Lars and the Real Girl

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/22/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Nancy Oliver, Lars & the Real Girl is the story of a shy man named Lars who is comes out of his introverted personality when he falls for a life-sized doll named Bianca. While his brother and sister-in-law worry about this strange behavior, they play along with him as Lars finds himself attracted to a co-worker as Lars is played by Ryan Gosling. Also starring Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, and Patricia Clarkson. Lars & the Real Girl is a sweet, charming, and quirky comedy-drama from Craig Gillespie.

Living in the garage near his late parents' home, Lars is a young man who keeps to himself. Shy and often very secretive, he rarely has contact with people as he goes to work and on Sundays, go to church. Yet, his sister-in-law Karin (Emily Mortimer) is concerned as she often invites him to dinner at his parents' home where Lars' older brother Gus (Paul Schneider) lives. Lars has caught the attention of a new co-worker named Margo (Kelli Garner) who often asks him if they would like to hang out but Lars politely refuses. Then one day, a co-worker shows Lars some sex dolls that he's looking at where Lars suddenly gets an idea. Six weeks later, a big package arrives for Lars as he walks up to Gus' home and asks if he can come for dinner with his new friend. Karin and Gus are excited until they see that Lars' new friend is a sex doll named Bianca.

Gus is convinced that his brother has lost his mind as Karin is trying to figure out how to deal with it. They all go to meet the town's doctor Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson) who suggests to Gus and Karin to play along with what Lars is doing and treat Bianca as if she's real. Karin gives in but Gus is extremely reluctant. Yet with Lars starting to become more communicative, Karin begins to treat Bianca like a real person with Gus still trying to deal with Lars' state of mind. With the town also reluctant to play along, they immediately take a liking to Bianca while Dagmar tries to explore Lars' psyche. Lars takes Bianca to a party as she meets Margo who also takes a liking to Bianca. With Gus now playing along, everyone takes a shine where things seem to go well though Gus and Karin still question whether it will help Lars' state of mind.

When Margo starts to date a co-worker, Lars begins to notice her as his relationship with Bianca starts to crumble due to her activity for the town. Lars gets a little upset as Karin reminds him that Bianca has his own life. When Margo asks Lars if he would like to go out somewhere, he does as he starts to notice her more. Yet, confused over his feelings for both Margo and Bianca, Lars suddenly finds himself in what he's really dealing with.

Thematically, the film is in some ways is about death. Yet, writer Nancy Oliver and director Craig Gillespie chose to cover up that theme a bit by exploring the unique character that is Lars. Essentially the film is a character study about a young man, still haunted over the death of his parents trying desperately not to connect with anyone until he decides to enter the real world through a sex doll. Nancy Oliver's script is filled with wondrous characters who seem to care for Lars while also presenting this unique world of small town Middle America where everyone seems to know everyone and interact with each other as a community. Yet, Oliver's script explores the fragile mind of Lars and how an object like Bianca can make him interact with people while breathing life into a character like Bianca.

Director Craig Gillespie does superb work in the film by creating funny moments in the film with such subtlety in the film's first act when Karin and Gus are introduced to Bianca. The way Gillespie presents their reaction is done with a lot of humor where the actors had to do so little. The second act is also wonderfully told as Gillespie explores the world of small town Middle America with Ontario as the location. For the third act, it does become a bit dramatic but Gillespie's direction and the actors wisely underplay it as Gillespie's restrained, subtle tone works for the film as an entirety. With the way Gillespie presents the scenes and compositions while letting other characters get an idea of what they think. The result is truly a marvelous film thanks to Craig Gillespie's heartfelt direction.

Cinematographer Adam Kimmel does an amazing job with the film's photography where Kimmel captures the wintery look of small town America with dabbles of color as the interior shots are wonderfully lit to capture an intimacy and tone for each scene. Kimmel's work is truly superb as his look is authentic and beautiful as it's one of the film's technical highlights. Editor Tatiana S. Riegel is excellent for its transitional cutting, use of fade-outs and its methodical yet smooth pacing as it carries the film with such ease through Gillespie's sensitive tone.

Production designer Arvinder Grewal and art director Joshu de Cartier do a fine job in the look of the homes of Karin and Gus as well as the place that Lars works and other locations. Costume designers Gerri Gillian and Kirston Leigh Mann do a wonderful job with the film's wintery look from the sweaters and shirts that Lars wear to the colorful clothing that the women including Bianca wears.

Sound editors Barney Carbal and Perry Robertson do a nice job in capturing the atmosphere of the film's interior scenes and outdoor exterior scenes to show the world of the small town that Lars lives in. Music composer David Torn create a wonderfully melodic, bouncy soundtrack for the film's quirky yet heartfelt vibe that features melodic chimes and uplifting string arrangements while the film's third act is more somber as Torn's music wonderfully under plays the film. The soundtrack consists of artists that are mostly unknown with the exception of the Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club.

The casting by Richard Hicks and David Rubin is wonderful for its small but memorable performances from R.D. Reid as the local reverend, Nancy Beatty as Mrs. Gruner, Karen Robinson as Lars' co-worker Cindy, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos as another of Lars' co-worker Kurt who introduces him to the dolls, and Billy Parrott as Margo's boyfriend Erik. Patricia Clarkson is brilliant in her role as Dagmar, a doctor who tries to go into Lars psyche while sharing her own feelings of loneliness as she tries to help Lars cope through establishing a relationship with Bianca.

Kelli Garner is excellent in her role as the sweet, quirky Margo who has a crush on Lars while befriending Bianca as she becomes one of the few people who help Lars interact with the world. Paul Schneider is great as Lars' older brother Gus who is concerned for Lars' mental health while admitting to the guilt that it could be his fault as he tries to cope with his mistakes. Emily Mortimer is superb in her role as Karin, Lars' sister-in-law whose maternal concerns for Lars comes to the test when she deals with Bianca to help Lars overcome his introverted personality.

