The Lego Batman Movie

Based on the characters from DC Comics and Lego Construction Toys, The Lego Batman Movie is an animated film in which Lego Batman is trying to defeat the Joker and other villains while dealing with his own fears when he finds himself adopting a young boy who would become his sidekick. Directed by Chris McKay and screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, and John Whittington from a story by Grahame-Smith, the film is a comical take on the Batman story told through Legos as it’s a spin-off of the 2014 film The Lego Movie with Will Arnett reprising his role as Batman. Also starring Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Michael Cera, and Ralph Fiennes as Alfred. The Lego Batman Movie is a fun and exhilarating film from Chris McKay.

The film follows the Caped Crusader who is once again battling the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) and his army of villains to save Gotham as he isn’t sure what to do next after the Joker suddenly surrenders to the Gotham’s new police commissioner in Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson). It’s a film in which Batman is forced to face his greatest fear as he refuses to believe that he can work with other people preferring to work by himself. The film’s screenplay explore Batman’s desire to be the hero of Gotham and his belief that he can do it himself yet he remains haunted by the fact that he lost his parents as a child and couldn’t cope with the idea of a family. Yet, at a gala to celebrate the retirement of Jim Gordon (Hector Elizondo) where they announce Gordon’s daughter Barbara as his replacement. Batman in his true identity as Bruce Wayne would meet a young orphan in Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) where he unknowingly adopts him. Adding to this is the fact that he would use Grayson to retrieve a weapon at the home of Superman (Channing Tatum) in the hopes he can get rid of the Joker but he is unaware of what the Joker is planning.

Chris McKay’s direction is definitely stylish as it play into this world where it all Legos and all of the characters are Legos while using references to all of the Batman films of the past. While McKay would use wide shots to get a look of Gotham as well as some extravagant action set pieces in which Batman would battle various villains. McKay would also utilize medium shots and close-ups to play into the humor and some of the drama as the latter relate to Batman’s issues over needing some companionship as the only person he has around him is his butler Alfred. McKay would infuse a lot of offbeat moments in the animation as well as footage of films such as the 1966 Batman film and Jerry Maguire with the latter being a film that Batman likes to watch. It’s among these moments that provide that heightened sense of entertainment as well as moments where Batman reluctantly makes Grayson his sidekick known as Robin.

The film also has McKay maintain a look that fit in towards every set piece and how the characters would build something through whatever Lego piece they can find. Helping McKay with the look is production designer Grant Freckelton in the way Gotham looks as well as Wayne Manor and what the Joker would do to it for its third act. The film’s third act doesn’t just feature Joker teaming up with various villains from other stories such as Gremlins, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and other franchises/films. It just adds to a climax that is crazy but also filled with a lot of humor and moments that aren’t afraid to be ridiculous. Overall, McKay creates a joyful and exuberant film about a vigilante struggling to deal with the idea of needing a family again.

Editors David Burrow, Matt Villa, and John Venzon do amazing work with the editing as it is stylish to play into the action without deviating too much into chaotic editing styles while playing up to the film’s humor with its approach to rhythmic cuts. Sound designer Wayne Pashley does brilliant work with the sound in creating some of the sound effects as well as how the voices matches up with whatever objects the characters are using to shoot. The film’s music by Lorne Balfe is fantastic for its orchestral-based score as it has a lot of bombast in the percussions and in the string arrangements while the soundtrack feature a lot of music from artists and acts like Patrick Stump, DNCE, Harry Nilsson, Wham!, Alesso with Tove Lo, Cutting Crew, Rick Astley, and Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine.

The casting by Mary Hidalgo is great as it feature notable small voice roles and appearances from Eddie Izzard as Lord Voldemort, Jermaine Clement as Sauron, Jonah Hill as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Channing Tatum as Superman, Adam DeVine as Barry Allen/the Flash, David Burrows as an anchorman and Mr. Freeze, Doug Benson as Bane, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Conan O’Brien as the Riddler, Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face, Jason Mantoukas as the Scarecrow, Riki Lindhome as Poison Ivy and Wicked Witch of the West, Seth Green as King Kong, Kate Micucci as Clayface, Mariah Carey as Mayor McCaskill, Lauren White as Chief O’Hara and Medusa, Susan Bennett as Batman’s computer, and Hector Elizondo as Gotham police commissioner Jim Gordon who retires and gives the job to his daughter. Jenny Slate is wonderful in her small voice role as Harley Quinn as the Joker’s girlfriend who would help him conspire his scheme to defeat Batman and destroy Gotham.

Ralph Fiennes is excellent as Alfred Pennyworth as Batman/Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler who is aware of Bruce’s reluctance to invite people into his life as he sees Dick as someone that could probably help Bruce. Rosario Dawson is brilliant as Barbara Gordon as Gotham’s new police commissioner who wants to make some changes as she hopes to rid Gotham of crime once and for all yet realizes how much she needs Batman to help achieve these ideas. Michael Cera is fantastic as Dick Grayson/Robin as an orphaned boy accidentally adopted by Bruce Wayne as he would become Batman’s sidekick where Cera brings in that sense of boyish energy that is needed to be Robin. Zach Galifianakis is amazing as the Joker where he provides a lot of wit and depth into the character as well as providing a complexity to the Joker as someone who just wants some respect from Batman and is willing to do anything to get that. Finally, there’s Will Arnett in an incredible voice performance as Batman/Bruce Wayne as the Caped Crusader who thinks he is cooler than everyone and doesn’t need anyone’s help but also has this torment inside over the idea of having a family again as it’s a very comical performance from Arnett.

