Spielberg

Directed by Susan Lacy, Spielberg is a documentary film about the life and career of one of the key figures in cinema in Steven Spielberg. The film chronicles many of the films Spielberg made including some of his rarely-seen student and home movies he made when he was a kid as well as the themes of the films he made told by the man himself as well as many of his collaborators as well as film critics, filmmakers, and members of his family. The result is a fascinating and lively film from Susan Lacy.

The name Steven Spielberg is often synonymous with populist cinema as some claimed that he started the Blockbuster era with 1975’s Jaws and would continue to give the film industry a jolt in the arm financially through films such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Indiana Jones film series, E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, and Jurassic Park. While he had been criticized from moving American cinema away from personal and more serious subject matter that had dominated in the 1970s. There are those that disagreed with that sentiment including Spielberg himself as he states that many of his films are personal. The difference is that they’re big personal films as his parents Arnold Spielberg and Leah Adler as well as sisters Anne, Nancy, and Sue will agree to that as there’s scenes from his films that is based on his own life and the life of his family.

Among the themes Spielberg often explored is family as it relates to the dysfunctional family life he had when he was young when his parents split up as well as his own growing pains as a child and teenager. Part of his reasons in making Schindler’s List had to do with his own issues about his Jewish faith as he felt ashamed of being a Jew when he was young and had ignored until he married actress Kate Capshaw in 1991 who got him to come to terms with his Jewish faith. Capshaw would be at his side when he made the film as he also chose not to profit from any financial success of the film in order to create a foundation that allowed Holocaust survivors to give their testimonies. It’s among the one of many stories Spielberg would tell as well as why he would make films outside of his comfort zone like The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, and A.I.: Artificial Intelligence as a way to challenge himself but also know his limits as a storyteller.

The film also explore some of the business ventures he did such as founding Dreamworks with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen as well as producing other films for other filmmakers while remaining friends with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Brian de Palma who are also interviewed in the film. Even film critics/historians such as A.O. Scott, Annette Insdorf, David Edelstein, J. Hoberman, and Janet Maslin talk about why his films endure and still matter as well as revealing why Spielberg has had a polarizing relationship with critics despite being championed early in his career by the famed critic Pauline Kael. Collaborators such as cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and screenwriter Melissa Mathison are both interviewed in the film before their respective deaths in 2016 and 2015 as well as Spielberg’s mother who died in February 2017 as the film is dedicated to her as they all talk about Spielberg’s gift in telling stories as well as stories about children. While films such as Always, Hook, The Terminal, and The Adventures of Tintin aren’t mentioned with the other films that are discussed in the documentary at the time Spielberg was in production for his 2015 film Bridge of Spies. Susan Lacy does provide a great insight into his body of work with the aid of editor Deborah Peretz in compiling footage from those films as well as some rare making-of footage.

Cinematographers Ed Marritz and Samuel Painter would film many of the interviews what were filmed which would feature many of the actors who worked with Spielberg along with collaborators who are often part of Spielberg’s filmmaking family. Sound editor Steve Borne would compile some of the audio from other interviews including clips from other films as much of the music that is played on the film is from many of Spielberg’s films which is mainly the music composed by John Williams.

Spielberg is a marvelous film from Susan Lacy. Not only is the film essential for fans of the filmmaker but also an engaging documentary that explore many of the filmmaker’s methods in making films as well as the kind of stories he want to tell. Even as it offers some rare footage of his personal life without revealing too much and give the man the chance to speak for himself as he’s still a vital force in the film industry. In the end, Spielberg is a remarkable film from Susan Lacy.

Steven Spielberg Films: (Duel (1971 TV film)) – (The Sugarland Express) – (Jaws) – (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) – (1941) – (Raiders of the Lost Ark) – (E.T.: The Extraterrestrial) – (Twilight Zone: the Movie-Kick the Can) - (Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom) – (The Color Purple) – (Empire of the Sun) – (Always) – (Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade) – (Hook) – (Jurassic Park) – Schindler's List - (The Lost World: Jurassic Park) – (Amistad) – Saving Private Ryan - (A.I. Artificial Intelligence) – (Minority Report) – Catch Me If You Can - (The Terminal) – (War of the Worlds (2005 film)) – (Munich) – (Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) – (The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn) – (War Horse) – (Lincoln) – (Bridge of Spies) – (BFG) – (The Post (2017 film)) – (Ready Player One)

© thevoid99 2017

Batman Forever

Based on the DC Comics by Bob Kane, Batman Forever is the story of Batman facing new foes as he also deals with his own traumas and identity while taking in a young man who would become his new partner in Robin. Directed by Joel Schumacher with a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, Lee Batchler, and Janet Scott-Batchler from a story by the Batchlers, the film is the third film of the franchise that began with the 1989 film as Val Kilmer plays the role of the Caped Crusader and Bruce Wayne with Chris O’Donnell in the role of Dick Grayson/Robin while the villains in Harvey “Two-Face” Dent and Edward Nygma/the Riddler are respectively played by Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey. Also starring Nicole Kidman, Pat Hingle, Drew Barrymore, Debi Mazar, and Michael Gough. Batman Forever is an entertaining but messy film from Joel Schumacher.