Then there's Ryan Gosling in an amazing and tender performance as Lars. Gosling's restrained, soft-spoken performance is definitely a testament to his talents where he can delve into a character whether it's someone extroverted or troubled. In the role of Lars, Gosling's subtlety and melancholic approach to the characters makes Lars as unique and likeable despite his own mental state. Yet, it's a great follow-up performance to the one Gosling gave in his Oscar-nominated performance in Half Nelson. The film's most surprising performance goes to the sex-doll named Bianca. The half-Danish, half-Brazilian doll with brunette hair is definitely a character full of life and wonder as she brings out the best in the actors she acts with.

The Region 1 DVD from MGM and 20th Century Fox presents the film in its 1:85:1 widescreen aspect ratio with 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound in English and Dolby Surround Sound in Spanish. Featuring English and Spanish subtitles, the DVD includes three special features. First is a brief, deleted scene where Lars in a bathtub with Bianca where the director, through text, reveals that the scene reveals Lars' struggle over his feelings for both Bianca and Margo. The 10-minute featurette entitled The Real Story of Lars & the Real Girl explores the film and its story featuring interviews with the cast and crew as Patricia Clarkson took the part because Ryan Gosling was going to be in whom she had admired. Gosling talks about his rehearsal approach where he actually spent time with the Bianca doll to understand his character.

The six-minute featurette A Real Leading Lady explores Bianca who is given more make-up than most of the cast as they talk about her while Gosling talks about a Walter Salles film she did only to get into an argument about their interview. It's a funny, sweet featurette that goes behind the character who steals the show including a couple of quotes from Richard Burton and Federico Fellini. Along with the film's theatrical trailer, the DVD also includes trailers for films like Music Within, Bonneville, Frank Oz's Death at a Funeral, Tamara Jenkins' The Savages, and the hit film from Jason Reitman, Juno.

Lars & the Real Girl is a sensitive, touching, and light-hearted film from Craig Gillespie featuring a superb performance from Ryan Gosling. Fans of Gosling will no doubt consider this film as essential featuring great supporting work from Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson, and of course, Bianca. While the idea of a man falling in love with a love-doll might seem crazy, the film's light-hearted tone and themes makes this film into a gem worth watching. In the end, Lars & the Real Girl is a remarkable film from Craig Gillespie.

Craig Gillespie Films: (Mr. Woodcock) - (Fright Night (2011 film)) - (Million Dollar Arm) - (The Finest Hours) - I, Tonya - Cruella

© thevoid99 2014

The Five Obstructions Blog-a-Thon #3: Match Point

In the third part of Nostra’s Five Obstructions Blog-a-Thon here is that next obstruction:

Since I’ve been watching a lot of films by Woody Allen this past summer, I recently revisited one of Allen’s great films in Match Point. I have a review that I wrote back in 2006 where my recent re-watch had me wanting to do another review as I decided to do this other one where I share the same views with various other critics about the film. Here is that review:

Woody Allen’s 2005 film Match Point is considered a return-to-form for the filmmaker after a period of films that were either received poorly or got mixed reviews. Yet, it is this drama about a former tennis pro who marries the daughter of a rich businessman who later engages into an affair with his brother-in-law’s American girlfriend that later gets complicated as it’s a film that mixes romance, drama, and suspense. Conceptually, it covers familiar territory for the romantic drama, but it reaches to be like Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. This solid, well-observed and cerebral presentation signifies that Woody is back in full stride after some recent so-so works. Though laden with thematic references to Strindberg's plays, Verdi's opera, modern art and tennis, it overall comes closest in narrative to his Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Allen opens Match Point with the image of a tennis ball hitting the net, and after a lot of casual conversations about the role that luck plays in shaping a life, the movie simplifies in its second half, becoming about one simple question: On which side of the net is that ball going to fall? The image repeats later—this time with a ring that hits a guardrail—and at that point, the movie really could've ended with a hard ironic twist. Yet, Allen is far smarter than that where it plays into the idea of luck and how luck can seal a man’s fate in the decisions he makes including in the most despicable actions such as infidelity and much more.

The lead role of Chris played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is a very interesting character as someone who was once a gifted tennis pro but life after tennis has left him little opportunities. Yet, he still manages to find ways to navigate into places that is foreign to him to see how he can thrive in that world. In fact, as played by Meyers, Chris always is aware of his opportunities and always is playing a kind of mental tennis with people. He may not have a grand design, but he always knows where he is placing the ball and what he hopes to achieve. There, he allows the mentality to get him a job at the club where he meets Tom Hewett, played by Matthew Goode, whose father is a rich businessman.

The handsome Chris is quickly taken into the Hewett family fold. Not as easily absorbed into the posh family's good graces is Nola (Scarlett Johansson), Tom's fiancée. Nola, the daughter of an alcoholic single mother, is heatedly disliked by Tom's controlling mother (Penelope Wilton). When Chris first encounters the sexy Nola, he develops a strong attraction to her but embarks on a relationship with Chloe, Tom's sunny sister (a superb Emily Mortimer). Tom breaks up with Nola and marries someone else. Chris marries Chloe, who enlists the aid of her affable father (Brian Cox) to get Chris a job and help him up the corporate ladder. Still, Chris is entranced by Nola as he wouldn’t see her for months until she shows up at an art gallery where he was supposed to meet Chloe.

Emily Mortimer and Scarlett Johansson show different faces of womankind. Mortimer's Chloe is the nurturing, supportive female: one who takes her husband's denial of an affair at face value and whose primary goal in marriage is to give her parents grandchildren. It's a role that Mortimer slides into without difficulty. Johansson, on the other hand, is simultaneously self-sufficient and needy. It’s the flaws of Nola as well as her background that has Chris feel attracted towards her. What passes between Chris and Nola is not only desire, but also recognition, which makes their connection especially volatile.

