Art School Confidential

Directed by Terry Zwigoff and written by Daniel Clowes that is based on his comic book series, Art School Confidential is the story of a young artist who enters a prestigious art school where he deals with snobbish students, untalented teachers, and all sorts of people while falling for a young model. The film explores the world of art school where a young man aspires to be a great artist only to deal with the dos and don’ts of the world while a murder mystery occurs. Starring Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, Anjelica Huston, Matt Keeslar, Jim Broadbent, Ethan Suplee, and John Malkovich. Art School Confidential is a witty though messy film from Terry Zwigoff.

The film plays into a young artist whose aspirations to be the best and most important has him going into a prestigious art school where it is nothing as it seems where he deals with snobbish classmates, mediocre classes, and teachers who are really out of touch with the world of art. Yet, it is told in a humorous manner that includes a subplot about a series of mysterious deaths by a serial strangler where one of the students tries to make a film based on these deaths. It plays into the absurdity of art school where there’s students who believe they’re talented but they’re not while there are those who know they’re talented but feel unappreciated just like the film’s protagonist Jerome Platz (Max Minghella). One aspect of the film that adds to his characterization is how flawed he is where he is kind of full of himself and sometimes tries to act cool or whatever where he would take the wrong advice by a famous artist during a seminar.

Daniel Clowes’ script doesn’t just play into the world of art school and a young’s idealism over what he thinks would happen but also in how warped the reality of the art world is. Yet, it is told with an element of satire where many of the art school cliques and wannabes are portrayed in a humorous fashion while there are these many questions about what art is from Jerome’s perspective. Even as he has trouble with the work of one classmate in Jonah (Matt Keeslar) whose work is quite conventional yet receives the praise of classmates and their teacher in the local art figure Sandiford (John Malkovich). Being forced to compete with Jonah over admiration as well as the heart of the model Audrey (Sophia Myles). While the film’s subplot about the strangling of locals does make the script messy, it would add to key moments in the third act as it relates to Jerome’s desire for admiration.

Terry Zwigoff’s direction is very simple in terms of its compositions as well as the way he presents the world of art school. Shot largely on location in Los Angeles and Pasadena, California, the film does have this sense of a community that is part-Bohemian and part-high art as the latter relates to a scene where Jerome goes to a party held by an eccentric gallery owner. The usage of wide and medium shots add to this unique world of local art while Zwigoff also goes for some intimacy in some scenes including meetings Jerome would have with a reclusive yet brilliant artist named Jimmy (Jim Broadbent). While Zwigoff’s approach to humor is quite engaging, he does falter a bit on the suspense as it relates to the subplot of this mysterious strangler where it does make the film very uneven film that loses sight in what it wants to be. Though it does come to ahead in its third act, it does play into the fallacy of the desire of fame and glory as well as the fact that art is never meant to be taken seriously. Overall, Zwigoff creates a very compelling yet flawed film about a young artist’s desire to be great at art school.

Cinematographer Jamie Anderson does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the colorful scenes in the daytime to the low-key lighting in some of the classrooms as well as some stylish textures in some scenes set at night. Editor Robert Hoffman does nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly casual in terms of its cutting style with a few slow-motion cuts as well as a few stylish cuts in the suspenseful moments of the film. Production designer Howard Cummings, with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director Peter Borck, does fantastic work with the look of the classrooms and art studios as well as the galleries for the students to express their love of art.

Costume designer Betsy Heimann does terrific work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with the exception of some of the classmates as it plays into every kind of cliché in the world of art school where some look grungy or some try to look trendy. Sound editor John Nutt does superb work with the sound to play into the atmospheres of the parties as well as some of the intimate moments that occur during the classes. The film’s music by David Kitay is wonderful for its piano-based score as it features some unique melodies and textures that play into its humor and suspense while much of the film soundtracks include some classical pieces as well as a few rock songs.

The casting by Ann Goulder and Cassandra Kulukundis is brilliant as it features some notable small roles from Ezra Buzzington as a nude model, Katherine Moennig as a friend of Audrey, and in various roles of the art students, Scoot McNairy, Shelly Cole, Brian Geraghty, Jeanette Box, Lauren Lee Smith, and Isaac Laskin as the many kind of clichéd art students who all think they’re great. Ethan Suplee is terrific as Jerome’s aspiring filmmaker roommate Vince who wants to make a film about the mysterious strangler while Nick Swardson is just fucking awful as a closeted fashion designer who tries to be funny but it feels forced and unnatural. Joel David Moore is funny as Jerome’s friend Bardo who is an observer who had seen all kinds of students while Anjelica Huston is fantastic in her brief yet crucial role as an art teacher who had seen everything as she would give Jerome some really spot-on advice.

Steve Buscemi is superb in a cameo appearance as an eccentric gallery owner in Broadway Bob D’Annunzio as someone that is typical of the pretentiousness of the art world. Adam Scott is excellent as the famed artist Marvin Bushmiller as someone who is a fuckin’ asshole as he provides some bad advice to young artists in making it which only puts Jerome into a path that ends up being unrewarding. Jim Broadbent is amazing as Jimmy as a reclusive artist who is gifted but very cynical about the art world as he reveals some of the fallacies about trying to be great. Matt Keeslar is wonderful as Jonah as an art student that is known for making very conventional art yet proves to be a very nice guy with a secret of his own.

John Malkovich is phenomenal as Professor Sandiford as this artist-turned-professor who is quite odd in his teachings and views on art only to be seen as someone that is really just mediocre. Sophia Myles is radiant as Audrey as an art student/model who shares Jerome’s sense of disdain toward some of the idealism of art but is also confused by what people see as art. Finally, there’s Max Minghella in a marvelous performance as Jerome as a young artist that aspires to be great only to contend with some of the demands of compromise, bad critiques, and other odd things that forces him to ponder if his own art means anything.

***The Following 2 Paragraphs are from the Original Review of the Film Written for Epinions.com on 12/17/06 w/ Additional Edits***

The 2006 Region 1 DVD from Sony Pictures Classic & United Artists presents the film in the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen ration with 5.1 Dolby Digital in English, Spanish, and Portugese, and 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound in French. Subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portugese, and Chinese are available, especially in some of the film's special features. The special features includes five several featurettes starting with a making-of scene where Zwigoff and Clowes discuss the inspiration of the film while talking to several of its actors including Max Minghella and Sophia Myles, who are both British, as they enjoyed working with Zwigoff. The Sundance Featurette which includes interviews with several cast member including crew members as they discussed the screening. Minghella, admits that watching himself is depressing yet he enjoyed the audience reaction.

11-minutes worth of 12 deleted scenes are revealed in which some of them are funny and heartwrenching. One funny scene reveals the frustration of Sandiford while another reveals more of the tension between Jonah and Jerome including a scene where Jonah learns something that Jerome had said. Another deleted scene featurette involves the film's ending where Jerome's classmates make comments about a character's artwork and give their opinions. The blooper reel is really hilarious where all the actors are laughing including a scene of Malkovich trying to destroy a painting and another where he makes Minghella laugh by saying "Charo, Charo" repeatedly. The reel also includes an alternate take of an interview with Malkovich for the film. Finally, the DVD includes several trailers for films like The Devil & Daniel Johnston, Pedro Almodovar's Volver, Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower, Stranger Than Fiction, and the teaser trailer to Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Art School Confidential is a stellar yet flawed film from Terry Zwigoff. Featuring a great cast as well as a humorous critique on the world of art and art school, the film is a unique look into the world of art and the fallacies of those wanting to be famous. In the end, Art School Confidential is a superb film from Terry Zwigoff.