The film is about Batman facing two new villains as he tries to cope his role as Bruce Wayne and Batman where he also deals with his parents’ death just as a young man named Dick Grayson just lost his parents. While Batman deals with the maniacal Harvey “Two-Face” Dent, who was Gotham’s district attorney until an incident left the left-part of his face scarred as Batman was blamed for it, and a former Wayne Enterprise employee in Edward Nygma who becomes the Riddler. Adding to Wayne’s complicated life is the presence of a psychiatrist Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) who is obsessed with Batman as Wayne goes to her over his own identity issues. In taking the young Grayson, Wayne eventually realizes that he’ll need Grayson to stop Two-Face and the Riddler as Grayson would become Batman’s new sidekick Robin.

The film’s screenplay does create some nice reference to the origin stories of Robin, Two-Face, and the Riddler as they are interesting characters. Yet, the script is much-more lighthearted in its approach to action by infusing some humor into the film as it relates to the Riddler who creates an invention that would extract information from other people’s minds as he would be the one to discover Wayne’s secrets. They’re among some of the elements of the film’s script that works yet there’s some things that don’t work as the characterization of Dr. Meridian is she is this woman whose obsession for Batman makes her somewhat unprofessional as a psychiatrist. Plus, she becomes this damsel-in-distress later on as the writing doesn’t really give her more to do while some of the re-hashing of Bruce Wayne’s past is definitely uninspiring since it’s stuff that audiences already know.

Joel Schumacher’s direction does have some nice moments as the presentation of the film is far more colorful than its predecessors that were helmed by Tim Burton. Even as Schumacher was able to keep things lively in some of the film’s humor and action sequences with some dazzling compositions and moments that are very entertaining. Yet, there’s some moments in Schumacher’s direction that doesn’t work as there is a bit of cheese in some of the dialogue and action sequences where it’s clear that Schumacher wants to create something that is fun but there’s things that feels off since Batman is really a very dark character. One aspect of the direction that is very annoying are the slanted camera angles which are overdone as it makes not sense to some of the visuals in the film. While the film does have an amazing climax, it does get over-the-top at times where it would play into Batman finally accepting his two identities though some of the presentation comes off as very silly. Overall, Schumacher crafts an exciting but dizzying film about Batman and Robin fighting Two-Face and the Riddler.

Cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt does nice work with some of the film‘s extravagant lighting for the look of Gotham as well as creating some shadows and lighting schemes to play into some of the darker moments of the film. Editors Dennis Virkler and Mark Stevens do terrific work with the editing with its use of flashback montages and rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s action scenes. Production designer Barbara Ling, with art directors Christopher Burian-Mohr and Joseph P. Lucky and set decorator Cricket Rowland, does excellent work with the set pieces from the look of Gotham as well as the secret lair of Two-Face. Costume designers Bob Ringwood and Ingrid Ferrin do some good work with the clothes that Two-Face and the Riddler wear though the look of the Batsuit with nipples and codpieces are just ridiculously bad.

Special makeup designer Rick Baker does amazing work with the look of Two-Face where his left face is badly scarred to play into his unstable personality. Visual effects supervisors Andrew Adamson, Eric Durst, Boyd Shermis, and David Stump do some wonderful work with the miniatures of Gotham and some of the CGI look in some of its action sequences. Sound editors John Levesque and Bruce Stambler, along with sound designers Frank Kniest and Roland N. Thai, do some superb work with the sound from the way Riddler‘s machine extracts information from other people‘s minds to the layering of sounds in the action scenes. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is pretty decent for its orchestral bombast with some triumphant moments but also some humorous pieces while music supervisor Jolene Cherry brings in an eclectic soundtrack that features song by the Flaming Lips, U2, the Offspring, Brandy, and Seal.

The casting by Mali Finn is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Don “The Dragon” Wilson as a gang leader Grayson encounters, Jon Faverau as a Wayne Enterprise assistant, Rene Auberjonois as the doctor from Arkham Asylum, Joe Grifasi as a bank security guard that Batman saves early in the film, and Ed Begley Jr. as Nygma’s boss who is later killed by Nygma. One small role that isn’t very good is the Gossip Gertie character performed by Bob Kane’s wife Elizabeth Sanders as it’s a very annoying character that serves no purpose to the film. Michael Gough and Pat Hingle are terrific in their respective roles as Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon as Gough serves as a father-figure to Grayson while Hingle has Gordon be the man who would bring Grayson to Bruce Wayne.

Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar are both fun to watch in their respective roles as Two-Face’s assistants Sugar and Spice. Nicole Kidman is alright as Dr. Meridian Chase as this woman who has some charm and sexiness but the writing doesn’t really do any favors for Kidman as her character turns out to be very obsessed with Batman. Chris O’Donnell is excellent as Dick Grayson/Robin as a lost young man wanting vengeance on Two-Face while asking for help from Batman. Tommy Lee Jones is fantastic as Two-Face as this maniacal man who uses a coin to make decisions while wanting to kill Batman at any cost.

Jim Carrey is great as the Riddler as this former Waynes Enterprise employee who wants to get rid of Batman for not accepting his invention and become even richer than Batman as Carrey is just fun to watch. Finally, there’s Val Kilmer in a pretty good performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman as Kilmer does maintain that brooding persona of Batman but doesn’t really make Wayne very interesting while some of the characterization of Batman is off as it includes a shot of Batman smiling. Batman is not supposed to smile.

Batman Forever is a solid film from Joel Schumacher. Thanks to the lively performances of Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones as the villains, it’s a film that is very entertaining but loses a lot of the dark aspects of the Batman character in favor of being more accessible to a younger audience. Especially as Schumacher’s colorful presentation is a bit overwhelming at times where it allows the film and Batman to lose its edge. In the end, Batman Forever is a good but troubling film from Joel Schumacher.