Notably in the third act where Nola drops a bombshell that would affect Chris’ family life as he tries to keep things a secret. Rhys-Meyers - an underrated actor - takes time to warm to Woody's ways, but ultimately delivers a subtle, affecting portrait of a man torn between two women and ways of life as he realizes the decision that he has to make. One of which would involve Chris taking on drastic measures that would be extreme. Allen has, however, stuck with his recent nasty streak, and underneath its lovely, icy cinematography, Match Point is a noir supreme; Fritz Lang would have loved it. Yet no matter how dark things get, the characters still behave in a rational, believable way. Unlike most Hollywood films, no one does anything stupid out of sheer stupidity. Here, the missteps occur because of misdirected passion.

It’s a film that is more about the idea of luck and how it can drive a man’s fate. The movie is more about plot and moral vacancy than about characters, and so Allen uses type-casting to quickly establish the characters and set them to their tasks of seduction, deception, lying and worse. It’s one of the reasons why this film is considered one of Allen’s finest though it doesn’t rank with some of the great films of his career like Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah & Her Sisters, and Crimes & Misdemeanors depending on one’s taste of what someone thinks of Allen’s overall career. Still, Match Point is sexy, mysterious, suspense-driven, eventful and essentially quite unforgettable that shows that Woody Allen still has it.

The quotes in bold are from the following in the exact order:

Dennis Schwartz, Ozu’s World Movie Reviews
Noel Murray, AV Club
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Claudia Puig, USA Today
James Beradinelli, ReelViews
AO Scott, New York Times
Andy Jacobs, BBC
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Gary W. Tooze, DVD Beaver

© thevoid99 2013

Elizabeth (1998 film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/16/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Shekhar Kapur and written by Michael Hirst, Elizabeth tells the story of Elizabeth's early life before she became Queen until she was accused of making murder attempts towards her half-sister Mary. When Elizabeth becomes Queen, she is surrounded by advisors, suitors, and everyone wanting her until she takes control. The film is an exploration as well as a dramatization of Queen Elizabeth's early life before she would assume the persona of being the Virgin Queen as she is played by Cate Blanchett. Also starring Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, Christopher Eccleston, Richard Attenborough, Fanny Ardant, Emily Mortimer, Kelly MacDonald, Eric Cantona, Daniel Craig, Vincent Cassel, and in his final film role, Sir John Gielgud. Elizabeth is a powerful, mesmerizing bio-pic.

With England in a state of chaos over religious arguments between Catholics and Protestants, Queen Mary (Kathy Burke) falls ill while giving birth to a child that unfortunately dies as her husband also dies.  With Mary's half-sister Elizabeth set to replace her, Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston) is keen to arrest Elizabeth in his belief that she's part of the Protestant revolt whom she has no part of as she lives a quaint life with her love her Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes) and two ladies-in-waiting in Kat (Emily Mortimer) and Isabel (Kelly MacDonald).  After taken to prison with her ladies-in-waiting, Elizabeth is eventually freed when she is summoned to meet her dying sister where Elizabeth is to become the new Queen of England.  With Sir William Cecil (Richard Attenborough) aiding Elizabeth in the deal once Queen Mary dies in 1558, Elizabeth takes the throne as she gets the exiled Francis Walsingham as her advisor.

Still, the state of England is in chaos as they're facing the threat of the Scotland, that is run by Mary of Guise (Fanny Ardant) from France while many try to have the Queen get married to a king for political reasons as she continues to have her time with Dudley.  After a battle against the Scots that goes wrong, Elizabeth has to deal with other lords where she offers them a plan that guarantees her loyalty.  Still, Elizabeth faces assassination attempts as French ambassador Monsieur de Foix (Eric Cantona) suggests that Elizabeth should marry the comical Duke of Anjou (Vincent Cassel).  Instead, the meeting becomes a disaster though Cecil tries to ensure that the Queen must marry to ensure England's security.  After another failed assassination attempt, things get worse when the Pope (John Gielgud) gets involved as he hires the priest John Ballard (Daniel Craig) to assassinate the Queen.

With her relationship with Dudley strained following the assassination attempt as he turns to Spanish ambassador Alvaro de la Quadra (James Frain) for help.  The Queen turns to Walsingham for advice as he would make moves to help ensure England's safety after learning about another assassination attempt involving Ballard, Norfolk, Quadra, Earl of Sussex (Jamie Foreman), and Dudley.  After Walsingham informs Elizabeth, she would make plans that would set the wave for her powerful reign.

While the film is mostly accurate on some parts including the assassination attempts by Norfolk and Mary of Guise. Like many bio-pics before and since, they tend to have serious flaws in terms of dramatic interpretations. Some characters are created fictionally in order to serve as a drama. Yet, screenwriter Michael Hirst does make a fine effort in being true to history as well as basing things on legends. Though some parts tend to be overdramatized including the relationship between Elizabeth and Dudley. Still, the film's direction by Shekhar Kapur is wonderfully observant to show what was going on in England as well as the stories behind the throne.

Notably the scenes of Elizabeth in the aftermath of everything as she becomes the Virgin Queen. The film has a great ending where it was intended to just end with her taking on in this role. Even in a scenario that was similar to the ending of The Godfather. In many ways, this film is more about Elizabeth in an early stage of her life as she becomes Queen. The stuff about her reign however, is another story.