Terry Zwigoff Films: Louie Bluie - Crumb - Ghost World - Bad Santa - The Auteurs #53: Terry Zwigoff

© thevoid99 2016

Changeling (2008 film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/2/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Clint Eastwood and written by J. Michael Straczynski, Changeling is the story of a woman in late 1920s Los Angeles whose son is kidnapped only for the police to claim they found her son as the boy turns out not to be her son. Based on a true story, the film is about a woman whose search for her kidnapped child leads her to team with a pastor to fight against the corruption of the LAPD amid accusations that she's unfit while one detective makes a grim discovery about what might've happened to the boy. Starring Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, Jason Butler Harner, Michael Kelly, Geoff Pierson, Colm Feore, Amy Ryan, and John Malkovich. Changeling is a harrowing yet powerful drama from Clint Eastwood and company.

The film takes place in 1928 Los Angeles where Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) is a single mother who raises her 9-year-old son Walter (Gattlin Griffith) while working as a phone-line supervisor. When he doesn't return home one day as she believes he's kidnapped, she reports the incident to the LAPD where a five-month search for the boy had the LAPD claim they found the boy yet it's not Walter as Christine reluctantly takes the boy as she starts to question the LAPD. Turning to the Reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich) who had been critical of the LAPD, Christine finds herself in trouble as she is taken to a psychiatric ward while a detective named Lester Ybarra makes a chilling discovery during an assignment to deport a 15-year old boy back to Canada. Through Ybarra's discovery and Reverend Briegleb's help, Christine would go on a mission to fight the LAPD and to try and find her son who was supposedly kidnapped by a psychotic named Gordon Northcott (Jason Butler Harner).

The film is about, in its simplest terms, a mother just wanting to know where her son is. Yet, when the people she is relying on doesn't help her out at all and challenges their authority. She turns to people in her community where she fights against corruption in seeking out the truth, even if the conclusion is something horrible. J. Michael Straczynski's script is definitely brilliant in its study of character and corruption while revealing some ugly truth into some gruesome murders that might not just affect Christine Collins. Though it's not perfect due to the aftermath of the trials with a lot of set-ups for the ending where it's overdrawn. The script does work in unveiling how a woman just wants to fight for what's right with help from a religious leader who just wants the same thing.

A film like this could've been told conventionally in the hands of a director who wants to presents something that could be sappy or very drawn out. In the hands of someone like Clint Eastwood, it becomes something far more interesting with characters to root for and themes that audiences can understand. Eastwood's direction is truly superb in its nuance for the period as it's shot mostly in California while presenting an idea of what it was like then. Eastwood and ends the film with the look shot in black-and-white to give it an old time feel. Yet, his angles and compositions in presenting a scene are told in a modern style while paying homage to older film styles. For some of the film's dramatic, emotional scenes, Eastwood prefers to let the drama unfold without any forced manipulation as he's often been accused of with some of his films.

Eastwood's reputation in directing his actors or lack-thereof really bring the performances of his actors to have a sense of freedom and authenticity. The approach works very well in his staging of the drama while allowing the camera to capture every moment. Even when showing that even characters like Christine and Reverend Briegleb to be flawed as well yet have the audience still root for them. Then, there's parts of the ending that suggests Eastwood's political leanings might come off as a little conservative for some audiences. Yet, in what wanted to say about that specific scene in relation to what goes in the film. Whether you agree with him or not, he does have some points. Then there's the film's ending which can be described as ambiguous but the result does leave something that's open but also with a glimmer of hope. Overall, Eastwood does create a drama that is captivating as the man is still in the top of his game as a director.

Cinematographer Tom Stern does excellent work in the usual tinted, greenish look of the film with some amazing shading in some of the film's interior settings as it brings a sense of atmosphere for its dramatic moments. Stern's camera work in the exteriors in some of the LA shots in the rain are done with a wonderful shade of blue-green while the scenes in the desert is gorgeous with its light-colored look. Editors Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach do excellent work in the smoothness of the film's cutting along with opening and closing dissolve shots from black-and-white to color and vice versa. The editing for some of the film's more heightened dramatic sequences has some swift, transitional cuts and jump cuts as the editing is excellent overall.

Production designer James J. Murakami with set decorator Gary Fettis and Patrick M. Sullivan Jr., do great work in the film's interior designs of Christine's home, the look of the church and police departments. The film also had an exterior design on a restaurant shack where the false boy was found where the shack is named Bummy's after Eastwood's late production designer Henry Bumstead. Visual effects supervisor Michael Owens do some great work in some of the redesign on some of the film's exterior LA settings to change it from today's Los Angeles to late 1920s-1930s LA. Costume designer Deborah Hopper does amazing work in the film's costumes, notably the look of the women's clothes with the hats, dresses, shoes, and such. There's a real authenticity to the film's look and style as Hopper's work is truly superb.

Sound editor Alan Robert Murray does great work in the sound in the way the trolleys sound along with objects and other things. Murray's work is excellent for the atmosphere it brings in each scene. For the film's score written by Clint Eastwood with arrangements by his son Kyle and Michael Eastman, the music is mostly orchestral with low, sweeping arrangement to underscore the drama. Yet, with mostly a piano and an acoustic guitar accompaniment. The music mostly leans towards jazz music with a trumpet to pay homage to the 1920s.

The cast assembled by Ellen Chenoweth, is superb with memorable appearances from Jeffrey Hutchinson and Lily Knight as parents of a missing child, Riki Lindhome as an examination nurse, Michelle Martin as phone operator, Peter Geraty as a doctor examining the fake boy, Pamela Dunlap as Walter's teacher, John Harrington Bland as a dentist, Reed Birney as the LA mayor, and a cameo from Clint's daughter Morgan as a neighborhood girl. Eddie Alderson is very good as Sanford, the boy who confesses to what he and his cousin did that would break a huge case that might involve Walter's disappearance. Frank Wood is also good as Ben Harris, Christine's supervisor at the phone service office who sympathizes with her situation as he also helps her. Devon Conti is very good as the fake boy who claims to be Walter with a smarmy attitude until he makes his confession. Gattlin Griffith is excellent in his small role as the real Walter Collins, a good kid who ends up getting captured while early in the film. He has a great scene with Jolie about fighting that would be the rallying call for the entire film.

Denis O'Hare is very good as the corruptive doctor at the mental ward who tries to make Christine sign something that she knows would discredit her. Jason Butler Harner is great as Gordon Northcott, the man who is revealed to be the murderer of many children as he's a guy with a smarmy smile that might reveal the fate of Walter Collins. Colm Feore is good as the chief of police who is trying to use the law for his own gain only to be faced with embarrassment. Amy Ryan is great as Carol Dexter, a prostitute who befriends Christine at a mental ward as she gives her lessons on how to survive the ward while proving that she can be pretty tough. Michael Kelly is great as Detective Ybarra, the good cop who uncovers a gruesome case and becomes one of the few allies in the LAPD for Christine.

Jeffrey Donovan is excellent as Captain Jones, the man who would set the course for Christine's fight against corruption as a police officer who is more about showing off his authority than doing the right thing. John Malkovich is superb as Reverend Gustav Briegleb, a local pastor with a radio broadcast who is set out to do the right thing for his community. While like many preachers, he might be a bit preachy, but Malkovich does bring a sense of comfort and an unrelenting presence to his performance as it stands out as one of his best. It's an amazing performance from Malkovich who should be singled out as a community leader wanting to do what's right for his community and its people.

Finally, there's Angelina Jolie in an amazing performance as Christine Collins. Following her knockout, dramatic performance in Michael Winterbottom's 2007 film A Mighty Heart, Jolie returns to what she does best as she plays a character that she can relate to being that she is a mother. Jolie goes for restraint than melodrama in most of what she does in her performance as she proves that she can be tough while when it comes to her son. Her restraint in the emotions is powerful as it's definitely a performance that reminds audiences in why she's a really good actress instead of the high-profile star that she's often known for.