Batman Films: (Batman (1966 film)) - Batman (1989 film) - Batman Returns - Batman & Robin - Batman Begins - The Dark Knight - The Dark Knight Rises - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - The Lego Batman Movie - The Batman (2022 film)

© thevoid99 2014

Everyone Says I Love You

Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, Everyone Says I Love You is a musical about the life of an upper-class family that involves many things including an ex-husband trying to find love in Venice. The film explores many ideas involving love including an engaged couple, a man trying to find new love, and children trying to find love as it features an ensemble cast where most of them sing. Also starring Alan Alda, Goldie Hawn, Julia Roberts, Edward Norton, Drew Barrymore, Tim Roth, Natalie Portman, Gaby Hoffmann, Natasha Lyonne, Lukas Haas, and David Odgen Stiers. Everyone Says I Love You is a delightful musical-comedy from Woody Allen.

The film is a multi-narrative story about the year in the life of a family as they experience many things in the course of the film including an engagement, a young man’s interest in conservatism, young girls trying to find love, and a woman’s ex-husband tries to find love in Venice. While it’s a premise that is simple with a simple theme, it’s told in a very unique fashion that includes many musical numbers as well as it’s told from a young woman who sees her father trying to find love while being in a loving though eccentric family in upstate New York City. Woody Allen’s screenplay is quite unique as he creates a story all told in the span of the year where there’s a lot that is going on where he brings a lot of humor and some drama into the story. Even as he plays into the many storylines involving some of the characters and their experiences with love in all of its complexities.

Allen’s direction is quite lively as he aimed for something that is a bit more natural as many of his actors aren’t adept to the musicals. There, some of the dancing and singing feels more engaging and realistic while there’s moments where it is choreographed to play up a world that is more of a fantasy as it plays to that theme of love. Allen uses a lot of wide and medium shots for the musical numbers to capture the broadness of the dancing and singing while maintaining an element of style to the compositions. Even in the way he makes New York City so lively in its many seasons while shooting some scenes in Paris and Venice. Overall, Allen creates a very entertaining and lively film about love.

Cinematographer Carlo Di Palma does brilliant work with the film‘s lush cinematography from the different looks of New York City as well as the scenes set in Venice. Editor Susan E. Morse does amazing work with the editing from the use of montages to introduce on characters and their situations along with the musical numbers with its lively rhythmic cuts. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator Elaine O’Donnell and art director Tom Warren, does superb work with the set pieces from the look of the New York penthouse to some of the look of some of the locations.

Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland does wonderful work with the costumes to play up a sense of style for many of the characters including the climatic party at end of the film. Visual effects supervisor Randall Balsmeyer does nice work with the visual effects for a musical sequence involving ghosts. Sound editor Robert Hein does excellent work with the sound to play up the low-key sound of the locations. The film’s soundtrack is fabulous for its use of standards with some additional lyrics and arrangements by Dick Hyman to modernize the songs while having them to help tell the story.

The casting by Juliet Taylor is just incredible for the ensemble that is used for this film as it features appearances from violinist Itzhak Perlman as well as Isiah Whitlock Jr. as a cop, Billy Crudup as a man DJ meets, Trude Klein as the family maid Frieda, David Odgen Stier and Scotty Bloch as Holden’s parents, John Griffin as a young man Lane and Laura fall for, and Patrick Cranshaw as the grandfather of the Dandridge clan. Tim Roth is excellent as a convicted man named Charles Ferry who comes between Holden and Skylar. Natalie Portman and Gaby Hoffmann are wonderful in their respective as the siblings Laura and Lane while Lukas Haas is terrific as their conservative-obsessed older brother Scott. Natasha Lyonne is superb as DJ, the Dandridge clan’s half-sister who helps her father find love.

Edward Norton is amazing as Holden as a young man eager to marry Skylar while Drew Barrymore is a delight as Skylar as a woman who loves Holden as she’s later drawn to Charles. Alan Alda is very funny as Bob Dandridge as a man trying to deal with the chaos of his family including his son. Julia Roberts is fabulous as Von who is a woman looking for love as she meets DJ’s father Joe. Goldie Hawn is brilliant as Joe’s ex-wife Steffi Dandridge who tries to do something with her life while helping Joe out. Finally, there’s Woody Allen in a stellar performance as Joe as a man dealing with heartbreak as he finds a new love in Von while admitting he’s still in love with Steffi.

Everyone Says I Love You is an extraordinary film from Woody Allen. Armed with a great ensemble cast and a lively film soundtrack, the film is definitely one of Allen’s more underrated features as well as one of his most entertaining. Notably as it plays to the world of love in all of its ups and downs. In the end, Everyone Says I Love You is a marvelous film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Mighty Aphrodite - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2013

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Based on biographical novel, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is the story of the crazed life of famed TV game show host/producer Chuck Barris who led a double-life as the host of The Gong Show and claims that he was an agent for the CIA. Directed and starring George Clooney and screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, the film explores Barris’ life as well as the possibility that he was an assassin for the CIA as Sam Rockwell plays the controversial figure. Also starring Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, and Rutger Hauer. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind for all of its ambition and style is a mess of a film from George Clooney.

Alone in a hotel room and feeling paranoid, Chuck Barris starts to write about his life as a kid (Michael Cera) before becoming an adult where he took on various odd jobs to score chicks and briefly get married. Despite losing at bar brawls, Chuck’s break came when he worked as a watchdog for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand where he wrote the song Palisades Park for Freddy “Boom-Boom” Cannon as it scores a hit. While sleeping with a stagehand named Debbie (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Chuck meets Debbie’s roommate Penny (Drew Barrymore) as the two begin a relationship. While Chuck tries to pitch various TV shows for ABC, he is rejected until a bar fight catches the attention of CIA agent Jim Byrd (George Clooney) who takes Chuck in as an assassin.