Cinematographer Remi Adefarasin who creates some wonderful lighting schemes from some of the dark, lighting set-ups in the film's earlier sequences to more colorful, spacious sequences in the film's party sequences. Editor Jill Bilcock does some excellent work in the film's editing, notably a scene of Elizabeth rehearsing on what she has to say with the use of jump-cuts to create a bit of humor. Production designer John Myhre and art director Lucy Richardson create wonderfully elaborate set designs for the film's party settings as well as the wonderful use of locations for the castles inside. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne does amazing work with the dresses and suits that looks wonderfully lavish to the period the film is set in. Sound editor Mark Auguste creates tense moments of the film's sound to convey the terror that is coming.

Music composer David Hirschfelder creates an exotic film score ranging from dramatic, orchestral pieces to convey the film's suspense. The film also includes period music ranging from folk music ranging from the use of mandolins, flutes, and such to revel in the period. It's an excellent score that plays to the film's drama.

The cast is wonderfully remarkable with some small parts in roles like Amanda Ryan as Norfolk's lover, Terence Rigby as the treacherous Bishop Gardiner, Edward Hardwicke as the sympathetic Earl of Arundel in an early scene of her arrest, Jamie Foreman as the Earl of Sussex, future British pop singer Lily Allen as a young lady-in-waiting, and two small yet memorable performances from current British favorites Emily Mortimer and Kelly MacDonald as two of Elizabeth's loyal ladies-in-waiting. Daniel Craig is great in an early role as a brutal assassin. James Frain is also good as the corruptive ambassador Quadra who tries to win over the mind of Dudley. Eric Cantona is good as the French ambassador Monsieur de Foix while Kathy Burke is excellent as the hateful Queen Mary I.

In his final film role, Sir John Gielgud is brilliant as a hateful Pope who sees the Queen as a threat. Vincent Cassel is very funny and over-the-top as the Duke of Anjou with his knack to be comical and wear dresses. Fanny Ardant is great as Mary of Guise who tries to take control of Elizabeth while having some charm and wit in her role as she meets Walsingham. Christopher Eccleston is great as the conniving, secretive Norfolk who tries to get rid of the Queen in an attempt to become ruler. Joseph Fiennes is excellent as Robert Dudley, the Queen's lover who tries to deal with the new changes of her life that would ultimately led to his own downfall.

Richard Attenborough is great as Sir Cecil, an old advisor who tries to do what is best for the Queen as only sees his failure despite the Queen's gratitude. The film's best supporting performance easily goes to Geoffrey Rush as the mysterious Walsingham who becomes the Queen's right-hand man as he plans assassinations and such. Rush is just great in playing a dark character who can display charm while being cold at the same time.

Finally, there's Cate Blanchett in what has to be one of her greatest performances. Blanchett brings a wonderfully complex performance as a young, carefree, innocent woman who is aware of her possible role. Displaying the kind of insecurities and flaws that is to come from any woman who is about to rule, Blanchett brings those flaws with a grace that isn't seen much in acting. When she becomes Queen, we see a sense of anger and later, coldness as she develops into a strong woman who is trying to help a country in chaos become strong again. It is indeed a majestic performance from the actress.

Elizabeth is an extraordinary period film from Shekhar Kapur that features a towering performance from Cate Blanchett. Along with great production value and a superb ensemble cast that includes Joseph Fiennes, John Gielgud, Fanny Ardant, Christopher Eccleston, and Geoffrey Rush. It's a film that plays up the grandeur of who Queen Elizabeth was in her early years as well as the people who try to bring her down. In the end, Elizabeth is a marvelous film from Shekhar Kapur.

(C) thevoid99 2012

Lovely & Amazing

Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, Lovely & Amazing is the story of a family of women and a child as they each deal with all sorts of insecurities as they deal age, body image, and other issues. The film is an exploration of the lives of three different women and a pre-teen African-American child as they all try to figure out their place in the world. Starring Brenda Blethyn, Catherine Keener, Emily Mortimer, Raven Goodwin, James LeGros, Clark Gregg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dermont Mulroney, Aunjanue Ellis, and Michael Nouri. Lovely & Amazing is a poignant yet heartbreaking comedy-drama from Nicole Holofcener.

Jane Marks (Brenda Blethyn) is a middle-aged woman is set to have plastic surgery in hopes to look younger. While her adult daughters Michelle (Catherine Keener) and Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer) aren’t fond of the idea as is their adopted pre-teen African-American sister Annie (Raven Goodwin). They all are hoping for the best as Jane falls for her surgeon Dr. Crane (Michael Nouri) during the procedure. Michelle meanwhile, is dealing with issues with her artistic pursuits as it’s not bringing income to her family as she is at odds with her husband Bill (Clark Gregg). For the aspiring actress Elizabeth, she is still dealing with her physical insecurities as a photo shoot for her was a disaster for her while her relationship with boyfriend Paul (James LeGros).

With Jane wants the overweight and troublesome Annie to find a positive African-American role model in a swimming coach in Lorraine (Aunjanue Ellis). Annie has a hard time dealing with the fact that she’s an African-American while her older sisters try to help her out as she would often play with Michelle’s daughter Maddy (Ashlyn Rose). Unable to get money for her art, Michelle takes a job working at a one-hour photo shop as she befriends its 17-year old manager Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal). Elizabeth’s acting career is starting to take off as she gains an audition with film star Kevin McCabe (Dermont Mulroney) which didn’t go well though McCabe thought she was good as they later went out for dinner.

When Jane’s surgery leaves her in a coma, the sisters all try to deal with what’s happening as Michelle embarks on a fling with Jordan while Annie starts to act out. With the premiere of Elizabeth’s new movie is happening, the sisters attend as they would all face their own problems about themselves and their mother.