The Lego Batman Movie is an awesome film from Chris McKay. Featuring some dazzling animation, some very funny and adventurous moments, and a lot of high-octane action. It’s a film that definitely manages to be something fans of Batman can enjoy as well as be something that is just pure fun for audiences of all ages. In the end, The Lego Batman Movie is a marvelous film from Chris McKay.

Related: The Lego Movie - (The Lego Ninjago Movie)

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

© thevoid99 2017

Across the Universe

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/14/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Julie Taymor and written by Taymor, Dick Clement, and Ian La Frenais, Across the Universe is a musical inspired by the music of the Beatles about a Liverpool boy who travels to America to find his long-lost father as he falls in love with an American girl during the 1960s. The film is an exploration into a period of time set to the music of the Beatles as it plays into the idea of peace and love through some of the most tumultuous moments of the 1960s. Starring Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy, T.V. Carpio, and cameos from Eddie Izzard, U2's Bono, and Frida star Salma Hayek. Across the Universe is a dazzling and off-the-wall film from Julie Taymor.

In his dour world of Liverpool, a young man named Jude (Jim Sturgess) is hoping to find his father in America, who left his mother (Angela Mounsey) as a baby. Leaving behind his girlfriend Molly (Lisa Hogg) and the world he's known for all of his life, Jude enters into a new world. Landing himself in Princeton, he finds his father Wes Huber (Robert Clohessy) working as a janitor while revealing that he has his own family. Staying in his father's bunk in Princeton, Jude befriends a student named Max (Joe Anderson) after a night of fun. Max, who lives in an upper class home of sorts, invites Jude to Thanksgiving as they meet Max's sister Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). When Max announces to his family his decision to drop out of school and go to New York City, only Lucy is supportive of the decision with Jude joining along.

Arriving at the city, they stay at the apartment of a singer named Sadie (Dana Fuchs) who has also invited African-American singer-guitarist JoJo (Martin Luther McCoy) as well as a young Asian-American named Prudence (T.V. Carpio). For a while, things to be great with Jude pursuing his artistic pursuits in drawings and paintings as Max decides to invite Lucy to the city. Lucy, still in mourning over the death of her high school boyfriend Daniel (Spencer Liff) at the war, falls for Jude as everything seems to be fine. Then Max receives news that he's been drafted to join the Army forcing Lucy to deal with her feelings towards the war. With Max hoping not to get drafted, things get tense when Sadie is considered for a label deal of her own rather than her band with JoJo. After a party with Dr. Roberts (Bono), they end up taking a trip and have another party with Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard) as Prudence has joined his circus.

Upon their return to New York City, Max has been drafted and sent to Vietnam for the war. Sadie and JoJo begin to separate while Lucy becomes more involved in activism with an activist named Phil (Michael Ryan). Jude however, decides to not be involved with peace movements in order to pursue his own art which causes friction with Lucy. Yet, as things become tense and nothing is improving over the war or the protests, Jude tells Lucy about her involvement as he and JoJo try to find their own worlds through their art. Finally after another protest where Jude, is suddenly involved, things start to fall apart as Jude gets help from the last he expects to help him as everyone is forced to look inward.

While musicals aren't for all audiences, a musical with music by the Beatles is a tough sell yet the result is definitely spectacular. Even from the mind as someone as ambitious from Julie Taymor. While the result isn't entirely perfect, what she brings to the film is a look that is completely its own and with the music of the Beatles, Taymor brings everything back to the 1960s. With puppet-like sets, visual collages, and everything that seems to represent the psychedelic 60s, it's definitely a film that will stimulate as well as warp the mind of the viewer.

The film's script definitely has an interesting structure in how the music is presented and where it's taking place. The first act starts off very innocently with early music from the Beatles including some more upbeat tracks. From the dour world of Liverpool that Jude lives to the beautiful suburbia that Lucy lives in. Yet, the tone begins to change when both Lucy and JoJo have their first encounter with death, in JoJo's case, the death of a family member following the Detroit riots in '67. In the second act, the music is geared towards mid-60s Beatles where everything at first seems fine and then chaos ensues. By the third act which is around '68-'70, things start to wind down as everyone faces their own sense of disillusionment. Yet, a lot of what happens includes many references to not just that period but also the moments that happened to the Beatles as well.

The script works for the most part though it starts out very clunky and when a musical sequence is going to happen, the audiences tends to know what's going to happen. That's part of the film's weakness at first even as it has the feeling where the performance feels like a music video. Yet, as the film continues, things start to relax as the audiences know what's going to happen where the music and story finally gel. A lot of credit goes to Taymor in her presentation that includes some wonderful sequences that involves dancers and sets where the whole film does feel like theater. Then there's the music that plays to the film and by the second act, it starts to feel very natural and comforting while the message that goes in terms of what was going in the 60s doesn't feel heavy-handed. It's more about what the characters are going through and such.

Helping with Taymor's vision in terms of her staging and musical numbers is choreographer Daniel Ezralow whose choreography feels natural and not in an engaging way that would make the viewer uncomfortable. It actually works to emphasize the emotions and the feeling of where the characters are. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel use of lights from the multi-colored lights mixed in with animation sequences, visual effects design by Dongho Lee that brings some joy and rhythm to whatever sequence that's going on. Delbonnel's photography is exquisite with some wonderful exterior shots that look naturally dreamy while the interiors are amazing to the staging of the film. Editor Francoise Bonnot does some fine work with a lot of the film's editing without making into that rapid, MTV-style of cutting that's dominant in a lot of films. Instead, it moves very well with the rhythm and tone of the music as well as the emotions in the performances.