Changeling is a powerful and intense film from Clint Eastwood. Thanks to the great performances from Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich, it's a film that really shows the power of what people can do when they're faced with injustice. Fans of Eastwood's film will no doubt enjoy in what the director can despite a few flaws in the film. In the end, Changeling is a film that is worth seeing for its performances, 1920s period look, and the understated, atmospheric direction of Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood Films: (Play Misty for Me) - High Plains Drifter - (Breezy) - (The Eiger Sanction) - (The Outlaw Josey Wales) - (The Gauntlet) - (Bronco Billy) - (Firefox) - (Honkytonk Man) - Sudden Impact - Pale Rider - (Heartbreak Ridge) - (Bird) - (White Hunter Black Heart) - (The Rookie) - Unforgiven - (A Perfect World) - (The Bridges of Madison County) - (Absolute Power) - (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) - (True Crime) - (Space Cowboys) - (Blood Work) - (Mystic River) - Million Dollar Baby - Flags of Our Fathers - Letters from Iwo Jima - (Gran Torino) - (Invictus) - (Hereafter) - (J. Edgar) - (Jersey Boys) - American Sniper - (Sully) - (The 15:17 to Paris) - (The Mule)

© thevoid99 2014

Being John Malkovich

Directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman, Being John Malkovich is the story about a puppeteer who takes an office job where he finds a portal where it’s destination is inside the head of actor John Malkovich. The film is an exploration into the world of a man eager to make a name for himself while dealing with his wife and an officer worker he has fallen for as they all go into Malkovich’s mind. Starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, and John Malkovich as himself. Being John Malkovich is a dazzling yet witty film from Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman.

The film is a simple story about a man who finds a portal where he enters the mind of actor John Malkovich as he takes his wife and a co-worker at a half-floor office to take part in the adventure. Yet, it would create a strange relationship as the two women fall where the wife would be in Malkovich’s body only for her husband to take over as he would take control of Malkovich in order to become an acclaimed puppeteer. It’s a film that has a very strange premise where people enter John Malkovich’s mind for a few fifteen minutes and then be popped out where they land into a ditch near the New Jersey turnpike. Yet it ends up being a very fascinating story about what can happen when someone enters a man’s body for fifteen minutes.

Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay is truly one of the most whimsical ideas ever to come across on paper where he brings in this unique fascination about the world of puppetry where Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) wants to gain fame with puppetry but is unable to get an audience forcing him to take a job at an office at the 7 ½ floor where he meets Maxine (Catherine Keener) whom he falls for. Though Maxine has no interest in Craig nor his frizzy-haired yet animal-loving wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz), she does become interested in Lotte only when she is inside John Malkovich’s head so she can have sex with Malkovich. It would lead to some jealousy in Craig’s part where he would enter Malkovich’s head realizing the kind of control he can have. Of course, Malkovich would find out as he realizes the craziness that is happening around him.

Kaufman’s script doesn’t just succeed in creating a world that is offbeat and unique but also take its time to explain the idea of the portal without the need of too much exposition. Even as he introduces a quirky character in a man named Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) who reveals a lot about the portal in Malkovich’s head as he would help Lotte find a way to get Craig out of Malkovich’s head. Even where it plays into Craig’s selfishness and the eventual feelings that Maxine would gain over her affairs. Kaufman’s approach to characters including the way he creates scenes such as Malkovich entering into his own head would display something that is avant-garde but also very engaging to a wide audience not used to anything this weird.

The direction of Spike Jonze is very stylized not just in the way he displays many of Kaufman’s surrealistic ideas but also in giving the film an offbeat presentation that makes it seem like it’s a bit removed from reality. Much of it involves the world that Craig and Lotte live in where their apartment is filled with animals while the world of puppetry that Craig has poured himself into plays into the melancholia that he’s carrying. Even as the puppetry itself is very life-like at times to showcase the weight of the emotions into Craig’s craft though he is treated poorly by others or was just misunderstood. It’s part of the world that Jonze presents that includes the 7 ½ floor where everyone has to walk a little hunched because the ceiling is pretty low.

Much of it has Jonze take into some intimate medium shots and close-ups to present that world while the scenes inside John Malkovich’s head are very strange as it is shown from inside his head with a little iris shot that is often commanded by a hand-held camera. Much of it to display what Malkovich is doing where things get even weirder when Malkovich goes into the portal into his own head where it would play into one of the greatest sequences in film. The mixture of surrealism and puppetry add to the visual splendor of the film as Jonze utilizes all sorts of tricks and such to play into this world that is unique. Overall, Jonze crafts a very astonishing yet rapturous film about a group of people discovering a portal into the mind of John Malkovich.

Cinematographer Lance Acord does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography with its use of low-key lights for some of the film‘s daytime and nighttime exterior scenes as well as something as displaying a sense of style into some of the film‘s interior shots with its lights. Editor Eric Zumbrunnen does excellent work with the film‘s editing with its use of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor. Production designer K.K. Barrett, with set decorator Gene Serdena and art director Peter Andrus, does brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of the 7 ½ floor as well as the portal leading to Malkovich‘s head and the home of Dr. Lester filled with books about the portal as well a shrine to Malkovich.

Costume designer Casey Storm does wonderful work with the costumes from the ragged look of Craig and Lotte to the more stylized dresses that Maxine wears as well as the clothes of Malkovich. Head makeup artist Gucci Westman and hair designer Emanuel Millar do fantastic work with the ragged look of Craig as well as the look of Lotte with her frizzy hair to play into their middle-class world. Visual effects supervisor Daniel Radford does phenomenal work with some of the film‘s visual effects which includes the scene of Malkovich entering his own head and seeing people as Malkovich. Sound editors Richard L. Anderson and Elliott Koretz do superb work with the sound to play into some of the sound effects of what goes on at the portal as well as some of the atmosphere in some of the film‘s locations.

The film’s music by Carter Burwell is exquisite for its somber yet rich orchestral score to play into some of the film‘s humor as well as melancholia with its elegant string arrangements to help further the music. Music supervisor Dawn Soler creates a terrific soundtrack that mostly consist of classical music for the puppet shows that Craig displays including the plays he creates as Malkovich as it also features a song by Bjork in the film’s final credits.

The casting by Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis-Wagner is incredible for the ensemble that is featured as it includes some notable small appearances from Sean Penn as himself, Octavia Spencer as a woman Craig meets in the elevator, W. Earl Brown as a client Craig meets early in the film, Carlos Jacott as Malkovich’s agent, David Fincher as a man interviewed for a Malkovich documentary, Spike Jonze as an assistant for a renowned puppeteer, and Charlie Sheen as a restrained, comical version of himself. Mary Kay Place is wonderful as the very odd receptionist Floris while Orson Bean is terrific as the eccentric LesterCorp head Dr. Lester who knows the secret about the portal in the 7 ½ floor.

In playing himself, John Malkovich is brilliant in conveying the man in his eccentricities while displaying his frustrations and confusion in what he discovers as well as being in control where he reinvents himself as a puppeteer. Catherine Keener is excellent as Maxine as a woman who has no interest in either Craig nor Lotte until she realizes that she can use them to have sex with Malkovich until she realizes her feelings for Lotte. Cameron Diaz is amazing as Lotte Schwartz as this weird woman who loves animals while displaying her desires to feel like a man when she’s inside Malkovich’s head. Finally, there’s John Cusack in a remarkable performance as Craig Schwartz as this talented but unappreciated puppeteer who is eager to succeed upon discovering the portal to Malkovich’s head as he decides to use Malkovich for selfish reasons which is a very funny yet dark performance from Cusack.

The 2012 2-disc Region 1 DVD/1-disc Region A Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in a new digital transfer under the supervision of its director Spike Jonze that also includes a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound for the film. The only supplement in the first disc is a selected scene commentary with Michel Gondry who talks about the film and his friendship with Spike Jonze who later joins the commentary via speakerphone. Gondry talks about specific scenes as well as his friendly-rivalry with Jonze as well as meeting Kaufman for the first time as well as tidbits into the film as it’s a very enjoyable commentary from Gondry.