The film is about four different women in different age groups and situations as they all try to come to terms with who they all are. With each hoping to make something of themselves, they would also face the certain realities of their own situations as it becomes harder for them to deal with. In reality, the film is a character study of sorts as well as displaying the kind of insecurities that women go through. For some, it’s a physical insecurity. For others, it something much more as Nicole Holofcener delve into these issues without going into a heavy-handed route by letting the audience figure out these characters.

For Jane, she’s a woman who is already a mother to two adult women as she is hoping to look and feel young in the surgery. What happens would force her to endure something unexpected as she also tries to flirt with her surgeon. For the eldest daughter Michelle, she is a woman who feels like her marriage is on the outs due to her unkind husband as she is also a kid of sorts who likes to watch cartoons and eat cereals with her daughter. Elizabeth is a woman with a nice figure but feels very insecure about herself as she would often take in stray dogs while her boyfriend becomes very uninterested. In the young Annie, she is a young African-American child living with a White family as she has a hard time dealing with her own racial identity while she just acts out and is becoming overweight.

The script allows Holofcener to figure these people out as they all want something to identify with while Michelle and Elizabeth each engage into different affairs due to their unhappy love life. Yet, the men they would be with for these affairs are very different individuals who appreciate who they are although they’re clearly not the right kind of guys to be with. Still, Holofcener does make them complex enough to be interesting men while maintaining her focus on the women as they try to figure themselves out.

Holofcener’s direction is truly engaging in the way she presents the film although many of the shots and compositions are pretty straightforward. Despite that lack of style, Holofcener does make up for it by being very up-front on the film’s dramatic moments while knowing when to put humor in a few scenes. One notable scene that is very confrontational involves a fully-nude Elizabeth asking Kevin McCabe what is wrong with her body. McCabe would be reluctantly honest as it is one of the most uncomfortable moments ever presented on film. It’s a moment in the film where nudity is allowed to help tell a story rather than just be a sex scene or an excuse just to have nudity.

Other moments of Holofcener’s direction involves the Annie character as this young girl is definitely lost in her identity as Holofcener presents these subtle moments where she pretends to play dead while swimming in a pool. Holofcener presents Annie as a lost child who is unsure about who she is as she would be quite up-front about everything as she curses and likes to eat a lot of food. There’s a scene where she and Michelle have a moment as Annie asks if she likes her straightened hair. Michelle reveals her answer in a direct yet calm manner as she understands what Annie is going through without really saying more. It’s these little moments of drama and humor that makes the film so much more than just a typical comedy-drama as Holofcener creates a very broad yet heartwarming film.

Cinematographer Harold Bosmajian does an excellent job with the film’s low-key digital photography that is a bit grainy but very entrancing for its simple look. Notably in the nighttime interiors where it doesn’t need lots of light while maintaining a sense of mood for the dramatic moments of the film. Editor Robert Frazer does a nice job with the editing by playing it a bit straight while utilizing a few jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts for some of the intensity of the film’s dramatic moments. Production designer Devorah Herbert and art director Missy Parker do some terrific work in creating the set piece such as the homemade artwork that Michelle makes as well as the look of Jane’s clean, spacious home.

Costume designer Vanessa Vogel does a very good job with the costumes as a lot of it is quite casual for the men and women while it also includes some designer stuff that Elizabeth wears including the sheer dress she wears in the opening scene. Sound editor Kelly Oxford does some fine work in the sound editing from the intimacy of some of the locations that occur to the raucous atmosphere of the pool hall where Lorraine runs the swimming school. The music by Craig Richey is quite remarkable for its keyboard-driven score with folk-driven pieces to play up the drama that occurs in the film. Music supervisor Amy Rosen creates a soundtrack that is very low-key as it includes a lot of indie acts like Pillbox, Josh Rouse, Elwood, and Bleu.

The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is remarkable for the ensemble that is created as it includes small but notable performances from Christine Mourad as Elizabeth’s agent Cindy, Ashlynn Rose as Bill and Michelle’s daughter Maddy, Dreya Webber as Michelle’s friend Donna, James LeGros as Elizabeth’s cynical and disinterested boyfriend Paul, and Clark Gregg as Michelle’s smarmy and unsupportive husband Bill. Other noteworthy supporting roles include Michael Nouri as Jane’s attractive surgeon Dr. Crane, Dermont Mulroney as big-time film star Kevin McCabe, Aunjunae Ellis as Annie’s kind but concerned swimming coach Lorraine, and Jake Gyllenhaal as Michelle’s teenage photo-shop manager Jordan whom she would have a brief affair with.

Raven Goodwin is superb as the young African-American child Annie who is confused by her identity while acting out as she deals with her mother’s surgery as it’s a very raw yet charming performance for the young actress. Brenda Blethyn is excellent as the humorous and excited Jane who is hoping to look and feel young while trying to help her daughters with their own situations. Emily Mortimer is great as the insecure Elizabeth who is trying to get an acting career going while dealing with her own physical flaws as Mortimer delivers one of her most vulnerable moments by going full-on nude in front of a guy as it’s a truly confrontational yet unsettling performance from the British actress. Finally, there’s Catherine Keener in a brilliant performance as Michelle who tries to find success as an artist while dealing with a failing marriage as she also has to help out her other sisters as it’s a witty yet touching performance from Keener.

Lovely & Amazing is a spectacular yet smart film from Nicole Holofcener. Featuring an amazing ensemble cast led by Catherine Keener, Emily Mortimer, Brenda Blethyn, and Raven Goodwin. It’s a film that doesn’t stray into conventions about women and their own issues about their physicality, age, and identity while it’s also one that is quite strong. Even if the characters are flawed but real enough for people to be engaged by. Lovely & Amazing is a rich and poignant drama that is told with a sense of wit and realism better than its creator Nicole Holofcener.