After learning that The Dating Game gets the green light from ABC, Chuck’s show is a major hit as he and Penny live a great life until Chuck is asked to go on a mission with another assassin named Patricia Watson (Julia Roberts). He and Patricia have an affair while he is still having a relationship with Penny as another of his shows in The Newlywed Game becomes a hit. With his work as TV producer going well while doing assassin jobs on the side, Chuck scores his biggest hit in the mid-1970s with The Gong Show that he hosts. Despite being a big star, he is criticized for the decline of quality television while he meets another agent named Keeler (Rutger Hauer) who believes there’s a mole in the CIA.

Things for Chuck become complicated as his relationship with Penny suffers while he becomes paranoid over who the mole is as he asks Byrd who reveals why he recruited him. Living in fear and paranoia, Chuck tries to finish his book and find out who the mole is.

While it’s a bio-pic that is largely stylized with no clear indication whether it’s true or not. It is still an interesting story about the guy who hosted The Gong Show while he was supposedly a killer for the CIA. While Chuck Barris may be lying about these claims that he worked for the CIA, the idea itself does make it far more interesting while possibly indicating why he was so fucked up when he hosted The Gong Show.

Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay is probably the most straightforward and conventional script that he’s done as he does portray Barris as a well-meaning guy who is also a fuck-up. Kaufman does his best to balance the comedy, romance, drama, and suspense that is presented in the film but there isn’t enough to make all of those things to be very interesting or engaging. Particularly as Kaufman wasn’t able to do enough to make it more out there and play with the narrative due to what George Clooney wanted to do as the film’s director.

Clooney’s direction is very engaging and stylish for the way he creates amazing compositions where the humor is very off-the-wall while he also creates some entrancing moments in some of the dark, suspenseful moments. The problem is that Clooney doesn’t allow Kaufman’s script to be much more out there as he tries to integrate too many ideas where it includes scenes where real-life people who knew Barris would commentate. Some of those people interviewed had something to say while some of it felt a bit distracting. Despite some amazing moments in creating great scenes of humor and suspense, Clooney ends making a very messy film that doesn’t do enough to make it more interesting than its premise suggests.

Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel does a good job with the cinematography for much of its third act as he creates some very entrancing shots including Chuck and Byrd’s meeting about the mole. It’s the work in the film’s first half that feels overly-stylized in its look with flashy flares of lighting and tinted shots that goes a little overboard including in the flashback scenes that doesn’t work. Editor Stephen Mirrone does an excellent job with the editing to maintain a leisured pace for the film while creating some stylized montages for some of Chuck and Patricia’s assassinations with Chuck’s own work as a TV producer.

Production designer James D. Bissel does a fantastic job with the set pieces created to play up the differing period of the times from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. Notably the recreation of the game shows that Chuck Barris has produced including The Gong Show as it adds to the air of nostalgia presented in the film. Costume designer Renee April does a wonderful job with the costumes to play up the different periods that the women wear throughout the film . Visual effects supervisor Louis Morin does an excellent job in creating some of the visual effects for some of the look of the old TV footage to some of the entrancing pool meeting scene between Barris and Byrd.

Sound editors Aaron Glascock and Curt Schulkey do nice work on the sound design to create the air of violence that occurs in the film including some of the voiceover work that Barris does in the narration throughout the film. Music composer Alex Wurman creates a score that is quite playful to the humor with elements of jazz while creating a low-key piano score for some of the film’s darker moments.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth is superb for the ensemble that is created which includes cameo appearances from Dick Clark, Jaye P. Morgan, Gene Patton aka Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, Jim Lange, and the real Chuck Barris plus two funny cameos from Clooney‘s close friends and co-stars from Ocean’s movies. Other small roles include producer Jerry Weintraub as an ABC executive, Richard Kind as a casting executive, Kristen Wilson as Chuck’s secretary Loretta, softcore film star Krista Allen as a woman Chuck meets at the Playboy mansion, Robert John Burke as a FCC investigator, Michael Cera as the young Chuck Barris, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as an American Bandstand stagehand Chuck sleeps with.

Rutger Hauer is excellent as CIA agent Keller who likes Chuck while revealing to him about the mole that is present in the CIA. George Clooney is terrific as the mysterious Jim Byrd who guides Chuck into the world of CIA while revealing why he recruited him. Julia Roberts is good as the femme fatale Patricia Watson who woos Chuck although Roberts is sort of miscast since she isn’t really the kind of person who can exude sex appeal. Drew Barrymore is wonderful as Chuck’s girlfriend Penny who tries to deal with Chuck’s success and the lifestyle that he’s living. Finally there’s Sam Rockwell in an amazing performance as Chuck Barris as Rockwell is the film’s big highlight. Rockwell gives a performance for the ages as he makes Barris into a very complex yet charismatic character who is a mess as Rockwell also exudes the paranoia and flaws of the man as it’s definitely Rockwell at his best.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a good though very messy film from George Clooney and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman that includes a masterful performance from Sam Rockwell. While it’s a film that has a very interesting premise about the life of Chuck Barris. It’s a film where it tries too hard to be over-the-top and play to exaggerations while it tries to be so many things. Particularly as it’s among one of the weakest projects written by Charlie Kaufman as well as the weakest film that George Clooney has directed so far. In the end, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is an interesting but uneven film from George Clooney that does include a magnificent performance from Sam Rockwell.