The second disc’s supplements is led by a 33-minute behind-the-scenes documentary directed by Lance Bangs. While it is a simple behind-the-scenes documentary, it is one that is quite funny at times but also reveals the difficulties in making a film with a half office building floor built where crew members had to be hunched for 13 hours. It also feature moments where Spike’s brother Sam Spiegel is on set where a lot of antics happen as it’s a fun doc to watch.

The 28-minute conversation between John Malkovich and humorist John Hodgman about the film where Malkovich talks about meeting Charlie Kaufman and reading his script where he was intrigued by it. Even as he also met Spike Jonze through Francis Ford Coppola where Malkovich revealed that he wanted Charlie Sheen to play his best friend since the script originally was supposed to have Kevin Bacon as Malkovich’s friend. Malkovich also dwelled on the film’s impact where he revealed that people in his age group at the time didn’t get but it was well-received by a younger audience who didn’t know much about Malkovich. Malkovich and Hodgman also talk about how things have changed since the film about the way celebrities are viewed as the result is a very engaging conversation that is funny at times but also quite sobering in the idea of fame and celebrity.

The 15 ½ minute interview with Spike Jonze about his on-set photos has the director not just talking about his experience with the production. He also talked about photos where tries to recollect his memories about the shooting and some of the anxieties he went through since it was his first feature film. Jonze talks about his crew and cast in the film and some of things that went on in the production that didn’t make things easy which involved studio executives complaining about the look and a few other things. It’s a pretty enjoyable feature that is also directed by Lance Bangs.

The two films within the film are also shown on the DVD starting with the two-minute 7 ½ Floor Orientation which is this very cheesy orientation video about the 7 ½ floor. The four-minute “American Arts & Culture” Presents: John Horatio Malkovich: “Dance of Despair and Disillusionment” is a documentary piece that explores Malkovich’s rise as the ultimate puppeteer where he would bring new life to the art form that features a cameo from David Fincher as an editor for the Los Angeles Times.

The seven-minute and twenty-second documentary An Intimate Portrait of the Art of Puppeteering by Lance Bangs is about the art of puppetry told by Phil Huber who reveals his devotion to the craft. Even as he gives his opinion on the film while young puppeteers who went to see the film also gave their opinion as it’s a nice little doc from Bangs. The supplements also includes the film’s trailer and TV spots about the film. The DVD set features a booklet that includes a conversation with Spike Jonze and pop-culture critic Perkus Tooth about the film. It’s a strange conversation that is filled with a lot of humor where Tooth does much of the talking with Jonze being dumbfounded as it’s a great read.

Being John Malkovich is an outstanding film from Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Filled with dazzling surrealism and a great cast in John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, and John Malkovich. It’s a film that explores the desire of people trying to be someone else for fifteen minutes only for that person to be horrified by the discovery. In the end, Being John Malkovich is a spectacular film from Spike Jonze.

Spike Jonze Films: Adaptation - Where the Wild Things Are - Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak - Her - My Mutant Brain

Related: The Auteurs #54: Spike Jonze - The 25 Essential Videos of Spike Jonze

© thevoid99 2014

Warm Bodies

Based on the novel by Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is the story of a zombie who falls in love with the daughter of a zombie-resistance leader as he starts to regain semblance of humanity. Written for the screen and directed by Jonathan Levine, the film is a genre-bending film that takes place during a zombie apocalypse where it’s a mixture of the zombie-thriller meets the romantic-comedy. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Analeigh Tipton, and John Malkovich. Warm Bodies is an extraordinary yet witty film from Jonathan Levine.

The film is set during a zombie apocalypse in which humans are fighting against zombies and skeleton-like creatures called boneys who are hungry for human flesh. Yet, it is a story about one particular zombie whose encounter with the daughter of zombie-resistance leader not only has him falling for her but also regain aspects of his humanity. It’s a strange premise for a film the bends various genres yet manages to work as it’s largely told from the perspective of this zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) who often narrates the film as he deals with his life as a zombie as he also collects things including vinyl records and such. Notably as R reveals a lot of his own feelings and confusion about being a zombie as he is hungry for human flesh and brains where an encounter with a young resistance group has him eating the brains of someone where he sees memories and such that also features the young woman he captures in Julie (Teresa Palmer) whom he falls for.

Jonathan Levine’s screenplay does have a conventional structure that plays into R and Julie’s eventual romance though it takes its time to build that up where Julie is immediately frightened and confused by R and his kind actions. Especially for the fact that he killed and ate the brains of her boyfriend Perry (Dave Franco) where R sees Perry’s memories to know a lot about Julie as she’s the daughter of resistance leader Colonel Grigio (John Malkovich). With Julie staying at an airplane where R lives, she realizes that R is acting human as he starts to say words as it would rub off on the other zombies including his friend M (Rob Corddry). Yet, the zombies’ reintroduction with their humanity causes a conflict with the more-deadly boneys who not only feed on human flesh but anything that has a beating heart. Levine’s script uses R’s voice-over narration to express his feelings as well as his fascination to humanity where he also reveal the sense of loss that Julie had faced in her life as he becomes confused on whether to remain a zombie or to become human again.

Levine’s direction is pretty straightforward for the most part while he also adds some style into the film. Notably as he maintains some different looks to play into the different world of the zombies and human where the zombie world is a bit discolored whereas the human world and the dream sequences have more color. Levine’s use of close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots does manage to help create some unique images as well as play into the developing relationship between R and Julie. Levine does stick to convention as far as the action is concerned while not straying too far into fast-paced cutting for the action while infusing it with bits of humor in the story. Notably the early scenes of R and M grunting to each other as they’re having a zombie conversation as well as a scene where R goes into the human world and Julie’s home that includes a funny homage to a great romantic comedy. Overall, Levine creates a very stylish yet enjoyable genre-bending film about a zombie who falls for a human girl and regains his humanity.

Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe does amazing work with the film‘s very stylish cinematography by infusing a mostly discolored look for the scenes set in the airport and most of the locations in Montreal to the more colorful dream sequences that R experiences as well as the scenes involving the humans. Editor Nancy Richardson does excellent work with the editing as it‘s very stylized to play with some of action scenes involving the zombies, boneys, and humans as well as a few montages to play into R and Julie‘s developing romance. Production designer Martin Whist, along with set decorator Suzanne Cloutier and supervising art director Gilles Aird, does superb work with the set pieces from the decayed look of the airport as well as the look of the buildings where there‘s little technology and some places are abandoned. Costume designer George L. Little does nice work with the costumes from the red hoodie that R wears to the flannel shirt that Julie wears as it‘s mostly casual.

Special effects makeup designer Dave Elsey does brilliant work with the makeup design in the way the zombies look. Visual effects supervisor Dan Schrecker does fantastic work with some of the visual effects for the shots inside the bodies of the zombies as they regain their humanity as well as the look of the boneys. Sound editor Martyn Zub does terrific work with the sound from the way gunfire sounds to the growl of the boneys and the locations the characters encounter. The film’s music by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders is wonderful for its mixture of folk, rock, and orchestral music to play up the action as well as the romance while music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas create a superb collection of music that includes pieces by John Waite, Jimmy Cliff, the National, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Feist, Bon Iver, the Scorpions, Roy Orbison, and M83.

The casting by Joanna Colbert and Richard Mento is incredible as it features some noteworthy small performances from Cory Hardrict as a subordinate of Colonel Grigio and Dave Franco as Julie’s unfortunate boyfriend Perry who starts to act more like Julie’s father. Analeigh Tipton is wonderful as Julie’s friend Nora who survives the zombie raid while trying to figure out R’s growing transformation into becoming human as she brings some humor to the film. Rob Corddry is excellent as R’s friend M as a zombie who also regains his humanity as he helps lead a group of zombies to deal with the boneys as Corddry also brings in some humor to the film. John Malkovich is superb as Colonel Grigio who is hell-bent on killing zombies after losing his wife to the apocalypse while trying to protect his daughter as it’s Malkovich being a badass but also being funny.