Production designer Mark Friedberg along with set decorator Ellen Christansen and art director Peter Rogness do some amazing work in the film's production. Whether it's the flashing lights that pop up during the bowling alley sequences, a hospital scene that involved a bunch of nurses played Salma Hayek, the puppets, and a lot of the recreation of 1960s psychedelic clubs, and the Liverpool club that's a reference to the Cavern where the Beatles played in their early years. The overall work on the production is amazing in every detail and look with its use of locations. Costume designer Albert Wosky does some great work with the film's look whether it's the leather-like, black look of Jude, the upper-class look of Lucy, to the psychedelic looks of Sadie and JoJo. Each look the film has in its costume works well with the period. Even in the makeup by Mary Aaron and Louise McCarthy do great work, even with the masks that some of the people wear.

Sound effects editor Wyatt Sprague does some great work in creating the atmosphere of the locations where the characters are as it plays to the tone of the film, particularly in the second and third act. Taymor's husband and music composer Elliot Goldenthal brings a nice film score that plays to Max's horrors at war as well as the sense of disillusionment that comes in the third act with its soft, orchestral score. The rest of the film soundtrack is definitely filled with Beatles covers and to its surprise, they were all actually well performed and sung by the cast. Standout cuts include Jeff Beck's guitar performance of A Day In The Life, Martin Luther McCoy's While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Because by the entire cast, and many more. It's an overall fantastic soundtrack.

The cast is definitely unique with cameos from Dylan Baker as Max & Lucy's father, Bill Irwin as their uncle, James Urbaniak as Sadie's manager, Salma Hayek as a gorgeous nurse (who wouldn't want her as 6-7 nurses?), and Joe Cocker doing a cover of Come Together in three different roles including a pimp that's a sight to see. U2's Bono makes a glorious cameo while sporting a cool American accent as this guru named Dr. Roberts. Other small appearances from Robert Clohessy, Angela Mounsey, Linda Emond as Lucy's mother, Lisa Hogg, Spencer Liff, and Michael Ryan are good in their small roles. T.V. Carpio is excellent as the confused Prudence who is trying to find her own identity as well as her own role in the world. Though her role is small, she makes most of her appearances leaving the viewer wanting more as she does a nice cover of I Want To Hold Your Hand. Dana Fuchs is impressive as the bohemian, Janis Joplin-like singer Sadie who is just sexy and a hell of a vocalist as her renditions of a few Beatles song in a bluesy style.

Martin Luther McCoy is great as the Jimi Hendrix-like character JoJo who can play a mean guitar while doing some spirited, soulful renditions of While My Guitar Gently Weeps while his duets with Fuchs are just awe-inspiring to convey their love-hate relationship. The film's real breakthrough performance is Joe Anderson as the non-conforming Max who brings a very energetic, spirited performance that is a sight to watch. The British actor not only sports a perfect American accent but his singing and dance is equally as impressive in songs like Hey Jude, Happiness Is A Warm Gun with Salma Hayek, and With A Little Help From My Friends with Jim Sturgess. Jim Sturgess is incredible as Jude, a young man who just wants to make art and have fun. Sturgess' vocal performance is amazing as he definitely adds emotions and angst into the songs, notably Revolution, Across The Universe, Girl, and Something. Sturgess not only can sing but also act as his chemistry with Evan Rachel Wood is insatiable. Evan Rachel Wood delivers a strong yet complex performance as Lucy who starts out as an innocent young girl who is forced to find reason over the death of her first boyfriend. Wood definitely is the acting veteran among her main cast while proving to sell herself not just in the film's dramatic moments but also the musical performances. Wood's vocals are definitely impressive and natural as she sings them with such life on songs like It Won't Be Long, If I Fell, and Blackbird.

Across the Universe is a marvelous film from Julie Taymor. While it is a very flawed film, it is a film that manages to be a lot of things as it includes a superb cast and amazing technical work. Especially as it has something to offer for fans of the Beatles to see these songs be re-interpreted for a new generation. In the end, Across the Universe is a visually spectacular film from Julie Taymor.

Julie Taymor Films: Titus (1999 film) - Frida - The Tempest (2010 film) - The Auteurs #42: Julie Taymor

© thevoid99 2014

Romance & Cigarettes

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com 11/9/08.

John Turturro is known to many for his work with the Coen Brothers in such films as Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? where he is considered to be one of their acting regulars. While Turturro has also worked frequently with Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Spike Lee, he remains a devoted collaborator to the Coen Brothers. In 2005, Turturro turned to the Coen Brothers as producers for his third directorial feature in a musical-romance film entitled Romance & Cigarettes.

Written and directed by John Turturro with Joel and Ethan Coen serving as producers, Romance & Cigarettes tells the story of a working class husband whose life spins out of his control when his infidelity puts him into a moral crisis. Therefore, he has to choose between his wife and his seductive mistress while his three daughters are going against him following his affair with his mistress. Part romantic-comedy and part-musical with pop songs being the soundtrack, Turturro creates a film that is definitely in its own world.

