenes they have with Verdu, the chemistry between the three is engaging and intoxicating in the way they play each other out as they all give very lively performances.

***Additional Text Relating to DVD Releases Written from 12/31/14-1/4/15***

The 2002 Region 1 DVD for the film presents it in its 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in 16x9 widescreen enhanced for widescreen televisions with 5.1 Surround Sound in Spanish with English subtitles. The special features on the DVD include a TV spot and a trailer for the film’s U.S. release as a feature-length audio commentary track from actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Andres Almeida. The commentary is in Spanish where one of its drawbacks is that the commentary doesn’t feature subtitles yet it is quite humorous and lively for the fact that they talk about sex and aspects on the film’s production. The special features also includes 4-minutes of three deleted scenes from the film as two of them are scenes set on the road where they meet an old man and another where Tenoch, Julio, and Lucia talk about sex. The third deleted scene involves a scene where Cecilia tries to give Julio a hand job on their way to the airport.

Two other major special features on the DVD release is a 23-minute making-of documentary on the film as it’s one of the most enjoyable and in-depth looks into making the film. It’s a documentary that explores some of the elements of fun in making the film as well as a few pranks Alfonso Cuaron and his crew would do on Maribel Verdu because she is Spanish and the film is set on location in Mexico. Other things on the documentary involve some of the antics involving Cuaron and producer Jorge Vergara as it’s a very lively and fun making-of doc to watch. The final major special feature is a short film by Carlos Cuaron entitled Me La Debes (You Owe Me One) as this 12-minute short revolves a man returning home unaware that his daughter’s boyfriend is in the house while the man is having an affair with his maid. It’s a very funny short that plays into the world of sex from Carlos Cuaron.

The 2014 Region 1/Region A 2-disc DVD/1-disc Blu-Ray dual-disc release from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a brand new 2k digital transfer for its original 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio under the supervision of Cuaron and cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki. Along with a newly remastered 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in Spanish with newly improved English subtitles translation as the film looks and sounds more beautiful in its new remastered presentation. The DVD set retains not just the TV spots, the trailers, the deleted scenes, the making-of documentary, and Carlos Cuaron’s short from the 2002 MGM DVD all in remastered form. It also includes two new special features relating to the film.

The first is a 52-minute section of interviews as it features 11-minutes of old interviews with the Cuaron brothers, Lubezki, Bernal, Luna, and Verdu during its production in 2001. Alfonso talks about the genesis of the idea dating back to the early 90s before he would helm his first feature in Solo con tu Pareja in 1991 as it took years to get the project going. The cast and crew talked about the production while Bernal and Luna talked about their longtime friendship and how they often competed for their roles. Lubezki also discusses his collaboration with Cuaron which dates back to the mid-80s as they both were yearning to evolve in their collaboration. The 2014 41-minute interviews with the same personnel, minus Lubezki, discuss about the film and how it evolved during the production as Bernal and Luna talked about their audition process as the former suggested the latter to Alfonso who was reluctant about hiring Luna because he was a soap star at the time. The biggest coup in the production was getting Verdu on board as she was a major star in Spain as Verdu talked about her experiences as well as the fact that Bernal, Luna, and Alfonso were all fighting each other to get her attention.

She also talked about the slang in the film and Cuaron’s approach to improvisation which she found freeing as an actress. Cuaron also talks about a lot of the film’s influences which were primarily films of Jean-Luc Godard and the French New Wave which inspired the film’s narration. It’s a very amazing interview segment that includes some rare onset photos as well as to see the cast and crew be quite upbeat about the film and its legacy. The nine-minute interview with philosopher Slavoj Zizek about the film’s political/social commentary on the film is a very enjoyable interview where Zizek discusses a lot of the film’s approach to narrative and why it shot Mexico as it is. Some of Zizek’s comments are quite humorous while playing into the main story about Tenoch and Julio as they each represent different classes and political backgrounds as it relates to some of the events that was happening in Mexico. Yet, Zizek also plays into the theme of maturity and how bitter it can be since the idea of change isn’t something easy to accept.