Nicole Holofcener Films: Walking & Talking - Friends with Money - Please Give - Enough Said - The Auteurs #22: Nicole Holofcener

© thevoid99 2012

Hugo (2011 film)

Based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, Hugo is the story of a young boy who lives secretly at a Parisian train station in the 1930s fixing clocks unbeknownst to anyone. When he meets a young girl, they uncover a secret from automaton that he and his late father try to repair which relates to filmmaker George Melies. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by John Logan, the film is a family adventure film where Scorsese also pays tribute to early 20th Century cinema. Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Emily Mortimer, Frances de la Tour, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ray Winstone, Richard Griffiths, and Ben Kingsley. Hugo is a dazzling film from Martin Scorsese.

Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives alone at a train station in Paris where he fixes clocks throughout the station in secrecy. With his father (Jude Law) dead due to a fire at a museum and his uncle Claude (Ray Winstone) away, Hugo spends his time making sure the clocks work while stealing parts to fix an automaton that his father had found at the museum. Still, Hugo tries to evade the snoopy station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) while getting into trouble with a bitter toy shop owner name Mr. George (Ben Kinglsey) who notices that Hugo had been stealing as he also takes away his notebook. Hugo follows George to his home as he sees a young girl named Isabel (Chloe Grace Moretz) who notices Hugo outside as he asks for his notebook back.

Though Isabel was unable to retrieve the notebook, she befriends Hugo as the two go into an adventure where he introduces her to the movies. While Hugo’s talents to fix things did get George’s attention as he hires him briefly to fix things, Isabel’s interest in what Hugo is hiding as him showing her what he’s been doing. Since she has a key that is shaped like a heart, they managed to get the automaton working where they uncovered a big secret. Realizing that it has to do with a film that Hugo had seen years ago, they ask the help of a station librarian Monsieur Labisse (Christopher Lee) who tells them to go to the Parisian library about the history of film through a book. They meet its author Rene Tabard (Michael Stuhlbarg), a film historian who is a big fan of George Melies though he believes that Melies has died during the first World War.

With Isabel learning about George’s strange behavior and its reasons as she even asks her godmother Jeanne (Helen McCrory) about it. Yet, she and Hugo continue to try to uncover the mystery about Melies while Hugo tries to evade the station inspector. Particularly when Hugo receives news about his uncle as he tries to get the automaton to help uncover the secret about Melies.

While the film is about a young boy trying to repair an automaton to unveil a secret that he and his father wanted to unveil. It becomes much more once the film progresses into an adventure story about the boy and a girl where the secret they unveil involves the disappearance of George Melies. Throughout the story, there’s little subplots that involves the people that Hugo sees such as the longing attraction between a café owner (Frances de la Tour) and a newspaper seller (Richard Griffiths) and the station inspector’s infatuation with a flower girl (Emily Mortimer). It’s all part of the world that its titular character lives in as he is determined to finish his father’s work. What he would eventually do in relation to his own love for cinema is that he would take part into something much bigger.

John Logan’s screenplay is brilliant for the way he follows this young boy in his quest to uncover a secret that would unlock something that is very magical. Magic is part of the theme in the film as the mysterious George character is a man that seems to be lost and what he would find through Hugo would have him unravel as if he is trying to hide a secret. While the secret would be unveiled, the reasons for Melies’ disappearance would become more compelling as Hugo and Isabel would play into something where they could have the chance to resurrect Melies. Logan’s script definitely goes into the world of film and the idea of film preservation while creating a story that is truly thrilling and lively in what is expected for the adventure drama.

The direction of Martin Scorsese is truly divine in the way he chooses to present the film as more than just a tribute to the early days of cinema and film restoration. Instead, Scorsese creates a film where he can put his passion for cinema into a family adventure that is very engaging and exciting. From a wonderful tracking shot that follows Hugo in his world inside the station to the way he recreates 1930s Paris through visual effects and actual set pieces as it’s shot in a studio in London. Scorsese’s direction is very stylish from the way he shoots from above for conversation pieces to the way he allows the camera to be intimate and simple for conversation scenes.

Since it is an adventure film where Scorsese is able to create scenes that are very lively and thrilling. He’s also able to find a way to make the scenes involving Melies and his work into something that is more than just a love letter. The way he creates the world of Melies is by going into old-school cinema to see how they were made along with using footage of old movies ranging back from the first film made by the Lumiere Brothers back in 1895. There is a romantic element to the way Scorsese chooses to present these films and from the perspective of the two young kids. He recreates the idea of what it’s like to see a movie for the first time that is indescribable. What Scorsese does with this film is to prove that filmmaking is like magic as he creates what is a truly magical. Overall, Scorsese makes a film that is very accessible as well as being both entertaining and educational about cinema and its impact.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson does a glorious job with the film‘s colorful cinematography that is filled with a wonderful yet de-saturated look for some of the scenes involving Melies. The look for the rest of the film is quite straightforward with an element of style for the way the lights are set up as well as the dark look of the station deep inside where the look is more sparse and natural in its machine-like world. Longtime Scorsese collaborator in editor Thelma Schoonmaker does a brilliant job with the editing in adding some stylistic flairs to the cutting with rhythmic cuts to play up the energy as well as maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Schoonmaker also plays into the world of magic for utilizing the old films to help create wonderful montages of its history including a gorgeous montage that includes clips of the surviving work of George Melies.

Production designer Dante Ferretti and set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo do a spectacular job with the set pieces created such as the some of scenes in the train station along with a few exteriors for places in London as 1930s Paris. One of the key highlights in the art direction is the set pieces created for Melies film as it is shown in great detail for what they looked like and how they were made. Costume designer Sandy Powell does an excellent job with the costumes from the uniform that the station manager wears to the simple yet casual 1930s clothes that a lot of the cast wears including the stylish costumes made for the Melies scenes.