With an all-star cast that includes James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Mandy Moore, Steve Buscemi, Aida Turturro, Mary-Louise Parker, Christopher Walken, Bobby Cannavale, Barbara Sukowa, Eddie Izzard, Elaine Stritch, Cady Huffman, Adam LaFerve, Amy Sedaris, and Kumar Pallana. Romance & Cigarettes is a whimsical, romantic-comedy, musical film from John Turturro and company.

Nicky Murder (James Gandolfini) had just got caught cheating on his wife Kitty (Susan Sarandon) due to a love letter she found to his mistress Tula (Kate Winslet). His three daughters Rosebud (Aida Turturro), Constance (Mary-Louise Parker), and Baby (Mandy Moore) are all siding with their mother as they refuse to help him or give him any good food. With no support in his own home, he confides in his buddy Angelo (Steve Buscemi) about his affairs as he reveals his attraction toward the red-headed, Scottish woman known as Tula. Kitty meanwhile, turns to her friend Gracie (Barbara Sukowa) as her son Fryburg (Bobby Cannavale) is already dating Baby as Kitty's daughters are part of his band. After some guidance from Father Gene Vincent (Eddie Izzard), Kitty calls her cousin Bo (Christopher Walken) for help in trying to find Tula.

Nicky meanwhile, hears about improvements in his sex life with Tula as he goes to a doctor (David Thornton) for help. Yet, his affair with Tula starts to turn sour due to her crazy demands while Kitty is now dealing with the engagement between Fryburg and Baby. With Kitty getting closer to find about Tula with help from Bo, who is still reeling from his own heartbreak with his wife Ro (Cady Huffman). Baby turns to Nicky for advice where it's clear that despite his differences with Kitty, Nicky seems to agree in what Kitty is thinking about the engagement. A health crisis suddenly hits Nicky while Kitty finally finds Tula as Nicky's mother (Elaine Stritch) reveals harsh revelations. Things gets more revealing during a fight with neighbors (Adam LaFarve and Amy Sedaris) that also makes Kitty think about their troubled marriage.

The film can be described as a lot of things. Yet overall, the genre-bending film with romance, comedy, drama, and as a musical reveals something that audiences can relate to in this story of love gone wrong, infidelity, and other family crises. John Turturro creates a film where the musical elements is more about what a character would do if life was a musical. The approach is that the music does come naturally and without the idea where it feels staged or contrived. While the film doesn't have a real plot, the story about this man trying to figure out his role while coming to terms with his infidelity.

The direction is superb in its staging, musical sequences, and locations where a lot of it is shot on location in New Jersey. The first two acts are very strong in this exploration of infidelity and a woman scorned as she tries to figure out who Tula is. Yet, the third act is uneven in its tone as the exuberance of the first two acts goes away. Though there's music is played, it's more intimate yet it does disrupt the entire tone of the film. Despite the flaws the film has, Turturro does create an interesting film that really bends a lot of genres.

Cinematographer Tom Stern, known for his work with Clint Eastwood, does some excellent work with his camera in capturing the daytime look of New Jersey in its exteriors along with some of greyish work in some of the film's urban locations. The interior shots of the Murders' home is wonderfully intimate with low lights while an amazing, fiery sequence with Kate Winslet has Stern's camera capturing the action with great lighting and wide shots. Editor Ray Hubley does some excellent work with the film's cutting to capture the rhythm of some of the film's exuberance musical sequences that is wonderfully energetic. Though the third act does have pacing issues near the end, Hubley's work is still excellent in capturing the emotion of that act.

Production/costume designer Donna Zakowska along with set decorator Elaine O'Donnell and art director Mario Ventenilla do great work in the look of the glam-like look of the hotel suite for a memorable dance sequence along with the look of New Jersey in all of its dirty yet blue-collar look. Zakowska also creating great costumes for the Murder daughters while the costumes that Kate Winslet wears including a read leathery dress is hot to complement her character. Sound designer Tod A. Maitland and editor Eliza Paley do great work with the location sounds and mixing for some of the musical sequences and such. Choreographer Tricia Brouk does great work for many of the film's choreography in the dance sequences that are theatrical as well as natural while Margie Gillis does an amazing dance sequence for a scene with Christopher Walken and Cady Huffman to the tune of Tom Jones' Delilah.

The music supervised by Chris Robertson is filled with songs by Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Bruce Springsteen, and others ranging from 1950s doo-wop music and 60s pop with the actors singing along to various songs as if people do that in real life. With three versions of Piece Of My Heart by Dusty Springfield, Janis Joplin, and Erma Franklin with Susan Sarandon singing along to one of them. The soundtrack includes Mandy Moore singing I Want Candy with other dance sequences to the music of Buena Vista Social Club for the fiery dance scene with Kate Winslet and another Winslet dance number to the tune of Vicky Carr's It Must Be Him. Other music by James Brown, Connie Francis, and Ute Lemper round out the soundtrack while James Gandolfini and Susan Sarandon do a quiet yet wonderful duet of The Girl I Marry.

The casting by Todd Thaler is excellent with John Turturro and real-life wife Katherine Borowitz serving their roles as dancers in one of the film's sequences. John's son Diego makes an appearance as a boy on a tricycle along with Diego's older brother Amedeo as a friend of Fryburg and John's mother Katherine as a choir singer. Yianni Digaletos plays a Greek lover of Bo's wife while Tonya Pinkins as a medic and P.J. Brown as a police officer each have a memorable moment as they also get a chance to sing. Tony Goldwyn makes an appearance as an old lover of Kitty. Kumar Pallana, known for his work with Wes Anderson, is great in a memorable appearance as a flower-card shop owner. Broadway star Cady Huffman is excellent as Bo's cheating wife while Adam LaFarve is good as a loudmouth neighbor. Amy Sedaris is funny as a loudmouth neighbor who likes to badmouth the Murder family. David Thornton is also good in his small role as a doctor Elaine Stritch is very good and funny as Nicky's mother who reveals some shocking stories.