Finally, there’s the performances of Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer as both of them do amazing work in their respective roles as R and Julie. Palmer brings a quality that allows her character to be engaging as well as funny as this young woman who is fascinated by this zombie she meets while dealing with the fact that he is becoming human again. Hoult is great as this young zombie who laments over his being while suddenly becoming human again as he brings the hope that the human-zombie war might come to an end. Hoult and Palmer have some wonderful chemistry together in the way they interact as well as being their for each other as they’re the highlight of the film.

Warm Bodies is a sensational film from Jonathan Levine that features winning performances from Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. The film isn’t just a creative genre-bender that is funny, romantic, exciting, and full of some cool action scenes. It’s also a film that takes the zombie film and infuse it with some heart where even zombies have feelings to. In the end, Warm Bodies is a marvelous film from Jonathan Levine.

Jonathan Levine Films: (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) - (The Wackness) - 50/50 - The Night Before (2015 film) - (Snatched) - Long Shot (2019 film)

© thevoid99 2013

The Portait of a Lady

Based on the novel by Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady is the story of an American woman who travels to Europe with her inheritance to confront her destiny while meeting two American expatriates who would change her fortunes for the worse. Directed by Jane Campion and screenplay by Laura Jones, the film is an exploration of an independent woman who seeks to make something of herself only to be trapped by the world that she‘s chosen. Starring Nicole Kidman, Barbara Hershey, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Martin Donovan, Viggo Mortensen, Christian Bale, Valentina Cervi, Richard E. Grant, Shelley Winters, Shelley Duvall, and John Gielgud. The Portrait of a Lady is an enchanting yet intoxicating film from Jane Campion.

The film is an exploration into the life of an American woman in the 1870s who craves independence and wants to explore the world as she’s been given an inheritance by her uncle. With her inheritance, Isabel Archer (Nicole Kidman) travels through Europe where she meets Madame Serena Merle (Barbara Hershey) whom she met in England some time earlier as Merle would introduce her to another American expatriate in Gilbert Osmond (John Malkovich). After rejecting several proposals from many suitors including her cousin Ralph (Martin Donovan), Isabel marries Gilbert only for the marriage to be not what it seemed as Isabel becomes concerned for the well-being of her stepdaughter Pansy (Valentina Cervi). Isabel is forced to face the destiny she’s chosen as she finds herself lost while coming to the conclusion that she’s driven away those she was close to but also couldn’t help those who really need her.

Laura Jones’ screenplay creates this very complex story as it plays into the world of Isabel Archer as the first act is about her in England as she’s approached by suitors including Lord Warburton (Richard E. Grant), Boston mill heir Casper Goodwood (Viggo Mortensen), and her cousin Ralph Touchett. They all mean well but Archer wants more as she knows that the world is changing as her friend Henrietta (Mary-Louise Parker) is already acting like a modern woman. Upon meeting Madame Merle and gaining her inheritance, Isabel is convinced that she will get the chance to live a life of great wonderment and independence where she meets Gilbert Osmond who shares her ideas about the world. Much of the first half is about Isabel’s search for herself and meeting Madame Merle and Osmond as they have plans about what to do with Isabel’s inheritance which brings a lot of suspicion from Ralph.

The film’s second half in the story is much darker where Isabel has to deal with not just the decision she made but also the people she unknowingly drove away like Ralph, Henrietta, and the suitors who still wanted her. The men would question about her happiness which Isabel chooses to dismiss them as she finds herself constrained by Gilbert’s world and what he wants as it takes a toll on her and his daughter Pansy who has fallen for a nice young man in Edward Rosier (Christian Bale) whom Gilbert dislikes. With Ralph becoming ill and Isabel realizing what she’s done, she finds herself in conflict about what to do and who to help. Even as she learns some truths about who is Pansy’s mother as well as into why Madame Merle would introduce her to Gilbert.

Jane Campion’s direction is really filled with exotic imagery and ravishing compositions in not just the way she creates the world of late 19th Century Europe but also a world that is changing where a woman like Isabel Archer seems to be part of these changes. It plays into this interesting conflict between the ideas of the Old World and New World where Campion creates a lot of scenes where it feels like the New World is emerging into the Old World and with new ideas. Even as she brings in some unique images in the way she puts the actors into a frame or how she captures a certain location like Italy and Britain where it’s starting to come in to the modern world. Even as Campion would use mirrors and glass to play into Isabel’s emotions as the world is changing where she’s oblivious to how bad things can become.

There’s also some unique visual effects sequences that Campion does that includes a montage of Archer traveling with Merle in different places of the world in surreal black-and-white images. All of which would play into the de-evolution of Archer as Campion’s presentation would become darker. Even as Campion would create slanted camera angles to play into a world that is returning to the old ways where things are becoming more complicated and constrained. Largely as the framing becomes tighter to play out the drama that is unfolding. Even as it would play into an ending where it’s not just about loss but uncertainty. Overall, Campion creates a very ethereal yet haunting film about a woman’s search for her identity in an ever-changing world.

Cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh does fantastic work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the use of colors for many of the film‘s first half to play out something natural in some of its exterior and interior settings to more usage of filters in a few scenes set in the winter along with some lighting schemes for the interiors including Pansy‘s cotillion party. Editor Veronika Jenet does brilliant work in the editing as she incorporates a lot of stylistic cuts from the use of dissolves and jump-cuts along with transitional fade-outs to play with its structure. Production/costume designer Janet Patterson and supervising art director Martin Childs do amazing work with the set pieces and costumes from the look of the homes the characters live in to the dresses that Isabel and other female characters wear.

Hair/makeup designer Peter King does terrific work with the hair styles that the women wear in the film along with some of facial hair that some of the men sport. Visual effects supervisor Kent Houston does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects to play up into Isabel‘s fantasies as well as her trip around the world. Sound designer Lee Smith does superb work with the sound to play into the intimacy of some of the locations and scenes as well as the parties that occur in the film. The film’s music by Wojciech Kilar is excellent for its flourishing and broad orchestral score that features sweeping string arrangements to play out the drama while its soundtrack also includes lots of classical pieces by Johann Strauss, Franz Schubert, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

The casting by Johanna Ray is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features small yet notable appearances from Shelley Winters as Isabel’s aunt, Shelley Duvall as Gilbert’s flighty yet sympathetic sister Countess Gemini, and John Gielgud as Isabel’s uncle who would be the one to give her the inheritance. Viggo Mortensen and Richard E. Grant are terrific in their respective roles as Isabel’s suitors Caspar Goodwood and Lord Warburton where the latter is offered the chance to marry Pansy while Christian Bale is superb in a small but memorable role as Pansy’s young suitor Edward Rosier. Valentina Cervi is wonderful as Pansy whom Isabel cherishes as she’s a young woman who is confused by what she wants but to also please her father. Mary Louise-Parker is excellent as Isabel’s friend Henrietta who encourages Isabel to be independent only to realize where she ended up as she tries to help the ailing Ralph.

Martin Donovan is amazing as Isabel’s cousin Ralph who is devoted to her as he watches her be wooed by Gilbert from afar while dealing with his illness and what is happening to her. Barbara Hershey is fantastic as Madame Serena Merle as a woman who charms Isabel into confronting her destiny only to have things go too far as she realizes the damage that she caused. John Malkovich is marvelous as Gilbert Osmond as a man who marries Isabel in the hopes to become rich and powerful as he becomes controlling into ensuring what he wants and such. Finally, there’s Nicole Kidman in a tremendous performance as Isabel Archer as she goes from this independent yet ambitious woman wanting to seek new adventures in an ever-changing world only to fall prey by a couple of American expatriates who would trap her into something very dark as she tries to comprehend the decisions she’s made and who to help as Kidman brings a lot of grace and melancholia to her role.