Visual effects supervisors Ben Grossman and Robert Legato do an amazing job with the visual effects for some of wide exteriors of 1930s Paris along with some old-school effects to recreate the special effects of Melies‘ films. Sound editor Phillip Stockton does a fantastic job with the sound from the chaos of the station to the way a film is played on a projector to emphasize its magic.

The film’s score by Howard Shore is wonderful with its lush, orchestral pieces to play up some of the adventurous moments of the film as well as creating some low-key work in the dramatic moments as it‘s a very lively and exciting score. Music supervisors Karen Elliot and Randall Poster do a terrific job with the soundtrack as it includes soothing Parisian accordion music to 1930s jazz as well as an original song performed by Zaz that plays up to period.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is phenomenal as the ensemble that is created truly plays up to that world that is created for the film. In small appearances, there’s memorable performances from Jude Law as Hugo’s father, Ray Winstone as Hugo’s alcoholic uncle, Shaun Aylward as a street kid caught by the inspector, director Martin Scorsese as a photographer, and Emil Lager as legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. In other small but memorable supporting roles, there’s Emily Mortimer as a very kind flower girl as well as Christopher Lee as an informative yet generous bookshop owner. Frances de La Tour and Richard Griffiths are wonderfully funny in their respective roles as a café owner and a newspaper seller who are both in love despite the café owner’s Dachshund.

Michael Stuhlbarg is excellent as film historian Rene Tabard who helps Hugo and Isabel uncover information about Melies. Helena McCrory is radiant as Isabel’s godmother Jeanne who tries to protect her husband while eventually revealing her own secret as she becomes much warmer as the film progresses. Ben Kingsley is great as George, a bitter toy shop owner who is very suspicious about Hugo while becoming more guarded as the film progresses. Sacha Baron Cohen is very funny as the station inspector who tries to capture Hugo and woo the flower girl as Cohen also displays his gift for physical comedy and awkwardness into a very charming performance.

Finally, there’s the duo of Chloe Grace Moretz and Asa Butterfield in their respective roles as Isabel and Hugo. Moretz brings a wonderful enthusiasm and energy to Isabel in the way she get things going. Butterfield is superb for the exemplifying the anguish and longing of a boy trying to finish something and uncover a secret. Moretz and Butterfield also have a chemistry that intoxicating in the way they work and interact together as they are the heart and soul of the film.

Hugo is an outstanding and delightful film from Martin Scorsese. Armed with a great ensemble cast of veterans and young actors along with great technical work by its crew. It’s a film that is truly ambitious in its size while displaying lots of heart in telling a story a boy that would help resurrect the life of a filmmaker. While the film may be a departure of sorts for Scorsese but his passion for film and his mastery at cinematic wizardry makes this film a joy to watch from start to finish. Even as it has enough power and love that would rank with some of his great films of the past. In the end, Hugo is a magnificent and imaginative film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - (Boxcar Bertha) - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - The Age of Innocence - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues: Feel Like Going Home) - Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The Fifty Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2011

Match Point

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/27/06 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Match Point returns to the dramatic theme of morality and murder that he discussed in 1989's Crimes & Misdemeanors. This time, the setting for Allen's new film is in the upper-class world of London society where an ex-Irish tennis pro found himself climbing up the world of upper-class British society as he meets a client's sister and their family only to be tempted by his client's American fiancee. The film discusses on how luck can do things for a young man as he is forced to choose between a modest lifestyle or a safe, secure lifestyle with all the works. Starring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Penelope Wilton, James Nesbitt, Ewen Bremner, and Brian Cox. Match Point is an excellent, return-to-form feat from Woody Allen.

After a period of playing professional tennis, Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) is searching for a new life after being bored from playing tennis. After taking a job working as a tennis instructor for a posh country club, he meets a young man named Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode) who becomes a tennis student. After a conversation about opera, Tom invites Chris to watch an opera with his family including Tom's sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer), his father Alec (Brian Cox), and mother Eleanor (Penelope Wilton). After being invited frequently to the Hewett home, Chris becomes attracted to Chloe while being in awe of the hard work Alec has done with his life. During a party, Chris meets Tom's American fiancee Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson) as Chris finds himself attracted to Nola's sensuality.

After a series of double dates and dinners, Chris learns of Nola's background as he meets her again when she's up for an audition that fails as she continues to struggle as an actress. While Chris feels happy with Chloe, he's surprised at the generosity he's been getting from Alec who accepts him immediately into the family as is Eleanor who doesn't have the same feelings towards Nola. During a day at the Hewett home, Eleanor's suggestions and criticism about Nola's failed desire to become an actress gets to her as she walks out upset as Chris comes after her where they begin a fling. The affair only becomes brief as Nola wants to move on and after she broke up with Tom, she leaves the U.S. With Tom marrying a woman named Carol (Rose Keegan), Chris marries Chloe but his obsession with Nola troubles him.

The result of his obsession only troubles Chloe's desire to want a child as Chris' new job working in his father-in-law's firm leaves him a bit unfulfilled. Then one day at a museum, Nola appears as he asks her phone number. Immediately, a secretive affair happens as Chris finds his fulfillment with Nola but a secure future with Chloe though their attempts to create a child only troubles them. Then when the affair gets more intense, Nola doesn't want the affair to be secretive anymore. Chris finds himself in a bind as he learns some distressing news from Nola as she demands that he should leave Chloe. Chris turns to an old friend in Henry (Rupert-Penry Jones) about his situation where a life with Nola could be modest but there's no future but with Chloe, he is secure and can get anything. While Chloe becomes suspicious of what's going on, Chris goes to a drastic decision that will haunt him.