George Clooney Films: Good Night, and Good Luck - (Leatherheads) - The Ides of March - The Monuments Men

© thevoid99 2012

Donnie Darko

Written and directed by Richard Kelly, Donnie Darko is the story about a young teenager who evades a horrible accident as he strange things happening relating to the end of the world. Meanwhile, he sees a strange bunny rabbit who tells him what to do as his small suburban town starts to unravel. The film is a surreal tale that features element of time travel and teen angst as then-rising star Jake Gyllenhaal plays the title role. Also starring Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Noah Wyle, James Duval, Holmes Osborne, Mary McDonnell, Daveigh Chase, Alex Greenwald, Beth Grant, Seth Rogen, Katherine Ross, and Patrick Swayze. Donnie Darko is a stylish yet entrancing debut film from Richard Kelly.

Donnie Darko is a young teenager who always sleepwalk where he finds himself in different locations as he lives in a nice suburban home with his parents (Holmes Osborne and Mary McDonnell), his college-bound sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal), and their younger sister Samantha (Daveigh Chase). While Donnie is often lewd towards his family, he has another sleepwalking moment where he sees a bunny named Frank who leads him out of the house where an airplane engine falls into his room. Though the family is OK as is Donnie who wakes up at a golf course, he becomes the talk of the school as he meets a new classmate in Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone). Still, Donnie is haunted by the message that was written on his arm that stated “28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds”.

When school is cancelled due to a mysterious vandal incident, Donnie gets to know Gretchen as the school led by teacher Kitty Farmer (Beth Grant) who believes that the teachings of English teacher Karen Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore) is responsible for what’s happening. With Farmer turning to the teachings of Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze) for help, Donnie still sees strange sightings of Frank who gets him to do things. Donnie is still dealing with Frank’s presence as he starts to cause some trouble in school while being amazed by what is going on as he talks to his psychiatrist Dr. Thurman (Katherine Ross) about his fears. With things still becoming strange and Cunningham trying to impose his ideals to fellow students, Donnie starts to rail on him as he clings closer to Gretchen.

When an incident involving Cunningham has him in trouble and Kitty needing Donnie’s mother for help to chaperone the school dance troupe, that includes Samantha, to Star Search. Things get stranger following a Halloween party thrown by Elizabeth where Gretchen turns to Donnie for help as the mysterious images he sees has Donnie realize what is going on leading to a climatic moment revolving around the end of the world.

The film is about a young teenager in the late 1980s growing up in a suburban home where he sees strange visions relating to the end of the world. Throughout the film, Donnie Darko deals with bullies (Alex Greenwald and Seth Rogen), new love, authority, and the fear that the world is going to end as he only shares it with his new girlfriend Gretchen and his psychiatrist. During this journey, there is a lot that goes on in the film as Donnie’s family are dealing with the chaos that Donnie has created as a teacher tries to get books banned and impose the ideals of a self-help guru. Yet, Donnie is doing it because a strange bunny rabbit named Frank tells him what to do in hopes that Donnie can save himself.

The script that Richard Kelly creates is real genre-bender as it’s a teen-angst film, a sci-fi film, a drama, a time-travel film, and all sorts of things. Something like that could be messy and unfocused but Kelly manages to create a story that does have a cohesive center as it’s all about this young man dealing with the end of the world. While it’s largely an ensemble film, it has a lot of mysticism that revolves around time travel where Darko talks to his science teacher Dr. Monntioff which leads a revelation about the mysterious woman (Patience Cleveland) who always walks back and forth to her mailbox.

Kelly’s direction is very stylish though a lot of the scenes involving dialogue and character-driven pieces are very intimate. He knows how to frame a family dinner where there’s two people in the shot or shooting from afar to capture certain conversations. There’s also some great stylistic pieces such as this amazing, slow-motion tracking shot with very few cuts where it introduces to some characters and things that are going on. Kelly knows how to create proper introductions while injecting bits of humor in these scenes. For the more surreal moments, it’s all presented in a dreamy yet harrowing moment with a few visual effects and stylistic shots. The overall work that Kelly does is spectacular as he creates what is truly a mesmerizing debut film.

Cinematographer Steven B. Poster does an excellent job with the film‘s low-key cinematography that has some great scenes involving some of the exterior settings and some nighttime interiors including the Sparkle Motion dance scene. Editors Sam Bauer and Eric Strand do a great job with the editing in creating a mostly straightforward approach for a lot of the film’s narrative while utilizing a lot of slow-motion cuts for some of the stylish moments of the film.

Production designer Alec Hammond and set decorator Jennie Harris is very good for the look of the Darko home and school including the big bulldog statue. Costume designer April Ferry also does a good job for the casual-style 80s clothes that a lot of the people wear including the school uniform that a lot of the young actors wear. Visual effects supervisor Marcus Keys does a brilliant job with the visual effects created such as the orb that Donnie sees to some of the fantasy stuff that he sees in his head. Sound editor Victoria Rose Sampson does a superb job with the sound to capture the chaos of the party scene as well as some of the big crowd moments and the more intimate moments in the film.

The film’s score by Michael Andrews is a plaintive yet somber piece driven by piano to play up some of the drama and eerie tone of the film. Music supervisors Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe create a gorgeous soundtrack that includes a lot of post-punk tracks from acts like Echo & the Bunnymen, Joy Division, and the Church along with cuts by Duran Duran and Tears for Fear that includes a haunting cover of their song Mad World by the film’s score composer Michael Andrews and vocalist Gary Jules.