British comedian Eddie Izzard is good as a preacher who brings guidance to Kitty in a wonderful musical sequence to Piece Of My Heart while Barbara Sukowa is funny as Fryburg's mother Gracie who pines for the first love of her life that she hopes return. Steve Buscemi is funny as Nicky's friend Angelo who brings some strange advice while giving his view on infidelity. Bobby Cannavale is great as Fryburg, a guy with a Teddy Bear hairdo who is filled with lots of charms and insults as he's a guy who isn't very smart but loveable. THE GREAT Christopher Walken is amazing as Bo, an oddball cousin who reveals the flaw of men while dealing with his own heartbreak as he helps out his cousin. Walken has scenes where it's clear, he's a natural to the musical sequences as he's having fun and just stealing some moments when he's dancing and singing along to Tom Jones' Delilah.

Aida Turturro, Mary-Louise Parker, and Mandy Moore are great as the three daughters who revolt against their father. Turturro gets to be the more talkative of the trio with Parker being the quiet yet more musical trio of the daughter. Moore gets more to do as her character deals with the idea of marriage while proving she can sing rock. Susan Sarandon is great as Kitty, the scorned woman trying to find the mistress while pondering on why she fell in love with Nicky. Kate Winslet is brilliant as Tula, the fiery Scottish woman that is very sexy and a presence that is dynamic. Sporting a Scottish brogue, Winslet's performance is truly sensational as she just commands every scene she's in along with her dance sequence making her completely bonafide. James Gandolfini is excellent as Nicky Murder, a man trying to ponder his role while seeing whether he should go to his mistress or try to get forgiveness from his wife. It's a performance from Gandolfini that isn't seen much yet proves that he's a solid actor outside of his work from The Sopranos.

While it's not a great film, Romance & Cigarettes is still a very good film that has a lot of redeeming qualities and musical numbers under the vision of John Turturro. Thanks to a great cast and amazing musical numbers, it's a film that is entertaining despite its flaws. This film had the unfortunate of going through distributions problems when in 2006, United Artists and MGM was bought by Sony which led to a legal mess forcing Turturro to distribute the film himself to a small audience. This is a film that should be seen for anyone that likes musicals or romantic comedies as in the end, Romance & Cigarettes is a film that's worth your time in its entertainment factor thanks to the vision of John Turturro.

(C) thevoid99 2011

Cars 2/Hawaiian Vacation (short)

When Pixar studios released Cars back in 2006, it marked a new era for the studio as it created a new partnership with its longtime distributor in the Walt Disney Company. Despite being very successful in the box office and receiving good reviews, many cited Cars as the weakest film that Pixar released. Still, the film’s director John Lasseter decided to go ahead with plans for a sequel despite the loss of a couple of key voices in George Carlin and Paul Newman.

Directed by John Lasseter with additional direction by Brad Lewis along with a script by Ben Queen that is based on a story by Lasseter, Lewis, and Dan Fogelman. Cars 2 has Lightning McQueen taking part in a big international race as he asks his friend Mater and other Radiator Springs residents to help him out. Along the way, Mater is mistaken for an American spy as he becomes part of an international espionage with other spies helping him. A more ambitious film than its predecessor, Lasseter and company take the story to new worlds while paying homage to the spy film franchises of the James Bond and Jason Bourne movies.

Featuring a voice cast that includes returning voices from the previous film in Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Paul Dooley, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Katherine Helmond, Michael Wallis, and John Ratzenberger. The film also features another large ensemble that includes Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, Thomas Krestchmann, Jason Issacs, John Turturro, Joe Mantenga, Bruce Campbell, Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, and Michael Caine as Finn McMissile. Cars 2 for all of its visual flair and yearning to entertain is a messy yet underwhelming film from John Lasseter and Pixar.

Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation

Directed by Gary Rydstrom and screenplay by Rydstrom, Erik Benson, and Jason Katz that is based on a story by Benson and Christian Roman. Hawaiian Vacation is a mini-sequel to Toy Story 3 as Ken and Barbie sneak into Bonnie’s backpack hoping they would be in Hawaii for a vacation. Instead, they’re in Bonnie’s room during the winter time as Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the gang give Ken and Barbie a vacation they will never forget.

In what is set to be the first of a series of shorts from the Toy Story franchise, Hawaiian Vacation allows audiences to catch up with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the old gang to see how they’re settling with their new owner Bonnie as well as her other toys like Trixie, Mr. Pricklepants, Buttercup, and various others. When Ken and Barbie sneak into Bonnie’s backpack in hopes they would join her for a week trip to Hawaii, the plan doesn’t work out prompting Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys to give Ken and Barbie an unforgettable vacation. What happens is lots of funny moments that also includes a hilarious appearance from Spanish Buzz as it shows how much the toys care for each other. The result is truly not just one of the best shorts that Pixar has made but also a chance to see Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang (old and new) do what keeps the audiences smiling.