The DVD features a booklet that features an essay by film critic Charles Taylor of the Yale Review in an essay titled Dirty Happy Things. Taylor’s essay explores much of the film’s sexual content but also the theme of maturity that parallels with the sense of change that would emerge in Mexico. Taylor discusses the film with Cuaron’s other films in how they’re all related as well as discuss some of the political context that is in the background in the film. It’s a very engaging essay that understands the film as a road trip, a coming-of-age film, a political film, and a romantic film. The dual-disc set features character bios by Alfonso and Carlos Cuaron on the three principle characters that explores much of their background as it would be used in the film’s final product. The DVD/Blu-Ray set is definitely one of the finest additions to the Criterion Collection it deserves its place to be among the list of great films in that home video series.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Y Tu Mama Tambien is marvelous yet evocative film from Alfonso Cuaron featuring top-notch performances from Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Maribel Verdu. The film is definitely not just one of the best films to come out of Mexico but also one of the great international film treasures from the last decade. It’s a film that show Cuaron being fearless in his depiction towards sexuality without going too far as well as a very human drama about a road trip that would be unforgettable. In the end, Y Tu Mama Tambien is an extraordinarily rich and intoxicating film from Alfonso Cuaron.

Alfonso Cuaron Films: Solo con Tu Pareja - A Little Princess (1995 film) - Great Expectations (1998 film) - Prisoner of Azkaban - Children of Men - Gravity - Roma (2018 film) - The Auteurs #11: Alfonso Cuaron

© thevoid99 2012

Milk

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/17/09 w/ Extensive Revisions & Additional Content.

The 2008 U.S. elections saw some big changes that are coming to the country yet to the gay and lesbian community, it seemed to be another setback. Notably in California when the law known as Proposition 8 which bans gay marriages in the state was passed. For many, it was a defeat but the gay and lesbian community to rally on as they are willing to have the same rights as straight people are. Yet, it's amazing how much times has changed for homosexuals more than 30 years ago when in 1978. An openly gay man named Harvey Milk was a San Francisco city supervisor who fought for the rights of gays and lesbians. In that year, he helped defeat a proposition that would've banned gays being teachers in school. Yet, the victory would be short-lived on November 27, 1978. Harvey Milk and mayor George Moscone were assassinated by former supervisor Dan White.

Milk would be martyred as he was considered by some as a gay equivalent to Martin Luther King, Jr. in terms of fighting for the rights of people who didn't have rights. In 1984, Milk's story was told through a documentary by Rob Epstein called The Times of Harvey Milk which would win the Academy Award for Best Documentary. With Milk's story proving to be an inspiration, especially with getting the gay and lesbian community to be more political and open to the public. The time has come for Milk's story to be told once again in a feature-length bio-pic helmed by one of American cinema's great voices and openly-gay figures in Gus Van Sant for the film simply entitled Milk.

Directed by Gus Van Sant with a screenplay written by Dustin Lance Black, writer for the TV show Big Love, Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk's life as a 40 year old man with no sense of direction as he and his boyfriend moved to San Francisco. Yet, Milk would start a revolution with a few other gay men and women as he goes into politics determined to help the gay community receive their rights as human beings despite some opposition. Playing the role of Harvey Milk is Sean Penn who leads an all-star cast in this inspirational tale of a man who became an unlikely leader. Also starring James Franco, Diego Luna, Emile Hirsch, Alison Pill, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, and Josh Brolin as Dan White. Milk is an inspirational yet powerful film from Gus Van Sant.

After living a dreary life in New York City until meeting a young man named Scott Smith (James Franco), Harvey Milk leaves the city to move to San Francisco with Scott in 1970. Changing his look to become more in tune with the times, Milk and Smith open a camera store in the middle of the Castro district as they deal with resistance from the working class community in the area. With gays and lesbians starting to crop up in the Castro, Milk becomes an unlikely leader as he rallies protests and such over beatings. With Smith on his side, Milk takes in a group of young gay men like photographer Danny Nicoletta (Lucas Grabeel), Rick Stokes (Stephen Spinella) and Dick Pabich (Joseph Cross) as part of his team as makes an attempt to run for city supervisor in 1973. After its failed run, Milk returns to his clean-cut look for the 1975 election as his devotion to politics takes its toll on his relationship with Smith.