The casting by Joseph Middleton and Michelle Morris is amazing as it includes appearances from a young Seth Rogen and Phantoms Planet vocalist Alex Greenwald as two bullies who dislike Donnie, a young Ashley Tisdale as a member of Sparkles Motion, David St. James as the school’s principal, James Duval in a brief appearance as Elizabeth’s boyfriend, Patience Cleveland as the mysterious Grandma Death, Noah Wyle as Donnie’s science teacher Dr. Monnitoff, Katherine Ross as Donnie’s concerned psychiatrist Dr. Thurman, Jolene Purdy as the very shy Asian student Cherita Chen, and Beth Grant in a very showy performance as the very conservative teacher Kitty Farmer.

Other notable small roles include Holmes Osborne and Mary McDonnell as Donnie’s parents, Daveigh Chase as Donnie’s youngest sister Samantha, Drew Barrymore as the sympathetic English teacher Karen Pomeroy, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Donnie’s college-bound sister Elizabeth where she has a great scene where she and real-life brother Jake square off in a verbal war of words. Patrick Swayze is excellent in a very slimy role as Jim Cunningham, a self-help guru whose ideals are challenged by Donnie who would uncover a harrowing secret about him. Jena Malone is wonderful as Gretchen Ross, a new classmate of Donnie who becomes the love interest while dealing with her own issues as she is hiding from her abusive father.

Finally, there’s Jake Gyllenhaal in a brilliant performance as the titular character who has some outstanding scenes whether it’s ranting about the Smurfs or defying authority while being very worrisome about the end of the world. It’s definitely a true star-making performance for the young actor at the time as he really gets the chance to carry a film while be surrounded by an amazing ensemble. It’s definitely one of his best performances of his career.

*** DVD Content Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/27/03 w/ Additional Edits***

The Region 1 DVD to the theatrical cut of Donnie Darko not only enhances the film's growing cult stature but also brings more depth into the film's storylines. Aside from a clearer video transfer on the DVD in comparison to watching it on Cinemax or HBO where it's a bit fuzzy, the film looks much better in the DVD video transfer. Then there's the audio commentary in the DVD. There are two sets of audio commentary in the film. The first is from the cast that includes Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, James Duval, Beth Grant, and producer Sean McKittrick that is a bit annoying at times but also funny as many in the cast are still hoping for a Sparkle Motions reunion.

The other set of commentary is from creator Richard Kelly and Jake Gyllenhaal where they discuss some of the things that were overlooked in the film. Gyllenhaal even reveal some things including the Halloween party scene where Maggie dressed up as the girlfriend of Clare Quilty as a reference to Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of Lolita. Gyllenhaal does what is probably one of the worst impressions of Christopher Walken, whom he wished played Frank.

Aside from the usual cast & crew info, trailers, and subtitles, the DVD is filled with great stuff including the infamous Jim Cunningham, Cunning Visions infomercials. Those infomercials by the way are the most cheesiest and hilarious pieces of film ever presented and Swayze‘s performance is hilarious, even the little kid who claims to have wet the bed with his famous line, "I'm not afraid anymore". The DVD also has an art gallery of the drawings of Frank as the bunny rabbit. There's even a look at the Philosophy of Time Travel and a gallery of the film's website, which is by far one of the best film websites ever that includes the deaths of a few characters in the film. Another great feature is info on the film's soundtrack and a video for the song Mad World performed by Gary Jules.

The final tidbit in the DVD is twenty scenes that were either deleted or extended. Each scene includes optional commentary from Kelly about why these scenes were cut. The scenes include more moments with Jake Gyllenhaal talking with his psychiatrist and Karen Pomeroy, who he felt, was the best teacher in the school. Even extended scenes on the bus that reveals more cruelty towards Cherita Chen. There's even more scenes that were cut that you wished were kept. One was when Jake tells Daveigh Chase that he'll fart on her face in an extended hotel scene and another with Maggie as they're carving pumpkins. There are more scenes  of Frank in the film and more depth into the relationship between Donnie and Gretchen. There's another scene unlike the rest of the nineteen that was cut from the film that reveals Donnie's fate which brings reason into why Kelly cut that scene out.

***End of DVD Review Tidbits***

Donnie Darko is a haunting but enchanting film from Richard Kelly featuring a chilling performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. Featuring a great ensemble cast that includes Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, and many others, it’s a film that isn’t for everyone as far as conventional storytelling is concerned. Yet, that is what is so great about it because it takes chances in bending genres while creating something that a young audience can relate to. In the end, Donnie Darko is an outstanding yet surreal film from Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly Films: Southland Tales - (The Box)

© thevoid99 2011

Whip It

In an age where young girls are given to look a certain way and act in a certain way. One of the most daring films to come out in 2009 came from one of American cinema’s most revered actresses in Drew Barrymore. Though known for her days as a child star with films like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Firestarter and later solidifying herself as one of the top-draw actresses of the late 90s and early 21st Century. Barrymore took a step further into her role outside of acting as made her own directorial debut with a film based on the world of roller-derby called Whip It.