The Portrait of a Lady is an exhilarating yet brooding film from Jane Campion that features an amazing leading performance from Nicole Kidman. Along with a great supporting cast as well as very strong themes on identity, destiny, and modernism. The film isn’t just this fascinating portrait of a woman trying to keep up and embrace the new world but also deal with the ideas of an older world that prove that some things don’t change. In the end, The Portrait of a Lady is a remarkable film from Jane Campion.

Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Piano - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - Top of the Lake (TV miniseries) - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) - The Power of the Dog - The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion

© thevoid99 2013

Shadows and Fog

Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, Shadows and Fog is the story about a clerk who is asked by a vigilante group to help him capture a serial killer where he later meets a circus performer as they spend an entire night encountering strange things. Based on Allen’s one-act play called Death, the film is a tribute to the works of Franz Kafka as well as the German Expressionism films of early 20th Century as Allen explores the world of death and love. Also starring Mia Farrow, John Malkovich, Madonna, John Cusack, Jodie Foster, Kenneth Mars, Kathy Bates, Philip Bosco, Lily Tomlin, John C. Reilly, Kurtwood Smith, and Wallace Shawn. Shadows and Fog is a visually-entrancing though sort of messy film from Woody Allen.

A killer (Michael Kirby) is on the loose during a shadowy and foggy night in the early 20th Century where a nebbish clerk named Kleinman (Woody Allen) is reluctantly part of a vigilante group to capture this killer. Meanwhile, a circus performer named Irmy (Mia Farrow) leaves her boyfriend Paul (John Malkovich) after catching him making out with another circus performer. Kleinman and Irmy would cross paths where they would encounter more vigilantes who believe Kleinman is the killer as well as all sorts of strange things in the course of an entire night. It’s a story that definitely recalls some of the work of German Expressionist filmmakers like Fritz Lang as well as the ideas of writer Franz Kafka.

Yet, not everything in Woody Allen’s script works as it’s obvious that Allen wants to create a blend of suspense, comedy, and drama with themes of existentialism and bravery. Unfortunately, all of those ideas couldn’t come together to make something cohesive where things get messy while the Kleinman character is not one of Allen’s great creations.

Allen’s direction is quite entrancing as he definitely wants to go for that look of not just film noir but also German Expressionism as he sets the film in the early 20th Century where it’s always filled with a lots of shadows and fog to create an atmosphere. Filled with some very exotic shots in many of the film’s exteriors as it’s all shot in a studio along with some long-takes to play out this very strange world. There’s also some sequences where Irmy would seek refuge from prostitutes to give the film a break from the suspense for something more relaxing though it does hurt the film’s pacing a bit. While Allen’s approach to humor isn’t anything new, it does have some moments that are fun to watch though the scenes of Kleinman often being accused and such does get tiresome. Overall, Allen creates a fine though messy film about a man and a woman going after a serial killer.

Cinematographer Carlo Di Palma does brilliant work with the film‘s stylish black-and-white photography for many of the film‘s exteriors to create shadows and shades to set the mood while keeping things more straightforward in the interior scenes with the exception of the scenes at the circus. Editor Susan E. Morse does nice work with the editing to play up some of its suspense and humor with its straightforward approach to cutting. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with art director Speed Hopkins and set decorators George DeTitta Jr. and Amy Marshall, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the exterior sets to the look of the circus and brothel the characters encounter.

Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland does terrific work with the costumes from the look of the prostitutes and circus performers to the clothes the police and vigilantes wear. Sound editor Robert Hein does excellent work with the sound to play up many of the film‘s suspense with its sparse sounds and other moments to emphasize its humor. The film’s music largely consists of circus music as well as the works of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht to play up the period of the time.

The casting by Juliet Taylor is fantastic for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Michael Kirby as the killer, Donald Pleasence as a doctor doing autopsies, John C. Reilly and William H. Macy as police officers, Wallace Shawn as a business rival of Kleinman, Julie Kavner as Kleinman’s ex-fiancee who wants to kill him, Kate Nelligan as Kleinman’s girlfriend who is upset when he asks if Irmy could crash at her place, Charles Chagrin as a mysterious spiritualist named Spiro, James Rebhorn, David Odgen Stier, Daniel von Bargen, Kurtwood Smith, and Fred Gwynne as vigilantes, Josef Sommer as a priest, Philip Bosco as Kleinman’s cruel boss, and Kenneth Mars as the circus magician Armstead whom Kleinman adores.

Other notable small performances includes Madonna as a circus performer Paul makes out with, John Cusack as a student who frequently goes to the brothels, and as the trio of prostitutes, Jodie Foster, Kathy Bates, and Lily Tomlin as they give very wonderful performances. John Malkovich is excellent as Paul as a circus performer who wants to be respected as he cheats on Irmy where he later tries to find her and gain her forgiveness. Mia Farrow is amazing as Irmy as a sword-swallowing performer who is frustrated by Paul as she seeks to find herself while helping Kleinman catch the killer. Finally, there’s Woody Allen in a fine performance as Kleinman as a man who reluctantly takes part in finding a killer though he has no idea what to do as he’s often being cowardly.

Shadows and Fog is a good film from Woody Allen though it’s a messy one despite its gorgeous visuals and a brilliant ensemble cast. Though it’s definitely one of Allen’s weaker films, it is still engaging for the way he is able to create a suspense-comedy in the form of German Expressionism and make it enjoyable. In the end, Shadows and Fog is a terrific film from Woody Allen.

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 and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - 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 - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

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

© thevoid99 2013

Burn After Reading

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/14/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Burn After Reading tells the story of an ex-CIA analyst whose copies of personal CIA files on a CD were taken by his wife that was suddenly found at a workout gym by two employees who try to blackmail the CIA analyst. Meanwhile, the man's wife is having an affair with a government agent who also dates one of the workout gyms' employees. A film about espionage and stupidity, the film explores blackmail in all of it shenanigans as the Coen Brothers return to their unique take on comedy. Starring Coen Brother regulars Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Richard Jenkins, and J.K. Simmons along with John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, David Rasche, Elizabeth Marvel, and Brad Pitt. Burn After Reading is a funny, entertaining film from the Coen Brothers that unfortunately, doesn't live up to their earlier work.

Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) had just quit the CIA after being demoted for his drinking. His wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) is having an affair with a Treasury agent named Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), who is married to a children's author named Sandy (Elizabeth Marvel). With Cox having problems and Katie hoping to divorce him, she copies personal files on a CD to give her lawyer (J. R. Horne) for the divorce plans. Instead, the CD was found at a gym where one of its employees named Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) discovers CIA files. His friend Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) devises a plan to return the CD to Cox with money that she needs for plastic surgery as she is currently on the Internet dating scene.

After a failed meeting with Cox over the CD-money exchange, Chad and Linda turn to a Russian government official (Olek Krupa) to look over the CD to see if there's anything to get. Linda finds herself getting a date with Harry as the two have a good time while Harry is having flings with all sorts of women. Harry however, is aware that he's being followed by agents or whoever. Chad meanwhile, decides to find more about Cox in hopes to get bigger money yet something goes wrong. Harry's life starts to unravel as does his relationship with Katie. With Linda desperate for the money, her boss Ted Treffon (Richard Jenkins) is trying to get her out of this espionage thing. Yet, with Harry becoming paranoid and Osbourne Cox becoming angrier and unpredictable, two CIA officers (David Rasche and J.K. Simmons) try to figure it all out.