When a young man named Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) reveals what he saw in Spain involving rioting gays and drag queens, Milk asks him to join his team. Following Anita Bryant's successful anti-gay law campaign in Florida, Milk takes his political aspirations more seriously as Scott leaves as Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pill) takes over as Milk's campaign manager. With a new approach and a strategy to reach out to voters outside of the gay and lesbian community, Milk's campaign for city supervisor succeeds as he also founds a new Mexican-American boyfriend named Jack Lira (Diego Luna). After getting the job, Milk meets another newly-elected supervisor in Dan White, who is an Irish-American former firefighter who is wary of Milk's homosexuality. Though the two try to work together, Milk is unsure of White's intentions for the laws he's trying to pass as he learns about an initiative called Proposition 6 that bans gay teachers from school.

Leading this initiative is Californian senator John Briggs (Denis O'Hare) as Milk decides to challenge him to a series of debates. Though it would take some sacrifices to his own personal life as well as his issues with White, Milk would eventually defeat Briggs and his proposition giving gays a victory. Yet, Milk's success would be short-lived following Dan White's resignation over salary disputes where he would target both Milk and Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber).

Most film bio-pics often stick to a certain formula where it often begins with the person as a child and then grow into this person or that person. This film doesn't exactly stick to the conventions of a typical film bio-pic. Instead, it's about the last years of Harvey Milk from his first meeting with Scott Smith to the huge candlelight vigil after his passing. Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black deserves a lot of credit for straying from some of the conventions of the typical film bio-pic by just focusing on the eight years of Milk's life mostly told from Milk's perspective as he's speaking to a tape recorder. It's clear from that opening of Milk talking to his tape recorder is that he's telling the story of those last eight years just before he knows he that he will be killed. Black definitely goes for a structure that is mostly told from Milk but with no voice-over narration. By the second half of the film, Dan White is introduced to get an idea of possible motives that would cause him to kill Milk.

Black doesn't offer any answers into Dan White's motives but it's clear that White is a character who is at times, a bit aloof, ignorant, and often naive while making him sympathetic over what he was going through despite the actions he would cause. The script succeeds in introducing several characters that would be important to Harvey Milk like Scott Smith, Cleve Jones, Jack Lira, and Anne Kronenberg. Though the Lira character is smaller in comparison to Milk's own relationship with Smith, it's really because Black is straying away from convention in having the audience not know a lot about Milk's relationship with Lira. He just shows that the relationship was a brief moment in Milk's life as he's often overwhelmed and distracted by his own political causes that would also drive Scott Smith away early on.

The script truly works in going for convention and going against it as Dustin Lance Black truly succeeds in creating a fascinating story. A story like this would've been more straightforward and dramatic in the hands of a director that would've been more traditional. Instead, in the hands of a revered, unconventional, and engaging director like Gus Van Sant. The film becomes something more as Van Sant goes directly for the story as well as capturing the times of 1970s San Francisco. Using lots of archival footage as well as re-creation of scenes from The Times of Harvey Milk, Van Sant creates the film as if he was doing a history report. What he does is give the audience an idea of what it was like in the 1970s for gays and lesbians just after the time of the Stonewall riots in 1969 in New York City. There was a prejudice towards them from the police as they were arriving in the Castro district while they were being vilified publicly by Anita Bryant.

In telling the story of someone like Harvey Milk, Van Sant definitely recreates the world of 1970 where he unveils Milk as just a regular guy. By the time he got tired of being oppressed by prejudice toward gays, Milk becomes an unlikely activist. Van Sant definitely uses Black's script for structure while using lots of grainy archival footage of the 1970s for an idea of the world that is Castro Street. In some of the scene's marches and protests, Van Sant takes the camera and have the audience be a member of the audience watching Milk talk and get angry over this prejudice. The direction of Van Sant doesn't go for the moody, atmospheric direction of three previous films like Elephant, Last Days, and Paranoid Park. It also doesn't go for total convention with certain shots and placement as he remains engaged into the drama. At times with the use of archival footage edited with the scenes he's re-creating, there's a romanticism of what he was trying to do.