Cars 2

After winning a fourth Piston Cup in which it was re-named in honor of the late Hudson Hornet, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) returns home to Radiator Springs for a break. During a night out with Sally (Bonnie Hunt), a TV report about former oil tycoon Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard) has created a new alternative fuel called Allinol. Axlerod also announces a big international race featuring the best racers in the world to promote Allinol that is to feature F1 racer Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro) who claims to be faster than McQueen. Mater makes a call claiming that McQueen can beat him as McQueen decides to accept the challenge. Taking his entire pit crew to Tokyo for the first race, McQueen also takes Mater though isn’t sure how Mater will fit in to a world that different than Radiator Springs.

Meanwhile, a British spy named Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) is trying to uncover a plot led by a bunch of old cars including a scientist named Professor Zundapp (Thomas Krestchmann). With help from a new agent in Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), McMissile tries to find the American agent at a party where they mistake Mater as the agent who unknowingly has the information that McMissile needs. At the first race in Tokyo, a series of miscommunications involving McMissile and Mater causes McQueen to lose the race as he gets Mater kicked out of the pit crew. With Mater Shiftwell and McMissile, his knowledge of engines have him be part of their team though he tries to tell them that he’s not a spy as they go to Paris and later Italy to see what is happening.

Arriving to Italy for the second part of the race, McQueen and team stay at Luigi (Tony Shalhoub) and Guido’s home village where McQueen feels guilty over his fight with Mater. Though the second race proved to be more successful for McQueen, he and Bernoulli wonder why the other cars they’re racing have been in accidents prompting blame towards Axelrod. Mater finds out what is going on as he, Shiftwell, and McMissile have been captured. With the third and last leg of the race in London, Mater and the spies learn what Zundapp and his cohorts are doing as it’s up to Mater to save the day for everyone including McQueen.

The film is about a World Grand Prix race taking place while a couple of British spies tries to uncover a plot to get rid of cars and alternative fuel to ensure the dependence of oil. That’s a good idea yet the problem is that the film has no idea what it wants to be. On the one hand, there is an exciting spy story that is reminiscent of the James Bond and Jason Bourne movies. Then there’s this story about racing cars that also keep things exciting and added to the middle for both is a character who is kind of a simpleton (except when it comes to car parts) who has never been to a world outside of Radiator Springs.

The character of Mater is a fun, enjoyable character where in the first film, he was just a supporting character that is used as a comic relief. In this film, he becomes the protagonist and it doesn’t really work. Mater works only in small doses but to have him as part of a story of international espionage just doesn’t really work. While there is some development about his character, it ends up being a bit heavy-handed along with the message about people accepting them for who they are. For some reason, that doesn’t work as it creates a film that is very uneven and messy.

Director John Lasseter does create some exciting moments in the racing and action sequences that keeps the audience entertained. Yet, the fact that he has two different storylines that does come together towards the end doesn’t really gel very well. With co-director Brad Lewis, Lasseter seems to try very hard to get everyone and care for the characters. Yet, there’s some from the previous film that aren’t in it very much while Lasseter does give the Doc Hudson character a fitting tribute. Yet, there’s also moments where there’s too many characters to keep track of as some new ones are cameos while others aren’t fleshed out as much. Despite Lasseter’s wonderful imagery and vast compositions along with some great action and racing sequences, he creates what is definitely a very uneven film that tries to do too much without a story that could be more simplified.

Cinematographers Sharon Calahan and Jeremy Lasky do some fine work with the cinematography and lighting. Particularly with the scenes in Tokyo at night that is very colorful along with the gorgeous look of the Italian seaside. Editor Stephen Schaffer does a nice job with the editing as he creates some amazing cuts to keep up with the rhythm of the action sequences including the opening sequence which is really an outstanding sequence on its own.

Art director Jay Shuster does a phenomenal job with the look for many of the locations on the film including Tokyo, Italy, Paris, London, and Radiator Springs. Shuster definitely adds a beauty and liveliness to the locations that does make it enjoyable to watch. Sound designer Tom Myers and co-sound editor Michael Silvers do an excellent job with the sound from the layers of explosions created to the sound of tires on the raceway to create something that is a spectacle for a film like this. The music by Michael Giacchino is pretty good as he creates a score that is a bit reminiscent of John Barry’s work for the James Bond movies while adding a bit of country flair for Mater. The film’s soundtrack includes a diverse array of music such as a cover of the Cars’ You Might Think by Weezer and a couple of songs by Brad Paisley that includes a duet with Robbie Williams which are all quite decent.

The voice cast that is assembled for this film is very large as there’s a lot of characters and appearances from many actors in the film. Among the large ensemble that appears in the film includes Bruce Campbell and Jason Issacs as spies, Jeff Garlin as a broken down car in Radiator Springs, and in the roles of various racers, John Lasseter, Jeff Gordon, and David Hobbs. Italian film legend Franco Nero makes a wonderful appearance as Luigi’s uncle who gives McQueen advice about friendship while Vanessa Redgrave does double duty as Luigi’s mother (with Sophia Loren providing the Italian voice) and as the Queen of England. Darrell Waltrip, Brent Musburger, and Lewis Hamilton are all right as broadcasters for the Grand Prix. Joe Mantegna and Peter Acer are pretty good as a couple of villains who are after Mater while Thomas Krestchmann is very funny as the evil scientist Professor Zundapp.