Based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, Whip It tells the story of a 17-year old girl from the fictional Bodeen, Texas as she wants to escape a world of beauty pageants that her mother wants to compete in. When she and a friend go to Austin and check out the world of roller-derby, she takes in finding the escape she needed. Directed by Drew Barrymore with Cross writing the screenplay, the film is a tale of a teenage girl finding her own voice while trying to deal with her strict, caring mother. Starring Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat, Daniel Stern, Kristen Wiig, Zoe Bell, Eve, Jimmy Fallon, Carlos Alban, Juliette Lewis, Ari Graynor, Andrew Wilson, Landon Piig, Drew Barrymore, and Marcia Gay Harden. Whip It is an extraordinary yet touching film from Drew Barrymore.

Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is a 17-year old high school student from Bodeen, Texas who is unsure what to do with her life. With her mother Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden) trying to get her to win a local beauty pageant that she won many years ago. Bliss’ attempts at rebellion by dyeing her hair blue has only baffled her mother while her dad Earl (Daniel Stern) wonders what is up with Bliss. When Bliss isn’t at school, she works at a local restaurant with best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) and their boss Birdman (Carlos Alban). Then one day on a trip to Austin with her mother and younger sister Shania (Eulala Scheel), Bliss finds a flyer for a roller-derby exhibition as she and Pash decide to go without telling their parents.

Bliss’ discovery of the world of roller-derby becomes life-changing as she saw a match between the two-time reigning champions the Holy Rollers led by Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis) against the rag-tag Hurl Scouts. Though the Hurl Scouts lost, Bliss was still impressed by their no-holds-barred attitude as the team consisted of Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), Rosa Sparks (Eve), Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell), and Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore). After Maggie suggests that Bliss should try out, Bliss does though she had to wear her old Barbie doll skates where she manages to impress the Hurl Scouts coach Razor (Andrew Wilson) as she along with the Manson sisters (Kristen Adolfi and Rachel Piplica) to join the team. While Bliss decides to hide her new role as a roller derby girl from her parents, only Pash and Birdman know with Pash helping along.

With Bliss playing her first game as Babe Ruthless, she manages to impress the fans along with her teammates even though they lost. Bliss and Pash goes to a party that included many in the scene. Among them was the game’s announcer “Hot Tub” Johnny Rocket (Jimmy Fallon) and a local musician named Oliver (Landon Piig) who Bliss falls for. While the party was fun, Bliss still had to deal with her mother’s desire for Bliss to succeed at an upcoming beauty pageant. Bliss found escape when Oliver visited as a relationship starts to blossom while realizing that the Hurl Scouts really wanted to win some games. Thanks to Bliss’ speed and Razor’s new plays, the Hurl Scouts start to become winners as things are going great. Even as Bliss becomes the league’s new poster girl. Then one night after a game, the league gets in trouble with the fire marshal as Bliss manages to leave with Oliver though Pash got arrested for carrying alcohol.

Though Bliss would have a romantic night with Oliver, she comes home where her parents found out what she’s been up to. Bliss leaves home as she tries to call Oliver while Iron Maven finds out that Bliss lied about her age to the league as she threatens to reveal the truth. With things starting to fall apart and the championship game is underway, Bliss tries to mend fences with her mother and Pash. Even as Earl discovers more about Bliss’ role in the roller-derby circuit as he goes to the Hurl Scouts for help about the upcoming game.

While the film is a mixture of a sports comedy as well as a light mother-daughter drama, it’s really about a young girl trying to find her place in the world while seeking the approval of her mother. Still, screenwriter Shauna Cross goes deep into the world of roller-derby and why it was able to attract someone as out of place as Bliss is. For Bliss, it’s not that she despises the world of beauty pageant entirely. She’s just trying to find some escape not just from well-meaning but demanding mother but also from the dull world that is Bodeen, Texas.

Another reason for Bliss to enter this rough-and-tumble world of roller derby is to find an outlet where she can be tough and deal with whatever people she has to deal with at home like a fellow pageant contestant/cheerleader or Iron Maven, the roller-derby queen. Though Maven isn’t a traditional antagonist, she is someone who feels a bit threatened by Bliss’ arrival while would be the one who discovers her true age. Bliss also discovers first love in a young rock musician named Oliver who would be the one to help get out of her shell but also put her in reckless situations that would nearly cost her friendship with Pash.

Cross’ screenplay is wonderful not just for its structure but also in character development. It’s not just Bliss that starts off as a nerdy outsider who turns into a badass, confident young woman. It’s also her mother Brooke who is this woman that has aspirations for her daughter to have a much better life than she had. Though she works as a mail carrier and likes to put Bliss into the world of beauty pageants, she always had the best intentions though not in the right way. Even though her husband Earl gets a bit smothered by Brooke, he is still able to be by her side when Bliss’ secret is revealed. Yet when she finds Bliss wallowing over Oliver, Brooke becomes the kind of woman that everyone expects in a mother and more as she also loosens up a bit.

Cross’ screenplay succeeds in not just fleshing out characters and create some funny and inspiring moments. It also gives Drew Barrymore a chance to create a film that brings Cross’ story to life. Barrymore’s direction is mostly straightforward with her presentation towards comedy and light-drama. Yet, she makes sure that the story the audience is telling is about not just Bliss but also the relationship with her mother and her friends. Barrymore always keeps the camera moving though still when it comes to conversation scenes with the Hurl Scouts. The scenes where the roller-derby is taking place definitely is one of the film’s highlights as she always has the camera following the action. Whether it’s from the viewpoint an audience member watching from the nose-bleed seats or inside the roller-derby stage.