There's times in the film where it could've gone into further, conventional territory like Milk's personal relationships with Scott Smith and Jack Lira but he does it restraint, he finds a balance to focus on Milk's political activism. There's even a scene where Milk gets a phone call from a young gay man that at first, might have been extremely stamped on in terms of dramatic structure. Yet when that individual is revisited later on, Van Sant shows what impact Milk had on one person that could've been anyone. In this film, Van Sant presents a history lesson to audiences while exploring an individual who became this unlikely martyr for gay and lesbian rights. While there's a political message about how far gays had come and what's left to fight for. Van Sant makes a film that is engaging both politically as well as inspiration about one man's fight to make a voice for a group of people who were seeking a voice in times when being who they were was sinful.

Cinematographer Harris Savides, who had Van Sant's cinematographer for several of Van Sant's recent films, does fantastic work with the look of the film. From the colorful, sunny exterior look of daytime San Francisco and the Castro area to the nighttime scenes where with low lights and such, it could be dangerous but also exciting. While Savides also goes for grainy film work with some 8mm, 16mm shots as well as grainy shots in some of the interiors. Savides does some vibrant work in a few party scenes including a church scene while capturing the moment with several shooting styles like tracking shots, steadicams to follow certain characters, and hand-held work as Savides does a superb job with the film's cinematography.

Taking over for Van Sant, who had been editing his own films recently, is Elliot Graham whose stylistic approach of meshing archival footage and the scenes that are being shot are mesmerizing. Even creating a leisurely pacing style that works instead of the methodical, elliptical pacing that Van Sant had done in recent films. Graham's editing is a highlight of the film's technical work as he helps Van Sant in creating the romantic look and feel of the film. Production designer Bill Groom with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director Charley Beal do excellent work in the recreating of 1970s San Francisco with wonderful interiors of the apartments and the camera shop that would be Milk's base. Costume designer Danny Glicker also does excellent work with the 70s style clothes and suits that Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, and Josh Brolin wears along with some great use of makeup and hair style for the actors.

Van Sant's regular sound designer Leslie Shatz does brilliant work with the location sounds and mixing in some of the interior setting. Notably one of the film's final key scenes where the sound really captures an intense, dramatic moment. Shatz's work is truly masterful in the way she creates an atmosphere in some of the party scenes along with the intensity of the marches that happens in the film. Music composer Danny Elfman does amazing work with the score in the use of some operatic music and pieces to display the drama and tone of 1970s San Francisco. With a soundtrack that includes music pieces from David Bowie, Sylvester, Sly and the Family Stone, and other disco songs. The music in the film definitely captures the times with Elfman's wonderful score underplaying the drama while paying homage to Milk's love of opera music.

The casting by Francine Maisler is spectacular in assembling several actors in various film roles with a few key cameo appearances of Milk's own personnel including Cleve Jones in a cameo while he serves a historical consultant along with photographer Danny Nicoletta providing still photos of the times and the real-life individuals that are portrayed in the film. Small performances from producer Howard Rosenman as a gay magazine magnet who has political ties along with Kelvin Yu and Jeff Koons as a couple of Milk's associates in office. Lucas Grabeel of High School Musical fame is good as photographer Danny Nicoletta while Stephen Spinella and Joseph Cross each stand out in their respective roles as Rick Stokes and Dick Pabich, who are hard-working guys who idolized Milk. Victor Garber is very good in his small role as Mayor George Moscone who finds a political ally in Milk while real-life gay actor Denis O'Hare is brilliant as Senator John Briggs who battles Milk over the Proposition 6 initiative.

Alison Pill is wonderful as Anne Kronenberg, Milk's campaign manager who shakes things up for the campaign that's often run by men as Pill truly stands out in her scenes with Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch. Diego Luna is very good as Jack Lira, Milk's 1977-1978 boyfriend who is forced to deal with Milk's increasing work in politics as he tries to get him at home while being a drunk. Though it's a small role in comparison to the other principle actors including Alison Pill, Luna does stand out in a memorable performance. Emile Hirsch is flat-out amazing as Cleve Jones, a young kid who becomes a passionate activist and organizer who is filled with energy and bravado. It's an amazing performance from Hirsch that is so full of life that he captures every moment he's in where he nearly steals the show from Sean Penn, whom he worked with in Penn's 2007 film Into the Wild.