From the previous film, there’s John Ratzenberger as Mack, Katherine Helmond as Lizzie, Michael Wallis as the sheriff, Cheech Marin as Ramone, Jenifer Lewis as Flo, Paul Dooley as Sarge, Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, Guido Quaroni as Guido, and Bonnie Hunt as Sally are all very good with Shalhoub and Quaroni providing some funny moments while Lloyd Sherr is OK as Fillmore, who replaces the late George Carlin. Eddie Izzard is pretty good as Miles Axelrod, an oil tycoon trying to sell new alternative fuel while being the target of everything that is going wrong. Emily Mortimer is excellent as Holly Shiftwell, a new agent who goes on her first field mission while providing some of the technical readouts that McMissile needs.

Larry the Cable Guy is OK as Mater where at times, he can be quite funny but he’s best when he’s just a supporting character. Too much Larry the Cable Guy isn’t a good idea and his brand of low-brow humor isn’t for everyone which one of the reasons why having Mater as a protagonist doesn’t work. Owen Wilson is all right as Lightning McQueen as his character is a bit more mature while trying to deal with Mater’s presence whom he realize is really his best friend. John Turturro is great as Francesco Bernoulli, the F1 race car who always dazzle his character with charm and trying to outwit McQueen in a game of insults. Finally, there’s Michael Caine as Finn McMissile as Caine not only makes the character pretty cool but also engaging and witty. It’s definitely Caine doing what he does best as he makes Finn McMissile into a superb character that should have his own movie.

Despite some fun moments and some good technical work, Cars 2 is very disappointing film from John Lasseter and Pixar that tries too hard to do a lot with so little. While its action sequences, humor, and racing scenes will be enough to provide entertainment for younger audiences including kids. Adult fans might feel disappointed by the fact that it does too much while having the character of Mater as the protagonist isn’t for everyone who isn’t used to Larry the Cable Guy’s sense of humor. In the end, Cars 2 represents the first real dud for Pixar studios though it is still better than a lot of the mediocre animated film that has come out for the past 10 years.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters, Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2011

Velvet Goldmine

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/16/05.

The early 1970s was an era where the whole counterculture, hippie movement was finally burning itself out. Replacing that whole era for a while but huge in Britain was the glam-rock scene filled with glitter clothing, platform shoes, glamourous tastes, and an openness to sexuality. Leading that wave during that time were the likes of David Bowie, Lou Reed, T. Rex, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Gary Glitter, Iggy Pop & the Stooges, Slade, Mott the Hoople, and many more. When glam rock ended, so did many of its stars while some like Bowie, Reed, Pop, Roxy Music, and Brian Eno moved on to make influential music from the years to come. In the early 90s in Britain, a glam revival of sorts came around that would reach to the American underground. Finally, a film on glam rock was ready to be made from American director Todd Haynes with his 1998 film Velvet Goldmine.

Named after the David Bowie B-side, Velvet Goldmine is based on the glam rock scene of the 1970s about a pop singer named Brian Slade who faked an assassination that ruined his career. Ten years later, a journalist investigates what has happened as he looks into Slade's rise and fall and his many cohorts including an American rocker named Curt Wild. The story by Haynes and his editor James Lyon that was later scripted by Haynes, many of the stories of Velvet Goldmine was based on the lives of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Brian Eno. While the film’s intention was to capture the glam rock scene, its result is an uneven and excessive film that has several moments but doesn't gel. With a cast that includes Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard, Emily Woof, and Michael Feast. Velvet Goldmine is a film that glitters with its stylization but fails to deliver fully in its intentions.

The film begins with a narration by Janet McTeer as she talks about the arrival of Oscar Wilde into the world with a pin he had when he was a baby coming down from outer space. After proclaiming to the world that he wants to be a pop idol, the green-marble pin he had came into the hands more than 100 years later into a child who would reinvent himself as a glam rocker named Jack Fairy (Micko Westmoreland). It's 1974 at the height of the movement as fans run to the stage to see their hero Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) in his Maxwell Demon persona. With rumors that Slade was going to be assassinated at the show, witnessing the concert was a young man named Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale) who sees Slade get shot.

Ten years later, Arthur is now a journalist in New York City who has been asked by his editor (Don Fellows) to do a piece on the tenth anniversary of Slade's shooting stunt that turned out to be a hoax. For Arthur, he had to go back to his memory as an adolescent, something he wants to forget since he was a huge fan of Slade while feeling sexually confused during the 1970s in Britain. He remembers the movement very well as kids acted bisexual as part of a trend and he often gotten scolded for buying Slade albums because it's for pansies. He meets up with Slade’s first and former manager Cecil (Michael Feast) who talks about how he met Brian Slade during a concert at the top club in Britain during the late 60s/early 70s called the Sombrero. He met Slade and his American wife Mandy (Toni Collette) who was a socialite that talked in a British accent.

Cecil talked about how talented Brian was but at a festival show with a hippie audience, Slade's personal and cosmic songs were trashed. Brian's wardrobe of wearing a dress also gave him trouble as he complained about being slagged until he saw wild American rocker Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor) performing with glitter and rubbing baby oil while flicking off the angry audience as he exposes himself. Slade was shocked but in awe of Curt's uncompromising approach to rock. Cecil knew that Curt Wild had given him something, especially with Curt's troubled background of shock therapy and claims that he was raised by wolves. Brian changed his presentation in front of a new management group where he meets a flamboyant manager in Jerry Devine (Eddie Izzard) who decides to manage Brian with Cecil now in the lurch as Devine makes Brian a star.