While the story of Match Point isn't anything groundbreaking, particularly in the third act which resembles the dramatic situation in Allen's 1989 masterpiece Crimes & Misdemeanors. What is new is where Allen goes to where originally, it was supposed to be in Long Island, New York but due to financial situations, London becomes a new background where everything works. Not only does Allen explore the posh world of London but he uses the city as a new world that he never has been to by delving into Alfred Hitchcock for his script. The story does reference the idea of luck but in a more realistic yet cynical point of view where Allen comes to the conclusion that the world isn't very happy. Particularly when the third act is explored by two detectives in Inspector Dowd (Ewen Bremner) and Detective Banner (James Nesbitt).

While Allen's direction is his most entrancing since Husbands & Wives, it's because he aims for an observant view of how these characters live and how they behave. By the third act, it begins to deconstruct itself from this study of a man trying to work his way into the upper class only to find a way to mess with it. In that third act, not only does Allen rip himself off but also Hitchcock on how he plots things and how he uses elements of mystery where the conclusion overall becomes a bit more cynical and nihilistic. In many ways, this is Allen at his most bleakest. His strength as a director is only topped more in his role as a writer. The script is by far is most inspiring and solid since Crimes & Misdemeanors where in the previous film, he explores the morals and in Match Point, he goes into the idea of trying to get away with it without any moral consent.

Both stories have certain parallels in the way Nola is a bit like Anjelica Huston's character Dolores and Chris is a bit like Martin Landau's Judah Rosenthal. The difference is that the characters in Match Point aren't just younger but are in entirely different situations of sympathy and where their characters stand. What is similar is in the situations they're in terms of where they're at in their lives where both Chris and Judah are living in respected, posh lifestyles and how their affairs would threaten their positions and the people around them. Both men not only could find ways to reason with their lovers but choose crime to deal with it. The only difference is the moral aftermath and the situations that result. The Nola/Dolores characters are both desperate, neurotic, and passionate but only the Dolores character seems to be more in sympathy since she's the one more ridden with guilt while Nola really has nothing to offer. In many ways, this is Woody Allen reaching into old territory and finding something new to say.

Helping Allen in his observant vision is cinematographer Remi Adefarasin who does a wonderful job in capturing the beauty world of posh London with his lighting techniques of the interiors and exteriors in its grey skies. Production designer Jim Clay and set decorator Caroline Smith do a great job in not capturing the locations of the rich world of London but finding every way where this world does feel a sense of comfort as opposed to the more simplistic world of Nola. The costumes by Jill Taylor also reveal the posh world, particularly the suits of Chris and Tom and the dresses for Chloe and Nola. Alisa Lepselter, who has been Allen's editor since 1999's Sweet & Lowdown, does a wonderful job in giving the film a leisurely pace in its near two-hour running time which makes it Allen’s longest film to date.

Then there is the music where in previous films, Allen goes for jazz pieces but in this film he goes for opera. The opera music uses it as a dramatic crutch while bringing the emotional tension and drama where Allen plays the film as if it was an opera where tragedy is to come. His choice of music by Guiseppe Verdi, Gioacchino Rossini, Carlo Gomes, Georges Bizet, Gaetano Donizetti, and Andrew Lloyd Webber definitely creates a wonderful film soundtrack and a nice introduction mix-tape for opera music.

Finally, we have the cast which includes nice, small performances from Rose Keegan, Rupert-Penry Jones, Geoffrey Streatfield as Chris' boss at the firm, and Margaret Tyzack as Nola's neighbor. Ewen Bremner and James Nesbitt are excellent in their roles as detectives with differing views on things where Bremner seems more cynical while Nesbitt is more imaginative in his ideas of how crime is committed. Penelope Wilton is wonderful in his role as Eleanor whose views can be hurtful but is a woman who only wants the best for her children despite her own ideals. Brian Cox is perfect as this generous, warm man who has accomplished everything while wanting to give Chris a shot for his own hard work and providing comfort for everyone around him, including Nola. Matthew Goode is also excellent as the charming Tom who likes to show off while being friendly to Chris while his own actions for Nola on their break-up reveals a flaw about his own reputation in front of his family.

Of the supporting cast, Emily Mortimer is the real star as a naive, scorned woman who may live a posh life but has at least some knowledge of the world outside her. Mortimer displays a sweetness and restraint as a scorned woman who becomes suspicious while feeling she might not be enough for Chris as Mortimer really gives a masterful, truly sympathetic performance as she tries to give everything for her husband. Scarlett Johansson is also excellent in her performance as Nola where she starts off as this fragile, neurotic young woman who has trouble trying to start a career while getting into an affair. By the third act, Johansson makes her character to be very unlikable although it doesn't entirely work since it's more of a caricature of Anjelica Huston's character in Crimes & Misdemeanors where Nola has no motivation for what she can do with her life with Chris.

Finally, there's Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in his best performance to date as Chris Wilton. What Rhys-Meyers did which was a wise decision for a Woody Allen film was being a Woody Allen protagonist but without acting like Allen. Rhys-Meyers definitely brings a performance that is brilliant in terms of trying to protect himself while delving into bad deeds. When it comes to the situation and decisions he's in, Rhys-Meyers shows the morality and anguish his character is in as he plays it perfectly while having great chemistry with both Johansson and Mortimer.

While it's not a groundbreaking film, Match Point is truly a superb effort from Woody Allen who definitely has made his best film since Crimes & Misdemeanors. Thanks to a great cast led by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Brian Cox, Matthew Goode, and Penelope Wilton, Allen has finally got his mojo back. Though it's unclear if he can keep it going, this film does prove in why Woody Allen is one of the best as he delves into some new territory of cynicism and justice. While new fans could find something attractive about the film, old fans will definitely be pleased as Woody Allen scores with Match Point.

Woody Allen Films: What’s Up, Tiger Lily? - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer Night’s 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 & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don't Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - 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 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