What the Coen Brothers try to do with this film is to put people in situations where things begin to unravel. Yet, what happens when an idiot finds personal CIA files on a CD with an accomplice and tries to get a big pay off? Well, a lot can happen if the story had focused on that. Instead, the Coen Brothers create a story that is a bit flat and wildly uneven. While some of the humor the Coen Brothers create is definitely funny and spot on yet the story is at times, unfocused. Plus some of the dialogue that characters like Cox, his wife, and Harry is a bit off. Especially if Cox and his wife say a lot of profanity. Now, profanity maybe okay to say for comedic use and some form of emotion. Yet, if it's done excessively but not in the right way. It becomes profane and uncalled for.

The direction of Joel and Ethan Coen does create some great compositions though at times, it seems a bit lazy. While the film is set in Washington D.C., there's not much of that location shown while a lot of the film is shot in parts of Brooklyn, NY. There's not much that's shown since the Coen Brothers are known for huge landscapes and a huge depth of field. Though their approach is more intimate with some great camera shots and scenery. The film does seem to have a hard time in what it wants to be. It wants to be a comedy, it wants to be a suspense film, or maybe a film with violence since there's bits of heavy violence that goes on. It's as if the Coen Brothers tried to cram a lot into this film and they barely succeed. The comedy for the most part is very funny which is true to their style. Still, the approach that Joel and Ethan Coen create is good but it's a let down considering the humor in some of their earlier comedies.

Taking over for their longtime cinematographer Roger Deakins, who was unavailable due to commitments to shoot Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road, is reknowned Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Known for his acclaimed, dream-like, naturalistic look for the films of Alfonso Cuaron and more recently, Terrence Malick, Lubezki's camera work is good in creating nice shades for the interior settings while the exterior shots of D.C. and Brooklyn are good. It's just that with Coen Brothers and Deakins known for their wide camera shots and Lubezki, who has a similar approach, isn't given much to do. It may look good and create a nice feel but one feels that Lubezki has done better work and kind of makes the hardcore Coen Brothers fan that Deakins shouldn't have done other projects. The Coen Brothers in their Roderick Jaynes alias do some nice work with the editing though the pacing at time tends to drag in some spots while it's rhythm does run smoothly but is often a bit disjointed.

Production designer John Gonchor with longtime set decorator Nancy Haigh and art director David Swayze do a fine job with the look of Osbourne Cox's boat, the Cox home, and a special chair that Harry has created. The Coen Brothers' longtime costume designer Mary Zophres does an excellent job with the costumes that includes the gym uniforms, suits, and dresses for the characters. Longtime sound editor Skip Lievsay and sound designer Craig Berkey do some excellent work with the film's sound mixing and editing that includes sounds of guns, tire squeals, and everything else to capture the film's humor and action. Longtime music composer Carter Burwell brings a nice, percussive-driven score to underscore the film's suspenseful tension and drama.

The cast, assembled by their longtime casting director Ellen Chenowith, is great as it features a cameo from Dermont Mulroney in as a character from a movie-within-a movie that also stars Claire Danes. Other small appearances from Raul Aranas as a gym employee, Jeffrey DeMunn as Linda's cosmetic surgeon, Kevin Sussman and J.R. Horne (who was also in O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as a couple of lawyers are good as they each stand out. Elizabeth Marvel is also good as Harry's wife who doesn't seem to like Katie Cox very much while having a secret of her own. Olek Krupa is excellent as a Russian government official who is intrigued by the files while having a couple funny lines about the content. David Rasche and J.K. Simmons are great as the CIA officials who try to piece up everything that goes in the film as their scenes and dialogue together are some of the film's best highlights. Richard Jenkins is also great as Ted Treffon, the gym manager who pines for Linda and tries to express his feelings only to do so at the wrong time.

Tilda Swinton's performance as the cold, icy Katie Cox is underwritten as Swinton is given really not much to do but act bitchy, be very cold, uncaring, and just stuck-up as Harry's wife says. It's a shame since Swinton isn't given the chance to say something funny or do something funny either as she can be. John Malkovich does get to have some funny moments and one liners as the very angry Osbourne Cox. Yet, scenes where's cursing repeatedly comes off as over-the-top and a bit excessive where his character becomes a caricature as Malkovich is reduced to look silly at times. George Clooney gives a good performance though his character doesn't have much to do either but sleep with women, exercise, build things, and get paranoid. Clooney's performance in the third act following an incident doesn't really work as he tries to be dramatic and it doesn't click with the rest of the film.

France McDormand is excellent, as usual, as Linda Litzke, a superficial woman who feels its time to get plastic surgery and try to go dating while leading the blackmail scheme against Cox. McDormand's performance is one of the highlights as her character tries to remain optimistic and has a clear goal in what she wants. The film's most zaniest and most enjoyable performance goes to Brad Pitt as Chad Feldheimer. Pitt definitely sells the idiocy of this character with a goofy hairdo, a silly smile, and movements to the iPod. Pitt's performance is always welcome and engaging as his character often brings a smile while his antics and shenanigans just keeps on bringing laughs. It's definitely one of Pitt's best performances in his career that as of recently, has been more challenging and taking on very different roles.

While Burn After Reading maybe slightly better than the Coen Brothers' previous comedies of Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers, fans expecting a superb comedy might be feeling somewhat disappointed. Despite top-notch work from Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand along with a slew of actors in smaller roles, Burn After Reading does succeed in bringing out its entertainment factor and humor. Yet, fans of Joel and Ethan Coen might feel like they've been let down a bit as their expectations are often high. Especially in comparison to the Brothers' other comedies like Raising Arizona, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? In the end, Burn After Reading is a good entertaining film from the Coen Brothers but considering their prolific film history, it could've been much better.

Coen Brothers Films: Blood Simple - Raising Arizona - Miller's Crossing - Barton Fink - The Hudsucker Proxy - Fargo - The Big Lebowski - O Brother, Where Art Thou? - The Man Who Wasn't There - Intolerable Cruelty - The Ladykillers (2004 film) - Paris Je T'aime-Tuileries - To Each His Own Cinema-World Cinema - No Country for Old Men - A Serious Man - True Grit (2010 film) - Inside Llewyn Davis - Hail, Caesar! - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 1 - The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 2

(C) thevoid99 2012

The Sheltering Sky

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/17/07 w/ Additional Edits.

1987's The Last Emperor marked a triumph for Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci as the film won several Academy Awards including Best Picture and a Best Director prize for Bertolucci. Following its award-winning success, Bertolucci and producer Jeremy Thomas decided to embark on another ambitious film that was to follow The Last Emperor in a trilogy of epic films relating to outside cultures and landscapes that would conclude with 1993's Little Buddha. For the second part of his trilogy, Bertolucci released a film based on Paul Bowles' novel of a New York couple traveling to North Africa with a friend as their own marriage disintegrates where the attempt to save their marriage ends in despair. The book from 1947 was finally made into a film for 1990's The Sheltering Sky.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci with a script written by Mark Peploe, The Sheltering Sky is an ambitious, epic, romantic film about a couple trying to save their marriage in North Africa only to find faults and failures that also included the involvement of other people. Shot on location in Morocco, Algeria, and Niger, the film unveils some of the most breathtaking images of the desert shot by Bertolucci's longtime cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. Starring John Malkovich, Debra Winger, Campbell Scott, Timothy Spall, Jill Bennett, and Paul Bowles as the film’s narrator. The Sheltering Sky, despite its breathtaking images, is a clumsy, dense film from Bernardo Bertolucci.

It's the late 1940s as an American couple named Port (John Malkovich) and Kit Moresby (Debra Winger) arrive onto a port in North Africa accompanied by their friend Tunner (Campbell Scott). While Tunner hopes to spend a month at least in Tangier, the Moresby are travelers hoping to spend maybe a year or two in North Africa to explore its wonders. Their marriage however, is failing as they spend their time alone and sleep in different rooms. Tunner sleeps in another room while he often tries to court Kit. When Port describes a dream that upsets Kit, they receive an unexpected visit by and Englishman named Eric Lyle (Timothy Spall) and his mother (Jill Bennett). Planning to travel through the desert for their next trip, Port wanders around Tangier where he meets a man named Smail (Ben Smail).