Arthur then meets up with Mandy who gives him her story of how she met Brian and his first meeting with Jack Fairy, where he stole Fairy's pin and became a star. With Brian on the rise with his band Venus in Furs, a new assistant arrives in Shannon (Emily Woof) as Brian wants to use his success to meet and revitalize the career of Curt Wild. He and Jerry go to America where they offered Curt a new deal where Jerry wants to make him a star for publicity while Brian has fallen for Curt. Amidst the chaos and excess of the era, Arthur remembers that while masturbating to a record back in the 70s forced him to be kicked out of his home. Arthur finds a new home with a band named the Flaming Creatures (the band Placebo) as the scene begins to decline while Curt and Brian's relationship falters.

Mandy then recalls the final glam rock concert where Curt performed as Arthur remembers he meets Curt as well as see Brian, who makes one of his final public appearances where he and Mandy had already broken up due to Brian's reliance on drugs. Then as Arthur continues to investigate, he learns of what has happened to Brian Slade and who has become where he tries to reach Curt Wild for information. In the end, Arthur begins to confront his past while pondering his own future.

While the film has some wonderful performance sequences that are done throughout the film, the film does suffer in its exaggeration and uneven script. While many of the film's glam rock sequences have its moments, it loses consistency when it shifts from 1970s glam to the more gray, corporate world of the 1980s when Arthur Stuart investigates his story. The Oscar Wilde subplot in the film also seems to be a distraction from the story and when the film moves into the third act where Arthur begins to recall his memory at the final glam rock show and reveal Brian's aftermath, the film loses momentum. While Haynes continues to bring in some great ideas and camera shots, his film suffers due to its uneven script.

The film's faltering script doesn't effect the film's look thanks to Maryse Alberti's colorful cinematography with its contrasting look of yellowish scenes in the dance hall sequences of Cecil's meeting with Slade along with the glam rock moments filled with color. The film's glam look is helped not just by production designer Christopher Hobbs and art director Andrew Munro for capturing the contrasting look of 70s glam and 80s gray world but also costume designer Sandy Powell for her detailed look of the 70s glam rock clothing. With editor James Lyon giving the film a nicely paced feel for the film's non-linear approach, he couldn't help the momentum that got lost in the third act.

One great aspect of the film that made the movie memorable is the music with a wonderful score from Coen Brothers longtime composer Carter Burwell along with original tracks from Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Gary Glitter, T. Rex, and Iggy Pop. A few of those tracks were performed by various bands that included Placebo, Nathan Larson, Shudder to Think, Pulp, and the Venus in Furs band that included vocal appearances from Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Ewan McGregor, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers that included several members like Andy Mackay of Roxy Music, Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and Bernard Butler of Suede while other acts included appearances from Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley and Thurston Moore.

The casting is well done with some fine performances from Placebo and many of the musicians who played in the band. Emily Woof is wonderful in her small role as Shannon, the assistant turned confidant for Brian Slade while Michael Feast is excellent in his calm role as Cecil, Brian's first manager. Eddie Izzard gives a wonderfully flamboyant and sleazy performance as the Tony DeFries caricature of Jerry Devine with his big-time obsession and star-making power. Toni Collette also delivers a fabulous performance as Mandy Slade from her vain, elegance in the 70s sequences to the burnout and calm approach of her character in the 80s as Collette brings a complexity and depth to her performance. Ewan McGregor is amazing in his role as Curt Wild, a mix of Iggy Pop/Kurt Cobain with a bit of Lou Reed & Mick Ronson, that shows McGregor's wild side and comedic antics as he not only belt out those great Iggy Pop songs but proves his performing power. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers delivers an excellent performance whenever he is singing and on the stage but when he is acting, Meyers comes off as a bit stiff in the role. Christian Bale really shines in a great supporting role of the anguished Arthur Stuart as a man trying to confront his past and sexuality while bringing an innocence and angst in the 70s sequences while some confusion and weariness to his scenes in the 80s.

While Velvet Goldmine got good reviews including a special Artistic Contribution prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, to the eyes of glam rock purists, the film was trashed. When Haynes originally presented the film to David Bowie, the rock legend was unamused as he refused to have his songs used in the film where as a result, led to Bowie to creating his own musical on his own Ziggy Stardust persona back in the early 70s. While Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, and Iggy Pop lent their music to the film, many (except for Pop, who hasn't seen it) were not happy with the film and Eno and his former Roxy Music mate Bryan Ferry felt the film was overly exaggerated. Glam rock photographer Mick Rock and Bowie's producer Tony Visconti also didn't like the film for its portrayal while 80s pop singer Boy George felt insulted by the film, especially since he was a teen during those times.

Despite its flawed script and lack of momentum in the third act, Velvet Goldmine is still a worthy film from Todd Haynes. With fine performances from Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, and Eddie Izzard, the film has something to offer for glam rock fans but don't count on the purists to like the film. The film does bring in some great moments and scenes that are memorable thanks to Todd Haynes' unconventional approach to storytelling. Though his previous film, Safe and 2002's Far from Heaven show more of his directing talents, Velvet Goldmine is still a worthy film to see.

Todd Haynes Films: Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story - Poison - Dottie Gets Spanked - Safe - Far from Heaven - I'm Not There - Mildred Pierce (TV miniseries) - Carol - Wonderstruck - Dark Waters (2019 film) - The Velvet Underground - The Auteurs #3: Todd Haynes

© thevoid99 2011