Josh Brolin is excellent as Dan White, the man who would kill Milk and George Moscone. Brolin's performance is definitely memorable for his restraint and wonderment as a man dealing with a force like Milk while being troubled by the changes around him. It's a mesmerizing performance from Brolin, who has been getting some fantastic work in recent years as Brolin brings depth and some sympathy to a man as reviled as Dan White. James Franco delivers a fantastic performance as Scott Smith, Milk's first real boyfriend who would give Milk a change of scenery while being his early ally. When he and Milk break up, Franco continues to appear as a guy who tries to reason with Harvey as it's a brilliant performance from Franco who really proves to be a solid, impressionable actor that is a true encore to his fantastic work in the Judd Apatow-David Gordon Green collaboration Pineapple Express.

Finally, there's Sean Penn in what has to be his best film role since 1995's Dead Man Walking. Penn, who often plays dark characters in many of the film's he's been in plays a character that is truly upbeat, charming, and thoroughly engaging. In the film, Penn has a smile that warms the audience while making Harvey Milk into an accessible, open-minded, and charismatic figure that anyone would love to be with. In some of the film's political scenes, Penn truly fits in the role of a leader who can organize rallies and marches while displaying the anger of oppression with a lot of passion. In many ways, it's Penn's most accessible role since his 1982 breakthrough in Fast Times at Ridgemont High as it's a real career-defining performance from one of American cinema's great actors.

***Additional DVD Content Written on 9/1/11***

The 2009 Region 1 DVD from Focus Features presents the film in its anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1:85:1 with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound for English & French along with French and Spanish subtitles along with English for the hearing impaired. The DVD includes numerous special features relating to the film and its production.

The first is a 13-minute piece entitled Remembering Harvey is about Milk from the people who knew like former city supervisor Carol Ruth Silver, campaign writer Frank Robinson, photographer Daniel Nicoletta, organizer Allan Baird, Cleve Jones, and Anne Kronenberg. The little featurette discusses Milk’s impact on gay rights as well as what was it like being around him and his personality as it’s a good little piece about Milk.

The fourteen-and-a-half minute Hollywood Comes to San Francisco is about the film’s production as the producers, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, the actors (minus Sean Penn), and the real-life people some of the actors play talk about the film and how it brought the 1970s back to the Castro district. Particularly for those who lived in San Francisco at the time giving them a sense of nostalgia while Josh Brolin talks about playing Dan White and re-living the same events that White did which is eerie. The actors talk about Van Sant’s approach to direct actors where he allows them to find the characters while a lot of the younger actors got to meet their real-life counterparts as Cleve Jones, Daniel Nicoletta, and a few others got to make cameos. For James Franco, he went to The Times of Harvey Milk director Rob Epstein for help on researching the Scott Smith role as it’s a wonderful piece about the film’s production.

The eight-minute Marching for Equality is about the re-creation of two key marching scenes with interviews with Cleve Jones and Daniel Nicoletta as they watch the re-enactments while a couple of older extras got to participate as they did many years before. They all talk about the impact of the marches and how much nostalgia it brings to those people who are still alive from that era. The last of the special features are three deleted scenes where the first has Scott comforting Harvey who has been having strange dreams while the second involves an angry Jack venting at Harvey feeling he isn‘t good enough. The third and last deleted scene is Harvey literally being a clown. While the overall DVD content is pretty good, it only scratches the surface of who Harvey Milk is as it’s a pretty good DVD for people who enjoy the film.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Milk is truly an inspiring, powerful, vibrant, and captivating film from Gus Van Sant featuring a superb performance from Sean Penn. Thanks to a great technical team, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, and a brilliant supporting cast that includes James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, and Alison Pill. It's a film that is mesmerizing to watch thanks to Gus Van Sant's direction and unique presentation to an important period in American history. For Gus Van Sant, this film represents another brilliant film in a collection of great films he's done as he's definitely become one of cinema's most revered directors. In Sean Penn, the film represents an actor at the top of his game while giving a performance that is amazing to watch. In the end, Milk is a film that is truly a masterpiece that is engaging in its message and story about one of the most important figures in American history.

Gus Van Sant Reviews: Mala Noche - Drugstore Cowboy - My Own Private Idaho - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - To Die For - Good Will Hunting - Psycho (1998 film) - Finding Forrester - Gerry - Elephant - Last Days - Paranoid Park - Restless - Promised Land

The Times of Harvey Milk - The Shorts & Videos of Gus Van Sant - The Auteurs #4: Gus Van Sant

(C) thevoid99 2011