Barrymore also allows the audience to relax and enjoy a few sequences and the scenery of where the film takes place. Notably Austin for some scenes as it was mostly shot in suburbs of Detroit. Still, Barrymore was able to give the idea that it could’ve been shot anywhere near Austin since it’s a lively place. While the film does play up to a few formulas expected in a coming-of-age film, Barrymore is able to play around with it while maintaining the heart of the story of a young girl finding her own identity. Overall, this is definitely a solid yet entertaining directorial debut for Drew Barrymore.

Helping Barrymore with her vision is famed Wes Anderson cinematographer Robert Yeomen. Yeomen’s photography is filled with an amazing array of colorful shots for many of the film’s exterior settings along with wonderful steadicam shots for the roller derby scenes. While it may not have the blaring looks that he did for Wes Anderson, Yeomen does create some inspiring work. Notably the pool scene where blue lights and dark shading around the pool is truly inspiring as Yeomen really captures something magical with that scene.

Editor Dylan Tichenor does a very good job with the film’s editing by maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Even as he create some great sequences which includes Bliss’ training montage set to the .38 Special song Caught Up In You. It’s definitely masterful in what is expected for a genre-bending coming-of-age comedy while it also plays up to the intensity of the roller-derby scenes.

Production designer Kevin Kavanaugh and set decorator Meg Everist do an amazing job with the look of the Roller Derby rink as well as the restaurant that Bliss works in which includes a large pig on top of the building. Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas does excellent work with the costumes including the pageant dresses and the costumes that the roller derby girls wear. Sound editor Christopher Scarabosio does some fantastic work with the sound that includes the intense atmosphere of the roller derby with the crowd roaring along with the sounds of roller skates driving through the rink. It’s definitely something that is expected in a rousing yet fun film with that kind of sound.

The film’s score by the Section Quartet is mostly a low-key score with serene string quartet pieces to play up a bit of the film‘s light-drama. Helping with the film’s soundtrack is music supervisor Randall Poster as he creates a truly diverse soundtrack filled with all kinds of music. From old-school acts like the Ramones, Dolly Parton, .38 Special, and the Breeders to indie acts like MGMT, Jens Lekman, the Raveonettes, the Go Team!, Peaches, Har Mar Superstar, and many others. It’s definitely a killer soundtrack that has something for everyone.

The casting by Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis-Wagner is definitely a real highlight as there are numerous standouts in various small roles. Whether its Sarah Habel as the bitchy high school queen Corbi, Shannon Eagen as the friendly pageant contestant Amber, Doug Minckiewicz as Corbi’s boyfriend Colby, and indie music performer Har Mar Superstar as a rival coach. They all bring something memorable to their roles. Other notable small roles include Carlos Alban as Bliss and Pash’s restaurant manager Birdman, Eulala Scheel as Bliss’ younger sister Shania, Kristin Adolfi and Rachel Piplica as the Manson Sisters, Ari Graynor as roller derby queen Eva Destruction, and Jimmy Fallon as the very funny roller derby MC “Hot Tub” Johnny Rocket.

Andrew Wilson is very good as the Hurl Scouts coach Razor with his silly jean-shorts look and his ability to create excellent plays. Landon Piig is pretty good as Oliver, Bliss’ rocker love interest who helps Bliss explore more of herself though would play a part into her own individuality. Zoe Bell is wonderful as the tough Bloody Holly while Eve rocks as the no-nonsense Rosa Sparks. Drew Barrymore is hilarious as Smashley Simpson who acts like a ditz and often does silly things on and off the rink. Kristen Wiig is great as Maggie Mayhem, the straight person of the Hurl Scouts who gives Bliss some advice about what mothers go through in raising kids. Juliette Lewis is also great as Bliss’ roller-derby rival Iron Maven as a tough woman who feels threatened by Bliss’ arrival while wanting to be a funny sort of bully.

Daniel Stern is phenomenal as Earl, Bliss’ dad who has to deal with his neighbor and his football-playing sons while wanting to escape his wife’s strict world. Stern hasn’t had a big major role in years as it’s definitely a reminder of what a great actor he is as he also delivers some of the film’s funniest one-liners. Alia Shawkat is superb as Pash, Bliss’ best friend who helps her become a roller-derby player only to feel slighted when Bliss goes further into the world of roller-derby and Oliver. It’s definitely a fantastic supporting performance as Shawkat can be funny and also serious in a role that could’ve been clichéd.

Marcia Gay Harden is amazing as Brooke, Bliss’ strict though well-meaning mother. Harden exudes all of the motherly traits that her character needed as she is someone who wants the best things for Bliss that she never had as a child. Harden even gets a chance to be funny while allowing her character to break away from her strict shell as it’s definitely one of her best performances to date. Finally, there’s Ellen Page in what is certainly a remarkable performance. While she doesn’t spew quirky lines or act in a stylized manner that she did in her breakthrough role in 2007’s Juno. It’s definitely a much more interesting performance as she plays a more realistic girl trying to find her place in the world. Page brings some humor to the role along with some drama as she makes Bliss Cavendar into a real, lively character. Even as it allows Page to play sexy in a non-conventional manner. It’s definitely one of Page’s finest performances yet.

Whip It is an extraordinary, fun debut film from Drew Barrymore that features a radiant performance from Ellen Page. Armed with a great ensemble cast that includes Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stern, Juliette Lewis, and Alia Shawkat. It’s the kind of film that brings laughs, real situations, and lots of roller-derby action that audiences can cheer for. It’s also the kind of film that brings a lot of girl-power that is lacking in today’s world of overly-beautiful women that not many could relate to. In the end, Whip It is a phenomenal debut film from Drew Barrymore and company.

© thevoid99 2011