After encountering a little village and tribe where he encounters a hooker (Amina Annabi), she attempts to steal his wallet but fails as he nearly gets mugged. Upon returning to the Grand Hotel, Port begins to suspect a possible affair between Kit and Tunner. With Kit deciding to travel with Tunner by train, Port is accompanied by the Lyles on their trip through the desert to a nearby town. With both parties arriving, it's clear that Kit has been attracted to Tunner as they keep their affair a secret. Port meanwhile, is often asked by Eric for a loan about a possible endeavor. Port gives him a bit of money to be rid of the Lyles as he and Kit go on a bike ride through the desert. In another attempt to save their marriage, they go to a spot where they see the beautiful Sahara Desert. Unfortunately, their lack of passion and the years they've been in have made them cold.

Now going through the desert by bus, the Moresby and Tunner travel yet again as Tunner finds everything to be frustrating as he decides to leave the journey. Port and Kit continue their North African journey unaware of an epidemic coming through the various villages as flies are surrounding them. Port finds himself ill all of a sudden as Kit begins to worry. They continue on their trip to another town but Port is becoming increasingly ill. Things get worse as they find themselves in the middle of a sandstorm. With Kit now worried, she now fears for her own future as she suddenly finds herself being seduced and accompanied by a mysterious young man named Belqassm (Eric Vu-An). Taken to another village, she finds herself in the middle of a culture clash wondering what has this journey really been about.

Given Bertolucci's love of exotic cultures and existential explorations, the film is really about a journey gone wrong with jaded intellectuals being completely unaware of the world that is foreign to them. With the text from this famous novel by Paul Bowles, it's clear that the film's major weakness is in its adaptation. Those who haven't read the book (including myself), definitely will be bewildered by the film's unique narrative. Yet, it makes for a very awkward and detached sense of wonder for the audience who haven't read this book. Even for someone who might've read this book will notice a lot of missing subplots and things from that book.

The film's major weakness is the script by Bertolucci and brother-in-law Mark Peploe, largely because there's not much back story for the film’s protagonists nor is there any are they very interesting in some ways. Port is a self-indulgent and very pretentious though he has some redeeming qualities. Kit is also as detached since she often spends her time in a hotel room alone or with Tunner. Bertolucci, the director, does seem to make up for it with his visual composition and staging. Yet, because of the material he's working on, some of the drama doesn't feel right and the dialogue between Kit and Port is very dense that it seems that a character like Tunner and the audience have a hard time understanding their motives.

The film's narrative is wonderfully structured but uneven as well. Yet, it is unique in some ways since the first part is about Kit's unconventional take on the journey to Africa, the second act being about Kit and Port's disintegrating marriage. Yet, it all goes well despite some road bumps and then comes this third act. All of a sudden, it starts to feel and look like a different film with Kit now being the center of attention. Yet, it makes the entire film feel clunky despite some great scenes that Bertolucci has created and such. Yet, despite all of his intentions and his approach to the storytelling, Bertolucci does create a film that is interesting yet very flawed.

Longtime cinematographer Vittorio Storaro brings a majestic, gorgeous look to the film that makes up for any flaw that it has. Some of the film's interiors including a shot of sunlight in a hotel room looks very close to the old-school, Technicolor cinematography of late 50s/early 60s cinema. The exteriors also has an old-school feel that includes amazing shots of the desert with wonderful set-ups and epic scopes that has to be seen on a widescreen format. Storaro's use of colors whether it would be the blue-evening light or yellow sunlight is always jaw-dropping as his work with Bertolucci as well as other directors like Francis Ford Coppola and Warren Beatty is often top-notch.

Production designers Gianni Silvestri and Ferndinando Scarfiotti along with art director Andrew Sanders create a unique look to the film's period design from the cars to the cramped hotel rooms the Moresby lives. Given the locations they're in, each set piece is wonderfully decorated to give that sense of authenticity. Costume designer James Acheson also brings wonder to the costumes with the sheik-like clothing in the third act, the suits that the men wear, and the 40s dresses that Debra Winger wears throughout for almost the entire film. Editor Gabriella Cristiani brings a nice, elliptical pacing of sorts to the film while using intense cuts to convey the suspense of drama of some of the film's scenes. Sound editor Don Sharpe helps with the film's amazing sound to convey the horror of sandstorms and other surroundings in the desert.

Then there's the amazingly haunting, intensely dramatic score by Ryuchi Sakamoto that is filled with bass-heavy arrangements, lots of strings, and chords that convey the film’s bleak tone. Sakamoto's score is really one of the film’s highlights that also includes traditional, North African music from Richard Horowitz that is filled with a lot of rhythm and mysticism as the land itself. Along with several different kinds of music from the late 1940s, the film's soundtrack is rich in its diversity.

Finally, there's the film's cast that doesn't exactly feature a large ensemble but memorable performances and appearances. There's a few notable small roles from Amina Annabi and Ben Smail as Tangier natives along with a cameo from Italian film starlet Nicoletta Braschi as a French woman in a cafe scene early in the film. Eric Vu-An is good in his mysterious role as a nomad traveler who makes most of his appearance with just his look. A very exotic look who manages to charm Debra Winger. Jill Bennett and Timothy Spall are fine as the irritating Lyle with Bennett as this posh, smug photographer and Spall as a slimy, wormy thief who wants to be rid of his mother. In many ways, maybe this is why Spall got the role of Wormtail in the Harry Potter films.

In one of his early film roles, Campbell Scott is good as the charming, somewhat ignorant Tunner who seduces Kit while trying to understand their fascination with traveling. Scott makes the most of his role despite the fact that it's very underdeveloped. It's just a caricature of a lot of tourist-like characters as Scott would later do better work in the years to come. Debra Winger is fine in her role as Kit but doesn't seem give any real kind of life to the role. I'm not sure whether it's the character or Winger's performance but the character of Kit isn't that interesting. Sure, she looks pretty but her character just seems very detached from everything. Winger is a fine actress and is still better than most stars, it's just that she often seems overlooked.

John Malkovich is actually the film's best performance but that isn't saying much either. While there's some scenes where he and Winger are great together. There's some that don't work which is due to the script. Yet, Malkovich makes the most of it with his self-absorbed, pretentious performance that is always fun to watch. Malkovich usually often would rise above the material, especially as clunky as a film like this. Though his character isn't that interesting, Malkovich does pull all the stops, even as his character starts to become ill that shows wonderful dramatic range.

When the film was released in 1990, expectations were very high considering that it's a film by Bernardo Bertolucci and that he had just come off winning 9 Oscars for The Last Emperor. Instead, the film received mixed reviews and mediocre box office that it was a huge disappointment. Though there were praises towards the film's score and Vittorio Storaro's cinematography, it was a disappointment of sorts from Bertolucci. While he would return with a somewhat better film for 1993's Little Buddha, it was clear that Bertolucci had seen better days.

Despite some of the film's major flaws, The Sheltering Sky is still an interesting yet clunky film from Bernardo Bertolucci and company. While compared to some of his masterpieces like The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, and The Last Emperor along with other great films like 1900 and The Dreamers, this film is really minor in some ways. Fans of Bertolucci will enjoy the film's epic scope and scenery, unless they hadn't read the book, they will feel like this is minor work. In the end, despite some of those triumphs. The Sheltering Sky is a good film from Bernardo Bertolucci but one would expect a lot more from the Italian auteur.

Bernardo Bertolucci Films: (La Commare Secca) - (Before the Revolution) - (Partners) - (The Spider's Stratagem) - The Conformist - Last Tango in Paris - 1900 - (La Luna) - (Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man) - (The Last Emperor) - Little Buddha - Stealing Beauty - (Besieged) - The Dreamers - (Me & You)

© thevoid99 2011